By Harrison Arubu

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday said it had arrested a former federal budget officer, for allegedly receiving gratification to the tune of N5.5 million.

ICPCs Spokesperson, Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, identified the suspect as Henry Oyibo, in a statement issued in Abuja.

According to the statement, Oyibo, formerly with the Budget Office of the Federation, is at the moment with the Ministry of Niger Delta.

She said that preliminary investigation by the commission revealed that Oyibo received the money to facilitate the release of funds, budgeted for the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, between 2014 and 2015.

Okoduwa alleged that the inducement came from the Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr Sule Otu, and three other members of staff of the centre.

According to her, the suspect was at the time acting as the liaison officer between the budget office and the medical centre.

The actions of the officials, which border on corrupt offer and receipt of gratification by public officers, are contrary to Sections 8, 9, 16 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

Further investigation also revealed that Oyibo owns assets valued far beyond his legitimate earnings, in breach of Section 44 (2) of the ICPC Law.

All the suspected staff of the Federal Medical Centre, who had been in custody before, were granted bail and released by the commission.

Oyibo, who is now in custody, will be released upon the fulfillment of his bail conditions, she said.

The ICPC image maker said, however, that the suspects would be arraigned as soon as investigations are completed.

Source: NAN

By Lucy Nwachukwu

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said the country recorded foreign trade valued at N6.57billion in the second quarter.

The bureau disclosed this in its Foreign Trade in Goods Statistics (Q2 2018) report released on Thursday in Abuja.

It said the figure was 8.9 per cent less than 7.21 billion recorded in the first quarter and represents a 14.56per cent growth from the N5.73billion recorded in the second quarter of 2017.

According to the bureau, the contraction of total trade in the quarter under review is mainly driven by the decline in both imports and exports.

The total value of exports in the quarter under review is N4.46 billion.

This represents a -4.9 per cent contraction over the first quarter (4.70billion) and a 43.8 per cent growth compared to second quarter of 2017.

Likewise, the total import component in the second quarter (2.11billion) also recorded a decline of -16.3 per cent.

This is lower than the first quarter (2.52billion) and -19.9 per cent lower than the first quarter of 2017, the report said.

It said the trade balance in the second quarter was a surplus of N2.36 billion.

This, it explained, was a 8.36 per cent increase from the figure in the first quarter (N2.17 billion) and, against N471.48 billion in the first quarter of 2017.

Source: NAN

By Adekunle Williams

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Thursday said that 4.1 billion passengers were transported in 2017 compared to the 3.8 billion passengers recorded in 2016.

The figure is more than half of the Worlds population currently put at 7.2 billion.

The information is contained in the 62nd Edition of the World Air Transport Statistics (WATS), the yearbook of the airline industrys performance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos obtained a copy of the document after it was released by IATA from Montreal, Canada.

NAN observed that the document showed that the 2017 performance represented an additional 280 million trips (7.8 per cent increase) by air compared to 2016.

It said: Worldwide annual air passenger numbers exceeded four billion for the first time.

It is supported by a broad-based improvement in global economic conditions and lower average airfares.

At the same time, airlines connected a record number of cities worldwide, providing regular services to over 20,000 city pairs in 2017, more than double the level of 1995.

Such increases in direct services improve the industrys efficiency by cutting costs and saving time for both travellers and shippers alike.

According to the document, airlines in the Asia-Pacific region once again carried the largest number of passengers with 36.3 per cent market share (1.5 billion passengers).

The documented also showed that Europe recorded 26.3 per cent market share (1.1 billion passengers} while North America recorded 23 per cent market share (941.8 million passengers).

It also indicated that Latin America recorded 7 per cent market share (286.1 million passengers).

Also, Middle East recorded 5.3 market share (216.1 million passengers) while Africa recorded 2.2 per cent market share (88.5 million passengers).

The document also showed that the top five airlines ranked by total scheduled passenger kilometers flown were: American Airlines (324 million) and Delta Airlines (316.3 million).

Others are the United Airlines (311 million), Emirates Airlines (289 million) and Southwest Airlines (207.7 million).

