FLASHY NEWS NAIJA

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OBA SAHEED ADEMOLA ELEGUSHI

2017-04-10T16:54:00.002-07:00

For the immeasurable love that you rained on us.
For the commendable leadership that changed our lives;
We salute you, our beloved OBA SAHEED ADEMOLA ELEGUSHI, KUSENLA 111 on the joyful occasion of your birth day,
We join our fellow citizens in celebrating the momentous day.
With solemn dedication and heartfelt gratitude, we pray for Your Majesty’s continued good health and long life.
KABIYESI OOOOOO

when am gone

2017-01-23T08:15:00.001-08:00

NIGERIAN ARMY CLEAN UP CAMP ZERO

2016-12-30T06:14:00.006-08:00

Graphic video.... Viewers discretion advised

The Nigerian army have started the cleaning up of camp zero after taking it over. watch video below for more details

NIGERIAN ARMY CELEBRATE BOKO HARAM DEFEAT

2016-12-30T06:10:00.000-08:00

The Nigerian army celebrates victory over boko haram. below is a video of the celebration...

KILLING OF SOUTHERN KADUNA PEOPLE BY FULANI HERDSMEN (GRAPHIC PHOTOS)

2016-12-30T05:58:00.001-08:00

GRAPHIC PHOTOS VIEWERS DISCRETION ADVISED

According to SpectaScope Nigeria,below are more graphic photos from the Fulani herdsmen killing in Southern Kaduna.SpectaScope said up till today 30th of December 2016,a word has not been heard from President Buhari, no arrest is yet to be made after the barbaric attack by Fulani herdsmen killing over 800 Christians as claimed by the Christian Association Of Nigeria CAN in Kaduna South.Also,the spokesman to president Buhari, Femi Adesina allegedly said the killings by Fulani herdsmen in Kaduna South is not the president's business.

SOURCE: SPECTASCOPE

COURT SENTENCES SON OF FORMER HOUSE OF REP MEMBER TO DEATH BY HANGING

2016-12-30T05:46:00.002-08:00

A Katsina State High Court sitting in Funtua on Thursday sentenced Mu’ammar Tukur, son of former District Head of Bakori, to death by hanging for culpable homicide.

Tukur, 32, whose late father represented Bakori/Danja Federal Constituency at Federal House of Representatives, was convicted for using knife to stabbed Shafir Muktar to death.

In his judgment, Justice Abbas Bawale, said the prosecution led by Mr Aminu Garba had established the case of culpable homicide against the convict beyond reasonable doubt.

Bawale said the prosecution called five witnesses and tendered four exhibits which established the three needed ingredients, including death of the victim, cause of the death and intention of the action.

He said the incident occurred on April 21, 2008 in a serial fight between the convict and the some of the prosecution witnesses at viewing centre.

The judge said the defence counsel, Mr AbdulAziz Olagoke, effort to contradict the evidence of the prosecution was futile.

He said the defence argument that the prosecution did not tender the metallic material used in committing the offence could not be sustained.

The judge held that the convict ran way between 2008 and 2013 and was arrested at the grave yard during the funeral of his deceased mother.

Bawale held that convict’s reliance on provocation was not material because he left the scene and came with the metallic instrument to perpetrate the action.

He said the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt as required by law and sentenced the convict to death by hanging.

The judge also said the plea for leniency could not be entertained because the court’s discretion was blocked by law and directed that the plea should be set to the state governor.

He advised the defence to file its appeal within 90 days.

NAN

ADEKUNLE GOLD, VIKTOH, CHINCO EKUN SET TO LEAVE YBNL

2016-12-30T05:37:00.000-08:00

Adekunle Gold, Viktoh and Chinko Ekun are leaving YBNL following the termination of their two-year recording and management contract each.

Meanwhile, the musicians are still looking to Olamide as they fear for their future.

‘Adekunle Gold’s contract with YBNL recently expired,’ an insider told Thenetng. ‘He’s yet to decide on his contract renewal because he’s not ready to go unaided.’

Adekunle joined YBNL as an artiste during the first ever OLIC (Olamide Live In Concert) in December 2014.

Before his major contract following the release of his hit, ‘Sade’, the singer – who designed the famous YBNL logo – used to work with the music label as a graphics designer.

The contracts of Viktoh and Chinko Ekun expired long time ago, but they decided to keep the update on the low as they fear it could make or tarnish careers.

Chinko Ekun was no where to be found at Olamide’s concert in Lagos on Monday, where his label mates took turns on stage to thrill the crowd.

‘Just like Chinko Ekun, both of them (Adekunle and Viktoh) don comot, but dem no loud am,’ another spokesperson told us in pidgin.

On April 26, a month after dropping his debut album (Y.A.G.I), Lil Kesh announced his departure from YBNL following the expiration of his two-year contract to promote his music label.

It only took the label a week to sign new artiste, Temmie Ovwasa. And in November, Olamide contracted fast-rising Mushin-based rapper, Davolee, who’s popular for his viral cover of ‘Panda’ by American artiste, Desiigner.

