No fewer than 1,801 persons have been confirmed killed and 50,212 others displaced in recent attacks in Plateau state.

The Committee on Resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), set up by the Plateau Government, made the confirmation on Monday.

AVM Bala Danbaba (retired), Chairman of the committee, presented his report to Gov. Simon Lalong on Monday in Jos.

Danbaba said that the committee identified 115 communities cutting across Jos North, Jos South, Bassa, Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bokkos Local Government Areas, that were affected by the crises.

He said that the committee, whose one month period was later increased to two months, received 55 memoranda and visited 27 camps where the IDPs were quartered.

The only IDPs camp we did not visit was the one at Lere, in the Dorowa area of Barkin Ladi Local Government. We could not go there because of security reasons.

The committee also visited all the affected communities for an on-the-spot assessment, he stated.

He said the committee had recommended that the IDPs be returned to their ancestral homes, saying that the exercise should be carried out in four phases.

The committee also emphasised the provision of adequate security in the affected areas, he said, adding that the IDPs were willing and anxious to return to their homes, if security was guaranteed.

Danbaba suggested that a victim support programme be initiated to reduce their sufferings.

The committee also called for the establishment of temporary camps within the victims communities, for them to live in, while their houses were being reconstructed.

Lalong, who received the report, commended the committee for a carrying out a good job, and announced that the 7-man committee would be responsible for its implementation.

Lalong reaffirmed his administrations commitment to securing lives and property, and condemned insinuations that the state and Federal Governments were doing nothing to end the crises.

Things might be slow, but in the spirit of slowly, but surely, as well as patience, we have been able to make some phenomenal achievements in ensuring that peace returns and is sustained.

As some of our strategic initiatives in engendering peace and security in the State, this administration attracted the establishment of the 205 Combat and Rescue Units in Kerang.

We also attracted a Mobile Police Squadron in Shendam, as well as the recent approval to establish Mobile Police Barracks in Gashish District of BarkinLadi.

All these are in addition to procurement and distribution of security vehicles, equipped with modern communication gadgets, he stressed.

Lalong also said that he had approved the recruitment and training of neighbourhood watch personnel who had been attached to Operation Rainbow for community policing and intelligence gathering. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Teleology has formally taken over control of Nigerias troubled telecommunication company, 9mobile, by appointing a new board of directors, headed by 54 year-old Nasiru Ado Bayero.

Stephane Beuvelet will serve as the acting managing director, according to a statement by Mohammed Edewor, a new non-executive director of the new 9Mobile.

The appointment of the board followed the exit of the CBN appointed board and the transfer of ownership of the firm to the new investors, Teleology Nigeria Limited.

Other members of the board are: Asega Aliga (Non Executive Director), Adrian Wood (Non Executive Director), Mohammed Edewor (Non Executive Director), Winston Ndubueze Udeh (Non Executive Director) and Abdulrahman Ado (Executive Director)

The new Chairman of the Board, Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero welcomes the appointments.

As we begin this new epochal phase, we wish to thank all the employees who built this viable business. Our debt of gratitude also goes to our subscribers even as we assure them to get ready for real best-in-class additional value for their relationship with the 9mobile brand. Without you, there could not have been a 9mobile business for us to invest in today. We will justify your confidence in our brand by making significant investments that will improve the value you get for using 9mobile.

Mohammed Edewor also thanked the outgoing members of the Board, headed by Dr. Joseph Nnanna for helping to shepherd 9mobile through the critical transition phase it has passed through since July 2017.

The Central Bank of Nigeria in collaboration with the Nigerian Telecommunication Commission(NCC), in July 2017 appointed a Board of Directors chaired by Nnanna, the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, to oversee the affairs of the company pending the completion of regulatory due diligence of the bid documents submitted by Teleology and sixteen others for its acquisition.

The bid process was midwifed by Barclays Africa.

9Mobile new chairman Bayero, was a graduate of Mass Communication, from University of Maiduguri.

He is a prince of the Bayero royal family in Kano. He is the Chiroman of Kano and is the district head of Nassarawa in the state.

He is familiar with boardroom politics, being a director of Platform Petroleum Limited, Sahelian Energy

China has postponed the lifting of a ban on the trade of rhino horn and tiger parts for medicine and other uses.

The government said on Monday after a storm of protest from conservation groups over a plan to water down the decades-old prohibition.

In October, the State Council issued a circular replacing a 1993 ban on the trade of tiger bones and rhinoceros horn, opening up exceptions under special circumstances, including medical research.

Environmental groups said lifting of the ban would be disastrous for endangered rhinoceros and tiger populations, even if the animal parts were only sourced from those bred in captivity.

Rhinos and tigers are already under critical pressure from a black market supplying the traditional medicine trade.

The detailed regulations for implementation of the October change had been postponed after study, the official Media reported, citing State Council Executive Deputy Secretary-General Ding Xuedong.

Under the October plan, exceptions to the ban could be made for parts from those animals, bred in captivity, being used for medical and scientific research, education and cultural exchanges.

Ding did not give a reason for postponing the change, or indicate if it would be permanent, but said the old ban remained in force.

The three strict bans will continue to be enforced: strictly ban the import and export of rhinos, tigers and their byproducts.

Strictly banned are the sale, purchase, transport, carrying and mailing of rhinos, tigers and their byproducts.

The use of rhino horns and tiger bones in medicine are strictly banned, Ding said.

China would continue to organise special crackdown campaigns with a focus on addressing the illegal trade of rhinos, tigers and their byproducts.

