Mimiko’s Commissioner, Local Council Chairman arrested with ammunition in Owo

Information reaching DailyPost from a source in Owo local government is that two Chieftains of the ruling Labour Party (LP) have been arrested this morning by soldiers deployed to the community for the governorship election.
The LP leaders, according to sources were Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Niran Sule and the Interim Chairman of Owo local government, Hon Tunji Ojomo.
The source added that they were allegedly caught with guns and several other dangerous weapons.
When contacted, the Police Chief in Owo, said it was still a rumour and that they would get back to our correspondent soonest.
DailyPost

Drama in London Court: Childless Nigerian couple awarded stolen baby

A Nigerian couple who could not bear children after years of marriage received were relieved on Thursday in a London High Court when Mr. Justice Coleridge ruled that the couple could keep a two-year-old baby they allegedly took from Nigeria even though DNA tests had confirmed they are not the biological parents of the girl.
According to the mother, she was deceived by a Nigerian doctor into believing that she had delivered while sedated, after she went to Nigeria for In-Vitro-Fertilization treatments.
The local authority had claimed the couple’s story was a “charade”.
But Justice Coleridge in his verdict ruled they were victims of an “appalling scam”.
The London-based couple said after several In-Vitro-Fertilization (IVF) treatments for the woman to take in proved abortive; they decided to come to Nigeria in 2010 to undergo fertility treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
The couple were said to be “desperate and distressed”.
The couple returned to the shores of England after the woman’s supposed “delivery”, with the baby, and passed it as theirs but their GP (General Practitioner—medical doctor) said otherwise.
As a result of the GP’s inquisition, the child was taken into care and a DNA test proved the child was not related to the couple. But the couple insisted that the baby came through their blood.
Justice Coleridge who described the case as ‘extraordinary, bizarre and worrying,’ ruled that the couple, whom he said were of “high calibre,” awarded the parents custody of the child, ordering the local authority to return the baby to them within seven days.
He said: “Our concern has been, and continues to be, what is in the best interest of this young child.
“We will now do all we can to ensure the child continues to thrive.”
Elsewhere, some charities have expressed concerns that the judgment will have a wider negative effect and will encourage traffickers.
Speaking on the development, Chief Executive of Children and Families Across Borders, Andy Elvin, said: “These unscrupulous people will exploit people for vast amounts of money.”
He added that: “Behind every one of these children lies an actual birth mother. She has been coerced; she may have been kidnapped or raped.
“These children are not given up willingly.” There have been several cases of baby scams in Nigeria. Some motherless babies’ homes have been known to trade away the children in their homes for varying sums of money, depending on the age and sex of the baby. Some other homes have also been accused of quartering young girls, getting men to impregnate them with the understanding that they will not lay claim to the children they bear. Many of such children are eventually sold to desperate couple who are unable to naturally bear children of their own.” Elvin lamented.
DailyPost

Another tragedy in Port Harcourt: Gunmen kills ex-corper, two others

Barely three weeks after four students of the University of Port Harcourt were gruesomely murdered in a Omuokiri, Aluu, tragedy struck again on Thursday at Rumuchakara village in Choba community, the major host community of the institution.
Daily Post gathered that unknown gunmen killed a UNIPORT student, his girlfriend and an ex-National Youth Corps member, who only passed out as a corps member earlier that day.
The ex-corps member had gone out with two others to celebrate his completion of the mandatory national service. On their way back, their car ran into a shop in the village.
Just then, an argument ensued between the owner of the shop and the three friends whose identities are yet to be ascertained.
Few minutes into the row, some men arrived the scene in an SUV jeep and opened fire on the three friends, killing all of them instantly.
DailyPost