It also stated that citizens of United States of America topped the travellers chart with 632 million passengers followed by the Peoples Republic of China with 555 million passengers.

Also India had 161.5 million passengers, the United Kingdom recorded 147 million passengers and Germany had 114.4 million passengers.

The Director-General of IATA, Mr Alexandre de Juniac, commenting on the development said, In 2,000, the average citizen flew just once every 43 months. In 2017, the figure was once every 22 months.

Flying has never been more accessible. And this is liberating people to explore more of our planet for work, leisure and education. Aviation is the business of freedom.

Source: NAN

Indias Supreme Court has legalised homosexuality and gay sex and decriminalised Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding out promise of a new dawn in personal liberty and sexual orientation.

The five judge-bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra delivered the much awaited verdict on Thursday, according to

Chief Justice Misra observed that, LGBT Community has same rights like any ordinary citizen. Respect for each others rights, and others are supreme humanity. Criminalising gay sex is irrational and indefensible.

No one can escape from their individualism. Society is now better for individualism. In the present case, our deliberations will be on various spectrums, CJI Misra said.

Sustenance of identity is the pyramid of life, CJI Misra added.

No one can escape from their individualism. Society is now better for individualism.Indias chief justice

Indias Supreme Court had in 2013 restored Section 377, a British-era law that bans gay sex. It had overturned a landmark judgement by the Delhi High court in 2009 which had ruled that consenting intercourse between two adults was not illegal.

The position of the court then was that overturning the outdated law was the job of Parliament, which can decide on scrapping laws.

Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code bans carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal.

Gay sex is punishable by up to 10 years in jail under the 1861 law. Prosecution under Section 377 is, however, not common, but activists complain that authorities use the law to harass or scare gay people.

After the 2013 verdict, five high-profile petitioners Bharatnatyam dancer Navtej Johar, documentary filmmaker Sunil Mehra, restaurateur Ritu Dalmia, hotelier and historian Aman Nath and business executive Ayesha Kapur challenged it and became the human faces of this battle.

Before their entry, the battle was fought since the early nineties by NGOs, the Naaz Foundation being one of them.

While reserving the verdict on July 17 this year, Misra and Justices R F Nariman, A M Khanwilkar, D Y Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra brushed aside as far-fetched the arguments from opponents of decriminalisation of Section 377 that it could also legalise incest, group sex and sodomy.

The top court had also said, no one should have to live in fear because of their sexuality.

The five petitioners had argued that Section 377 violates rights principles enshrined in the constitution, like equality before law, no discrimination based on religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth and freedom of speech and expression.

Source: NAN

By Felicia Imohimi

The Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) has inducted 45 foreign graduates of Medical Laboratory Science.

Mr Tosan Erhabor, Acting Registrar of the council while inducting the professionals in Abuja said the graduands were inducted having scaled through the seven months pre-qualification training and examination.

Erhabor, who described the induction as third in the series noted that no fewer than 179 foreign trained scientists have so far been inducted by the council since the commencement of the pre-qualification training programme and examination.

While congratulating the inductees for their success Erhabor described them as the future of the profession.

He, however, urged them to brace up for the challenges ahead in order to move the profession to an enviable height.

In spite of how profound or robust your training or the pedigree of your training or sophistication of training apparatus, MLSCN still owed it a duty to ensure you went through the process of adaptation, and integration as part of prerequisite for licensure.

Act 11, 2003 Section 4a empowers the council to determine from time to time the standard of knowledge and skills to be attained by persons seeking to become medical laboratory scientists, medical laboratory technicians and medical laboratory assistants.

Section 4 empowers it to assess, evaluate and register foreign graduates of Medical Laboratory Science, Erhabor noted.

Erhabor tasked the inductees of ideal teamwork, efficiency, dedication, due process among other elements that would ensure international best practices.

He reminded them that the council had zero tolerance to all forms of professional misconducts adding that such could bring disrepute to the profession and cherished families.

Erhabor said: The profession needs your services at every level of healthcare delivery and you must profitably harness your full potentials as young scientists.

