Plateau among states yet to make budget details public

About 20 states have failed to publicly disclose their proposed 2017 budget, a civic technology organisation, BudgIT Nigeria, has said.

The organization, which is interested in ensuring transparency and accountability in government budgets, said only Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna and Kogi States released the details of their budgets.

BudgIT, in a statement issued by its Co-founder and Team Lead, Oluseun Onigbinde, in Abuja, said only 14 states had posted details of its budgets online.

The states, according to Onigbinde, were Akwa Ibom, Edo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Ondo, Abia, Plateau and Yobe.

The statement reads: “This reveals that Lagos, Rivers, Osun, Oyo, Anambra, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Kebbi, Niger, Ogun, Sokoto, Taraba, Zamfara and Adamawa States have not made their detailed approved budget available online.

“It is also found out that certain states such as Lagos published summaries online that provide no project details that citizens can effectively track.

“Contrary to the conditions tied to the N90bn bailout fund provided by the Minister of Finance, none of the 36 states have made their budget implementation report available to the public.”

Onigbinde said making budget document public by publishing it online was central to ensuring transparency and good governance.

According to him, while huge emphasis had been placed on the Federal Government, radical transparency was needed at the sub-national level if Nigeria hopes to curb corruption.

“We believe that making budget document public, mostly through online means, is central to transparency and good governance. It is important to understand in clear terms what the government at the sub-national level is doing with public funds. While huge emphasis has been placed on the Federal Government, radical transparency is needed at the sub-national level if Nigeria hopes to curb corruption.

“Our research showed that most states require citizens to either pay for hard copies of the budgets or go through a lengthy application process for what is meant to be a public document and can be posted freely online.

“While Nigerians pay little attention to state finances, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria, out of the N50tn spent between 2011 and 2015, 36 state governments and the FCT cumulatively spent over N18.89tn, representing 38 per cent of entire expenditure.

“Advocacy to ensure the public knowledge of how and what states spends taxpayers funds on will not cease. We believe that a functional society is that which takes into highest regards citizen engagement and participation in all areas. Without budget information, it is near impossible to participate in government, thus defeating the concept and essence of democracy altogether.

“We implore the citizens to also continually demand accountability from those in charge of their funds and keep them on their toes to improve on the current governance structure,” the statement added.

How Governor Lalong Fleecing Plateau through Sales, Buyback of State owned BARC Farm

How Governor Lalong Fleecing Plateau through  Sales, Buyback of State owned BARC Farm

Investigation have unraveled how Governor of Plateau State, Barrister Simon Lalong and the former Managing Director of Plateau Investment and Development Company ( PIPC) Mr Ezekiel Gommos is fleecing the state
through the sales and buy back of Brewery Agro and Research Company Ltd (BARC Farm).

Checks by our Correspondent show that Governor of Plateau State,  Lalong was actively involved in the sales of a state owned Company, Brewery Agro and Research Company (BARC) when he was the company Secretary of PIPC.

BARC  Farm , was a subsidiary of Jos International Brewery which was in the early 1990s was under the ownership of the Plateau State government who created this through Plateau Investment and Development Company Ltd (PIPC), also owned by the government of Plateau State.

At this time, Lalong associate Gommos was the Managing Director of PIPC who supervised the sales of BARC Farm to a company called ILHAMA Enterprises Nigeria Ltd on by the former Governor of Adamawa,  Murtala Nyako in 1993.

It was learnt that because the sales was shrouded in secrecy with underhand deal, the issue of the sale of BARC Farm continues to raise dusts.

“One of the major problems is that to date, nobody know how much the farm was sold has been held accountable for the amount the company was sold for and the nature of its receipt into the government.

“Different figures have been discovered over the years since1993. During the sale, the MD of PIPC Ltd Ezekiel Gommos handled the process from the beginning.  Being a very close friend of the Governor, he was later appointed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and continued to dodge the question of how much BARC Farm was
sold for and what account the funds were paid into.  He initially said the company had been sold for N19 million.

“Other documents quote him saying it was sold for N18 million. When questioned in future years, he said it was sold for N27 million.
Another answer he gave in subsequent years was that it was sold for N54 million. Documents exist for all these statements.

