NEWS REEL- MONDAY MORNING NEWS HEADLINES.

AMAECHI HAS LOST DECORUM-FG.

The Presidency on Sunday came down hard on Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State over some allegations he made against President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience, on Saturday.

While speaking at the All Progressives Congress mega rally held in Port Harcourt, Amaechi had, among other allegations, accused Jonathan of not implementing any project in the state and that the President had encouraged corruption as well as meddling in Rivers State’s internal affairs.

But the Presidency, in a statement by the Special Adviser to Jonathan on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, described the allegations as “false and baseless vituperations.”

Abati said the governor’s unwarranted outburst was an indication that he had lost all sense of propriety, decorum and responsible political behaviour.

He said Amaechi was peddling the falsehood in order to incite the people of the state and the country against “his assumed political foes.”

He said, “Governor Rotimi Amaechi took his obnoxious willingness to denigrate the highest office in the land in a reckless bid to advance his selfish political interests to a new level of irresponsible and rascally behaviour yesterday (Saturday) in Port Harcourt with his totally false and baseless vituperations against President Jonathan, the First Lady and the Federal Government.

“It appears from the governor’s completely unfounded and off-the-mark allegations that he had totally lost all sense of propriety, decorum and responsible political behaviour and resorted to unacceptable demagoguery, libel, blackmail and incitement of public disorder.

“Unless his unbridled ambition and desire for self- promotion have completely befuddled his mental faculties and caused him to totally lose touch with reality, Governor Amaechi must know that his claims and allegations are untrue.

“We can only assume therefore that he is deliberately spewing malicious falsehood in a desperate effort to incite the people of Rivers State and Nigeria against his assumed political foes.”

Abati warned the governor that there were legal, constitutional and moral limits to political rascality beyond which he would not be allowed to go without repercussions.

He said notwithstanding the immunity Amaechi currently enjoys, a day of reckoning would come when he would answer for all his false allegations against the President, his wife and the Federal Government.

Abati’s statement added, “The immunity which he currently enjoys notwithstanding, Governor Amaechi should be under no illusions: A day of reckoning will surely come when he will answer for all his actions and false allegations against President Jonathan, the First Lady and the Federal Government.

“He should also know that Nigerians are aware of the truth and will never be fooled or swayed by his arrant opportunism and anti-Jonathan ranting.”

MY GOVERNMENT IS NOT FREE FROM MISTAKES-JONATHAN.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday said he could not rule out the possibility of committing errors while administering the affairs of the country.

He admitted that while leading the country, there are possibilities of “faults and failures.”

Jonathan spoke at the second edition of an interdenominational church service with the theme “A day with Jesus for Nigeria in Israel” held in Israel as part of his two-day pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The event which was aired live was monitored on the Nigeria Television Authority.

The errors notwithstanding, Jonathan said he was sure that God would not allow him to take a decision or steps that would be against the interest of the country.

“For me, and I believe for the governors that are here with me, we are mere mortals. As mere mortals, we are not insulated from errors. There may be faults or failures. But one thing I know is that God will not allow me to do anything that will not be in the best interest of our country,” he told the congregation that included state governors, ministers, clerics and Nigerian pilgrims.

The President said despite the many challenges facing the country under his watch, he saw a new Nigeria emerging.

He said he saw a new Nigeria that all its citizens would be living in peace and unity and children yet unborn would be proud of.

Jonathan said, “I see a new Nigeria emerging; a Nigeria that our children will be proud of; a Nigeria that things will work; a Nigeria that we will have good education system; a Nigeria that we will have a good health system.

“I see a new Nigeria that we will have food security; a Nigeria that we will have houses for our people; a Nigeria that we will have good infrastructure for our movement. Above all, a Nigeria that we will live in peace and unity.

“Of course, we know that this is a period of challenges. Even as if we are saying this, it looks like a mirage to people because we know the challenges we have.

“But it does not take a lifetime to solve a problem. With prayers and unity, we shall overcome all our challenges.”

While identifying the Boko Haram as one of the greatest problems of his administration, he made a case for collective efforts to tackle the nation’s unique challenges.

