“Don’t exceed $10000 forex limit” – EFCC advises travellers

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Sunday advised persons travelling out of Nigeria not to exceed the statutory $10,000 foreign exchange limit.
EFCC Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye, who gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, said any traveller carrying any amount above the limit should be prepared to declare it to Customs.
Akomaye blamed Nigeria’s fraud, terrorism, money laundering and drug vulnerability on its cash-based economy and commended the National Assemby for showing commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism laws.
The commission on Thursday arrested a 24 year-old Nigerian, Abubakar Tijani Sheriff, for allegedly attempting to travel out with the sum of $7 million (N1,120,000 billion).
He was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos as he was trying to travel to Dubai aboard a United Arab Emirates flight.
After his arrest, he said that he had a total sum of $4.5million.
But when he was thouroughly searched, he was found to have $7,049,444 on him.
He later confessed that he was a courier for 20 individuals who hired him to take the money for them to Dubai.
Authorities said they were working on the theory that he was a money laundering courier.
He has reportedly named 20 individuals who sent him on the errand.
 BusinessNews

Deportation of female pilgrims cost over N1 billion – Experts

An estimated N1 billion may have been lost as a result of the deportation of Nigerian female pilgrims from Saudi Arabia, experts have said.
This is coming on the heels of accusation by the Nigerian envoy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Alhaji Abubakar Shehu Bunu, who said that the authorities in the holy land had allegedly violated the Geneva Convention when they blocked him and his team from reaching the distressed female pilgrims at the airports.
Bunu, who could not hide his anger, told the Voice of America (VOA) Hausa Service in an interview monitored in Kaduna at the weekend that it was unfortunate that the Saudi authorities denied them access to the female pilgrims while they were in detention at the airports, which was a violation of the Geneva Convention that was soft on the women folk.
However, a group, the Arewa Youth Forum, has called for the immediate resignation of the ambassador for alleged poor handling of affairs in the holy land and accused the United States of America (USA) of complicity in the unwarranted deportation of the Nigerian female pilgrims.
They said that since the USA was always behind Saudi Arabia and had enormous control over the major international organisations across the world, the Kingdom could trample upon the rights of Nigeria and Nigerians and remain unchallenged.
AYF also called for the immediate reorganisation of all state agencies handling hajj matters in Nigeria for not “being proactive” and advocated the injection of fresh blood into the system in line with the demands of modern times.
The AYF said from their investigation, over one billion naira might have been lost as a result of the deportation of the female pilgrims from Saudi Arabia to Nigeria and sought for adequate compensation for the distressed women.
According to AYF leader, Gambo Gujungu, hajj is a multi-billion dollar business and Nigeria had always been the favourites of Saudi traders, who he was sure, might not be happy with the current diplomatic row.
He, however, expressed delight that reports emanating from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) indicated that all the affected pilgrims would be taken care of and would not lose a kobo due to the problem encountered.
Ambassador Bunu had said in an interview that hard as they tried to convince the Saudis on the need to settle the matter amicably, they failed to respond in writing but were only giving verbal excuses.
The envoy said the Saudis stood their ground and only allowed aged women to gain entry into the holy land.
He still expressed optimism that the relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia would continue to flourish in spite of the diplomatic row.
On whether the Saudi authorities were skeptical that some of the women would defect after the pilgrimage, he explained that they had written a letter of undertaking that all the women would be returned to Nigeria after the hajj rituals but the Saudis did not agree.
 BusinessNews

2015 Presidency: Igbos should wait – Arewa Consultative Forum

As clock ticks for the general elections, Northern social-cultural group, under the aegis of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has dismissed the possibility of a president of Igbo extraction in 2015.
This came following recent declaration by some Igbo leaders’ that the destiny of Nigeria as a nation lies in the hands of an Ndigbo.
Kicking against the declarations, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Anthony Sani, affirmed that the south-easterners should hold on, noting that north’s quest for president in 2015 was based on merit.
Sani said, “By voting a southerner in the 2011 presidential election, Nigerians overwhelmingly voted against zoning and rotational presidency. So, anybody bringing up the issue of zoning is trying to draw us backwards.”
He further said, “It was Alex Ekwueme and his delegates that recommended this principle of geopolitical zone during the 1994/1995 National Constitutional Conference. The suggestion was that the presidency should rotate from one zone to another. Then it was put to vote and it was agreed that it would rotate between the North and the South.
“The South started with Obasanjo. After Obasanjo, it was the turn of the North. They chose Yar’Adua, may be because they knew he was likely to die. When he died, they said Goodluck Jonathan must become the President, we agreed. Then in 2011, they said there was no more zoning; that it should now be on merit and that is how Jonathan got elected as President. So, why are southerners now bringing up the issue of zoning again? We in the North are ready to contest the presidency in 2015 based on merit.”
It would be recalled that frontline political stalwart, Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, during a press briefing in Owerri, Imo State, recently demanded that the six zones should be given an equal opportunity to produce the president through a zoning arrangement.
Also, former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu recently averred that the only panacea to Nigeria’s problem is for an Igbo man to be given the opportunity to pilot the affairs of the country.
Third Republic governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife also believes that except an Igbo man is given the opportunity to rule Nigeria, the country would remain stunted.
He said, “I don’t know what Iwuanyawu’s line of thought was when he said that, but I say Igbo presidency in 2015 is possible and we will get it”
“I wish to state that those who think that they are punishing the Igbos by keeping them out of power are deceiving themselves. It is Nigeria that needs and Igbo President for this country to move forward. In fact, until Nigeria produces an Igbo man as President, this country is going nowhere. Igbos are number one agents of development wherever they may be. They are known for transforming their environment.” He added.