It is expected of you to bring ideal teamwork, efficiency, dedication, adherence to due process, respect for self and others; and other elements of international best practices as you have imbibed in the course of your training overseas.

If you are unable to make a difference through exemplary conduct, you would be contributing to the sad narrative of those who failed to live up to their full potentials,

One of the inductees, Oyinloye Olayemi, who spoke on behalf of the inductees, thanked the Almighty God and the council for deeming them fit for the induction.

She further appreciated their parents for investing in their academic pursuit in order for them to actualise their dreams and aspirations. (NAN)

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday in Beijing won the crucial support of the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, for the countrys aspiration to build the 3050 Megawatts Mambila hydroelectric power project.

The two countries also signed the agreement of $328m for the Information and Communication Technology Infrastructure Backbone Phase II (NICTIB II) project.

four airport terminal projects as well as the Abuja light rail project.

President Buhari told his Chinese counterpart that since his last visit to China in 2016, the brotherly relationship between both countries had continued to flourish.

According to the President, in the past 24 months, the Chinese Government has provided humanitarian aid to our conflict-affected areas, scholarship to Nigerian youth, military training and security support to our personnel and agricultural modernization training.

President Buhari noted that in the period under review, China had provided concessionary loans to fund critical infrastructure projects in Nigeria, adding that these interventions have positively impacted millions of Nigerians and will continue to do so for generations to come.

Mr President, as we celebrate these successes, I would like to once again solicit your support for the Mambilla Hydropower Project which remains a key priority for my government. Our hope is to fund the project with concessionary loans from China as any alternative funding arrangement will adversely impact the projects viability.

We have been informed that our submission on this project is undergoing assessment by the relevant Chinese agencies. We hope with your kind intervention, this assessment will be expedited. Your Excellency, Mambilla is Nigerias equivalent of the three gorges dam. My wish is that you join me for the groundbreaking ceremony of this project in the not too distant future, President Buhari said.

On Lake Chad Basin, the President thanked China for accepting to support the international efforts to recharge the Lake.

The inclusion of this project in the FOCAC Action Plan 2019 to 2021 will go a long way in supporting our efforts to rehabilitate and resettle the conflict-impacted North East region, he said.

On people-to-people relations, President Buhari told his host that in the course of his visit, he interacted with Nigerian students and entrepreneurs living in different parts of China.

I was very pleased to hear about the positive experiences these hard working and law abiding citizens are having in their host communities. I also had the pleasure of meeting young Chinese students learning three Nigerian languages.

We must continue to support such exchange programmes to enhance our people-to-people contacts, he said.

Similarly, President Buhari noted thateasy movement of citizens of both countries would complement the currency swap agreements recently signed by the central banks of both countries.

Since our last meeting two years ago, Nigeria has relaxed its visa requirements to Chinese citizens. Today, I am pleased to inform Your Excellency that Chinese citizens receive Nigerian visas in less than 48 hours.

Another measure that will improve our trade volumes will be to introduce import duty waivers on Nigerias commodity exports to China. Today, our commodities such as sesame seeds, hibiscus and cassava amongst others attract import duty in China, he said.

The Nigerian leader also lauded Chinas support for two permanent seats for Africa at the United Nations, noting that the reform of the Security Council would ensure equitable representation for the continent.

In his remarks, President Xi who commended Nigerias fight against terrorism and the progress that has been made so far, promised Chinas support in capacity building and intelligence sharing.

He also pledged 50 million Chinese Yuan support to Nigerias military, noting that Buhari is as decisive in dealing with terrorism as China.

President Xi said China would import more agricultural products from Nigeria and expressed gratitude to President Buhari on Nigerias interest to participate in the forthcoming Chinese Import Fair.

The relationship between Nigeria and China is as best as ever, especially given the deepening mutual trust. China will continue to stand with Nigeria, he said.

On Mambilla, the Chinese leader told President Buhari: We understand how critical the project is to your country and we will take a serious look at it and ensure that it succeeds because of its social and economic benefits.

