Donald Trump Promises ‘New Revelations’ On Russian Hacking

Trump who expressed lingering skepticism about intelligence assessments of Russian interference in the election.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says that he knew “things that other people don’t know” about the Russian hacking.
He promised that the information would be revealed “on Tuesday or Wednesday”.

Speaking outside his Palm Beach, Florida club, Mar-a-Lago during the New Year party, Trump who expressed lingering skepticism about intelligence assessments of Russian interference in the election, cast his declarations of doubt as an effort to seek the truth.

“I just want them to be sure because it’s a pretty serious charge,” Trump said of the intelligence agencies, according to reports.
“If you look at the weapons of mass destruction, that was a disaster, and they were wrong,” he added, referring to intelligence cited by the George W. Bush administration to support its march to war in 2003.
“So I want them to be sure,” the president-elect said. “I think it’s unfair if they don’t know.”

He added: “And I know a lot about hacking. And hacking is a very hard thing to prove. So it could be somebody else. And I also know things that other people don’t know, and so they cannot be sure of the situation.”
When asked what he knew that others did not, Trump demurred, saying only: “You’ll find out on Tuesday or Wednesday”.

The incoming president, who does not use email, also advised people to avoid computers when dealing with delicate material.

“It’s very important, if you have something really important, write it out and have it delivered by courier, the old-fashioned way, because I’ll tell you what, no computer is safe,” Trump warned.
“I don’t care what they say, no computer is safe,” he added. “I have a boy who’s 10 years old; he can do anything with a computer. You want something to really go without detection, write it out and have it sent by courier.”

The comments were a departure from a statement that Trump issued through transition officials last week, in which he said that it was time for people to “move on’’ from the hacking issue but that he would be briefed on the matter by intelligence officials early in the new year.

On Thursday, President Barack Obama ordered a set of retaliatory measures against Russia over the election hacking, including expelling 35 Russian diplomats and shuttered two estates that it claimed had been used for intelligence-gathering.
The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, declined to respond in kind to the measures, a gesture that Trump appeared to view favourably.

The president-elect praised Putin’s action on Twitter and criticised media coverage that had been harsh about Russia.

Trump, who has sought a warmer relationship with Putin, has repeatedly scoffed at the notion that Russia was behind the hacking, a stance at odds with members of his own party.
At one point, the incoming president declared that the hacking may have been the work of “someone sitting on their bed weighing 400 pounds”.

Corruption: Probe military, banks, others, Filani tells Buhari

Former national vice president (South West) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ishola Filani has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to extend his anti-corruption crusade beyond former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and probe past military regimes.<!--more-->



Filani, who was former chairman of Wema Bank Plc, also urged Buhari to take his anti-graft war to the civil service and the private sector, especially commercial banks.
“He (Buhari) should not continue to give the impression that only politicians are corrupt. Why should he be limiting the anti-corruption war to  one civilian regime? Why can’t he probe those military officers who were involved in corruption during military regimes?

“Are they telling us that those military officers, who ruled Nigeria for over 27 years, were saints? If they were saints, we would want to learn how they were able to do it without engaging in any form of corruption.
“If we are not assuming that they are saints, then, this corruption probe should be extended to them,” he said, in reaction to the Presidency’s allocation of N31.1 billion to fight corruption this year.
The PDP chieftain noted that there was no way anybody in government could steal public  money without connivance of people in the private sector.

“And, the private sector are made up of the multinational companies, private companies, including banks.
“If you want to fight corruption, the evil being perpetrated outside Nigeria are even more than what is going on within us here.

“More than 70 percent of the money these people stole are through multinational companies, the private sector and so on. And, these monies are lodged abroad,” he added.
Filani, a lawyer and former national publicity secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), said if the federal government wants to fight corruption, it has to touch all those areas.
Assessing the war critically, he asked rhetorically, “how many banks have been closed? How many bank chiefs have been jailed?

“How many military military officers have been probed and punished?”
According to him, if the war on corruption will succeed, “the Buhari-led administration must change its method of executing the war, because the current method of being selective would fail.
Filani said the idea of arresting somebody who stole billions of naira, releasing him on bail after paying some money will only increase corruption in the nearest future.

Such method, he pointed out, would make people steal more money with the belief that once they are caught, they would spend part of it on litigation and part on plea-bargaining and get away with the rest.