“It was also discovered that initially instead of receiving a payment from ILHAMA Ltd the buyer, the amount received was described as a loan of N17 million given to government and it is claimed that it was was
paid back to the buyer rather than retained as part payment for the company.

“At the time of sale, the 5,000 hectare land on which the company was built was valued at N2 million and the local original owners have expressed much distress at being cheated by the government. Their cry has never been heard due to constant manipulation of the facts”, our source said.

One impeccable source privy to the entire transaction added further that , in 2015, Mr Ezekiel Gommos joined the
new government of Plateau State at first without any official appointment, claimed to be the Chairman of PIPC Ltd, the company where he was once Managing Director during the BARC Farm sale transaction. It should be noted that he worked there alongside the man that is now Governor Lalong. During the Barc Farm transaction in 1993, Lalong was a barrister at PIPC so he was intricately  involved in the process.

“Since 2015, Gomos has been aggressively offering to broker the reverse sale of BARC Farm from Admiral Nyako back to Plateau State Government first for the amount of N1.8 billion and in 2017 the value almost
doubled to N3 billion all without ever fully disclosing the original sale price and where the money was paid. Nor ever showing how this astronomical buy back amount was reached.

“Yet they have commenced celebrations that N3 billion of the recent Paris Club refund, instead of being spent on public services and paying long suffering workers salaries, has been withdrawn and put aside to buy back Barc Farm”, he revealed.

“During previous governments, numerous questions have been asked about the whereabouts of the money transacted from 1993 to date.

“Under former Governor Joshua Dariye, an investigation committee was set up headed by the Special Adviser on Legal Matters.  The committee discovered that indeed the money received from Admiral Nyako was not
fully disclosed, nor was it paid into the government account. The committee paid a visit to Admiral Nyako, who said he paid N180 million in purchase of BARC Farm and he gave the payment to Mr Ezekiel Gommos, who was SSG at the time of sale.

“When the truth was uncovered and presented to Governor Dariye, mysteriously the committee’s final report never saw the light of day, much to the dismay of the committee members who had worked tirelessly to unraveling the mystery.  While publicly, blame was heaped on the former Governor Tapgun, who in actual fact was not responsible for this debacle. He was also unaware that someone in government had orchestrated the entire scam.

“During those years, it was very obvious that Mr Ezekiel Gommos made a meteorically  rise to wealth, culminating in him sending his entire family to live in the United States of America and living an extravagant lifestyle.

He is also known to own large properties in the USA, in Abuja and in Jos, Plateau State including hotels and a business school which he sold to the former Governor Jang administration for an astronomical sum of around N350 million well above any reasonable value for a property of that size in Plateau State.

“In 2011, Sahara Reporters media reported on the sale of the BARC Farm and raised questions about why the mysterious sale still remains unresolved. “More recently the 2017 declaration of the buying back of Barc Farm at N3 billion has been heralded by the ignorant as a great achievement. People are actively discussing how the value can be justified, especially if one bears in mind that in 2016 EFCC seized all of Admiral Nyako’s properties. If this farm was sold to Admiral Nyako then there is no need to buy it back since the Federal Government will return it to Plateau state government.  “The federal authorities seem to be unaware while the latest fictitious sale is once again allowed to take place and the farm continues to be used as a mule”, the source told our reporter.

New security cameras at Jerusalem holy site

Israel installed new security cameras on Sunday at the entrance to a flashpoint holy site in Jerusalem, an official told dpa, following violent clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a cabinet meeting Sunday morning and is expected to hold another meeting of the security cabinet Sunday night to discuss security measures at the site known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary and Jews as the Temple Mount.

The cameras come in addition to metal detectors installed at the entrance to the site after three men – described by police as “Israeli Arabs” – shot and killed two Israeli police officers near the compound more than a week ago.

The stringent measures and restrictions on worship at the al-Aqsa mosque in the compound triggered protests from Palestinians and clashes over the weekend.

At least three Palestinian protesters have been killed in street clashes with police and 400 wounded in and around Jerusalem and the West Bank since Friday.

At the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu condemned the killing on Friday of three Israelis in the West Bank settlement of Neve Tsuf, north-west of Ramallah, by a Palestinian man.

The 19-year-old attacker, whom Netanyahu called “a beast incited by Jew-hatred,” posted on Facebook shortly before the attack that he was seeking to defend the al-Aqsa mosque.

