Labour activist and General
Secretary, National Union of
Electricity Employees, NUEE,
Joe
Ajaero has given the Federal
Government one week to
resolve its differences with
the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) or
cripple
the country with the mother-
of-all-strikes.
Ajaero who was speaking
during the opening of a
training workshop organized
for labour
leaders in Enugu, threatened
to
ally with other unions across
the country to join ASUU on a
solidarity stike if the impasse
persists. Ajaero said
government was
being insensitive to the plight
of Nigerian students because
the children of the rich are
studying outside the country.
He said:
“If ASUU issue is not
addressed,
we will shut this country
alongside other unions. We
will
ally with other unions and
make
sure that nothing works in
this
country. This is not a strike
based on
demand, it’s based on
agreement. As government,
you
must honour your
agreement.
Here, there’s no social
security, the price of food is
high, the same goes for
electricity tariff. We are
going
to join our children to stay at
home and let them run the
system,” he threatened.
Labour activist and General
Secretary, National Union of
Electricity Employees, NUEE,
Joe
Ajaero has given the Federal
Government one week to
resolve its differences with
the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) or
cripple
the country with the mother-
of-all-strikes.
Ajaero who was speaking
during the opening of a
training workshop organized
for labour
leaders in Enugu, threatened
to
ally with other unions across
the country to join ASUU on a
solidarity stike if the impasse
persists. Ajaero said
government was
being insensitive to the plight
of Nigerian students because
the children of the rich are
studying outside the country.
He said:
“If ASUU issue is not
addressed,
we will shut this country
alongside other unions. We
will
ally with other unions and
make
sure that nothing works in
this
country. This is not a strike
based on
demand, it’s based on
agreement. As government,
you
must honour your
agreement.
Here, there’s no social
security, the price of food is
high, the same goes for
electricity tariff. We are
going
to join our children to stay at
home and let them run the
system,” he threatened.
A large scale scandal has
broken out in a church
known as the City of Truth
(a.k.a Holy Ghost
Embassy), Uyo, Akwa
Ibom State as the founder
and general overseer of
the church, Bishop Israel
Usoro, has been accused
by his pastors of
engaging in fake instant
healing and false
prophecies. The
revelations below...
“On Tuesday, August
13, 2013, I took an
independent step to
verify the stories and
this step brought me
face to face with the
truth . That evening
during the regular
Power Night
programme, a clean-
shaven young man
dressed in torn T-
shirt and dragged
along by another
young man was
intercepted as they
were about to enter
the church and
interrogated in the
studio room.
“During interrogation,
both the young man
and his accomplice,
who earlier claimed
that the young man
he was dragging into
church was mad,
confessed to me
(with Elders
Idorenyin Mfon,
Effiong Usoro and
Evangelists Anietie
Walter and Harrison
Eke as witnesses)
that he 'was NOT
MAD and that he
was arranged to
dress like and to act
as a madman in the
church for you to
"deliver" him so as
to boost the faith of
members in your
anointing and
increase the
membership of your
church' .
They said what they
were doing was a
new method of
‘evangelism’ which
you have since
embraced.”
But Bishop Usoro is
however denying the
allegations, claiming that
he never knew whether
those who claim to have
been instantly healed of
their ailments during the
church’s tarry nights
programmes were real or
fake.
According to The SUN
report, Usoro, whose
church is situated at No
12, Paul Bassey Street,
Uyo, began to experiment
the fake instant healing
after a Ghanaian pastor,
one David Amousou came
in as a guest preacher
earlier in the year and
arranged with some boys
to act as sick people to
receive instant cure after
being prayed for.
A letter of resignation by
one of the elders and
former protocol officer of
the Church, Mr Idorenyin
Aquaisua, to Bishop
Usoro and other key
officials of the church,
chronicled with dates a
series of fake miracles the
bishop had performed by
paying people, sometimes
as little as N2000 to come
and pose as if they were
mad, blind, infirm or
afflicted by evil spirits...
“It bears recall that I have
served God in your
Church, City of Truth
Chapel Int’l, for well over
seven (7) years now.
Within this period, I stand
vindicated before God, my
conscience, and man that
I have been selfless,
diligent, truthful, faithful
and committed in my
services to God. Since
2006 till date, I have held
very many sensitive
positions in the church
with enduring legacies.
“At a time when the
Church was almost
grounded by severe moral
crisis occasioned by your
activities that generated
intense feeling of distrust
in your wife, I was
persuaded, out of trust by
you and some faithful
members of the church
then, to head the Protocol
Unit in your office in 2010
so as to encourage and
give you the needed
support to continue your
ministerial duties with
minimal distraction,”
Aquaisua wrote.
“I came to know you
closely as a prophet who
professed total
dependence on God.
Therefore, until certain
events unfolded recently, I
had no cause to doubt
your prophetic grace.
When news first came to
me early June 2013 that
the regular instant healing
miracles that were taking
place during the Tuesday
Power Night programme
in the church were stage-
managed, I almost beat
up the person who
brought the news," he
added.
But in a chat with The
SUN in his church, Bishop
Usoro refuted the
allegations of fake or
false instant miracle
claiming that they were
peddled by some former
officers of the church who
are no longer members of
the church. He likened
them to Lucifer who was
thrown out of heaven.
“Since then, he can never
say any good thing about
heaven.”
Usoro denied ever
delivering the supposedly
mad man on Tuesday,
August 13, 2013, even
though he admitted seeing
such a person in church
that night.
“I saw two young men
and one said the other
was partially mad. I told
them to be coming to
church because if I don’t
see anything about you, I
can’t heal you. It is not
the work of the flesh. It is
only when you are under
the unction of the holy
spirit; that you can do all
these things. That’s all.”
Bishop Usoro showed two
other patients, a lady with
goitre and a man
supposed to be mentally
deranged whose
conditions he said had
been improving since they
were brought by their
relatives to the church.
The SSS in the state have
gotten wind of the story
and invited Bishop Usoro
for interrogation. He has
gone to the SSS to state
his own side of the
story...
Tragedy struck on
Tuesday as the body of
26 year old Adaobi
Michaella Obih was found
in her apartment at the
Riverstone Apartments in
Columbus, Indiana, United
States of America.