Man Hides £3.8m Worth Of Cocaine In Foot Wears

A 34-year-old motorcycle parts dealer has been arrested by anti-narcotics agents with 9.150kg of cocaine, which were concealed in the soles of foot wears being imported into the country.


The arrest of the Enugu State-born suspect, identified as Okolo Emenike, was made, weekend, during the inward screening of passengers on a Turkish airline flight from Brazil, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Commander at the Abuja Airport, Hamisu Lawan, explained that the discovery of the drugs, with an estimated value of 3.8 million pounds, which is close to half a billion Naira, was the last arrest made in year 2016.

His story 

During interrogation, Emenike, a father of one, disclosed that he was offered N1 million to smuggle the drugs into Nigeria. He explained that he was forced to leave the shores of Nigeria for Brazil in search of greener pastures, when his business was experiencing a down turn, owing to recession. 

However, on reaching Brazil, Emenike said, “things became worse for me as I could not get a job. I had no money to sustain myself while my work permit was being processed. “I was equally confronted with the fear of deportation. This made me desperate for quick wealth. 

In the process, I met my childhood friend, who offered me N1million to traffic cocaine to Nigeria. “He also paid for my ticket and gave me three bags of shoes containing the cocaine. But on arrival at the Abuja airport, the cocaine was detected and I was arrested.

 I had wanted to invest money offered to me in my business that failed due to recession.” 

 Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd.) who commended his men for the arrest, stated that the huge profit derived from drug trafficking had made it a top priority for drug cartels to be financially incapacitated. 

From Vanguard

Breaking: A/Court sacks Jimoh Ibrahim, reinstates Jegede as Ondo PDP candidate

Appeal Court says Justice Abang’s judgment was ‘violent attitudinal disposition to rule of law’. It Sacked Jimoh and reinstated Jegede as the true candidate of PDP in Ondo for Saturday’s governorship election. Justice Saulawa, while giving his verdict, said that Jegede’s appeal was ‘most meritorious and accordingly allowed.’

The court also said that all seven issues are in favour of Jegede. Justice Saulawa however said that he can only set asside Justice Abang’s judgement and can order no more.

How I’ll stop Niger Delta militancy –Danjuma

From Jacob Edi, Abuja

Coordinator of Niger Delta Riverine Protection Program, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd) yesterday read the riot act to militants who bomb oil pipelines. The special presidential committee which was named last week, is expected to recover illegal weapons and curtail the spate of bombings and other crimes in the region.
Daily Sun spoke to Gen. Danjuma after the committee’s inauguration.
He said: “Yes, I know the job will be tough, but I am experienced and I understand the terrain so, I know I will make the President proud.”
Danjuma also said he will hold series of sensitisation across Niger Delta to engage the youths and warn them on the dangers of their action especially as it affects the nation.
“I have accepted this responsibility with every sense of humility, responsibility and patriotism. I am conscious of the fact that we cannot achieve the purpose for which this program is created without the active support of the stakeholders in the region and beyond.
When asked about his job description, Gen. Danjuma said:  “What I am supposed to do as the name implies is to stop the spate of bombings in Niger Delta, recover arms and sensitise the people particularly the youths on why they should not go into destroying their own land.
“The danger is that at the end of the day our people suffer more when these bombings occur. Our people are suffering. The answer to the problem is not bombing, but to engage the government and make sure our people benefit from the laudable programs that are being put in place for our people. Whose land is suffering? Who are the end losers? So, the new narrative is let our boys lay their arms and let government take care of the people as it should be. Confronting the government will not help our case,” he said.
On his plan of action, General Danjuma said: “In the next few days we shall be meeting with critical stakeholders in the region to unveil our detailed program of action. We are also organizing Town Hall meetings with all these critical stakeholders across all the states of the South-South region on the dangers of bombings and for them to also tell us their problems. We will tell them what the Federal Government has in store for them. Some of the South-South governors have been contacted and the response was very positive. Don’t forget that the committee will also be working with the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs in liaison with the office of the National Security Adviser,” he said.

4 hospitalised as fire razes female hostel at Yabatech

An early morning fire on Wednesday razed the Bakassi Hall, one of the female hostels at the Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.