He also listed kidnappings in the South, poor governance and corruption as some of the nation’s vices.

The President however said that with citizens’ commitment and prayers, the nation would overcome.

Quoting from Lamentation 3:37, Jonathan declared, “Who is he that speaks against Nigeria and comes to pass when the Lord has not commanded it?” amidst a loud ovation from the congregation.

He asked the pilgrims to pray for unity, peace and security as well as against what he called counter forces that could hinder his administration’s transformation agenda.

Jonathan said, “With unity, we can do anything. The country was so united when we encountered Ebola. With God on our side, we were able to conquer Ebola Virus.

“That singular act had brought Nigeria to the limelight, even when CNN(Cable News Network) talks about Ebola, it make reference to Nigeria. That is what unity can do. With unity and prayer, we will get to where we want our country to go.

“My request is that you should stand by the government. When you stand by the government just like you stood by us during the Ebola era, we will surely overcome our challenges,” he said.

I DID NOT ASK FOR RIVERS' MONEY- PATIENCE JONATHAN.

Wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, on Sunday denied a statement credited to Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State that she asked him to share the state’s funds with her.

Amaechi had while speaking in Port Harcourt at the joint graduation of the students of the University of Ibadan and pioneer graduates of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, on Saturday was quoted as saying that his problem with Mrs. Jonathan started after he rejected her demand.

“I refused to give them money in Abuja because if I do that, I won’t be able to carry out any development project or finish the road from Rumuolumeni to Rumuepirikom.

“The quarrel between me and the wife of the President is because she said I should bring your money, Rivers people, money and share with her,” the governor reportedly said.

But Mrs. Jonathan, in a statement by her media assistant, Mr. Ayo Adewuyi, said Amaechi’s statement was a deliberate attempt to malign her and score cheap political point.

She further described the governor’s statement as a lie designed to denigrate her person and rubbish the Presidency.

She said she could not have made such a request from the governor either directly or indirectly.

The statement read, “Having waited patiently for Governor Amaechi to refute the statement credited to him about the First Lady, (with the assumption that he was misquoted), it has become clear that it was a deliberate attempt to malign Dame Patience Jonathan and score cheap political point.

“The governor may have been beclouded by the political uncertainty surrounding him to make such a jaundiced and unsubstantiated allegation that the First Lady asked him to bring Rivers State’s money to share.

“This is a blatant lie designed to denigrate the person of Dame Patience Jonathan and rubbish the Presidency. This is to say the least, most unfortunate.

“It is crystal clear that Governor Amaechi is looking for a cheap excuse for his failure in the governance of the state. We say without any iota of equivocation that the First Lady never made such a request and could not have done so in any way either directly and indirectly.

“The First Lady as an indigene of Rivers State is more concerned with the socio-economic development of the state and in a peaceful atmosphere. This guerrilla political warfare must stop.”

MUSLIM-MUSLIM TICKET IS DANGEROUS TO NIGERIA, OBASANJO REPLIES BUHARI

A former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,   has warned political parties and their leaders against the idea of fielding either Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian as presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the February 14, 2014 election.

He said in a terse statement made available to journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Sunday that such idea was dangerous given the current happenings in the polity.

Although he made no mention of any political party or politician in the statement, he appeared to have alluded to an All Progressive Congress presidential aspirant, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s comment   on Saturday that he was not opposed to a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Obasanjo’s statement read, “Sensitivity is a necessary ingredient for enhancement of peace, security and stability at this point in the political discourse and arrangement for Nigeria and for encouraging confidence and trust.

“It will be insensitive to the point of absurdity for any leader or any political party to be toying with Muslim- muslim or Christian-Christian ticket at this juncture.

“Nigeria cannot at this stage raise the spectre and fear of Islamisation or Christianisation. The idea of proselytisation in any form is a grave danger that must not be contemplated by any serious-minded politician at this delicate situation in Nigeria, as this time is different from any other time.

