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Suicide bomber kills 6 soldiers in Yobe - We did it, Boko Haram says - Borno ex-commissioner shot dead

A lone suicide bomber in a vehicle loaded with explosives yesterday rammed into a military veicle in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, killing six soldiers and three civilians. The bomber also died in the attack, witnesses said.

 The Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, also known as Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility.

 Witnesses said the incident took place around 12 noon at Shagari Low-Cost junction in Damaturu. Following the blast, most residents hurriedly rushed back to their homes as angry JTF operatives fired gunshots continuously into the air.

Daily Trust gathered that the suicide bomber parked his vehicle by the road side waiting for the JTF patrol team which he suspected was trailing him, and suddenly detornated the explosives as the patrol team they approached him.

One witness who has a shop close to the scene said: “I saw him (suicide bomber) when he parked a CR-V jeep by the roadside. When the army vehicles vehicle approached, he suddenly crashed into one of them. Many people were affected by the heavy explosion, including one of our shop attendants who was killed instantly by the effect of the blast. The other attendant sustained serious injuries.”

Yobe state police commissioner Mr. Patrick Egbuniwe confirmed the incident, saying two military patrol vehicles suspected a CRV jeep and trailed the speeding driver, not knowing that the vehicle was loaded with explosives.

“As they stopped him, the EIDs detonated and killed six soldiers, injured one soldier and a civilian,” he said.

Military men were seen clearing the wreckage of the vehicle and the mutilated body parts of the soldiers after cordoning the area.

A hospital source told Daily Trust that six corpses of military men and one civilian were deposited at the morgue.

Residents of the area also said to have fled their homes because of fear of the unknown.

Witnesses also said two tricycles conveying passengers were hit by the blast and two people including a retired vehicle inspection officer (VIO) called Malam Baba Fada were killed. There was no official confirmation of the killing of the two.

One resident reported that mutilated body parts were hurled into nearby houses. “I found a human arm at my backyard and I decided to leave the house so that the military men will pick it by themselves,” he told our reporter.

Also in Damaturur, a cobbler was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at Sani Daura 250 housing estate along Potiskum road, a witness said. He was reportedly shot at close range at his workplace.

The gunmen equally seized a vehicle belonging to a local resident shortly after killing the cobbler. “They told him to sacrifice his car so that it can be used in executing Jihad (Islamic warfare),” a witness said.

Meanwhile a press statement by Abul Qaqa, the spokesman of the Boko Haram which was made available to reporters yesterday said the group was responsible for the Damaturu attacks, the killings of some soldiers at Kaleri area in Maiduguri on Saturday as well as the attack in Gombe.

The statement reads: “All gratitude goes to the Almighty Allah.  On Saturday around 6pm, the warriors of Almighty Allah were on a mission but were attacked by a detachment of JTF operatives at Kaleri area of Maiduguri. As our lord pleases, our warriors succeeded in sending many of them to their graves.

“Similarly, we succeeded in killing six soldiers during an encounter with them in Gombe town.

“Again, we triumphed in Damaturu today (yesterday), around 12 noon when JTF operatives attempted to stop one of our warriors in his bomb laden vehicle at a checkpoint. After realizing their intention, he did not waste time in crashing into them,” the statement said.

Our correspondents could not ascertain the number of soldiers, gunmen and civilians killed in the Kaleri attack in Maiduguri but residents said there was heavy casualty on the side of JTF operatives and the Boko Haram insurgents.

Efforts to speak to the JTF spokesman in Borno State, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, were not successful. It was gathered that he had lost his younger brother and had travelled out of town.

Most roads leading to the area of the attack in Damaturu yesterday had been cordoned off while security operatives intensified surveillance.  The state capital was gripped by fear as traders at the Damaturu Sunday market fled leaving their animals and merchandize in the open.

Also, though curfew has been relaxed (now 9pm to 6am), our correspondents also reports that people were finding it difficult to observe Tarawi (night prayers), one of the major features of Ramadan, for fear of the unknown.

Also in Maiduguri, some unidentified gunmen shot dead Alhaji Abdulkadir Kaasa, former commissioner for environment in Borno State, in the early hours of yesterday.

Witnesses said Kaasa, who served as commissioner during the administration of Ali Modu Sheriff was shot dead at his home in Bayan Quarters area of Maiduguri where the destroyed mosque of the Boko Haram sect was located.

Witnesses said he was killed around 1.30am by the some gunmen who stormed his residence.

Our reporter gathered that the gunmen numbering 10, shot him several times before fleeing the area after they were satisfied that he was dead.

