Daily Trust

From Hamisu Kabir Matazu, Damaturu
S
oldiers and policemen fighting
the Boko Haram insurgency in
Yobe State yesterday turned their
guns against each other in Damaturu,
the capital resulting in fatalities.
Trouble began Tuesday when a man
was said to have interfered with the
convoy of a police mobile squadron as
a result of which he was manhandled.
The person turned out to be an
army officer. Sources told Daily Trust
yesterday that soldiers decided to
exert revenge.
They went and took away the mobile
police commandant and detained
him.
The following day policemen
went to a military formation at the
Presidential Lodge to free their
commandant.
Mirinda, Lucozade unsafe
for consumption – CPC
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Rajab 15, 1438 AH
N200
Vol. 42, No. 34 48P A G E Swww.dailytrust.com.ng
N E W S PA P E R O F T H E Y E A R
3 cops, 1 soldier killed in
Yobe army, police clash
— Continued on page 6
Arik Air owes creditors
N387bn - AMCONP 4 P 13P 8
DSS foils attack on
US, UK embassies
since chibok
schoolgirls
were abducted
1095
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 P 4
 Foreign currencies and naira notes found at House 16, Osborne Road, Ikoyi (top, left) in Lagos yesterday. Photo: EFCC
EFCC finds over N15 billion in Lagos home >>> P. 5
Northern delegates reject
Jonathan’s confab report

AFRICANSAYINGS>>
Pain and laughter go hand
in hand. (Kenya
Source: BBC collection of listeners’ proverbs
SOURCE: Society for the propagation of Islam, Kaduna
TRANSEXPRGAINERS FIDSON TRANSCORP AIICO FBNH
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CHANGE
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STOCK INDEXPRAYER TIMES
UNILEVER WAPCO ASHAKACEM NAHCO JAIZBANK
OPEN
CLOSE
CHANGE
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LOSERS
CITIES FAJR DHUHR ASR MAGHRIB ISHA
ABUJA 5:06 12:42 3:38 6:46 7:51
ENUGU 5:02 12:41 3:37 6:49 7:54
KADUNA 5:10 12:41 3:37 6:42 7:47
KANO 5:11 12:57 3:33 6:35 7:40
KATSINA 5:13 12:41 3:37 6:37 7:42
LAGOS 5:18 12:57 3:53 7:05 8:10
MAIDUGURI 4:48 12:18 3:14 6:16 7:21
P/HARCOURT 5:02 12:43 3:39 6:53 7:49
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KANO
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ABUJA
24MIN
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LAGOS
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P/HARCOURT
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SOKOTO
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Indira Gandhi
 Children perform
at the Jos Carnival
opening ceremony in
Jos yesterday

DAILY TRUST, Thursday, April 13, 2017
3
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Mirinda, Lucozade unsafe for consumption – CPC
By Francis Arinze Iloani, Ojoma Akor (Abuja) &
Mohammed Shosanya (Lagos)
T
he Consumer Protection
Council (CPC) said Mirinda and
Lucozade soft drinks are unsafe
for Nigerian consumers.
The council said both beverages
contained benzoic acid level above
the limit approved by the Nigerian
Industrial Standard (NIS).
The Council said in a statement
obtained by Daily Trust yesterday
in Abuja that while the NIS limit for
benzoic acid is 250mg/Kg, when
combined with Vitamin C and 300mg/
Kg without Vitamin C, test revealed
that Mirinda, a product of 7UP
Bottling Company, contained benzoic
acid ranging between 0.56mg/L to
330.9mg/L.
It said Lucozade, formerly produced
by Glaxo SmithKline, contained the
acidbetween2.26mg/Lto323.53mg/L.
The two companies were however
not available for comments yesterday.
The council said the test was
conducted at the Sheda Science and
Technology Complex (SHESTCO), a
laboratory under the Federal Ministry
of Science and Technology.
The council said it obtained 65
samples of soft drinks from the open
market in eight locations within the
six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, made
up of Fanta Orange, Sprite, Mirinda
and Lucozade.
“The Council also observed from
the results that there were isolated
cases of Mirinda and Lucozade with
Benzoic Acid levels of 330.9mg/L and
323.53mg/L respectively, which are
above the NIS limit,” the Director
General of CPC, Mrs Dupe Atoki, said.
The Council further said the test
found that benzoic acid levels in
Fanta Orange ranged from 5.09mg/L
to 197.0mg/L while that of Sprite
ranged from 2.82mg/L to 239.0mg/L,
indicating that both soft
drinks were safe for
Nigerian consumers
as they contained
benzoic acid within
the limit approved by
the NIS.
Atoki said NAFDAC
and SON have been informed of the
investigation and has recommended
regulatory action and review of the
“benzoic acid limits in soft drinks as
the current standard, which has been
in existence since 2008 is overdue for
review.”
Effects of excess benzoic acid on
the human system
Head Dietetics Department at
the National Hospital, Abuja, Mrs
Sarah Abagi said excess benzoic acid
has negative effects on the skin, the
nervous system and the skeletal
system and bones.
She said benzoic acid should not
be more than the approved limit or
in large quantities in food and drinks
especially carbonated drinks because
of these effects and the diseases it
cause, adding that it was used as an
emulsifier and in body creams.
Asked the approved limit, she
said deciding the approved limit
for each country or area is usually
done by experts like, food scientists
and food technologists, biochemists
and process engineers under the
purview of regulatory organizations
like National Agency for Food and
Drug Administration and Control
(NAFDAC).
Health experts also say that benzoic
acids may react with ascorbic acid
(Vitamin C) in some soft drinks,
forming small quantities of benzene,
which causes cancer and other
ailments.
Some studies have also linked
benzene with bone marrow failure,
acute leukemia and aplastic anemia.
By Isiaka Wakili
The Federal Government
said President
Muhammadu Buhari
was absent at yesterday’s
meeting of the Federal
Executive Council
(FEC) because he was
attending to other issues.
Ministers had been
seated awaiting the
president’s arrival before
Vice President Yemi
Osinbajo called for the
recitation of the national
anthem and presided
over the meeting, which
lasted three hours.
It was the first time
President Buhari
would be absent at the
FEC meeting since he
returned to Nigeria from
a medical vacation in
London on March 10.
President Buhari had,
at that time, told the
nation that he would,
in some weeks’ time,
go back to London for
further check-ups.
Addressing State
House correspondents
after the meeting, the
Minister of Information
and Culture, Lai
Mohammed, said the
president’s absence did
not indicate that he was
ill again.
According to
Mohammed, it is not
unusual for Osinbajo to
preside over a council
meeting even if Buhari is
hale and hearty.
He said: “Clearly,
when we came in this
(yesterday) morning,
Mr President was
not in the Chambers.
Understandably, that
has sparked a lot of
controversies and
agitation among the
people.
“Mr President is in
town. Mr President
is attending to other
issues. He looked at
the agenda, it was light
and he decided that
vice president should
preside.
“Mr. President is
not ill. He’s not sick. It
is not unusual for the
president to ask the VP
to preside. We know it is
not unusual. The interest
that has been shown was
given the fact that the
president was away for
a while for treatment.
So, we are not surprised
that people may be
wondering is he ill again?
“Tomorrow morning,
he will be back in the
office. It is not unusual
even if the president
is hale and hearty for
the VP to preside over a
council meeting, even
when the president is
around.
“The fact that Mr
President is not in the
office does not mean
that he is not working. I
have just been told now
that the Secretary to the
Government is already
with him in the residence
working. So, the fact that
you did not see him in
the office does not mean
that he is not working at
all.”
By Ronald Mutum
The Department of State Services
(DSS) has arrested five suspects
allegedly planning to attack the
United States and United Kingdom
embassies in Abuja.
A statement yesterday by DSS
official, Tony Opuiyo, said the
service busted the ISIS-linked
Boko Haram members based in
Benue State and the FCT.
He said: “The group had
perfected plans to attack the UK
and American embassies and
other western interests in Abuja.”
He added that: “during the
operation to thwart this plan, five
key suspects, namely: Isa Jibril,
Jibril Jibril, Abu Omale Jibril,
Halidu Sule and Amhodu Salifu,
were arrested.”
He also said suspected Ansaru
kingpins, Ahmed Momoh and
Al-amin Mohammed Jamin were
arrested at Igarra, Akoko Edo LGA,
Edo State.
They were said to have been
confirmed as associates of Abu
Uwais, the main Ansaru kingpin
terrorizing residents in Kogi and
Edo States.
Opuiyo further said former
Governor of Benue State, Gabriel
Suswam, is being detained in line
with the dictates of the law, noting
that he has not cooperated on
issues concerning the recovery of
large cache of arms at his facilities.
He explained that, “While
investigation is ongoing on this
matter, the Service has valid
detentionwarrantstokeephim.He
will be charged accordingly, once
the investigations are concluded.”
By Musa Abdullahi Krishi
The chairman of the
HouseofRepresentatives
ad-hoc panel probing
the contract of Oil
Prospecting License
(OPL) 245, Razak
Atunwa, has confirmed
that his committee
would invite former
president, Goodluck
Jonathan.
The lawmaker said in a
statement yesterday that
the committee plans to
invite Jonathan, but that
they are still monitoring
unfolding events.
“The House of
Representatives, by
a resolution taken
at plenary set up
and mandated this
committee to, inter
alia, conduct a
thorough examination
of the process and
c i r c u m s t a n c e s
surrounding OPL 245
and identify culpability
of any persons, groups or
organizations.
“The committee
is aware of recent
information that
has come to light,
both nationally
and internationally,
indicating that former
president Goodluck
Jonathan may have
been complicit in the
controversial OPL 245
deal.
“The committee is
also closely monitoring
the proceedings in the
Italian Courts instituted
by the Public Prosecutor
of Milan, in which
ministers in Jonathan
administration were
mentioned including
the president Jonathan
himself.
“These facts have
firmly placed former
president Jonathan on
the committee’s radar.
The committee believes
that former president
Jonathan may well be in
a position to assist it with
its inquiries.
“ A c c o r d i n g l y ,
the committee is
considering inviting him
to give evidence before
it. An announcement
will be made once a
formal firm decision is
taken on the matter. The
committee intends to be
meticulous, thorough
and comprehensive in
its inquiry so as to bring
about finality to this
seemingly intractable
matter,” he said.
Malabu: Why we’ll invite
Jonathan – Reps panel
Why Buhari didn’t attend FEC meeting – FG
DSS foils attack on US, UK embassies