Three albums were released under YBNL Nation in 2016: Y.A.G.I by Lil Kesh and Adekunle Gold’s Gold, which were released in March and July, respectively.

Label boss, Olamide also dropped his sixth studio album on Boxing Day, the same day his OLIC3 concert held at Eko Convention Centre in Lagos.

2017 will certainly be challenging for YBNL (Yahoo Boy No Laptop), which has been one of the prominent Nigerian music labels in the last two years.

IGBO AND FULANI CLASH IN ENUGU OVER N100. TWO KILLED, MOSQUE BURNT

2016-12-30T05:31:00.000-08:00

Story by: Ihuoma Chiedozie, Enugu

Two persons lost their lives in a bloody clash between Igbos and Fulanis at the popular Gariki market, in Enugu.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night.

Our correspondent learnt, during a visit to the market on Thursday, that the deceased persons had been identified as Ali, a Fulani and Ifeacho Ifeanyi, an Igbo.

It was equally gathered that the clash was triggered by a disagreement over the sum of N100.

Eye witnesses disclosed that trouble started when, late on Wednesday evening, the said Ali, whose surname could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report, came to slaughter a cow at an abattoir located in the Gariki market.

They said Ali, who ordinarily would have gone to slaughter his cow in the New Artisan market abattoir, opted for Gariki market abattoir because the New Artsisan market had been closed by the Enugu State Government following the killing of a policeman by a mob of Keke NAPEP riders.

However, Ali, paid N400 instead of the required N500, which infuriated Ifeanyi, leading to a dispute.

The dispute between the two men over the said N100 soon turned violent, and in the ensuing fight, Ali allegedly brought out a dagger and stabbed Ifeanyi several times in the stomach, exposing his intestines.

Ifeanyi slumped and died on the spot.

But Ali met his own end immediately, as some Igbo traders, who were enraged at the development, apprehended him as he tried to escape and beat him to death.

The irate Igbo traders went further by burning a mosque that is located inside the Gariki market, where the large population of Northerners in the market worshipped.

Our correspondent gathered that the crisis would have further degenerated to the burning of shops and loss of more lives, had it not been for a team of anti-riot policemen who arrived at the market to stabilise the situation.

Spokesman for the Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the development, said the police had restored normalcy in the market and environs.

He said the police was on the ground to prevent further breakdown of the law and order.

Amaraizu added that the police was investigating the incident.

SOURCE: PUNCH NEWSPAPER

SOLDIERS AND BOKO HARAM BATTLE IN BORNO, MANY FEARED DEAD

2016-12-30T05:25:00.004-08:00

At least 15 Boko Haram fighters were killed in Borno on Friday as Nigerian troops of Operation Lafiya Dole and Boko Haram terrorists engaged in prolonged fierce battle in Borno State.

Military insiders told PREMIUM TIMES the battle ensued at 6 a.m this morning and did not end until after 9 a.m.

Our sources said the battle began when fighters of the terror group launched a surprise attack on troops location in Rann, in northern Borno, shooting sporadically.

Troops from 3 Battalion and 112 Task Force Battalion are stationed in the area, our sources said.

The soldiers responded promptly, killing an unknown number of the terrorists, and wounding several others.

The battle raged for over two hours, and when the dust settled, several terrorists were found dead.

One of our sources said more than 15 of the Boko Haram fighters were killed in action.

Another said the figure was much higher, saying many other terrorists escaped from the scene with gunshot wounds.

Both sources however said four Nigerian soldiers were wounded in action, adding that authorities had since contacted the nearby 22 Brigade to send air ambulance to evacuate a critically injured soldier.

Our sources gave arms and ammunition recovered from the terrorists to include two AK47 rifles, four FN rifles, one M21 rifle, 110 X 7.62MM NATO ammunition, 20 X 7.62MM special,, 40 X M21 rounds, 4 X FN extra magazine and two locally made explosives.

Friday’s battle is the first since the military overpowered and chased the Boko Haram sect from the dreaded Sambisa Forest, a fortress from where the group launched attacks on Nigeria for years.

It also came a day after the leader of the terror sect, Abubakar Shekau, appeared in a new video, claiming his group had not been defeated.

The Army immediately shot back, saying the video by Mr. Shekau was a piece of propaganda that should be disregarded.

PRENIUM TIMES

LADIES, IT’S UNHEALTHY TO WEAR PANTIES TO BED!

2016-12-28T06:44:00.005-08:00

Except when you are having your monthly period, you have no business wearing pants to bed!
What reasons do doctors have for this ‘prescription’? These ones

Physicians say the female genital needs to ‘breathe’ in order to maintain its pH balance and prevent fungi and odour. So, going to bed without your pants on will aerate your nether region

Family Physician, Dr. Grace Obong, says during the day, women wear a variety of panties and tight outfits that hardly allow their privates to breathe. She says though it’s advisable and absolutely preferable to wear cotton panties, many women still opt for polyester panties, with the attendant heating up of the genital area while the day lasts.

For those who may not like to go to sleep without having pants on, Obong recommends wearing of boxers or pyjamas.