“Therefore, disregarding the fact that there are fears that need to be allayed at this point will amount not only to insensitivity of the highest order but will also amount to very bad politics indeed.”

Buhari had in an interview published on Saturday by an online newspaper, TheCable, said he had an open mind on a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

The presidential aspirant argued that he had shown in the past that he was not a religious fundamentalist   by picking Christians as his running mates. His former running mates   are a former Senate President Chuba Okadigbo (late); an ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Edwin Ume-Ezeoke (late) and Tunde Bakare.

He had said, “Nigerians will always uncover impossible room for manoeuvre for politicians. I had to face one of the governors during one of our party’s meetings [over the issue of religion].

“In 2003, I chose Okadigbo as my running mate. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. In 2007, I picked   Ume-Ezeoke. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. And in 2010, I chose even a pastor. Pastor Tunde Bakare.

“Honestly, what do Nigerians want me to do? If they don’t believe I’m not a fundamentalist, what else can I do?”

He added that the late MKO Abiola, a southern Muslim, picked Babagana Kingibe, a northern Muslim, as his running mate in the 1993 presidential election.

The Muslim-Muslim ticket won the election generally considered as the fairest and freest election in Nigeria.

Buhari is believed to be looking in the direction of   Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, who is also a muslim, as his running mate.

Fashola had since distanced himself from reports that he might be Buhari’s running mate.

When contacted, the Director-General, Buhari Support Group, Alhaji Umaru Dembo, said, ‘‘I do know the context in which what was said was said. So many people have been trying to cast the APC in a religious garb. What I can say is that when the issue of the ticket is decided, the party will look at other issues. Right now, talking about the running mate is a distraction.’’

The APC National Publicity Secretary,   Lai Mohammed, however, told one of our correspondents that it had “noted” Obasanjo’s advice.

He said, “We appreciate the fact that the problem confronting our nation today is one that requires a patriotic Nigerian who has the capacity and competence to deal with. We however note the former President’s advice.”

Mohammed added that the party had always   pledged to be guided by the 1999 Constitution and its guidelines in taking decisions   on issues that affect the generality of Nigerians.

“What we’ve always said is that our party will be guided by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and will be guided also by our own guidelines and also will be guided by what we believe is in the best interest of Nigerians,” he said.

The APC had lost some of its prominent members who claimed that the party leadership was planning to field Muslim-Muslim candidates for the 2015 presidential election.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, said the party had decided to keep off religious issues and focus on politics.

“At this point in time, due to what is happening in the nation, the PDP has refrained from commenting on religious matters. We want to keep religion out of politics. We are focused on politics. We do not want to make comments on religion,” Metuh added.

Read all and more on punchng.com

fayose's stomach infrastructure is about welfare-ekiti govt.

Ekiti State Government has assured citizens of the state that their welfare would be accorded a pride of place in the agenda of the new government through the concept of stomach infrastructure.However, the state government explained that the implementation of the programme would go beyond the provision of food or distributing money to the people and be executed through a well packaged programme.

A press statement signed in Ado Ekiti yesterday by the Special Assistant on Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, noted that the concept, as envisaged by the state governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, will take care of all poverty related problems including unemployment.

Ogunsuyi noted that the novel idea by the governor was a total package for the well-being of the less- privileged in the society.

He said: “Even the Holy Book enjoins us to be our brother’s keeper. We are not talking about having soup kitchens here and there. Even if we do that, it is only a part of the exercise. In foreign lands, they have such things for the poor.

“However, what we are working on is a total package including the health needs of the people.

“A man is not only poor by lacking the three basic needs of life such as food, shelter and clothing. Sickness can also render a man poor.

“The importance of the need for societies globally to eradicate or at least alleviate poverty cannot be over-emphasised and that is why the United Nations declared October 17 of every year the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

“The Fayose administration is placing emphasis on making food abundant and that is why agriculture will be accorded top priority.”

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com

WAR BETWEEN AMAECHI AND JONATHAN DEEPENS.