Investigations so far has
shown that she was
stabbed several times to
death by a man friend,
who is said to be one of
her neighbours in the
Riverstone Apartments
and the man, Ryan Allen
Klu, is now on the run.
Police said Ryan
works for the Indiana
Department of
Transportation. When
contacted, his
supervisor, said he
acting very strange
lately. He sent a text
message Sunday,
saying: “ Sick
tomorrow, then
vacation next two
weeks .”
His supervisor has
opened up the message
sent in by Ryan...
He said the message was
out of character and
violated the department’s
vacation time policy.
Ryan, he said, has not
return any texts or phone
calls to him since then
and didn't show up at
work.
The police are on the trail
of 36-year-old Ryan, who
is the prime suspect in the
murder of 26-year-old
lady.
Police said before Adaobi
was killed, Ryan sent a
text message to a pastor,
asking him to call. When
the pastor did so, Ryan
answered and told the
pastor that he couldn’t
talk at the moment.
Further investigation
found that Adaobi had
been stabbed multiple
times and her throat cut.
A blood trail went from
her bedroom to Ryan’s
apartment, and police said
it appeared “the assailant
attempted to clean up in
the bathroom.”
They also found a bloody
towel in Klug’s sink.
Police located a plastic
bag containing a bloody
sock and other clothes
stained with blood,
including blue jeans,
boxers and a shirt. Police
said the “amount of blood
on these items was
significant”.
Police found a trail of
small blood drops leading
from the apartment to the
garage where ryan parked
his car but the vehicle
has since disappeared
from the garage.
Operatives of the Special
Fraud Unit, SFU, in Ikoyi,
Lagos, have arrested a
24-year-old Nigerian man
who was said to have
posed as a lady to
defraud a United States of
America couple of
$42,497, purportedly for
the purchase of a property
in Lagos. In his
confession, the crook
said:
“I posed as Janet on
the Facebook, using
a white woman’s
photograph . I told
the couple that I was
an estate manager
and convinced them
to buy property in
Lagos. Since they
have not been to
Nigeria, they asked
us to meet elsewhere
and when I stumbled
on a business
conference that was
holding in Malasia, I
booked the meeting.
“On reaching
Malaysia, I told a
Facebook lady friend
to pose as Janet
after telling her what
to say . That was
how the deal was
struck and they paid
the dollar equivalent
of N3.4 million into
my account.
" I intended to use the
money to further my
studies because I am
determined to be a
graduate . I used part
of the money to
travel again to
Malaysia for leisure
in August."
The suspect, identified as
Olafinraye Adedamola,
confessed to the offence
while being paraded on
Thursday.
How he was arrested
According to a Vanguard
report, explaining how the
aluminum worker was
arrested, spokesperson for
the unit, Ngozi Isintume-
Agu, a Deputy
Superintendent of Police,
said: “An intelligence
report dated September
24, 2013 from Nigerian
Financial Intelligence Unit
(NFIU), Abuja addressed
to the Commissioner of
Police, Special Fraud Unit
(SFU) alleged that one
Olafinraye Adedamola
opened a USD Domiciliary
Account No.
273/6980678251/0 with
the Demurin, Ketu, Lagos
Branch of Sterling Bank
Plc and through
suspicious circumstances,
cumulative sum of USD
42,497 was paid into the
account by unsuspecting
victims abroad between
August 13, 2013 and
September 16, 2013.
“The suspected illicit
inflows were followed by
immediate cash
withdrawals by the
suspect who appeared to
have no known affiliation
with the international
depositors.
“SFU operatives swung
into action and
investigation carried out
on the domiciliary account
revealed that $18,129.92
is still left in the account
and a lien was
immediately placed on the
account.
“The suspect was traced
to his house at 7, Agidi
Road, Oshogun, Alapere,
Ketu, Lagos but he
evaded police arrest and
his father, a proprietor of
a moribund driving
school, feigned ignorance
of his son’s whereabouts.
However, the fleeing
suspect was later
apprehended by the
Police.
“Olafinraye Adedamola
who posed as a lady
named Janet was born in
1989 in Kosofe LGA Ketu,
Lagos.
“An artisan who trained in
construction of aluminum
but currently a driving
instructor in his father’s
moribund driving school
located in Ketu, Lagos
claimed he met a Nigerian
at a conference in
Malaysia who introduced
him to the victim who
requested that he
purchased property for
him in Nigeria which was
the basis for the
disbursement of the
money into his account
and that he had already
bought a building at
Ogba, Ikeja for N4 million
and that the documents
were with him.”
Olafinraye Adedamola
said, "My regret is that I
was caught at the end
because I used my
genuine data to open the
account. I guess it was
because it is my first
time.”
The suspect will be
charged to court soon
The House of
Representatives on
Thursday ordered another
round of investigation into
the sale of crude oil and
its remittances by the
Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation to
the nation's account. The
focus of the fresh
investigation is “volume
and value of crude oil
sales and remittances” by
NNPC from January to
date.
“One of the areas of
concern is the
NNPC’s Joint
Venture
operations. There are
several billions of
dollars that are
unaccounted
for . Some JV
partners will come
before the committee
and give you
information that the
NNPC cannot
contradict.
“Now, when you
confront NNPC with
this information, they
don’t address the
issues at stake .
Reports from the
Auditor-General’s
Office have many
cases against the
NNPC. When this
investigation is being
conducted, I urge the
ad-hoc committee to
liaise with the Public
Accounts
Committee. We have
information we can
give to the
committee to assist
the investigation.”
These are the words of
the Chairman, House
Committee on Public
Affairs, Mr. Adeola
Olamilekan, said that the
issue of accounting for
crude oil sales by the
NNPC had been on for the
last seven years without a
solution.
The investigation, which
will last four weeks, is to
be conducted by an ad-
hoc committee of the
House.
The resolution of the
House followed a motion
moved by Haruna Manu,
who raised alarm that
about $13.9bn crude oil
revenue could not be
accounted for by the
NNPC.
Manu, who quoted from
statistics generated by the
NNPC, told the House that
the value for crude oil
sales from January to
August stood at $20.9bn.
He, however, said only
$7bn was remitted to the
Federation Account by the
corporation.