EFCC freezes $.1m invested in Bermuda Island by retired civil servant

Over $103,762 invested in Bermuda Island by a famous retired civil servant who is currently facing trial at a Federal High Court in Abuja has been frozen by the Financial crimes watchdog, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to spokesperson of the anti-graft body, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren the action was based on a court order granted by the high court on Oct. 17, 2012.
He said, “Bermuda Island is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the North Atlantic Ocean, located off the east coast of the United States, it is situated around 1,770 km (1,100 miles) Northeast of Miami, Florida.
“The EFCC action is in compliance with Section 6(e) of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004, which empowers the Commission to adopt measures to identify, trace, freeze, confiscate or seize proceeds derived from terrorist activities, economic and financial crimes related offences or the properties the value of which correspond to such proceeds.”
While warning that there would be no hiding place for any Nigerian who wants to get his way to the top illegally, the spokesperson however added that EFCC is currently working with other related units to fish out any perpetrator.
He disclosed that: “One of the three relieves, which were granted to the EFCC by the court, is an order freezing the sum of $103,762.00, being the property of an ex civil servant held in an Investment Vehicle in Bermuda, with an initial deposit of $100,000 (One Hundred Thousand Dollars, a partial redemption of which the Accused /Respondent has requested for.”
DailyPost

2015: South-South leaders rally for Jonathan’s re-election, plan to visit Tinubu

Many observers of politics in the country are rather pessimistic about the re-election of president Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. The fear is founded on the argument that His Excellency is yet to live up to expectation.
Apparently sensing the looming danger, leaders from the south-south geo-political zone are working round the clock to ensure Jonathan is re-elected come 2015.
Eminent southerners under the aegis of frontline Ijaw leaders, Chief Edwin Clark, former Edo State governor, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and the current governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Edward Dickson are currently rallying round for Mr. president ahead of the presidential election which is less than three years from now.
As part of efforts to clear the path for President Jonathan’s return in 2015, governor Dickson has not only limited his resources and efforts towards bringing the region together, as a stable and united entity, he has equally being reaching out to prominent leaders across other geo-political zones through courtesy visits.
It was gathered that the campaign, which would hit the public scene in no distant time is expected to take off with the General Assembly of the South South Peoples Assembly (SSPA). This has been billed to hold soon.
Leading the campaign for Jonathan’s retention is the former governor of Edo State and chairman of SSPA, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun Oyegun.
It was learnt that plans had been on ground for over two months now. Confirming the development Oyegun said plans are already in top gears. He said: “That’s not strictly so, but of course we think that a lot of what is going on in the country has not been fair to Jonathan and we think that we too have been part of the problem because we have not stood up enough, both to support him and to guide him. And that’s what we are trying to do a little bit more forcefully now.
“But I have nothing to do with second term. Second term is for an institution and that’s for the PDP. We are not PDP as a group. Individuals are PDP and no other party but we are not as a group. And when President Jonathan makes up his mind whether or not to contest, when the PDP decides whether he will or he will not be their candidate, then things will fall into place.”
Investigations revealed that the decision to use the platform of SSPA to launch President Jonathan’s second term bid was the idea of Chief Clark.
Clarke remained a pillar behind the campaign for a South South president until about two years ago when the Ijaw leader led a faction to split from the main body led by Daar Communications chairman, Chief Raymond Dokpesi.
However, towards attaining a common goal, efforts have been put in place to reconciled the factions and make the group ready forJonathan’s re-electiion.
Oyegun explained thus: “I have been the national chairman for years and we are not just returning; we have always been there. We have been visible; it’s just that there has been internal division as a result of which we have been operating under the canopy of South South leaders and elders’ forum. But now, we decided to return to the name that everybody knows, SSPA brings all groups in the South South together for unity and that process is ongoing but we have always been.”
He however confirmed that several activities have been lined up for the SSPA, including a General Assembly but failed to say for what purpose.
“You just watch out; we are already working and you will see the signs with everyday that passes. We are going to hold a general assembly soon. We will have that within the next two or three months,” he stressed.
Some of the leaders are expected to storm Lagos for a crucial meeting with former governor of the state and national leader of the leading opposition party, (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support.
A close insider in the Bayelsa government house who pleaded anonymity confirmed the intending visit of the southerners to the notable Yoruba leader: “I am aware there is a pending visit to Senator Tinubu but where and for what purpose is what I cannot tell you because I don’t have such details as we speak.

