KITCHEN OF NEWS

Senate To Investigate How FG Overspent Subsidy Fund

2011-10-13T12:00:00.000-05:00

The Senate yesterday asked its committees to investigate how the Federal Government overspent the budgeted funds on fuel subsidy by up to N1.1 trillion since the beginning of the year.
About N240 billion was provided for the subsidies in the 2011 budget, but so far government agencies responsible for running the scheme have spent up to N1.3 trillion this year, the Senate heard through a motion moved by Senator Bukola Saraki yesterday.

The Federal Government has planned to stop the subsidies starting January, but this is facing criticism from labour unions, opposition politicians, lawmakers and many prominent people.

Ending the scheme would inevitably send petrol prices shooting up to about N150 per litre from N65 per litre.

In the motion co-sponsored by 13 other senators yesterday, Saraki said instead of spending N20 billion each month on fuel subsidy as budgeted, government spent up to N165 billion in one month alone in breach of the budget law.

Saraki said government has so far spent about N1.3 trillion on fuel subsidy this year, translating to 700 per cent above the budgeted sum.

He said reports by some prominent foreign economic journals and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has revealed how volume of fuel imported into Nigeria is inflated fivefold and then smuggled out and sold at higher prices in neighbouring countries after collection of large sums of money as subsidies from the government.

“Fuel subsidy as it is being managed today has become a risk to the entire economy. The implementation of the 2011 Appropriation Act will surely be in trouble waters if a variation of N1.2 trillion arises as a result of the level of expenditure incurred on fuel subsidy so far.

“Although N20 billion was set aside for subsidy on a monthly basis in the Appropriation Act 2011, in August 2011 the total figure expended was N165 billion of which the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was N88 billion and the Independent Marketers was N77.7 billion.

“In the first three months of the year both NNPC and the Independent Marketers did not exceed N62 billion monthly but within the last three months figures have ranged between N150 billion and N186 billion,” Saraki said.

Speaking on the motion, Senate President David Mark said the scheme has been hijacked by a cartel operating like Mafia. “Whatever they do is completely exclusive to them. They are very few and 95 per cent of us don’t know what is happening. It is important to investigate the subsidy to know whether or not it has achieved the aim it is set out to achieve,” he said.

Saraki said illegal expenditure on fuel subsidy diminished the power of the National Assembly as the organ of government responsible for appropriation of all public funds.

Debate on the motion soon became a debate on whether to remove fuel subsidy or not.

In his contribution, Senator Ibrahim Gobir (PDP, Sokoto) opposed the proposal to remove fuel subsidy.

“The issue here is about misappropriation of funds in the management of the subsidy fund… I believe that if we look at the management of the fund, it may even be that we don’t need to remove the subsidy after all,” he said.

But Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (PDP, Bayelsa) said the time has come for fuel subsidy to be removed, as “subsidy has only benefitted a few people and it has to go. The people that it is meant to help have not benefitted from it. In my area fuel is sold far above the N65 approved rate.”

After the debate, the Senate asked it committees on Downstream Petroleum Resources, Appropriation and Finance to investigate the whole fuel subsidy scheme and report back.

Last week, President Goodluck Jonathan wrote to the National Assembly on government’s intention to stop subsidising cost of fuel in the country. State governors have already announced their support for the plan.

The outcome of the investigation launched by the Senate yesterday is expected to influence the position that it would take on fuel subsidy.

Fuel subsidies have been a long-standing policy for Nigerian governments to ease the cost pressures on the people.

Ending the subsidy has been met with widespread optimism by international investors, who believe it is inefficient, fuels corruption and holds back the country from reforming its downstream oil sector, Reuters news agency reported.

But many Nigerians view the subsidy as the only benefit they get from living in an oil-rich state and say they would like to see the government cut costs from wealthy politicians before asking more money from subsistence workers.

FG To Stop Funding Pilgrimages

2011-10-13T11:58:00.002-05:00

Intending pilgrims should be prepared to fend for themselves as the Federal Government moves to stop funding pilgrimage.

President Goodluck Jonathan gave the indication at the State House, Abuja on Wednesday while inaugurating members of the Federal Government’s delegation to the 2011 Christian Pilgrimage.

The 11-man committee has the President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, as its Chairman and Pastor Israel Abba as Secretary.

Jonathan observed that the population of Christian pilgrims had tripled since his election, attributing the development to the advocacy work of the National Christian Pilgrims Commission.

He said with the increasing population, it would get to a point the operation would become self-funding and government would no longer need to spend money.

The President, who said he inherited the system of inaugurating ad-hoc committees for the exercise annually, added that he changed the system because it lacked continuity and institutional memory.

He said, “When we came on board, we brought a bit of change in the system. Before we came on board, it has been ad-hoc committees being established every year.

“In that kind of arrangement, there is no continuity and institutional memory. That was why we decided to have a delegation that will be led by CAN President every year.

“By so doing, they will be learning from past mistakes.”

Jonathan said the decision was based on the need for an independent government body to advise the President to instruct the pilgrims commission to do what was right in case the members decided to look the other way when things go wrong.

The President said the step had started yielding results because no adverse case had been recorded during the 2010 pilgrimage.

He added that the days of pilgrims absconding in the Holy Land in the past had become a thing of the past.

Jonathan described pilgrimage as a serious business to be taken seriously, urging members of the delegation to put in their best.

Promising to do a thorough job, Oritsejafor said the assignment given to members of the delegation came with a great responsibility that must be discharged well.

“We shall be careful to discharge the responsibility and make the needed input to make the pilgrimage worthwhile,” he added.

Comic Actor Baba Suwe Arrested With Cocaine At Lagos Airport

2011-10-13T11:57:00.002-05:00

Cocaine: Baba Suwe Arrested At Airport Nollywood comic actor, Alhaji King Babatunde Ayinla Nurudeen Olasunkanmi Omidina, popularly known as Baba Suwe, has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, with substances suspected to be hard drugs concealed in his stomach

•Baba Suwe now in NDLEA custody.
Baba Suwe was apprehended last night at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, by NDLEA officials as he attempted to board an Air France flight to Paris, France.

According to NDLEA sources, he was on his way to Paris to act as a master of ceremony in a naming ceremony of an Air France staff scheduled for Saturday.

The Air France staff (name withheld) has also been arrested, according to NDLEA sources.

Baba Suwe went through the scanning machine at the airport and substances suspected to be drugs were seen hidden in his stomach, NDLEA sources said this morning.

He is now being detained at the NDLEA office at the airport.

Sources said he is under observation pending the time he will start excreting the drugs.

After he was arrested, sources said, he denied that he swallowed the drugs, until he went through the scanner. He could not however explain the white substances seen in his stomach.

Baba Suwe is a very successful and popular Yoruba actor in Nollywood, famous for his comedy roles in Yoruba movies.

He has worked with everybody in the industry.

Baba Suwe, was born on 22 August 1958. He speaks fluent English.

In January 2005, he received an award from the African Artists and Entertainers Afro-Hollywood Award in New York which is like the African Grammy.

His favourite type of music and musicians are reggae music – Bob Marley, Yellowman and classic Stevie Wonder.

His favourite international actors are Eddie Murphy and Mr Bean.