Witnesses told Daily Sun that the  fire which started at 5:10am razed the hostel top floor before extending to other parts of the building.
Spokesman for the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said Firefighters from the college fire service unit arrived 30 minutes after the inferno started but ran out of water midway. The students later mobilized and tried desperately to put out the fire.
Fire fighters from University of Lagos and the Lagos Fire Service arrived at 6:00am and joined the rescue efforts but the fire raged on.
A female student simply known as Onome sustained a neck injury and has been taken to a military hospital close to the college for treatment.
The fire was finally put at about 7:30am and normalcy has returned to the school.
Meanwhile, all academic activities in YABATECH have been suspended indefinitely following Wednesday’s fire outbreak in the college.
Meanwhile the management of the School said it has suspended all academic activities until further notice as result of the fire incident at the Bakassi Hostel.
A statement from the School’s spokesman, Charles Oni said “by this notice, all examinations and lectures, especially scheduled for today have been put on hold while the College attends to the exigency.
“The Management regrets the misguided and outright falsehood on the social media and calls to certain radio stations that there was no water on campus to quell the fire. The truth is that firemen needed an excavator to attend to the fire, which the College provided promptly.
“Meanwhile, the Rector, Dr. Margaret Ladipo has called on the College community to remain calm as the Management finds ways to soothe the pains inflicted by the accident.”

Seven persons killed in Ondo road accident

No fewer than seven people lost their lives in a road accident that occurred in Amurin village on Akure-Owo Expressway in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State on Tuesday.
About 13 people were also reportedly injured in the accident.

According to an eyewitness, the accident involved a Peugeot J5 bus with registration number BKK 424 XA and a truck belonging to the Nigeria Army with registration number NA 1087 BO5.

It was gathered that the accident occurred as a result of reckless driving on the part of the vehicles that were involved.

The identity of the victims were not known as of the time of this report.

All officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps in Ondo Sector Command contacted declined to comment on the matter.

But the Public Relations Officer of the state police command, Mr. Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident and said the accident occurred at about 2am on Tuesday.

He said, ” The army truck, driven by one Sergent Ashima Abdullahi broke down and parked beside the road when the bus rammed into it.”

The PPRO also stated that the remains of the victims had been deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, while the injured were also receiving treatment at the hospital.

Boko Haram: NURTW warns drivers against picking passengers along highways

The Borno chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers on Tuesday warned drivers against picking passengers along the highways but at designated motor parks.

It said this was to avoid bad elements that could cause havoc from boarding their vehicles.

Malam Bello Maduganari, the state Chairman of the union, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Maiduguri.

Maduganari said all commercial transport operators and drivers must also ensure proper checks of both passengers and their luggage at various motor parks before embarking on any trip.

“Henceforth, members from the 87 units in the state capital must always check the identification cards of passengers before conveying them.

“Some of the members of our union had fallen as victims of the unfortunate circumstances while others had been killed because of the lackadaisical attitudes of some drivers.

“Drivers must also be cautious in accepting any messages that look suspicious; motor parks authorities should also be cautious of allowing people to sleep in motor parks.

“Boko Haram insurgents mostly target gathering of persons to cause havoc; so motor park operators should not allow anyone to sleep in their parks.

“If any member of the public wants to embark on any trip, he or she must wait till day break before coming to the park to board vehicles,’’said Maduganari.

Can rice importation end next year?

There are a number of issues that we have to look at if we want to stop the importation of rice. One, what is the proportion of the rice we are eating locally now? Two, what is on the ground to enable us to close that gap between the rice we are importing and what we are consuming?

We need not to just have a plan to cultivate and harvest, we also need to have successive plans and build capacities. We need to have a marketing system that ensures sustainability.

We need to have the quantity of local rice that matches imported rice. The quantity must also be commensurate. Now, can we do all of that within two years? My answer is that I doubt it. Most of our farmers will tell you that much of the support needed from the government is not got on time. This is a strategic programme in which we have to look at the whole value chain.

Another area is the issue of credit being available and the issue of rice seedlings to be used by the farmers. The government should also be looking at incentives for farmers and managing agricultural transportation.

Efforts of growing rice production must also be entrepreneurial. People can put their money into it and they can expect profit. The Federal Government has to provide incentives to producers. They have to ensure that access to credit is made a lot easier. They also have to provide an agricultural extension service.

The process should not be allowed to be hijacked by importers. The government must come up with predictable policies. People should rest assured that they could set up a rice-processing mill and expect to make profit. Therefore, there must be a clear-cut commitment on the part of the government.