DailyPost

Fear arises over Bayelsa Governor’s health

Tongues are beginning to wag over the continuous absence of Bayelsa State governor, Henry Seriake Dickson from office.
City wag says, his absence from the government house in the oil-rich Bayelsa may be connected to his ailing health.
It was gathered that the serving governor left the shores of Nigeria for the United Kingdom on medical ground, but the state government maintains that the governor is as fit as fiddle, noting that he went on a working leave.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Affairs, Chief Fred Agbedi, disclosed that his absence has not in any way affected the affairs of the state.
He said, “Governor Henry Seriake Dickson has gone abroad in his bid to woo investors and develop the state. On a private note, the Governor is also on holiday. He has not gone on holiday since his election into the House of Representatives, which he won after the turbulent rerun, and shortly after that, he went into the governorship primaries.
“He went through a rigorous campaign. Since then he has not taken a deserved rest and that is what he is doing now. The Governor did not travel because of ill-health but he traveled for the interest of the state and to rest.
It was gathered that the governor may miss all the activities lined up for Nigeria’s 52 Independence celebration and the 16th anniversary celebration for the creation of Bayelsa State, but the state government insists that there was no law that made it compulsory for the governor to be present during any of the anniversaries.
The absence of the governor has left yet another vacuum at the state government house following the absence of the First Lady, Patience Jonathan who is also a serving permanent Secretary in the State to Germany for medical treatment.
DailyPost

Fuel scarcity: We warned FG – NUPENG, PENGASSAN

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria ((PENGASSAN) has said if the government had listened to them, the ongoing fuel crisis in some parts of the country would have been avoided.
It said the only panacea was for government to speed up work on the refineries. That alone, it said would enhance fuel supply in the country.
For over two weeks now, economic activities in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial centre have been stunted as a result of fuel deficiency, which was said to have occurred due to vandalisation of a 2B pipeline and the murder of three staff of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Arepo, Ogun State.
The incident has skyrocketed fuel price from 97 naira to N200 per litre in some parts of the country.
It was gathered that the damaged NNPC system 2B, pumps about 11 million litres of fuel per day, which is about one-third of the national daily consumption from Atlas Cove offshore depot in Lagos, to Satellite depot in Ejigbo, Lagos; Mosimi, Ogun State; Ibadan, Oyo State; Ore in Ondo State, Ilorin in Kwara State and some parts of the North.
Speaking on the incident, Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission (NNPC), Mr. Fidel Pepple, disclosed that the NNPC had taken measures working round the clock to end the crisis.
He said: “As I speak, we have raised daily supply of fuel from Folawiyo tank farm from 150 to 250 tankers, MRS from 100 to 200, Capital Oil to 300 tankers, NIPCO to 70 and AITEO to 100 tankers,” Mr. Pepple said, adding that fuel supply to Port Harcourt, Aba, and Calabar has also been increased. Though Mr. Pepple said the NNPC had 32 days sufficiency and is currently collaborating with security agencies to fix the pipeline and restore normal supply to affected areas, organized labour in the petroleum sector said government was not sincere to Nigerians on the magnitude of the problem. According to National President of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Gas workers (NUPENG), Comrade Igwe Achese, the crisis may linger until government addressed major challenges in the downstream sector.
“The trend will continue until government shows responsibility and act in the interest of the people,” he said. The NUPENG boss said the problem was beyond damaged pipelines, adding that, “The pipeline in question is NNPC pipeline for product coming in through NNPC. Product coming in from there cannot sustain the country; it is only one channel to Mosimi, Ejigbo and not for the marketers, who are no more importing, and those doing so are selling at exorbitant prices.”
Speaking further, Acheses said there was a need for the government to call stakeholders’ meeting of all marketers to bring the situation under control, noting that government should not hesitate to prosecute fraudulent marketers.
Achese said: “We are happy that Nigerians are now seeing and experiencing this. It started in Abuja, and now is all over the country, and NUPENG is not on strike.
“The real problem is that we completely depend on importation, as none of our refineries is producing anything now. But such can be corrected if the government can make our refineries work.
Meanwhile, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria ((PENGASSAN) had confirmed that the ongoing fuel crisis was beyond pipeline vandalisation in Arepo or anywhere in the country, explaining that the only solution was for the government to put refineries in order.
“The inability of government to provide security for the pipelines and failure to pay marketers, have snowballed into this crisis shrouded in uncertainty.
“Though we are not saying government should condone corruption, neither are we in support of corruption, but we believe government should settle genuine marketers,” the union said.