A local resident said the gunmen who ransacked the rooms of his wives also carted away undisclosed amount of money and jewelleries belonging to the women.

Both Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesman Lt. Col Sagir Musa and PPRO of the Borno police command Gideon Jibrin could not be reached as at the time of filing this report

Eagles coach Andy Reid's oldest son found dead

   BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — Garrett Reid, the oldest son of Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid, was found dead Sunday morning in his room at the club's training camp at Lehigh University. He was 29.

The police chief at Lehigh, Edward Shupp, said a 911 call was made at 7:20 a.m., and that Garrett Reid was dead when a policeman arrived at the campus dormitory. A cause of death has not been determined.

"There were no suspicious activities," Shupp said.

The 29-year-old Reid struggled with drug abuse for years and was imprisoned for a 2007 high-speed car crash in which another driver was injured. Police found heroin, which Reid admitted to using, and more than 200 pills in his car. When he surrendered to begin serving his sentence in that case, prison guards found Reid had tried to smuggle prescription pills into jail.

Reid seemed to have rebounded from his problems in recent times and was assisting the Eagles' strength coaches at camp in an unofficial capacity, a not-uncommon sort of role for NFL coaches' sons. Many of the coaches and staff stay in the Lehigh dorms.

In the midst of his legal troubles in his early 20s, Reid said he "got a thrill" out of being a drug dealer in a lower-income neighborhood just a few miles from his parents' suburban Villanova mansion.

"I liked being the rich kid in that area and having my own high-status life," Reid told a probation officer, according to court testimony in November 2007. "I could go anywhere in the 'hood. They all knew who I was. I enjoyed it. I liked being a drug dealer."

At his sentencing hearing, Reid told the judge: "I don't want to die doing drugs. I don't want to be that kid who was the son of the head coach of the Eagles, who was spoiled and on drugs and OD'd and just faded into oblivion."

His younger brother, Britt, also had problems with drug use and was arrested on the same day as Garrett in 2007 for a road-rage encounter. Police discovered weapons and drugs in Britt Reid's vehicle.

The Eagles practiced Sunday morning after gathering for a team prayer, but Andy Reid was not present. Assistants Marty Mornhinweg and Juan Castillo ran the team's walkthrough and will oversee the Eagles until Reid returns. Owner Jeffery Lurie said he expected Reid back this week.

The afternoon session Sunday went on, but Lurie canceled his annual state of the team address.

"Today is one of life's tough days," Lurie said. "Andy is a rock solid man. I think what makes him a great coach is his combination of compassion, feeling and strength. And today, he exhibited it all. It's unimaginable. We've all suffered — most of us have suffered tragedy in our lives. Losing a son is unimaginable. Losing a child is unimaginable — the pain. Again, he is rock solid."

Expressions of sympathy came from everywhere around the league.

"My condolences go out to Coach Reid and his family," quarterback Michael Vick tweeted. "Stay strong and we LOVE you coach."

Said Commissioner Roger Goodell: "We are deeply saddened by the news about Garrett Reid. Our thoughts and prayers are with Andy, Tammy and their family. We will support them and the Eagles in any way we can through this difficult time."

Authorities had few details about Garrett Reid's death.

"What I can tell you is this morning we were contacted by the Lehigh campus police department and (were) requested to respond for the discovery of a deceased male," said Northampton County coroner Zachary Lysek. "We are conducting an investigation with the cooperation of the Lehigh campus police department and I personally pronounced Mr. Reid deceased at the scene."

Andy Reid, a father of five, took a leave of absence from the Eagles during the 2007 offseason to spend more time with his family.

Reid is in his 14th season in Philadelphia. He's led the Eagles to nine playoff appearances, six NFC East titles, five conference championship games and one Super Bowl loss.

"We've been with Andy for a long time. He's always been strong for us; we're going to be strong for him right now," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. "As a father and a friend, we're all hurting."

We’ll make sure Akingbola is punished for stealing – CBN governor

Central Bank Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi says he would ensure that former Managing Director of the defunct Intercontinental Bank, Erastus Akingbola, is punished for stealing depositors’ money which led to the collapse of the bank. A London High Court this week found Akingbola guilty of stealing and diverting depositors funds and ordered him to repay N164 billion in a civil case instituted by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

But in his reaction to the conviction in London, Sanusi said repaying the stolen money was not enough.

“We have filed charges of criminal theft against him at the Lagos High Court and if we get a conviction, he gets punished for stealing which is different from repaying the money he stole.

