N20b fraud:

EFCC quizzes Ex-UBEC boss, others, companies linked to minority leader, Leo Ogor

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detectives have quizzed a former Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Mallam Suleiman Dikko, for alleged N20billion fraud.

Also grilled were contractors and top directors of UBEC, including those in charge of Finance and Procurement.

Dikko

Dikko’s and some contractors’ passports have been impounded “to ensure unhindered investigation”.

The probe, said a source, who pleaded not to be named, is to unravel how funds meant for primary education and Unity Schools were either diverted or converted to private use.

“The fraud involves over N20 billion, allegedly siphoned through the purchase of science and technical  equipment and MDGs’ books for some 104 Unity Schools between September  2012 and 2014.”

The Principals of the “beneficiary schools” denied receiving the books and equipment listed against their schools, it was learnt.

“They claimed that they only received between 20 to 30 per cent of the equipment and books purportedly delivered to their schools, whereas the contractors were paid in full,” the source said.

Some former executive secretaries and directors of the commission have been quizzed.

There are indications that the N20billion contract scam is part of the cases for which the anti-graft commission is investigating Dikko.

Another source said: “The ongoing probe of UBEC has many dimensions. We have also discovered many contracts duly paid for but abandoned between 2012 and 2014.  Some fake contracts were awarded in order to acquire slush funds for purposes known only to the former UBEC Secretary and the accomplice directors.

“There were also reckless awards of contracts under the guise of constituency projects between 2012 and 2014.

“For instance,  many  unexecuted constituency projects  were awarded by UBEC  to some companies owned by some members of the National Assembly.

“Some of these projects have been traced to a principal officer of the House of Representatives.”

The Nation had reported that some of the contracts in which the agency is being investigated are traceable to companies linked to House of Representatives Minority Leader, Hon Leo Ogor.

The projects in UBEC are: One block of three classrooms at Eru Primary School, Igbide (N9,180,835.45); one block of three classrooms at Ivori Primary School, Isoko (N9,887,778); construction of three classrooms at Egburie Primary School, Ozoro; and construction of six classrooms on January 21, 2016  at Olordo Primary School, Ozoro (N9, 300,000).

The others are: supply of customised library equipment to selected schools in Isoko North Local Government Area at N16,050,000; Supply of instructional materials in Isoko North /South Federal Constituency(N14, 650,000);  supply of customised equipment to selected schools in Isoko Federal Constituency(N15, 950,000);   rehabilitation of six  classrooms at Egware Primary School, Ozoro (N9,200,928,90); and construction of six classrooms and toilets as well as supply of  furniture at Itebighe Primary School (N12, 988.099.23).

imirroronline recalls that EFCC had earlier opened investigation on member representing Isoko Federal Constituency, Hon Leo Ogor over a petition that most of the constituency projects facilitated by Ogor were awarded to the six companies linked to him of which over N116million being an outstanding sum in the accounts of five of the six companies secured contracts from some agencies including Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons as constituency projects.

Coming out soon!!!

A book written by a veteran journalist, renowned author titled:

“History of Isoko people in the Niger-Delta”.

Will be out in the next few months.

Watch out for it, to get the details of our glorious past much better.

It is entertaining, it is thrilling and interesting!

Isoko Wa Dooooooo

Commissioner sacks his 85-year old mother from home

These are not the best of times for Mrs. Mary Okolie, the 85-year-old mother of the Commissioner for Local Government and Rural Development in Imo State, Chief Gerry Okolie.
This owes largely to the dehumanizing conditions she had allegedly been subjected to by her eldest son, Chief Okolie
For Mrs. Okolie, the rise to prominence of her son, which she had prayed for, has become her greatest undoing.
Speaking to our correspondent in Orlu, she said, “My son, Gerry has done everything in his power to humiliate his siblings and to kill me, but for the grace of God”.
She disclosed that the commissioner has rendered every member of the family homeless and had “demolished my three-room kitchen line. I am not only homeless, but I cook my food in the open on a soak-away pavement under rain and sunshine.

She further explained that all efforts by kinsmen and the entire community to make him rethink have been futile. According to her, the traditional ruler of Amaifeke and Deputy Chairman, Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze (Dr) Emma Okeke, wrote the traditional ruler of their autonomous community, Ihioma, to prevail on Gerry to abide by the decision and resolution of the community to no avail.
“He not only ignored the letter, but refused to go and answer the elders-in-council. He keeps boasting that with his closeness to Governor Rochas Okorocha, he will always have his way and nothing will happen”.
In a letter to the governor, dated June 3, 2017, the frail octogenarian said: “My son Gerry, lost control of himself since he was empowered by the present state government. He chased me out of my late husband’s house just to force me to an early grave. He demolished my apartment, kitchen and also my clothes and other properties, without an alternative and erected his personal building there”.
Continuing, the woman said, Gerry Okolie’s wicked and inhuman actions to her and her other children have caused her sleepless nights and adversely affected her health and yet, “My son does not care whether I live or die because he wants me dead at all cost”.
In a similar letter to the governor by two siblings of the Commissioner, Anthony Okolie and Vitalis Okolie, they wrote: “Gerry has severally threatened to kill us and has chased us out of our late father’s house where we are living with our families without providing us an alternative living place. We begged him to give us time but he refused and threw us out.
“One day he just returned and forcibly broke the door to our bedroom, entered and started damaging and throwing some of our properties out through the fence. He beat my eight-year-old child mercilessly. On a similar occasion, he stormed into our home with a squad of policemen and soldiers shooting sporadically, some villagers fled as he broke into our room where my wife and children were lying down, he ordered the policemen to hold my wife while Gerry started beating my wife. He tore her clothes, gave her wounds and a heavy blow to the eyes. My wife fainted.”
With the relentless terror visited on her family, Mrs. Mary Okolie was compelled to institute an action in court against his son, Chief Gerry Okolie, with her four other children as co-plaintiffs.
The case came up recently at Ihioma Customary Court and in their statement of claims, in Suit No. CC/14/2017 filed by their counsel, O.A.U. Eleke Esq., plaintiffs, are seeking an order of court, that the plaintiffs and defendant are widow and children of late Chief Michael Okolie and are therefore, all entitled to inherit his estate, which the defendant has forcefully and exclusively kept to himself.
Gerry neither picked our correspondent’s calls when contacted to respond to the petition, neither did he respond to text the message sent to his phone, requesting his side of the story.

