August 2018
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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has not defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, his campaign office said today.
An online report has it that Abubakar was planning to move out of the PDP in a matter of weeks or days to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), where he is sure to pick the party’s presidential ticket.
The campaign office described the report as a malicious attempt to confuse the public about the aspiration of Abubakar, ahead of the forthcoming presidential primaries election of the PDP.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, Atiku remains the frontline aspirant for the presidential ticket of the PDP.
“In the past two months, Abubakar has moved across states in the country consulting with stakeholders of the PDP and explaining to them his agenda encapsulated in the acronym JOBS: Jobs, Opportunity, Being united and Security) for Nigeria.
“The nationwide consultations continues this week with visits to the South West, North West and North Central zones of the country.”
It added that Abubakar’s passion and commitment to winning the PDP primaries is without any compromise.
“To assume that he will abandon the hard work he has done with the positive results he is getting from the stakeholders of the party is to say the least preposterous and unthinkable.
The campaign office called on supporters of Atiku to remain steadfast and see the contrived news of defection as an attempt to distract it from the set task of winning the PDP ticket and the 2019 presidential election by the grace of God.”
(NAN)

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The Nigeria Police Force has said that its training institutions across the country were decent and of international standard.
A statement by the force spokesman, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood, said that the condition of its recruits was decent and also of standard.
“The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a video on social media about the condition of recruits in training at the Police College Ikeja,” he said.
Moshood said that the video was carefully studied and the event was discovered to have occurred about six years ago.
He said that the said video does not represent the recent conditions of the recruits in training at the police college in Ikeja as being speculated.
The spokesman said that the college has been renovated and the condition of recruits in training was decent and standardized.
“The Force, therefore, wants the public to disregard the content of the video in total as untrue, mischievous and fake news. (NAN)

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•Seven Ijaw youths detained for two years arrive Bayelsa
•We were held in underground cell, say ex-detainees
The new leadership of the Department of State Security (DSS) may have started making good its promise to review cases of all detainees in its custody, according to indications yesterday.
Seven Ijaw youths from Bayelsa State who were arrested two years ago and locked up in the organization’s cell since then were yesterday set free in Yenagoa.
The agency’s newly appointed Acting Director -General, Mr. Mathew Seiyefa, told reporters at his maiden press conference two weeks ago that he would review the cases of detainees with a view to setting free those who are not supposed to be held.
The seven Bayelsa men were brought from the DSS Headquarters in Abuja to Yenagoa at the weekend and released to their families who had gathered outside the agency’s office in the state capital to receive them.
Some of the suspects shed tears of joy in the warm embrace of their friends as they walked into freedom.
The suspects looked unkempt with overgrown beards, rough skin and dirty clothes.
One of them, who identified himself as Clinton Ohaigbofa, said suspects held without trial were being massively released across the country.
He hails from Ebedebiri in Ogbia Local Government Area.
He said they were held in underground cells in Abuja and went through untold hardship.
They were never charged to court, he said.
Narrating how they landed in DSS detention, he said: “We didn’t do anything. We were arrested on May 24th, 2016. We were taken to the JTF headquarters in Opolo and were later transferred to DMI, Abuja.
“After interrogation, we were transferred to Defence Intelligence Agency. On August 26, 2016, we were transferred to the Department of State Service, Abuja. We stayed there for over two years.”
Reliving their ordeals in the DSS cell, he said: “They treated us badly. We were held in an underground cell. They gave us little bread in the morning, little rice in the afternoon and a morsel of semovita in the evening.
“Each portion of food cannot satisfy a two-year old baby. They deprived us of everything. They didn’t even take us to court. There was no freedom to even see light. They subjected us to severe punishment. They kept us hungry and deprived us of medication. Suspects are being released massively because of the new DSS boss. I don’t know the actual number released so far. But we thank the new DSS boss.”

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Senate President Bukola Saraki has expressed optimism the impeachment threats against him will fail.
He said he is not losing sleep over the threats, saying he would retain his seat as long as rule of law is followed.
He also described insinuations that he defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of his presidential ambition as “cheap blackmail”.
Saraki, who was on a private visit to Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa yesterday in Asaba -the Delta State Capital, said he left from the All Progressives Congress (APC) because the ruling party had derailed from the “democratic visions and ideas” espoused on its formation.
Saraki, who had on his entourage Senators Peter Nwaboshi and Dino Melaye among others, said he is not losing any sleep over the impeachment threats.
According to him, when the National Assembly reconvenes and constitutional processes are followed, the impeachment threats will “fizzle out”.
His words: “You can look at me. I am not losing any sleep about it. We believe democracy must go by the rule of law.
“There are processes, constitutional processes over what we do. So I am not concerned about that. There are lots of noise being made about that but be sure that once we resume the processes are followed we will see that the noise will fizzle out so I am not concerned about it.”
He said his mission to Delta State was to share views with a colleague with whom he had a very cordial relationship at the National Assembly, describing Okowa as a very “important, capable and competent party man”.
Saraki lauded the level of development witnessed in Delta State in the past three years, saying, “A lot of opportunities have been created for Deltans. There is a lot of development in the state and this is what we want to see in most of our states.”

