Politicians vote N250m to destabilise us —EFCC – The Punch

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Thursday said some politicians had committed N250m to launch a series of attacks against the commission.

It listed those behind the plot as some ambitious politicians seeking to contest the 2011 general elections.

Spokesperson and Head, Media and Publicity of the commission, Mr. Femi Babafemi, stated this in Abuja at a media briefing.

But he said the commission would not be deterred by the move and called on Nigerians to be on the alert.

He alleged that most of the people behind the plot were being prosecuted or investigated by the commission.

Man guilty of killing Nigerian in London – The Punch

A 22-year-old man, Chrisdian Johnson, has been found guilty of murdering a 16-year-old Nigerian, Oluwaseyi Ogunyemi, who was mauled by a dog before being stabbed in south London, the British Broadcasting Corporation reports.

Johnson used his dog as a weapon on Ogunyemi before stabbing him in an attack in a park in Stockwell, the Old Bailey heard.

Oluwaseyi was brought down by one of the dogs as he tried to jump over a fence. He was then stabbed six times.

Johnson‘s brother Shane, 20, was cleared of murder.

The murder was described in court as unique because dangerous dogs were used as weapons to savage their victims before they were knifed.

Anxiety as Kidnappers, robbers regroup in Anambra – Vanguard

Anambra Leaders of Thought have raised alarm over alleged regrouping of kidnappers and armed robbers in the state to disrupt the peace that is now reigning in the state.

The group raised the concern in a communique in Onitsha, made available to newsmen after their emergency meeting, which centered on the state of security in Anambra State.

The group said that their investigations showed that the kidnappers had already mapped out strategies to strike in the major cities of the state, such as Onitsha and Nnewi, where they believed that their would be victims are residing and could pay the huge sums of money as would be demanded from them.

The group, in the communique by Ogbuefi Eze Ugonna, condemned the residents and traders in Onitsha, many of whom, he said failed to pay their security levies. He accused such people of being agents of the kidnappers.

Police seize truckload of ammunition – The Guardian

The police yesterday intercepted a truckload of ammunition carefully concealed in bags of charcoal.

The suspected owners of the ammunition were paraded yesterday by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, “D” Department (Investigations), Mr. Israel Ajao, at the headquarters of the Federal Anti-robbery Squad (SARS), Adeniji Adele, Lagos.

One of the suspects, a 53-year-old man, who allegedly travelled to Ghana for the transaction told reporters during the parade that the ammunition was purchased in Ghana for N6 million. When police further searched the charcoal bags loaded in the truck, an English Berretta pistol was also found.

He said it was his second trip to Ghana for the same transaction and that he had made N6 million profit after he had sold the ammunition to his ready buyers whom he claimed were vigilante groups and private security outfits.

He claimed that he concealed the weapons inside charcoal bags in order to beat the customs checkpoints.

Nigerian deportee dies in Swiss airport – The Punch

A Nigerian deportee died at Zurich airport after collapsing in handcuffs as he was being placed onto a special flight for expelled criminals or failed asylum seekers, the Swiss police said on Thursday.

Zurich police said in a statement that the unnamed man had been arrested for drug dealing and was meant to have been sent back to Nigeria on the flight with 15 other people, Agence France Presse reports.

”The 29-year-old, whose asylum application was not accepted by the Federal Migration Office, had refused food for several days, and was trying to resist arrest. He could only be handcuffed with use of force.

”Shortly after, he suddenly showed health problems.”

The police added that the accompanying officials had unlocked his handcuffs and tried to resuscitate him.

Barkindo turbaned new Lamido of Adamawa – Daily Trust

Chiroma of Adamawa Dr Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, 66, was yesterday turbaned as the new Lamido of Adamawa following Governor Murtala Nyako’s approval of his appointment.

At a ceremony, presided over by the most senior member of the emirate council, Galadima of Adamawa Murtala Aminu, and witnessed by the governor and other council members, Barkindo was turbaned as the 12th Lamido of Adamawa.

The governor’s approval of his appointment followed the recommendation of the Adamawa Emirate’s kingmakers who submitted only his name to the state government on Wednesday out of the six candidates that vied for the throne.

The six candidates that came from the three ruling houses of the emirate are Dr Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa (Yelwa); Alhaji Lawal Gabdo, Alhaji Aliyu Gabdo and Alhaji Aminu Ahmed (Sanda) as well as Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Toungo and Ahmed ibn Lawal (Toungo).

Barkindo’s two younger brothers, former comptroller-general of Nigeria Customs Service Ahmadu Aliyu Musdafa and former secretary to Adamawa State Government Adamu Aliyu Musdafa, withdrew before the selection process began.

Jos: NYSC members reject re-deployment – Vanguard

Despite the resolution by the House of Representatives for the redeployment of Batch ‘A’ 2010 NYSC members from Plateau, some of the corps members have rejected the redeployment.

A News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, correspondent who visited the Jos Orientation Camp, yesterday, said that 1,015 out of the 1,211 corps members have registered, with more still arriving.

Meantime, the new Assistant Inspector General, AIG, in charge of Zone 4, Mr. Donald Iroham, who has been asked to oversee security in the wake of unending violence in the state, has vowed that sponsors of the violence would be exposed and dealt with in accordance with the law.

Some of the corps members said they were ready to serve their fatherland in Plateau and that the security problem was not limited to the state but was a national issue.

Senate panel okays President’s power to appoint INEC’s boss – The Guardian

The President will continue to enjoy the constitutional right to appoint and sack the chairman and members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This is one of the recommendations contained in the report of the Senator Ike Ekweremadu-led Senate Committee on Constitution, which was submitted yesterday.

Also, the leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), governors of Edo, Ondo and Bauchi states and notable Nigerians like Chief Olu Falae and Alhaji Balarabe Musa have insisted that the only way out of the nation’s political crisis is genuine electoral reform.

The Senate’s report threw out the proposal by the Muhammadu Uwais Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) that the appointment of the chairman and the board members of the INEC should be done in a manner that would allow serious input from the National Judicial Council (NJC).

It was also recommended that in the new constitution, the INEC chairman “shall not be a member of any political party.”

Army, Police launch manhunt for Okah – The Punch

The Delta State Security Council rose from a crucial meeting in Asaba on Thursday with a resolution to arrest a prominent leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta over Monday’s bomb blasts in Warri, Delta State.

A source at the meeting who made this known did not give the name of the MEND leader. However, our correspondent noted through his description that Mr. Henry Okah was the ex-militant chief in question.

The source told our correspondent that security agencies had collated some intelligence reports on his alleged involvement in the blasts, which aborted a conference on amnesty in the oil-rich city.

According to him, the report showed that the MEND leader was sighted in Warri on the day of the incident, ostensibly to supervise the operation.

PDP blasts el-Rufai over rotational presidency – Vangaurd

The ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday replied former Federal Capital Territory, FCT Minister, Malam Nasir el-Rufai for criticising the party’s decision to zone the 2011 Presidency to the North.

Rufai had described the PDP’s provision for rotational presidency in its constitution as akin to ‘insanity’.

But the PDP yesterday said Rufai’s comment was not only borne out of ignorance but that he was suffering from a common ailment of “talking before thinking.”

The National Legal Adviser to the ruling PDP, Chief Olusola Oke who spoke with Vanguard yesterday explained why PDP made provision for rotational presidency in its constitution and argued that contrary to the popular view, he said the provision was not in conflict with the provisions of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on qualification for Presidency.

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