As their mother, the first plaintiff has nowhere to cook her meal, an order of court, also, directing the defendant, Gerry Okolie, to restore the house of Chief Michael Okolie (Husband of Mrs. Mary Okolie), currently housing Anthony Okolie (2nd plaintiff), with his household of seven members and N1million as general damages.
The plaintiffs are also asking the court, to declare that the entire estate of Chief Michael Okolie (Husband of Mary Okolie) which Commissioner Gerry Okolie has forcefully taken for himself, has not been shared and should be partitioned, amongst his heirs in accordance with the native law and custom of the people of Umuagi, Ihioma in Orlu LGA of Imo State.
The case was adjourned for further hearing.
Younger brother to Commissioner Okolie, Mr. Anthony Okolie also lamented that it has become routine for the Commissioner to assault and harass his siblings with policemen adding that on one occasion when he broke into our home, Gerry Okolie had asked a policeman to shoot Vitalis, the last born of the family ‘if he talks’.
He called on Governor Rochas Okorocha to call his Commissioner to order and allow their aged mother to live in peace.

Madman caught with 100m cheque, condoms, 4 ATM cards, photo with top politicians

A middle-aged man who pretended to be mentally ill has been apprehended in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

Our correspondent learnt that the man, whose name could not be ascertained, as of the time of filing this report, was apprehended near the state Ministry of Environment and Forestry along the Ahmadu Bello Way in Ilorin.

Sources said when he was searched, a cheque of N100m, pictures he allegedly took with top politicians in Nigeria, four automated teller machine cards, male and female condoms, Valium injections and Infinix Hot 5 phone were found on him.

The sources said the man, who would have been lynched by a mob, was rescued by another man dressed in a native attire.

An eye-witness who pleaded anonymity, said she got there when people caught the fake madman.  She said she witnessed how the man was searched.

According to her, she ran away when it seemed the mob  might lynch the suspect.

The picture of the man and a brief description of what transpired when he was apprehended quickly spread through the social media.

But the Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi, said he could not confirm the discovery of the fake madman, adding that all he saw was a picture of the purported man circulating on the social media.

Why pastor beats wife to death on christmas day

The quiet University town of Uli and the home town of one time Governor Mbadinuju of Anambra State has been thrown into confusion. The town that once boasted of one of Biafra’s airstrips is today in the news for the wrong reasons.
A couple of minutes ago, a retired boxer simply known as Everistus must have thought he was in the boxing ring as he did not only ‘ knock out’ his wife but actually knocked the life out of her in what many have called the most brutal domestic violence of the year.

As at the time of filing this report, the youths from the deceased nearby village of Amamputu, also in Uli have vented their anger on Mr Everistus’ Country home while promising hell and brimstone.
Efforts are being made to get more details and photos of this unfortunate incident.

This sad event took place in Uli, Ihiala LGA of Anambra State.
Emerging facts reveal that the poor woman who lost her life to domestic violence was a hard-working petty trader in the local Ekeagbagba market and well loved by all that knew her.
Trouble started when the deceased asked her husband (now at large) a purported pastor with a local branch of Our Lord Chosen Church in the town for money with which to cook for the family on Christmas day. Rather than provide the money, Mr Ezehiri had turned her into a punching bag leading to her instant death.
Following this development, youths from the deceased’s neighbouring village of Amamputu, also in Uli, were said to have descended on Mr Ezehiri’s Country home setting it ablaze.
However, this was not before several charms and idols were discovered in the house of a purported pastor. Most amazing was a moulded human statue clothed with the apron of Our Lord Chosen.
More facts as they emerge.

Warri south suspends payment of revenue

* Imposes N5, 000 fine on those dumping refuse on the road

 authorities of Warri

 South Local Government Council have admonished residents of the local government not to pay revenue to anyone or agent for now pending when New revenue committees will be constituted for 2018. Management of the local government council in a statement released through its Information Unit Friday December 22, stressed that the warning became necessary so as to save business owners and other inhabitants of Warri from paying revenue to unauthorized agents and ultimately confronted with multiple taxation. The statement also cautioned residents of the Oil City of Warri against indiscriminate dumping of refuse, especially along the median of major roads and streets, noting that anyone caught dumping refuse on the median of the roads will pay a N5, 000 fine. The council used the medium to wish people of Warri South Local Government Area a merry Christmas and prosperous 2018, as it prays for improved revenue profile with a view to ensuring better service delivery.

Women who specialize in stealing babies from churches nabbed while trying to steal more

Child trafficker has been arrested by the Police in Imo state for stealing children from churches and selling them to buyers in Anambra.