5
NEWS Like us on Facebook.com/dailytrust
From Eugene Agha, Lagos
Operatives of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday found
over N15 billion in a house in Ikoyi, Lagos
State.
The money was allegedly found in the
home of an Abuja-based politician on Gerard
Road, Ikoyi.
As at 8pm yesterday, a source close to EFCC
said the money was well over N15 billion, and
that the EFCC operatives, acting on a tipoff by
a whistle blower, stormed the house around
5pm.
When contacted, the EFCC spokesman in
Lagos State, Mr Samin Amaddin, confirmed
the discovery but said they were still counting
the money.
"We are still counting. Just give us few more
minute and I will give you the actual figure,"
he said as at 8.15pm yesterday when our
correspondent contacted him on phone.
From Ahmed Tahir Ajobe, Minna
Youths in their hundreds yesterday grounded
economic activities in Bida, the headquarters
of Bida Emirate in protest over what they
referred to as “obnoxious and deliberate act
by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company
(AEDC) to strangulate power supply to the city
and environs.”
The protesters barricaded all entry points
and major intersections within the city, thereby
stalling movements.Vehicles caught in the crisis
could not get out of the city for the five hours the
protest lasted.
The protesters who were in all-back attires
signifying darkness, also mostly held local
lanterns and torchlights to demonstrate their
helplessness with public power supply.
They marched to the Bida office of the AEDC
located on Lemu off Zungeru road, where
they presented their position to Mr. Abednego
Akubuko, the Niger state regional manager.
The protesters then marched to the Wadata
PalaceoftheEtsuNupe,AlhajiYahayaAbubakar,
where they also presented their grievances to
the royal father.
In the position signed by Comrade Umar
A.Saidu, the Steering Committee chairman
averredthat“Inthelast28months,powersupply
to the citizens of Bida has been worrisome, poor
repeatedly and viciously epileptic, despite that
a hydro-electricity base is situated in our state.”
He said the epileptic power supply was
adversely affecting the economic growth of Bida
and hurting the citizenry who he said still had
to pay ‘staggering amounts monthly as bill for
power not consumed.’
They therefore gave the AEDC three weeks
within which to restore steady power supply
and to stop estimated billing.
At the palace, the Etsu Nupe appealed to
the protesters to remain calm, promising to
forward their grievances to the appropriate
authority for action.
Responding, AEDC Head Public Relations
and Media, Malam Ahmed Shekarau said
the demand for 24 hours of electricity supply
was impossible at the moment, adding, “We
currently give them supply for 12 hours, which
is very good considering the energy allocation
to our Company.”
On the issue of estimated billing, Malam
Shekarau said although the AEDC recognized
the right of each of its customers to have a
meter, because it inherited a situation whereby
half of its customers were unmetered, it could
not bridge the metering gap as quickly as
customers would want.
From Haruna Gimba Yaya (Gombe), Eyo
Charles (Calabar) & Emma Elekwa (Awka)
A
downpour occurring with
windstorm has destroyed
no fewer than 50 houses in
DadinKowa town of YamaltuDeba
Local Government Area of Gombe
State.
The heavy rain that lasted over an
hour, wreaked havoc in some parts
of the town, destroying the tens of
houses and injuring many people.
Daily Trust correspondent who
visited the affected houses yesterday,
reports that no life was lost, but the
over 50 houses were located in about
10residentialareas,forcingoccupants
to seek refuge in neighbours’ houses.
An affected resident of Hawa-
Hawaquarters,MalamYusufSani,said
he was sleeping in his two-bedroom
apartment when the room collapsed.
“We were sleeping with my family
when the building collapsed. I was
able to evacuate them safely to our
family house, but in the process I got a
minor injury in my back,” he said.
Apart from residential buildings,
electric poles that supplied the area
with electricity were affected.
Speaking to Daily Trust on the
incident, the Information Officer of
Yamaltu Emirate Council, Adamu
Muhammad Mijinyawa, said the
Emirate had compiled the list of the
houses that were destroyed by the
windstorm for submission to the
authorities at the local government
headquarters in Deba.
And in Cross Rivers State, a wild
wind destroyed 30 residential and
public buildings in Emankpa Egbong
and other communities in Ekajuk,
Ogoja.
The windstorm blew off roofs of
the houses and pulled down walls,
displacing over 200 persons.
The storm which was accompanied
by heavy rain, destroyed household
properties and tree crops such as
pears, mangoes, oranges, pawpaw
and plantain.
Witnesses have described the
situation as pathetic as victims are
now squatting with neighbors and
relatives while members of churches
destroyed now worship under tree
shades and some other inconvenient
places.
The Director General of the Cross
River State Emergency Management
Agency (SEMA), Mr.John Inaku
assured that the list of the victims
would be forwarded to the Governor
for intervention.
In Anambra State, no fewer than
200 persons, including a 98-year old
man, Emmanuel Onyeleme, were
rendered homeless following a flood
that caused much damage in Ubaha
Ezira community in Orumba Local
Government Area.
Narrating their ordeal to newsmen
yesterday at Ezira, the nonagenarian
Emmanuel Onyeleme said they now
lived like refugees in their hometown.
He said the type of flood in their
community after the downpour that
lasted hours on Monday was the first
of its kind he had witnessed in his
lifetime. Attributing the development
to certain contractor handling a road
construction in the area, Onyeleme
said, “Government should take
responsibility for this because they
brought these contractors who are
doing this shoddy job that led to this
catastrophe. They should construct
a proper gutter along this road so
that subsequent rains would not
submerge us. And they should pay us
for this damage.”
From Kabiru R. Anwar,Yola
Hundreds of roadside traders
who were chased from their
business places by Adamawa
State Government as part of
preparation for Vice President
Osinbajo’s visit have accused
the state government of violating
their rights.
The traders including fruit
sellers, food sellers, vulcanisers
and other small scale business
owners said members of
the taskforce appointed by
government confiscated their
goods which they shared among
themselves even when they
conducted their business without
constituting any problem to traffic
or pedestrians.
Osinbanjo is scheduled to
commission some road projects
in the state today as part of his
one-day official visit to the state
capital, Yola.
Chairman of the Fruit and
Vegetables Sellers Association in
the state, Abubakar Mai Dama
said the action of the state
government had dispossessed
hundreds of traders of their hard
earned capital, thereby plunging
families into hardship.
He wondered how government
embarked on demolition of their
stands without prior notice or
involving the affected persons
who worked hard to survive in the
current economic hardship.
A trader who gave his name as
Vandi urged politicians to always
encourage self-reliance among
the citizens instead of treating
them ‘like foreigners.’
EFCC finds over
N15bn in Ikoyi
Lagos home
Protesters ground Bida
over poor power supply
Windstorm destroys 50 houses
in Gombe, 30 in Cross River
Osinbajo’s visit: Traders protest demolition of stalls
 Some refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) wait for items
distributed by NCFRMI at the IDP Center in Ikoyi, Lagos yesterday.
Photo: Benedict Uwalaka

follow us on Twitter: @daily_trust6
 From left: Secretary to Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal; Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman
Adamu; Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole; National Security Adviser, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno and Vice Presi-
dent Yemi Osinbajo, during the Federal Executive Council meeting presided by the vice president at the Presidential Villa in
Abuja yesterday Photo: Felix Onigbinde
By Olayemi John-Mensah
The United Nations Children
Fund (UNICEF), has lamented
the increasing number of
childrenusedinsuicideattacks
by Boko Haram insurgents.
Unicef said the number
increased to 27 in the first
quarter of 2017 compared to
nine over the same period last
year.
In a report released to mark
the 3rd anniversary of the
abduction of Chibok girls,
Unicef’s Regional Director for
WestandCentralAfrica,Marie-
Pierre Poirier stated yesterday
that, in the first three months
of this year, the number of
children used in bomb attacks
is nearly the same as the whole
of last year.
“The increase reflects
an alarming tactic by the
insurgents, according to the
report Silent Shame: Bringing
out the voices of children
caught in the Lake Chad crisis.
So far, 117 children have been
used to carry out bomb attacks
in public places across Nigeria,
Chad, Niger and Cameroon
since 2014: four in 2014, 56 in
2015, 30 in 2016 and 27 only in
the first three months of 2017.
Girls have been used in the
vast majority of these attacks,”
Poirier said.
Released three years after
the abduction of over 200
schoolgirls in Chibok, the
report provides troubling
accounts by children, who
were held in captivity at the
hands of Boko Haram, and
shows how these children
were met with deep suspicion,
when they returned to their
communities.
What happened next was
not clear, but what residents
heard was rapid gunfire.
Two policemen and a
soldier were said to have been
killed in the shooting but
there was no confirmation of
this from both sides. Many
others were also wounded
and taken to hospital.
BoththeArmyandthepolice
in a joint four-paragraph
statement confirmed the
clash describing the incident
as unfortunate.
A statement by the
Deputy Director, Army
Public Relations, Colonel
Kayode Ogunsoya, said:
“The attention of this
Headquarters has been drawn
to an unfortunate incident
that happened between
some unguided soldiers and
policemen in Damaturu this
morning.
“A joint committee between
the Nigerian Army and the
Nigerian Police has been set
up to investigate the incident.
“This Headquarters wishes
to assure the members of the
public that the situation has
been brought under control
and normalcy has been
restored.”
A source at Damaturu
Specialist hospital revealed
that one of the policemen
was brought dead, while the
other two policemen and the
soldier died on arrival due to
excessive bleeding.
Our correspondent,
who visited the hospital,
confirmed seeing the
wounded commandant in
charge of 41, Dauda Buba
Fika, at VIP8, Amenity ward of
the hospital.
“He was just brought out
of the operation, two bullets
were removed from his body,
one from the ball joint and the
other from pelvic,” one of the
hospital staff revealed.
A joint committee of
Nigerian Army and Nigeria
police force has been set up to
investigate the violent clash.
*There shouldn’t be rivalry-
Yobe Gov’t
It was gathered that a
meeting was held at the
instance of the state deputy
governor Abubakar D. Aliyu,
who stood in for Governor
Ibrahim Gaidam.
During the meeting
attended by heads of the
two security agencies, the
deputy governor, lamented
the incident and urged them
to work together so as not
to jeopardize the peace that
returned to the state after
years of fear.
A source close to the
meeting said, “He also
told them that they should
remain partners in progress
and not rivals and that the
peace being enjoyed was
achieved as a result of serious
collaboration.”
Meanwhile, residents of
Damaturu have condemned
the incident in strong terms.
Some residents interviewed
said they were rattled by the
sound of gun shots that rent
the air in the early hours of
yesterday.
They described the incident
as “an ugly development” that
reminded them of the ugly
days of Boko Haram terrorists
act.
They called on the military
and the police hierarchy in
Abuja to investigate this
“terribly embarrassing
incident” that brought the
“two security agencies to
disrepute.”
The major roundabout in
Damaturu, which also served
as an intersection that leads to
Maiduguri, Gujba and Gashua
was blocked by soldiers for
hours, a development that
grounded movement of
vehicles to and out of theYobe
capital.
Halima Ali, a civil servant
in Sabon Fegi, said she was
rattled by the gun fires from
both the mobile policemen
and soldiers “over a simple
matter that ought to have
been sorted out amicably.”
“In all honesty, I thought it
was the Boko Haram militants
that launched an attack;
everybody was scared. When
the shooting began I dashed
into a nearby house for safety
and could not even go out at
all,” she said.
Amin Aliyu, another
resident of Sani Daura Estate,
described the incident as
“most unfortunate.”
He said: “Though the sound
of the gun shots was only
heard in some places, what
transpired was impunity of
the highest order at a time
both the police and the army
have gone far in redeeming
their image.
“We all forgot when last we
heard gunshot in Damaturu
but here we’re today,
completely traumatized,” he
said.
Daily Trust gathered that
the commander of the mobile
police was taken by soldiers
to a military formation at
Kukareta in the outskirt of
Damaturu.
However, members of his
squadron felt slighted and
thereafter stormed the army
formation at the Presidential
Lodge thinking he was being
detained there.
3 cops, 1 soldier killed in Yobe army, police clash
— Continued on page 1
UNICEF worries over B/Haram child bombers
By Isiaka Wakili
President Muhammadu Buhari
yesterday forwarded a list of
nominees to the Senate for
confirmation as Non-Executive
Directors of the Board of the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Presidential spokesman, Mr
Femi Adesina disclosed this in a
statement.
According to Adesina,
the nominees are; Professor
Ummu Ahmed Jalingo (North
East), Professor Justitia
Odinakachukwu Nnabuko
(South East), Professor Mike I.
Obadan (South South), Dr Abdu
Abubakar (North West), Adeola
Adetunji (SouthWest).
By Chris Agabi
President Muhammadu Buhari
has advised the Nigerian public,
especially media practitioners,
to pay more attention to details
about government policies.
According to a press
statement, the president made
the remark in an interview with
editors of ‘The 2017 Nigeria
Outlook’, a new economic and
business annual soon to make
its debut in May 2017.
“It is said that the onlooker
sees more of the game than
the person playing it. We are
in government, and depend
on feedback given by other
stakeholders, particularly the
media” the statement quoted
the president to have said.
Speaking with particular
reference to the recently
launched Nigeria Economic
Recovery and Growth Plan
(NERGP), Buhari said, “You are
in a better position to gauge
the reaction of the public to our
economic blueprint. But one
thingIcansayconfidentlyisthat
the ERGP, as enunciated by this
administration, will place the
Nigerian economy on a sound
foundation that will stand us in
good stead for decades.”
President Buhari also
disclosed that “All prognosis
point to the fact that Nigeria
will exit recession soon. We
will continue to do what we
are doing, and count on the
mercy and beneficence of Allah
to bless it. Setting a time that
we will exit recession is not as
important as actually getting
back to economic prosperity in
the shortest possible time. And
that is our goal.”
Buhari appoints
CBN non-executive
directors
...asks media to hold
govt to account

