president Buhari gives EFCC go ahead to probe jonathan

EFCC gets presidency's nod to probe ex-president Jonathan
-President Buhari’s assistants say he did not ask for exemption of Jonathan for probe

– They add that the president is not with hunting with his probe

– Ex-president Jonathan may soon be probed


President Muhammadu Buhari may have given the EFCC the nod to arrest and probe former president, Goodluck Jonathan over corruption allegations.

President Muhammadu Buhari may have given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the nod to probe ex-president, Goodluck Jonathan.

According to The Punch, President Buhari’s special assistant on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, in a chat on Friday, March 11, noted that there was no secret agreement between the present and past presidents to exempt Jonathan from the list of corrupt people to be probed by this administration.

“The President does not teleguide the EFCC in any way,” Adesina said while answering questions on whether the EFCC would seek the consent of President Buhari before probing Jonathan

Speaking in the same vein, Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, told The Punch that, “there is no secret pact between President Buhari and any past President.

“If you know or understand him, President Buhari is not the kind of person who will go into secret agreements. He is open about everything he does.


“The war against corruption is open-ended. Nobody knows how it will end.”

Shehu explained further that the war against corruption in the country is not a witch hunt.

He said: “But the President is not on a witch hunt. If you remember his acceptance speech after being announced as the winner of the 2015 general elections, he said without any equivocation that he would not victimise or subject anyone to witch hunt.

“One thing very clear from the way he has carried on with the war against corruption is that past officials of government have a window to return looted funds to avoid investigation and trials which may be drawn out and sometimes inimical to the exercise.

“People can help themselves and help the country without being noisy about anything.

“The President is aware that he is under watch, locally and internationally, in his handling of the war against corruption.

“Whatever international support he will get will depend on how open and effective his government is in carrying out the anti-graft war.

“To that extent, the war against corruption knows neither friend nor foe.”

The body language of the anti-graft agency had initially suggested that they may be reluctant to bring in ex-president for questioning over multi-billion dollar corruption allegations, especially the $2.1billion arms deal.

This report also comes on the heel of Chief Olisa Metuh’s call for the probe of erstwhile president, Jonathan, as he ordered most of the payments being made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The PDP spokesperson, who has been standing trials over his involvement in the $2.1bn arms deal scam, was released on bail in January, 2016 after initially spending some nights at the Kuje prison.

Sierra-Leonean minister backs baby to office

A Sierra-Leonean minister, Mrs Diane
Konomany Konomany backed her baby to her
office recently.
A photo showing her while working in the
office has gone viral with numerous reactions
trailing it. See the picture below:
Do you think anything is wrong with this?

Bayelsa governor meets with kidnapped girl's family

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state
reportedly met with Ese Oruru’s family on
Thursday at the Government House, Yenagoa.
During the closed-door meeting the governor
and the girl’s parents discussed the incident
and steps to be taken for Ese’s further
rehabilitation.
Rose and Charles Oruru, parents of Ese
Dickson also thanked the media and civil
society groups for drawing attention to the
case and reuniting the girl with her relatives.
He also noted that a medical team
of psychologists have been set up to help
bring Ese to normal life.
READ ALSO: Ese Oruru: Police involved in her
abduction to face justice
Speaking to reporters after the meeting the
governor said: “I told the family that it could
have been worse because their daughter may
have disappeared forever. This matter has to
do with enforcement of the laws of the state.
Everything has to be done to protect the girl
child, like Ese’s case has shown. This is not
a religious matter, but the right of a young
girl to grow up with her parents.
I want to use the opportunity to assure all
that the police and the directorate of public
prosecution are working to ensure that this
matter is pursued to its logical
conclusions. There are questions begging for
answers. How come adults who see a minor
in far away Kano did not deem it right to
return such minor to the lawful custody of
her parents? We want to know who could
have saved this situation but did not. We
have set up a team that includes medical
psychologists and others. We are ready to
support and stand by Ese, not just now but
in the days, months and years ahead.”
It would be recalled that Ese, aged 14, was
allegedly kidnapped from Bayelsa state in
August 2015 and married by Kano
resident, Yunusa Dahiru, also known as
Yellow, where she was turned to Islan and
forcefully married off.
The girl, however, denied all the claims,
saying she changed her faith voluntarily .
Moreover, Ese said she is in love with her
kidnapper and five-months pregnant from
him.