Parading the Syndicate at Custody the prime suspect, 32year old Nnenna Njoku confessed that she uses her 10-year-old daughter, Chinecherem Onyejiaka, to lure children from churches and homes to her mother.
The other suspects are identified as Ijeoma Eboka, Irene Ogbuehi, Chinyere Mark, Perpetua Dike, Lilian Asoluka, Grace Ogueri and Edith Ejiaga.
Investigation revealed that the number of children missing in the prime suspect’s area of operation was nine.

Women Who Specialize In Stealing Babies

The prime suspect, a divorcee and mother of five children, told newsmen that she made N380,000 from the sale of the three children to Eboka, an indigene of Delta state. .
She said while she stole the children from different churches in Imo State, she took them to Eboka at different meeting points in Anambra State, who sold them to waiting buyers. .
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Andrew Enwerem, said they will soon be charged to court.

The second buyer, Ogbueri (45) from Orlu in Imo State,confessed that she bought two children from Eboka for N600,000 each, while she sold them at N750,000 to Dike (60), and another buyer who was at large.

New Zimbabwe govt returns land to white farmer

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa ordered that a white Zimbabwean farmer evicted from his land in June be allowed to return, signaling a shift in land-ownership policy from predecessor Robert Mugabe.
Mnangagwa has also ordered an end to the intimidation and eviction of farmers, regardless of race, with immediate effect, presidential adviser Chris Mutsvanga said Thursday.
Robert Smart, evicted from his Lesbury Estate farm in the eastern Manicaland province by then-governor Mandi Chimene, can return immediately, Mutsvanga said by phone interview from the capital, Harare.

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa

Chimene’s whereabouts aren’t currently known, while a religious leader who participated in the eviction was “told to leave the farmer alone,” Mutsvanga added. Several ministers and governors loyal to Mugabe, like Chimene, have disappeared from public view since Nov. 15, when Zimbabwe’s military briefly took control of the country.
One of Mnangagwa’s key challenges will be to revive an agricultural industry that collapsed following the Mugabe-sanctioned seizure of mostly white-owned commercial farms starting in 2000, causing food shortages and slashing export earnings and tax revenue.
After taking office two weeks ago, the new president spoke in a speech about the need to revive Zimbabwe’s decimated economy and put the southern African nation back to work. However, his announcement last week of a cabinet that included ruling party loyalists and army generals fueled skepticism about the likelihood of policy changes.
“Under the new dispensation, all Zimbabweans, regardless of race, color or creed are welcome to work for the development of the country,” Mutsvanga said.

Why single mother buried her baby alive

In a bid to conceal ever being pregnant, a single mother who met a rich man who promised to marry her reportedly buried her 3-months old son alive .

The lady who did all that to get the rich suitor as her take home trophy, unearthed the corpse after she got arrested following the intervention of the baby’s paternal family.

The sad incident happened last Saturday 9^th December 2017 in Agbavi area of Togo.

Nollywood actor allegedly impregnates married woman, sues blogger who exposed him

Handsome Nollywood actor Michael Okon has found himself at the mercy of UK-based Stella Dimoko after he hired lawyers to take her up when she accused him of using someone’s credit card without authorization.

Mr Okon who is popular for his undying love for women (both married and singles) was last week called out for breaking the home of a married woman whom he dated and impregnated.

He allegedly abandoned the married woman and her baby even after her husband divorced her.

Since the alleged adulteress delivered his love child, the actor is yet to set his eyes on the girl or her mother.

In order to stop the damaging effect of the gossip started by Stella, Mr Okon ran to his lawyers to slam Stella with a N500million defamation lawsuit.

In retaliation, Stella took to Instagram today to expose more dirty secrets of the actor.

Here is what she wrote:

Cow with two heads leave many people baffled in Northern Nigeria

A mutant cow born with two heads has left a stir in the north as many people came out to catch a glimpse of the rare animal. People were left totally baffled after a cow born with two heads was discovered in northern part of Nigeria.

The cow born with two heads

The unusual cow attracted people who came to see with their own eyes. It is believed that the cow did not survive due to complicated nature of its birth.It is believed the cause of the two heads might be as a result of genetic mutation. 

PHCN: consumers should be allowed to buy meters, pay only undisputed bills-FG

The Federal Government has told the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to allow power consumers to purchase meters from approved vendors.
The Federal Government said this is a regulation and not a favour to consumers, adding that disputed bills should also not be paid.
The position of the Federal Government was made known on Thursday via a communique issued based on the outcome of the third edition of the National Council on Power.
The Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing said both the federal and state governments resolved that NERC should reinstate the regulation that permits power consumers to purchase meters, especially where the Discos could not provide the facility.

Fashola

The communique of the Council, presided over by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, and the Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Suleiman Hassan, with 27 states in attendance, stated: “Council considered issues, observations and recommendations made by the working/technical committees as contained in the reports laid before it, and took key decisions as well as gave directives for implementation with time lines as outlined below.
“NERC to reinstate regulations permitting willing customers to purchase meters from approved meter vendors as approved by the distribution companies and the Nigeria Electricity Management Services Agency with a framework to reimburse such customers in cash, or energy.
“NERC to issue a regulation that enables third-party meter providers to install and manage customers’ meters, provided that such third parties are certified by NEMSA and approved by the Discos based on available metering standards. NERC to provide a framework for compensating the investment made by meter service providers in cash or shares in the Discos.”
On bills, the Federal Government directed NERC to enforce on the Discos the policy directive that any unmetered customer was obligated to pay only the last undisputed bill.
It said the last undisputed bill should be discounted by 15 per cent in each subsequent year that the customer remains unmetered, provided that the failure to meter the customer was the fault of the Disco.
The council stated, “In areas where customers are dissatisfied with the services they are currently enjoying, NERC regulations should give customers the option of contracting better services from service providers and generation companies through policies like the eligible customers regulation and mini-grids using varieties of generation technologies; obtaining better services by compelling Discos to appoint retail agents; and obtaining better services by compelling the Discos to relinquish their franchise to capable investors/service providers.”