Manu added: “this shows
that $13.9bn is not
accounted for and it
raises questions about
how it was spent.”
He claimed that from
September to date, the
corporation had not given
any account of crude oil
sales.
Over the years, NNPC is
emerging as the easiest
corporate to steal
Nigeria's money on a
large scale.
Chiefs and residents of
Ilashe Ijesa in Obokun
Local Government Area of
Osun State on Thursday
narrated how the monarch
of the town, Oba Adesina
Anibijuwon, was killed by
suspected members of
OPC who were said to
have strangled him and
left his corpse inside his
residence which they set
ablaze.
“We were told that
some gunmen who
claimed to be OPC
members came and
wanted to see
Kabiyesi but they
were told that he
was sleeping.
“They came back
and held the
housemaid living
with Kabiyesi
hostage and went to
where Kabiyesi was
sleeping . But
immediately they
came out, fire
started and Kabiyesi
was burnt inside the
house. ”
Those who recovered his
corpse from the building
said the charred remains
of Oba Anibijuwon were
taken to the mortuary at
Ladoke Akintola
University of Technology
Teaching Hospital in
Osogbo by Osun
Ambulance Service at
around 10.30pm on
Wednesday.
The ambulance that
conveyed the remains of
the monarch was said to
have been escorted to the
mortuary by armed
policemen and some
residents. They feared
that those who killed him
might want to seize his
corpse.
Some residents wondered
why some chiefs in the
town went into hiding
when the hoodlums
invaded the palace. They
are urging the police to
interrogate the said chiefs
to know if they were
culpable.
The upper floor of the
two-storey building where
the monarch resided was
completely razed.
One of the chiefs,
Adejumo Operinmade, told
Punch that he was
informed that some
persons, who claimed to
be OPC members, came
and demanded to see the
monarch, but they were
told that he was asleep.
He stated that the strange
visitors came back and
they pointed a gun to the
head of the monarch’s
housemaid. They
allegedly went to late Oba
Anibijuwon’s room and
strangled the octogenarian
monarch who had been
blind for over nine years.
Another Chief, Jumoke
Ogunkeyede, whose
brother gave the burnt
residence to the monarch,
said he heard that the
hoodlums, who
perpetrated the act, had
an accident while
escaping from the town.
“We heard that they
came in a red Mazda
323 and their car
veered off into the
bush while they were
speeding away . We
called journalists
from Osun State
Broadcasting
Corporation at
Ibokun, but when
they got there to take
photographs of the
car, they saw that
the car had been set
ablaze.
“They also removed
the number plate of
the car . I believe that
they set the car
ablaze to hide their
identities. But the
police could still find
a way of unraveling
those behind the
killing and arson.”
Nigeria police say they
are investigating and they
are on top of the
situation.
Egberi Papa act, Timaya,
speaks with JAYNE
AUGOYE about his past, career
and his secret
ambition
Popular singer, Enetimi Odom,
aka Timaya,
seems to have been off the
entertainment scene
for awhile. It was a tough call
chasing him
around Lagos for many weeks
before he finally
gave our correspondent an
appointment for an
interview in his home in the
Lekki area of Lagos.
It was obvious that the self-
styled Egberi Papa 1
had not quite recovered from
the impact of his
breakup with a controversial
actress that he
dated a few years ago.
Although it is common
knowledge that Timaya
broke up with the actress in
2009, he confessed
that the relationship had
robbed off on him
badly and wished he could be
rid of the
attendant negative aura.
“You should not date
somebody who already has
a negative record. In my own
case, it affected
me at that time. I feel that a
relationship should
be between two people and not
exposed to the
rest of the world. Only a smart
man is able to
keep his relationship private.
“You see, Desmond Elliot and
Jimmy Jatt are
both married, but you will never
see their wives
in public. Naturally I’m a
private person. The
only thing that takes me out of
my shell is my
music, which is what I do for a
living. It seems
that the only thing people know
about me is
that ugly episode. So I don’t
like to talk about
it,” he says, adding that he has
learnt a lesson
from the experience.
However, the singer is currently
involved in
what he describes as a healthy
relationship and
he has since moved on with his
life.
Apart from that single dark
spot in his life,
Timaya seems to have been on
top of his game
since his fortunes shot up
about a decade ago.
During that period, he earned a
fat bank
account, recorded six
successful albums and
scored several chartbusting
hits. The seventh
album is currently in the works.
In spite of his achievements,
the artiste, who
considers his maiden album to
be the turning
point in his career, nurses a
secret desire.
“I wish I had the power to heal
people. I am
always inspired whenever I see
men of God like
Bishop David Oyedepo
preaching and teaching
people. They practise the same
teachings and
become millionaires overnight. I
wish I can do
that with my music. I would
love to be a pastor.
I really want to be one,” he
says.
Describing himself as
‘privileged’ to be
considered relevant in the
competitive Nigerian
music industry, Timaya says he
has reached the
point where there should be a
change in his
career and focus. To prove that
he is serious
about this, he has shed his
dreadlocks and
started experimenting on a new
music style
with his last album. The album
is titled
‘Upgrade’ and it was released
in 2012.
Although many fans think the
album is riddled
with lewd songs, such as
‘Ukwu’ and ‘Shake
your bum’, the singer
expresses a different
opinion.
“A lot of people think I love the
female backside
a lot and that is why I sing
about it all the time.
But then, people will always
complain, no
matter what you do. When I
was still singing
conscious music they
complained that my songs
were always full of bile and
loathing. The truth
is that I sing about the way I
feel at any point,”
he says.
Interestingly Timaya is
currently writing his
memoir, which will be out in
2014. Regarding
his decision to write the book,
he says, “I am at
the point where I feel that
people can read and
be inspired by my story rather
than me singing
songs.”
When probed further about the
content of the
book, he lets out a teaser, “I
have also told the
story of a ex-girlfriend of mine
who always
wanted to have sex whenever
she was in the
mood for it.”
Although the singer enjoys
being a father,
marriage is not in his plans yet.
“I am not considering marriage
for now. But it
is something I must do. Before
now, I wanted a
child and God gave me one. I
don’t want to have
children from different women.