The prime minister said that Israel will destroy the home of the attacker and “decide accordingly” on further security measures.

Israel’s Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said that the metal detectors should stay unless an alternative security plan is devised. “We cannot give in to threats,” he said in a statement on his Facebook page.

Meanwhile the head of the Arab League, Ahmed Abul Gheit, warned Israel on Sunday that Israel is “playing with fire and risking igniting a major crisis with the Arab and Islamic worlds.”

According to a spokesman for the Cairo-based Arab League, Abul Gheit accused Israel of involving religion in its decades-old dispute with Palestinians.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he was cutting all ties to Israel after the deadly violence, a decision that was met with apparent indifference from Israel’s Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman.

“We will manage,” Liberman said in a interview with the Israeli news outlet Ynet on Sunday.

Photos: Justin Bieber Rams Into Paparazzi With His Truck While Leaving Church

From being banned from performing in China for his bad behavior and canceling the remainder of his Purpose Tour to allegedly focusing on being spiritual by attending Church activities, Justin Bieber has now got his name on the headline for another bad reason.

While leaving the City Church in Beverly Hills on Wednesday night, the Canadian singer rammed into a paparazzi with his Truck as he was driving out of the church.

Lt. Scott Dowling of the Beverly Hills Police Department says the accident occurred outside the Saban Theater at 9:24 p.m. According to Lt. Dowling, the victim suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to Cedars-Sinai hospital.

According to a source on the scene, Bieber, was trying to drive away from the church but a slew of photographers was at the end of the driveway. “He tried to scare away the paparazzi but as he neared the group, he accidentally hit one of the photographers who were in his path.'

It's unclear if the Paparazzi might be suing the singer.

See more photos below...

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GOV. LALONG AND GOMMOS IN ALLEGED BARC’S SCANDAL IN PLATEAU STATE

The governor of Plateau State,  Simon Bako Lalong and Ezekiel Gommos,
MD of  Plateau Investment and Development Company (PIPC), are
currently embroiled in alleged financial scandal.
The scandal revolves around the Brewery Agro and Research Company Ltd
(BARC Farm), a subsidiary of Jos International Brewery, which was in
the early 1990s was under the ownership of the Plateau State
government.
BARC Farm is known to have been sold to a company called ILHAMA
Enterprises Ltd in 1993, a company owned by the former governor of
Adamawa State, Admira Murtala Nyako. And like a bad coin the issue of
the sale continues to raise problems because of its dubious nature.
One of the major problems is that to date, nobody has been held
accountable for the amount the company was sold for and the nature of
its receipt into the government.
The situation has been compounded by the fact that different figures
have been discovered over the years since 1993 concerning the amount
for which the company was sold.
During the sale, the MD of PIPC,, Ezekiel Gommos handled the process
from the beginning and being a very close of the governor, he was
later appointed the Secretary to the State Government and continued to
evade the question of how much BARC Farm was sold for and what account
the money was paid into.
He initially said the company was sold for N19 million but other
documents quoted him as saying it was N18 million while claiming N27
million in later years and later claimed it was N54 million for the
sale. All the claims were backed with documents.
It was discovered that initially, instead of receiving a payment from
ILHAMA Ltd, the buyer, the amount received was described as a loan of
N17 million given to government and was claimed has been paid back to
the buyer rather than retained as part payment for the company.
At the time of sale, the 5,000 hectares of land on which the company
was built was valued at N2 million and the local original owners have
expressed much distress at being cheated by the government but they
were never heard due to constant manipulation of facts.
Lalong was said to be a barrister at PIPC when Gommos was the Managing
Director and he was allegedly involved in the process. And since 2015,
Gommos has been aggressively offering to broker the reverse sale of
the company from Admiral Nyako back to Plateau State Government for
N1.8 billion and in 2017,  the value rose to N3 billion without fully
disclosing the amount for which it was sold.
To crown the scandal, the government has allegedly setting aside N3
billion from the Paris Club refund to buy back BARC Farm  rather than
paying the long suffering workers in the state.
Under former Governor Joshua Dariye, an investigation committee was
set up, the committee visited Admiral Nyako who claimed that he paid
N180 million for the purchase of the company but when the truth was
uncovered, the final report of the committee never saw the light of
the day.
Gommos who allegedly orchestrated the entire scam is known to own
large properties in the USA, Abuja, and Jos including hotels and a
business school which he sold to former governor Jang administration
for about N350 million.
In recent time, the declaration of the buyback of the company has been
heralded by the ignorant as a great achievement but in actual fact it
is an extention of the scam

Definitely A New One! Nigerian Couple Do Their Pre-wedding Shoot Inside A Pool

The very interesting and unique pre-wedding shoot of Faith Odianosen and man was released by their photographer on IG and many are hailing it as very creative. What do you think?