England Champ boxer faces being deported to Nigeria

An elite level boxer who has fought for England six times is facing being deported to Nigeria.

Bilal Fawaz was detained at the Tinsley House Immigration Centre at Gatwick Airport in West Sussex on Nov 29.

The 29-year-old, of Hayes in Hillingdon, who has competed for England six times and was the 2012 ABA light-middleweight champion, came to England when he was 14.

Brought to the UK illegally by an uncle, he was told his father would be arriving soon, but the man never turned up. 

Fawaz, who calls himself Kelvin, was treated 'like a slave' before he ran away from the home he was living in and was taken into care.

Now married to an English woman, the boxing prodigy went through a turbulent period involving drug gangs, getting shot once and stabbed a reported 25 times.

However, he turned his life around after taking up boxing in 2011 at the Stonebridge Boxing Club in Brent and has risen through the ranks to become one of Britain's top amateur boxers - currently ranked the third best middleweight in England.

But the Home Office have rejected his application to remain in the UK and declared his marriage to a British citizen void.

The athlete was arrested and  taken to the Tinsley House Immigration Removal Centre in Gatwick.

The boxing champ said he was now facing being deported to Nigeria, somewhere he has not been since he was sneaked out of the country by his uncle as a teenager.

He said: 'I'm allowed to box for England but I'm not allowed to stay in England.

'I've spent over half of my life here - I went to school here, I lived here, I've boxed for England six times and never lost.

'I am a national champion - in 2014 I even boxed for England against Nigeria, the country they want to deport me to.'

The boxer says he is technically 'stateless' as his parents were Lebanese immigrants to Nigeria, and they themselves didn't have Nigerian citizenship.

His mother is dead and he says he had 'no idea' where his father is.

He added: 'I have no other family to go back to, I don't know anyone in Nigeria or anything about it - all I know is here.

'Imagine how it feels to represent a country and then to have that country turn around and put you in what feels like a prison.'

Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington John McDonnell and England Boxing have appealed to the authorities on the boxer's behalf, but without success.

A Home Office spokesman said: 'When someone has no leave to remain in the UK, we expect them to leave the country voluntarily.

'Where they do not, we will seek to enforce their departure.' 

Why some Yoruba actors attend Celestial churches – Adesegha

Not many people know that provocative dark-skinned Nollywood beauty, Adediwura Adesegha, nicknamed ‘Blarkgold’ started her acting career with a religious group known as the Evangelical Filmmakers Dramatic Association of Nigeria (EFDAN). She used to move around with them, acting from one church to another but proximity made her leave the group.

Adediwura Adesegha unmasked at her birthday party recently

“I had to withdraw from the group when I changed my environment and couldn’t meet up with their meetings. Yes, I was criticized when I left because some thought I backslid by leaving them. As a Christian actor you are not supposed to wear earrings and all those stuff. I am here today and they are appreciating me for what I do because they haven’t seen  signs of a Christian who has backslided in me,” she once told Potpourri in an interview. Speaking further about spirituality and religion, the mother of one, shed light on why many Yoruba actors, especially the females, prefer attending Celestial churches. “You know people love it when they tell them visions about themselves. I think that may be the reason  they attend Celestial churches. I might be wrong though. You know the Yorubas believe in the power of the spiritual. Some actresses were born into the Celestial church while some joined,” she said. Talking about her own level of spirituality, given the kind of background she came from and the lifestyle she has chosen for herself , she said she would score herself fifty percent “Spirituality has nothing to do with your mode of dressing. It has to do with your heart. When you talk about being spiritual, let me just score myself fifty percent. My morning devotion is on zero level. I will rather sing. I find it difficult to pray and keep saying “Lord do this or that for me”.Singing is the way I pour my heart to God. Everybody doesn’t have to kneel down and pray. I might sit down and just look on a spot for a while and keep my thoughts connected to God. It depends on one’s way of connecting and your relationship with God.

DSIEC Interview

DSIEC WILL GIVE ALL LEVEL PLAY GROUND FOR A FREE, FAIR AND CREDIBLE L.G. ELECTION--OGBODU
Chief Mike Ogbodu is a retired Commissioner of Police, is a Lawyer, a man with high integrity, a no nonsense man who commits all his energies to any task assigned to him, this could best be attested to by the fact that wherever he served across the length and breadth of the country as a police, 

Chief (Barr.) Mike Ogbodu, Chairman, Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC )

he left his footprints in the sands of time, a refined officer, one of the good ones while in service . No wonder, when the position of the chairman, Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) became vacant, all fingers and eyes pointed to and were on him as the most credible person who can do the job, and so Delta State Government under Senator Ifeanyi Okowa did not waste time in appointing the man who retired in March 2016 to pilot the affairs of the Commission. Chief Ogbodu spoke on the forthcoming elections. Excerpts:

QUESTION: Can you briefly tell us about your background?