Experts at womenshealth.gov say the vagina normally has a balance of mostly “good” bacteria and fewer “harmful” bacteria. However, a condition, called bacterial vaginosis, develops when the balance changes. This may lead to abnormal vaginal discharge with an unpleasant odour, while some women may complain of a strong fish-like odour, especially after sex.

Other symptoms may include burning when urinating, itching around the outside of the vagina, and irritation; while some women with bacterial vaginosis have no symptoms at all,” Obong adds.

Wearing panties to bed can lead to too much moist in the female genital area, and this can lead to vaginal yeast infection, most commonly due to the fungus Candida albicans.

Again, Certified Sexuality Counselor, Evelyn Resh, says, “I do not recommend that women wear underwear to bed. Taking a break from underwear for the eight or so hours that you’re asleep gives you an opportunity to ‘air-out’ down there! Best to have an underwear-free zone while sleeping.”

And while yeast infection is not a sexually transmitted illness, physicians say some men will develop symptoms such as itching and a rash on the penis after having sexual contact with an infected partner.

The online physician, Dr. Mehmet Oz, counsels, “It’s time to go au naturel. You don’t want it to be so moist down there. Let it dry out a little bit.” The reason for this timely advice, Oz says, is because the underpants can abrade on your skin a little bit, and can cause pimples. And you don’t want that.

BEAUTICIAN SPENDS CHRISTMAS IN PRISON FOR DAMAGING SKIN

2016-12-28T06:39:00.000-08:00

The hope of a beauty therapist, Henry Abaigom, to rake in money from customers during the Yuletide has been dashed after he was sent to Kirikiri prison.

The 31-year-old beautician was remanded in the prison by an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court and could not perfect his bail conditions as of close of work on Friday.

Abaigom was arrested by the police on Tuesday in Ikeja for allegedly damaging the skin of two of his customers – 19-year-old Ifeabunike Alexandra and Nikky Imoh, 21.

The complainants, who are friends, had engaged Abaigom’s service to remove the stretch marks on their skin, and apply other skin treatments.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspect charged Alexandra N166,000 while Imoh, who also wanted to get rid of dark spots on her knuckles, was asked to pay N106,000.

The suspect had reportedly collected sums of N125,000 and N45,000 in advance from Alexandra and Imoh respectively, promising that they would see results shortly after the treatments.

Contrary to their expectation, it was gathered that the customers’ skin worsened, but Abaigom insisted on collecting the balance of his fees.

The friends, after failed attempts to get their money back, reported the case to the police at the Ikeja division, who arrested the suspect.

Alexandra told the police that Abaigom had presented himself on Facebook, through which she contacted him as a qualified beautician, adding that series of tools he displayed on the social media convinced her to seek his service.

She said, “I called him (Abiagom) on the telephone and told him what I wanted with my skin, including exfoliation, polishing and stretch mark treatment. It was N166,000 altogether.

“I asked him when I would start seeing positive results and he said almost immediately. He requested 75 per cent of the payment and I gave him N125,000.

“After the first treatment on December 13, I started having reactions such as rashes, dark eyes and darker skin complexion. He did the treatments for my friend and me at a guesthouse despite claiming to have a shop. He didn’t do most of the treatments I paid for, but he wanted the N41,000 balance.”

Imoh stated that she thought she had found a professional in the suspect when Alexandra introduced him to her.

“I wanted to clear dark knuckles and have an even skin, which he said he could do. I paid him N45,000 for a start,” she added.

Abiagom, who admitted collecting the sums from the friends, however, said they were not patient.

A police prosecutor, Inspector Benedict Aigbokhan, brought the beautician before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court on two counts of obtaining money under false pretences.

The charge read in part, “That you, Henry Abiagom, on December 13, at about 2pm, at Quarters 36, Block 2, Oba Akinjobi Street, GRA, Ikeja, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did obtain the sum of N125,000 from one Ifeabunike Alexandra to work on her skin and beautify it, knowing same to be false, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 312 of the Criminal Law No 11, Vol. 44 Laws of Lagos State.”

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and was admitted to bail in the sum of N100,000 with one surety in like sum by the presiding magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Akokhia.

The case was adjourned till February 20, 2016.

Hit-and-run driver crushes two ladies in Lagos

2016-12-28T06:34:00.003-08:00

A hit-and-run driver has crushed two women in the Mushin area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that while one of the victims died on the spot, the other was still in a critical condition at a hospital in the state.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident happened on Monday around the N A witness said two victims were hit by a silver Toyota Camry with number plate, BDG 45 DZ, adding that the car driver attempted to overtake another vehicle when the accident occurred.

He said, “The accident happened around 11am. The Camry was at top speed because it wanted to overtake another vehicle.

“However, the driver lost control and ran over the two ladies who were passing by the roadside just after the NNPC Filling Station.

“One of the ladies died immediately, while the second woman, who sustained a fracture in the arm and had a head injury was treated by some emergency workers before she was taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

“The corpse of the deceased was conveyed by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit to a mortuary.”

Our correspondent gathered that officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, led by their General Manager, Adesina Tiamiyu, and some policemen from the Olosan division, responded to the situation.