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The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Ibrahim Idris, has ordered members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to wear police uniforms with full identification, pending the launch of new FSARS uniform.
The force Spokesman, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement in Abuja on Friday that Idris gave the order at meeting with critical stakeholders.
Moshood said that Idris was represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of police in Charge of Operations, Mr Habila Joshak.
He said that the meeting was convened to brief the stakeholders on the progress made so far in the overhaul of the SARS now known as Federal SARS.
The Police boss said that the overhaul of SARS was beyond rhetoric as strategic reforms were being implemented.
He said that the FSARS operatives had been ordered to desist from attending to civil or commercial matters henceforth and focus strictly on armed robbery and kidnapping cases only.
According to Moshood, the Commissioner of Police in charge of FSARS, Mr Habiru Gwandu, informed the meeting that a human rights desk had been created in the 36 states of the federation and FCT.
He said that the desks would address cases of infractions against members of the public by FSARS personnel across the nation.
Gwandu added that the Police had engaged the services of psychologists and counsellors in the ongoing screening of FSARS operatives.
On his part, the DCP in charge of the I-G’s X-Squad, Amaechi Elumelu, said in the statement that the screening and mobilization of FSARS Operatives would not be business as usual again.
He said that FSARS operatives would undergo through rigorous orientation including human rights training among other screening processes.
Elumelu said that the I-G would soon unveil the Custody Records Management System.
He explained that this system would contain the records of arrests, detentions and welfare details of suspects.
The commissioner said that this system would discourage arbitrary arrest of people and ensure that suspects were charged to court within 24 hours, in compliance with the law.
The Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Aug. 14, directed the immediate overhaul of the SARS. NAN)

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Liberian President and former football star George Weah awarded ex-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger with the country’s highest honour in a ceremony on Friday.
The award, it was disclosed, was for services to African football that included launching Weah’s own acclaimed career.
Wenger found Weah playing for Cameroon’s Tonnerre Yaounde and brought him to French side Monaco in 1988.
The move paved the way for the striker at some of Europe’s top clubs, including AC Milan, Paris St Germain and Chelsea.
In 1995 Weah was named World Footballer of the Year and won the Ballon d’Or, still the only African to win either award.
“You proved yourself as a teacher when you revolutionised forever the approach of scouting young talents all over the planet, particularly throughout Africa,” Weah said of Wenger during a ceremony in the capital Monrovia.
Wenger was named a Knight Grand High Commander of the Humane Order of African Redemption, the highest rank in Liberia’s Order of Distinction.
Fellow coach Claude Le Roy, who first told Wenger about Weah’s talent, also received the award on Friday.
Thousands of spectators clapped and cheered as Wenger received his medal in a hall at the national stadium adorned with the national red, white and blue.
Thousands more listened to the ceremony on the radio in the stadium, once a shelter for people displaced by a civil war that ended fifteen years ago.
Weah’s footballing successes helped launch his political career back home.
His unlikely rise, from kicking a ball on the dusty streets of a Monrovia slum to world fame, won him support in one of the world’s poorest countries.
Development in the West African country has been hobbled by the 14-year civil war that ended in 2003 and an Ebola outbreak which killed thousands from 2013-16.
Read Also: Liberians divided on Arsene Wenger honour
He succeeded Nobel Peace Prize winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as president after a landslide election victory in December last year.
“I think Wenger deserves it. If he had not spotted ambassador Weah in those days, he would not have reached this level,” said university student Cynthia Kollie.
Some took issue with the awards, saying the president’s choice was based on personal ties rather than on what the recipients did for the country.
“President Weah is bestowing our nation’s highest honour on his two former football coaches who have made no direct impact or contributed to Liberia’s collective interest,” said Martin Kolle, a student.

