Female police inspector misled investigators – Prosecutor

Police confirm attack on Aviation Minister (latest news) By NAN The FCT Police Command on Monday in Abuja confirmed that gunmen fired shots at the car of the Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah in Abuja. The spokesperson of the command, DSP Altine Daniel, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident occurred at about 10 p.m. on Friday. She added that the minister was not in the car when the incident took place. Daniel, however, said that the incident was reported to the police on Monday at about 5:30 p.m. According to her, some metal objects are found in the vehicle which does not look like the conventional bullet. "The objects will be subjected to ballistic test," she said. According to her, investigation into the incident has begun. Also, confirming the shooting, Special Adviser to the minister, Mr Joe Obi, told NAN that the attack took place at the Ministers' Hill, Maitama in the FCT. "Fortunately, the minister was not in the car at the time the attack took place. "An official report has been made to the police and the police are currently investigating it, " Obi said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dickson reaffirms commitment to Brass LNG project (biz) By SundiataPOST, Abuja Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State on Monday reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to ensure the actualisation of the Brass Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) project. The governor made the pledge when he paid a courtesy visit to the Amanayabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Diette-Spiff at Twon Brass during a ``Thank You Tour’’ of Brass Local Government Area. He told the people of the local government that his administration was ready to partner with the Federal Government and other investors to ensure the take-off of the Brass LNG project. Dickson, who described the project as ``very crucial’’ to the economic development of the state and the country at large, said the state government was also interfacing with stakeholders to ensure the commencement of the Brass fertiliser project. The governor said that the successful take-off of the projects would go a long way in boosting the state’s economy. He commended the people of Brass for their support for him during and after his election as governor of the state. He said the people’s peaceful disposition enabled his administration to embark on projects such as a general hospital and a world-class model secondary school in the area. He added that the state government had awarded contracts for the construction of a modern landing jetty and water reticulation projects, among others, in the area. Earlier, King Alfred Diete-Spiff had expressed delight over the governor’s visit and lauded the governor for his developmental strides in the area and the state in general. The address, which was read by Chief Serena Dokubo-spiff on behalf of the king, highlighted Dickson's achievements in the areas of security, infrastructure development and appointment of Brass indigenes into positions of trust. ``Your activities in the kingdom are visible for appreciation. ``The peace and security prevailing in our community is easily traceable to you. This is very reassuring in that we have a leadership in the state that is truly committed to the aspirations and yearnings of the people.’’ He called for government’s assistance in the construction of the Yenagoa-Brass link road and the reinstatement of Brass as headquarters of the Central Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ochekpe urges foreign investors to invest in water sector (biz) By SundiataPOST, Abuja The Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe, has urged Nigerian businessmen to invest in the water sector through partnership with their foreign counterparts. Ochekpe made the call at the 2013 Water Africa International Trade, Building and Construction Exhibition organised by Ace Events Management, UK, in Abuja on Monday. She advised Nigerian experts and local investors to advance their knowledge by taking advantage of the opportunity provided by the international exhibition to explore modern technologies in the water sector. She charged participants to network and acquire modern skills to move the sector forward and encouraged foreign operators of water facilities to invest in the Nigerian water sector. ``Nigeria is a big market, take advantage and invest. Let us look at the technologies on display and in use to ensure that the right quality of water is available. ``Using the right facilities will help a great deal. We need to improve on our services for effective service to the populace,’’ Ochekpe said. The Managing Director, Ace Events Management, UK, Mrs Tracy Shaw, said the event would aid the rapid development of the water sector in the West African region. She expressed the hope that partnership with Nigerian investors would aid effective management of the water sector toward building more sustainable infrastructure in the country. It is envisaged to attract more than 100 exhibitors of equipment ranging from water pumps and pipes, to well drilling equipment and building materials. It is organised in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, Environment, Works, Power and Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development. The three-day exhibition which began on Nov. 25, will end on Nov. 27. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 die, 32 injured in auto crash (more headlines) By NAN Five persons died while 32 others sustained injuries when an articulated vehicle was involved in accident on Monday in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the accident occurred at about 10.30 a.m. at Wanzamai village on Funtua-Kano Road when the driver was said to have lost control of the steering. It occurred close to the new office of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in the area. The lone accident involved a trailer with registration number XA 471 KAT carrying 30 cows and 50 passengers. One of the passengers in the vehicle, Malam Garba Iliya, said the truck was going to Lagos. .