• Charles Ugwuh (Chairman, Tara Agro Rice Millers)

Stoppage of rice importation can be done. We must not keep opening the doors to import rice. If we do that, we will kill local investments. Once we determine that we are going to grow our own capacity, we must close the doors and allow the indigenous farmers to grow.

They will make mistakes and also correct their mistakes. They will achieve a fairly stable price and make rice available in the market place. If we are in a hurry to get comfort and bring rice from Thailand, Brazil and other countries, we will not be able to grow our own rice.

The government needs to use fiscal and tariff measures, and control importation or stop it completely. Our local people will then seize the opportunity to grow rice locally.

Nigerians are growing rice now more than ever. People are investing heavily in rice production. Kebbi farmers earlier in the year made a lot of money when scarcity of rice was recorded.

Therefore, we must allow farmers, investors and rice millers to expand their capacities. We have all the ecology to do that more than any other part of the world.

Nigeria has a very good soil, which aids massive rice production. My answer is yes. We can use fiscal policy measures and import bans to prevent competition and locally grow rice sufficiently.

• Wale Oyekoya (Director, Bama Farms, Lagos State)

It is possible to stop rice importation by next year if the Federal Government takes decisive steps. Too much importation is one of the reasons why we are even in a recession, whereby we are spending over N1bn every day on the importation of rice into the country.

With what we are seeing, there is a very good picture coming from states producing rice locally like Kebbi, Ebonyi, Adamawa, Niger and others. I believe stopping importation of rice is possible if the government can sustain the present momentum.

Our problem has been policy somersault, whereby the government changes from policy to policy. For example, the authorities of the Nigeria Customs Service need to get stakeholders involved on this. The government needs to come up with farmer-oriented policies to achieve the stoppage of importation.

Definitely, it is achievable if the state and local governments also carry out their own responsibilities. One of the steps to be taken by the federal and state governments to make this work for the Nigerian farmers includes encouraging farmers financially.

Much of the money into agriculture goes to state-controlled farms, while subsistent farmers are neglected. So, the federal and state governments have to channel the money appropriately. They must procure equipment for mechanised farming.

Farmers should also not be subjected to producing without creating ready markets to take their produce. So, the government needs to focus on this. Farmers need to be given improved seedlings, fertilisers and other necessities. This will help our economy and also provide more job opportunities. I believe rice importation can stop by next year if all these things are done.

Professor Kolawole Adebayo (Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State)

Technically, it is feasible to stop rice importation. What do you require to produce a good crop of rice? You need good land. You need good varieties. Luckily, we have the ‘Ofada’ and ‘Abakaliki’ rice, which are very popular varieties.

To start with, we need dedicated farmers and Nigeria has them. There are only a few things that are missing presently, which if fixed, then we can really put our minds off importation.

One, we need an agricultural extension service. What we have now is already collapsing. The job of the extension service is to train farmers on how to go about rice production. This service is available in our research institutes and in universities. The knowledge has to leave the institutes and universities and go to the farmers who need it.

In every state in Nigeria, you have the Agriculture Development Programme. It was established in the 1980s through a World Bank-assisted scheme. Many of the good hands, who left the programme, need to be replaced. We also need to be target-driven. We have 180m Nigerians who feed on rice practically every day.

If we allot a quarter of a kilo to everybody per day, that gives you the idea of the area of land that should be committed to rice production.

Two, there should be investments in transport infrastructure. We know that many of our rural roads are bad. If we produce rice and we cannot move them out of the farms, it is also a problem.

The third area is storage. Once we produce the rice, we need to be able to store it, so that we can have rice all year. So, we need storage facilities to make this achievable.

• Akai Egwuonwu (Chief Executive Officer, Stine Industries/rice producer in Anambra State)

It is feasible and achievable for Nigeria to stop the importation of rice. With the level of cultivation we did this year and with the farmers, who sold very well, Nigeria is on track. This will encourage more farmers to go into it.

As long as there is more rice cultivated, we can achieve it. So far, the price of rice has not gone up locally. If you go to every market, it is the same. But, there is a big cartel that has so much money and is sabotaging the efforts to stop rice importation. It is not true as they claim that we cannot stop importing rice.

What the government needs to do is to create an enabling environment for the farmers and the millers. This will help to stabilise the industry. An average miller should know what the government is planning and the borders should not be porous.