Illegal acts will be dealt with severely, Ding said.

Conservation groups argue that easing the ban would be devastating for efforts to protect tigers and rhinos.

Such lifting would confuse consumers and authorities as to which products were legal and which not, and expand markets for them.

China banned trade in tiger bones and rhino horns 25 years ago as part of global efforts to save the animals.

Commercial tiger farms are legal in China, and although using tiger bones in medicine was banned, tiger parts from farms often end up in tonics or other medicines, animal rights groups say.

Source: NAN

The Movement for Transparent Elections (MTE), a Civil Society Organisation(CSO) has warned that further delay in release of the budget of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) portends great danger to Nigerias democracy.

MTEs Convener, Abiodun Ajijola, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, regretted that less than 100 days to the 2019 Nigerian General Elections, INEC had yet to be funded for the elections.

He recalled that the National Assembly received a letter dated July 11 for virement and supplementary budget to fund the 2019 General Elections.

Ajijola said that an initial approval to that was made after three months on Oct. 12 for INEC component while the security component was approved on the Oct. 16.

He said that the National Assembly however approved that the funds should be vired from the funds allocated to the Social Investment Programme(SIP) of the Federal Government which had been budgeted in the 2018 Appropriation Act.

On Nov. 6, four months after the original request for virement and supplementary budget was made, the National Assembly rescinded its decision on funding the elections entirely from the SIP of the Federal Government but rather sourcing 50 per cent from existing MDAs budgets and the other 50 per cent from the SIP while also opening an investigation into the social intervention scheme of the Federal Government.

It should also be remembered that the National Assembly made cuts amounting to 347 billion Naira in the allocations to 4,700 projects submitted to them for consideration and introduced 6,403 projects of their own amounting to N578 billion in the 2018 Appropriation Bill.

The current step by the National Assembly to share the funding for the elections between 30 MDAs and the SIP without making any cut on the increased funding of constituency projects is likely to create an impasse which could have ordinarily been avoided if greater effort was made to balance the source of the funding.

Nigerians need to remember that the National Assembly has already cut the budget of Federal Government projects by N347 billion and cutting the already scarce allocation to MDAs by another N121,122,525,050 would clearly create performance problems for these MDAs especially since they have already budgeted for these activities.

The National Assembly needs to make some concessions in the funding sources proposed to include part of its own 587 billion added to the 2018 budget proposal. The NASS should meet the federal government at least half way at a minimum if it truly is committed to supporting free, fair and credible elections in 2019.

The convener said that the National Assembly sent a version of the Electoral Act amendment Bill 2018 to the President for accent (3rd version) which had only 15 clauses in it devoid particularly of the section that related to smart card readers.

Ajijola said that the much talked about 4th version of the Electoral Act had yet to be transmitted to the president as of Nov. 12, adding that there were reports that there were still differences between the House and Senate versions- just three months to the general elections.

He called on well meaning Nigerians to let their voices be heard because it was clear that there was an attempt to frustrate Nigerias 2019 general elections which would be a threat to Nigerias democracy.

Nigerians will not allow this to happen and it is expected that the National Assembly source the funding for the 2019 general elections urgently from mutually agreeable sources with the executive to ensure smooth conduct of the elections next year.

The National Assembly members should remember that they are representatives of the Nigerian people and that the represented and not the representatives will have the final say.

MTE expects that the entire budget for the 2019 General Elections should be released to INEC on or before Friday Nov. 16 -exactly 3 months to the 2019 presidential and National Assembly elections.

MTE calls on the National Assembly lead by the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara as well as the Presidency lead by President Muhammadu Buhari to work assiduously concertedly to ensure that INEC was funded on time for the task ahead, he said.

Source: NAN

No fewer than 63 Ethiopian senior military and intelligence officers have been arrested for alleged corruption and human-rights abuses.

he Attorney General, Mr. Berhanu Tsegaye, said: Twenty-seven officials have been arrested for alleged corrupt practices, while 36 have been detained for alleged human rights abuses, with a manhunt underway for remaining suspects.

Tsegaye did not name any of the suspects but said some had already been taken to court.

The arrests are a rare move against the countrys powerful security apparatus.

They represent a further flexing of power by reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who is seeking to break with Ethiopias authoritarian past, analysts said.

He said the suspected corruption occurred at the military-run Metals and Engineering Corporation (METEC).

METEC officials were involved in purchases of $2 billion worth of goods without any bidding process, Berhanu said.

He pointed out that the company had been involved in the construction of Ethiopias immense, signature Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Abiy made an unusual public admission earlier this year that security officials had engaged in abuses and torture with impunity.

On Monday, Berhanu outlined some of the allegations of abuse committed at secret prisons in the capital Addis Ababa and elsewhere.

Detainees were subjected to various abuses including gang rapes, sodomy, prolonged exposure to extreme heat and cold, waterboarding and deprivation of sunlight, he said.

Berhanu also provided a brief update on the case of a grenade explosion at a June rally addressed by Abiy that left two people dead, saying that an unnamed intelligence officer was suspected of involvement.

Source: NAN

Ecobank and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have signed an agreement to work together to empower local communities to cope with disasters more efficiently.

Many innocent lives continue to be lost in Africa simply as a result of insufficient investment in disaster preparedness.

Many of the natural hazards that take place do not need to become major disasters when a population is prepared and able to respond adequately.

We need to address the underlying causes of this vulnerability, including lack of funding to equip communities with required systems and skills, said Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traor, IFRCs Regional Director for Africa.