My father had
15 children and I am the last
child. I don’t want
to live like that. The truth is,
I’am not ready to
get married now,” he says.
Unlike most other successful
artistes, Timaya is
not the type to show off his
wealth or material
acquisitions especially on the
social media.
“I don’t show off on social
media because It is
not just my thing. I bought a
Bentley two years
ago and everyone started
buying theirs. I m not
even sure some people know I
own one. I
bought my G-Wagon two years
ago. Some
people will buy a shoe and put
it out there for
everyone to see. I simply don’t
fancy that. Music
has made me rich and it gave
me the
opportunity to travel out of the
country,” he
says.
For now, all that matters to the
artiste, who was
once a backup singer for Eedris
Abdulkareem,
is promoting his newest artiste,
Patoranking, as
well as re-positioning his label,
DM Records, for
the future.
Talented Yoruba movie actress
cum producer Memunat
Yunusa popularly known as
Mimiano has survived close
encounter with death this
month in a serious road
accident in Oyo town, Oyo
State, Nigeria.
Mimiano was involved in a
serious car accident yesterday
Wednesday 20th, November,
2013 on her way to a movie
location in the said town.
According to a reliable source,
the actress experienced break
failure in her newly bought
Honda CRV before she ran into
a building and hit the car on
the compound's fence.
Implementation of the
agreement between the
Federal Government and
Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, may
have to be delayed as the
Chairman, Senate
Committee on
Establishment and Public
Service Matters, Aloysius
Etok, has said that the
ongoing negotiations
between the duo would be
null and void without the
input of National Wages
and Salaries Commission.
Senator Etok stated this
during an oversight tour of
the Commission. He said
that under no guise
should the Federal
Government negotiate
salary or wage increase
without the input of the
relevant commission.
He attributed most of the
incessant industrial
actions in the country to
sentimental negotiation for
salary increase in the civil
service.
He said: “We have said
this earlier that on no
account should Federal
Government negotiate
salary increase or
anything that has to do
with wages or salaries
without the input of the
Commission.
“They should avoid the
issue of sentimental
increase or negotiation
and there should be no
exceptions. Four months
is about a semester.”
Etok further stated that
the commission was
expected to have played a
prominent role in the 2009
agreement reached
between the Federal
Government and ASUU.
Questions budget
implementation
The Etok-led committee
also demanded
explanations from the
commission on how the
2013 appropriation was
implemented and why the
impact of the commission
was not felt on civil
servants salaries crises
that threaten some
sectors of the economy
from time to time.
He lamented the
withholding of part of the
2013 budget of the
commission, stressing
that the commission
required funds to carry
out its research-based
projects, calling for its
immediate release so that
the commission can
implement its budget to
the full.
He said: “The commission
might look small but the
importance cannot be
overestimated. We have
come to know your level
of im-plementation of
2013 budget.
“We also want to know the
relevance of the
commission to the Federal
Government; why your
impact is not felt in the
salary problems across
the country; why the
commission would be
there when ASUU is on
strike for months and who
guided the Federal
Govern-ment in the
agreement entered into
with ASUU in 2009?
“You cannot be ruled out
in the scheme of things in
this country.”
“They allowed ASUU
compute its own salary”
Also speaking, Chairman
of the commission, Dr.
Richard Egbule,
exonerated the com-
mission from the
agreement reached
between the Federal
Government and ASUU.
He said: “The Wages
Commission has been up
and doing in everything
concerning wages and
salaries in this country.
“When the controversial
agreement was reached in
2009, we were there but
not as negotiators. We
made it known to them
that the route they were
going was wrong. Today, I
wish to say that ASSU did
not go on strike because
of salaries because we
handled it very well.
“What is controversial was
the excess workload
allowance, but we have
asked them to employ
more lecturers to avoid
excess workload.
“There has never been a
time any agency was
asked to go and compute
its own salary, but they
allowed ASUU to do so.
We needed a structural
increase where
government agency would
be factored in.”
Egbule noted with regret
that successive
leaderships of ASUU had
established the culture of
using industrial action to
announce their arrival.
The Senate committee
visited the National
Assembly Service
Commission, where the
Chairman of the
Commission, Dr. Umaru
Fika, disclosed that N2.5
billion was appropriated to
them in the 2013 fiscal
year.
Implementation of the
agreement between the
Federal Government and
Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, may
have to be delayed as the
Chairman, Senate
Committee on
Establishment and Public
Service Matters, Aloysius
Etok, has said that the
ongoing negotiations
between the duo would be
null and void without the
input of National Wages
and Salaries Commission.
Senator Etok stated this
during an oversight tour of
the Commission. He said
that under no guise
should the Federal
Government negotiate
salary or wage increase
without the input of the
relevant commission.
He attributed most of the
incessant industrial
actions in the country to
sentimental negotiation for
salary increase in the civil
service.
He said: “We have said
this earlier that on no
account should Federal
Government negotiate
salary increase or
anything that has to do
with wages or salaries
without the input of the
Commission.
“They should avoid the
issue of sentimental
increase or negotiation
and there should be no
exceptions. Four months
is about a semester.”
Etok further stated that
the commission was
expected to have played a
prominent role in the 2009
agreement reached
between the Federal
Government and ASUU.
Questions budget
implementation
The Etok-led committee
also demanded
explanations from the
commission on how the
2013 appropriation was
implemented and why the
impact of the commission
was not felt on civil
servants salaries crises
that threaten some
sectors of the economy
from time to time.
He lamented the
withholding of part of the
2013 budget of the
commission, stressing
that the commission
required funds to carry
out its research-based
projects, calling for its
immediate release so that
the commission can
implement its budget to
the full.
He said: “The commission
might look small but the
importance cannot be
overestimated. We have
come to know your level
of im-plementation of
2013 budget.
“We also want to know the
relevance of the
commission to the Federal
Government; why your
impact is not felt in the
salary problems across
the country; why the
commission would be
there when ASUU is on
strike for months and who
guided the Federal
Govern-ment in the
agreement entered into
with ASUU in 2009?
“You cannot be ruled out
in the scheme of things in
this country.”
“They allowed ASUU
compute its own salary”
Also speaking, Chairman
of the commission, Dr.