Seek help from Olumba - Cleric tells Buhari

Bishop Irefin has advised President
Muhammadu Buhari to seek help from the
Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS)
otherwise known as Olumba Olumba Obu,
(O.O.O) so that Nigeria could come out of its
present socio-economic problems.
READ ALSO: Saraki New Cars: Buhari Should
be blamed – Dr Ononuju
David Irefin who is the president of the
Association of Brotherhood Academic
Scholars, (ABAS) International, gave the
advise on Thursday, March 3, at a press
conference at the Nigeria Union of Journalists
(NUJ) secretariat, Kaduna state.
According to the Vanguard, he said instead of
traversing the world for solution, President
Buhari should go to Olumba Olumba Obu who
he said was ready to proffers solutions to the
nation’s problems.
“The comforter is now on earth. Ex-President
Goodluck Jonathan was made president from
the minority by him, including President
Muhammadu Buhari whom he O.O.O. had
crowned two years before the election as well
as President Barack Obama of the United
States of America.
The late ex-President, Nelson Mandela was
president of South Africa after visiting
Olumba Olumba Obu in 1989., as well as the
disintegration of the Soviet Union.
“The Brotherhood of the Cross and Star is a
universal congregation and nonreligious as it
has no division among the Christians or
Muslims.
“Nigeria’s crisis is due to our inability to cue
into the Lord for love, because we do not love
one another and do not have the holy spirit
as Nigerians do not practice love which is
the way of God. “Having the holy spirit and
peace are the only ways you can live well.
You should think of having the holy spirit and
peace. Christ did not teach us to be weak”,
Bishop Irefin said.
Meanwhile, the Movement for the Survival of
the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has petitioned
President Muhammadu Buhari, the federal
government, the National Assembly, the chief
of army staff and the National Human
following the military invasion of Ogoni
communities in Rivers state.
Nigerian Tribune reports that the petition was
titled “Protest Against the Unprovoked
Military Invasion of Ogoni Communities
Occasioning Wanton Killings of Innocent
Citizens and Residents” and was signed
Legborsi Pyagbara, the president of MOSOP.

Massive protest in Kaduna over El-Zakzaky's detention

Report credited to The Punch has it that a
massive protest was carried out today,
Thursday, March 3, in Kaduna state, as
members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria
(IMN), otherwise known as Shiites, thronged
the streets to protest the prolonged detention
of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, his wife
and other members of the movement.
They protested from the ever-busy Leventis
Roundabout up to Kano Road in the heart of
the city.
El-Zakzaky, his wife and several members of
the movement have been detained since
December 2015 when they clashed with the
Nigerian Army in Zaria, Kaduna state.
However, the protesting members vowed
never to have any further dealings with the
Judicial commission of Inquiry set up by the
Kaduna state government.
According to them, they would to continue
the protest until El-Zakzaky and others
released unconditionally.
The spokesperson of the Youth Wing of the
IMN, which organised the protest,
Abdulhamid Bello, said they would continue
to be non-violent, peaceful and abide by the
laws of the land in the pursuit of their
demand.
He said: “It is now a matter of common
knowledge that a legal team led by Femi
Falana (SAN) and Festus Okoye have made
more than four fruitless attempts to see our
leader so as speak with him for the purposes
of submitting memorandum to the Judiciary
Commission of Inquiry and his appearance
before the said Commission.
“Femi Falana, Festus Okoye and other
members of the legal team of the movement
has visited the headquarters of the
Directorate of State Security on more than
four occasions based on the invitation of the
DSS for the purpose of having audience with
the leader and all the visits yielded no result.
“It is therefore clear that there is a laid out
plan to prevent the legal team of the
movement from having access to its leader,
its spokesperson and the custodian of its
properties.”
On Saturday, December 12, a road, which is
the only artery out of Zaria, Kaduna state,
towards Sokoto state, was reportedly
obstructed by the Shiites. Lt. General Buratai
the army chief’s convoy came down to
negotiate a passage, but was unsuccessful.
The army claim that Lt. General
Buratai himself then alighted from his vehicle
to negotiate passage, and this was when the
alleged stoning and murder attempt began.
It was when Buratai was allegedly hit that
his security detail began shooting in the air
to disperse the Shiites .
Later reports suggested that over the
following two days, the army attacked
Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, the leader of the Shiites,
at his residence.
Sources say there were gunshots and
explosions through the day and night, and by
the end of Sunday, December 13, reports
came through that Muhammad Turi,
Zakzaky’s deputy, had been killed . Also
reported were the deaths of Zakzaky, his
wife, a son, and some other senior members
of the group were detained by the army.