THE political war raging between the Rivers State Governor and the Presidency deepened, yesterday, with the presidency describing Governor Rotimi Amaechi as a rascal and warning him to stop insulting President Goodluck Jonathan or be ready to face the consequences of his utterances, including legal actions.

In a statement in Abuja, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati said Amaechi’s penchant to insult the president and denigrate the office was an “irresponsible and rascally behaviour” which he said reached a new level in Port-Harcourt  last Saturday.

At an event marking seven years of his victory at the Supreme Court on Saturday, Amaechi made series of allegations against the president and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, who he accused of  fomenting trouble because he refused to share the resources of Rivers State with her.However, in a strongly worded statement, Dr. Abati cautioned Amaechi to stop blackmailing the first lady as the only thing she demands from him is ”good governance, justice, equity, fairness, real development and progress in Rivers State” and not money as Amaechi claimed.

Presidency blasts Amaechi

The statement read: “Governor Rotimi Amaechi took his obnoxious willingness to denigrate the highest office in the land in a reckless bid to advance his selfish political interests to a new level of irresponsible and rascally behaviour yesterday (Saturday) in Port Harcourt with his totally false and baseless vituperations against President Jonathan, the First Lady and the Federal Government.

“It appears from the governor’s completely unfounded and off-the-mark allegations that he had totally lost all sense of propriety, decorum and responsible political behaviour and resorted to unacceptable demagoguery, libel, blackmail and incitement of public disorder.

“Unless his unbridled ambition and desire for self- promotion have completely befuddled his mental faculties and caused him to totally lose touch with reality, Governor Amaechi must know that his claims and allegations are untrue.

“We can only assume therefore that he is deliberately spewing malicious falsehood in a desperate effort to incite the people of Rivers State and Nigeria against his assumed political foes.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com

Nigeria at risk over falling oil price—FG

The Federal Government, yesterday, raised an alarm over the decline in the global crude oil prices, saying that it is already putting in place stricter measures to cushion the effect of the drop on the Nigerian economy. Nigeria has two to three months of rainy day savings to cushion it while contingencies are put in place should world oil prices continue to fall,” Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Co-ordinating Minister for Economy told the Financial Times.

Okonjo-Iweala disclosed that should oil price dip below $78, the country would have to draw down on the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

She said, “Our intention is not to run in there and raid it, but even if prices continue to go down we can survive sufficiently for two to three months. That is the time needed to get other measures in place. What you don’t want is a hard landing.”

“Our buffers are slimmer this time,” Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged, adding that there is about $4bn in the ECA at present, $2bn short of what the International Monetary Fund had recommended.

She further stated that the country needs to ramp up our non oil revenues on the fiscal side, adding that global consulting firm, McKinsey, has been engaged to carry out an extensive review of revenue services in order to identify potential gains.

Okonjo-Iweala added that she was encouraged by an exhaustive data review, which saw Nigeria’s economy overtake South Africa’s as the continent’s largest, showing that the economy had diversified to a much greater extent than previously thought.

She said, “In an oil country you can never feel at ease exactly. But I feel we can master this situation because we have a diverse base.

“We will have to look very hard at recurrent expenditure, and identify overlapping agencies. When the price is heading down everyone sees the necessity but that doesn’t stop them hating you.

Okonjo-Iweala agreed, however, that lower oil prices would provide a stronger incentive to government to rein in oil theft, which has cost billions of dollars a year, and help to drive through stalled oil sector legislation to stimulate production.

“That would enable us to pick up quantity to help us cushion on the price side,” she said.

The Federal Government, which depends on oil typically for about 80 per cent of revenues, is assuming an oil price of $78 per barrel for its 2015 budget, up from $77.5 per barrel in 2013 and precariously close to recent world prices.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com

Dasuki promises to protect NNPC’s oil pipelines

—The National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, has promised to provide adequate security to protect crude oil and product pipelines across the country.

Dasuki made the pledge during a courtesy visit on him by the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha in Abuja.

He further pledged the readiness of his office and all the security agencies to continue to play the pivotal role of securing the nation’s crude and product pipelines in the best interest of the nation.