Therefore, there must be constant consultation and the government should not just come up with policies without adequate consultation. In the meantime, the government needs to create such an atmosphere where there would be monitoring. A lot also has to be done on power generation. Rice millers are beset with the problem of power generation.

Basketmouth's securityman arrested for fleeing when robbers attacked his house

Men of the Nigeria Police in Lagos have arrested and detained a security man guarding the home of comedian Bright Okpocha, aka Basketmouth.

Robbers had two days ago stormed Basketmouth’s house at Lekki area of Lagos. The bandits were said to have collected his phones, two I-pads, shoes, jewellery and bags. They also removed the CCTV while going.

He was robbed barely an hour after returning from the club. It was gathered that his security guard bolted after he realised that bandits had invaded the home. A police source said: 

“He came home about 1:30am and by 2:15am, the robbers came. It appeared his home has a central door. He left the door open for his security guard to carry out one or two duties.

It was through that door they came into his home. But the security guard was arrested because he fled and did not alert the residents or the police."

According to New Telegraph, the police source said Basketmouth has asked the police to release the securityman because he and his wife trusted the man. It was learnt that police reached his home about five minutes after they were alerted.

“But the robbers had long gone before we were alerted. When asked why Basketmouth did not call police earlier, he said he did not want a shootout.”

The green alternative and food security

The agricultural sector remains the bedrock of development of the nation in spite of the superiority of the oil sector in its contribution to the economy. The roles of agriculture to economic rejuvenation cannot be neglected.
Agricultural production which refers to the process of producing crops and rearing of animals has been playing a tremendous role in socio – economic development of the nation. The various ways of its contribution to the economy includes, the provision of food for ever growing population, an avenue for employment, as well as revenue earnings from plantation crops, such as cocoa, coffee, rubber, cashew, etc.  Besides, it provides raw materials for domestic industries and generates income for those that are involved in the profession and provision of market for industrial goods.
These contributions can be through crops or livestock production.  However, in any case it takes, these noble goals of economic development are not easily achieved due to numerous factors.
Nigeria, though endowed with abundant arable land and a population which is primarily agrarian, still lags behind in its ability to grow enough food to meet the needs of its expanding population.  Nigeria, the largest country in Africa is being threatened with serious food crisis as the populace could not afford basic staple food on their dining tables.  These have resulted in  the widespread of menaces and infested crimes society.
At present, most of the crimes perpetuated in our society nowadays is because of hunger, starvation and penury.  So many persons could engage in one form of societal malady or unwholesome vices just to have food on their tables.  Food crisis, poverty, corruption and other unscrupulous activities co-exist in the same tent.  Food crisis also has effects on health institutions as there is no form of drug absorption in human system without adequate food intake.
As a result of food shortages, the rate of anemia and malnutrition especially in infants is colossal.  Anemia for instance, has become an endemic disease in Nigeria especially in the North-eastern part of the country.  Food and nutrition are critically vital for proper growth and development of infants.  Some ailments like ulcerative colitis abdominal pains become excruciating due to low feeding.  Every living organism needs food for sustenance.  The basisc physiological needs of human beings are food, clothing and shelter according to Abraham Maslow’s theory of needs.
The inability of our country to feed its population is mostly due to lack of substantial capital, human and material, channeled effectively to agricultural sector.  It could also be as a result of  lack of basic training, skills and knowledge of improved production on the parts of peasants which constitute 80% of agricultural production.
The deplorable state of rural populace which lacks of  basic amenities like potable water, comprehensive primary health care system and inaccessible roads also makes crop production in the rural area highly unattractive.  Poor storage facilities, inefficient post-harvest management, crude implements used for tillage, ineffective extension services, professional stigmatization, attitude of political leaders and untimely implementation of agricultural policies has all compounded the tragic news in agricultural sector.
Over the years, government came up with same laudable policies like Operation Feed the Nation (OFN). Green Revolution was formulated, but in spite of all efforts geared towards the effectiveness and sustainability of these policies to have impact on the economy, the programmes failed to register good impact. Part of the reasons could be traced to the fact that oil sector was the ladder on which the government used to climb and meet up most of her economic goals.  Then, it was really the great days of oil boom.  Now, it’s the dawn of the new era, oil boom is now oil doom and the country is facing economic recession with famine and hardship as lifejacket.  It’s no longer debatable that Nigeria needs other sources of revenue to cushion the effects of oil deficit. Agriculture is one sure way to diversify the economy. Nigeria has decided to refocus and take giant strides towards diversification of sources of revenue and their search light is beaming on agriculture and solid minerals.
The new road map of the Federal Government on agriculture tagged “Green Alternative” may not yield the desired results. Unequivocally, the road map seems promising, unblemished and impeccably formulated, but how feasible is the implementation? With this policy, can Nigeria economy downturn be efficiently revamped? How can unemployment, poverty, hunger, food crisis and squalor experienced now be addressed? Can our country boost of revenue from agriculture which can significantly cushion the effects of oil falls? These are challenges and questions in the womb of time.
My solemn opinion on this policy is this; for effective attainment of “The Green Alternative”, the 774 local governments in the country had to be involved and fully committed. Every local government in the country must be tasked to produce something. The Department of Agriculture in the local government councils must have a farm. The Head of Department (HOD) of Agriculture, the agric staff in the local government and the local government caretaker or chairman must be a stakeholder in the farm. Department of Agriculture in every state should also coordinate the sector and make sure every state must have a farm.
There should be agriculture show to showcase production and stir competition from wards, local governments and states. The six geo-political zones must have a food processing industry which is strictly owned and managed by government just like we have NNPC.
There must be a comprehensive rural transformation which is the engine room for food production process and clashes between Fulani herdsmen and crop production farmers must be addressed.