7
NEWS
From Yusha’u A. Ibrahim, Kano
A
former Special Adviser
to former President
Shehu Aliyu Shagari
on Political Matters, Alhaji
Salihu Tanko Yakasai, has said
that unless the federal, state
and local governments join
forces and face the Almajiri
phenomenon seriously, the
trend would not be stopped
for many years to come.
Speaking to Daily Trust in
Kano yesterday, Yakasai said
the Almajiri trend needed a
holistic approach and that
government at all levels must
play their roles
appropriately, as anything
short of that continued to be
the case, the system would
continue to defy efforts to
tackle it.
He said the ‘fire brigade
approach’ adopted by the
Kano State Government to
stop the trend by arresting
and sending Almajirai to their
respective states would only
aggravate things.
“If you arrest Almajirai in
Kano and deport them to
their respective states, what
will happen to others that are
roaming the streets in Zaria,
Almajiri problem will persist till FG, states collaborate – Yakasai
States sending away Almajirai not helping situation Bauchi, Sokoto and Zamfara?
So, unless governments
of northern states and the
federal government come
together and face this issue
with all seriousness, we
cannot solve the problem.”
The former political adviser
said since the system had
become a tradition in the
North, government should
come in and synchronize it
with western education.
“The Almajiri school
programme introduced by
the immediate past President,
Goodluck Jonathan is the
best way of addressing the
Almajiri trend. Unfortunately,
the programme has been
abandoned halfway,” he said.
He said it was not
something that could be
stopped overnight, advising
that northern governors
should set a target for
themselves within which to
address the problem.
From Itodo Daniel Sule, Lokoja
The Judicial Commission of Inquiry
set up by the Kogi State Government
to probe the administrations of
former governors Ibrahim Idris
and Idris Ichalla Wada yesterday
submitted the report of its findings
to government.
While presenting the report
to Governor Yahaya Bello at the
Government House, Lokoja, the
Chairman of the Commission,
Justice Wada Abubakar Umar, said
71 witnesses made presentations.
He recalled that the Commission
was mandated to, among others,
investigate all contracts awarded
by the two previous governments,
determine whether the contracts
were executed in line with contract
agreements, trace and recover all
monies and properties belonging
to the state and look into all cases
of maladministration within the
period under investigation.
Umar said the commission
relied on memoranda, summons
and public hearings as part of
instruments used in the discharge
of its assignment, and expressed
the hope that implementation
of the report would boost good
governance.
Receiving the report, Governor
Yahaya Bello said the panel was not
meant to blackmail anyone but an
attempt to correct past mistakes.
From Christiana T. Alabi, Kaduna
The Chairman of Northern Leaders
of Assemblies of God, Reverend Baba
Fada has declared that there is no
going back on the leaders’ decision
to form Northern General Council of
the church for the North.
This was contained in a statement
issued by Reverend Fada who is also
the superintendent of Assemblies
of God in Katsina and who said
there was no accountability in
the management of the church
funds under one central command
structure.
A leadership tussle has been
lingering in the Assemblies of God
Church as two leaders, Professor Paul
Emeka and Dr. Chidi Okoroafor have
been at loggerheads over the position
of General Superintendent.
The statement read in part: “The
era of using Northern leaders and
members of the Church by top
leadership under one general council
and dumping them thereafter is
gone; as such, the Reverend Chidi
Okoroafor’s faction must accept the
change that has come to stay in the
church. In South Africa, there are
four general councils of the church
for the purpose of proper handling
of the church affairs throughout the
country. We are also looking forward
to having more than two general
councils of the church throughout
Nigeria,” he said.
He urged members of the church
at the grass root across the northern
states, including FCT, to remain calm
and committed to the common goal
that the leadership of the General
Church Council in the North was
pursuing.
Also, the secretary of the Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN),
Kaduna chapter, Reverend Sunday
Ibrahim who is also a member of the
Assemblies of God church,
said creating a general council for
the North would calm nerves. “We
the North have decided to stay on our
own as a general council as a way to
stay out of the ongoing crisis in the
church as a result of which so many
things have gone wrong,” he said.
From Christiana T. Alabi, Kaduna
The Kaduna State Commissioner of
Health, Dr. Paul Manya Dogo has
disclosed that the state has recorded
12 suspected cases of cerebrospinal
meningitis from April 1 to 7, 2017,
out of which two were positive for the
disease.
He said the Ministry had begun
contact tracing and had picked up
three of the number of cases stated.
“Our Rapid Response Team sits weekly
to review surveillance activities and
now they have been directed to
meet daily. We have also requested
for vaccines to undertake reactive
immunization,” he said, assuring that
the state government would ensure
that the health of its citizens was
protected.
In a related development, the World
Health Organization (WHO) says it
has intensified public sensitization on
meningitis in the state.
The state Coordinator of WHO, Dr.
Dauda Madubu, according to a report
on the WHO website, said members
of the public needed to beware that
meningitisiscontagious,asthebacteria
could be passed to people through the
exchange of respiratory secretion by
close contact via sneezing, coughing,
kissing and living in over-crowded
rooms without good ventilation.
“The disease affects both young
and old but prevalent among young
children, adolescents and the elderly
with commonest signs of neck stiffness
and headache in addition to fever,
vomiting; limb, joint, muscle pain; fast
breathing, among others,” he said.
From Dickson S. Adama, Uyo
Following the heightened agitation
and protests by various groups and
stakeholders over the relocation of
the headquarters of ExxonMobil
fromLagostoAkwaIbomStatewhich
is its operational base, Governor
Udom Emmanuel has warned
against incessant confrontation with
the company in order not to disrupt
their activities.
The governor who spoke at the
grand coronation of His Royal
Majesty, Owong (Dr) Effiong
Archianga, the paramount Ruler
of Ibeno local government and
chairman of Akwa Ibom State
Council of Chiefs, said he was
currently leading the campaign for
the relocation of the headquarters
but that understanding was essential
not to jeopardize the process.
“I am in the forefront of the
campaign for the relocation of
ExxonMobil headquarters to Akwa
Ibom. I have already opened
discussionwithrelevantstakeholders
and management of the company,
but the youths and other protesters
must understand this move and
stop locking ExxonMobil’s gate. They
must allow workers of the company
access to the company,” he said.
Commission
investigating
Ibrahim Idris,
Idris Wada
submits report
Leadership tussle: Assemblies of God Church
leaders declare general council in North
Kaduna records 2 cases of meningitis in 1 week Udom warns youths against disrupting
ExxonMobil activities over relocation
 Kaduna State CAN Secretary, Rev. Sunday Ibrahim, addresses journalists over the leadership tussle at Assemblies
of God Church, in Kaduna yesterday Photo: Shehu K. Goro

By Saawua Terzungwe
N
orthern delegates to the 2014
National Conference yesterday
rejected the confab report.
The delegates to the conference
organised during the reign of former
president, Goodluck Jonathan, said
major decisions reached were arrived
at through ‘undemocratic’ means.
They warned against attempt by
any group to seek to implement or
influence the Federal Government or
any of its institutions to use the report
of the confab under any guise for the
purpose of restructuring Nigeria.
A communiqué after a meeting of the
Northern Delegates Forum said “We
maintain our position that the report
of the confab is of questionable legal
validity; is the outcome of a process
that lacks popular mandate or support
and major decisions were arrived at by
undemocratic means.”
The communiqué signed by the
forum’s chairman, Senator Jeremiah
Useni was read by the secretary,
Mohammed Kumalia at the end of the
meeting yesterday in Abuja.
“We urge members of the National
Assembly to be wary of and not rely or
act upon a report, which is full of flaws
and not enjoying national or popular
support.
“We call upon any group of persons
or individuals agitating for any form
of restructuring of the federation, first
and foremost, to respect the existing
constitutional order and to seek to do
so within the bounds and parameters
stipulated under our constitution and
the law. To suggest otherwise would
lead to chaos and anarchy,” the forum
said.
Kumalia said the delegates would
initiate all necessary steps to garner
stakeholders supported against the
confab report.
By Clement A. Oloyede
The Code of Conduct Tribunal
(CCT) has fixed April 20 for the
arraignment of Justice Sylvester
Ngwuta, over allegations bordering
on non-declaration of assets as a
public officer.
The Federal Government had in
February filed a ten-count charge
against Ngwuta at the CCT.
He was accused of engaging in
private business as a public officer.
He was alleged to be trading in rice,
palm oil and other products, while
serving as a justice of the Supreme
Court.
The charge also accused the justice
of failure to declare the following
property: three duplexes at Chinedu
Ogah Avenue, Ntezi, Aba in Abakaliki;
22 plots of land at Chief Igwe Uga
Avenue, Abakaliki; six plots of land at
Frank Okoroafor Avenue, Abakaliki;
and Peugeot Saloon; Wrangler Jeep, a
Toyota Jeep; a BMW 5 Series Saloon
and a Liberty Jeep.
The FG also alleged that between
August 1, 2014 and July16, 2015,
Justice Ngwuta corruptly received
N36.31 million from one Mr Ogudu
Nwadire, through a personal bank
account number 0018113021
domiciled at Union Bank PLC.
A statement yesterday by the
Head, Press and Public Relations of
CCT, Ibraheem Al-Hassan confirmed
that service of the summons has
been effected to Justice Ngwuta on
Tuesday.
By Ronald Mutum
Operatives of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) have raided the house of
a former Attorney General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice,
Mohammed Adoke (SAN).
Daily Trust gathered yesterday
that EFCC agents found nothing
after breaking down doors of his
residence in Kano.
A source close to Adoke said there
was no evidence of a search warrant
but the EFCC broke down some
doors, searched everywhere and the
roof.
The sources added that there was
no information on the actual mission
of the operatives, noting that the
invasion is without deference to the
ongoing cases in court against the
ex-AGF.
The EFCC had on Monday April
3, 2017 asked a Federal High Court
in Abuja to issue a warrant of arrest
to compel Adoke to attend his trial,
over alleged diversion of $1.1 billion
during a controversial transfer of OPL
245 to Malabu, a company linked to
a former minister of petroleum, Dan
Etete.
When contacted yesterday, EFCC
spokesman Wilson Uwujaren said
he has no knowledge of the raid on
Adoke’s residence in Kano.
Northern delegates reject Jonathan’s confab report
CCT to arraign Ngwuta April 20
EFCC raids Adoke’s house in Kano
By Joshua Odeyemi
Efforts are underway to re-open the
Government Girls Secondary School in
Chibok, Borno State where over 200 girls
were kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents
three years ago.
Chairman of the Presidential Committee
on the North East Initiative (PCNI), General
Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) disclosed this
yesterday in Abuja, when he received the
management team of Media Trust Limited,
led by its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and
Editor-in-Chief, Mannir Dan-Ali.
Danjuma, who was represented at the
meeting by theVice Chairman of the PCNI,
Tijjani Tumsah said “the school will re-
open in the next academic session.”
He said government had designed
strategic plans that would resolve the
short, medium and long term challenges of
the Northeast.
He noted that the organisation is the
coordinator of all humanitarian efforts
towards victims of insurgency in the
Northeast and acknowledged the effort of
Media Trust in helping to restore hope to
victims of insurgency.
While assuring that the organisation
would always be transparent and
accountable, he urged the public to
always make efforts to seek clarification
concerning its activities.
Earlier,theMediaTrustCEOcommended
efforts of the PCNI in providing succour to
victims of insurgency in the Northeast.
He said Media Trust, through its
foundation, had disbursed over N100
million to victims of insurgency in
Northeast.
Dan-Ali also said the organisation was on
the verge of constructing either a school or
a healthcare centre in the region.
Chibok secondary school to
re-open next session – PCNI
 The Vice Chair-
man Presidential
Committee on
North- East Ini-
tiative (PCNI), Tijani
Tumsah, during a
courtesy visit by
a delegation from
Media Trust to PCNI
Headquarters in
Abuja yesterday
Photo: Ikechukwu Ibe