Siasia's Records-the Facts

2011-10-13T11:55:00.002-05:00

Yes, Nigeria has failed for to qualify of AFCON 2012 courtesy of the last second equalizer in Abuja last Saturday. A lot of people have taken the result too far by advocating for the sack of Nigeria's most accomplished coach. This position if adopted will mean 20 steps backwards. The coming of Siaisa has brought keen competition in the Super Eagles unlike in the past when you can easily predict who gets invited and who gets to play. The play pattern of the Eagles has improved tremendously. They fight for the ball and play more as a team. Any attempt to get rid of Siasia by enemies of football in Nigeria will mean that indiscipline pays. Taking a look at Siasia's records below so far one cannot understand why the sudden change in attitude by some so called Nigerian fans. It has indeed happened before that, Siasia has failed to qualify the under 23 team for the all African games but went ahead to clinch the second spot in the olympics losing narrowly to Argentina in the final.I have a feeling that Siaisa will take us far in Brazil 2014
FACTS
1. Siaisa has never lost to any African team in any competition. I stand to be corrected. Met Ghana 5 times now. Never lost a single game to them. We must remember Ghana Vs Nigeria in London without Siasia 4-1 against Nigeria. Nigeria Vs Ghana, AFCON 2008 2-1 without Siasia, 2010 AFCON without siasia 1-0. 2011 All African games qualifier in Ghana without Siasia 2-0.
2. Siasia is the only Nigerian coach in recent memory to have taken us to the olympics final
3. Siasia is the only Nigerian coach that has taken us to FIFA competition cup final twice(Holland 05 and Olympics 08)
4. Siasia is the only Nigerian coach to have held Brazil in any competition
5. Best Attacking football by any Nigerian coach dead or alive. In just one year of taking over the Super Eagles, his team has incredibly scored a whopping 20 goals in 8 matches. In every game the Eagles had played, they had score at least a goal with the exception of Ghana friendly
•   Vs Sierra Leone: 2-1
•   Vs Ethiopia: 4-0
•   Vs Kenya: 3-0
•   Vs Argentina: 4-1
•   Vs Ethiopia: 2-2
•   Vs Madagascar: 2-0
•   Vs Argentina: 1-3
•   Vs Guinea: 2-2
How then does this translate to poor performance?
For the game against Guinea which everybody seems to be focusing on, these factors must be considered for fairness;
•   Timing: Did the 2pm start time play any role in the performance. When was the last time Nigeria played at that time and won?
•   CAF’s confusing qualification method. Did it affect the entire qualification series?
•   Prophesy, TB Joshua style: did it have any psychological effect on the team?
•   Is there any reason to suspect sabotage on the part of players who were unusually missing “unmissable” chances.
•   Siasia did not start the series, someone else started it and threw away the vital away game in Guinea and we have been chasing Guinea ever since then.
The point is that Siasia is our best bet for now. We must organize serious friendlies to continue to shape the team. The qualifiers for 2013 AFCON starts January 2012, about 3 months from now. Let us not cause more confusion by talking about the sacking of the coach.

The UK officially The Worst Place Live In Europe?

2011-10-13T11:53:00.000-05:00

The UK is now officially the worst place to live in Europe, with people getting a "raw deal" on quality of life and high cost of living, a new study has revealed.

Comparison website uSwitch said that things were getting so bad that one in 10 people in this country were considering emigrating.

France and Spain came out on top of uSwitch's Quality of Life Index, with the UK bottom of a 10-country league table.

The index covers working hours, VAT, holidays, spending on health and education - and hours of sunshine.

The UK also came bottom of another table based on the cost of energy, petrol, food, alcohol, cigarettes and life expectancy.

Food and diesel prices are the highest in Europe, while unleaded petrol, alcohol and cigarettes all cost more than the European average, said the report.

People in the UK now have the lowest holiday entitlement in Europe as well as having one of the highest retirement ages, the study found.

A survey of over 2,000 adults found their biggest concern was "broken society", as well as the cost of living, crime and violence.

Some 5% said they were happy with the UK, with over one in 10 "seriously considering" emigrating.

France topped the index for the third year in a row, despite the average household annual net income being £7,000 below that of the UK.

Ann Robinson, director of consumer policy at uSwitch.com, said: "Last year at least our neighbours in Ireland were worse off, now we can't even console ourselves with that.

"We are now officially at the bottom of the pile.

Cargo Football Video Clip

2011-10-13T06:27:00.001-05:00

Video Clip of Ochuko

2011-10-13T04:13:00.001-05:00

Rumor: Enugu State Governor (Chima) Impregnates Sister-In-Law (Ebere Igwe)

2011-09-19T14:31:00.002-05:00

A big sex scandal is currently rocking the Enugu government house. At the centre of the sex scandal is the state governor, Sullivan Chime and his sister-in-law, Ebere Igwe. Ebere is the younger sister of Clara Chime, the governor’s wife and first lady of Enugu state.

It was reliably gathered from sources in Enugu that a secret romantic affair between Chime and his sister-in-law has recently produced a baby boy.
A source in Enugu Government House disclosed that the affair between Governor Chime and Ebere, started shortly after he married Clara in October 2008.

The lavish traditional marriage held at Isuochi home town of the Igwe’s costed the state government a fortune, not minding the fact that Chime was marrying Clara as a second wife, having divorced his first wife from Ogakwu family in Udi town where he hails from.

After the ceremony, Clara moved into the Governor’s lodge with her younger sister, Ebere who just graduated fromAbiaStateUniversity. Unknown to the first lady, this was the beginning of an affair between her husband and Ebere.

Few months after, the first lady noticed that the Governor was always eyeing Ebere, and became suspicious of them. Not wanting to lose her husband to her younger sister, the first lady suggested that her sister should go abroad for her masters degree.

However, by the time Ebere left the country for her post graduate programme abroad, she was already into a deep relationship with the Governor.

She benefitted a brand newToyotacar and frequent overseas trips from the relationship which continued even while she was studying abroad.

The affair however blew open sometime last year when Ebere returned to the country after her studies abroad and told the first lady that she was pregnant for the governor.

According to sources, Clara was so shocked to the point that she became emotionally wrecked.

The first lady was taken to Rev. Fr. Njoku’s Upper Room Ministries at Emene Enugu for prayers and later, her mother took her to a native doctor who succeeded in stabilizing her mind, even as the governor turned a blind eye to her situation.

The first lady thereafter told her younger sister to abort the pregnancy, but she refused. The first lady reportedly sent thugs after her younger sister, and when the governor got wind of the plan, he made special security arrangements for her.

To make sure that the pregnancy was not tampered with, the governor sent Ebere to theUnited Stateswhere she eventually delivered a baby boy recently.

However, the first lady swore not to allow her younger sister into government house again.

Ebere’s whereabouts remain unknown, although an unconfirmed source said that she is nursing the baby at the governor’s Udi country home.

The scandal has forced the first lady to maintain low profile to the point that she sends either the wife of the Secretary to State Government or Speaker of the House of assembly to represent her in public functions. She no longer attends her weekly prayer programme.

Amaechi identifies causes of Boko Haram

2011-09-19T14:27:00.002-05:00

Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State at the weekend attributed the cause of the Boko Haram sect to lack of education.
Amaechi said about 80 per cent of certain children in the North did not learn some essential things at the appropriate time.
The governor spoke at the flag- off ceremony of the 2011 capacity building workshop held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The ceremony was for basic education teachers and education managers organised by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in collaboration with State Universal Basic Education Board, Ameachi said the militants in the Niger Delta who “constituted problem in the society” also lack proper education.

The governor, who regretted the activities of the Boko Haram sect, advised the Federal Government to give priority to education sector.
Amaechi, who was represented by Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru, said: “The Boko Haram problem we have in the North today, if you ask me, I can confidently tell you that 80 per cent is attributed to the fact that certain children did not learn certain things when they were supposed to learn. And where does that take us to? It simply means that the greatest assets that we have and which we should pay greatest attention to are teachers at the UBEC.

“The teachers, when their faces are down this nation will be down, when their faces are up this nation will be up. One of the few things the government of Amaechi did when he assumed power in Rivers State was to ask why we had militants among us. In the course of the analysis, part of the things that came up was that there were some children who were suppose to be in school or who were purportedly in school at a certain time in the cause of our history but somehow they did not learn what they were suppose to learn.
“They did not go to school the way they were supposed to and some cases never ever had the opportunity to go to school. Now those were the same set of people who grew up between 1985 and 1995, specifically those were the same set of people who by 2005 constituted problems in the society.

Fg Mr Mike Onolememen Starts The Reconstruction Of Onitsha-enugu Road

2011-09-19T14:26:00.002-05:00

The Federal Government has started the reconstruction of the Onitsha-Awka-Enugu Highway. This is in fulfillment of its promise to the South-East before the April 2011 General Elections.

The Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, said this in Onitsha yesterday while inspecting the extent of damage on the road. Onolememen said the first phase of the project would cover the Head-Bridge junction to Upper Iweka, both in Onitsha. He also added that palliative work would be done on the parts of the road leading to the Onitsha-Owerri road.

Onolememen said the contractor handling the road had been fully mobilised for the first phase and its palliative work; while work on the other phases would follow later.

"As I can see, this road is critical and deplorable as Gov. Peter Obi described it when he visited me in my office.

"The President has directed for work to commence and it has started already," Onolememen said.

The Minister also announced that work would start commence on the second Niger Bridge as President Jonathan had ordered.

"Mr President is committed to the second Niger Bridge Project and would want to deliver it before he leaves office as he has promised," he said.

Onolememen complained about the attitude of traders who make use of the service lane of the road for trading and mounting of bill-boards.

"The contractor must work with the controller of work and the state authorities to get these people and these bill-boards out for the reconstruction to continue without hitches," he said.

Mr Hishem Gosayni, the Area Manager of Consolidated Construction Company (CCC), the contractor in charge of the road, said the company had been mobilised to continue work, assuring that it would deliver a quality job within the time frame.

Hishem appealed to Onitsha residents and the Anambra state government to co-operate with the company, to enable it delivers on schedule.

In his response, the Anambra state governor, Peter Obi thanked the minister for facilitating work on the road, "especially at the beginning of the road, which is considered to be critical".

"I will assure you Sir, that I will personally supervise this project myself," Obi said.

Nigeria to establish World class Cement Plant next year

2011-09-19T14:25:00.002-05:00

Nigeria will next year establish a world class cement plant, Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga has said. Aganga told journalists in Abuja weekend during an interactive session with Commissioners of Commerce and Industry in the country that the establishment of the cement plant would not only create job opportunity for the Nigeria teeming youths, but would as well strengthen the nation’s economy.

The minister though emphasized on closer collaboration with other ministries and relevant agencies, said this will fast track the transformational agenda of Mr. President on the nation’s development.

In his words: “I want to emphasis here that rather than being jack of all trade, we must focus on areas where we have comparative advantage and develop them to world’s level. About 95 per cent limestone is used in cement production and this we have in abundance in this country. That is why the Federal Government is doing everything possible to ensure that come next year, Nigeria will establish the largest cement plant in the whole world.”

He also said Nigeria has comparative advantage in the area of iron ore for mining, coal, gold, oil and gas, and of course, agricultural and agro allied products.

While emphasizing the need for collaboration among the three tiers of the government, Aganga enjoined relevant agencies and parastatals to work together with the ministry to achieve this feat.

“Mining is one area the world economic leaders are making it big right now. My ministry is already collaborating with Japan and other countries abroad in ensuring that our iron ore minerals are adequately explored. We are working with the ministry of agriculture, mineral resources and others in ensuring that within the shortest time, Nigeria will be great producers of all these resources.

“I have said this before and I can make bold to say it again that we can not achieve this great feat alone. That is the essence of this meeting where we will put heads together to ensure that things work out.

Security Services Offers N25M Reward For Information On Mamman Nur

2011-09-19T14:24:00.000-05:00

Nigeria offers $160,000 ransom on UN bomber

Nigerian's security service on Sunday offered a 25 million naira (160,000 dollars/116,000 euros) reward for information on the "mastermind" of the August 26 bombing of UN building in Abuja that killed 23 people.

"A reward of 25 million naira is being offered for information that could lead directly to the apprehension or conviction of Mamman Nur , identified as the mastermind" of the attack, the State Security Service (SSS) said.

"Following the bombing of the UN building , by Boko Haram, Mammman Nur was identified as the mastermind and security agencies subsequently declared him wanted," the SSS said in the statement, a copy of which was sent to AFP.

The SSS text requested members of the public to give any information on the suspect to the nearest police station, military formation or any other security agency.

The SSS attached the photograph of Nur to the email statement.

"He is still declared wanted," said the statement signed by the SSS spokeswoman, Marilyn Ogar.

A suicide bomber on August 26 made his way through a gauntlet of security at the UN's main compound in the Nigerian capital Abuja, forcing his way through the gate before ramming into the building.

The resulting explosion blew out the building's first two floors, killing 23 people and leaving 116 others wounded, some seriously.

It was one of the bloodiest attacks targeting the UN.

Radical Islamist Boko Haram sect has claimed responsibility for the attack, condemned by the UN secretary general Ban ki-moon.

"This terrorist attack showed utter disregard for human life," Ban said in a message read by his top representative in Nigeria, Daouda Toure.

"It was an assault not just on our premises, but on our values and our work. There can be no justification for such wanton killing and destruction."

The SSS had earlier said that an Al-Qaeda-linked suspect who recently returned from Somalia masterminded the attack.

A memorial service was held on Thursday in front of the heavily damaged UN building, attended by more than 1,000 people, including Nigerian government and military officials, UN personnel, diplomats, families of the deceased and religious leaders.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan will hold talks with several world leaders on the sidelines of the 66th session of the UN General Assembly this week in New York, his office said in a statement on Sunday.

Jonathan will deliver his statement to the General Assembly on Wednesday and "confer with several world leaders on the strengthening of bilateral relations between Nigeria and their countries", it said

France Bans Public Muslim Prayers

2011-09-19T14:21:00.002-05:00

France Bans Public Muslim Prayers
MUSLIMS will be banned from praying outdoors in France from today in the latest move by officials to remove Islam from the public sphere.

The ban, announced by the government yesterday, infuriated French Muslim leaders, one of whom accused President Sarkozy's government of treating them like cattle.

They say that Muslims, who pray outdoors only because of a lack of space in mosques in France, feel stigmatised.

But Claude Gueant, the Interior Minister, said that the sight of hundreds of people gathering in the streets of Paris and other cities for Friday prayers was "shocking".

It comes after laws to prohibit pupils from wearing headscarves in schools and women from wearing the niqab, the full Muslim veil, in public.

Mr Gueant described outlawing street prayers as the latest brick in the wall that is shoring up the secular nature of the French state. He said that he had nothing against Islam, but wanted it out of the public eye.

"Street prayers must stop because they hurt the feelings of many of our compatriots who are shocked by the occupation of the public space for a religious practice," he said.

Police could be asked to arrest Muslims who continue to pray in the street, Mr Gueant warned, but officials will initially try to persuade them to move into a mosque.

Debate has focused on the Goutte d'Or district in northern Paris. Dozens and sometimes hundreds of Muslims pray in the surrounding streets.

Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Front, was accused of racism when she said that the worship amounted to an "occupation" - a word that for many French is associated with the Nazi invasion during the Second World War.

But the government now appears to be on the same wavelength, with Mr Gueant agreeing that street prayers would "upset" his fellow countrymen.

He said that officials had made available a disused fire station in the Goutte d'Or with room for 2700 people for a rent of €30,000 ($A40,330) a year.

But Muslim leaders said that the site would be open to worshippers only on Fridays.

Mohamed Salah Hamza, imam at a mosque in the Goutte d'Or district, said: "We are not cattle. Our demands have not entirely been satisfied."

He said that he feared worshippers would continue to pray outside.

"I am in an uncomfortable position and I am afraid there will be a climate of anarchy," he sa

The Confession Of The Notorious Ex Armed Robber, Shina Rambo

2011-09-19T14:19:00.001-05:00

Shina Rambo was a household name in the world of crime - fearful, ruthless, dangerous and a terror in the society. The former kingpin and a serpent to security agencies is now a professed Evangelist and maverick preacher who is as meek as a dove. In this encounter with Sina Fadare, he poured out his mind on how he tormented Lagosians, the police and how he snatched 42 exotic cars in a day and how he remained invisible for the police dragnet.

What’s your background and where are you actually from?

It is true that people are always confused about where l come from. Actually my father came from Abeokuta in Ogun State, but I from Sanbogida-Ora in Edo State. That is where my mother came from and where l lived all my early life.

How did you acquire the name Sina Rambo?