Teenage Mother Kills Her Baby By Strapping The Child In Car Seat For 2 Days Without Food Or Water

22-year-old Lovily Johnson from Michigan has been charged with first-degree murder for allegedly leaving her 6-month-old son strapped in a car seat in a hot apartment without food for two days, Detroit Free Press reports.

The young mother was on Monday charged by authorities with first-degree murder and felony child abuse. Prosecutors alleged that on July 17, Johnson put her 6-month-old baby boy, Noah Johnson, into his car seat and left him on the upper floor of her Wyoming apartment with no air conditioning for two days. She also left the baby without and food and water, according to court records.

While on the 19th of July, Johnson brought the deceased infant to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Detectives arrived shortly after and placed Johnson under arrest after interviewing her.

“Upon arrival, Noah was clearly deceased and had been for some time,’’ Wyoming Detective Robert Meredith wrote probable cause affidavit obtained by WZZM

According to the probable cause affidavit, Johnson admitted that although she was home “multiple times a day during that time frame, she knowingly and intentionally deprived him of the necessities of life by not feeding him since Monday evening,”

She appeared via video for arraignment and pleaded not guilty to child abuse and murder. During her arraignment, she initially claimed she didn’t understand her charges. Wyoming District Court Judge Steven Timmers broke down what she was charged with in simple terms.

“Well, let me make it really clear,’’ the judge told Johnson. “They alleged you killed a young child and that you physically abused it. Does that make sense to you?”

“Yes sir,’’ Johnson answered.

“OK, at least you understand the charges against you,’’ Timmers said.

Timmers denied Johnson bond. She remains behind bars awaiting a probable cause hearing in August.

Her other child, a two-year-old daughter, has been placed under the supervision of the state Department of Health and Human Services

Law School Releases Statement On The Expulsion Of One Of Its Students, Kayode Bello

On July 17th, the Nigerian Law School in Abuja expelled 34-year-old University of Ibadan graduate, Kayode Bello pictured above following an argument he allegedly had with another student over a seat in the lecture room. According to reports, Kayode had a face off with one of his colleague identified as Chidinma over the reservation of seats for persons who were not yet in class. They had to be invited by the security officers of the school and he was later to be accused of inciting the students against the school's management. He is alleged to have always complained about the lack of infrastructure in the school. 

After his expulsion, many students went online to condemn the management of law school for expelling him when he was only fighting for a just course. 

The Nigeria Law School has now released a statement clarifying on why he was expelled. Read the statement below

Mr. Olusegun Kayode Bello applied for admission to the Nigerian Law School in July, 2012. His application form and Dean’s Reference revealed that he was rusticated from the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan in the 2008/2009 Academic Session for disrupting the peace and tranquility of the University Campus. The Dean’s confidential report showed that he defied the authorities of the University and continued his program without serving out the rustication period. It was when his defiance was discovered that he was forced to comply.

After his studentship was reinstated, he was unrepentant as the report indicated his further involvement in a case of gross misconduct (insubordination), which made the Board of the Faculty of Law to recommend him for further disciplinary action.

In line with the extant policy at the Nigerian Law School, the candidate’s application for admission in 2012 was referred to the Council of Legal Education, which resolved that the candidate should only be considered for admission in the 2016/2017 School Year in view of his negative antecedent in the University.

Invariably, he applied for admission in 2016. When he was eventually to be offered admission in October 2016, the Council of Legal Education further directed that he should be issued a letter of warning, to avoid any acts of misconduct and indiscipline while at the Nigerian Law School; and that his admission was on probation, subject to good character.

Sometime in March 2017, there was a report of an altercation between him and one of his female colleagues over a preferred seat in the venue of lecture.