ANSWER: I am Chief Barrister Mike Ogbodu, Commissioner of Police (rtd). I am from Oghara and maternally from Mosogar all in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta state. I attended RCS Academy School, Zicks Academy Sapele. I attended University of Lagos where I read Economics. In my quest for further my education I attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where I read law, went to Law School and called to bar in 1991. After my Youth Service I was enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force as Cadet ASP and I was trained at the prestigious Police Staff College, Kuru, Jos where I was commissioned as ASP officer. Later I was deployed to Kaduna State and posted to Samaru on attachment where you have the Ahmadu Bello University. later I was DPO Sabon Tasha, DPO, Kurumachi, all in Kaduna State after which I went to law school in 1991 and after my law school I was transferred to Benin as DCO Adesuwa Police Station in Edo State.

When Delta state was created I was now moved to Delta State. I was now OC, General Investigation in the state CID. Later I was moved to Rivers State, I was DPO in Degema, DPO in Abonema and Obogoma. Later I was 2Ic State CID and Officer in Charge,  Anti-Robbery. From there I was moved to Police Academy, Kano State. I was a lecturer in the Legal Department and was there for about three years, after which I was posted to Delta as a DPO in Agbor. After that I was moved again to Police Staff College as Director, Legal in Legal Department. From there I was moved to Sokoto where I was DPO Sokoto, Zamfara State. Later I was the Area Commander, Nnewi, Funtua, Awoda, Kaura Namoda (that is Zamfara State). Later I was moved to Adamawa as Second in Command as a Deputy Commissioner of Police and then to Anambra State and later I was moved to Imo State where I was promoted as Commissioner of Police and transferred to Force Criminal Investigation Department. I was Commissioner of Police,  Homicide. In 2015 I was transferred to Ondo State as the Commissioner of Police where I retired 9th March 2016.

QUESTION: Looking at your background, you were enlisted into the Police Force after graduating from Law School and looking at the Police Force today it seem to have credibility problem. Did you go to law school to become a Police Officer?

ANSWER: No, I read Economics in the University of Lagos before I was enlisted into the Police Force in 1981 as Cadet Officer. It was when I was in the Force that my quest for education led me to read law at the Ahmadu Bello University before I went to law school and called to Bar in 1991.

QUESTION: What is your fascination with the Police?

ANSWER: When I was growing up I stayed with my uncle who was a constable back in the days (those who use to wear shots). I can remember cleaning the shoes of my uncle. I think that was how I developed interest in joining the Police.

QUESTION: In Nigeria it is believed that for you to have this powerful appointment as the Chairman of DSIEC, you must be highly connected. Is it the Governor that called you to give you this appointment?

ANSWER: Before this appointment, I have never met the governor. I just think its God that made it possible

QUESTION: What was your first reaction when you heard about the appointment?

ANSWER: I was surprised when I heard the news but then it was joy for me because I now have the opportunity to serve my people.

QUESTION: How far has the journey been for you since you took over this appointment?

ANSWER: The journey has been fantastic so far and arrangement has already being made, though there are little challenges here and there but they are not insurmountable.

QUESTION: Having known how elections in this country can be like and how the average politician wants to win election at all cost, are you afraid of tomorrow?

ANSWER: I am not afraid at all because I know that Deltans are very reasonable people, all we need to do now is to go round the twenty-five local government areas of the state and enlighten the people, meet our royal fathers, sensitize our youths so that they can embrace peace. And of course in my acceptance speech I remember I said that every political party will have a level playing ground. Once you do the right thing nobody will go violent and I am not expecting any violence.

QUESTION: What is the assurance that you are giving to all the political parties that there is going to be a free and fair election having in mind that you were appointed by a PDP government?

ANSWER: Section 197 of the 1997 constitution of Nigeria as amended, gave the governor of the a state the powers to appoint the chairman of the state Independent electoral commission. For me as individual everybody has his own conscience. With my conscience I make sure I do the right thing. Like I said in my acceptance speech, the independence of Commission is sacrosanct. There is nobody that can influence us. We are going to do the work according to the Constitution and all relevant laws and our conscience. We will give everybody a fair playground to campaign, vote and ensure that their votes count and ensure that the right person emerges as winner.

QUESTION: Do you think the political parties are satisfied with your conduct so far?

ANSWER: Yes, they are satisfied. So far, I have not heard any criticism from any of the political parties about our conduct. All the political parties are stakeholders and they are all carried along in the process and they are satisfied so far.

QUESTION: How many political parties are participating in the forthcoming Local Government election?

ANSWER: Sixteen (16 ) political parties will be participating in the Saturday, January 6, 2018 election.

QUESTION: How sacrosanct it the date for this election or is there going to be any postponement due to some unforeseen circumstances?

ANSWER: Not at all, we are not envisaging any postponement and that date is sacrosanct.

QUESTION: Why are you so confident about the date?

ANSWER: We are prepared and we are working hard, we have everything on ground and with God behind us, we shall deliver a very credible election.

QUESTION: What are you expectations from all the political parties that will participate in this election?

ANSWER: Well, my expectation is that they should have faith in us and like I said before we are going to provide a level playing ground for all of them. All they need to do is to go out with their manifesto and campaign. Nobody can interfere in our business because we are independent. I can assure them that all will be given an opportunity to test his/her popularity in the field. Political parties should just do what is expected of them and we will do ours to give free, fair and credible election.

QUESTION: How prepared are you for the elections?

ANSWER: We were sworn in on the 25th September 2017. On the 4th of October, we swung into action and interacted with all the political parties and stakeholders where we unveiled the timetable and guidelines. On the 11th of November we did screening for all the contestants and the results were out. No candidate has been disqualified so far. So far there are no significant challenges.