There is a saying in Yoruba that a child acquires any name that suits him when he was not in his place of birth. That was the appellation l was given in those days when l ventured into the world of crime. The name that was given to me at birth was Omokenwa, meaning a child is the one that takes care of the home. The meaning of Sina Rambo stands for a team or a group of deadly squad with a mission. I was the Rambo. Therefore, the merging of Shina with Rambo is just like any organisation like cooperative society which has each name to identify their group, yet they belong to the same cooperative society. To those people who thought that l came from Cotonou, Republic of Benin, or Sabongida- Ora, they are all correct because wherever you are living or place you are used to, that is your home. Though my father is from Abeokuta, many people did not know me there because apart from Cotonou where my operating business took me, l lived my adolescent life in Edo State, the place of my mother.

At what point in your life did you veer into crime?
Everything comes down to the lackadaisical attitude of my parents in taking adequate care of my need when l was growing up. My father was a military man who married virtually everywhere he was posted to in his career; this gave him the opportunity to have many wives. One of the early memories l could recollect which l will never forget in my life was that my father was the first person to cut me with a cutlass. That is why l said that the nonchalant attitude of my parents dragged me into the world of crime.

Was that actually what led you into crime?

I will say that the moment a child lacks parental care, love and attention, such a child is being nursed towards crime. In my own case it was a combination of many things that led me to the world of crime. Poor and not caring family, later my business was almost grinded when some of my goods were confiscated. Along the line, my younger brother was also killed; in the mission of avenging l was gradually involved in crime and before l knew it l wanted to excel in it. What we called the real Shina Rambo lives inside.

Your name created tremor among people in society, the security operatives inclusive, how did you get such power?

If a child knows how to wash his hand well, definitely he will eat with the elders. I know how to appease the elders, therefore anything l need from them l usually get it. Now that l am in Christ, l know better. The fact is if you decide to eat with the devil, make sure you do it to a logical conclusion and if you want to follow Christ, let him be your sole companion in anything that you are doing. I got power in the world of devil, and l followed it to a logical conclusion. In the world of the devil, police or any security has nothing to do with us, as a daredevil robber then. There are certain things which an armed robber should have. The first is what you call afoola. We used many human beings to do this native medicine, including a foetus in his mother’s womb. The second is ikiya (boldness).

This will give you the audacity and effrontery to do anything at any time no matter how dangerous the venture is. The third one is that anybody who wants to venture into highlevel robbery must be ready to squeeze all the water inside his eye and use it for a powerful medicine, so that there is nothing that would happen that such a person will cry again, no matter how devastating or big such a calamity is. I searched for power from the demons of various types, inside the most powerful water called water of the world at a town called Ogoja. All leaders of the world who are actually looking for power used to go inside this water. At that point when I was on operation l will put on the appearance of different types of people to the extent that it was difficult for anybody to identify my real being. There is no amount of picture that you took that you will get a clear view. That was why when they said that, ‘Oh! they have killed Shina Rambo,’ but it was another person that they would kill instead. From that place, l went to Oke Idanre and later Enugu and Abeokuta to look for power that can make me to be invisible at will.

I was able to have a magical power that allowed me to look differently in eight places. At Abeokuta, the nine herbalists that did the medicine for me were killed so that one day they will not reveal the secret behind the medicine to any mortal. There is a place in Oyo State called Fiditi; lawyers also go there to look for power. Along the line l entered into different cults that are very powerful. There they have to change my body because l was buried alive for seven days in the burial ground and my soul was kept in a small coffin. After the seventh day, l became powerful and more dangerous, too hot to be handled by anybody. Again l went inside the Iroko tree to seek for power. In fact, you will not believe the number of houses that you will find inside the Iroko tree, its a whole town inside the tree. When you get there, you are going to chant some incantations and the door will open, you will see various types of people engaging in activities like selling, eating, having meeting and doing all sorts of things done in the physical world. When l went there, we entered through the ninth door before we entered the town. I was able to do this because l was able to produce for the elders what they needed, so they were ready to give me what l wanted and ready to take me to wherever it would be possible for me to get what l wanted. There was a time l was taken to a burial place with 15 heads to go and to collect some charms from the spirit. From there, l was fortified to the extent that there is no bullet that could enter my body, it will just be like pure water.

What is your relationship with the police?

Normally we and the police are supposed to be enemies, but unfortunately a lot of them are our friends. There are some policemen who are mere saboteurs; they love money more than the job. Such police officers are mole in the force because they sell vital information to robbers and most of the time turned their back when their “friends” are on the road. At this point in time, it is people like us who could assist government to nab criminals because l know their antics and modus operandi. Not all of police are bad, but there are some moles among them that are spoiling their good work. These few ones know the real robbers and most of the time assist them (robbers) to achieve their deadly mission.

You were once rich and famous where is the wealth today?

In the first instance, where did all the luxuries come from? No matter how plenty the devil gives, it is for a short period, he will collect it back. No matter how smart you are, any covenant with the devil, you are going to lose at the end. It is the devil that will give you a cap and in return asking buba and gele from you. Vanity upon vanity all is vanity. There is nothing that one can gain from the devil apart from frustration and humiliation; at the end you are going to have disappointment. You can imagine when I would strike and snatch more than 30 cars. I once snatched over 42 cars in a day. Some of the cars I gave to whomever I wanted. I had so much then. Paul said in Philippians 3:7-13 “But, all that amounted to profit for me in life, I have now seen as loss in Christ”. Verse 13 now says, “Brethren, I have forgotten the things that are behind, I press towards things ahead.” In Psalm 126:1, the same Bible tells me that “when God returns the loss of Zion, we would be like them that dream”. I know that to rise in Christ is the responsibility of every member of the household of faith. The Holy Spirit would use every true Christian to put on real genuine footing. The devil gave me so much at that time and it took what it gave me. If I have to recall the painful details and the anguish, it does not worth it because I am a new creature. What has been destroyed cannot be restored just like that. We are now in Christ, he owns and dispenses eternal joy, when we end our race here, we would return to our eternal home: heaven, where there is no weeping, no anxiety, anguish, hunger and pain.

Do you have any godfather?
Definitely. When we were in Edo, we had our godfather who is always there for us anytime we went on operation. It was the same place that the likes of Anini, a.k.a. the law and Monday Osunbor Pero, and Lucky learnt the rudiment of robbery. We sprung up from one source.

What usually comes to your mind any day you are going for operation?

The first thing that readily came to mind was that ‘the dead must be done’. But before that, we must first ask people who owns the world how the day would look like before we step out. There is a charm called atona (Pathfinder) that we consult before we go out. It would tell us what we are going to do and which sacrifice we are going to make before we move out. Again there is what we call eru (fear) which has been deposited into my body, wherever l go, that fear will not let you challenge my authority.

Where and how did you get the ammunition you were using?

As I told you that my father was a military man, from the beginning gun had been assembled and dismembered in our house. Innocently, my father will be doing this virtually on a daily basis and he tells me to go and bring one or two things that had connection with the gun in the house and at the end he would put the gun together as one. From that daily experience l knew how to handle a gun and by the time l left him, there was no gun l could not put together. Ironically, what parents did not take serious and handle with levity, the kids are fast learning and before you know it, they have mastered the act. If it is a bad habit, the family will definitely pay for it. The gun l was using then was in pieces when brought from outside the country. I later put it together to make it a complete gun. After that l return it into the world of darkness where it was changed to the gun of the elders. After this l just recite a few incantations to the gun and whatever l ask the gun to do is what it will do. However there is no gun that l cannot handle a few minutes after studying it.

Those who are working with you, how were they trained?

There is always time for training; we teach them how to handle it and how to get their target. It was an extensive training which we normally do most of the time especially when we are going on operation. All those that are working with me are all in the same cult, they know our dos and don’ts, we have gone to many places together, that was why it was difficult for the police to kill anyone of us. There is a general charm that the death that is meant to kill anyone of us should kill outsiders. There are some incantations to back it up and it would be backed up in the world of darkness. Therefore anywhere we go on operation, instead of recording any casualty, it is the people around that will die.

Can you recollect how many people your gun had killed?