Richard Egbule,
exonerated the com-
mission from the
agreement reached
between the Federal
Government and ASUU.
He said: “The Wages
Commission has been up
and doing in everything
concerning wages and
salaries in this country.
“When the controversial
agreement was reached in
2009, we were there but
not as negotiators. We
made it known to them
that the route they were
going was wrong. Today, I
wish to say that ASSU did
not go on strike because
of salaries because we
handled it very well.
“What is controversial was
the excess workload
allowance, but we have
asked them to employ
more lecturers to avoid
excess workload.
“There has never been a
time any agency was
asked to go and compute
its own salary, but they
allowed ASUU to do so.
We needed a structural
increase where
government agency would
be factored in.”
Egbule noted with regret
that successive
leaderships of ASUU had
established the culture of
using industrial action to
announce their arrival.
The Senate committee
visited the National
Assembly Service
Commission, where the
Chairman of the
Commission, Dr. Umaru
Fika, disclosed that N2.5
billion was appropriated to
them in the 2013 fiscal
year.
Implementation of the
agreement between the
Federal Government and
Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, may
have to be delayed as the
Chairman, Senate
Committee on
Establishment and Public
Service Matters, Aloysius
Etok, has said that the
ongoing negotiations
between the duo would be
null and void without the
input of National Wages
and Salaries Commission.
Senator Etok stated this
during an oversight tour of
the Commission. He said
that under no guise
should the Federal
Government negotiate
salary or wage increase
without the input of the
relevant commission.
He attributed most of the
incessant industrial
actions in the country to
sentimental negotiation for
salary increase in the civil
service.
He said: “We have said
this earlier that on no
account should Federal
Government negotiate
salary increase or
anything that has to do
with wages or salaries
without the input of the
Commission.
“They should avoid the
issue of sentimental
increase or negotiation
and there should be no
exceptions. Four months
is about a semester.”
Etok further stated that
the commission was
expected to have played a
prominent role in the 2009
agreement reached
between the Federal
Government and ASUU.
Questions budget
implementation
The Etok-led committee
also demanded
explanations from the
commission on how the
2013 appropriation was
implemented and why the
impact of the commission
was not felt on civil
servants salaries crises
that threaten some
sectors of the economy
from time to time.
He lamented the
withholding of part of the
2013 budget of the
commission, stressing
that the commission
required funds to carry
out its research-based
projects, calling for its
immediate release so that
the commission can
implement its budget to
the full.
He said: “The commission
might look small but the
importance cannot be
overestimated. We have
come to know your level
of im-plementation of
2013 budget.
“We also want to know the
relevance of the
commission to the Federal
Government; why your
impact is not felt in the
salary problems across
the country; why the
commission would be
there when ASUU is on
strike for months and who
guided the Federal
Govern-ment in the
agreement entered into
with ASUU in 2009?
“You cannot be ruled out
in the scheme of things in
this country.”
“They allowed ASUU
compute its own salary”
Also speaking, Chairman
of the commission, Dr.
Richard Egbule,
exonerated the com-
mission from the
agreement reached
between the Federal
Government and ASUU.
He said: “The Wages
Commission has been up
and doing in everything
concerning wages and
salaries in this country.
“When the controversial
agreement was reached in
2009, we were there but
not as negotiators. We
made it known to them
that the route they were
going was wrong. Today, I
wish to say that ASSU did
not go on strike because
of salaries because we
handled it very well.
“What is controversial was
the excess workload
allowance, but we have
asked them to employ
more lecturers to avoid
excess workload.
“There has never been a
time any agency was
asked to go and compute
its own salary, but they
allowed ASUU to do so.
We needed a structural
increase where
government agency would
be factored in.”
Egbule noted with regret
that successive
leaderships of ASUU had
established the culture of
using industrial action to
announce their arrival.
The Senate committee
visited the National
Assembly Service
Commission, where the
Chairman of the
Commission, Dr. Umaru
Fika, disclosed that N2.5
billion was appropriated to
them in the 2013 fiscal
year.
Implementation of the
agreement between the
Federal Government and
Academic Staff Union of
Universities, ASUU, may
have to be delayed as the
Chairman, Senate
Committee on
Establishment and Public
Service Matters, Aloysius
Etok, has said that the
ongoing negotiations
between the duo would be
null and void without the
input of National Wages
and Salaries Commission.
Senator Etok stated this
during an oversight tour of
the Commission. He said
that under no guise
should the Federal
Government negotiate
salary or wage increase
without the input of the
relevant commission.
He attributed most of the
incessant industrial
actions in the country to
sentimental negotiation for
salary increase in the civil
service.
He said: “We have said
this earlier that on no
account should Federal
Government negotiate
salary increase or
anything that has to do
with wages or salaries
without the input of the
Commission.
“They should avoid the
issue of sentimental
increase or negotiation
and there should be no
exceptions. Four months
is about a semester.”
Etok further stated that
the commission was
expected to have played a
prominent role in the 2009
agreement reached
between the Federal
Government and ASUU.
Questions budget
implementation
The Etok-led committee
also demanded
explanations from the
commission on how the
2013 appropriation was
implemented and why the
impact of the commission
was not felt on civil
servants salaries crises
that threaten some
sectors of the economy
from time to time.
He lamented the
withholding of part of the
2013 budget of the
commission, stressing
that the commission
required funds to carry
out its research-based
projects, calling for its
immediate release so that
the commission can
implement its budget to
the full.
He said: “The commission
might look small but the
importance cannot be
overestimated. We have
come to know your level
of im-plementation of
2013 budget.
“We also want to know the
relevance of the
commission to the Federal
Government; why your
impact is not felt in the
salary problems across
the country; why the
commission would be
there when ASUU is on
strike for months and who
guided the Federal
Govern-ment in the
agreement entered into
with ASUU in 2009?
“You cannot be ruled out
in the scheme of things in
this country.”
“They allowed ASUU
compute its own salary”
Also speaking, Chairman
of the commission, Dr.
Richard Egbule,
exonerated the com-
mission from the
agreement reached
between the Federal
Government and ASUU.
He said: “The Wages
Commission has been up
and doing in everything
concerning wages and
salaries in this country.