The growing gap between funds needed by humanitarian groups and funds available to them is a major cause of communities vulnerability to disasters.

It is on this account that Ecobank is partnering with National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Africa to secure resources for their local first aid volunteers.

Ecobank will leverage its innovative technology to fundraise across Africa in an effort to mobilise capital to help narrow the funding gap.

Through our Ecobank Mobile App, we will be able to support the Red Cross and Red Crescents domestic fundraising efforts, said Sam Adjei, Regional Executive, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa (CESA) and Ecobank Kenyas Managing Director.

A first project is already being rolled out in Ghana where Ecobank is launching a digital public fundraising campaign. A unique QR code (a type of bar code used to access information through your mobile phone) has been created and displayed in branches, making donating easy and immediate.

Transforming Africa is the principle on which Ecobank has built its business, added Sam Adjei. Today, we are present in 33 countries across the continent.

That scale is what creates impact and determines how well we take our continent to the next level in a sustainable way.

Training will be another key pillar of the partnership, as IFRC will work with the Ecobank Academy, a pan-African corporate university based in Lom, Togo.

IFRCs staff members will participate in a number of customised programmes to enhance their management skills.

As part of the agreement Ecobank employees will also be given the opportunity to attend First Aid training sessions, enabling them to save lives during every day emergencies and disasters. Ecobank Tanzania will be the first Ecobank affiliate to roll out a first aid training course for its staff.

Supporting Africas most vulnerable by investing in local humanitarian organisations is not only cost-effective but it also ensures long-term and sustainable results.

Local humanitarian actors make a difference every day in their own communities. They respond to crises quickly, providing assistance that is culturally appropriate, said Dr Nafo-Traor.

Source: NAN

TraderMoni is a Federal Governments initiative aimed at providing two million petty traders across the country with collateral-free loans before the end of the year.

Excited crowd thronged and cheered as Osinbajo walked into the markets.

Shouts of TraderMoni, TraderMoni, baba baba, Osinbajo Osinbajo, rented the air, while security operatives had a field day controlling the crowd.

The vice president, who acknowledged the cheers, inspected the markets and had one-on-one interactions with the traders.

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State accompanied Osinbajo to the markets.

Also in the team was Daddy Showkey, a galala singer, whose presence added fervour to the visits as his fans hailed and surged to exchange banters with him.

TraderMoni is designed to help petty traders expand their trade through the provision of collateral-free loans of N10, 000.

The loans are repayable over a period of six months

Under the scheme, beneficiaries can get access to a higher facility ranging from N15, 000 to N50, 000 when they repaid N10, 000 within the stipulated time period.

Source: NAN

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has restated that he is an advocate of fiscal federalism, stronger state governments and state police.

Osinbajo made this submission while delivering the 40th Anniversary Lecture of the Association of Friends on Monday in Lagos.

The theme of the lecture is Restructuring and the Nigerian Federation.

He reiterated his stance that good governance was what Nigeria needed rather than geographical restructuring.

I have been an advocate, both in court and outside, of fiscal federalism and stronger state governments.

I have argued in favour of state police, for the simple reason that policing is a local function.

You simply cannot effectively police Nigeria from Abuja; only recently, I made a point that stronger, more autonomous states would effectively eradicate poverty.

So, I do not believe that geographical restructuring is an answer to Nigerias socio-economic circumstances.

That would only result in greater administrative costs; but there can be no doubt that we need deeper fiscal federalism and good governance.

He argued that state governments had enormous constitutional powers which they should harness to better their fortunes.

The vice president said that the Supreme Court held that states had a constitutional right to create local governments, pursuant to Section 8 of the Constitution.

He said that the creation remained incomplete until the National Assembly, by resolution, amended the existing list of local governments to capture the newly created councils.

Osinbajo said further that the apex court ruled also that with respect to federal land, the state had exclusive authority to grant authority tofor building or developmental control permits.

He said further that the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Lagos State Government as it struck down many provisions of the law that sought to give the Federal Government control over local government funding.

Osinbajo said that pursuant to the Supreme Court ruling, Lagos State Government created, by State Law, Local Government Council Development Areas(LCDAs) to activate the newly created local government councils, until such a time the National Assembly would complete the process.

He said that the Lagos State Government took the challenge which resulted in the state earning more Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) than 30 Nigerian states put together.

Osinbajo said it was wrong to mix up all the issues of good governance and diversificationof the economy with the argument on corruption.

Good governance involves inter alia, transparency and prudence in public finance.

It involves social justice, investing in the poor, jobs for young people, which explains our School Feeding Programme, providing a meal per day to over nine million pupils in 25 states today.

Our N-Power is now employing 500, 000 graduates; our TraderMoni that will be giving microcredit to two million petty traders; our Conditional Cash Transfers giving monthly grants to over 400,000 of the poorest in Nigeria.

The plan is to cover over a million households.

He said that in arguing for good governance, Nigerias greatest problem was grand corruption.

The vice president described corruption as the unbelievable looting of the treasury by simply making huge cash withdrawals in local and foreign currenciesa travesty which President Muhammadu Buhari stopped.

According to him, the restructuring Nigeria needs is the restructuring of governance in such manner as to eliminate corruption and create an enabling environment for growth and investments in infrastructure, education, nutrition and better sanitation.

Earlier in his address, Alhaji Oluropo Owolabi, said that the topic of the lecture could not have come at a better time.

He said that in recent times, restructuring had dominated the nations political discourse; hence the choice of the vice president, a professor of law for the lecture.