No, they are just plenty that l cannot remember. Aside from this, l used a lot of people for sacrifice that l cannot even remember. I don’t want to remember those dark days.

Now that you are a pastor, do you believe that there is a curse that actually affected your destiny?

You are right. There is a saying in Yoruba that it is only in war that one can die accidentally, but a curse has a target and no matter the year it was invoked it will still be operational. That crisis and curse entered my life when l was still in my mother’s womb. My father is a polygamist and one day there was a quarrel between my mother and my father’s mother. Then l was told that my father’s mother invoked a curse on my mother that she will never deliver me in peace otherwise she is not from Ikereke (a town in Oyo State) and my mother replied that she will have a normal delivery as God lives otherwise she will not serve God if she comes in the next word. From that altercation from both, the curse entered into my life and l carried the curse and the burden until l met Christ.

How do you handle women and wine?

I engaged in all what you can call devilish ventures, like smoking of Indian hemp, wine and in the company of women of easy virtue. I was in a hotel with about 58 women playing with me, but the warning from the world of darkness is that l should not take any of them to bed. The instruction l followed to the letter. Then l love women but there was a boundary which l must not cross. I am compelled to have fun with my only wife who knew my entire venture into the world of darkness. That was why all the women sent to me cannot do anything to me. Though l spent for them, but that was just the limit l could go.

Is it true that you once spent N50 million a day?

How many of that do you want to count, plenty? There was a time we went for an operation in Lagos, and it seemed we were in a tight corner, we just decided to be giving out the money to the people in order to escape. There was commotion, everybody was trying to pick as many naira notes as they can pick.

Did your friends know the type of person you were?

You know birds of the same feather always flock together. The so-called friends that l was moving with as at then were also into one form of shady deals or the other. But the funny thing is that nobody could identify my being with what l was doing. Even if some of them know me they cannot say it out because it was too dangerous and there was nobody l cannot kill. I usually come out in different faces which made it difficult for anybody to really identify me. That was the power given to me in the world of darkness.

Who was the lady that used to accompany you to all operations?

She was not a human being, though people referred to her as an alhaja, but she was a demon donated to me in the world of darkness. She will dress the way l dressed and must always be with me any time I am going out on operation. She is the one that was picked from the kingdom of Satan to be my partner.

How did you meet Christ?

It was such a miraculous way. I met Christ at a cross road. It was a miracle l did not expect. I met Christ through Prophet T. O. Obadare. I made myself available to the police and l have to bear all the detention and all the agonies l faced for about 11 years. A lot of Christian brothers rallied round me with conviction that l should give my life to Christ. Then Papa Obadare came to me in the prison that though l was expecting death, God has removed death from my head if I am ready to surrender everything to him. In my own thinking l thought all was over, with all the atrocities l had committed, but God showed me mercy and gave me the second chance. So when l slept, l saw that the cloth of yoke and burden was removed from my neck, l was off from the bondage of Satan, a new cloth was given to me. By the time l woke up, l was talking in tongues. From that encounter, for the first time in my life that my soul would calm down, l learnt how to pray. I stopped taking cocaine and Indian hemp. Everything about me became new.

What do you think government can do to stop robbery?

The simple truth is that we cannot stop robbery, but we can reduce it to the barest minimum, because we asked for it. In Matthew 27, we asked for it. They said Barnabas should be released instead of Jesus Christ, when Pilate said that this man did not commit any sin. They said no way, release Barnabas and let his blood be on us and on our children. Ever since then robbery and killing became the order of the day. Government should be able to tap from the wealth of experience of people like us who can decode a lot of knotty issues as regard how to curb the menace of armed robbery. Some of those that are inside the prison are not supposed to be there. By the time they are out, they become hardened criminals. I pray that God will help us to make things work in this country, if he could locate me from the pit of darkness where l sojourned, and now in Christ, he will deliver the country from bad leaders who make things difficult for the masses.

Fake Cameroonian doctors in Ebonyi

2011-08-13T11:22:00.000-05:00

NANA Patrice, Penda George and Andee Capoel used to ply their trade in Ebonyi State and to be sure, their trade had earned them some sort of comfortable livelihood such that may not be possible for them in their country, Cameroon.

These Cameroonians had, until recently operated illegal clinics at St Mary's Catholic Church, Ekengbo and Honourable Samuel Nwali Hotel, Agubia, in Ikwo Local Government of Ebonyi State.

IT was arguably easy for them. All they needed was a little bit of grey matter deployed negatively. There were unwary citizens oblivious of their rights. There is a lax security system that could be compromised if the right price was paid so officials would look the other way. So the triumvirate moved in to exploit the lax security to make money for themselves. Incidentally, along the line, Penda George even got a modicum of prestige as bonus. He is popularly called 'doctor', and was probably accorded the respect which the label attracts in contemporary society.

HOWEVER, their run of luck was terminated recently when officials from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) arrested them. Before then, it would have been interesting to know the data of the victims and the extent of the damage which their illegal operations had wreaked on the population. But for the vigilance of NAFDAC, the police and the Nigeria Immigration Service would have allowed the illegal clinics to continue to run.

ACCORDING to Dr Paul Orhii, the Director-General of NAFDAC, these 'doctors' were arrested with six bags of assorted fake drugs labelled in Chinese language. He said "the three suspects claimed to work for Christian Ginipi, a Cameroonian based in China who sends them the fake drugs to sell. Although Dr Orhii's advice to Nigerians was that they should be wary of any product that does not have literature written in English, we think that the Nigerian state owes its citizens a duty of protection such that any product that is fake or dangerous for public consumption should not have a place in the market, and its peddlers should be apprehended and duly prosecuted.

THE nefarious activities, such as these Cameroonians practised in Ebonyi State, can only flourish in a state that is doomed that Nigeria aptly represents. We are bothered that things have deteriorated so much that even foreigners who should ordinarily be living in utmost circumspection have the effrontory and confidence to dupe Nigerians and even kill them! It will be interesting to know the various ill-fated consequences that may have befallen the victims of these Cameroonians.

WE are also interested in knowing how these Cameroonians have escaped apprehension by both the police and the Nigerian Immigration Service, the agencies that are primarily responsible for nabbing such foreigners who double as criminals in their operations. It is probably because their practice touched on health that NAFDAC was able to arrest them. We shudder to imagine how many of these foreigners are involved in various forms of criminality which the lax security system of the state have permitted. It is an indictment on the Nigerian state and the agencies whose statutory duty it is to apprehend and prosecute such criminals in the first place.

Pfizer Pays Out To Nigerian Drug Trial Victims

2011-08-12T11:22:00.000-05:00

US-based pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has made the first compensation payment to Nigerian families affected by a controversial drug trial 15 years ago.

It paid $175,000 (£108,000) each to four families in the first of a series of payments it is expected to make.

The payouts are part of an out-of-court settlement reached in 2009.

In 1996, 11 children died and dozens were left disabled after Pfizer gave them the experimental anti-meningitis drug, Trovan.

The payouts were made to the parents of four of the children who died.

Their parents told the BBC they welcomed the payment, but it would not replace the loss of their loved ones.

The children were part of a group of 200 given the drug during a meningitis epidemic in the northern city of Kano as part of a medical trial comparing Trovan's effectiveness with the established treatment.

For years Pfizer maintained that meningitis - not the drug - caused the deaths and disabilities.

But after a lengthy and expensive litigation process, it reached a settlement with the Kano government in northern Nigeria.
DNA tests

The trials were carried out in Kano and the state government fought Pfizer on behalf of victims and their families.
Hajara Hajara, photographed in 2007, survived the trials but became deaf afterwards and is unable to speak

It has taken two years and DNA tests to establish who is entitled to payments, the BBC's Jonah Fisher in Lagos says.

It could take another year for payments to be concluded, he says.

Pfizer also agreed to sponsor health projects in Kano as well as creating a fund of $35m to compensate those affected.

Pfizer said it was pleased the four had been compensated.

"This is the first step in a multi-phase review process by which the independent board of trustees that manages the fund will deliver payment to all other qualified claimants," the company said in a statement.