Meanwhile, at a separate meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, President Buhari reaffirmed Nigerias commitment to expanding mutually beneficial cooperation with China.

Source: NAN

Nigerias partnership with China through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) resulted in the execution of vital infrastructure across the country valued at over $5 billion in the last three years.

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Tuesday in Beijing at the FOCAC Round Table meeting, attended by African leaders and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Highlighting specific projects under FOCAC, the President said that through the Chinese support, Nigeria has impressively addressed significant challenges in the areas of infrastructure, human capacity development, power, transport, agriculture and humanitarian assistance.

For Nigeria, our partnership with China through the FOCAC platform, has resulted in the construction of the first urban rail system in West Africa. This $500 million project in Abuja was commissioned in July this year.

The President also cited the construction and operation of the first rail system in Africa that uses modern Chinese standards and technology.

This 180km rail line that connects Abuja and Kaduna was commissioned two years ago at a cost of $500 million. Today the rail line is functioning efficiently with no issues indeed, a sign that Chinese technology is world class, he noted.

Nigeria is leveraging Chinese funding to execute $3.4 billion worth of projects at various stages of completion.

These include the upgrading of airport terminals, the Lagos Kano rail line, the Zungeru hydroelectric power project and fibre cables for our internet infrastructure.

Furthermore, less than 3 months ago, Nigeria signed an additional $1billion loan from China for additional rolling stock for the newly constructed rail lines as well as road rehabilitation and water supply projects.

The Nigerian leader said that the aforementioned projects had demonstrated the high level of consistency and commitment China has shown in boosting its relations with African countries under the umbrella of FOCAC.

I am optimistic that this Summit will offer new opportunities that would build on these past achievements, Mr. Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media

The Department of State Services(DSS) said some dark forces in the society are fuelling a series of speculative reports about its internalaffairs, with the aim of bringing it in collision with the Federal Government.

It was the first time that the secret agency was reacting to the flurry of speculative reports in the media about its affairs.The various uncorroborated reports have ranged from the recall of the sacked DG, Lawal Daura and some reorganisation allegedly made by the acting DG, Matthew Seiyefa.

In a statement on Tuesday, the DSS frowned on the various speculations and slammed them as unhealthy for the service and the nation.

`These speculations, to say the least, are unhealthy for the Service and indeed, Nigeria. The DSS has undoubtedly remained a committed Service with focus on the stability and security of the nation, DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya said.

Over the years, the Service has been known to be both a strategic stabiliser and a unifying factor in the Nigerian project.

It therefore deserves and desires to be focused and supported by all stakeholders to play the expected role in a democracy. Only a professionally driven DSS can support and consolidate Nigerias democracy.

Though Intelligence Services world over operate covertly, it is also held accountable in a democratic practice. To accomplish this, they design strategic alliances with partners and stakeholders. The media is one of such partners.

Held in utmost respect, the media is called upon to report issues of national security with caution to avoid a breach of peace. No deliberate effort should be made by self serving interests to bring the Service to ridicule. No country or its media can afford to undermine their own security forces because of the dire consequences that portends.

The Service, as an institution of Government will continue to carry out legitimate orders; support democratic institutions; respect the rule of law and protect the citizens in line with global practices and Standard Operations Procedures (SOPs) in Intelligence gathering and law enforcement. Dark forces should not bring the Service into a collision with the Government it is meant to diligently serve.

The Service is undaunted and will pursue noble goals only meant to uphold integrity in security and intelligence governance.

This is a global trend for accountability. Its personnel across the Commands and Formations have been enjoined to be calm, loyal and united in the discharge of their duties as the Service has remained of the few Institutions in the country that has exhibited unquestionable oneness and commonality of purpose in advancing the interest of the Nation.

Source: NAN

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris has apologised to elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark over an unauthorised raid carried out by some policemen on his house in Abuja.

Idris, who has already detained the informant and the four policemen who carried out the illegal raid, sent a delegation, led by a DIG and some commissioners to convey his apology.

The team was led by DIG Habila Joshak, who is in charge of operations at the headquarters.

A statement by Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood said Idris was not aware and did not also authorise the search.