``The driver lost control and veered off the road throwing all of us into the bush”, Iliya said. The Malunfashi Unit Commander of FRSC, Malam Tijjani Muhammad, told NAN that the truck was going to Lagos. ``The trailer carried 30 cows and 50 passengers.’’ Tijjani, who spoke on behalf of the Sector Commander, Malam Habu Dauda, said the dead and the injured had been taken to Malumfashi General Hospital. He decried road accidents on Malumfashi-Dayi and Marabar-Kankara roads, attributing the situation to ``poor driving attitudes.’’ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Onwuliri appeals for calm over death of Nigerian in India (latest news) By SundiataPOST, Abuja The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, has appealed for calm and restraint after youths of Ohaji Egbema community in Imo State threatened to avenge the killing of their son in Goa, India. Onwuliri made the appeal on Monday in Abuja when she received a delegation from the family of the deceased, Mr Simon Obodo, and the leadership of the National Congress of Ohaji Youths (NACOY) in Imo State. She said the Federal Government would dispatch a high-level delegation to India this week to sign three agreements with the Indian government on the safety of all Nigerians in that country. Onwuliri listed the agreements as the Mutual Legal Assistant, Extradition Treaty and Transfer of Prisoners. The minister, who described the death of the Nigerian as reprehensible, however, said that Obodo’s unfortunate demise would fast-track the signing of the agreements with India. She told the delegation that Nigeria had formally received an ``unreserved apology’’ from the Indian government on the issue and had gone ahead to release some Nigerians who protested in Goa against their colleague’s death. She praised the Ohaji/Egbema youths for not taking the laws into their hands by attacking over 50 Indians working for oil companies operating in the community. Onwuliri said that Nigeria would no longer tolerate the maltreatment of its citizens anywhere in the world, adding ``we share your sorrow and pain that this happened to a citizen of this great country’’. ``Simon was a law abiding citizen; he was just coming back from lunch when he met his untimely death and I know the pain of losing a dear one suddenly,’’ she said. Onwuliri recalled that during a meeting with the Indian Foreign Minister at the just concluded Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting in Sri Lanka, she registered Nigeria’s protest over the incident. ``He promised that he will visit Goa and get back to me and I believe that he will do that,’’ she said. The minister warned that Nigeria would get ``to the root of the matter’’, adding that the reactions that had trailed the killing of the Nigerian should send a strong signal to Indians. ``We will continue to tell the government of India to be more responsible and responsive as far as our citizens in their country are concerned. ``Our citizens in India are entitled to proper life just as Indians in Nigeria have it all, '' she said. Mr Ejike Esinkonye, who represented the family of the deceased, said the community was still in pains over the death of their brother. ``Our brother was a young gentleman, who went to India for the greener pastures, so we see no reason why he should be murdered. ``If there is any community which indigenes should not be killed outside Nigeria, I think Ohaji/Egbema should be number one. ``We have well over 50 Indians living in our community, which is an oil producing area. We have Addax, Chevron and other oil companies, which have Indians working with them. ``Since 1957 when oil was discovered in my community, Indians have been in our land and we have never harmed any of them,’’ he said. Akumefula said the deceased was an ``Oji Offor’’, the second in succession to the shrine and deity of the community, the revered ``Nwaku.’’ ``Now that he has been murdered in cold blood what happens to his responsibilities? ``The young man has a mother, who is over 70 years, who takes care of her,’’ he asked. The National President of NACOY, Moses Akumefula, expressed concern that some Nigerians in Goa, who protested the killing of their brother, were clamped into detention for more than three weeks. He demanded that the corpse of their brother be flown to Nigeria with immediate effect and accorded a befitting burial by the first week of December. The youth leader also asked the Indian government to tell the community ``who will take care of the aged parents of Simon and his dependants.’’ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Minister threatens to sanction non-performing ambassadors (updates) By SundiataPOST, Abuja The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, has threatened to sanction any Nigerian ambassador found wanting in the discharge of their duties, particularly in cases involving Nigerians. Onwuliri gave the warning at the presentation of letters of credence to ambassador-designates to France, Austria, Romania, Venezuela and Gabon. She urged the newly appointed ambassadors not to disappoint President Goodluck Jonathan and the confidence reposed in them by all Nigerians. He said the ambassadors must be carriers of the present government’s ``Transformation Agenda’’, which she said had rapid economic growth and advancement of the country as core pillar. ``There are many pillars to the transformation agenda but if you an ambassador, you are carrying the entire package because you will be talking about petroleum, aviation, labour, terrorism, employment and more,’’ she said. She called on the ambassadors to maintain the soaring profile of Nigeria in the comity of nation and strive ``to take it to the next level’’. ``You