The area was said to have been cordoned off as the accident caused traffic congestion on the road.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the driver was later arrested by the police, while the car was towed away to the station.

“The families of the victims have come forward to identify them. It was really sad,” the witness, who did not want to be identified, said.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, adding that the second victim was still receiving treatment.

She said, “One died on the spot, while the other is on danger list in the hospital. Investigations are ongoing.”NPC bus stop.

WE ROBBED TO CELEBRATE YULETIDE LIKE RICH MEN — SUSPECTS

2016-12-28T06:17:00.002-08:00

A suspected armed robber, Ugochukwu Nnaji, has said that he and other members of his gang decided to rob during the Yuletide in order to celebrate the period like the rich in the society.

Nnaji was one of the two suspects arrested by the operatives of the Imo State Police Command. The suspects specialised in trailing and dispossessing unsuspecting bank customers of their money.

Speaking with Southern City News after they were paraded by the Imo State Police Command in Owerri, Nnaji said the coming of Christmas and New Year usually reminded them that it was time to rob bank customers and enjoy like the rich within the period.

He pointed out that the money they made from menial jobs was always not enough for them to live big like wealthy people, adding that they had been in the “business” (robbing bank customers) for a long time.

“We do it in every festive period, especially Christmas and New Year to also celebrate the period lavishly like others, who have made money.

“The menial jobs we do would not make us be in line with others during the celebration,” Nnaji, who was arrested on Friday alongside his friend, Chibueze Mgboji, told newsmen.

The duo was arrested by the police after they allegedly attacked a new generation bank and carted away a huge sum of money.

Nnaji, a native of Oboro Amurie in Isu Local Government Area, and Mgboji, a native of Obudi Agwa in Oguta LGA were said to be a two-man gang that specialised in trailing and robbing bank customers in the state capital.

Briefing newsmen at the command’s headquarters, Owerri, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, confirmed that the suspects were apprehended while escaping with money stolen from a Fidelity Bank customer in Ikenegbu, Owerri.

The CP, who stated that the alarm raised by the victim attracted operatives of the police, said, “They were immediately given a hot chase and were apprehended.

“Their loot was instantly recovered as they tried to escape. The two suspects, who have confessed to the crime, will soon be charged to court.”

Lakanu noted that the criminals rode on a motorcycle, stating that the two suspects had earlier monitored another bank customer (name withheld) and snatched his bag containing N150, 000.

Lakanu said, “Immediately he came out of the bank with a bag containing money, the duo, operating on a motorcycle, waylaid him and snatched the bag.”

SOURCE PUNCH NEWSPAPER

WE’RE DYING OF HUNGER, MASSOB LAMENTS

2016-12-28T06:11:00.003-08:00

The Cross River State chapter of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra has raised the alarm over the high cost of living in the state, alleging that people are dying as a result of hunger.

From indication, MASSOB said, so many Nigerians could no longer afford to buy basic food items due to inflation.

In a statement issued in Calabar on Tuesday by its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Okon Eyo Effiom, MASSOB said there were indications that the Nigerian state could no longer take care of its citizens.

The statement read in part, “Even at Christmas, a period characterised by celebration and merriment, many people could not afford to cook the common rice meal for their families. Rice is the basic staple during such time but because of high level of poverty in the land many families could not afford to buy it.

“The standard of living in the country has depreciated abysmally in just one year and the cost of basic items has quadrupled beyond the reach of the ordinary person. This has made the citizens to easily succumb to diseases and death while others who are unable to bear the situation are killing themselves.

“Between 2015 and this year, the cost of living has risen by over 500 per cent which is way beyond the ordinary citizen which accounts for the high death rate through disease and suicide amongst our people.”

The group said the state of affairs in the country had given credence to MASSOB’s struggle for secession through peaceful means.

“We want to leave the Nigerian state and build a nation of our own based on the vision of Ralph Uwazurike.

“Fifty-six years after the Nigerian civil war, injustice is still being perpetrated against the people of Biafra especially the minorities as seen with the devastation of Odi in Rivers State and the handing over of Bakassi to Cameroon by the Nigerian government.

“We hereby call on President Muhammadu Buhari to let the people of Biafra go so that we can decide our fate and build our nation instead of languishing in this unholy state called Nigeria,” it stated.

SOURCE PUNCH NEWSPAPER

ARRESTED BOKO HARAM FIGHTER WARNS OF ATTACKS ON FCT

2016-12-28T06:05:00.000-08:00

A middle-aged man suspected to be one of the fleeing fighters of the Boko Haram sect has been arrested by officials of a security agency recently established by the Abuja Municipal Area Council popularly known as AMAC Marshal in the Federal Capital Territory.

A statement issued on Tuesday night by the spokesman for the AMAC Marshal, Kingsley Madaki, said the suspect who gave his name as Usman, was nabbed at 4.30pm at Utako Market.

According to him, the suspect was apprehended “with a Qur’an and a chaplet on his neck while trying to lobby people in the market.”

The statement said the suspected Boko Haram fighter had, however, “confessed that there are so many of his colleagues out there in the city who are out to unleash mayhem on innocent residents.”