9

SOKOTO
KADUNA
TARABA
NASARAWA
FromRakiyaA.Muhammad,
Sokoto
The Sokoto State House
of Assembly has passed
a bill for the right to
free and compulsory
education to all children
aged 6-18 years.
Earlierwhilepresenting
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s
of the Committee on
Education, the Chairman
Alhaji Aminu Bala
explained, “The bill
makes provision for right
to education for children
of six to eighteen. By
implication, it means free
education up to senior
secondary level.”
Bala pointed out that
children within the age
bracket must attend
school and failure to do
sowouldattractsanction.
He also said the bill
sought tomakeprovision
to institutionalize
the School-Based
Management Committee
(SBMC) as one of its
major features.
House Leader,
Alhaji Garba Bello who
moved a motion for its
consideration, said the
bill would have a great
impact on the growth
and development of the
state.
After the House
considered the
recommendations of
committee, Speaker
Alhaji Salihu Maidaji
announced the passage
of the bill.
From Maryam Ahmadu-Suka,
Kaduna
Troops of 1 Division
Nigerian Army have
intensified operations
through an programme
code named Operation
“HARBIN KUNAMA II”
in Southern Kaduna,
aimed at flushing out
criminals especially
armed bandits and
cattle rustlers that have
been terrorizing rural
communities in the area.
A statement issued
in Kaduna yesterday
by the Deputy Director
Army Public Relations,
Colonel Kingsley Umoh,
said the operation would
commence on 17 April,
2017 and end on 22 April,
2017.
He advised members
of the public not to panic
on noticing increased
movement of troops,
amoured tanks and
gun firing in the area,
saying necessary control
measures had already
been taken to ensure
that no one was harmed
as result of the exercise.
FromMagajiIsa,Jalingo
R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s
of branches of the
Nigerian Union of Local
Government Employees
(NULGE) in the Northeast
staged a rally yesterday
in Jalingo, Taraba State
capital, demanding local
government council
autonomy.
Hundreds of members
of the union from six
states in the Northeast
went through major
streets in Jalingo and the
state House of Assembly
carrying placards stating
their case.
The National President
of NULGE, Comrade
Ibraheem Khaleel, while
addressing members of
the union at the trade
fair complex in Jalingo,
explained that the rally
was to press for total
autonomy for council
areas in the country.
He said local councils
mismanagedfundsmeant
for the development of
rural areas as a result of
controling influence of
state governments.
From Hassan Ibrahim, Lafia
The Rector of the
Nasarawa Sate
Polytechnic Lafia, Dr
Silas Gyar, has said the
institution is awaiting a
team from the National
Board for Technical
Education (NBTE) for
the restoration of lost
accreditation of courses
in the school.
Gyar also revealed
that the institution
had introduced new
courses during the
2016/2017 academic
session in engineering,
namely Autotronics and
Metertronics.
The Rector who spoke
to newsmen in Lafia,
said, “The institution has
put everything in place to
meet the requirements
for accreditation,” he
said.
Assembly passes bill for free education
1 Div intensifies operation in S/Kaduna
Local govt workers rally for council autonomy
State poly introduces new engineering courses
From Itodo Daniel Sule, Lokoja
E
leven people yesterday
lost their lives in a motor
accident that occurred at
Ohiana village along the Auchi-
Okene highway.
A witness said that the accident
which occurred about 6am
involved a Toyota Hiace bus with
registration Delta AYB 939 XP and
a trailer loaded with cement.
The FRSC unit commander for
Okene, Dr. Sunday Ogungbemi,
who confirmed the accident, said
preliminaryinvestigationrevealed
that the Toyota Hiace Hilux Bus
which had 22 passengers on board
was heading to Warri from Abuja
when the accident occurred.
He attributed the accident to
overspeeding, explained that the
injured passengers were receiving
treatment at the Okene General
Hospital while the dead had
been deposited at the hospital’s
morgue.
From Eugene Agha, Lagos
A couple and their only child
were allegedly murdered by
suspected ritualists in the wee
hours of Tuesday at Ibeshetutu
area of Ikorodu, Lagos.
The man, identified as Mr.
Lucky Ebhodaghe, was killed
alongside his two family
members by the assailants who
sources said entered the home
through the window.
The sources said the victims’
heads were smashed with big
stones.
Confirming the incident,
the spokesman for the Lagos
Police Command, Olarinde
Famous-Cole, an Assistant
Superintendent of Police
(ASP) said the Ibeshe Division
received a phone call from one
Funso Akintimeyin that three
corpses were in the apartment,
and that the bodies which
were found in their pool of
blood, had been deposited at
the Ikorodu General Hospital
mortuary.
From Olatunji Omirin,
Maiduguri.
The United Nations
Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) has said it
will enroll no fewer
than one million out-of-
school children in the
Northeast region.
The Chief of Field
Office (UNICEF)
Maiduguri Office,
Geoffrey Ijumba,
stated this yesterday
in Maiduguri while
briefing the press to
mark the third year of
abduction of Chibok
girls and others in
the region, praising
the children of the
Northeast for their
resilience in the face of
insurgency which he
said had robbed them
the enjoyment of their
childhood.
He said: “We are not
celebrating because
this day reminds us
of a crime against the
children. About three
million children are out
of school in this region.
We are targeting 1
FromLamiSadiq,Jos
The Nigeria Security
and Civil Defence Corps
(NSCDC) in Plateau
State said it has deployed
1,800 officers and men to
provide adequate security
in the state during the
Easter celebratio0n.
The State NSCDC
Commandant, Solomon
Adebayo Olasupo, in a
statement signed by the
Public Relations Officer,
Naomi Cishak, called
on the general public to
report any suspicious
activity around the state
and warned parents to
caution their children
against any action
capable of causing
confusion.
KOGI
LAGOS
BORNO
PLATEAU
11 die in Okene-Auchi
highway accident
Couple, child murdered at Ibeshe
UNICEF to enroll 1 million children affected by insurgency
NSCDC deploys 1,800 for Easter
AROUND THE
STATES
million children to take
back to school in 2017.
We are partnering with
both federal and state
government to achieve
this.”
 Senate President Bukola Saraki (middle), Chairman, Council of Ulama of Nigeria, Sheik
Abdullahi Abubakar Tureta (3rd left), Chairman Senate Services Committee, Senator
Abdullahi Gobir (left), Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan (2nd left), Secretary-General
of the Council of Ulama of Nigeria, Professor Mohammed Sadiq Abubakar and other
members of council, during a visit to the Senate President in Abuja on Tuesday.
Photo:
Senate
President’s
Office