Owolabi said that the association was borne out of a vision of some young men, eight of them who decided in 1978 to concretise their fledging relationship and dominance of social space into a sustainable institution.

Source: NAN

Nigerias 3, 050 Megawatts Mambilla Power Plant will cost US$5.72 billion, the minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has said.

He said arrangements were at an advanced stage to secure the funds from the Chinese government in the form of loans.

Fashola said at a ceremony to mark his three years in office that work on the Mambilla Power Plant, which had suffered several setbacks for over 40 years, is set to commence from early 2019.

According to Fashola, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the project.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to ensuring the urgent commencement of the project, which is expected to be completed within 60 months.

On the level of development of the project, Fashola said, the progress is that for the first time in over 40 years the federal government has now signed an engineering and procurement contract. President Buhari has made that possible.

All the companies that were fighting themselves and going to court when we came are out of court. We have a contract, a joint venture; we created that joint venture; we have a contract with them we have signed. FEC has approved the project; it is going to cost $5.72 billion, he said.

He explained that the choice of the Chinese company, CGCC, to handle the project, was because it built Chinas Gorges Dam which is similar to the Mambilla power plant.

Aside providing the funds, Fashola said: They have the technology; they have done it before; no need to reinvent the wheel. We will take a loan; we are now trying to negotiate the final tranche of the loan.

The Nigerian government is supposed to provide 15 per cent of the total cost of the project as its counterpart funding.

You dont budget all of the money at once and even if the loan was approved today, you wouldnt draw it all down because it is a minimum of 60 months construction time, assuming that there are no hitches. That is where we are.

Source: NAN

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) hasconfirmed that the process for the extraditing former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke from the United Kingdom has begun.

Acting Spokesman of the commission, Mr Tony Orilade, disclosed this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.

There have been calls from different quarters for the extradition of the former minister over several allegations of impropriety against her.

According to Orilade, EFCCsOperations Department has made presentation to the Legal Department to commence the process, and that process has commenced.

He, however, said thatthe action had to be processed through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, explaining that it was not something the commission would commence and conclude on its own.

It is ongoing. Within the next few weeks, the extent to which we have gone will be made known to the public.

It is not a fresh case; it is not a fresh petition that is just being looked into; the whole process is a total package.

This extradition is just an aspect of Diezanis investigation and commencement of trial, he said.

In 2017, a Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the final forfeiture of N7.6 billion alleged loot recovered from the former minister to the Federal Government.

Justice Abdulazeez Anka granted an application by the EFCC seeking the final forfeiture of the money to the government.

Granting the application, the judge had said: I have read the motion on notice seeking the final forfeiture of the sum of N7.6 billion reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

I have also gone through the affidavit in support of the application.

In the circumstances, I am of the view that the application has merit and is hereby granted as prayed. Parties have a right of appeal.

In October, 2017, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had said that Nigeria had no immediate plan to bring Alison -Madueke back home to face trial.

Alison -Madueke, who is being investigated in the UK, had urged the Federal Government to bring her back to the country to face corruption charges against her.

But, Malami said that bringing her back to the country would jeopardise the investigation being carried on her in the UK.

Steps have been taken by the United Kingdom authorities on issues bothering on corrupt practices involving Nigerians.

If Nigeria feels strongly that there is need to bring Mrs Diezani Alison -Madueke here to face charges of corruption, government will not hesitate to do that.

As things stand now, there is no need for that since the UK Government is already investigating her, he had said.

The EFCC spokesman could not, however, say the point at which it became necessary to seek extradition of the former minister.

Source: NAN

Nigerian singer, Olubankole Wellington, with stage name as Banky W, is gunning for a seat in the House of Representatives.

He has declared interest in the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency seat in Lagos and he is campaigning, as a member of the Modern Democratic Party, to snatch the seat from the ruling All Progressives Congress in the next February election.

The musician made the announcement at the debut convention of the Modern Democratic Party (MDP) in Lagos. He said he was aware it would not be easy to run given who he would be running against.

It is with the greatest sense of humility, purpose and destiny thatI humbly announce to run for the 2019 Federal House of Representatives.

I am under no illusions that this run will be easy considering who we are going up against, this is almost impossible.

NAN reported the award singer picked the slogan Hope 19 and entrusted the election process on hope.

You see, my entire life has been a story of just dreaming dreams, praying about those dreams, setting goals and working until they come true. I can live with trying and failing, I cant live with not trying.

They said we dont have the money to run, we say our strength lies in our numbers, they said we dont have the structure, we say we will attempt to build it, they said what if you lose? I say what if we win?

So why we may not have a godfather we do have God, vision, intellectual capacity, integrity, right intentions and last but not least, a whole lot of Hope.

At the end of the day, Hope may be all we have, but I believe it is all we need.

Wellington added that the richest people in Nigeria live in the constituency, therefore Eti Osa is vital to the development of Nigeria.

Eti Osa houses many rich people in Nigeria, therefore for Nigeria to work Eti Osa must work.

We want to fix Nigeria, But we must begin by fixing our communities.

Our generation needs a realistic rallying point, we need to begin in communities, earn our way into the system and up the ladder.

Banky W joins some entertainers and celebrities who have declared to run for public offices in the 2019 general election including Kanayo O, Kanayo and Shinna Peller.

Source: NAN

By Mohammed Kaigama

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) chapters of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) and Bauchi State University, Gadau, had decried the detention of ATBU chapter Chairman, Dr Adamu Babayo, by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The Vice Chairman of the association, Dr Ibrahim Maina, condemned the action at a joint press conference on Sunday in Bauchi.