While calling on the residents of the FCT to be vigilant and report any suspicious movement to AMAC Marshal personnel, Madaki said the organisation was out to ensure the safety of properties and lives of the residents.

While handing over the suspect to the Nigerian Army at the Mabila Barracks, the Marshal-General of AMAC Marshal, Kasim Chicha, said the organisation was out to assist the conventional security agencies in the council.

He, therefore, called on the residents to be careful and be alert at every point in time, adding that AMAC would always do everything to protect residents.

Chicha commended the effort of the council Chairman, Abdullahi Candido, for creating the security outfit for the security of the council.

The PUNCH reported that the Nigerian Army had invaded Camp Zero, the last Boko Haram’s stronghold in Sambisa Forest to flush out the insurgents.

This led the terrorists to flee the area and one of the suspected member of the sect was arrested in Lagos last Thursday.

PUNCH NEWSPAPER

WORLD’S FIRST SOLAR ROAD OPENS IN FRANCE

2016-12-28T05:55:00.001-08:00

THE world’s first solar highway has been opened in France, in the not-very-sunny village of Tourouvre au Perche in Normandy.

The roadway is just one kilometre (0.6 mile) long, but that still works out at 2,800 square metres of photovoltaic cells—enough, hopefully, to power the village’s street lights.

The road was built by Colas, a large Anglo-French construction company.

Colas has apparently been working on its own solar road tech, called Wattway, for at least five years. Wattway has been tested in car parks, but this is the first time it has been used on an active road.

There will now be a two-year test period, to see if Wattway can withstand the rigour of being pounded by thousands of cars and trucks per day, and whether it can actually provide a useful amount of electricity.

Usefulness aside, the main problem with constructing solar roads is their crippling cost. One of the main selling points of Wattway, according to Colas, is that each panel is just a few millimetres thick and can thus be installed on top of an existing road, which in turn massively reduces construction costs.

Having said that, the one kilometre road in Normandy cost €5 million (£4.3 million) to build. And that’s for a single lane of a two-lane highway.

Expanding that out to €10 million per kilometre for a two-lane solar road, you’re looking at a total cost measured in billions or even trillions of pounds to cover a sizeable portion of a country’s roads with solar panels.

France has over a million kilometres of roads; the United States has over six million. And that’s not counting the larger highways with more than two lanes…

Fortunately, Ségolène Royal, France’s ecology minister, has a much more reasonable goal in mind: she would like to see solar roadways replace one kilometre of every 1,000 in France.

Again, assuming she means two-lane solar roads at around €10 million per kilometre, the total cost would be €10 billion — not bad, assuming the panels (and the accompany electrical system) don’t need regular maintenance and that they produce enough electricity to be worth the much higher initial outlay.

Every solar panel needs to be wired

Indeed, their questionable efficiency is one of the main reasons that more solar roads are not currently being built.

Colas says that Wattway’s photovoltaic efficiency is 15 per cent, which is pretty good (commercial panels that you might put on your roof are at about 20 per cent). But that does not take into account the fact that the solar panels are flat on the ground, rather than angled towards the sun’s trajectory, significantly reducing efficiency at higher latitudes.

Heavy traffic could also block sunlight; as could snow, mud, and perhaps standing water after rain.

Back in 2014, a 70-metre solar bicycle path was built in the suburbs of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, at the utterly insane cost of €3 million. In its first year, it produced about 3,000 kilowatt-hours (kwh) of electricity—enough to power an average home.

At the current wholesale price in the UK (about £40 per megawatt-hour), that same €3 million would’ve bought you about 65,000,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity, enough to power about 21,000 homes for a year.

Obviously the maths are a bit better on the €5 million road in Normandy, but that’s still an awful lot of money to spend on powering the village’s (population 3,300) street lights.

The Wattway brochure suggests that 2,800 square metres of solar roadway ought to be able to power about 140 homes—about 420mwh per year.

Though clearly, if they are just looking to power the village’s street lights, they’re not expecting anywhere near 420mwh in reality, perhaps due to the low amount of direct sunlight in Normandy.

Culled from http://arstechnica.com

Oil, gas sector: 2016 in retrospect

2016-12-28T05:52:00.001-08:00

The year 2016 has been a challenging year for both the government and Nigerians. This is because during the year the government officially admitted that the economy had slipped into recession. In this report, OLATUNDE DODONDAWA examines how
the oil and gas sector has fared amidst global uncertainties in 2016.

Introduction

Nigerians entered the year 2016 with acute fuel scarcity which rocked the country since late 2015 when the federal government declined to settle marketers’ outstanding of subsidy debt. Long queues at petrol stations in major states including the capital city, Abuja, commercial cities such as Lagos, Kano and few others have refused to disappear. This resulted into heavy traffic, road blocks, blaring sirens, cursing and fighting among motorists as citizens scramble daily to fill up their cars, generators and jerry-cans in preparation for the uncertain times.

The government was in a fix and needed to provide lasting solution to the menace of perennial acute fuel scarcity. This led to formulation and introduction of price modulation system.