11
By Ismail Mudashir
T
he Senate yesterday said it
has uncovered N30trillion
fraud in the utilisation of
Foreign Exchange (Forex), meant
for importation of fuel and other
products into the country.
The Senate Committee on Customs
and Excise said the fraud was
perpetrated between 2006 and March
2017 by importers, in connivance
with commercial banks.
The committee yesterday presented
documents detailing the transactions
obtained from the Nigeria Customs
Service (NCS) to Managing Directors
of commercial banks.
The banks were given three weeks
to respond to the queries raised by the
committee.
Committee chairman, Senator
Hope Uzodinma (PDP, Imo) said all
commercial banks were involved in
the forex fraud.
He said the probe was sequel to a
resolution of the Senate on the need
to investigate and identify areas of
revenue leakages in the entire import
and export circle.
The committee said the Minister of
Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, Minister
of Budget and National Planning,
Senator Udoma Udo Udoma and the
Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria
(CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, have
been invited for an investigative
hearing on the fraud scheduled for
next month.
By Maureen Onochie
The National Coordinator of the
Buhari Vanguard, Musa Aliyu has
appealed to President Muhammadu
Buhari to retain the Acting Chairman
of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFFC), Ibrahim Magu.
In a statement yesterday, Aliyu said
the Nigerian Constitution empowered
the president to appoint a person
of his choice to head the anti-graft
agency.
“TherefusalbytheSenatetoconfirm
Magu, as substantive chairman of the
EFCC should not hold back the fight
against corruption in Nigeria,” he said.
He cited the position of Lagos-
based lawyer, Femi Falana and
Professor Itse Sagay, Chairman of the
Presidential Advisory Committee on
Anti-Corruption that President Buhari
needs not wait for Senate confirmation
to re-engage Magu.
Aliyu said refusal to confirm Magu
was another face of ‘corruption
fighting back,’ adding that further
delay in reappointing Magu could be a
setback in the anti-graft war.
ByAdelanwaBamgboye
Socio-Economic Rights and
Accountability Project (SERAP), has
established toll-free hotline also called
BRIBEline.
SERAP said the line aims to provide
anonymous and confidential channel
of advice and assistance to victims and
witnesses of cases of corruption, such
as bribes solicited by officials or quasi-
official bodies in the education and
electricity sectors.
In a statement yesterday by SERAP
deputy director Timothy Adewale, the
organization said, “Citizens are free to
call toll-free hotline 0800-CALLSERAP
(0800-2255-73727) to report petty
corruption and other problems they
encounter in their efforts to access
services for themselves, their children or
family members, either in the education
or electricity sector. SERAP will look
carefully at any such report and consider
appropriate interventions to address the
problem.”
ByMustaphaSuleiman
Students of the University of Abuja
yesterday prevented members of the
Senior Staff Association of Nigerian
Universities (SSANU), from disrupting
theirongoingfirstsemesterexaminations.
Protesting SSANU members
stormed the school yesterday morning,
demanding recall of the chairman and
secretary of the Uni-Abuja chapter of the
union.
The union claimed they were unjustly
sacked for exposing corrupt practices of
theVice Chancellor of the university.
One of the students, who did not want
his name in print said they could not
allow the union members disrupt the
examinations, which were at final stages.
He said the grievances of the union
members should be handled amongst
themselves, adding that students should
not be made to suffer for what they didn’t
cause.
From Kate Da Costa in Accra
Fighting between two major ethnic
groups at Agbogloshie in the Accra
metropolis, Ghana, on Tuesday left two
people dead and several others injured.
A fight ensued between the
Konkombas and Dangombas ethnic
groups from the early hours of Tuesday,
following a row over theft.
A young man suspected to have
stolen a mobile phone was roundly
beaten up by some unidentified
persons. A reprisal attack from his
sympathizers reportedly triggered the
communal clashes.
Two persons reportedly lost their
lives, while several others sustained
various degrees of injuries in the ethnic
disturbance.
Spokesperson of the Greater Accra
Regional Police Command, Assistant
Superintendent of Police (ASP), Afia
Tenge, who confirmed the incident
said “The police had information of an
alleged theft which led to a communal
clash where the police needed to
respondswiftlytohaltthesituation,and
also had to send the people, who had
sustained various degrees of injuries to
the hospital for medical assistance. We
also called in a detachment of officers
from the Armed Forces to assist in
restoring peace to the area.”
She said the matter is currently being
investigated.
By Joshua Odeyemi
The Federal Government has declared Friday,
April 14 and Monday, April 17, as public
holidays to mark the Good Friday and Easter
celebrations.
The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman
Dambazau made the announcement yesterday
in a statement by the director overseeing
the office of the Permanent Secretary of the
ministry, Muhammadu Maccido.
Dambazau enjoined Christians and other
Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of Jesus Christ
and extend spiritual benefits of Easter such as,
love, peace, justice, sacrifice and kindness in all
their interaction during the holidays.
He also urged Nigerians to use the occasion
to pray for unity and peaceful co-existence in
the country.
By Hussein Yahaya
The Permanent Secretary,
Federal Ministry of Water
Resources, Mrs Rabi S. Jimeta,
has retired from service after
clocking the compulsory 60
years.
Born on April 12, 1957 in
Gombe State, Jimeta was
first appointed as permanent
secretary in January, 2010. Until
her retirement, she had served
six ministers.
At the send-forth ceremony
organized by the ministry, Jimeta
said she was fulfilled having
served without blemishes.
“I am very grateful to you all
and almighty God. It is a defining
moment for me. All through my
career as permanent secretary, I
have never had any issue with my
principals. So, I count myself as a
fulfilled person,” she said.
She said that her career
as a permanent secretary in
the ministry had added more
value to her life. “As a technical
ministry, I have to be technical
too in order to meet up and key
into the ministry’s programmes,”
she added.
The Minister of Water
Resources, Suleiman H. Adamu,
described Jimeta as a trusted
team player and hardworking
civil servant, who had brought to
bear her professionalism in the
service.
He said the ministry looked
forward to tap from her
knowledge even as she retires
from the service.
FG declares Friday,
Monday Easter public
holidays
Two killed in Ghana ethnic clash
Water perm sec bows out
Senate uncovers N30tr
fraud in forex deals
Group drums up
support for Magu
SERAP launches
anti-graft hotline
Students prevent union
from disrupting exams
 Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) members protest at the front of Federal Ministry
of Education in Abuja yesterday
Photo: Suleiman Mustapha

12

BUSINESS
08050498518
business@dailytrust.com
hmohammed@dailytrust.com
13HAMISU MUHAMMAD
Business Editor
Reps replace
shippers’
council with
transport
commission
Page 14
FGbegins$5.1bndebtpaymenttoIOCs
Arik Air owes local, foreign creditors N387bn - AMCON
By Daniel Adugbo
T
he Federal Government
will by the end of this
monthbeginpaymentof
a $5.1 billion debt it owes five
international oil companies
(IOCs), Minister of State for
Petroleum Resources, Ibe
Kachikwu, has said.
The government had on
December 15, 2016 formally
exited the joint venture cash
calls arrangement it had with
the IOCs operating in the
country for more than four
decades. The companies
are Shell, Total, Chevron,
ExxonMobil and Nigeria Agip
Oil Company (NAOC).
The government exited
the arrangement with an
outstanding debt of $5.1
billion, agreeing to pay it over
a period of five years through
incremental oil production
volumes.
Kachikwu, who doubles as
the Chairman of the Board
of the NNPC, spoke at a
meeting with top ExxonMobil
executives at the company’s
headquarters in Texas, United
States of America.
He said it would be
expedient if the IOCs
reciprocated the government’s
gesture by ensuring that they
ramped up investments in the
country’s oil and gas sector.
A statement by Nigeria’s
petroleum ministry
spokesman, Idang Alibi, also
quoted the minister as sating
that government’s effort
would be boosted if major IOC
partners operating in Nigeria
invested in building signature
refineries to be run on joint
venture basis with the federal
government providing the
necessary incentives.
Kachikwu also encouraged
ExxonMobil to invest in
more practical deliveries in
the area of human capital
development and investment
in local growth of skill sets
required in the oil and gas
sector.
The meeting is part of the
ongoing investment drive
embarked on by the Minister
to the IOCs. The first of these
was with Italian IOC Eni
in January 2017 where the
company pledged to work
with Nigeria to revamp the
Port Harcourt Refinery.
Other IOCs scheduled to be
visited include Shell, Chevron
and Total.
FromAbdullateefAliyu,Lagos
More facts emerged yesterday
on the alleged indebtedness of
Arik Airline which was taken
over by the Assets Management
Corporation of Nigeria
(AMCON).
The new management of the
airline has put the indebtedness
at N387 billion.
The amount comprises
N375bn local debt; 31 million
Euros being owed Lufthansa
Technik Group managing Arik
Air planes and $6.5m being
indebtedness on the west coast.
The foreign component of the
indebtedness is estimated at
about N12bn.
This figure was contained in
an affidavit deposed to before
the Federal High Court in Lagos
by the Receiver Manager of the
airline, Mr. Oluseye Opasanya.
The affidavit was deposed to
on April 11 in the case filed by
the former shareholders of Arik
challenging the takeover of the
airline by AMCON.
The breakdown of the debts,
according to court document
obtained by Daily Trust showed
that the former shareholders of
Arik Air owed various creditors
huge sums of money in services
rendered and loans obtained.
Among those owed are
Federal Airports Authority of
Nigeria (FAAN) with a claim of
N11.2bn; unremitted pension
fund of N4.5bn; insurance
premium, N418.8m; N337.5m
claim from Pan African Capital
Limited for financial advisory
services allegedly rendered to
the former management; and
N277.4m being judgement
debt allegedly due to Nigerian
Aviation Handling Company.
Others are N203.8m claims
for aviation insurance cover;
N60.7m claim from Babington
Ashaye & Co for tax consulting
services; N40.1m claim from
Wakanow.com for alleged
incentive payout; N22.2m
being alleged refund settlement
for unused tickets to some
275 passengers; N19.08m
being owed 21st Century
Technologies Limited; and
N6.1m for alleged tax liability
to the Kwara State Government,
among others.
The receiver manager also
deposed in the affidavit that
AMCON had injected N1.5bn
into Arik since its intervention
two months ago.
The court has, however,
grantedfreshinteriminjunctive
ordersinaidoftheReceivership
of Arik Air based on a motion
ex parte filed by AMCON and
Opasanya.
Theinjunctiveorders,among
otherthingsagainrestrainedthe
shareholders and the directors
of Arik from interfering with
the management of Arik by the
receiver/manager.
Spokesman of AMCON, Mr.
Jude Nwazor, who interacted
with aviation correspondents
yesterday, also disclosed that as
at the time AMCON intervened
in Arik, the company had no
single tyre in its store whereas
they used to utilize 48 tyres
every month.
“This means Arik Air has
been toying with the lives of
Nigerians...IfAMCONhadgiven
ArikAir25years,itwouldnotbe
abletopayupthedebt”,hesaid,
adding that contrary to claims,
the former management did
not have assets that could cover
its indebtedness.
He said, “AMCON took
over Arik to underscore
government’s decision to instill
sanity in the nation’s aviation
sector and prevent a major
catastrophe that protected and
preserved Arik.
“The takeover would among
other objectives enhance the
value of Arik, improve customer
experience, and sustain the
safety, reliable and secure
operational history of the
airline.
“Arik was in a precarious
situation largely attributable to
its heavy financial debt burden,
bad corporate governance,
erratic operational challenges
and other issues that required
immediateinterventioninorder
to guarantee the continued
survival of the Airline,” Nwazor
said.
FLIGHT
SCHEDULE
AZMAN AIR
DANA AIR
MEDVIEW AIRLINE
BUYINGSELLING
DOLLAR EURO Pound S.
N400 N410 500
DOLLAR EURO Pound S.
N407 N415 505
BUREAUDECHANGERATESApril 10, 2017
COMMODITIES
PRICE
CRUDEOILBRENT $56.00
GOLD $1,229
SUGAR $19.59
CBN EXCHANGE RATES
US DOLLAR POUND
STERLING
EURO YUAN/RENMINBI RIYAL CFA
Buying 305.15 378.2639 322.7877 44.193 81.4223 0.4754
Central NGN 305.65 378.8837 323.3166 44.2659 81.5557 0.4854
Selling NGN 306.15 379.5035 323.8455 44.3387 81.689 0.4954
Weekly
STD STA
LOS - PHC 7:30 8:20
PHC - KAD 9:00 10:00
KAD - YOL 11:30 12:30
YOL - KAD 13:30 14:30
KAD - PHC 15:30 16:30
PHC - LOS 17:10 18:00
SUNDAYS/MONDAYS/FRIDAYS
KAD - LOS 7:45 8:50
LOS - KAD 9:45 10:45
KAD - MIU 11:30 12:35
MIU - KAD 13:15 14:20
KAD - KAN 15:00 15:30
KAN - LOS 16:30 18:15
LOS - KAD 18:45 19:55
SUNDAYS/MONDAYS/FRIDAYS
KAN - LOS 7:30 8:45
LOS - KAN 10:00 11:20
KAN - KAD 12:00 12:30
KAD - KEB 13:30 14:15
KEB - KAD 15:00 15:45
KAD - LOS 17:00 18:00
LOS - KAN 18:45 20:00
WEDNESDAYS
LOS - PHC 7:30 8:20
PHC - LOS 9:00 9:50
LOS - KAD 11:45 12:45
KAD - LOS 13:45 14:45
LOS - KAD 18:30 19:30
LAGOS - KADUNA
Monday - Friday
-7.02am, 10.53am, -13.23pm, -18.25pm
KAD - LOS
-9am, 11.07am, -2.51pm, -20.20pm
PHC - KAD - 8.55am
KAD -PHC -15.24pm
UYO - KAD -1.15pm,
KAD - UYO -15.21pm
Saturday
LOS - KAD -7 am, -11.25
KAD - LOS - 9am -5.28pm
Sunday
LOS - KAD -12.24pm -6.35pm
KAD - LOS
-10.08am, -12.51pm, -20.30pm
MON-FRI
LOS-KAD -7AM, 8:50AM, 10:45AM
KAD-LOS -8:45AM, 2PM, 4PM
KAD-YOL -10:30AM
YOL-KAD -12:15PM
KAD-MAI -12:30PM
SAT
LOS-KAD -8AM, 8:50AM
KAD-LOS -8;45AM, 2PM
KAD-YOLA -10:30AM
YOL-KAD 12:15PM
SUN
LOS-KAD -8:30AM, -10:45AM, -12:15PM,
6PM
KAD-LOS -10:10AM, -4PM, -5:30PM,
-7:30PM
KAD-MAI 12:30PM
KAD-YOLA -2PM
MAI-KAD 2:15PM
YOLA-KAD 3:45PM
 Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emma-
nuel Ibe Kachikwu (right) receiving a souvenir from Paul
Greenwood, Vice President for Americas, Asia Pacific &
Africa New Markets at ExxonMobil after the meeting at its
Headquarters.