"We thank them for their commitment and dedication to seeing this process through in the most timely and transparent way possible."

Why Investors Shun Nigeria, By World Bank

2011-08-12T11:21:00.002-05:00

Unstable power supply, lack of access to finance, high cost of financing businesses, high taxation, poor infrastructure, corruption and macroeconomic environment have been identified as some of the reasons for poor investment in Nigeria.
The Country Director, World Bank in Nigeria, Onno Ruhl said the above reasons were largely responsible for the poor performances of Nigerian firms compare to their counterparts in Kenya, Russia and South Africa.
Ruhl spoke at the presentation of Nigeria 2011 Investment Climate Assessment Key Findings in 26 states of the federation, held in Benin City, Edo State capital on Thursday.
The World Bank representative explained that the assessment was a diagnostic instrument to assess the policy infrastructure at the federal and states level, adding that the survey was carried out in over 3,157 businesses in 26 states including Edo State.
According to him, electricity remains a major constraint to businesses in Nigeria, affecting all categories of firms.
He said about 83 percent of the firms identified electricity as a serious obstacle to their growth.
“Corruption and transportation were also serious concerns for many firms in Nigeria. Over 1/3rd of the managers said that these were serious problems. Bribes and product lost while in transit are also high in Nigeria. Manufacturing firms reportedly paid an average of 3.2 percent of sales in bribes and losses during transit are equal to 2.4 percent of sales.
“Inefficiencies in the business environment impose a huge indirect cost on manufacturing in Nigeria.The cost of doing business is twice as high for firms in Nigeria as they are for firms in South Africa, Brazil, Russia and Indonesia”, he said

James Ibori Likely To Face 10-year Jail Term

2011-08-12T11:20:00.000-05:00

10-year jail term likely for Ibori

Former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, currently standing trial in a London court for money laundering, stealing and sundry offences, may get nothing less than 10-year jail term, going by his previous criminal record and the enormity of the charges against him, National Mirror has reliably learnt.

An informed source, who is a Queens Counsel, a senior member of the English Bar, exclusively told National Mirror last night that no amount of protests would change the tide in favour of Ibori, whose criminal records have been established both in England and in Nigeria. “There is nothing absolute in life, especially in law, but going by the enormity of the charges against him, there is no point telling you now that he won’t go to jail. I can place my 37 years of practice at the bar on the line that he will go to jail for a long time.

You see, his tricks of claiming illness and political persecution will not work in the law courts in Britain’’ The revelation came just as it was learnt that the Presidency is favourably disposed to keeping Ibori behind bars throughout Jonathan’s tenure. The next hearing comes up next month for Ibori, who is being kept at the Wandsworth Prison, in South-West London.

The UK source explained that current trend in the international politics which is against leaders who divert funds and confine their people to penury will actually work against Ibori especially when the law frowns at the practice and the fact that Ibori’s associates have already been convicted for being accomplices. ‘’The evidence to nail him is clear. His wife is there; his solicitor and girl friend and another family member cannot go to jail in isolation. Their convictions mean he has to go too. It is simple.” Ibori is at the moment in confinement for charges of corruption, money laundering and stealing of public funds.

He is also battling about 70 criminal charges in a British court noted for its uprightness and firmness in enforcing the criminal penal code. His wife, Theresa is presently serving a five-year jail term in a British prison while his lawyer Bhadresh Gohil, was also handed a seven-year jail term by the Southwalk Crown Court on March this year. He was first charged on April 16, 2011 at the City of Westminster’s magistrate court where he was slammed with 25 counts of fraud, money laundering and conspiracy. He is to appear before the court again on September 5.

Sources said Ibori, fondly called Ogidigborigbo, by his friends and supporters, is said to have lost the protection of the Federal Government, which has insisted that the law should take its full course, in a move by President Goodluck Jonathan to project himself and his government to the international community as believers in due process. The former governor regarded as an ex-convict even in Nigeria in certain quarters is at the moment not enjoying any respite from government unlike the influence he enjoyed during the tenure of President Umar Yar ‘Ádua. Ibori reportedly has a long list of convictions and criminal activities dating back to his early days in Britain where he along with his wife, then his girlfriend, known as Theresa Nakanda, allegedly operated a modern day ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ criminal team.

The duo allegedly went on fraud and criminal activities that eventually resulted in various convictions in 1991 and 1992. His wife, now Theresa Nkoyo-Ibori, was first convicted in London in 1990, according to UK court’s documents. Ibori was twice convicted for stealing and dishonest acts by UK courts in 1991 and 1992. In his first trial, the then girlfriend (now wife), Theresa Nakanda, was convicted along with Ibori on January 25, 1991 at the Isleworth Crown Court in London. In that trial, Nakanda, who gave her date of birth as January 5, 1968, was convicted on two counts and was fined 300 and 450 pounds. James Ibori, who, according to court documents, gave his 28, 2005 by a certain, Mallam Awwal Yusuf, who testified against Ibori in court.

As the governor, Ibori was said to have diverted over 300m pounds into his personal accounts. Because of the immunity that he enjoyed as a governor and his perceived closeness to the late President Yar’Adua, he was seen to be untouchable until the early morning of Wednesday, December 12, 2007, when the Mallam Nuhu Ribadu-led EFCC trailed him to the Kwara State Governor‘s Lodge in Abuja where he was reportedly taking refuge and was arrested. Ibori, before then had been on the run from the London Metropolitan Police where he was declared wanted for corruption and money laundering activities. Efforts by the London Met to prosecute him had been stalled by perceived non-cooperation of the Federal Government, leading to insinuations that he was enjoying government‘ s protection.

The case however suffered a setback when the Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna transferred it to Asaba, Delta State, where it said the alleged offences were committed. This irked some elders from the state led by a former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark. They alleged that there were fears that the Federal Government was not serious in prosecuting Ibori. Clark, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja on the matter, deplored the way the government was going about the Ibori case, which was then pending at the Federal High Court, Asaba. He had said, “Every attempt is being made by various organisations or members of the Federal Government to thwart the trial of Ibori from taking its normal cause The petition, which was dated March 8, was addressed to the commission‘ s chairman, Mrs. Farida Waziri.

They demanded the commission to find out whether it was right to use the state government‘s shares to obtain N44bn private loan from a bank. According to them, there was evidence that shares worth N528.010m in Oceanic Bank belonging to Delta State Government was used to guarantee over N44bn granted Ascot Offshore Nigeria Limited by Intercontinental Bank plc. It was this fresh petition that made the antigraft agency to declare Ibori wanted. Chief Kayode Ajulo, lawyer to Clark said that what was necessary for Ibori to provide answers to salient questions on whether he actually used Oceanic Bank shares belonging to the state government as collateral to Intercontinental Bank for the benefit of Ascot Offshore Nig. Limited, his private company and if he also authorised the sale of the shares to liquidate the loan to Intercontinental Bank.

A reliable source, who spoke from Abuja yesterday, disclosed that the Presidency was monitoring the Ibori case closely and “judging by his involvement in the activities of recent years, and the unbecoming roles he played, we will not be eager to have him released to Nigeria.”

100,000 Nigerians apply for US visa weekly – Embassy

2011-08-12T11:18:00.002-05:00

Over 100,000 Nigerians apply weekly to visit the United States for various reasons resulting in a backlog of visa applications, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria Terrence McCulley has said.

McCulley said this yesterday in Abuja when he visited Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru in Abuja.

He said the US mission was open to discussions with the Nigerian government on whether or not to extend the validity of the visa. He also said that the embassy was working assiduously to finish up the accumulated backlog of applications which it already has.

Speaking on the Bi-national Commission between the two countries, McCulley said Nigeria has to work to wipe out corruption with sincerity so that foreign investors can be more confident to invest in various sectors of the country.

Speaking earlier, Ashiru said the two countries would keep working on enhancing their bilateral relations in various sectors, especially in energy, power and security.

“The US ambassador has also assured me that Nigerians who apply for visas would be treated with dignity and respect and there would be no unnecessary delays. And when in some cases, the visas are denied, it would be done in a dignified manner so that there would be no hard feelings on both sides,” he said.