must work hard and read a lot, because when international journalists face you, you cannot tell them you do not know what is happening in the agricultural sector,’’ she said. Onwuliri urged the ambassadors to give priority to citizen diplomacy, addin that the ministry frowned at cases where ambassadors would deliberately shun Nigerians in their host country. ``You must put you staff on notice that they have been posted to take care of Nigerians in their host country; if Nigerians are not living there we have no business having an embassy in that country,’’ she said. She also expressed delight that the five newly appointed ambassadors are career diplomats who had spent more than three decades in the ministry. She expressed the confidence that they would bring their long years of diplomatic experience to the new position. The ambassadors are Mr Abel Ayoko (Austria, and concurrent accreditation to Slovakia Republic), Mr Okechukwu Muoh (Romania and Bulgaria) and Mr Hakeem Suleiman (France and the Principality of Monaco). Others are Mr Rabiu Dangari (Venezuela and concurrent accreditation to Ecuador and Columbia) and Mr Bassey Archibong (Gabon), who received their Letter of Credence in absentia. Responding on behalf of his colleagues, Ayoko thanked Jonathan for the appointment and promised that they would not disappoint Nigerians. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- N1.5 m bribery: NFA slams 10-year ban on board member, former commissioner (updates) By SundiataPOST, Abuja The Nigeria Football Association (NFA) on Monday, imposed a 10-year ban on a member of the board, Mr Olaleye Adepoju, for allegedly receiving bribe from a football club. The Chief Media Officer of the NFA, Mr Ademola Olajire, said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday. Also affected by the ban, according to Olajire, is a former Commissioner for Sports in Oyo State, Mr Dapo Lam-Adesina. Olajire said the decision to ban the two sports administrators was taken by the Emergency Committee of the NFA. He said the committee’s action followed a recommendation of the investigative committee headed by Mr Chris Green, also a board member of the NFA. By the ban, the duo had been prohibited from engaging in football activities for the entire duration of the ban. Olajire said that the committee unanimously agreed that the case against Adepoju was proved beyond reasonable doubt. Adepoju was alleged to have collected N1.5 million from Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan, a Glo Premier League side. The money was to help influence a decision in their favour in an abandoned league game against Sunshine Stars in Akure. Adepoju, who is also the Oyo FA Chairman, had in his defense admitted he collected the money from the club. However, he insisted that the money was for professional services he rendered to the club as its lawyer. Meanwhile, the Emergency Committee has invited the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the allegation of impersonation preferred against Mr Chidi Ofo Okenwa, the Chairman of Enugu State Football Association. The committee also ordered Okenwa to step aside pending the determination of the case against him. The committee said that the decision also followed the recommendation of the investigative committee into the allegation. The Chairman of the NFA, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, as well as his deputy, Chief Mike Umeh, were present at the meeting. Other NFA board members who also attended the meeting were Chief Emeka Inyama, Alhaji Muazu Suleyman, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed and Alhaji Ahmad Kawu. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Female police inspector misled investigators - Prosecutor (more headlines) By NAN A prosecutor, Sgt. Samuel Bulus, on Monday told an FCT Senior Magistrates' Court how a female police officer allegedly misled investigators in a criminal case involving her two younger siblings. He identified the female officer as Hauwa Suleiman, an inspector, attached to the National Assembly Police Station, Abuja. Bulus made the allegation while arraigning Nafisatu Suleiman, the second accused and one of the female inspector’s siblings, charged with criminal trespass and causing grievous hurt. The prosecutor said that Suleiman had earlier lodged a complaint against Abebi Giwa and Evelyn Adegbe, who are her neighbours, at the Garki Police Station, Abuja. He alleged that the female officer, in her report, accused Abebi and Evelyn of conspiring with an unknown gunman to invade her house, rape and rob her of her valuables. ``The police immediately went into action and discovered that the female officer misled investigators with false information on what actually transpired. ``Investigation revealed that Nafisatu and her sister, Zainab Suleiman (first accused), attacked Abebi and Evelyn with iron rods in their apartment. ``The second accused and her sister succeeded in inflicting injuries on Abebi and Evelyn and also destroyed their household effects worth N400,000.’’ He said the offences are contrary to sections 97, 342, 288, 397b and 327 of the Penal Code, but the accused denied the charges and prayed the court to grant her bail. But the prosecutor objected to the bail application, saying that Zainab, the first accused, was supposed to be in court but abused the privilege given to her by the police. ``Each of the charges carries three years imprisonment, and I pray this honourable court to deny the accused bail in the interest of justice,” Bulus said. In her ruling, Senior Magistrate Anna Akobi admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N200,000 with a reliable surety in like sum. Akobi ruled that the surety must be a Federal Civil Servant not below Grade Level 10 and must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court. She adjourned the case to Jan. 30, 2014, for further hearing.

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