Maina alleged that Babayo was detained by the DSS operatives on Sunday, when he was invited to the departments headquarters in Bauchi.

He said: the ASUU Chairman, Adamu Babayo was invited through a Short Service Message (SMS) which is not a formal way of invitation.

On Friday he received a text message requesting him to report to the DSS office in Bauchi on Sunday. He went to the office together with some of the executives of the association.

The DSS operatives requested other members of his entourage to leave and detained him in their office, he said.

Maina said that the action was a violation of fundamental human rights and queried the DSS to explain the reasons behind the arrest.

Let them explain to us why he was detained. That will give us the idea of what needs to be done.

If the detention is in connection with the ongoing strike; it is a nationwide strike embarked on by the universities in the country and not a peculiar or personalproblem.

What wrong have we done by pressing for our rights through the strike, he queried.

Maina maintained that industrial action is the rights of a worker as enshrined in the civil service act, which enable workers to press home their demands.

However, a DSS official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, denied the allegation, insisting that Babayo was not detained but invited to answer some questions.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ASUU had on Nov. 5 embarked on an indefinite strike to press for implementation of the agreement reached with Federal Government in 2017.

Source: NAN

By Solomon Asowata

Nigerian carrier, Air Peace, says it has capacity to operate its designated foreign routes but is being frustrated by international aero politics.

The Chief Operating Officer of Air Peace, Mrs Oluwatoyin Olajide, said this on Sunday in Lagos while reacting to criticism that the airline lacked capacity to begin operations on the designated foreign routes.

Olajide said Air Peace had capacity to operate into all destinations approved for it, announcing that the airline would launch its Dubai and Sharjah services before the end of the year.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government had given approval to Air Peace to begin long-haul flights to London, Guangzhou-China, Houston, Mumbai, Johannesburg, Dubai and Sharjah.

The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, had on Thursday at the 5th Aviation Stakeholders Forum in Abuja queried the airlines inability to commence the operations months after securing two Boeing 777-200/300 ER for that purpose.

However, Olajide urged the Federal Government to protect its flag carriers by engaging in international aero politics with governments preventing Nigerian airlines from flying into their countries.

She said most countries the carrier had been designated to operate were either deliberately foot-dragging in processing its application or imposing frustrating conditions to discourage it from flying into their domains.

Olajide noted that some of the destination countries only responded to the airlines application only after about two years.

Where the destination countries reluctantly approved the airlines application to fly into their domains, impossible charges were imposed to frustrate and discourage it from acting on such approval, she said.

According to her, the high charges imposed on Nigerian airlines by other nations were unfortunately not reciprocated by federal government

The foreign airlines are rather pampered in Nigeria and given approval to operate to multiple destinations, Olajide said.

She dismissed claims that domestic airlines lacked the capacity to take advantage of the Bilateral Air Service Agreements (BASA) Nigeria signed with different countries.

In demonstration of its capacity, she said, Air Peace was at the moment consistently operating into 14 domestic and five regional destinations, including Accra, Banjul, Dakar, Freetown and Monrovia.

She said that Air Peace had had directly offered jobs to more than 3,000 Nigerians, besides impacting the nations economy in many other respects in just four years of operations.

Source: NAN

Ten man Barcelona were crushed 3-4 Sunday afternoon at the Camp Nou with Real Betis handing them their second La Liga defeat of the season.

Returning star Lionel Messi scored a brace, to record his 14th goal of the season, but his efforts were not enough as the visitors capitalised on Barcelonas leaking defence to score four times.

It was Barcelonas first home defeat in more than two years.

The last time they lost at home was in September 2016, against Alaves.

Now Betis have ended Barcas 42 games unbeaten run , with a brilliant, counter-attacking display.

Junior Firpo and Joaquin had put Betis two up at the interval before Messi sparked hopes of a comeback from the spot.

Giovani Lo Celso then capitalised on a rare mistake from Marc-Andre ter Stegen only for Barca to come again, Arturo Vidal making it 3-2, having come on as a substitute.

Ivan Rakitic was sent off, however, with nine minutes left and Sergio Canales added a fourth for Betis before Messi poked home in the 92nd minute.

Barca stay top of the table despite the defeat but their lead is down to one point, with Atletico Madrid now breathing down their necks in second, while Espanyol will have a chance to move level on points with the Catalans when they visit Sevilla later on Sunday.

Ernesto Valverdes Barca play Atletico at the Wanda Metropolitano after the international break.

Betis seemed faster, sharper and hungrier while Barcelonas midfield was repeatedly carved open on the break.

It took five passes for the opener, the last a first-time drive from William Carvalho to free Junior down the left. He weaved inside Sergi Roberto and found the net.

Barca had chances. Messis free-kick found Clement Lenglet on the stretch but his lunging finish was tipped over by Pau Lopez. Ter Stegen denied Cristian Tello with his legs.

Betis were soon pouring onto Barcas defence again, with Juniors cross evading everyone before finding Lo Celso on the opposite side of the box. His cute cut-back picked out veteran winger Joaquin, who stabbed in Betis second.

Vidal replaced the jaded Arthur Melo at half-time and shot within a minute of the restart. Messi feathered a through-ball for Sergi but Betis survived the scramble as Luis Suarez lashed wide.

Barca had the momentum and in the 68th minute, they pulled one back, with Jordi Alba pulled down by Tello, and Messi converting the penalty for his eighth league goal of the season.