He said Joshak apologized on behalf of the Nigeria Police Force and the IGP for the misconduct of the said Police Personnel and the attendant embarrassment the search has caused on the Elder Statesman and his family.

The delegation was received by Chief Edwin Clark and the apology was accepted by him, Moshood said.

Moshood said the the four policemen, after investigation, will be tried within the Force Disciplinary Procedures before appropriate punishments are meted out to them.

The IGP has directed the immediate parade of the informant(Suspect) on Wednesday 5th September, 2018 in the presence of the press and the public, before his prompt arraignment and prosecution in Court, he added.

Source: NAN

The Nigeria Consolidation Ambassadors Network, a group, on Wednesday in Abuja picked the All Progressives Congress (APC) Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for President Muhammadu Buhari to re-contest the presidency in 2019.

This made Buhari the first aspirant to pick the nomination form as the APC commenced sales of the forms to aspirants for the 2019 general elections.

Buhari had in April declared his intention to seek re-election at the APC National Executive Committee (NEC).

The group which paid a total of N45 million to obtain the forms, was received by the Mr Adams Oshiomohle, the APC National Chairman in Abuja.

Speaking on why the group decided to purchase the forms on behalf of the President, its National Co-coordinator, Sunnsi Musa, said the President was not multi-millionaire cash wise.

But he has millions of supporters who are always ready to come together to pay for his nomination form.

It is my singular honour and rare privilege to present to you a cheque of N45 million as payment for the expression of interest and nomination forms for President Muhammadu Buhari, he said.

According Musa, the group embarks on the project based on the recognition that the President has started laying a foundation for a better Nigeria.

The National Co-ordinator said that there was need to consolidate on the gains so far made by the present administration in the country.

Wehave no doubt that Mr President has both in action an word been working to lay a foundation for a greater and prosperous nation that our generation and future generation will be proud of.

Under his administration, Nigeria has become a country sought after for investments in the world and has assumed its leadership role in not just Africa but also the world.

Today, Nigerias moribund infrastructure is being revived. There is no state in Nigeria that does not have several major Federal Government infrastructure projects, either completed or being executed under President Buhari.

We have a stable and steadily growing economy that is departing from the monotonic oil dependence. Agriculture is now an attractive venture as farmers are becoming multi-millionaires.

Nigeria is now an exporter of agricultural products as opposed to what it was three years ago, he said.

He noted thatfor the first time since the return of democracy, Nigerians had a president who could beat his chest and state that he had never stolen government funds.

According to Musa, Buhari is not among presidents who meet at night to strike shady personal deals.

He added that the President was poised to ensure that every agreement entered into by Nigeria was in the interest of the people and the countryand its unborn generations.

This he noted had indeed boosted the confidence of investors into the country and theinflow of direct foreign investment into the country.

Looted funds are being recovered and ploughed back to develop our country deficit infrastructure.

Almost a million farmers under the Anchor Borrowers Programme are benefiting from low interest loans and 500, 000 previously unemployed graduates are now employed under the NPower Scheme.

He also noted that N400, 000 extremely poor families were already receiving N5, 000 monthly stipend while over N8 million children were being fed daily in public schools across the countryas promised by the Buhari-led administration.

Today, and for the first time in our history, we have a government that is honest and sincere in investing in the poor, the masses and the underprivileged.

Musa maintained thathis group could not fold its hands and watch while the foundation laid by the Buhari administration would be destroyed by some other persons.

We cannot afford to destroy the future of our children. The foundation, laid by President Muhammadu Buhari, must be reinforced.

It is for this reason, Mr Chairman, that we have decided to pull our meagre resources together to purchase the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for President Buhari.

He has presented himself to our party members to be chosen as their candidate for the 2019 general elections.

Oshiomhole, while receiving the group, thanked its members for their gesture and for believing in President Buhari and the APC administration.

The group paid the mandatory N45 million for the expression of interest and the nomination form.

The sum of N40 million is the form and the N5 million for the expression of interest.

The cheque was received by the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, in Abuja.

Source: NAN