Naira strengthens against dollar on parallel market again.

There are strong indications that the
Nigerian currency may have gained more
strength against the dollar on the parallel
market again.
As at this morning on the ‘black’ foreign
exchange market, the dollar was sold for
between N320 and N315, but this afternoon,
Naij.com’s impeccable sources as the Bureau
De Change (BDC) revealed that the Nigerian
currency is fast growing against the
American dollar.
The source who pleaded anonymity stated
that as at 1.05pm, the naira stood at N310
against the American currency on the black
market.
He noted that despite the fact that the
Nigerian currency had been unstable against
the dollar in recent days, it seems to be
garnering more strength amid unchanged oil
prices on the global market.
Another BDC operator informed that it now
sells for N310 at his end, a situation which
he claims “may still improve before the end
of the day.”
This rise and fall of naira against the dollar in
recent weeks has also led to inflation of
goods and wares in the market, with every
Nigerian particularly groaning under its
hardship.
This may have also totally shut speculators
up after initial suggestions that the naira (up
to N400/dollar about two weeks ago) will
soon be exchanged for about N450-N500 on
the black market following the trend in the
economic situation of the country.

My wife beats me, she attacks my manhood- Man cries out

Ayoade has begged an Alimosho customary
court to dissolve his five-year-old marriage
to his wife Deborah Oriade.
The 42-year-old man told the court sitting in
Lagos he craved dissolution of his marriage
for fear of his life.
Ayoade cited his wife’s alleged brutality and
maltreatment as core reason for his petition.
He narrated to the court how his wife had
taken on the habit of beating him at will,
saying she had beaten more than 10 times,
even in public.
According to Ayoade, on one occasion, Oriade
attacked his manhood until it started
bleeding and not yet done, she dashed into
the kitchen, brought ground pepper and
poured it on his bleeding penis.
“I didn’t marry her legally. In fact, I’m
married. I have my first wife. Deborah and I
were only dating. We met at the Sawmill
where we both sell building materials. She
always comes to my shop to complain to me
about her former husband. It was in that
process I developed interest in her.”
Ayoade further informed that two years into
their relationship, Oriade came to tell him that
she was pregnant but that he rejected the
pregnancy because before they started having
sex, he had already told her that he didn’t
want any kid, especially not out of wedlock
and she had agreed to the proposal.
“Moreover, I still love my legal wife. When
Deborah delivered the baby, she named him
Emmanuel. I was not aware. After the
naming ceremony, she started behaving
strangely.
Some of my friends advised me to report the
matter at the palace of Elegbeda, where I
was asked to cater for the upkeep of the
baby. I have been doing that since last year.”
Pulse reports that after the traditional ruler
ordered Ayoade to take up the responsibility
of the child, he allegedly did.
Ayoade however notes that all he did was
not satisfactory to his wife.
“One fateful day, she came to my house and
pounced on my house wife. She beat her
mercilessly. The matter was reported to the
police and later transferred to the State
Criminal Investigative Department (SCID),
Panti, Yaba, for threatening the life of my
family member.
Since I met her, I have not known peace. If I
had known that is the kind of woman she is,
I wouldn’t have approached her. I have
developed hypertension since we started this
clash.
Even in my matrimonial home, I don’t have
peace. I can’t concentrate anymore on my
business. It was after I met her I knew she is
from Ilesha. I have been advised by my
father not to marry any woman from that
part of the country.”
READ ALSO: Family crisis: “She starves me
of sex”, “he beats me”, “he went into my
mother’s room naked”
Sharing her side of the story, Oriade, a
mother of three, denied the allegations
leveled against her by Ayoade, saying she
loves him and would not want to leave him
because of the child they have together.
“I love him. I don’t want to leave him
because he is the father of my son. He is the
one who came to file for divorce in the court.
If not because of the problem I had with my
former husband, I wouldn’t have come across
him. I had two children in my former
marriage.
When the problem between me and my
former husband was still raging, I always
confided in Ayoade, it was in the process that
we fell in love and got married.
The marriage produced a baby boy. Before
my son came, I had two abortions for
Ayoade.
My problem with him is that he doesn’t want
to recognize my son as one of his children.
This is why I went to his house and
introduced myself to his wife.” Adding: “I
didn’t fight her.”
The President of the court, Alhaja S O Mumini
, told the couple that a DNA test will be
conducted to know the real father. She noted
that the test was necessary because the
rightful father of the baby was in doubt.
Alhaja Mumini adjourned the case to
Teusday, March 15, 2016.