But the comeback stalled three minutes later as Betis restored their two-goal advantage. Ter Stegen made the error, letting Lo Celsos shot slip through his fingers and into the far corner.

Barca were not done yet. Two substitutes combined for a second, Munir El Haddadi laying on Vidal to make it 3-2 but no sooner had the recovery began again, it was halted.

First, Rakitic was sent off, a second yellow card for a late challenge on Lo Celso, and then Canales pushed in Betis fourth from Juniors cross.

Messi added his second in injury-time, tapping a Vidal pass over the line. The video assistant referee deemed Messi onside but there was no more late drama as Betis held on for a shock victory.

Source: NAN

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari currently attending the Paris Peace Forum has called for stringent actions against perpetrators of illicit financial flows.

He also called for a crackdown on safe heavens of such perpetrators.

Mr Femi Adesina, the Presidents Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, in a statement in Abuja, said Buhari made the call at the first edition of the Paris Peace Forum, held on the sidelines of the Centenary of Armistice Day.

Buhari warned that continuous impunity would encourage more pilfering of countries resources to the detriment of poor and vulnerable populace.

The President said Nigeria had strengthened its laws and institutions to fight corruption, fast-track recovery of stolen assets and punish offenders, urging more commitment from governments and international institutions.

He delivered his statement on Illicit Financial Flows (Iffs) and Corruption: The Challenge of Global Governance during the event, attended by about 70 world leaders and governments.

He said: We must crack down on safe havens for corrupt assets.

I also advocate sanctions by professional bodies against transactional middlemen (lawyers, bankers, brokers, public officials, etc.) who facilitate Illicit Financial Flows.

I would like to reiterate that the Government of Nigeria remains open and is ever willing to continue to identify and share experiences and strategies to give life to the ideas that will lead to winning the fight against corruption.

The Nigerian leader noted that illicit financial flows posed a risk to the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to him, this is so as many countries grapple with the challenge of gathering resources to improve their Human Development Index, while a few privileged individuals continue to explore the weaknesses in financial systems.

Our experience in Nigeria is that financial crimes, such as corruption and fraudulent activities, generate enormous unlawful profits which often prove so lucrative that the threat of a jail term is not sufficient to deter perpetrators.

A more powerful deterrent is to ensure that profits and assets generated from illicit financial flows and corruption are recovered and returned to countries of origin.

This is not to under-estimate the value of strong institutions. It only indicates that asset recovery represents significant deterrence compared to the traditional focus on obtaining conviction by the law enforcement agencies of the countries of origin, he said.

The President urged world leaders and global institutions to remain resolute on the Global Declaration Against Corruption made in London in 2016.

He observed that the declaration had encapsulated the collective commitment to the principles of Open Government Partnership, especially the National Action Plans to actualize beneficial ownership transparency and enhance the capacity of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs).

Buhari said the Independent Reporting Mechanisms and support for the activities of the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes should be reinforced.

As we take stock of the strengths and weaknesses of domestic, regional and international mechanisms against Illicit Financial Flows, I seize this opportunity to recall the Global Declaration Against Corruption made in London in 2016 and our commitment thereto, he added.

He said said tremendous progress had been achieved through the enactment of global instruments, noting that some fundamental technical issues remain unresolved.

These revolve around the formulation of policy and regulatory frameworks that cut across different jurisdictions.

We must not lose sight of the role played by secret companies, banks and law firms, all too often based in developed economies and their related offshore centres.

Recent studies reveal that flaws in the global financial system enable corrupt individuals to hide details of their financial dealings under the noses of governments and law enforcement agencies.

This underscores the need to urgently address the issue of Mutual Legal Assistance, as well as continental legal frameworks, in the context of safe havens for illicit transfers, he said.

The president disclosed that the Whistle-Blowing policy had facilitated recovery of billions of naira from corrupt persons, which had been redirected to the development of critical infrastructure and programmes that would benefit all Nigerians and realisation of the SDGs.

At the continental level, the President said the African Union had bestowed on him the honour to champion the fight against corruption across the continent.

He, therefore, assured that this task would be focused on strengthening international cooperation on asset tracing, recovery and repatriation, and enhancing cooperation between the African Union and the United Nations anti-corruption monitoring mechanisms. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Zikist-Buharist-Movement (ZBM) meant to be used to mobilise massive votes for Presidential Candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari has been launched in the South-East.

It was launched by the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO).

A communiqu issued on Sunday after the BSO South-East Summit by Chief Stanley Ohajuruka and Godwin Onwusi, South-East Coordinator and Acting Secretary of BSO, said ZBM remains a non-partisan movement launched to go beyond the party lines to scaling up votes for Buhari.

The movement would carry out massive mobilization of APC members and non partisan Ndigbo at home and Diaspora for Buharis re-election.

The communiqu read in part: Our study shows that the total membership of all the political parties APC, PDP, APGA, UPP et al is less than 30 per cent of the electorate.

And that the turnout of registered voters in the previous elections has been very poor, which makes it imperative that we have to mobilize in order to achieve 2019 massive vote for President Buhari and 2023 Presidential Turn of Ndigbo.

In this connection, we today launch the Zikist-Buharist-Movement (ZBM), a non-partisan movement aimed at mobilising Ndigbo both at home and abroad.

The ZBM in the best tradition of the great Zik, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, want to reopen the ancient North-East political alliance, which without the exclusion of any geopolitical zone earned Ndigbo indelible laurels in the 1st and 2nd Republics.