The report from his colleagues was that a female student left the hall to visit the toilet. In her absence, Mr. Bello left his seat at the rear of the hall and took the seat of the absent student. All entreaties of the Auditorium Marshall, the Chairman of the Students Representative Council (S.R.C.) and other students fell on deaf ears. It was further reported that Mr. Bello nearly went into a scuffle with the female student on her return from the rest room.

Because of his disorderly behavior, a query was issued to him by the Head of Students Affairs Department. Rather than addressing the issues, he went into irrelevant narration, alleging bias by the officials.

Thereafter, he went on to procure and print on a polo shirt inciting inscriptions and embarked on a solo protest around the School premises. He followed this with a petition against the “Head, Control Room”, addressed to the Secretary to the Council of Legal Education and Director of Administration, which he circulated to the whole world, including the Secretary-General of the United Nations and Amnesty International.

His continued disruptive behavour raised concern among his colleagues. In consequence, the Students Representative Council issued a disclaimer of his actions which was addressed to the Head of Academics on March 21, 2017 and read in part as follows:

“This is to bring to your notice that the S.R.C…………….distances itself totally from the unnecessary and inordinate acts of one Mr. Kayode Bello. This is coming after the S.R.C. through the appropriate Committee met with the said Mr. Kayode Bello to aggregate interest, but he walked out on the Committee.”

Following the disclaimer and Mr. Bello’s continued acts of intransigence and nuisance in the hostel, the Students Affairs Officer issued him with another query, but he refused to accept it. Considering his estranged relationship with his colleagues; and to avoid any break down of law and peaceful co-existence, a letter of advise was written to him to vacate the Hostel in his interest. Mr. Bello howeverrefused to accept the letter.

Instead, he went to the Bwari Divisional Police Station to lay a complaint of criminal intimidation against the management of the Nigerian Law School, seeking the arrest of all the officers. He further urged the Police to invite the Chairman, Council of Legal Education for interrogation.

Consequently, he was invited, along with the female student he had an altercation with, the Chairman of the Students Representative Council and the Auditorium Marshall, to appear before the Students Misconduct Committee, for various infractions of the Students Code of Conduct. Even though he received the letter of invitation, he refused to acknowledge receipt of it and failed to appear before the Committee, despite repeated invitations.

At conclusion of its deliberations, the Committee found Mr. Bello liable of the allegations against him. It noted that:

“The Council of Legal Education was magnanimous in its decision to approve the admission of Mr. Bello to the Nigerian Law School, despite the adverse report from his University.” It further noted that: “Mr. Bello lacks the core attributes, disposition and comportment of an aspirant to the Bar.”

It therefore recommended his expulsion from the Nigerian Law School.
The report of the Committee was considered by the Council of Legal Education at its meetingof July 11, 2017, which approved the recommendations accordingly.

The decision of the Council of Legal Education was delivered to Mr. Bello, but he refused to accept the letter and further refused to vacate the Students Hostel as he was directed. Instead, he armed himself with an iron rod and threatened to injure whoever went near him. The security personnel left him alone, to avoid a situation in which any of them would be injured by Mr. Bello.

He was eventually sighted in the Library unarmed, as a result of which the Security Operatives were able to escort him to the Bwari Divisional Police Station. The Police later brought him to the hostel to evacuate his belongings.

Mr. Bello’s penchant for misbehaviour was also recently brought to the fore via the letter from the Principal Partner (a Senior Advocate of Nigeria), of the Law Firm to which he was attached, during the just concluded Externship exercise by all students of the Nigerian Law School. The Firm was constrained to terminate his stay there even before the period expired because of Mr. Bello’s incorrigible behaviour. The letter went thus:

“We write to inform you that your conduct during the period of your externship in our Law Firm is highly unbecoming of a person aspiring to be a legal practitioner. You have demonstrated little or no respect to the leadership and personnel of the firm. As an aspiring legal practitioner, your conduct is expected to be Fit and Proper. We are therefore constrained to reject your continuation of the externship and hereby wish to inform you that you leave the office forthwith.”

The Nigerian Law School and the legal profession, to which he aspired to belong, do not condone the type of behavior constantly exhibited by Mr. Bello.