“When the controversial
agreement was reached in
2009, we were there but
not as negotiators. We
made it known to them
that the route they were
going was wrong. Today, I
wish to say that ASSU did
not go on strike because
of salaries because we
handled it very well.
“What is controversial was
the excess workload
allowance, but we have
asked them to employ
more lecturers to avoid
excess workload.
“There has never been a
time any agency was
asked to go and compute
its own salary, but they
allowed ASUU to do so.
We needed a structural
increase where
government agency would
be factored in.”
Egbule noted with regret
that successive
leaderships of ASUU had
established the culture of
using industrial action to
announce their arrival.
The Senate committee
visited the National
Assembly Service
Commission, where the
Chairman of the
Commission, Dr. Umaru
Fika, disclosed that N2.5
billion was appropriated to
them in the 2013 fiscal
year.
The State Security Service
on Wednesday paraded an
assistant lecturer in Arabic
and Islamic studies at the
Kogi State University,
Muhammad Yunus, for
recruiting and coordinating
a Boko Haram cell in Kogi
State.
The SSS said Yunus, who is
the spiritual leader, runs a
terrorist group which
comprised Umar Musa,
head of operations/
instructor; Mustapha Yusuf
(aka Habib); armourer/chief
courier, Ismaila Abdulazeez,
a foot soldier; and Ibrahim
Isah (a.k.a one in town),
who is also a foot soldier.
Muhammed Yunus, a PhD
holder, is however insisting
that he is being set up by
Boko Haram:
" I don’t have any link
with Boko Haram, in
fact I preached
against them, that is
why they have set me
up . You can go to Jos
and ask for my tapes,
I preached against
them. Islam doesn’t
support blood-
shedding and I don’t
support it too."
SSS Deputy Director, Media
and Public Relations,
Marilyn Ogar, while briefing
newsmen, explained that
the terror cell planned to
launch attacks in Kogi State
before they were
apprehended.
She explained that until his
arrest, Yunus had held
several preaching sessions
every last Saturday and
Sunday of the month at
Ethnosho Secondary School
in Dekina LGA of the State
where he had about 80
adherents.
Marilyn Ogar said the
lecturer, who is a very
active member of ASUU in
the university, maintained
extensive links with Boko
Haram cells in Borno State
where he referred some of
his followers to terrorist
training.
“In March 2013, he
facilitated the trip of two of
his adherents to Boko
Haram’s Sambisa Camp in
Maiduguri, Bornu State
where they received training
in weapon handling. They
are Mustapha Yusuf and
Ismaila Abdulazeez who are
now under arrest. They
were able to escape and
returned back to him in
August 2013, following the
military invasion of the
camp,” Ogar added.
The SSS spokesperson said
Yunus holds a Masters
degree from the University
of Jos and a Ph.D in Arabic
and Islamic Studies from
Koki State University, in
2012.
The lecturer, Muhammad
Yunus, is denying all the
allegations of the SSS,
insisting he is not a Boko
Haram but his claim was
punctured by Yusuf,
Abdulazeez and Isah, who
insisted that he had been
teaching them about Jihad
and how to exploit it to
install Sharia in Kogi State.
Who is lying and who is
telling the truth? Should the
SSS get the lecturer's tapes
to confirm his claims?
The Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko
(AAUA) in Ondo State has pulled out of the
ongoing Academic Staff Union of
Universities’ (ASUU)strike.
In a statement issued and signed by its
Registrar, R.B Olotu, the school had ordered its
students to resume for the second semester on
November 25th, 2013, thereby boycotting the
nationwide strike.
Already, the ongoing
industrial action has
lasted for over four
months.
The statement reads,
“All Students of
AAUA are hereby
informed that
academic activities of
the 2nd semester of
2012/2013 session
truncated as a result
of the ASUU national
strike are to resume
on Monday, 25th
November, 2013 with
the continuation of
registration on the
University portal,
while lectures are to
start on Mon, 2nd
December, 2013.
Yorubas from all over
Ghana will converge on the
Aviation Social Centre in
Accra on Saturday,
November 23, 2013 to mark
the anniversary of the
arrival of their ancestors in
the Gold Coast 200 years
ago.
The Yorubas are an ethnic
group found mainly in the
western part of Nigeria.
Some of their major towns
are Lagos, Ibadan, Ilorin,
Ogbomosho, Offa, Oshogbo,
Abeokuta, Shaki, Oyo and
Ijebu-Ode.
In the colonial days, when
the then Gold Coast and
Nigeria were under British
rule, people from both
countries travelled to each
other’s country as traders
or public servants.
The first group of Yorubas
arrived in the Gold Coast
around 1813 and initially
settled in such places as
Accra, Kumasi and Sekondi
before moving to the
northern part of the Gold
Coast, especially Tamale,
Wa, Lawra and Nandom.
On Saturday, the Head of
the Yoruba Community in
Accra, Chief Barrister
Basiru Peregrino Brimah,
who is acclaimed as the
leader of the Yorubas in
Ghana, will receive other
heads of Yoruba
communities in Kumasi,
Sekondi, Koforidua,
Ashiaman, Cape Coast,
Tamale and other major
towns in Ghana to
commemorate the
migration of their ancestors
to the Gold Coast.
Expected in Accra for the
great occasion are Alhaji
Ahmed Rufai Alao III, the
Head of the Yoruba
Community in Kumasi, and
his counterparts Alhaji
Abdul Wahab Raheem from
Koforidua, Alhaji Rahman
Babatunde Ajayi from
Ashiaman and Alhaji Abdul
Salami Adeniyi Amao Saka
from Kasoa.
Other Yoruba leaders
expected are Alhaji Shaibu
Adebayo Bamijoko from
Cape Coast, Alhaji
Muhamadu Raji from
Sekondi and Alhaji Ibrahim
Bawa Yusif from Tamale,
who will be accompanied
by the Chairman of the
Yoruba Community in the
Northern Region, Mr Moses
Oladele.
According to Alhaji Musah
Baba, the President of the
Nigerian Community in
Ghana, Yoruba Heritage
Awards would be presented
to the former Lagos
State Governor, Asiwaju
Bola Tinubu, as well as the
governors of Oyo and
Oshun States, Senator
Abiola Ajimobi and Alhaji
Rauf Arabgesola,
respectively, and the
Chairman of the Energy
Bank, Ghana, Barrister
Jimoh Ibrahim.