DailyPost

2face Idibia, Uti Nwachukwu, others honoured by Oba of Benin

African pop icon 2face Idibia was one of the few personalities honoured by the Oba of Benin kingdom, Oba Uku Akpolokpolo Erediauwa in Edo State yesterday.
The event which celebrated the ‘Oba of Benin as a Preserver‘ was attended by a number of personalities including Big Brother Africa winner Uti Nwachukwu and Nollywood movie producer Lancelot Imaseun amongst others.
The 37-year-old musician who was invited by the Oba was given two wrist bands made of beads. A very excited 2face took to his Twitter page to show off his beads while he wrote;
‘Oba of Benin just gave me some royal beads! I’m so excited and honoured! One love 2 Benin kingdom’.
DailyPost

CPC National leaders divided over choice of Ondo governorship candidates, Buhari shuns rally in Akure

There were indications that the national Leadership of the Congress for Progressive Change [CPC] is now divided over the choice of candidate to endorse in the forthcoming October 20, governorship election in Ondo State.
Although, CPC has Soji Ehinlanwo as the party flagbearer for the election, it was learnt that the party National leaders doubt the popularity of its candidate of winning the poll.
DailyPost gathered authoritatively that CPC is planning on how to win the 2015 Presidential election and, to achieve its political aim, has decided to work for the success of one of the two most popular candidates.
“The CPC is doing this in order to score more votes from the electorate during the 2015 general election, particularly from the South West States where it lost woefully at the last 2011 Presidential election”, a source said.
It was disclosed that the party chieftains had been at loggerheads on whom to endorse between the Action Congress of Nigeria [ACN]’s flagbearer, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu [SAN] and the ruling Labour Party candidate, Governor Olusegun Mimiko.
It was gathered that some leaders of the party have decided to pitch their tents with the ACN and work for the success of Akeredolu since the party was already controlling all the South West States apart from Ondo State, while others believed that Mimiko has the bright chance of returning to power due to his achievements.
As part of plans to cause crisis in the party, It would be recalled that the state and the 18 local government executives, rejected the candidature of Ehinlanwo, who is a consultant of European Commission (EU)
Already, Ehinlanwo and his running mate’s name, Mrs Oluyemi Damilola have been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC].
In order to save his political future, the CPC governorship candidate rushed to the residence of the party’s founder, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna State for endorsement. As part of his commitment to support the party candidate in the coming poll, Buhari promised to storm the state yesterday and canvass for the party’s support for Ehinlanwo. But, the Retired General and the national leaders of the party all failed to show up at the rally later held at Democracy Park in Akure.
It was learnt that Buhari could not make it to the rally because his running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare had decided not to pay for his flight ticket to Akure. Bakare was said to have been the one financing the Buhari’s flight tickets since the commencement of the 2011 general elections campaign because he is in support of Governor Mimiko’s candidature.
Sources from the CPC camp revealed that three days to the planned mega rally, the national leadership of party directed the CPC chieftains in the state to cancel the rally and work for one of the two most popular governorship candidates. One of the sources disclosed that the former Minister of the Federal Territory Capital [FCT], Nasir El-Rufai urged the party members in the state to work for the success of ACN governorship candidate, stressing that CPC is not on ground in Ondo State.
Another source explained that “The former Vice Presidential candidate of CPC, Tunde Bakare directed us to back the incumbent Governor, Mimiko who is also the candidate of Labour Party because he believed Mimiko has transformed the state and he should be allowed to return back to office for another four years.
“For this reason, Bakare decided not to pay for the flight ticket of Buhari to Akure for the rally. Bakare has been the one responsible for all the tickets money of the former Military Head of State since the beginning of the 2011 general elections campaign till date”..
When contacted, the Director General, Soji Ehinlanwo Campaign Organization (SECO), Mr. Yomi Adetimehin said Buhari could not make it to the rally because there was another official assignment the retired general must attend in Abuja.
Adetimehin who denied any division among the party leaders, said the CPC Chieftains have all endorsed the candidature of Ehinlanwo
DailyPost