On facilities at the Nigerian Law School, it is worthy of note that the Main Hall of the Nigerian Law School in the Bwari, Abuja has more than enough seats for all registered students. The position is the same in the other Campuses of Nigerian Law School.

Therefore, the basis for the conflict precipitated by Mr. Bello, by leaving his seat and moving over to that occupied by a fellow student was unfortunate. The Nigerian Law School has sufficient capacity to cope with students projection for the foreseeable future.

CHINEDU UKEKWE
Head 0f Information & Protocol

Viral Video Of Ghanaian Undertakers Performing Choreography While Carrying CorpseÂ

A Group of Ghanaian undertakers says they have now found an exceptional way in helping families send their loved ones off in style by adding choreography while rendering their services.

In the video below,  the leader of the group, Benjamin, says he decided to add choreography to improve their services.

According to him, whenever clients come to them, they ask if they want it solemn or a bit more of the display with choreography.

One of their clients who paid for their service at her mother's burial, said  'I decided to give my mother a dancing trip to her maker.'

Watch the video below...

Housekeeper, Driver Arraigned For Allegedly Stealing N150m Worth Of Jewellery From Segun Odegbami's Wife

A housekeeper and driver of Oyindamola Odegbami, wife of former Nigerian footballer, Segun Odegbami were on Wednesday, arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing N150 million worth of jewellery.

The accused Patrick,25 and Mohammed Abdulazeez, 26, who were arraigned alongside Esther Pam, 28, a friend of the housekeeper are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing. They all denied the charges.

According to the prosecutor, Inspector Peter Nwangwu, the trio committed the offences on Dec. 10, 2016 at the complainant’s residence in Ikoyi, Lagos.

"The complainant (Mrs Oyindamola Odegbami) on Dec. 10, 2016, discovered that sets of jewellery as well as some personal effects were missing from her bedroom. The missing personal effects are; a set of Roberto Coin Gold set valued at $15,000 (N7.5 million), a set of Van Clef Diamond and Gold Butterfly jewellery valued at $50,000 (N25 million) A dangling gold jewellery set valued at $50,000 (N25 million), a set of black and white diamonds valued at $75,000 (N37.5 million), a plain gold set valued at $15,000 (N7.5 million).

"A big set of gold and diamond encrusted pendant valued at $50,000 (N25 million) as well as other valuable personal and household items such as an iPad, three Blackberry mobile phones, six Ankara fabrics etc," he said.

According to the prosecutor, the complainant after noticing that the items were missing, realised that Patrick, her housekeeper, who has yet to return from a holiday that ended over two weeks ago was responsible for the theft.

“The complainant reported to the authorities and Patrick was apprehended at the home of her boyfriend, one Cpl. Mathias Hussein, a mobile policeman of Mopol 43, Lion Building, Obalende, Lagos.

“Police investigations also revealed that Abdulazeez, the complainant’s driver and Pam, Patrick’s friend also domestic staff at a nearby house, had aided Patrick in stealing the items in suitcases. On interrogation by the police, Patrick admitted stealing Mrs Odegbami’s household items and personal effects, but denied taking the jewellery.

"The property she admitted stealing were recovered from the Mobile Police Barracks residence of her boyfriend, Cpl. Hussein at Obalende, Lagos," Nwangwu told the court.

The offences contravened Sections 278 (1), (2) and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

In her ruling, the Magistrate, Mrs Y.O. Aje-Afunwa granted each of the accused N2 million bail with two sureties each in like sum.

Aje-Afunwa said the sureties must be homeowners who must provide evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
She adjourned the case until Oct. 17 for trial.

Kwara State Civil Servant To Be Arraigned In Court For Allegedly Criticizing Senate President, Bukola Saraki On Facebook- SR

According to Sahara Reporters, a civil servant with the Kwara state civil service, Biodun Baba, has been arrested and will be arraigned in a court in Ilorin, the state capital today. According to SR, he is being charged to court for insulting Senate President, Bukola Saraki, via his Facebook page.

Drug abuse in Plateau State scary, alarming – NDLEA

 

Plateau State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has described the rate of drug abuse among youths in the state as alarming.

Mrs Ene Akuh, officer in charge of Operations at the agency, spoke during a sensitisation training, organised by Nigeria Youth Network on Countering Violent Extremism (NYNCVE) for youth leaders in Jos.