Other recipients of the
heritage award are the wife
of the Ekiti State governor,
Chief Bisi Fayemi; the Aare
Musilimu of Yorubaland,
Alhaji Arisekola Alao; the
veteran actor and writer,
Adebayo Faleti, and a
former Nigerian High
Commissioner to Ghana,
Alhaji Musiliu Obanikoro.
Alhaji Baba also hinted that
a book titled, “Exploits of A
Migrant Community:
Chronicle of Yorubas in
Ghana”, would be launched
as part of the celebrations.
The Nigerian High
Commissioner to Ghana, Mr
Ademola Oluseyi
Onafookan, will be the chief
host at the ceremony.
Source: Dr. Brimah
A 29-year-old Rev. Father,
Anthony Marie Wendji, was
on Tuesday arraigned for
alleged cheating before a
Makurdi Magistrates’ Court.
The prosecuting officer,
Insp. James Zungwe, told
the court that the case was
transferred from ‘A’
Division Police Station,
Gboko, to the State CID,
Makurdi.
According to the transfer
letter, one Simon Onyeabo
reported that the accused
dishonestly deceived him
that he was a Reverend
Father assigned to train
seminarians for Holy Face
Congregation.
The complainant stated
further that the accused
under that pretext,
appointed him as
coordinator and induced
him to collect the sum of
N70,000 each from
Seminary Applicants for the
training.
He disclosed that the total
money collected was
N840,000 from the 12
applicants and the
“Reverend” who is said to
come from Bangassou,
Central African Republic,
promised to take them to
Cameroun after training.
Simon Onyeabo said that
they later discovered while
on training at Holy Face
Community House
established by the
Reverend in Gboko that he
was operating an illegal
institution.
He said that the reverend
had no approval either from
the Corporate Affairs
Commission or Diocese of
Gboko to operate the
institution.
The complainant stated that
when the accused realised
that they had discovered
his secret, he sent them
away without refunding
their money or sending
them to Cameroun as he
promised, and he even went
ahead to recruit new
seminarians.
During police investigation,
the Reverend Father was
arrested for the alleged
offence. The prosecutor
said that the offence
contravened Section 324 of
the Penal Code.
When the case came up for
mention, Rev. Father,
Anthony pleaded not guilty.
The Magistrate, Mrs
Theresa Wergbah, granted
him bail in the sum of
N50,000 and a surety. The
case was thus adjourned to
January 16, 2014, for trial.
31-year-old Kabiru Mohammed,
has confessed and opened up
how he hired a seven-man
robbery gang to steal $383,000
(N61,280,000) from his own
father in Lagos. Below are his
confession:
“My father is a bureau de
change operator at the
airport. I am the one who
arranged a seven-man
armed robbery gang led by
Godogodo to rob my older
brother, Ibrahim who was
carrying my father’s money
amounting to $383,000.
“I told the gang that my
father had dollars. The first
operation was when Ibrahim
wanted to convey money
from local airport to
international airport, I called
Godogodo and gave him the
car number plate and the
colour of the car. I told
them not to kill my brother,
but to shoot into the air. I
knew my brother would
release the money because
my father told us not to
drag money with armed
robbers. They collected
$350,000 and gave me only
two bundles which is
$20,000.
“In the second operation
they stopped my brother in
front of Air Force Bus Stop
and collected $33,000 and
they gave me $8,000.”
The suspect, who is now in SARS
custody, also confessed to be
part of the deadly Godogodo
gang.
“I am a member of the robbery
gang. My role is to find targets
and also information which I
give to the gang. That is why
they call me ‘Target man’.”
Another suspect, Okechukwu
Lawrence, who was arrested
alongside Mohammed,
confessed that he was the one
handling the weapons for the
gang.
The indigene of Imo State said,
“My work is to keep ammunition
for the gang after collecting
AK47 rifles from the policemen
the gang shot dead. I joined the
gang to get enough money to
boost my spare parts business
in Ladipo market.”
The dangerous Godogodo has
also owned up to the crime.
Police Public Relations Officer,
Ngozi Braide, told Punch that the
suspects would soon be charged
to court.
A security officer, Pius Edward,
his wife Fausat and the wife's
mother, have all been arrested
by the men of the Nigeria police
force, Oyo State Police
Command, in connection with
the theft of N13m from Bishop’s
Court, a popular Anglican church
located in the Bodija area of
Ibadan.
“On November 9, at about
9am, an accountant
attached to Bishop’s Court,
Bodija, Ibadan, reported to
the Special Anti-Robbery
Squad office that on
November 8, at 11.55pm,
Edward broke into the office
and made away with N13m
which belongs to the
church.
“Investigation revealed that
the suspect was hiding in a
hotel at Odeda in Ogun
State. With the help of
immigration office, Ogun
State Command, the
suspect and his family were
allow to procure travelling
document to Dubai without
letting him know that he
was being lured out of his
hiding place. He was
arrested thereafter at Idi-
Iroko, Ogun State with two
unregistered car he had
purchased with part of the
money.”
Edward, a security officer at the
church was said to have broken
into an office where the money
was kept and made away with
it. It was alleged that he woke
his wife the following morning
and told her to prepare for a
journey with the children.
After the theft was reported by
one of the reverends in the
church, the police were,
however, able to trace his
movement and nabbed him at
after a diligent intelligence
operation. The corrupt security
officer was planning to relocate
his family to Dubai in the United
Arab Emirates.
The state Commissioner of
Police, Mohammed Ndabawa,
said Edwards’ in-law’s
involvement was helping the
family disappear from Nigeria by
facilitating the procurement of
their travel documents.
Also recovered from him were
N656,000 and $2,300, while
Edward said he tore a N7m
cheque belonging to the church
for fear of being arrested while
attempting to cash it. In a chat
with Punch, Edward claimed that
he only stole N2.5m and that he
purchased N1.8m cars from the
loot.
“I pushed my wife into the crime.
My mother in-law was involved
because she introduced me to
the immigration officer that
helped us procure the travelling
document ,” he insisted.