BUSINESS
NEWS>>
14
By Musa Abdullahi Krishi
T
he House of
Representatives has
passed a bill for the
replacement of the Nigerian
Shippers’ Council (NSC)
with the National Transport
Commission (NTC).
This followed the adoption
ofareportbyjointcommittees
on land transport, ports and
harbours, maritime safety,
education and administration
and that on aviation.
Addressing the House
before the adoption of the
report, the chairman of land
transport committee, Rep
Aminu Sani Isa (APC, Sokoto)
said the main objective
of the bill was to provide
efficient economic regulatory
framework for the transport
sector and mechanism for
monitoring compliance
among various operators.
He said the Nigerian
Shippers’ Council,
established in 1978 has all
the expertise, experience
and manpower and “is most
suitable and easily adaptable
to perform the role of an
economic regulator,” adding
that creating an entirely
new agency would amount
to duplication and waste of
resources.
He said the preponderance
of views by relevant
stakeholders such as the
Chartered Institute of
Logistics, Freight Forwarders,
Nigerian Chamber of
Shipping, National Road
Transport Owners Association
(NARTO), Port Consultative
Council, Shippers
Associations among others,
was that NSC should perform
the functions of a regulator in
the industry.
The report said that a
cardinal objective of the
transport sector reforms was
to bring about efficiency in
the area of service delivery
and reduce cost of doing
business in the industry.
“However, charges have
continuedtoincrease,thereby
forcing many transport users
to take their business to rival
ports in the West African
sub-region, with consequent
massive revenue losses to our
nation,” the report said.
The report was
unanimously adopted and
would be forwarded to the
Senate for concurrence.
ByChrisAgabi
The Minister of State, Aviation,
Senator Hadi Sirika, has opened
discussions with Emirates
Airlines to return to Abuja.
Emirates, one of the biggest
foreign airlines operating in
Nigeria, had stopped its flight
operations to the Nnamdi
Azikiwe International Airport,
at the end of October 2016
following the airline’s inability to
buy forex and remit its sales.
The airline had also cited the
bad runway at the Abuja airport
and scarcity of aviation fuel as
other reasons for pulling out of
Abuja.
But Sirika said on his twitter
handle @hadisirika: “Met with
the Vice President Aerpolitical
and Industry Affairs of Emirates
to cause them to return to Abuja
as we open.”
The minister also exclusively
told our correspondent Emirates
had “showed positive sign they
will comeback.”
Meanwhile,theEmiratestravel
agents in Abuja have intensified
campaign for Emirates to return
as their exit has affected their
customers and profits.
Emirates travel agent partner
in Abuja, Chubas Travel Services
Ltd, said the airline has huge
passengers in Abuja and other
northern states thus it is critical
Emirates returns to Abuja.
The managing director/
CEO of Chubas Travel Services,
Usman Ibrahim urged the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
to make more foreign exchange
available to Emirates and indeed
other airlines for the smooth
operations of their business.
FromAbdullateefAliyu,Lagos
Ahead of the commencement
of the construction work of
the Lagos-Ibadan standard
gauge train, the Nigeria Railway
Corporation (NRC) is to begin
demolition of structures on its
rightofwayfromApapa,Lagosto
Ijoko, Ogun State.
The Managing Director of
the NRC, Engr. Fidet Okhria
disclosed that work on the
N485bn project which ground
breaking was carried out by
Vice President,Professor Yemi
Osinbajo, a month ago would
commence tomorrow, April 14.
The Lagos - Ibadan standard
gauge project being handled
by the China Civil Engineering
Construction Corporation
(CCECC) is the segment II of
the Lagos-Kano Rail Project
with extension to Lagos Port
Complex, Apapa.
Addressing newsmen at the
NRC headquarters in Lagos,
the MD said the corporation
had completed markings
of structures and buildings
standing on the right of way of
the NRC for demolition.
Okhria noted that the NRC
had envisaged that its right
of way would be maximally
required in future and had been
careful in granting approval for
people to erect buildings on its
land.
He said, “We intentionally did
not give approval to so many
people because we know that
oneday,thelandwillberequired.
So we have already mapped out
those places we need to remove
and they are aware. We have
sensitized them, we have told
them to remove their valuables
before the bulldozers start work.”
OPEC states cut oil output
in March by more than they
pledged under supply curbs,
according to figures the
exporter group uses to monitor
its supply, extending a record
of higher-than-expected
adherencetoitsfirstproduction
cut in eight years.
The Organisation of the
Petroleum Exporting Countries
agreed to cut output by about
1.2 million barrels per day (bpd)
for six months from January 1
to prop up prices and reduce a
glut.
Russia and 10 other non-
OPEC states agreed to cut half
as much.
Production from the 11
OPEC members with output
targets under the deal has
averaged 29.757 million bpd
in March, according to average
assessments of secondary
sources OPEC uses to monitor
itsoutput.Thefigureswereseen
by media. (Reuters/NAN)
OPEC figures show oil
output cuts exceed
pledge in March
Jaiz, Kogi partner to empower women, traders, others
Kano Disco repairs
vandalised transformers
Africa’s FDI to hit $850bn
this year – UNCTAD
Work commences on Lagos-Ibadan fast train
Sirika opens
discussion with
Emirates to return
to Abuja
Reps replace shippers’ council with transport commission
BY Chris Agabi
Jaiz Bank Plc and Kogi State
Government have agreed
to partner in empowering
women, traders and artisans
in the state.
This was discussed
yesterday when the
management team of Jaiz
Bank Plc, led by its Managing
Director/CEO, Hassan
Usman, paid a courtesy call
to Governor Yahaya Bello at
the Government House in
Lokoja.
Governor Yahaya, who
stated that his government
stands for what Jaiz Bank also
stands for - making life better
for humanity, added that he
found a perfect partner in the
bank.
“We want to partner with
your bank in the areas of
property financing and other
infrastructural financing so
that we can touch the life of
all citizenry,’’he said.
In his response, the
Managing Director of Jaiz
Bank, Hassan Usman, said
the bank was willing and
ready to partner with the state
government to enhance the
people’s welfare.
From Yusha’u A. Ibrahim, Kano
The Kano Electricity
Distribution Company
(KEDCO) has said it has
spent N60m on the repairs of
140 vandalized transformers.
The company’s Head of
Operation and Maintenance,
Engineer Abdullahi
MurtalaHaruna, made the
disclosure yesterday while
conducting journalists round
the repaired transformers.
Haruna, who explained
that affected transformers
comprised 200KVA, 300KVA
and 500KVA, also said
another set of 50 pieces of
damaged transformers had
been placed for repairs and
that would cost the company
no less than N40m.
ByZakariyyaAdaramola&Hussaini
GarbaMohammed,whowereinDubai
The Foreign Direct Investment
(FDI) to Africa and other
developing countries is
expected to reach $850billion
this year with Mozambique
and Congo Republic having the
large chunk of the investments,
the United Nations Conference
onTrade and Development has
said.
The UNCTAD Secretary
General, Mukhisa Kituyi, who
disclosed this during one
of panel discussions at the
recently concluded Annual
Investment Meeting (AIM) in
Dubai, United Arab Emirates,
said financial experts expected
flows into Africa to grow, the
highestoptimismofanyregion.
 From left:Regional Manager (North Central), Jaiz Bank Plc, Idris Salihu ; Company Secretary/Legal Adviser,Rukayat
Salaudeen; Deputy Managing Director, Mahe Abubakar; Managing Director/CEO, Hassan Usman; and His Excellency,
Yahaya Bello, Executive Governor, Kogi State, at the government house, Lokoja, yesterday.