Akuh, who urged youths to desist from taking illicit drugs, called on community and religious leaders to support government in ensuring that the menace of drug abuse in the general society, was brought to an end.

In his remarks, State Focal Person of NYNCVE, Mr Jacob Pwakim, said the aim of the training was to build capacity of young people who would take action against violent extremism in the communities.

He said youths were usually the most hit when violence erupted, hence the need to educate them in ensuring an end to violence in the society.

“Over time, we have experienced incessant violent protests where young people were used to take the lives of people in the society.

“We can’t fold our arms and see the population of young people who ought to be leaders of tomorrow depleting. This is why the network decided to organise this sensitisation.

“Our target is to build structure of young people who will take action against violent extremism at the community level,” Pwakim noted.

The training supported by Search for Common Ground and Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Right Abuse (YIAVHA), drew participants from Jenta Adamu and Rikkos communities in Jos North LGA.

A ten-man committee was set up to curb violence, extremism in the communities.

The network was formed from a youth summit against violence extremism held in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital in 2016.

Plateau had witnessed various forms of violence that left scores killed or displaced.

Photos: NDLEA Destroys 24.3 Metric Tons Of Drugs Seized In Abuja

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed 24,304kg of assorted forfeited narcotic drugs seized within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

The exercise is sequel to two destruction orders signed by Honourable Justice NnamdiDimg class='img-responsive text-center' style='margin: auto;'ba and Honourable Justice A. Abdulkafarati of the Federal High Court in Abuja. The exhibits with an estimated street value of 250 million naira were jointly set ablaze by local and international collaborators at Lungi barracks along Aso drive in Abuja.

Chairman of the anti-narcotic Agency, Col.  Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (retd) who described the destruction as symbolic and strategic both to the Agency and drug control policies of the government stressed that seized drugs remain a threat until they are destroyed.

"Public destruction of drugs is the climax of operational activities which begin with tracking of suspected drug merchants, drug exhibits, prosecution of drug dealers and forfeiture of the drugs. Until drugs are completely destroyed they remain a threat to societal peace" Abdallah stated.

The drugs are products of concluded drug cases by the FCT command in the past two years, precisely June 2015 to date. The breakdown of the drugs are as follows; cannabis 24,278.33kg, psychotropic substances 23.68kg, cocaine 1.6256kg, heroin 0.1084kg and amphetamines 0.1082kg.

 FCT Minister, Honourable Muhammad Musa Bello who was the Special Guest of Honour commended the NDLEA for the seized drugs and also urged the Agency to extend the war on drugs to the grass root and motor parks. The Minister who was represented by the Chairman, Abuja Municipal Council, HonourableAbdullahiAdamu said that:

“I appreciate the role of the Agency in eliminating drugs from the FCT. Let me urge the NDLEA to intensify efforts by taking the drug war to the grass root and motor parks. The FCT administration will continue to support the fight against drug trafficking in our collective search for a healthy society”.

The Ona of Abaji and Chairman Council of traditional rulers in the FCT, AlhajiAdamu Baba Yunusa called on youths to stay away from drug trafficking, drug abuse and other acts that are injurious to the society.

“I want youths to stay away from drug abuse and be useful to themselves and the society. The NDLEA should also take the drug enlightenment to communities as well as teach drug education in schools” the royal father advised.

The FCT Commander of the NDLEA, Mrs ObijuruChinyere in her welcome remarks said that the command will step up campaign programmes in schools, workplaces, religious and worship centres to address the problem of drug abuse within Abuja.

The NDLEA Chairman added that the volume of the seized drugs reflects the high demand for drugs within the FCT which is alarming.

"There is a growing obsession of youths with the use of psychotropic substances particularly cough syrups with codein, tramadol as well as unconventional substances like gasolin,  tippex, rubber solution, lizard waste, pit latrine fume,  and local concoctions such as goskolo and zakami which require urgent attention" the NDLEA boss added.
 
The Agency reassured members of the public that the war against drugs shall be intensified. According to the Chairman, "we need to ensure that drug traffickers run out of market. We must reinvigorate our anti-drug campaign efforts through law enforcement and public sensitisation on the effects of drugs on health, security and development".

Present at the event were representatives from the National Assembly, members of the diplomatic community, military and paramilitary agencies among other stakeholders.