Price modulation

Price modulation is an act of modifying or adjusting prices according to due measure and proportion. In other words, it is adjusting pump prices of premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol to ensure ‘fair’ pricing without provision of subsidy.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, had announced in May 2016, removal of fuel subsidy and posited that pump price of petrol would be determined by price modulation.

The policy provides a price band of between N135-N145 per liter and he pledged that the price would be reviewed quarterly to conform with fluctuations in the international crude price.

However, one major challenge confronting this policy in 2016 is unavailability of foreign exchange needed by marketers to import refined petroleum products.

Either deliberately or not, this has turned the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to sole importer of refined petroleum products when stakeholders were calling for the liberalization of the Corporation. The components used to calculate the prices are kept secret and many stakeholders wondered if government still pays subsidy or not on imported petroleum products.

Govt’s inability to fix the refineries

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo expressed dismay when late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua reversed the sales of two refineries to a business consortium led by Aliko Dangote. Obasanjo said he sold the refineries for $750million in 2007 but predicted that in 10 years time, the government must have spent twice the amount he sold the refineries and that yet they won’t work.

In reality, that’s the truth today. The refineries are in comatose as always due to lack of the much required Turn Around Maintenance (TAM). Nigerian engineers, according to industry sources, have been battling with the refineries to ensure they work by whatever stage they are now. They said the truth is that the refineries have become obsolete and may never attract investors as envisaged by the federal government when Kachikwu announced that the government will introduce Joint Venture arrangement with private investors to put the refineries back to life.

Indeed, while being screened as a potential minister by the Senate in 2015, Kachikwu, who then was the Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, stated that any refinery that works below 65 per cent of capacity will be shut in December 2015. He said the reality is that functioning refineries were operating at only 25 per cent contrary to reports that they were doing well. He also said that it was not enough for a refinery to produce at 65 per cent today and at zero per cent the next day, stressing that anytime crude was not utilized by a refinery, the government lost money.

However, as at December 2016, the refineries are not utilizing up to 50 per cent capacity, yet, they have not been scrapped.

Cancellation of crude swap, offshore processing deals

In August 2015, the federal government cancelled all crude swap and offshore processing arrangements with the NNPC. This arrangement allows foreign refiners to take part of the 445,000 barrels of crude allocated daily to the moribund refineries for processing abroad and return refined petroleum products to the NNPC based on terms.

In less than six months after cancellation of crude swap arrangement, the government replaced it with Direct Sales Direct Purchase (DSDP) policy. Kachikwu noted that the policy is aimed at reducing the gaps inherent in the OPA and the losses incurred by the NNPC in the past.

Recently speaking on the status of its implementation so far, the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Department, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, stated recently in Abuja that the NNPC was already netting off good value from the process.

According to him, “Today, I can tell you that the DSDP which we have, I led the negotiations and today we bring products into this country and we can recover the full value of the product completely plus margin.

“That means it is not the problem of swap or OPA, that is not the issue but the content of the agreement that you have which is why you are seeing about N500billion losses because what we literarily did in the past was that we give you a $100 crude and ask you to bring $90 product, but today, we give you a $100 crude and ask you to bring $110 worth of product, that is what is done today. Changes are going on, let us stop this idea of blanket address of issues.”

He stated that while the swap arrangement was often condemned, it still had some benefits.

“The swap and OPA have their issues, but it allows you to plan long-term, it gives you a 12-month contract that means you are buying 12 months ahead of time which means your suppler will give you better price. This country must decide if we want the private sector to participate in the sector,” he said.

Proposed cancellation of JV funding/ cash call arrangements

Prior to the proposed cancellation of Joint Venture (JV) funding and cash call arrangements between the NNPC and the International Oil Companies (IOCs) and other stakeholders, the Federal Government owed its JV partners about $7billion in counterpart funding.

Speaking at a forum organised by National Association of Energy Correspondents (NAEC) in Lagos, Kachikwu said the government was working to opt out of JV funding scheme and allow its partners to find their operations and remit government’s share into the federation account.

As a parting gift to Nigerians for the year 2016, Federal Government approved proposal for cancellation of JV funding scheme and adopt alternative funding scheme.

Kachikwu had hinted that “As you are aware, current cash call arrears in the oil sector over the last five years up until December 2015, is about $6.8 billion unpaid in the 2016 period.

“We also have accumulated unpaid cash call arrears of over $2.5 billion. Obviously in the year we earned a lot of money from oil, $110-120 per barrel, there really wasn’t any justification why these monies shouldn’t have been paid in terms of the five years arrears but it is what it is, if that is what the arrear is.

“Thus, one can understand why we have what we have: the effect of militancy, the drop in oil prices from $110 to $40, has meant revenue coming to government has been unable to sustain our ability to meet our cash call obligations and what does that do when that happens.

“You find that your reserve begins to deplete, your ability to maintain production at current level will begin to despair and cost of per barrel of production at JV continues to rise because of the very little volumes chasing the cost and at the end of the day, the investor’s confidence begins to wane.”

On 16th December, the Federal Government disclosed that it has formally exited the joint venture cash calls arrangements it has had with the international oil companies operating in the country for more than four decades.