Dr. Dawha during the visit sought for the collaboration of the NSA to protect the facilities, adding, the partnership is geared towards the economic well-being of the nation.

According to Dr. Dawha, the high incidence of pipeline vandalism, crude oil and product theft, illegal refineries and security of the Corporation’s personnel are major challenges that require continuous collaboration, engagement and partnership.

He maintained that the Federal Government Security and Intelligence Agencies have remained invaluable partners in their support for the Oil and Gas Industry by fostering secured business environment.

Dr. Dawha stated that the sustained collaboration with the security agencies is imperative to the socio-economic growth, peace and stability of the country.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com

I spent 30 days in detention for allegedly causing buildings’ collapse — Dr Akinwunmi

Blames site engineer for Synagogue building collapse

Dr Wole Akinwunmi was the Chairman of Igando Community Development Association, (CDA). He served from year 2000 till 2007. Currently, he is one of the elders in the community called the G12 of Igando and has been a politician /businessman since 1986 starting from Alliance for Democracy, Action Congress and All Progressives Congress. He specialises in estate management and bore hole drilling.

Tell us how you got to where you are?

I started my business in the year 1986. I first worked with construction and property management companies. From there, I got the field experience in building and bore hole drilling. Even when some of the companies I worked with folded up, I still continued. One thing about the job is that you improve on it by being in the field where you meet a lot of people and being a hardworking person that loves to work, some of the people I met in the field employed me to work for them.

That was when Maroko was still there and government was building around it. We were always in the field working. From there, I was able to meet people and know people. Some times, my company works for individuals and from there, it was very easy for me to quickly start my own business. I have worked in different parts of the country which involved a lot of travels and meeting with people from all parts of Nigeria.

How would you describe the business of bore hole drilling and estate management?

It is very interesting. It is a job that keeps you in the field all the time. Going to school does not really matter in the job. You have to work to get more experience. Like you see the case of building collapse all over the place, somebody like us can stand a 20-storey building without the house collapsing.

To what do you attribute the high rate of building collapse in the country?

Many of the Engineers do not know anything. They are just carrying certificates around with little or no field experience. Building has little to do with the certificate you obtained from the University. Field work is different. Truly, we have qualified Engineers whose services are difficult to obtain but they keep giving excuses for their failure to deliver. In reality, you need to have a lot of field experience to be successful.

You talked about field experience, is lack of it responsible for incidents of buildings collapse like the recent case of Synagogue Church building?

To me, I would say that what happened in the Synagogue was the fault of the Engineer on the site. It is not the fault of the church owner because I believe that there must be an engineer in the site of the building. The problem we are having in this country is our government. There are agencies who are supposed to monitor these buildings as they are building them but because Synagogue is a big church, they probably looked away believing that nothing will happen.

Maybe the church does not even have a plan. But if a poor man is building a room and parlour, you will see them there, marking everything wrong. Go to Lagos Island,there are lots of buildings there that are not up to the required standard. They are very close to each other with little or no ventilation. In the case of Synagogue, how can somebody build a storey building, and you are raising it to six-storey without first of all demolishing the existing one and laying a stronger foundation? No matter how strong you think the foundation of a building is, once you want to raise it, you will need to revisit the foundation to make it stronger.

I had an experience many years ago when some buildings collapsed in Lagos Island. I drilled a bore hole for Prudent bank in Lagos Island about 10 years ago. We finished the borehole on a Friday and on Sunday, all buildings around the area collapsed. I was in the church on Sunday when I heard that buildings around the whole area had collapsed. In the night of that same day, I switched on my television, and lo was the scene. The Lagos governor then and the President were there.

People there started blaming the collapsed of the buildings on the borehole we did, suggesting that maybe we planted something inside. They were blaming me for the tragedy. They said that we planted a bomb inside the borehole. The next day, the police invited me and my workers to their headquarters. We went and we did a press conference in Victoria Island. After that, they took me and my workers and traders that sold on that very day to Panti police station and detained us for 15 days. We were more than 50 in the cell.