15
F
ollowing the successful celebration of
the 40th Anniversary on the throne in my
honour on 17th March, 2017, I deem it
necessary to register my deep appreciation
to all who graced the occasion and
contributed in diverse ways towards its success.
Deserving of special appreciation is His
Excellency, the President and Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria,MuhammaduBuhari,GCFR,whograciously
delegated a worthy representative in person of the
Barrister Solomon Dalung, Honourable Minister of
Youth and Sports to attend the occasion. This act of
great magnanimity goes to affirm the commitment
of Mr. President towards strengthening traditional
institution as well as demonstrating his exceptional
regard for the people of the erstwhile Kwararafa
Empire, and to my humble self in particular.
I also acknowledge His Excellency the Executive
Governor of Taraba State, Arc. Darius Dickson
Ishaku for the exceptional role he played
and the support he gave without which
the event would not have been a
success.
Their Excellencies, the Governors
of Benue State, Mr. Samuel Ortom
and Plateau State, Barrister Simon
Bako Lalong deserve special mention
for their goodwill, support and
attending the event in person. It is
indeed a great act of sacrifice that
they spared time to share this great
moment with me in my domain.
Also deserving of appreciation
are the representatives of Governors
Tanko Almakura of Nassarawa state
and Alh. Yahaya Adoza Bello of Kogi
State, whose goodwill messages I
so acknowledge. I also appreciate
the goodwill of His Excellency Engr.
Haruna Manu, Deputy Governor
Taraba State and Rt. Hon Abel Peter
Diah, Speaker Taraba State House of Assembly;
Justice JosephineTuktur, Chief Justice ofTaraba State
as well as members of the State legislature.
The Abonta ofWukari, General T.Y. Danjuma(rtd.)
deserves special mention for his tremendous
support in countless ways as well as his esteemed
presence along with his amiable wife, Senator Daisy
Danjuma. I appreciate their show of love.
I also cherish the honour accorded me by
former Governors Rev. Jolly T. Nyame of Taraba
State; Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma of Nasarawa State,
Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano State and Alhaji
RamalanYero of Kaduna State, who made out time to
grace the occasion.
My special thanks also go to: the Chairman of the
occasion,HisEminence,SultanofSokoto,Alhaji(Dr.)
MuhammadSa’adAbubakarIV.Gracingtheoccasion
and serving in that capacity is a great honour which
I deeply appreciate; His Royal Highness, the Emir
of Gwandu, Alhaji Muhammad Iliyasu Bashar who
installed and presented my staff of office to me
in 1976 (when he was the Military Governor of the
defunct Gongola State), who also served as Father
of the Day at this occasion; the Attah Igala, HRM
Idakwo Michael Ameh Oboni II; Emir of Lafia,
HRH Alhaji (Dr.) Isa Mustapha Agwai I, CON; Emir
of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Muhammadu Sanusi; The
Long Goemai of Shendam, HRH Miskoom Martins
Shaldas III; Emir of Pindiga, Alhaji Mohammed
Seyoji; Osana of Keana, HRH Alhaji Abdullahi
Amegwa Agbo III; Ohinoyi of Ebirra land, HRH
Alhaji Dr. Ado Ibrahim; Ohimege-Igu of Koton Karfe,
HRM Alhaji Abdulrazaq Gambo Isakoto; Ohimege
Opanda,HRHAlhajiUsmanAbdullahi;OriyeRindre,
HRH Dr. Nuhu Sanusi; Emir of Keffi, HRH Alhaji Dr.
Shehu Chindo Yamusa III; Mai Tangale, HRH Dr.
Abdu Baba Masheru II; Mai Kaltungo, HRH Engr. Dr.
Sale Mohammed Umar OON; Aku Nke of Akiri, HRH
Alhaji Suleiman Yunfa; Ochei Tukpo, HRH Dr. John
Eyimonye; His Royal Majesty, Alh. IbrahimYero, Etsu
Bwari; His Royal Majesty, Ogamode Onah Ipude,
Adamoche of Yala; His Royal Majesty, Mishkaham
Mwaghavul, Mr. Nelson Bakfur; His
Royal Highness Ogamode (King) Odaji Patrick,
lpuole of Okuku Kingdom; His Royal Highness, Bello
Mohammad Uwar, Agora of Zuba Chiefdom; His
Royal Highness Adamu Baba Yunusa, Ona of Abaji;
His Highness, Justice (Dr.) Lawal Hassan, OFR, Emir
of Gummi for Northern Traditional Rulers council;
and Sylvester Atukpa Elayo. JP (for Elayo Osheka
Royal Family); to you all, I owe a debt of gratitude.
I also recognize the countless contributions of my
Royal colleagues across Taraba state. These include
His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abbas Njidda Tafida,
Emir of Muri, who was ably represented by the
Galadiman Muri; His Royal Highness, Dr Stephen D.
Banyonga OON, Gara Donga; His Royal Highness,
Alhaji Suleiman Sambo, Kpanti Zing; His Royal
Highness, Alhaji Zubairu Hamman Gabdo Sambo II,
Lamdo Gashaka; and His Royal Highness, Dr. Shehu
Audu Baju, Chief of Mambila. Others are: His Royal
Highness, Alhaji Gidado Mohammed Misa, Chief of
Bakundi; His Royal Highness, Alhaji Yusuf Manga,
Chief of Dakka; His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abubakar
Haruna Karim, Chief of Wurkum; His Royal
Highness, Alhaji Abdul Mohammed Babs Ciroma,
Chief of Old Muri; His Royal Highness, Abubakar
Sadiq Umar, Chief of Lau; His Royal Highness, Alhaji
Yakubu Idris Chiroma, Chief of Gassol; His Royal
Highness Alhaji Sani Suleiman, Chief of Mutum
Biyu; His Royal Highness, Alhaji Abubakar Garba
Salihu Danbawuro, Chief of Ibi; His Royal Highness,
Alhaji Mai Ado Adamu Mazang, Chief of Mumuye;
His Royal Highness, Mr. Sama’ila Maiwuya, Chief
of Kurmi; His Royal Highness, Alhaji Buba Ayala,
Chief of Kwaji; and Tsohon Uhwe Tswenji Adi, Kuru
Kpante. These distinguished royal personalities and
my district heads deserve special appreciation for
their show of love and solidarity.
I wish to specially register my appreciation
to Senator Dr. Ahmadu Ali; Ambassador Yahaya
Kwande; Ambassador Idris D. Waziri; HE (Dr.)
Samuel Danjuma Gani OON; Obadiah Ando; HE
Air Commodore Ibrahim Kefas (rtd.); HE Alhaji
Usman Faruk; Senator Emmanuel Bwacha; Senator
Suleiman Adokwe; Senator Solomon Ewuga; Hon.
Isaac Danji Shiddi; Rt. Hon. Mark Useni; Rt. Hon.
Stephen Gbana; Hon. Josiah Aji; Hon. Pius Sabo
(Zasty); Hon. Rebo Usman; Hon Anthony Jellason;
Hon. Victor Bala Kona, PDP Chairman Taraba State;
Hon. Iliya Agabi, PDP Deputy Chairman Taraba
State; Ambassador Emmanuel Njiwah; Mr Danladi
Kifasi; Justice Emmanuel Dodo (rtd.); Prof. Jerry
Gana, OFR; Prof. Samsudeen O. O. Amali, MFR; Prof.
Fatima Batul Mukhtar, Vice-Chancellor, Federal
University Dutse; Rev. Dr. Caleb Ahima, National
President of the Christian Reformed Church-
Nigeria; Miskoom Kevin Kwaplong; Prince Mark
Elayo, Turakin Keana; Mr. I. D. Sampati; Retired
CP Danjuma Auta; Col. Agbu Kefas (Rtd); Damian
Dodo, SAN; Vice Chancellor, Kwararafa University
Wukari, Prof.Yakubu Aboki Ochefu;Vice Chancellor,
Federal University Wukari, Prof. M. A. Kundiri; Chief
David Sabo Kente; Senator Joel D. Ikenya; Hon.
Isiyaka Bawa; Mr. Josiah Habu Tunari; Barr.
Chris Abongaby, Secretary general, Kwararafa
Congress; DCM A.A Habu (Rtd), Compol
Agyole Abeh; Alhaji Adamu Laddo; Hon.
(Barr.) Hosea lbi; Capt. Douglas Ndatse
Yahaya; Alhaji Usman Dubagari; Retired
Col. Jibril Bala Yakubu; Ibrahim Bawa
Karje, SAN; Nahum Angyu; Maj.
Gen. AT Ibrahim (rtd); DIP Ejikere,
Mr. Timothy Anthony Anjide;
Dr James Bala Angbazo; Local
Government Council Chairmen,
Taraba State.
I also appreciate the diligence
and hard work of the organizers
of the event which resulted to
the success of the occasion. The
organizing/steering and various
committees members both at
national and local levels, led by
the Andoma of Doma, HRH Alhaji
Ahmadu Aliyu Oga Onawo, OON
did a wonderful job. In the same vein
our mothers who showed so much commitment
and played key roles in the project are worthy of
recognition especially, Her Excellency, Dame Pauline
Tallen; Barr. Halima Alfa and Hajiya Maryam Salihu
Ibrahim.
Many could not be with us physically but
identifiedwithusthroughphonecalls,textmessages,
advertorialsandsentgoodwillletters.Iamsograteful
to them. I particularly note the messages sent by the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.
Dogara Yakubu; HE Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal,
Governor of Sokoto State; Senator Jeremiah Timbut
Useni, CFR; Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, Archbishop
of Jos; DCP H.H. Karma; Mr. Ibrahim Pantuvo; Mr.
Williams Garba; Mr. Williams B. Aboshe; Rev. John
Caleb; Mr. Daniel Maijidadi; Mr. John Bala Lufu;
Mallam Adamu Tende; Manu Zaku Atoshi; Dr. Nuhu
Andeyaba; Hon. Habila Anderifun; Hon. Lawal
Abdulkarim;, and Arewa Consultative Forum. You
are all appreciated.
I also appreciate socio-cultural groups and heads
of the various security agencies and their men: the
Army, Nigerian Police, State Security, Federal Road
Safety Corps, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense
Corps and Vigilante Group for ensuring peace and
orderliness during the event.
There are so many who have attended and
contributed in significant ways to the success of the
anniversary celebration but whose names may not
have appeared in this list due to my limitations. I use
this opportunity to immensely thank you and assure
you of my high regard. I also wish to also apologize
for whatever shortcomings, inconveniences and
discomforts suffered by the guests as a result of the
large crowd that witnessed the anniversary.
Thank you.
(Signed)
Dr.Shekarau Angyu Masa-Ibi Kuvyon II,
CON Aku-Uka
My AppreciationMy Appreciation
Dr. Shekarau Angyu Masa-Ibi Kuvyon II, CON, Aku-Uka
bration of
rone in my
I deem it
ppreciation
casion and
uccess.
n is Hisn is His
der-in-Chief
Republic of
ograciously
rson of the
Minister of
. This act of
ommitment
traditional
exceptional
Kwararafa
lar.
Executive
ckson
yed
Suleiman Adok
Isaac Danji Sh
Stephen Gban
(Zasty); Hon. R
Hon. Victor Bal
Hon. Iliya Aga
State; AmbassaState; Ambassa
Kifasi; Justice
Gana, OFR; Pro
Fatima Batul
University Dut
President of
Nigeria; Misko
Elayo, Turakin
CP Danjuma A
Dodo, SAN; Vi
Wukari, Prof.Ya
Federal Univers
David Sabo K
Isiyaka Ba
Chris Ab
C gCongre
Agyol
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C