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The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Ibrahim Idris, has ordered members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to wear police uniforms with full identification, pending the launch of new FSARS uniform.
The force Spokesman, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement in Abuja on Friday that Idris gave the order at meeting with critical stakeholders.
Moshood said that Idris was represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of police in Charge of Operations, Mr Habila Joshak.
He said that the meeting was convened to brief the stakeholders on the progress made so far in the overhaul of the SARS now known as Federal SARS.
The Police boss said that the overhaul of SARS was beyond rhetoric as strategic reforms were being implemented.
He said that the FSARS operatives had been ordered to desist from attending to civil or commercial matters henceforth and focus strictly on armed robbery and kidnapping cases only.
According to Moshood, the Commissioner of Police in charge of FSARS, Mr Habiru Gwandu, informed the meeting that a human rights desk had been created in the 36 states of the federation and FCT.
He said that the desks would address cases of infractions against members of the public by FSARS personnel across the nation.
Gwandu added that the Police had engaged the services of psychologists and counsellors in the ongoing screening of FSARS operatives.
On his part, the DCP in charge of the I-G’s X-Squad, Amaechi Elumelu, said in the statement that the screening and mobilization of FSARS Operatives would not be business as usual again.
He said that FSARS operatives would undergo through rigorous orientation including human rights training among other screening processes.
Elumelu said that the I-G would soon unveil the Custody Records Management System.
He explained that this system would contain the records of arrests, detentions and welfare details of suspects.
The commissioner said that this system would discourage arbitrary arrest of people and ensure that suspects were charged to court within 24 hours, in compliance with the law.
The Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Aug. 14, directed the immediate overhaul of the SARS. NAN)

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Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has signed three Bills transmitted by the National Assembly into law.
According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Laolu Akande, the new Acts are the Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission (Establishment) Act, 2018; the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2018; and the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology (Science) Jos (Establishment) Act, 2018.
“The Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission (Establishment) Act, 2018 provides the framework, as envisaged by Section 303 of the Constitution, for the administration of the Civil Service of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“The Commission established under the Act will, without prejudice to the powers of the President, be responsible for the appointment and disciplinary control of staff in the Civil Service of the FCT.
“The Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2018 establishes the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria for forestry research, education and training. The Institute, with its Headquarters in Ibadan, will have outstations and colleges in each of the six geo-political zones of the Federation.
“The institute will, among others, conduct research into the development of agro-forestry systems for the integration of forest trees of economic importance into farming systems; ecology of pests and diseases and their control; and the control of desertification, soil erosion and deforestation.
“The Federal School of Medical Laboratory Technology (Science) Jos (Establishment) Act, 2018 establishes the School of Medical Laboratory Technology (Science) Jos, a diploma and certificate-awarding Institute, for training and research in Medical Laboratory Science and other related fields.” he stated

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The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Ltd, says its ongoing plans to reach a Final Investment Decision (FID) on its Train-7 project by December will make Nigeria the third World largest gas exporter.
The NLNG General Manager Production, Mr Tayo Ogini, said this yesterday while making a presentation on the facility located at Bonny Island.
The presentation was to acquaint the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu who visited the plant to see the progress made on the project so far.
According to the presentation, Nigeria is presently the fourth exporter of gas in the world.
The NLNG has six operational trains (gas plants).
The first train was built in 1989 but by 2007 till date, plans to build Trains 7 and 8 were shelved.
The six trains have a combined capacity to produce 22 metric tonnes per annum (mtpa) of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
However, plans to invest seven billion dollars on the Train-7 project would expand its production capacity to 30 mtpa making Nigeria the 3rd largest exporter of gas in the World after Qatar and Australia.
Ogini said the gas produced in Nigeria was world-class, adding that the NLNG had built a reputation of reliability in its gas supplies around the world.
According to him, the hub of crude oil exporters on the island namely: Shell SPDC, ExxonMobil and the NLNG can easily produce two million barrels of oil per day.
Ogini said the country had 23 NLNG carriers which had sailed more than 4,000 cargoes making it the largest in Africa.
He, however, said the companies were being faced by inadequate infrastructure, adding that with the three-year Bonny-Boro road project which the company had embarked on, part of the problem would soon be addressed.
Responding, Kachikwu commended the NLNG management for its efficiency, saying the company was a testament to the fact that things could be properly done in Nigeria.
He recalled that during the cash crunch of 2016, NLNG saved the day and helped to avert a shutdown of the nation’s economy.
According to the minister of state, the Train-7 project is fantastic but Nigeria is not yet where it should be.
He challenged the NLNG to begin to think of exporting 40 mtpa over the next 30 years, as well as tackle the issue of gas pricing as most importers of domestic gas prefer to bring in shipments than to patronise the NLNG.
Kachikwu, who also inspected the facility, said Nigeria’s 2019 elections would not interfere with the company’s expansion plan.
He said that whatever happened at the polls, FID on Train-7 as well as its construction would go ahead.
On NLNG assisting Brass and Olokola LNG projects, he scored the companies 100 per cent in terms of performance.
“We have opportunities that are stranded everywhere – Brass LNG in terms of shareholding and financing; OKLNG in terms of even taking off the ground.
“I am saying as the grandfather of this business – they built six trains, looking at seven, hopefully potentially more. Let’s begin to look at minimal investments, through structures and designs and reconfiguration and expert advice.
“You can actually hand-hold some of those trains that are beginning to lag behind so that the whole founding father concept of ‘take this all over the place’ can happen.
“We are going to be reaching out to them, not from an imposition point of view but from a collaborative point of view to see what we can do and learn from what they have done well.”
Also speaking,  the Executive Secretary,  Nigerian Content Management Development Board (NCDMB), Mr Simbi Wabote said his agency had moved to ensure the Train-7 project would be built with consideration to Nigeria’s local content law in the industry.


