Nigeria Now Kidnap for Ransom Capital of the World – AIO

According to statistics from the African Insurance Organization, Nigeria is now the kidnap for ransom capital of the world.
The AIO said Nigeria accounted for 25% of global kidnappings in the last one year.
The revelation was made in Balaclava, Mauritius, at the 18th African reinsurance Forum which was well attended by delegates from across Africa and other continents.
The report said, “The number of kidnaps for ransom in Africa continued to increase. In the first half of 2011, Africa’s proportion of the global total increased from 23 per cent in 2010 to 34 per cent. Nigeria is now the kidnap for ransom capital of the world, accounting for a quarter of globally reported cases.”
The organization said that the development had led to increased business for terrorism and kidnap insurance.
BusinessNews

Armed robbery suspect caught among new recruits in Nigeria Police College

The Nigeria Police College, Kaduna on Thursday said it found a robbery suspect among recruit constables undergoing training in the college.
The Commandant of the college, Alhaji Sanusi Rufai, told newsmen in Kaduna that the suspect was named by members of his gang after they were arrested by the police in Abuja.
The commandant said details of the suspect’s identity were forwarded to the college, which withdrew, arrested and transferred him to the appropriate police unit for investigation.
Rufai said the suspect was among 25 recruits the college disqualified for various inadequacies identified during training.
The commandant said some of the students were found to have presented forged school results and others had criminal records, “while some were withdrawn based on health grounds.
“Some of the recruits have sight or hearing challenges, while a few others did not attend the schools the certificates of which they presented.“
Rufai said the college would continue to screen “unfit persons” out to ensure that only those with good knowledge and character were allowed to train as policemen and women. More than 4,000 recruit constables are currently undergoing a 15-month basic training at the college.
 DailyPost

CBN Governor tired of countless National Assembly summons

Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has said that the incessant summons on him to appear before different committees of the National Assembly were becoming too much to bear.
Speaking when he appeared before the House of Representatives Joint Committees on Finance, Legislative Budget and Research, National Planning and Aids, Loans and Debt Management over the 2013-2015 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) yesterday in Abuja, Sanusi said that no previous CBN governor had been so frequently invited like him. He told his hosts that his itineraries were being obstructed.
“I don’t think there has been any CBN governor that has been brought here (the National Assembly) as much as me. I have even offered to be moved, or open my annex office here. Nobody asks me how my itineraries are before inviting me.”
The CBN governor was responding to observations made by a member of the panel, and chairman of the House Committee on Legislative Budget and Research, Rep. Opeyemi Bamidele (ACN, Ekiti) who wanted to know why it was always difficult for the CBN governor to honour their invitation without making an issue out of it, or refusing to come at the appropriate date and time.
Sanusi was to appear before the joint committee on Tuesday but some high ranking officers of the CBN went instead, only to be turned back by the legislators who insisted that the CBN governor makes a personal appearance. He told the committee yesterday that he was not aware of the invitation.
Lead chairman of the joint committees Rep Abdulmumin Jibrin (PDP, Kano), said the panel had to insist that Sanusi appears in person because the Central Bank plays a very important role in the overall economic decisions of government.
“You must come and explain things to help our understanding of the fundamentals of our economic decisions,” Rep Jibrin said.
“You don’t devalue the institution of the National Assembly because it will outlive all of us.”
Sanusi then stroke a joke, saying he envied Rep. Abdulmumin’s position as the chairman of the committee because it wields a lot of powers, and that when he retires as CBN governor, he may consider contesting election for the House of Representatives.
Just yesterday the Senate also summoned the CBN Governor alongside the minister of finance Dr Igozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Accountant General of the Federation for allegedly withholding funds meant for the Petroluem Technology Development Fund.
The apex bank’s boss also denied having any rift with the National Assembly as being insinuated in some quotas saying, “I don’t have problem with you.”
It would be recalled that in 2010 Sanusi raised the alarm when he delivered a lecture at the University of Benin in which he said National Assembly members get 25 percent of Federal Government’s overhead vote.
The submission appeared to have marked the beginning of a very frosty relationship between him and the national legislators who are currently working on a bill to whittle down powers of the CBN governor.
Last year, the House also summoned Sanusi over the controversial cashless policy and the introduction of the non-interest banking system. However, Sanusi insisted and went ahead with the policies.
Also, in February this year, the CBN boss refused to submit the apex bank’s annual budget estimate to the National Assembly for legislative scrutiny as provided for by law.
He rather wrote a letter to the House committee on Banking and Currency on 10th February 2012, informing it that the National Assembly had donated its appropriation powers to the CBN board in the CBN Act of 2007 and as such he does not require the approval of the legislature to pass his budget.
Infuriated by Sanusi’s comments, the legislators increased their momentum to curtail the powers of the CBN by initiating amendments to the CBN Act 2007 to insert clauses that will compel the apex bank to forward its annual budget to the parliament. The amendment bills have since passed second reading in both Senate and House of Representatives.
As if that was not enough, during the investigative hearing on the “near collapse” of the Nigerian capital market by an ad-hoc committee led by Rep. Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi (PDP, Taraba), Sanusi again, refused to submit some documents requested by the panel arguing that the law does not compel him to do so.
Consequently, the committee recommended that he be charged to court for contempt of parliament. The report was adopted by the House in plenary on July 19th 2012. However, implementation lies squarely on the table of the President, who Sanusi work for.
Last month, the two chambers also banged their legislative hammer on the botched N5000 note and currency restructuring proposed by the CBN when they passed resolutions on September 18th asking President Jonathan to stop him from printing and issuing the new note. The president fainally acceded to the demand and suspended the plan.
 DailyPost