High cost of rams have been lamented by Lagos muslims

Barely 72 hours to this year’s Eid-el-Kabir, price of rams may force some Muslims to rethink the obligation of slaughtering rams.
This was even as many civil servants in the state lamented the ‘tough’ situation.
Daily Sun’s visit to many ram markets in the state, which include Gbagada, Agege, Ijora and Meiran, showed that while rams abound plentiful, there is low patronage.
Barely three days to the festival, only few customers were seen trying to purchase the sacrificial animals.
A ram seller at the Gbagada Ram Market, Abdullah Mahmud, said he had recorded low patronage since he arrived the state two weeks ago.
“I pray things improve more than this or else, I will regret investing in rams this year,” and added that although rams were available, which he claimed were bought at exorbitant prices, buyers were not forthcoming.
Mahmud’s views were also corroborated by another ram seller at Agege, Mangoe, who attributed the low patronage to fall in United States dollar, which he said has affected virtually everything in the country.
According to him, many prospective buyers complained about prices of rams, which range between N40,000, N85,000 and N120,000 respectively.
“As much as we are concerned with the prices, which our customers have described as high, we are also forced to sell at such prices because of many factors, including transportation,” he said.
Another ram seller, Kabir Razaq at the Kara Ram Market, Berger attributed the rise in prices to cost of breeding and feeding the animal as well as security challenges in the northern part of the country.
“We are not making much profit in the business as many people think because transportation and cost of rearing the animals have also increased considerably,” Razaq said.
A customer, Alhaji Mogaji said much as it is obligatory for a faithful Muslim to slaughter a ram during Sallah, he will not do things beyond his power.
“I will not steal to serve my God. I have tried severally in the past few days to buy a ram, but, the price is beyond my reach.  I canot because of Sallah celebrations not pay my children’s school fees which I even consider more important because of their future.”
Meanwhile, some civil servants in the state have described this Sallah as the worst festive period in recent time.
They spoke against the backdrop of cash crunch, which they feared might prevent them from buying the sacrificial animals.
They also lamented that the usual assistance they receive from government was no longer there.

Decent living in Nigeria’s recessed economy

It is no longer news that Nigeria’s economy is in recession. Austerity measures are now trending at both personal and corporate levels. Growth is shrinking; inflation is now officially 17.1 per cent; interest rate on lending is in double digits; unemployment soars and poverty deepens. A time like this calls for introspection and retrospection. At a personal level, I have been “restructuring”. As my disposable income becomes lean, I have had to adjust my lifestyle accordingly. No more expensive clothes and shoes.   I now cook more and eat out less. Oh, you’re asking why I cook? Well, it’s part of the “restructuring”. Other family members now live in less expensive parts of the country while I alone slug it out in Abuja and retreat frequently to meet the rest of the family in our new home.