Conclusion

It suffices to say that the oil and gas sector has experienced mixed experience in the year 2016. While Nigerians should be ready for possible increase in pump price of petrol in 2017 following potential rise in crude price at the international crude market, the government is expected to save over $2 billion from exiting the JV agreement.

Stakeholders have urged the government ensure passage of petroleum industry bill to attract the much needed investment in the sector because fiscal regime has always be contentious between the stakeholders and the government.

Source Nigerian Tribune

FIRE RAZES 48 SHOPS IN GOMBE MARKET

2016-12-28T05:39:00.000-08:00

A late night fire has razed at least 48 shops in Gombe old market, destroying properties worth over N40 million.

Daily Trust learnt that the fire which started around 1 am was suspected to be from an electrical fault when electricity was suddenly restored to the market.

The fire affected the section of the market occupied by traders of cosmetics and tailors.

Chairman of the market, Alhaji Mohammed Abba Aliyu, said 48 shops were affected by the inferno. “It was around 1am when I received a call that there was a fire outbreak at the market I rushed and on my arrival, I meet a team of policemen and men of the fire service putting off the fire,” he said.

Alhassan Abdullahi who owns a cosmetic shop, said: “When we reached the market around 3am we could not get access to our shops. We were watching when the fire burnt down our shops. I am into cosmetics business and I lost over N2 million in the incident.”

Chibeza Raymond, another cosmetics dealer, said he lost over N7 million to the inferno. “I have two shops and just yesterday I stocked my shops. They were both destroyed by the fire. I could not remove anything,” he said.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Gombe State Fire Service, Haruna Wambai, confirmed the incident.

SOURCE DAILY TRUST

LAWYER SUES FG OVER REFUSAL TO CONFIRM ONNOGHEN AS CJN

2016-12-28T05:07:00.001-08:00

A Lagos based legal practitioner, Chief Malcolm Omirhobo has dragged President Muhammadu Buhari before Abuja Federal High Court over his refusal to appoint Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen as the Chairman of the National Judicial Council.

Omirhobo said he is suing for himself and on behalf of the generality of Nigerians.

Joined as co-defendants in the suit are Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, The Federal Judicial Service Commission, Hon. Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen, CFR the Chairman of the National Judicial Council and the National Judicial Council.

The plaintiff in an origination summons brought in pursuant to order 3, rule 6,7 and 9 of the Federal High Court civil procedure rules 2009 is asking for the interpretation of Section 231 (1) (3) (4) and (5) of the 1999 constitution.

He is seeking the following questions for determination: Whether the qualification, assessment and evaluation necessary for the appointment of the Chief Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are the exclusive preserve of the third and fifth defendants; whether by virtue of Section 231 (1) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the first defendant in exercising his powers to appoint the Chief Justice of Nigeria must act on recommendation of the fifth defendant; whether by virtue of Section 231 (3) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the first defendant as the head of the executive arm of Government can hand pick and or choose who he wants to be the head of the judicial arm of Nigerian Government.

He is seeking to compel the first defendant to forthwith act on the recommendation of the fifth defendant appointing the fourth defendant as substantive Chief Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

SOURCE DAILY POST

TEENAGER WHO LIVED IN PLASTIC BOWL AFTER LIMBS STOPPED GROWING HAS DIED

2016-12-28T04:57:00.002-08:00

A teenage girl who was forced to live in a plastic bowl after a mystery illness caused her limbs to stop growing has died.

Rahma Haruna, who lived in Kano in Nigeria, passed away on Christmas Day, according to reports.

The 19-year-old was struck down by a mystery illness when she was six months old meaning her limbs stopped growing.

The condition has confounded doctors and left her in constant pain.

Her case came to light earlier this year when her mother, Fadi, made it public to seek a medical specialist who might be able to help treat her.

Talking about her family, she said: ‘They help me a lot. How do they? They give me anything I need.’

Source Report UK

IS THIS VIDEO AIR WORTHY???

2016-12-17T02:19:00.000-08:00

Here is a freshly shot video. The video is shot by Afro Pride for Keni and the song is titled morayo.

I have seen the video and I must say that the video is just a normal naija upcoming artist video.

KENI is an upcoming artist and he wants to know if the video is airworthy before he starts full time promotion

see video below

Guys the answer is in your hands

##kenimustblow##

OSAGIE ASSUMES OFFICE AS SHELL MD

2015-03-02T14:20:00.001-08:00

A new Managing Director for Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mr. Osagie Okunbor, has assumed office, succeeding Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, who retired on Saturday after 36 years of service.

Okunbor’s appointment was announced in January while he was serving as a Senior Advisor in Shell’s Upstream International Operated business in The Hague, the Netherlands.

The new Shell helmsman, who is also assuming the role of the Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, according to a statement by the firm, brings over 28 years of industry experience and expertise to his new role.

“I’m delighted at the opportunity to build on the progress we have made over the years. Shell continues to be a highly valued partner for progress in Nigeria and I’m looking forward to exploring more channels for fruitful collaboration with our stakeholders,” Okunbor said.