DailyPost

Power Distribution: Governors oppose BPE decision

The Governors of Edo, Delta, Ekiti and Ondo yesterday rejected the announcement of Vigeo Power Distribution as the successful bidder for the Benin Distribution Company by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
The states are investors in the Southern Electricity Distribution Company which lost out in the bidding process.
The Chairman of the Technical Committee, National Council on Privatisation, [NCP], Mr. Atedo Peterside, had on Tuesday during the opening of the commercial bids of the privatization of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, announced Vigeo as the successful bidder claiming the committee adopted Aggregate Technical Commercial and Collection loss Reduction as the basis for choosing the preferred bidder for the Benin Distribution Company.
In a press briefing after the announcement, Governors Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, told journalists that the process that led to the emergence of Vigeo Consortium lacks transparency.
It accused NCP of not judging by necessary parameters which include; technical competence, state participation, on the ground knowledge and financial competence.
They said: “States were allowed to participate in the privatization exercise after exhaustive deliberations and consequent recognition of the value that the states were uniquely positioned to add to the success of the post privatization utilities mostly in the troubled areas particularly, the Niger Delta Region. Some of these include Right of Way, rural electrification, legislation against theft and vandalism, policing to improve collection.
“Our states have invested heavily in power generation, transmission and distribution across the length and breadth of our respective states as we recognized the importance of power as the pre-condition for socio-economic growth and industrialization of our states.
“We participated and came out as the most technically competent and have the consortium that is most suited to the peculiarities of our region.’’
“In our region, you cannot succeed in operating the utility without the participation of the state governments, on ground knowledge and relationship with different stakeholders such as youths, communities, leadership. Our consortium possesses all theses. Experts have said that Aggregate Technical Commercial and Collection losses as the singular basis for selecting the preferred bidder after qualifying technically was completely flawed. It is neither here nor there. It is simply arithmetic progression or statement which does not in any way demonstrate your ability to succeed post privatization.
On the question of whether the governors were considering litigation to restrain the BPE and the successful bidder, Governor Adams Oshiomhole responded that the company would not be allowed to operate in the states.
He added that “The technical qualification criteria also failed to take into consideration the peculiarities of the various discos, otherwise why would a company whose current service territory is 500 square kilometre be technically qualified to operate a 57,000 kilometre service territory in an area like the Niger Delta region without any local knowledge of this trouble area?
“BPE just allocated to companies that have big figures, you don’t reduce power to patronage, something you give to the boys, who are connected. It is a big shame. The whole process was riddled with corruption. The winner isn’t welcomed into our states; we will not allow it to operate in our state. He may be the one to go to court.

DailyPost

Nigeria Navy Training School Dismisses 55 trainees

From Precious Werner Ahiakwo, from Port Harcourt Rivers State

-

Information available to 247ureports.com indicates that the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School in Onne Rivers State has dismissed 55 trainees for certificate forgery and alteration.

Parading the expelled trainees at the Rivers State Police Head Quarters, Moscow road in Port Harcourt, the commandant of the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School Onne, Commodore Apochi Suleiman said the affected trainees attempted to joined the Nigerian Navy wrongly with fake, forged and altered secondary school results.

He said “the training commenced about three months ago and as part of the exercise carried out by the Navy headquarters in Abuja to verify trainees’ certificate, it was discovered that out of the 1,214 trainees who applied, 55 came in forged, fake, and altered secondary school certificates and results. That’s why i am handing them over to the Police for possible prosecution”,

Commodore Suleiman also made it clear to intending candidates who wants to join the Navy to desist from the forging of S.S.C.E certificates or results adding that the Nigerian Navy is set to flush them out and make them face the result of the crime. “This is a very very sound warning signal to those hanging around to join the Nigerian Navy. The Navy has all the machinery in place to sieve out bad eggs” he warned.

Also arrested by the Nigeria Army and handed over to the Police was a fake Army lieutenant who has been parading himself as a second lieutenant in the Nigerian Army.

The suspect who was identified as Francis Uche from Ebonyi State was dismissed from the Nigeria Army after he went on an illegal duty. “I was arrested by the military Police. I was court-martialed and later dismissed. I decided to continue as a soldier because there was nothing left to do” he said.

The Rivers State Police P.R.O Ben Ugwuegbulam said Francis Uche was arrested on September 22 at Oyigbo, (a suburb of Port Harcourt) Timber shade while parading himself as a second lieutenant and deceiving  members of the public.

Ugwuegbulam added that all the suspects will be charged to court soon.

247UReports