Unfortunately, many Nigerians still live in Fantasy Land. They still hold lavish parties and indulge in their excesses, even doing so on credit. There are many who still can’t eat without soft drinks, wine or beer to “wash it down”. There are those who still enroll their children in expensive private schools even though they are heavily indebted to the school management as they perpetually default in payment of school fees and other charges. There are still those trendy guys and ladies who offer arms and legs to buy exotic cars in order to “oppress” their neighbours, friends and relations. These fashionistas can’t dress without perfumes and play the good guy by ensuring that they buy all the “aso ebi” chosen for socials. Sincerely, I do believe that it’s good to be trendy and enjoy the good things of life but only on one condition – if you can afford it!

My point of argument with many people is their inability to curtail their appetite for things they couldn’t afford. Why live in city centres for instance when your income can only get you a decent accommodation in the satellite towns? Why live in a duplex or three-bedroomed flat when your lean income can only conveniently pay for a two-bedroomed or a room and parlour apartment? I live in one of the satellite towns in Abuja and have seen many colleagues and acquaintances paying through their nose in eyebrow areas of Abuja like Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse, Jabi, Utako and Gwarinpa.  Their excuse being that they want to live close to their places of work. Should that be a deciding factor or your purse?

In truth, this austere time calls for change of attitudes, lifestyles and priorities. Hanging on to old values and proclivities is what has landed many couples in troubles, heartaches and depression. Why play the superman or hero when you do not have the financial muscle to back up your presumed status?  Why go into consumptive debts rather than borrowing for investment and productive purposes? Before I relocated my family to their present abode, many years back, I bought a plot of land in a developing area. The land was very cheap then but the area in question had no public electricity supply. I wasn’t so keen on acquiring the land initially because I thought it would take a long time before the area would become cosmopolitan. Wise counsel eventually prevailed and I paid for the property and commenced the development. It took years of savings and loans but to the glory of God, it’s completed now and my family now have a palatial home to live unlike when we were all squeezing ourselves in a two-bedroomed apartment here in Abuja. While the building project was on, I was using a 1998 model of Nissan Sunny which many of my colleagues call taxi.  Well, the car which I called “old faithful” served me well until I disposed it off last year having acquired a better car after the completion of the housing project.

When I see people being disgraced and embarrassed for defaulting on their rent, I take pity on them. At the same time, I wonder why some of them, especially those who are doing private business, insisted on staying put in an expensive environment like Abuja. I know that the illusory attractions to many city centres are the social amenities like good roads, pipe borne water, electricity, modern houses and offices and above all job opportunities. However, what many migrants to the cities do not know or choose to ignore is that there are limited opportunities in the urban centres. I have many curriculum vitaes of friends and relations looking for job in Abuja or anywhere for that matter. Sadly, much as I tried, I have not been able to assist any of them.

It is high time government at all levels worked collaboratively to develop the rural areas in order to stem the deluge of rural-urban migration. The white collar and blue collar jobs many desperate job seekers are angling for are thinning out. Look at the sheer volume of people who applied for the ongoing police recruitment. The same story with those who applies for the 500,000 teaching jobs advertised by the Federal Government. It behooves government to make our rural communities liveable so that many, especially the youths, that are daily flocking to urban centres will stay back to harness their potential in their various communities. If there are good roads, hospitals, schools, security, electricity, potable water, recreational facilities, internet connectivity and cottage industries in many of our rural areas, the inhabitants of these communities will not have the urge to seek a better life in the urban centres.

I recall that during the Babangida administration, he set up Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure under Air Vice Marshal Larry Koiyan. Something of that mould is needed now and urgently too. Dearth of basic amenities is what has been responsible for the rural-urban drift.

With rural electrification, efficient transport system, including rail line and marine transport, it will be easier for rural dwellers to daily commute to town. This will significantly reduce their cost of living and enhance their standard of living. As it is one of the utmost plans of government to diversify the economy, many youths in rural communities can be incentivised to stay back and engage in productive agricultural practice. There have been clamours for the restoration and expansion of farm settlements where government provides the land, accommodation farm implements, seeds and soft loans to young people. This is very important. One other good way government can help develop rural communities is by citing some of its Ministries, Departments and Agencies in developing areas. There is no gainsaying that the citing of the Nigeria Law School and Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board headquarters in the Bwari area of Abuja assisted immensely in opening up that area for rapid development.

Methinks it’s time for sober reflection, adjustment of priorities and living real.