Okunbor is the third Nigerian managing director of SPDC and Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria in a row.

Mr. Basil Omiyi assumed office as the Managing Director of SPDC in 2004, and also became Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria in 2008, the first Nigerian to hold both positions.

In a farewell note, Sunmonu thanked the workers and key external stakeholders for their dedication and support, which enabled the company to collectively achieve the successes recorded during his tenure.

“I am indeed proud to have made this remarkable journey with you and tremendously grateful to God for the privilege to have done so,” he said.

A graduate of Business Administration from the University of Benin, Okunbor is an accomplished professional who has worked in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Brunei, and until now, the Netherlands.

MOB BEATS UP WOMAN FOUND WITH DEAD BABY IN OGUN

2015-03-02T14:17:00.002-08:00

MOB BEATS UP WOMAN FOUND WITH DEAD BABY IN OGUN

Mayhem was let loose in Ago Igbala in the Ibafo area of Ogun State after a mentally-challenged woman was caught with a dead newborn baby. PUNCH Metro reports:

It was said the woman, popularly called Tope, was playing with the baby at a refuse dump in the area, when a passerby saw her and raised thealarm. PUNCH Metro gathered that Tope dropped the baby and took to her heels when a mob confronted her. She was said to have been beaten up by the mob, who reportedly chased her towards the Ibafo police station, a few kilometres from Ago Igbala.

Our correspondent learnt that Tope, who was said to be in her 40s, was later rescued from the crowd by the policemen from the station.

In a visit to the area, some residents and eyewitnesses told PUNCH Metro that Tope was mentally ill while others said she might be pretending.

One of them, Samad Kolawole, said, “I came to Ibafo five years ago and I have known her since then. According to what I heard, she has been like that for years. We were all surprised when we saw the baby with her. Probably, somebody dumped the child somewhere, and she picked it.

“Although I was not part of the people that beat her up, the rampant case of using human parts for money ritual prompted them to do so.”

A trader in the area, Mrs. Janet Fabiyi, said the child might have been used for ritual purpose and dumped in the neighbourhood.

BOKO HARAM BEHEADS TWO IN NEW VIDEO

2015-03-02T14:15:00.000-08:00

A video purporting to show the executions of two alleged spies has been released by terror group, Boko Haram.

In the video, released on Monday, one of the men is made to make a full confession, explaining his ‘crimes’ to the camera, before the pair were beheaded and their bodies shown to the camera.

The gruesome execution video echoes those posted by Islamic State and is the second released by Boko Haram.

The video, called ‘Harvest of Spies’, was posted Monday on Twitter by Boko Haram, the SITE intelligence group said on Monday.

It starts by showing a man kneeling in the foreground with a group of Boko Haram fighters approaching him, holding a flag used by militant Islamist groups.

In a theatrical display previously seen in the execution videos released by ISIS, the men line up behind the victim.

The video then cuts to show two men, identified as Dawoud Muhammad and Muhammad Awlu, led by Boko Haram fighters before being made to kneel.

One Boko Haram fighter, whose face has been blurred by the militant group, stands behind Dawoud Muhammad, holding a large knife.

Muhammad tells the camera that he is a farmer from Baga, in Borno State, and is then made to answer a series of questions at knifepoint.

Muhammad revealed that hat he had been approached by a police officer who offered him money in exchange for infiltrating Boko Haram.

‘We went to see a man from Mijka and a police officer that was with him. The officer gave me 5,000 Naira (£16.20),’ Muhammad tells the camera.

The victim is made to confess that their mission has been to spy on the “residents who live here” that is Boko Haram, and in exchange for spying, the police officers had promised him that he would “become rich and will never go back to be a farmer again.”

TROOPS FOIL BOKO HARAM’S ATTEMPT TO BLOW UP BRIDGE

2015-03-01T10:40:00.005-08:00

The Defence Headquarters announced yesterday that troops foiled an attempt by Boko Haram terrorists to blow up a link bridge in Gulak, Adamawa State,with many of the insurgents killed in the process.

Many others were similarly killed in a separate encounter with the soldiers on Djimitillo/ Damaturu road after their camp was gutted by fire.

However, a soldier lost his life while another was wounded in the Damaturu road axis battle. This report could not be independently confirmed.

But the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, said a statement that troops on cordon and search along Djimitillo Damaturu road axis on Friday night engaged a group of terrorists after their hideout was discovered by troops.

“The fierce fight to dislodge them from the location which is very close to a market, resulted in the capture of Machine Guns and rifles as well as the death of some number of them,” he said.

“Some of the terrorists are believed to have died in the fire that gutted the house where they had made their base. A soldier was killed while another was wounded and is undergoing treatment.

“In Gulak, Adamawa State, troops in pursuit of terrorists caught up with some of them who were in the process of blowing up a bridge to deter troops advance. The terrorists were not lucky as they died in their encounter with troops.

“The troops are continuing with the cordon and search of the town and environs after overpowering the terrorists. A lot of arms have been recovered in the process. Troops are also dismantling the terrorists group’s flags hoisted in the towns.”

Source- nation newspaper