I love what the police did. It was later that I realized that the police were doing there job. After they released us from Panti, they invited us again the following day to report in their station at Zone 2 at Onikan where they detained us for another 15 days. The cell was about 12 by 12 feet and we were more than 50 people there. I later followed the police to the scene of the collapsed buildings where we drilled bore hole and they were asking me the kind of explosives we planted there.

I told them we planted no explosives, that we only drilled a bore hole for them to get drinking water. I believe that till date, that borehole will still be there. It was later, during their investigation that the police found out that one of the tenants had some explosives he stored in his house. So, when the police concluded their investigations, they asked us to go. They didn’t ask for money before bailing us. I spent thirty days in detention while the investigation was going on .

But I gained one thing from the cells. I met a man who was also locked up in the cell. I did not know that the man had 15 hectares of land to sell. He asked me to help him sell all of them and because of the way I handled his business, I was introduced to many people who did business with me. That was how I entered fully into landed property. Now, I have properties almost all over Lagos and beyond.

What then are you saying about the Synagogue church building collapse?

I believe that when they started building that place, maybe they were managing funds. But, if they have a qualified Engineer, he would have advised them to demolish the initial building and make the foundation stronger. That kind of job is not what you will give to just any contractor. It is not what you give to church member to handle. There are some brick layers that can stand a standard house for you even without going to school. All they need is supervision. Sometimes, brick layers correct the professionals. It is not all about holding a certificate. You need top practice it.

Minor mistakes can cause building collapse. I do not believe that it could be caused by poor materials. The government has already given the standard of materials you will use in building a house. Before you build any house now, you must meet the standard of the state government. If you are working in a swampy area, there are things you must put in place. Sometimes, you may need to go 40feet deep. That is why I disagree with people that put few blocks down before building. The pillars you use in building a house depends on the area you are staying. I am telling you this based on experience.

Are you saying that people tend to economise when building these things?

Yes, some people try to economise. But if I see that a client who hired me to construct a building is trying to manage money, it is better for me to leave the place. Some have the money but some Engineers will be economising the materials for their own interest. If the Synagogue Church building had collapsed in the night, there would have been more casualties.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com

Nation awaits release of 200 Chibok girls.

Two weeks ago, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh announced that the sect had agreed to a ceasefire following an agreement reached by both the government and Boko Haram and consequently directed all the field commanders to observe the ceasefire.

On its part, Boko Haram, represented by one Mallam Danladi Ahmadu, who addressed himself as the Director General of Boko Haram repeatedly gave the assurance that the latest deal to end the violence and release the girls was genuine and on course.

Ahmadu who spoke on the Hausa Service of the Voice of America insisted that the Chibok girls will be released today. According to him, the Chibok girls will be released to the Chadian President, Idris Derby, for onward presentation to the Nigerian Government. Ahmadu also assured that Boko Haram and the Nigerian Government were in close consultations over arrangement for today’s meeting in Chad and that after the meeting, all attacks would cease.

Meantime, gunmen suspected to be sect members invaded Miringa, a village in Biu local government area of Borno State, yesterday. They attacked traders as well as buyers in the market, killed five people and injured several others.

Miringa is about 10 kilometres north of Biu and more than 20 kilometres drive from Buratai village, home town of Brigadier General Tukur Buratai, a former Commander of Joint Task Force, Niger Delta.

A ward councillor in Biu town who did not want his name mentioned confirmed the incident, adding that the gunmen came in two Hilux vans with Islamic inscription and flags and began shooting at people during the market hours.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com

Why Giwa turned down Pinnick’s olive branch

As the crisis rocking Nigerian football continues, there are very strong revelations that the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) whose election took place at the Warri elective Congress of the federation, Amaju Pinnick has made frantic efforts to end the crisis. Sources at the NFF informed Sports Vanguard that part of the peace moves made by Pinnick was to offer the position of the chairman of the League Management Company (LMC) to Chris Giwa.

According to the revelation, Giwa who is also the chairman of Giwa FC of Jos may have been interested in accepting the offer but due to the fact that the other people in his camp would be left in the cold the deal did not materialize.