BUSINESS
CORPORATE IMAGES>>
16
INDUSTRY>>
By Francis Arinze Iloani
Nigeria’s Consumer Confidence Index
(CCI) experienced a 4.6-point increase
to stand at 62.7-points, indicating an
increased optimism that consumers
have on the state of the economy which
is usually expressed by either spending
or saving.
The Portfolio of Indices report
released by NOIPolls Limited for the first
quarter of 2017 revealed that the recent
soar in consumer confidence shows
that consumers’ degree of confidence
about the overall state of the economy
in relation to their personal financial
situation may have slightly improved.
This significant increase in the
consumer confidence could infer that
Nigerians are expected to increase their
purchases of goods and services, thus,
manufacturers may increase production
and stocks whereas, large organisations
may increase employment rates,
government may also expect improved
tax revenues based on the increase in
consumer spending.
“There is no doubt that the
intervention of the Central Bank
of Nigeria in the foreign exchange
market has influenced the general
positive attitude of consumers; given
that consumers rationally base their
decisions on the general outlook of
some economic variables such as,
inflation rate, interest rate, exchange
rate, unemployment rate, etc.,” the
report stated.
The Consumer Confidence Index
provides consumer assessments of the
economic situation and their intentions
and expectations for the future.
The International Islamic Trade
Financing Corporation (ITFC), member
of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB)
Group, has held its first African-Asian
Cotton Meeting, linking Asian market
with African cotton suppliers.
ThemeetingheldinDhaka,Bangladesh,
was part of ITFC’s Cotton Development
and Partnership Programme.
The event was inaugurated by the
Minister of Finance, Government of the
Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh and
Chairman of the IDB Board of Governors
and Chief Executive Officer, ITFC, Eng.
Hani Salem Sonbol.
The meeting also witnessed the
attendance of West African cotton
producers,theAfricanCottonAssociation,
the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association,
the Bangladesh Cotton Association, and
Bengali Spinning/Textile Mills.
The Meeting supports in the first place
the Bangladeshi textile industry, which
is the source of employment and export
earnings for Bangladeshi economy.
ITFC was able to bridge between the
Asian countries, specifically Bangladesh
and Indonesia, to reach out and develop
new business partnerships with African
cotton suppliers.
The federal government has approved
the establishment of the Industrial
Policy and Competitiveness Advisory
Council (The Industrial Council) to
assist the government in formulating
policies and strategies that will enhance
the government’s industrialization
goals.
This was revealed by the Minister
of Industry, Trade and Investment,
Okechukwu Enelamah, in Abuja during
an interactive session with the media.
Enelamah said the Council would
provide input to the formulation of
sectoral and industrial policy, and
government interventions aimed at
enhancing the performance of the
Nigerian industrial sector as well as
provide feedback on government
policies and programmes that affect the
industrial sector.
The Council is also expected to make
recommendations, propose initiatives
and bring perspectives that promote
competitiveness and growth of the
Nigerian industrial sector.
The Council is also saddled with the
responsibility of periodically review
of performance, trends, and issues,
within the industrial sector, with a view
to proposing interventions to enable
investments and competitiveness.
On Made in Nigeria, the Minister said
the Federal Executive Council approved
the Made in Nigeria patronage initiative
to stimulate local production, create
employment and patronage of Made in
Nigeria goods and services.
The president of Association of
Professional Bodies of Nigeria(APBN),Mr
Idris Omede has said that the Central
Bank of Nigeria(CBN) monetary policy
and inflation rate in the country would
render the N50 billion set aside by the
federal government under the 2017
budget to boost Small and Medium
Enterprises(SMEs) ineffective.
The CBN’s Monetary Policy Rate
(MPR) is currently pegged at 14% ,while
inflation rate is 18.5%,
He spoke at the Business Club,Ikeja
luncheon in Lagos where he said the two
indices would make it hard for borrowers
to access the fund.
He added:’’The N50 billion set aside
as FG’s contribution to the expansion
of existing as well as the development
of new Small and Medium Enterprises
(SMEs) is commendable, but a lot
needs to be done to increase access and
transparency to long term and affordable
credits/loan’’.
From Romoke W. Ahmad, Ilorin
As the Kwara State Chambers of
Commerce, Industry, Mines and
Agriculture (KWACCIMA), is preparing
for its international trade fair in October,
the group has requested the support of
the State Police Command towards the
success of its trade fair.
President of KWACCIMA, Alhaji Ahmed
Raji made the request when he led
members of his executives on a courtesy
visit to the State Commissioner of Police,
Mr. Olusola Amore, in his office.
The KWACCIMA President thanked
the Commissioner of Police for his
unwavering crime preventive efforts in
the state.
Manufacturing sets to boom as confidence index soars – Report
Islamic corporation links Asia with African cotton suppliers
FG sets up industrial policy, competitiveness council
‘Why N50bn SMEs fund may not work’
KWACCIMA seeks police support for it trade fair
 From left to right DG/CEO SMEDAN Dr.Dikko Umaru Radda , Chairman
Sub Committee on Economic Development,Hon Yusuf Yakubu Buba and Vice
Chairman Presidential Committee on North East Initiative, (PCNI) Alh.Tijani
Musa Tumsah during the DG SMEDAN's Visit to the PCNI Office in Abuja to-
day 11 April 2017. Photo: SMEDAN
 From left: General Manager, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe; Winner of
BBNaija Season 2, Michael Efe Ejeba and Regional Director, M-net West
Africa, Wangi Mba-Uzokwu, during the presentation of Car to BBNaija
winner, held in Lagos.
 From Left: DSC Joseph Alajogun, CAC Temitope Ogunkua and CSC Phillip
Hinga after collecting their customs merit awards Customs Boardroom in
Ibadan recently.
 From left: Group Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi
Okonkwo, Group Managing Director, UBA Plc, Mr. Kennedy Uzoka and Vice
Chairman Seven Up Bottling Company Plc, Mr. Sunil Sawhney at the Pepsi
Corporate Elite event in Lagos recently.

17

What have you discovered
doing this project?
That there are many women
that are in obscurity; that
there are a lot of women who
need intervention but because
there is lack of data, they are
unable to get assistance;a lot of
genuine groups working hard
and looking for people to help
them in training and are not
getting help.
Also, the issue of
information;so many of
them do not know about
intervention that they can get.
So we educate these women,
that if you don’t put your name
down and are captured, you
lose out because people who
want to give intervention need
data; that they lose nothing by
bringing their information.
We are in about 10 states
in the North already. We are
in Gombe, Taraba, Yobe ,
Borno, Katsina, Bauchi, Abuja,
Plateau, Kwara and Kaduna.
Are you just in the state
capitals or local governments?
We are in the state capitals
but only because we are
depending on volunteers.So for
anybody who has contacts in
the local government, like Yobe
and Plateau they branch out
to the local
governments.
But we have
a network in
all the local
governments.
We are not
able to
put them
to action
because of
f i n a n c i a l
constraints.
W h a t
number have
you got so
far?
So far,
we have
c a p t u r e d
about 10,000.
How many
people do
you have
doing this
job?
We have the 10 coordinator
and then the coordinators have
volunteers. Some people have
five volunteers while others are
all by themselves.
From our initial budget,
we need about 400 people
and now we are not up to 50
working on the project. But we
are talking to more people to
buy into this project.
How long is this going to be?
We will submit our final
report in July 2017. We will do
our best and our best will be to
touch different areas that are
yet to be touched. We do our
best based on the situation we
find ourselves. We don’t have
five per cent of the budget
for the project. But we have
adopted this as our corporate
social responsibility (CSR). We
have become very passionate
about what we are doing.
What do the women stand
to gain by this project you are
doing?
It is common knowledge that
without data, it is very hard to
intervene in any situation. Even
in your home, if you do not
know how many people you are
feeding, how do you shop? Any
country that is properly run has
a data it can work with. And we
have absolute trust in the US
embassy which has awarded
us this grant to do this job. The
embassy normally doesn’t offer
grantforcollatingdatabutwhat
they offer is intervention and
they told us that at our meeting.
So for them to be doing this,
thatmeansthereisintervention
to come. Be it in the area of
training, machinery assistance,
assistance for women in
farming or production. But
without data, they cannot help
you.
Apart from intervention that
cancomefromtheUSembassy,
many women entrepreneurs
are coming into our network .
We have women amongst us
who are producing an item and
are looking on to other women
to supply the raw material for
the businesses. So amongst us,
businesses will thrive.
We are looking for women in
the rural areas who are doing
XYZ. They also will benefit
from us as an organisation. All
the leaders of these groups are
coming on board, the African
Women Entrepreneurship
Network and they are coming
into a huge network that will
help build everybody and make
us stronger. And the benefit
outweighs all the problems we
are facing.
So the grant is from the US
embassy, there is no support
from Nigerian government?
None from the Nigerian
government yet but we are
allowed to seek for help and
we have started doing that.
We have sent letters out for
sponsorship. We have some
response from Globacom.
They said they will come on
board but we are yet to receive
any support from them yet. But
we have had two meetings with
them. They say they will come
on board the project.
There are plans to go to other
parts of the country, but it will
depend on how successful we
are with this one.
By Victoria Onehi & Abubakar Haruna
W
hat spurred you into
this project, collating
data for women
entrepreneurs in the North?
A grant was presented to
us by the US embassy to do
this. We applied for grant to
train women entrepreneurs in
agriculture,i.e African Women
Entrepreneurship Programme
(AWEP) Nigeria Green Gold
Project. You know agriculture
is green gold so that is where
we started off. Due to some
reasons, the US embassy said
we should do this project of
collating the data of women
entrepreneurs in the North.
So, we believe this can be a
stepping stone to the training
of women. We need to have
the data to know that there are
women to be trained in this
area anyway.
What method are you using
to collate this data?
We have a technology
company, hardware
technology, that we are
working with. They provided
us an application which we
download onto our phones.
It already has the form so we
capture information, take the
photograph of the person with
the phone, then ask them the
questions and then send. Once
you send, it goes to the back
end. So as you are collating we
see from whatever state you
are.
So, do you have to go to
those localities?
We have to go to the places
because you have to take
photographs of the people. At
the moment we are in 10 states.
We are still working on about
eight more states. We have
coordinators in the states but
due to lack of funding, some
of them are yet to kick off. We
have to provide phones for
them, because some don’t have
the phones that are needed for
this application. We have to
provide them with logistics too.
We have state coordinators
in every state and we have field
officers in the local government
areas. That is about 370 local
government areas but they
have not even kicked off yet
because we have not been able
to operate the way we want to.
But that is the job of the state
coordinators and field officers
to see that the women can
answer the questions on the
form.Andmostofthequestions
need only ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers.
Like do you have children? E.g.
What kind of business are you
doing? What is your address?
Are you financially literate?The
coordinators help the women
capture the information
properly. So we go to the
localities. We are working with
NGOs, and it is easier when you
are approaching groups.
For instance, we have
a cooperative of women
planting tomatoes, those into
rice farming, hair dressers
association etc. We talk to the
leaders of these cooperatives
to buy into this project and
then the leaders deliver all the
women on that platform. We
talk to churches and they give
the various groups of women
there that are entrepreneurs.
So, that way you know you have
genuine people who need the
intervention.
AWEP is also a member of
the Association of Nigerian
Business Women Network.
It’s an umbrella body of
associations of 18 women
entrepreneurial groups/
networks.
So we told them this is what
we are doing,that we have to
capture women entrepreneurs
in the North:both high and
low; both the farmer, the
rural women, the ones in the
city, so long as you are an
entrepreneur, we need you on
the data base.
All the women working
with us are volunteers. We had
to resort to a physical form
because if you get to a place
where you have 200 women
and it’s just you, it will be
difficult to capture all at once.
So we distribute the 200 forms
in that situation, then as they
are submitting, you take the
pictures of the individuals and
phone number. So when she
goes back home, she fills the
details of the person on the
form to the phone. There is a
way it will merge because the
app is done to merge phone
numbers and pictures.
Ideally in every centre there
should be like 10 coordinators
but we have only one in the
state.
BUSINESS
18
WOMEN IN BUSINESS>>
Why we are capturing data of women
entrepreneurs in the North – Ataguba
WBIN
By Victoria Onehi
SheHive, a four-day boot
camp which brings together
young female professionals
and entrepreneurs to learn
new business skills, network
and connect directly with
potential mentors and
investors holds in Kaduna.
Organised by She
Leads Africa(SLA), a social
enterprise dedicated to
supporting young African
women, the event will kick
off on the 20th of this month .
“Whether you are
interested in building a
business or launching
a career, there will be
something for you at SheHive
Kaduna. Make sure you’re a
part of this transformational
experience, because it will
prepare and equip you for
your career path,” a press
statement from the SLA said.
Speakers at the event were
the founder, Diet Deli and
Cafe, Zahra Imam, actress
and ‘Queen of Kannywood’
Rahama Sadau and
founder, Hayati Magazine,
Fatima Togbe. Others are
Commissioner for Rural and
Community Development
Kaduna State, Mrs Balarabe
Inuwa, the Commissioner
for Budget and Planning
Kaduna State, Hon
Muhammad Sani Abdullahi
and the Commissioner for
Women Affairs and Social
Development Kaduna State,
Hajiya Rabi M J Abdulsalam
among others.
Some of the topics
which will be covered at
the event include how to
develop winning online
content,social media
marketing, building a
business in entertainment,
breaking into the food
sector, innovating through
technology and lots more.
SheHive holds in Kaduna
Ora Naomi Ataguba is the Vice President, African Women Entrepreneurship Programme
(AWEP),SouthWest.SheistheProjectDirector,AWEPNigeriaGreenGoldProject,(ANGGP),
a project geared towards collating data of women entrepreneurs in the North. In this
interview, she spoke about the project and the discoveries.
 Ora Naomi Ataguba

Daily Trust

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