BSO South East proclamation that 2023 is our turn to produce Nigeria president of Igbo extraction is based on equity, natural justice and good conscience.

For it is our considered view that the rotation of president convention from Southern Belt to Northern Belt introduced by patriots in 1999; 4th Republic, when Nigeria returned to civil rule, is for equity, natural justice, and harmony of our dear country.

It is based on equity, natural justice and good conscience that we remind ourselves that since 1999, the South East geopolitical zone is the only geopolitical zone in the Southern Belt which has not presided over Nigeria.

And it is on record that despite the truism that His Excellencies, Dr Alex Ekwueme and Dr Ogbonnia Onu, were shoved aside in Jos and Kaduna presidential primaries, respectively. Ndigbo albeit voted overwhelmingly for the winner, ex-President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo of the South West, who served for eight years.

It recalled that in 2010 and 2015, Ndigbo repeated the same voting pattern by voting overwhelmingly for ex-President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, adding that it was clear that Ndigbo supported their two Southern brothers, even when South West in 1999 refused to vote for Obasanjo, meaning that `Ndigbo has paid their dues.

The communiqu stated further: BSO South East in deep reflection asked ourselves, what option in a scenario where two Fulani-Muslim brothers Buhari and Atiku are front liners in the 2019 Presidential Election, who could the great Zik choose if he were alive?

In answering this germane question, we said two major critical issues will readily come to Ziks mind one, whom between the two of them has the support of the North; two, what is their programmes?

As a pragmatist, the great Zik would readily choose President Buhari who has uncommon cult followership in the northern belt. This choice is based on the pragmatism that for us to achieve the Igbo presidency, we need Buharis supporters not only in the north but nationwide.

On the second issue, the great Zik would be attracted by His Excellency Atiku Abubakars promise to restructure the country in six months in office; but as a pragmatist he will reason that it cannot be achieved by Fiat-Executive-Order.

Whereas the Atiku restructuring mantra is appetizing, the truism is that it cannot be done by Fiat-Executive Order, but by the amendment of the rigid 1999 Constitution. All that glitters is not gold, the sage says.

The statement said that APC and by extension President Buhari was not against restructuring, otherwise they could not have set up the Malam El-Rufia Committee on Restructuring and its report receiving attention.

On the issue of four years, it said that Buharis remaining four years after 2019 is cast on constitutional stone, while Atikus is at best pledge.

In summary, we call on Ndigbo both at home and abroad, to join the ZBM to actualise this noble objective of over 80 per cent massive vote for the performing president, President Muhammadu Buhari, it said.

The summit was attended by BSO and APC chieftains including Chief Osita Okechukwu of Voice of Nigeria (VON); the Director-General, Nigerian Film Commission, Mr Chidia Maduekwe; National Commissioner of National Population Commission, Mr Ejike Eze, and National Chairman of BSO, Dr Abubakar Mahmood.

Others are Enugu State BSO Coordinator, Mr Anike Nwoga; Imo State BSO Coordinator, Adaobi Obi; Enugu State APC Publicity Secretary, Mrs Kate Offor, and the Senatorial Candidate of APC in Enugu East, Prince Lawrence Eze. (NAN)

Source: NAN

Roger Federer suffered a shock straight-sets defeat to Kei Nishikori at the ATP Finals on Sunday, severely denting his bid for the 100th title of his illustrious career.

The Swiss, who has won the season-ending event a record six times, produced an uncharacteristically error-prone and fractious display as the Japanese seventh seed prevailed 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.

The result means Federer is now in danger of failing to qualify for the semi-finals for just the second time in his career.

Federer, 37, has beaten Nishikori in Paris and Shanghai in recent weeks but despite having the backing of a full house at the O2 Arena, he never really settled into a groove.

The normally cool Swiss was warned by the umpire for ball abuse in the 12th game after Nishikori produced a staggering backhand winner down the line.

The Swiss great made 20 unforced errors in the first set and Nishikori capitalised, forcing a tie-break in which he raced to a 6/1 lead before sealing it 7/4.

Federer, showing real urgency, broke Nishikori immediately at the start of the second set but it proved a false dawn as he lost his own serve as his frustrations mounted.

Nishikori broke again in the sixth game and served out for victory.

The title is contested by the eight players who have accumulated the most ranking points over the season and is in a round-robin format, with the best four players reaching the knockout semi-finals stage.

Earlier, Kevin Anderson made an impressive ATP Finals debut in the same Lleyton Hewitt group, beating Dominic Thiem 6-3, 7-6 (12/10).

South African giant Anderson came into the match with a healthy 6-2 lead over Thiem in head-to-heads but had lost their two most recent meetings, including a straight-sets defeat at the US Open.

The Wimbledon finalist, who stands at 2.03 metres (six feet eight inches) tall, established an early grip, dominating the early exchanges and securing the crucial break in the fourth game.

The 32-year-old, making his debut at the season finale, won 84 percent of his points on serve in the first set, compared with just 58 percent for his ragged Austrian opponent.

Thiem tightened up his game in the second set and looked far more aggressive, with his serving numbers rocketing higher but Anderson held firm to take the set into a tie-break.

In a see-saw tie-break, 25-year-old Thiem had two chances to level the match but Anderson kept his cool to seal the victory with an ace on his fourth match point.

I definitely felt a little bit nervous, said Anderson. But I was able to settle very quickly and find a really good rhythm, taking care of my serve games nicely, created quite a few opportunities on his serve.