Four killed in Abia auto crash

Sorrow and agony yesterday overwhelmed commutters as four occupants of a Toyota Siena commercial bus coming from the Okigwe end of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway  were killed, in a head on collision with a diesel tanker.
Two of the bodies were thrown into the nearby bush following the impact of the crash, one was lying face up on the road while the body of the driver was still trapped on his seat.
The Toyota Siena bus has the inscription “Onitsha South Local Government Mass Transit, with a registration number, Ebonyi  AFK 393 XA.
One of the bodies in the nearby bush had a broken skull while the other was bleeding from different parts. The trapped driver also had blood all over his lifeless body.
Commuters, particularly women and young girls, wept uncontrollably at the gory sight. The truck had no plate number, but the inscription on the two  sides of the front doors  was  SGC 2037 with NUPENG emblem .
Sympathisers, who crowded the scene, believe that the driver of the truck must have removed the plate number before running away from the scene  when he saw the impact of the crash.
Efforts made by sympathisers to remove the body of the driver from the seat  did not yield any result as the entire front portion of the bus was compressed on him.
Personnel of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who had been contacted through the phone were being awaited when our reporter left the scene. It was believed that the crash was not unconnected with rain  which made the road slippery.
Not far from there, another Toyota  Hilux van veered off the road and crashed into the bush throwing out all its five occupants. But no life was lost.

Photos: Gabon Parliament set on fire after President Ali Bongo was declared winner

Angry protesters on Wednesday, set fire to Gabon’s national assembly as thousands of people took to the streets after an announcement that President Ali Bongo had been re-elected.

The clashes erupted immediately Bongo was declared the winner of Saturday’s presidential poll, with opposition supporters chanting “Ali must go".

Two people were killed and dozens injured injured as Gabon security forces stormed the opposition's headquarters early Thursday morning, a source inside the building said.

"They attacked around 1:00 am (0000 GMT). It is the Republican Guard. They were bombarding with helicopters and then they attacked on the ground. There are 19 people injured, some of them very seriously,"  said Ping, who was not at the party headquarters himself.

The president of the opposition National Union party, Zacharie Myboto, who was inside the besieged building, said security forces were hurling tear gas canisters and had opened fire.

"For nearly an hour the building has been surrounded. They want to enter the building… it is extremely violent," he said shortly after the siege began.

A government spokesman said the operation was to catch “criminals” who had earlier set fire to the parliament building.

"Armed people who set fire to the parliament had gathered at Jean Ping’s headquarters along with hundreds of looters and thugs… they were not political protesters but criminals,”"said Alain-Claude Bilie-By-Nze.

A heavy military and police presence had brought large parts of Libreville to a standstill and internet access has also been cut.

"We have said that the people of Gabon are in danger. They (the international community) should come and help us against the clan (of Bongo)," Ping told AFP.

Results of the presidential election were announced Wednesday afternoon, handing Bongo a second term and extending the nearly five decade-long rule by his family.

The results, which gave Bongo 49.8 percent to Ping’s 48.23 percent  remain “provisional” until they are approved by the constitutional court.

The opposition has described the election as fraudulent and called for voting results from each of Gabon’s polling stations to be made public to ensure the credibility of overall outcome.

Bongo took power in 2009 in a violence-marred election that followed the death of his father Omar Bongo, who had ruled the oil-rich former French colony for 41 years.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for calm and expressed concern over the clashes and reports of arson, urging political leaders "to address their differences peacefully and to address any disputes they may have through existing constitutional and legal channels", the UN said in a statement.

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Source: AP/Reuter

Photos: Notorious kidnappers arrested in Benue State, six children rescued

Members of a notorious kidnapping gang that has been terrorizing Benue state were arrested today by Benue state security agencies. Six school children were rescued, some have been reunited with their families while some are yet to identify their parents.

Addressing news men in Makurdi, Governor Ortom reiterated that kidnappers and other criminals has no place in Benue and call on the people of the state to remain resolute and assist the security agencies to curb more criminals in the state as his administration will continue to do his best to chase away criminals in order to provide a conducive environment for investors come in.

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Photo credit: Paul Kyungun

Photos: Pres. Buhari visits Osun state

President Buhari is in Osun state on a one-day working visit. He has already commissioned some projects executed by the Rauf Aregbesola led government. More photos after the cut...