“We worked with them conscientiously to ensure that the FEED contract was signed within record time and we have a clear service level agreement between ourselves and NLNG to ensure that we fast-track the contracting cycle.
“This is also very important to ensure that we take FID at the end of the year as soon as we finish FEED work.
“We are going to focus more with them to ensure that the letters of the law are properly interpreted in terms of construction phase of the plant as well as its management phase,’’ Wabote said.
According to NLNG’s shareholding structure, the Nigerian government through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) owns 49 per cent of its shares.
Other shareholders are Shell Gas B.V. 25.6 per cent, Total Gaz Electricity Holdings France 15 per cent, and Eni International – 10.4 per cent.
The company also recently signed agreements with consortia to embark on FEED for the Train-7 ahead of the FID in December.
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Buhari
Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu said President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of an agency on robotics and artificial intelligence(AI) for the South East.

Onu revealed this at a grand rally of the All Progressives Congress in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi state. The rally which received defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party, was attended by the national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole.

Some of the defectors who were received include, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji, former Minister of Power and Steel, Chief Goddy Ogbaga, former Secretary to the State Government, Bernard Odoh and former attorney general and commissioner for justice, Chief Augustine Nwankwegu.

Onu told the rally that in 2015 he pleaded with South-East not to put its eggs in one basket but his pleadings fell on deaf ears.

“In 2015 I pleaded with the zone not to put our eggs in one basket. Today I want them to compare the 16 years of PDP and relate it with just 3 years of APC.

“The three years of APC is greater than the 16 years of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP); the second Niger bridge is nearing completion, the Enugu – Port-Harcourt and Enugu – Onitsha highways are in various levels of completion,” he said.

“The time has come for the South East to be in the mainstream of Nigerian politics by voting for President Buhari and APC in 2019”.

APC chairman Adams Oshiomhole said that the current security challenge in the country was devoid of religious or ethnic colouration.

Oshiomhole therefore urged Nigerians not to allow themselves to be deceived by the antics of selfish politicians in the country who are trying to give the security challenges in the country an ethnic colouration to score cheap political points.

According to Oshiomhole, there is a plot to paint the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in bad light by portraying all the killings in some states in the country as the handiwork of herdsmen.

“Let me urge you to be more careful because in this season people are spreading untruth. People are being hired to turn the gospel upside down. They want us to believe that every problem should be explained in ethnic and religious terms.

“We have a problem and we must confront those problems. Criminals must be dealt with individually as criminals. Government at all levels must work hard to protect every Nigerian regardless of tribe or religion, ” he said.

He said Buhari and the security agencies are working hard to put an end to the security challenges facing the country.

Oshiomhole urged the people of the South-East to vote for APC and President Buhari in  the 2019 general election as he has delivered democracy dividends to the zone.

” If Buhari has remembered the South-East which did not give him more than 10 percent in 2015, imagine what he will do if you give him 85 per cent in 2019″.

Former Governor of Abịa State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu said the new River Niger bridge, which the PDP could not construct in 16 years, has now reached 53 per cent completion.

According to him, the South-East will give the President and APC majority of its votes in 2019 in appreciation for all the projects and democracy dividends he has given the zone.

The rally earlier scheduled to hold at the Pa Oruta Ngele Stadium Abakaliki was later moved to a a playground near the Enugu-Abakaliki Expressway following the refusal of the state government to grant the APC permission to use the stadium. (NAN)
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