Ashiru also said that they discussed the concern of the Nigerian government about the situation in Libya.

In another development, the minister has called on the Africa Development Bank (ADB) to assist Nigeria in terms of infrastructural development and agriculture for Nigeria’s food sustenance.

He said this when the Resident Representative of the bank, Mr. Ousmane Dore, presented his letter of credence.

Dore, in his response, said Nigeria’s portfolio with the bank is N1.5bn adding that the

Botched Int'l Friendly: We Would Have Buried Eagles – Ghana

2011-08-12T11:16:00.000-05:00

Ghanaians who came to London for the botched August 9 international friendlyagainst Nigeria left London writhing in pains as they were confident the Super Eagles would have fallen for the umpteenth time had both countries taken to the pitch at the Vicarage Road Stadium, Watford.

Few hours after it was confirmed that the game had been called off by the policefor security reasons, no thanks to the riots that engulfed England, some members of the Ghana National Supporters Union (GNSU) stormed the Watford Hilton hotel abode of the Eagles, where they exchanged pleasantries with their Nigerian counterparts led by Dr Rauf Ladipo.

One of the GNSU members, who simply gave his name as Koffi told Daily Sunsports that Nigeria was the biggest beneficiary of the events that led to the cancellation of the big game.
In Koffi's words: “We came to bury the Super Eagles in Watford. We “killed” your team way back in Brendford in 2007 when we beat you 4-1. We would have buried the Eagles today (Tuesday) in Watford.”
Koffi pointed out that the Black Stars were battle ready for Nigeria and would not have allowed the Eagles to win the game.

“We know Nigeria came here on a revenge mission, I tell you it would not have been possible today. We take every game against Nigeria very serious and we want to continue the dominance.” It would be noted that organisers of the friendly have fixed October 11 as new date for the botched friendly.

London Riots: Nigerian Remanded For Looting .

2011-08-12T11:14:00.002-05:00

A Nigerian, Samson Adesina, was one of the looters remanded in prison custody yesterday over their roles in the riots, which have seized British major cities for days. The 23-year-old Adesina, an electrical engineering student, was caught by one of the 8,000 surveillance cameras strategically placed in London streets, stealing a flatscreen television at the Surrey Quays Shopping Centre during the riots.

Detectives used the cameras to trace him to his house and he was arrested.

The Tower Bridge Magistrate’s Court ordered that he be remanded in prison for a week for his action. With the development, he will miss his final examinations.

Adesina was not the only one traced through the cameras, arrested and arraigned.

British police, trying to catch instigators of the London riots, fought back with technology. They posted alleged rioters’ photos on their Flickr Photostream.

It was not hard to get the pictures with the 8,000 surveillance cameras watching the streets.

People in the United Kingdom are believed to be the most watched in the world.

By one estimate, there is one Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) camera for every 14 citizens. “Picture by picture, these criminals are being identified and arrested, and we will not let any phony concerns about human rights get in the way of the publication of these pictures and arrest of these individuals,” Prime Minister David Cameron said of the alleged perpetrators.

Police invited the public to call if they recognised suspected rioters whose images were posted on commercial and government websites. Captions on them were cryptic: “A female wearing a vest top who has just carried items from Richer Sounds,” or, “A male with grey hooded top and black body warmer about to enter Cash Plus in Thornton Heath.”

Asking for public help was just one extra step. Face-recognition technology is now inexpensive and widespread, and police could easily use it to match alleged looters’ pictures with party photos they might have posted on Facebook or Tumblr.com.
“A lot of these youths are wearing scarves to hide their faces but we’re not just reliant on that,” Martin Lazell, chairman of the Public CCTV Managers Association in London, said to the Christian Science Monitor. “We can identify people on how they walk, their height, their clothes, shoes, all manner of things.”

The possibility of mass unmasking has divided Britons and Americans alike. Many people, angered at the violence, are anxious to see the perpetrators caught. Others say the technology is only as good as the people who use it, and innocent people could be caught in legal nightmares.

On the website Hacker News, people were invited: “Help work out how to do facial recognition on the police photos.”
A user replied: “Please, do not do this. It compromises people’s right to privacy and will artificially incriminate people who may not be participating but are bystanding or trying to get home.”

Such arguments will rage as London police pursue one of the largest investigations in recent years.

“If there was ever a need for an evidence-based approach to a social problem, this is it,” said Simon Davies, head of a London group called Privacy International. “When Parliament meets to discuss the riots, it should demand evidence to back up any claim of blame, and it should institute a rigorous process to ensure that any response is justified, lawful, viable and fair.”

Meanwhile, Australian authorities have appointed a taskforce to investigate allegations that Nigerian scammers have sold a family’s Ballajura home without their knowledge, over a year after criminals sold a man’s house without his knowledge.

The couple had been working in Nigeria but when they recently returned to Perth, they discovered their home had been sold.
According to a statement released yesterday, the real estate agent involved told investigators that he received a phone call in February from a man claiming to be the owner, inquiring about the property.

Shortly after, the agent received an urgent request to sell the property as funds were needed for a business investment, later revealed to be a supposed petro-chemical project.

A joint taskforce, involving investigators from Consumer Protection, WA Police Major Fraud Squad and representatives of Landgate, has been set up to investigate the alleged real estate scam.

Detective Senior Sergeant Pete Davies of the Major Fraud Squad said it appears the scam originated in Nigeria and there are some similarities to the fraudulent sale of a Karrinyup property in June last year.

Wembley Downs retiree Roger Mildenhall was living in South Africa when he discovered scammers had sold his duplex for $485,000 and that his home on Hale Road was close to settlement.

“We are in the early stages of a full criminal investigation and examining computer, phone records and bank accounts,” Det Sen Sgt Davies said.

Commissioner for Consumer Protection, Anne Driscoll, has urged real estate and settlement agents to apply stringent measures to confirm the identity of absentee owners who wish to sell their properties remotely and ensure the person they are dealing with is the legitimate owner.

“It is essential that agents have rigorous procedures and a clear protocol in place to certify that the appropriate person has been identified as the real owner before providing the service,” Ms Driscoll said.

“It is critical that when an owner changes their contact details, that real estate agents send a confirmation to both the owner’s original and new addresses, using all forms of communication.

“This will confirm that the new details are correct and may alert the owner to any improper activity that is occurring.

“The general principles of ‘know your customer’ should apply at all times and the standard 100-point identity check used by banks and other institutions should be used as a minimum when dealing with remote clients.

“While identity fraud is always a risk, these are important prevention measures.”

Ms Driscoll said signatures should also be carefully checked against original signatures on file and any major differences should prompt further investigation.

“If agents have any doubts about the authenticity of a document, they should seek to have it independently verified by the issuing authority,” she said.

Landgate’s Registrar of Titles Bruce Roberts said he fully supported the increased measures to refine and improve identity verification by all organisations involved in the selling and transfer of property.

Consumer Protection is advising agents to make further inquiries regarding identity and seek additional evidence whenever there has been a recent change in address or other contact details. Signatures and initials should also be carefully checked as they may not closely match originals on file. Agents are advised to make further inquiries if the transaction originates from overseas, especially from countries known for scams, such as Nigeria or if there is a request for funds to be sent to a different bank account normally used by the client, or to offshore accounts including China.

It also advises agents to make additional inquiries if the sale is urgent as a result of funds being required for investment in a business venture, new email addresses being used are generic such as hotmail, yahoo or gmail.

“Ultimately, these steps are no guarantee against fraudulent conduct, but they will minimise the chances of these types of scams being successfully carried out,” Ms Driscoll said.

“Agents and lenders are reminded they are obliged to provide their services to existing clients with due care and skill under the Australian Consumer Law, for which a range of remedies are available.

“The Real Estate and Business Agents’ Code of Conduct also makes disciplinary action available to agents who fail to provide services with due care and skill.”

Ms Driscoll said there was no current finding the agents involved in this latest transaction had failed to act with due care and skill, but it serves as a timely reminder of agents’ obligations.