Siasia announces Super Eagles squad to face Egypt

Super Eagles interim coach Samson Siasia
has named his first squad as Super Eagles
coach.
Samson Siasia
Nigeria are on four points in second place in
their 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifying
group, two behind Egypt and two ahead of
Tanzania and Chad.
PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest sports news
on Naij Sports App
. @NGSuperEagles list vs Egypt. What do
you think? Use #SuperEaglesList
pic.twitter.com/UAF3T28swO
— The NFF (@thenff) March 3, 2016
Nigeria will first welcome the seven-time
African champions on March 25, before
travelling to Cairo for the reverse clash on
March 29.

Dangote drops, 19-yr-old joins world's richest billionaires

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has
dropped in the yearly ranking of the world’s
richest men as 19-year-old
Norwegian, Alexandra Andresen joins the list
of world’s billionaires.
According to the latest ranking released by
Forbes, world’s richest man, Bill Gates, still
tops the list of world’s richest men for the
third consecutive year as Africa’s only man
initially on the top 50 list dropped to 51st
after being 37th on the list.
Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, in a
private jet.
The Nigerian business mogul and
philanthropist amassed a wealth of $15.4
billion during the period under review as
against the $25 billion he had last year to
stand as the richest on the continent.
The surprise addition to this year’s list of
world’s billionaires is the 19-year-
old professional dressage rider from Norway.
According to Forbes, Miss Andresen is a
scion of a family which made its fortune
through tobacco.
Alexandra Andresen pictured with her horse
Belamour Photo: Åse-Berit Jamne
In 1849 her great, great, great grandfather
founded what was to become Norway’s
leading cigarette producer but in 2005, the
family sold the company for ethical reasons,
netting $500 million.
Andresen, is ranked 1,476 among the 1,810
people on the list while her sister, Katharina,
20, is the second youngest on the list.

Ebonyi state declares state of emergency over Lassa fever

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state today
March 3, declared a state of emergency on
the Lassa fever virus in state.
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi state has
declared a state of emergency on the Lassa
fever.
Speaking to journalist in Abakaliki on behalf
of the governor, the secretary to the state
government, Prof Ben Odoh said the the state
government was working tirelessly to contain
the spread of the disease which has so far
claimed three lives out of the five confirmed
cases.
Prof Ben Odoh said the state has also
recorded 49 other suspected cases, National
Mirror reports.
READ ALSO: NDDC donates Lassa fever kits
to states in Niger Delta
“Before now, samples were taken to Edo
State for tests and but the governor has
directed that we build a centre here at the
Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki and work
has already started on the building. In fact,
work is going on there day and night and it
should be ready in three weeks time”, said
Prof Odoh.
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)
statistics showed that reported cases of the
Lassa fever disease, confirmed and suspected
have risen above 180 with a total of 101
deaths since August, 2015.
Deaths from the virus were recorded in the
nation’s political capital, Abuja, Lagos and 14
other states, the NCDC said.
The NCDC said officials have distributed
large quantities of drugs, including Ribavirin
tablets and bottles of hand sanitizers across
the country to tackle the disease.
It, however, reported that logistics support
and delayed reporting of cases by states are
dogging the fight against Lassa fever.
The outbreak was announced in January —
months after the first case occurred in August
with subsequent deaths reported in 10 states,
including Abuja.
In another development, the Lagos state
government has uncovered the cause of the
death of about 25 children in Eti-Osa local
government area of the state.
The disclosure was made by the state
commissioner of health, Dr, Jide Idris, that
measles was the cause of the deaths of the
children.
He said this on Monday, February 22, at a
news briefing in Lagos where he stated the
results of blood samples sent to three
laboratories in the state tested positive for
measles.