QUESTION: What has the Commission done to see that voters are adequately educated on how to conduct themselves during the election?

ANSWER: Like I have said before, we shall reach out to our royal fathers to help us talk to and enlighten their subjects on the need for them to comport themselves well during and after the election. We have reached to stakeholders too

QUESTION: Does the Commission have the staff strength to conduct the election?

ANSWER: No, we shall recruit credible ad hoc staff to help us in this election. We have already advertised for the positions in various media houses.

QUESTION: Who is qualified to be part of the electoral process as ad hoc staff?

ANSWER: Anybody who is not a politician and is above eighteen years can apply for the positions.

QUESTION: In terms of funding, how prepared is the Commission?

ANSWER: The Commission has no problem with funding because the government is fully prepared for the election. The government has made funds available in line with the Constitution and according to funds available to the state.

QUESTION: A lot of politicians in the country see elections as a do or die affair, what is your appeal to politicians as they prepare for this election?

ANSWER: Politicians should take it easy and go out and sell their manifestos to the people who will elect them? They should not engage in any act that will jeopardize the elections.

QUESTION: During elections, there are usually restrictions, what are you doing to ensure that those in the rural areas participate in the election?

ANSWER: We are sensitizing them on how they can go about the election. We have talked to the traditional rulers who will in turn talk to their youths and all their subjects to exercise their franchise to elect leaders of their choice in a level playing ground.

QUESTION: Are you assuring Deltans that there will be free and fair election in January 6, 2018 given the controversial nature of politicians in Delta State?

ANSWER: The way I see it is that when you do the right thing, the people will know that you have done the right thing and they will not protest but rather key into the process. We, in DSIEC will ensure that the right thing is done and the politicians are already seeing it, we have been transparent and will continue through out and after the election, so that nobody will be given the opportunity to doubt our transparency.  So far there has been no criticism from any political party. Nobody has taken us to court.

QUESTION: What is you hope and expectation about the January election?

ANSWER: Our expectations and hopes are high and we are very sure, God being our side, we will succeed. So far, all the political parties have been cooperating with us.

QUESTION: What is your vision for DSIEC?

ANSWER: From what we have been doing so far, I believe that DSIEC will be one of the best in the country because that is our goal. At the end of the day when we come out, people will now be able to say that yes, we are the best in the nation.

QUESTION: What is your final word for Deltans?

ANSWER: As we approach January 6, 2018, I want to appeal to Deltans to be law abiding and go about voting for the candidate of their choice in a peaceful and orderly way. Since we are giving a level playing ground to all the politicians, I hope we are going to have a smooth election come January 6, 2018.
END

Nigerian scammers steal $11m from US internal revenue service

According to the US Attorney’s office for Oregon, a Nigerian man, Michael Oluwasegun Kazeem, 24, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for his role in the bilking of over $11 million via an identity-theft scheme from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Kazeem, who came to the United States on a student visa, has been sentenced in federal court in the southern Oregon town of Medford on Nov. 8 for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and mail fraud.
Kazeem has also been ordered by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken to pay $4.3 million in restitution.
Last August, Kazeem’s brother, Emmanuel Kazeem, was convicted in Medford of mail and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. The evidence was presented at his trial and showed Emmanuel Kazeem purchasing over 91,000 taxpayer identities from a Vietnamese hacker.
Kazeem joined in 2013 to help his brother, who lived in Bowie, Maryland, and Nigeria. His brother’s sentencing is scheduled for March 22, 2018.

(L-R) Emmanuel Kazeem, Oluwaseunara Osanyinbi, Oluwamuyiwa Olawoye, Lateef Animawun, Oluwatobi Dehinbo, 2015 (Jackson County Sheriff’s Office)

In a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s office, it was determined by an IRS criminal investigation that the co-conspirators obtained personal identifying information of more than 259,000 people, and used it to acquire over 19,500 electronic filing PINs from the IRS.
The co-conspirators obtained and used pre-paid debit cards with the stolen identities to receive direct electronic tax refund deposits. They eventually filed over 10,000 fraudulent federal tax returns, attempting to obtain over $91 million in refunds, with actual losses amounting to over $11 million.
Refunds were withdrawn from the debit cards and at least 2,000 wire transfers totaling over $2.1 million were sent to Nigeria.
In an email to the Associated Press, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for Oregon Scott Erik Asphaug said this is one of the largest tax fraud cases in the United States in which stolen personal identification information was used to defraud the IRS. Its scope is staggering.
Authorities were alerted to the case when a Medford victim told the IRS in May 2013 that false federal and Oregon state tax returns were filed electronically using her and her husband’s names.
The returns included personally identifiable information, including their social security numbers and dates of birth. The federal refund was deposited into an account via a prepaid debit card in a suburb of Chicago while the state refund was directed to a bank account in Texas.
Back in 2014, the co-conspirators also were able to gain access to the IRS “Get Transcript” system and obtained sensitive taxpayer information to file additional fraudulent returns. Because of these and other security breaches, the IRS discontinued the “Get Transcript” program nationwide in 2015, the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a statement.
A newspaper in Medford, The Mail Tribune, reported that tax returns were filed using 13,203 accounts stolen from CICS Employment Services, a company based in Lincoln City, Oregon that performs pre-employment background checks.
The owner of CICS said he lost $420,000 worth of business, and handled hundreds of calls from distressed victims, many with limited means, the newspaper reported.
No taxpayers suffered monetarily as a result of the crimes, but were caused a plethora of issues.
“I’m deeply and emotionally sorry for the trouble I caused. What I did was wrong,” Kazeem said in court.
He is to be deported back to Nigeria after completing his sentence.