More photos below...

Plateau govt rakes N5.19bn as IGR in first half of the year

 

THE Plateau Government has declared that the State Internal Generated Revenue for the first half of this year stands at N5.19 billion saying there is the tendency that state might meet its target of N13 billion IGR for the year, 2017.

Mr Dashe Arlat, Chairman, Plateau State Internal Revenue Service (PSIRS), who disclosed this to newsmen in Jos said the State revenue services is working round the clock and exploring all avenues to meet the target.

“If you look at the analysis of our collections within the period you see that we are able to hit N1.2 billion in the month of June followed by N877, 88 million recorded in the month of January.

“Our desire as a service is to maintain the one billion naira mark in our monthly collection which I believe be a great boost for the state government to meet its obligations to the people of Plateau, ’’ he asserted.

Arlat, who described the feat within the period as “very huge’’ and “encouraging’’ commended the staff of the service for their resilient and hard work.

According to him, right from January the list of the service monthly collection was recorded in April with only N643. 22M, followed by February – N781, 75M, March – N825. 85M and May – N848.68M respectively.

He also attributed the feat to introduction of various reforms including `Smart Collection,’ a technology that fast track issuance of Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) to tax payers and quick mode of payment.

Arlet further explained that the new technology adopted has helped at checkmating wastages and gingering the MDAs at improving their collections too.

The chairman said that the service has been waiting for the Governor’s signing of the harmonization bills recently passed by the state House of Assembly for it to improve its revenue collection.

“As I earlier said, the 500 Ad hoc staff we recently engaged are so small for us to achieve our goals but we hope the government will give us the go ahead to employ more hands.

“By the time we more workers, whom we can send out into the street to capture tax payers, especially those within the informal sector, our story will tremendously change’’ the Chairman explained.

The PSIRS Chairman however called on the general public to cooperate with its staff, who will soon be going round to enumerate all houses within the Bukuru-Jos Metropolis for the collection of ground rent.

According to him, numbering all the houses in Plateau and for collection of ground rents was in the interest of the generality of the state toward government meeting its social responsibilities to them.

Vera Sidika Expresses Her Joy At The Size Of Her Newest Man's D*ck While Explaining The Great Advantages Of Big D*ck

Kenyan socialite, Vera Sidika went all raw on snapchat glorifying the size of her man's d**k and also extensively explained the benefits of a big manhood. According to her, she can never settle down with a man who has a small manhood. Rather, she can date the person for only a few months. She then talked about everything she can do with a big manhood. Y'all have to read it yourselves. 

Midnight swearing in of LG committee, illegal, PDP accuses Lalong

The Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State has condemned the swearing in of the new management committee for the 17 local government areas of the state on Friday at about 9:00 pm saying it was an illegal act to escape litigation.

Even as Governor Simon Lalong through his media adviser, Daniel Manjang said it was constitutional and the time of the swearing in was immaterial.

The State Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr John Agans said the action of the government depicted illegality adding that running the government especially the swearing in at midnight was dangerous for democracy and people of the state.

“Admitting an oath of office at the odd hour of the day is illegal and we are not surprise that the governor chooses the odd hour for such an event. Our findings revealed that it was done to avoid litigation based on the case we filed at the State High Court to stop the swearing in ceremony.”

“He narrated that the PDP in the State had gone to court but something happened along the way and the process was delayed until Friday but to evade any negative action against the swearing in, the governor hurriedly performed the swearing in the night on Friday.”

He said: “The Governor is running away from litigation, we are aware of this, the composition of the management committees is illegal and unconstitutional. We are appealing to the judiciary to come to the aid of Plateau and stop this impunity and others being perpetrated by the governor.”

Responding, the State Governor through his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Daniel Manjang said there was no section of the constitution which said oath of office must be taken at a particular time of the day adding that it was matter of convenience.

“There is no section of the constitution which says it must be done at a particular time, it is a matter of convenience. The timing doesn’t change anything but the action is the most important.”

“This government believes in the rule of law, nothing happened that is outside the confine of the law. We had a situation in this state where a governor pronounced his son as Special Adviser and Commissioner without swearing in and the son assumed office as commissioner even without appearing before the state assembly.”

He advised the PDP in the state to provide credible opposition instead complaining over actions that were taken in the interest of the state.