He wasnt serving at, you know, well, a very high first serve percentage I think overall just getting off to a good start helped me a lot today.

World number one Novak Djokovic, who heads the Guga Kuerten group, will be in action on Monday against John Isner while Alexander Zverev takes on Marin Cilic.

Djokovic, who replaced Rafael Nadal at the top of the rankings last week, was Sunday presented with the 2018 year-end ATP World Tour number one trophy.

Source: NAN

The Presidency has criticised the concocted controversy over President Muhammadu Buharis position on proposed N30,000 by some political actors to score cheap political goals, saying stiff judgment awaits them at the polls.

Mr Femi Adesina, made the condemnation in a statement in Abuja on Thursday while reacting to comments apparently made by the Atiku media office.

In a statement issued by his media office, Atiku had allegedly claimed that President Buhari cannot be trusted to implement the new minimum wage of N30, 000 recommended by the Pepple tripartite committee.

Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said Buhari may not have the political will to implement the new wage.

However, Adesina said: Those who have latched onto the concocted controversy to play cheap politics, we appeal to them to remember that elections are not won through loquaciousness, and trying to demean the President at every drop of a hat.

But then, it is not surprising, as they have nothing else to sell to Nigerians, if they dont ride on the name of the President. Stiff judgment awaits them at the polls.

The presidential aide therefore frowned at the recurring reports alleging that Buhari had reneged on earlier acceptance of the N30,000 recommended as the new National Minimum Wage by the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee.

He noted that these reports were contrary to what transpired on Tuesday when the committee presented its Report to the President.

He said the president, while acknowledging the concerns raised by government on affordability and labours focus on meaningful increase, stated clearly in a speech, which was made available to the media that:

In a way, both arguments are valid. I want to assure you all that we will immediately put in place the necessary machinery that will close out these open areas.

Our plan is to transmit an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for passage within the shortest possible time. I am fully committed to having a new National Minimum Wage Act in the very near future.

As the Executive Arm commences its review of your submission, we will continue to engage you all in closing any open areas presented in this report. I, therefore, would like to ask for your patience and understanding in the coming weeks.

From the above, and throughout the report-submission ceremony, the President never mentioned any figure. What he committed himself to was a new minimum wage, and only after the Report of the committee has been reviewed by the executive and legislative processes of government and an appropriate bill presented to him for assent.

Until the proposed minimum wage has gone through the whole gamut of law-making, President Buhari, who is a stickler for due process, will not be caught in this unnecessary web of controversy, which amounts to putting the cart before the horse and hair-splitting.

Source: NAN

By Kate Obande-Okewu

The Rwandan Governance Board (RGB) says online assets declaration by public office holders is one of the methods that can be used to reduce corruption to a barest minimum in any country including Nigeria.

Dr Usta Kaitesi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of RGB, said this when he received the Nigerian delegation on a Post-Conflict Learning visit titled: Readiness for Change on Thursday in Kigali, Rwanda.

She said that the online method was to enable officers add newly acquired assets and deduct the ones that were no longer in their possession to ensure accurate database.

Kaitesi said that Rwandan government had zero tolerance for corruption and anybody caught irrespective of their position would face the law.

She explained that Rwanda was not 100 per cent free from corruption but it was very minimal, adding that only zero tolerance for corruption could guarantee and sustain the fight.

There is no immunity for public office holders in Rwanda, if you take part in corrupt activities and you are caught, you will be dismissed from office and face the law irrespective of your position.

You can always run but no matter how long you run, anytime you are caught, you will face the wrath of the law.

So either you stay and face the consequences then come out to be a better person or you keep running till you are caught.

We still have some perpetrators of the genocide, who are still at large and we are still searching for them any day they are found they must face the law, she said.

She explained that resilience on part of government and compliance by citizens was paramount in ensuring sustainability of any development project or policy.

Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, who led the delegation described Rwandas public service as excellent.

Oyo-Ita noted that the visit was enlightening and that Nigeria had learnt a lot and would replicate same in Nigeria for better national development.

The delegation also visited the National Public Service Commission, Rwanda and was received by the Mrs Angelina Muganza, Executive Secretary of the commission.

Muganza said that Rwanda depended on its human capacity to grow the economy as they had no mineral resources.

She explained that before the genocide, recruitment was based on nepotism, connection and prejudice but all these had stopped.

According to Muganza, after the genocide the priority is to find staff, the entry year into public service is 18 and exit 65.

She also said the recruitment process was done online and if you were not employed there was a platform you could appeal to be employed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the delegation had so far visited 10 Rwandan institutions including ministries to learn their post-conflict survival strategies and mechanisms.

The five-day learning visit was to expose State and Federal Government officials to the mechanisms to be applied during the post-conflict era in reconstructing and strengthening public institutions, particularly in the North east, Nigeria.

Source: NAN

The graves were discovered as part of investigations into the alleged atrocities committed by the former President of Ethiopias Somali region, Abdi Mohammed.

Violence in the country has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and many people are yet unaccounted for.

The former president of the region is awaiting trial over allegationof causing ethnic clashes.

A notorious regional security force known as the Liyu police is accused of carrying out killings in the area between the Somali and Oromia regions and it reported directly to the former regional president.

The police are trying to identify the 200 bodies found.

Mr Mohammed was forced to resign in August and was arrested weeks later after violence broke out in the regional capital, Jijiga.

He is alleged to have overseen widespread rights abuses including torture, rape and killings during his 13-year rule.

Source: NAN