EXCLUSIVE

We informed our community leaders that the surveillance job was a scam-HOSTCOM chairman

High Chief Dr. Benjamin Taramanebi Style, the Akpolopkolo  I. of Mein Kingdom was the National vice chairman of HOSTCOM until 7^th of June 2017 when he became the acting National chairman after the demise of National chairman late chief A.M Bubor (JP) in accordance to HOSTCOM constitution

High Chief Dr. Benjamin Taramanebi Style Hostcom chairman

In this interview, he gave a brief history of HOSTCOM and reasons why HOSTCOM was formed. He described current rumor of engaging unemployed youth in the region as fake and therefore advise parents that children do not fall victim to this fraudsters who specializes in defrauding innocent youths to secure fake training form.

Excerpt

Please let’s meet you

My Name is High Chief Dr. Benjamin Taramanebi Style. The Akpolopkolo  I. of Mein Kingdom which cut across Delta and Bayelsa State. I was the National Vice Chairman of HOSTCOM until 7th of June 2017 when I was conferred with the position of National Chairman Acting on vein of demise of Chief A.M Bubor (JP) who was until his death was the Chairman.

What is the reason behind the formation of Hostcom and when was it formed?

The reason behind the formation of Host communities association is clearly to put pressure on government, oil companies on the neglect, marginalisation and deprivation of host communities in the Niger Delta region which produced the black gold and the economy base of our dear nation Nigeria we say NO to federal government saying clearly that enough is enough for the Niger Deltans for keeping us in abject poverty without a recourse.   

HOSTCOM was formed far back late 2001 during the era of former President Olusegun Obasenjo when chief Wellington Okirika as pioneer Chairman before Chief A.M Bubor.

Has the group recorded achievements?

There are successes in HOSTCOM National and states, for instance HOSTCOM had made great impact with Federal Government and National Assembly where we had presented series of presentation for Niger Delta region and Hostcomunities in Nigeria of which we were acknowledged by secretary to federation government, ministry of Petroleum Resources, NNPC and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs which PIB, Nigeria Local Content Development Board, Amnesty programme, Pipeline Protection Surveillance, 13% deravation 10% equity and presently the HOST communities bill is in the floor of National Assembly.

Meanwhile in states, there are five out of nine that has gotten the intervention commission, these we can say we are going somewhere in our journey, soon Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Cross Rivers will have the commissions

I am sure you are aware of the rumor of the pipline survelance where thousand of unemployed youths who paid over 70,000 each where trained and they are awaiting placement, only for federal government to say nothing like that was approved. How can this be possible?

As we heard the rumor of engaging unemployed youth in the region vie training, we quickly debunk it through print media and other medium to the general public that is fake and we should not allow ourselves to be scam by these fraudsters defrauding innocent youth of N65,000 to N70,000 to secure fake training form. And the question is in whose directive was this dissident group want to trained them? And who will engage them, and in which company?

But we heard government representative visited the camps during training, are you still saying it’s fraud?

This dissident people did not have houses of their own rather jumping from one hotel to another to carry out these criminal activities and deceiving the jobless youth in the region.

Now what is your take on the trained youths issue?

My  take on this issues of pipeline surveillance job is obvious that federal government will keep to their promise of engaging our helpless youth, our findings has confirmed that it will be state by state host communities engagement, and issue of federal government has given the job out is false and baseless because minister of  Petroleum Resource Dr. Ibe Kachukwu re-ecohed these on his visit to Delta State in Asaba on the 21^st November, 2017 with Host communities and traditional rulers from the state. So,  we trust this govt. and she will not betray the trust we accord her when our boy caese fire and production has sky rocketed which Nigeria is out of recession and Nigeria government is left to do their parts.

What is the way forward?

We will not relent rather we will forge ahead with our struggle until our dream is achieved. it is all propaganda to detrail the good course of HOSTCOM that are set pace for Niger Delta we are working with other organisation like Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral producing communities in Nigeria TROMPCON and Pan Niger Delta Forum PANDEF now on board with federal government, these are well meaning organisation in our region today. So, the decident group led by Dr. Mike Emuh  is a disappointment to Host communities. Thank you   

Lagos airport hoodlums rob private jet taxiing on the runway

The security apparatus at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos was on Tuesday 12-12-2017 once again called to question as a private jet owned by Vistajet was attacked on the runway of the airport.
Information gathered by SaharaReporters revealed that the jet with the registration number 9H-VFA operated by EAN on December 12 2017 was attacked on the runway18R of the airport by unknown bandits when taxiing to the hangar of Evergreen Apple Nigeria (EAN) Ltd. The jet was arriving from Istanbul between 2110-2130hrs after landing in Lagos.