Two members of the Giwa faction who are claiming to be the authentic board of the now confused NFF, Obinna Ogba and Yahaya Adama had dragged the NFF to court seeking to invalidate the September 30 election where the Amaju Pinnick led board was elected.

Our source who pleaded anonymity said the olive branch was in line with the resolution of the Pinnick led board in one of their recent meetings to reposition the LMC with seven directorates and a Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Recall that the immediate past board of the NFF led by Alhaji Aminu Maigari had extended the mandate of the LMC led by Hon. Nduka Irabor till the end of the season.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com

Boko Haram kill 17, kidnap 30 young men, women 

The caretaker chairman of Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State, Shettima Maina, said on Sunday that suspected Boko Haram gunmen attacked communities in the council and kidnapped some residents.

Mr. Maina told journalists in Maiduguri that at least 17 people were killed by the gunmen whose attack on the communities started on Wednesday. He said 30 young men and women were also abducted by the insurgents.

The Borno State Police Command, however, said it is not aware of the attacks while an official of the Department of State Security, DSS, said the abductions could not have been in one swoop.

“We have received reports of series of attacks in communities near Mafa since last week, and during the attack Boko Haram used to pick younger ladies and boys and forcefully take them away,” a DSS official who sought anonymity said on Sunday. “But we are not sure if there was a bigger kidnap that may have involved up to 30 girls.

A local vigilante official, Abbas Gava, told PREMIUM TIMES that the Boko Haram gunmen abducted about 25 women between Wednesday and Thursday last week; but only left with young ladies, leaving the older women behind.

While speaking on the kidnap, the council chairman said “at present, there is massive abduction of youth by suspected Boko Haram insurgents.”

“We are appealing to the federal government to come to our aid because the insurgents have invaded our communities. From the information available to us, about 30 youth have been taken away and the insurgents are tormenting the communities by carrying out daily attacks.

“The mass influx of our people to Maiduguri and other neighbouring towns for fear of being killed or losing their children to the insurgents is a clear testimony that we are passing through difficult times,” he added.

Some of the residents of Mafa who are now taking refuge in Maiduguri said they have also lost their livestock and food items to the Boko Haram.

“After killing our people, the insurgents also stole about 300 cows and foodstuff”, Ashiekh Mustapha, a community leader from Ndongo, said.

The Borno Police spokesperson, Gideon Jubrin, told journalists on phone that the police have not been informed about the abductions.

The military is also yet to speak on the recent abductions

Official advocates community service punishment to decongest Nigerian prisons

An official of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice has advocated that convicts of minor offences should be sentenced to community services.

Olakunle Adewusi, who is a Field Service Officer, State Community Service Unit, of the ministry, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos that if adopted, the measure would help in decongesting prisons in the country.

”As at July, 2014, there were 1,914 inmates and offenders on remand in the 800-inmate-capacity prison in Ikoyi and more than 70 per cent of them were awaiting trial,” he said. ”The situation in our prisons is making the place unsuitable as a source of deterrence to offenders.”

Mr. Adewusi, who is the field officer in Ijede, near Ikorodu, explained that “Community service entails asking an accused found guilty to do certain service like cleaning drainage, sanitation work, caring for abandon children, among others.

“Such duties as sentences should be applied instead of sentencing convicts to jail terms in prisons.”

According to him, community service is a viable medium to deter many people from committing crimes.

He, however, suggested that only minor offences should attract community service punishments and urged the bench, especially magistrates, to heed the suggestion.

”A good number of awaiting trial persons on remand are those accused of traffic offences, verbal abuse, assault, and offences that are not life threatening,” he said. “It will not be good to allow this category of accused to rot in prisons or allow their trial to linger for too long.”

He also said that trial periods for minor offences would reduce drastically if magistrates began to sentence offenders to community service.

He maintained that people would desist from committing minor offences when they see convicts doing community service as punishment for committing an offence.

“Sentencing people to do community service will be a big relief to governments in terms of public funds being expended to sustain, maintain and develop our criminal correction system,” he said.

(NAN)