Jonathan Appoints New Service Chiefs

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday afternoon appointed Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim, as the Chief of Defence Staff against all expectations and speculations in the past few days that the Chief of Army Staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika may be elevated to the position.
The Kwara State-born new CDS replaces Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, who has put in 35 years in service.
But General Ihejirika was retained as Chief of Army Staff in the reshuffle of Nigeria’s military chiefs by the President contained in a statement issued by Reuben Abati, spokesperson to the President Thursday.
Taking over from Vice Admiral Ola Ibrahim who has been elevated to the position of CDS is Rear Admiral D. J. Ezeoba from Delta State.
The new Chief of Air Staff is Air Vice Admiral A.S. Badeh from Adamawa State.
He replaces Air Marshal Diko Umar who is now expected to proceed on retirement.
By Oluokun Ayorinde/Abuja
PMNews

Taraba state deputy governor impeached

Sani Abubakar, the embattled deputy governor of Taraba State, has been impeached. The move came after majority of the members of the State House of Assembly, voted in favour of the adoption of the report submitted by a judicial panel, that investigated allegations levelled against him.
20 out of the 24 members voted, while three members were not present during the sitting. Mr. Abubakar had contested the constitution of the panel and the impeachmemnt process in court.
DailyPost

Tribunal Declares Obanikoro’s Son Local Government Election Winner In Lagos-PM News, Lagos

Babjide Obanikoro

By Henry Ojelu & Anthonia Ohiero

The Lagos State Local Government Election Tribunal sitting in Ikeja has declared Babajide  Obanikoro, son of Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Musiliu Obanikoro,  as the winner of the Ikoyi Obalende Local Council Development Area election conducted in October last year.
Babajide Obanikoro had challenged the result of the council polls declared in favour of Adewala Adeniji of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) by  LASIEC, claiming that the result was manipulated against him.
In its judgment today, the five-man Tribunal headed by retired Justice Dolapo Akinsanya, held that from evidence before it, Babajide Obanikoro of the Peoples’s Democratic Party (PDP) won the election by 6,780 votes as against 6,248 polled by ACN.
Although the tribunal voided some results of some polling units and wards due to irregularities, it computed the result of other units and ward and declared PDP as winner of the election.
The tribunal consequently ordered that Babajide Obanikoro be declared as winner and sworn in as the council chairman of Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA.
Some ACN supporters who were in court this afternoon when the judgment was delivered were visibly shocked.
Babajide Obanikoro was not in court when the judgment was delivered but hundreds of  his supporters  jubilated after the verdict was delivered.

Lagos bans number plates from other states

Lagos State Government on Wednesday said it would no longer allow the use of vehicles with number plates from other states of the federation for commercial transportation in the state.
It also advised residents with private vehicles to change to the state’s number plates to reflect the fact that they are living in Lagos.
The Director, Vehicle Inspection Office, Mr, Gbolahan Toriola, said the measure was meant to achieve “sanity, standard, safety and security” as stipulated by the road traffic law.
Toriola spoke at the vehicle inspection safety campaign organised by the Ministry of Transportation in conjunction with the Political and Legislative Bureau for commercial drivers in Ikeja.
He said, “There is nothing wrong in bringing commercial buses from other states. But if you must use it in Lagos, you have to change the colour and re-register it with us so that we have your information in our database
“This is a standard procedure. As a matter of fact, it you have lived in a state for about three months, you are no longer a visitor and therefore you must change your number plate to reflect the state. It is done in America and other developed nations.
“Of course, this provision did not affect inter-state vehicles carrying passenger from other state. But we don’t expect them to pick or drop passengers at every bus stop. There are dedicated bus stops and parks for inter-state vehicles. If they violate this and we get them, they will face our law.
“You must put waste basket in your buses; there must be first aid box; you must carry extra tyres. These are what our law stipulates.”
The VIO boss who highlighted the provisions of the traffic law, advised them to cooperate with the government to ensure security in the state.
A director in the ministry, Mr. Bola Matanmi, also advised the drivers not to turn themselves to traffic officials, but instead apply to the ministry so that they would be given a Special Marshall status
He added that the union would be given the privilege to choose the colour of the uniform for drivers and conductors.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Political and Legislative Affairs, Mr. Muslim Folami, said the traffic law, which has 43 sections and four schedules was for the interest of Lagosians. He urged the drivers to submit to the law for sanity and safety.
 DailyPost