His wife, Fausat said she did not
know that her husband had
stolen the money. “ He
threatened to leave me with the
children if I did not follow
him. So I followed him. He did
not tell me that he stole money
from the church,” she cried.
A popular spiritualist, Ifatade
Elegbeleye, has been arrested by
men of the Nigeria Police Force
in Lagos and charged before an
Ojokoro Magistrates’ Court,
Lagos, for defrauding a woman
seeking husband. He allegedly
swindled the gullible woman of
N2m and forcefully slept with her
in his 'chamber'.
31-year-old Temidayo Akinwale,
a businesswoman who is now
pregnant, suffered the ugly fate
when she went to the spiritualist
to deliver her from strange
spirits that prevented her from
getting a husband.
Funny enough, in his response,
Ifatade told the court that he
indeed delivered her of spiritual
husband. Asked if he slept with
her and got her pregnancy, the
spiritualist said:
"No comment." But the incident
allegedly happened right inside
his 'chamber' located at Ayobo
in Lagos.
The accused was arraigned on a
six-count charge of fraud,
stealing and obtaining sex under
false pretences.
Elegbeleye who is cooling his
heels in prison custody,
according to the police, lured his
victim to a shrine and told her
that he needed to perform some
rituals to deliver her from
spiritual husband that prevented
her from getting a husband all
these years.
The 65-year-old mother of the
victim, Mrs. Mary Akinwale, while
testifying before the court,
narrated how the accused lured
her daughter to his shrine, raped
and impregnated her.
The distraught mother told the
court that Elegbeleye prophesied
to her daughter that she was
possessed with a spiritual
husband that would prevent her
from getting married and asked
her to pay some amount of
money for spiritual cleansing.
She said that her daughter who
was afraid of the prophesy, paid
the money and was taking to a
river in the midnight at Ipaja
area, where she was bathed with
spiritual soap, adding that after
the bath, she still could not get
a husband. She said the accused
invited her daughter again to his
shrine and rapéd her, adding that
she is now pregnant.
The presiding Magistrate, O.A.
Layinka granted him bail in the
sum of N200,000 with two
sureties. The matter was
adjourned till 21 December for
continuation of trial.
The All Progressives
Congress (APC) has
accused INEC of
being economical with the
truth by saying only the
courts can order
the cancellation of last
Saturday's governorship
election in Anambra,
in which about 1.3 million
of the 1.7 million
registered voters
were nable to exercise
their franchise.
In a statement issued in
Lagos on Tuesday by its
Interim National Publicity
Secretary, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, the party
reminded INEC that it did
not wait for a court order
to cancel the National
Assembly
elections in 2011, when it
was obvious that many
voters across the country
could not vote due to the
late arrival or non-delivery
of voting materials.
"'In announcing the
cancellation of the
National Assembly
election in 2011,
INEC Chairman
Attahiru Jega
said, among others,
that it was to
' maintain the
integrity of the
elections and retain
effective overall
control of the
process '."
APC said the situation in
Anambra last Saturday
was even more
serious because, in
addition to the fact that
voting materials were
either late or not delivered
at all, most voters
were disenfranchised by
an INEC official who
apparently tampered with
the 2011 Voters' Register
for the state.
''Therefore, there are more
compelling reasons now
to cancel the Anambra
governorship election than
what led to the
cancellation and
rescheduling of the
National Assembly
election in 2011, unless of
course INEC is still acting
out the script handed to it
for the ill-fated election,''
the party said.
It also said since the
integrity of the 2011
Voters' Register has
been compromised by
tampering, that register
can no longer be relied
upon by INEC to organize
any election in Nigeria.
''The emerging allegations
are very serious. First, the
Voters' Register for
Anambra has been
allegedly tampered with
by an INEC official to
disenfranchise a huge
number of voters, to such
an extent that only
451,826 voters were
accredited out of the
1,763,751 registered
voters in Anambra State.
''Secondly, the
disenfranchisement
started from the data
capturing stage, when the
machine was apparently
manipulated not to
capture those whose
names start with 'O' or 'U',
and that is a whole lot of
people. Against this
background, it is
obvious to all fair-minded
people, not the rabidly
partisan PDP, that
INEC's computer data-
base must have been
fraudulently, irreparably
and totally adulterated
such that no credible
Voters' Register can
anymore be produced
from the 2011 voters'
registration data.
''That is why we are not
just calling for the
cancellation of
the Anambra governorship
election, but also saying
that even a fresh election
cannot and must not be
conducted on the basis of
the 2011 Voters' Register.
Unless Nigeria embarks
on another
voters' registration
exercise, it is doubtful if
INEC has the ability to
ameliorate the damages
already done to 2011
registration information by
its corrupt and inept
officials.
''That is why we are
calling on Prof. Jega not
to withhold the name
of the main saboteur in
Saturday's poll, and to
also investigate the level
to which the Voters'
Register has been
compromised, fish out
all those involved, find out
who their sponsors are
and make all of them to
face justice,'' APC said.
Meanwhile, the party has
described as very strange
indeed the role of the
presidency and the PDP in
the ongoing debate over
the Anambra election.
''The conventional wisdom
is that political parties
take their bearing from
their candidates on
election day. But in the
case of the PDP and the
Presidency, not only have
they abandoned their
candidate in the
Anambra poll, who
himself has derided the
election and called for
its cancellation, they have
also disowned him by
going ahead to hail
the poll as free and fair.
''It is now glaring to all
that the disgrace that
INEC has suffered from
the Anambra debacle is
because the electoral
body is acting out the
script written by the
Presidency and APGA for
the election. The claim by
the PDP spokesman that
our party is trying to
discredit the entire
electoral process is as
shallow as it is laughable.
''Pray, how more can you
discredit an election that
the organizer itself (INEC)
has admitted was
sabotaged by its own
officials? Is it the APC
that revealed the
information concerning
the role of
INEC saboteurs? Did the
PDP candidate find his
name on the voters'
register used for
Saturday's election?
Obviously, things have
fallen apart in the
contraption called the
PDP and the centre can
no long hold there,'' it
said.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed
Interim National Publicity
Secretary
All Progressives Congress
(APC)