A source close to EAN confided in our correspondent that the pilot of the jet Captain Emma Heering discovered that the rear door of the aircraft was opened while taxiing to the hangar of EAN.
After an investigation, it was discovered that a big black bag belonging to the air hostess, Francesca Louis was missing from the jet.
Vista Jet 9H-VFA
The source told our correspondent that it was not the first time such an incident would be happening at the airport.
Earlier in the year, some bandits allegedly opened the door of a small aircraft from the rear that was taxiing on the runway and escaped with some belongings of some of the occupants.
The investigation further revealed that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) responsible for airport security has only one operational vehicle escorting aircraft that lands on the runway, but at times, there might not be any operational vehicle on the ground to monitor aircraft that is taxiing to the apron for arriving aircrafts.
It was reported that this particular jet with call sign VT584 was not escorted by any operational vehicle as at the time of the incident due to lack of any operational vehicles at the airside of the airport, a situation, which made the criminal act to be perpetrated with ease on the said day.
An airline source speaking anonymously with SaharaReporters said: “What actually happened was that when the aircraft was taxiing to the hangar of EAN, the cabin crew discovered that the rear door was opened. So, when the jet taxied to the hangar, it was discovered that one big black bag belonging to their air hostesses was missing. An alarm was raised, but no one could trace the bandit who had forced the door open while taxiing. Lagos Airport
“It is bad that this is happening in an airport, which was recently certified by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has scaling security and safety hurdle. The government should look at the incident and several others that have been happening in the airside because this is not the first time such a thing would be happening at the airport and several others across the country.”
Besides, a similar incident had occurred on Med-View Airline when a stowaway passenger scaled the fence of the airport to enter the wheel well of the Boeing 777 aircraft of the airline to London. The stowaway told security agencies that he had scaled the fence of the airport and spent days waiting to board the aircraft ostensibly with the aid of unscrupulous airport officials.
The stowaway could not, however, disembark from the plane in London and had to be brought back to Lagos before he was discovered by one of the security personnel at the airport.
Till date, FAAN could not explain how the stowaway successfully gained entrance into the aircraft.
It would be recalled that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos was certified in September this year by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria (NCAA) after 38 years of opening the airport.
The safety and security certification awarded the airport by NCAA had however received some scepticisms from stakeholders and security experts in the sector.
Security analysts have repeatedly stated that the airport may not have met all the safety requirements to ensure its certification especially in the area of insurance cover and security.
Experts had said that for any airport to be certified, according to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) minimal standard, such an airport must have adequate maintenance and security programmes in place.
The security expert insisted that airport certification was not about the terminal building, but the facilities installed at such airport, including navigational aids provided by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA).
With the Tuesday incident, the certification of the airport by NCAA has further raised questions about its authenticity

Isoko, others gets police area commands

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Idris K. Ibrahim psc, mni has approved the creation of new area commands across the country and fortunately, Delta State Command is one of the beneficiaries of this laudable objective as it now has three new area commands namely, Agbor, Ozoro and Sapele created from and added to the existing area commands of Asaba, Ughelli and Warri, making a total of six area commands in the state. In a statement issued by the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Andrew Aniamaka, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police,

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Idris K. Ibrahim

Delta State Command, CP. Zanna M. Ibrahim, psc, the CP observed that it was part of efforts geared towards bringing policing nearer to the grassroots and in line with the policy on Community Policing. The CP who was enthused with this development, described it as an ongoing process noting that more area Commands and Divisions would in due course be created by the police hierarchy to enhance effective service delivery to the people. The CP therefore called for the cooperation of the indigenes of the state for immediate and smooth take-off of the newly established area commands, disclosing that already new area commanders have been deployed to the newly created area commands. The CP stated that the jurisdictions of the six area commands in the state are as follow:

ASABA AREA COMMAND

1. ‘A’ Division Asaba

2. ‘B’ Division Asaba

3. ‘C’ Division Asaba

4. GRA Division Asaba

5. Okpanam Division

6. Ibusa Division

7. Ogwashi-Uku Division

 8. Akwukwu/Igbo Division

 9. Illah Division

10. Nsukwa Division

UGHELLI AREA COMMAND

1. ‘A’ Division Ughelli

2. ‘B’ Division Ughelli

3. Agbarho Division

4. Orerokpe Division

5. Bomadi Division

6. Otu-Jeremi Division

7. Patani

WARRI AREA COMMAND

1. ‘A’ Division Warri

2. ‘B’ Division Warri

3. Enerhen Division

4. Ekpan Division (Effurun)

5. Ovwian-Aladja Division

6. Burutu Division

7. Escravos Division

 8. Ugborikoko Division

9. Ebrumede Division

10. Ogbe-Ijoh Division

AGBOR AREA COMMAND

1. Agbor Division

2. Abavo Division

3. Owa-oyibu Division

4. Umunede Division

5. Igbodo Division                                                                              

6. Issele-Uku Division

7. Onicha Olona Division

8. Obiaruku Division

9. Umutu Divison

10.Galilee Division

SAPELE DIVISION

1. Sapele Division

2. Koko Division

3. Isiokolo Division

4. Abraka Division

5. Oghara Division

6. Jesse Division 

Step/YAGEP business fair: youth empowerment, boost for the economy – Gov. Okowa

Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has said that empowering the youths would create jobs and boost the economy of the country.

Speaking in Asaba when he inspected the venue for the two days STEP and YAGEP Exhibition and Business Fair, Governor Okowa said that his administration had trained and empowered no fewer than 2,324 Deltans through its Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme, STEP, and Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme, YAGEP, in the last two years.

left; Gov. Okowa; Commissioner for Economic Planning, Dr. Kingsley Emu Chief Job Creation Officer, Prof. Eric Eboh and Other’s, during the Governor’s Inspection at Cenotaph in Asaba Delta state

He emphasized that the Exhibition and Business Fair would provide STEPreneurs and YAGEPreneurs who were trained by the state government an opportunity to make vital business contacts; create business relationships with investors and communicate their business vision to banks and business support institutions from within and outside Delta State.

The governor expressed confident that the state was ready for a successful hosting of the event and assured all the event would offer the youths a platform and ladder for growth and sustenance.