“Since the last successful scam was reported, an extensive Government and industry education campaign was conducted with the real estate and settlement agents, giving advice on how scams can be avoided,” she said.

“There is a need for us to continue this campaign and to implement identification verification procedures as part of standard industry practice. Consumer Protection, Landgate, REIWA and AIC will be working intensely and cooperatively in coming weeks to define additional practices in the industry that need to be put into action to minimise the likelihood of property fraud in the future.

“Consumer Protection will be communicating with all agents immediately, providing as much information and advice as possible to enable them to more readily detect these attempts at fraud.”

Shadow Planning Minister, John Hyde, said the allegations “were a mirror image” of the Karrinyup scam and the Government had clearly failed to close loopholes to prevent it.

“The Barnett Government has increased many Landgate fees for documents by over 35 per cent and yet, they haven’t ensured that our document systems are fraud-proofed,” he said.

Ghana Has The Fastest Growing Economy In The World!

2011-08-11T12:23:00.002-05:00

Ghana’s economic growth has been projected to be the fastest-growing in the world for the first half of 2011 by EconomyWatch.com.

According to a release by EconomyWatch.com, other countries which were selected among the 12 fastest-growing economies in the world were India, Angola, Iraq, Ethiopia, Mozambique, East Timor and Laos.

Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which at the time was estimated to be 20.146 per cent, was far ahead of the 14.337 per cent recorded by Qatar as the next fastest-growing country. Qatar was followed by Turkmenistan, which recorded 12.18 per cent; China, 9.901 per cent; and Liberia with 9.0 per cent.

EconomyWatch.com has a database of information from reputable sources, which it uses for analysis on economies and markets.

The organisation, which has a database of economic statistics from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) which tracks the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of countries across the world, puts Ghana’s nominal growth of 23 per cent in the first half ahead of many bigwigs in emerging economies, including China, Qatar, India, Angola and many others.

The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, reported on July 14, 2011, when he presented the Supplementary Budget Estimates to Parliament, that the year-on-year GDP growth for the first quarter of 2011 showed a 23 per cent growth over that of the same period in 2010.

The provisional quarter-on-quarter estimates of the real GDP showed a growth of 21.4 per cent.

EconomyWatch.com used the nominal GDP growth figures (constant prices based on national currencies).

This impact of the growing economy includes the successful issuance of the GH¢300 million last Friday to fund major road projects, which was over-subscribed by GH¢184 million.

The government eventually accepted GH¢305 million of the bond subscription. This comes in the wake of the international investment community ranking Ghana the fourth best investment destination in Africa, riding on sound and stable economy and political climate.

Reacting to the assessment of Ghana’s economy by EconomyWatch.com, the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning told the Daily Graphic that this year’s economic programme would consolidate the gains made last year and restore fiscal sustainability, as the deficits would be slashed from 6.8 per cent of the GDP in 2010 to 5.1 per cent of GDP in 2011.

Provisional figures for the first half of the year indicate that total revenues and grants were 9.3 per cent higher than the budget target for the period, with corresponding expenditures being 4.2 per cent higher than projected.

“This resulted in the achievement of a cash fiscal deficit equivalent to 1.2 per cent of Gross Domestic Product,” the Finance Minister said, adding that the outturn meant a narrowing of the deficit during the first half of the year, compared to a deficit equivalent to 3.4 per cent of GDP for the first half of 2010.

Dr Duffuor said the performance of tax revenue for the first half, which amounted to GH¢4.2 billion or 7.4 per cent of GDP – an outturn which is 20.6 per cent above the targeted – indicated a strong growth in revenues, especially from customs.

He said although expenditures for the first half were also higher than targeted, the performance of revenues led to a lower than budgeted fiscal deficit, which would be monitored to ensure that the economy did not overly expand its fiscal position.

One million students fail 2011 WAEC exam

2011-08-11T12:20:00.002-05:00

For the fourth year running candidates who wrote the May/June 2011 West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) conducted by the West Africa Examinations (WAEC) recorded mass failure as only 31 per cent made five credits including English Language and Mathematics.

The Head of National Office (HNO), Dr. Iyi Uwadiae disclosed the figure in Abeokuta, Ogun State while announcing the release of the school examination taken by 1, 540, 250 candidates nationwide. According to him, out of the 1, 5 million candidates who sat for the May/June, 2011 WASCE only 472, 906 candidates obtained five credits above including English Language and Mathematics.

15 People Are Kidnapped In Nnewi Every Day

2011-08-11T12:08:00.000-05:00

Kidnapping: Nnewi natives petition Jonathan, Army Chief, IGP

Businesses were grounded yesterday, in Nnewi, as stakeholders in the commercial city petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chief of Army Staff and Inspector General of Police to come to their aide over current cases of kidnapping in the town.

As early as 7am yesterday morning, lawyers, medical doctors, bank staff operating in the city, and traders including some elders of Nnewi community, gathered to close down the Nkwo Nnewi market to protest the kidnappings of their members.

Addressing the large crowd at the gate of the closed Nnewi Main Market, Chairman of Nnewi Market Traders Association, Chief Gozie Akudolu, disclosed that since the wave of kidnapping began, about 68 major importers and manufacturers in the area had been kidnapped.

Nigerian Bar Association, represented by its Secretary General, Mr. Joseph Okeke, noted that about 15 persons were being kidnapped in Nnewi on daily basis, adding that all the hoodlums chased out of Aba, Abia State had relocated to Nnewi, pointing out that until the same intervention that happened in Aba was extended to Nnewi, things would not be the same again.

In his words: “Nnewi is closing down entirely; we are proposing that Anti Terrorist Squad, a separate entity aside from the police and military be set up by the president to tackle this situation.”

GTBank Customers Can Now Make Deposit Through ATM

2011-08-11T12:02:00.002-05:00

GTBank customers are now a class apart from their counterparts in other banks as Interswitch Nigeria, a leading electronic payment transaction and switching firm, has empowered them to make cash deposits through some designated ATMs.
The project, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria, will enable cash deposits through GTBank ATMs without inserting or using a debit card. The cardless ATM cash deposit solution from Interswitch can be accessed on certain GTBank cardless ATMs by clicking the enter button on the machine, which prompts the customer to key in the details of the account to be credited.
The ATM then requests for a confirmation of the account number and account name of the beneficiary. Once confirmed, the customer inserts the amount to be deposited, the ATM counts the cash and credits the beneficiary’s account immediately. The cardless ATM cash deposit solution allows a GTBank customer to deposit a bundle of different naira denominations and the ATM will sort through the different denominations.
Once sorted, the ATM displays the amount according to the different denominations and also the total amount deposited. The ATM cash deposit solution has the ability to validate the account of the beneficiary, allowing the depositor to confirm or correct any error.
The deposited amount reflects in the beneficiary account, and can be withdrawn immediately. With the cardless solution, the bank’s customers who wish to make cash deposits no longer need to visit the banking hall. They can simply deposit their cash via the ATM into a beneficiary’s accounts at any time of the day, including weekends. This provides customers the flexibility of depositing cash anytime; hence, they do not need to worry about carrying huge sums of money home.
According to the director, Payment Processing and Infrastructure at Interswitch, Akeem Lawal, the GTBank Cardless ATM cash deposit solution represents a big step towards full branch automation where entire banking operations are automated and customers are guaranteed an improved and consistent standard of service delivery at all automated bank branches.
“Banks are leveraging the use of ATMs to provide improved consumer banking experience by taking self service to a whole new level,” he added.
On the benefits to the bank, he noted that the “Cardless ATM cash deposit solution has reduced the number of customers who visit the GTBank branches,” where the ATM solution for cash deposit transactions was first deployed.
In similar vein, Lola Odedina, head, Communication and External Affairs, GTBank, explained that the solution from Interswitch was bound to improve the Nigerian banking sector by providing a ‘’secure, quicker and more effective channel for making deposits without visiting a banking hall’ or using an ATM card.
She further stated that the solution had undergone a successful and extensive test-run at certain GTBank branches and the bank was set to roll out the service in more branches within Nigeria.