“We now know he has no defence because he put up everything he had (in his defence) in London but the court found him guilty. We are confident of a conviction in Nigeria.

“We need to make sure people understand that when they are running banks that depositors’ funds are not to be taken for personal use,” he said.

Sanusi said the judgement in London has empowered them to sell-off Akingbola’s assets, “anywhere in the world until we recover N164 billion.”

He disclosed that £9m had already being recovered from the convict following a judgement in an earlier case in London.

Sanusi, who made a swipe at the press for accusing him of having “an agenda or some motives” when he intervened in some banks and removed top management of the banks including the convict, said Akingbola’s conviction has now vindicated his intervention.

He, however, declined to comment on the dismissal of a case by a Federal High Court in Lagos similar to the one Akingbola was convicted in London, saying: “I don’t want to comment on the Nigerian judiciary, but you can draw your own conclusions.”

FG still grants rice, palm oil waivers — Reps: No, it’s not true — FG

The House of Representatives and the Federal Ministry of Finance are in disagreement over import waivers on rice and palm oil granted to some individuals from January to 2012 to May 2012, after the Minister of Finance announced the suspension of such waivers in September last year. Chairman House Committee on Finance Abdulmumin Jibrin said on Thursday July 19, 2012, during a debate on the alleged non-implementation of the 2012 budget by the Federal Government at the plenary session of the House that documents submitted to his committee by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) indicate that the government was still granting import waivers to some few individuals to import such items despite policy stopping it.

He said analysis of the documents shows that “on the average, the government has granted minimum of N2 billion waivers per month from January to date to import rice, palm and vegetable oil”, adding that in the month of May 2012 alone, the government granted N39 billion waivers to some few individuals.

But Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, the Senior Special Assistant on media to Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told Daily Trust on telephone yesterday that no such waivers were given after the policy statement last year.

“I can tell you authoritatively that between January and May, no such waivers were given,” he said.

Nwabuikwu said the only waivers given within the period were the regular ones given to ‘companies that use Nigerian gas to power; to companies that purchase police and military equipments and to development partners like nongovernmental organisation (NGOs) in the area of health. He also said waivers are given to returning Nigerian diplomats.

On September 22nd 2011, Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said that waiver requests would from then be granted by the ministry and sent to the Economic Team for consideration.

She said in Washington DC, at a seminar that, “all those who usually go to see the President at night will no longer be allowed to do so. If they have any proposal, it must be presented to the Economic Team. We are also going to hold a retreat with the private sector to discuss policy inconsistencies caused by the pressure they exert on the government.”

On 30th November 2011, Daily Trust exclusively reported that the Federal Government granted rice and palm oil import waivers amounting to about N150 billion to 10 companies, with one of them securing the duty write offs 164 times since February 2011.

The companies that previously benefitted from import waivers include Connotation Concepts Limited, which registered its nature of business as ‘Bookshops and Stationery Stores; Energy Resources Management Limited.’ The company got rice import waiver approvals 34 times.

Other beneficiaries are Network Supplies Limited which got rice import duty waivers 36 times that year amounting to N5billion in taxes; Olam Nigeria Limited, Presco Industries Limited and Sopon Nigeria Limited.

Speaking on the floor of the House during the debate last week, Rep Jibrin also reeled out figures from the various revenue generating agencies indicating that there have been ‘unprecedented increase’ in revenue generation in the first six months of 2012; surpassing the budgetary projection by about 30 percent.

He said such revenues are from the Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation and the Department of Petroleum Resources.

“Some people are determined to put it in our psyche that Nigeria does not have money. We are left with only one option which is to compel the executive to do the right thing,” Jibrin said.

The National Assembly is currently embroiled in dispute over the implementation of the 2012 budget, with the lawmakers threatening consequences should President Goodluck Jonathan fail to implement the budget hundred per cent by September 18, 2012.

But yesterday, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe said that no country achieves 100 percent budget implementation.

Okupe who is reacting to National Assembly-Presidency’s face-off over budget implementation told reporters in Abuja that that he sees the current misunderstanding between the members of the NASS and the Federal Government, especially the Minister of Finance as something that is not very healthy and not necessary.”

The finance minister has insisted that the budget has been implemented 56 per cent but the National Assembly believes that less than 40 per cent has been implemented.

New police DIG, 7 AIGs appointed

The Police Service Commission yesterday announced the promotion of top police officers which included a new Deputy Inspector  General,  seven Assistant Inspectors General and 32 commissioners.

Assistant Inspector General Philemon I. Leha, the new DIG, replaces late Haruna John who died in a helicopter crash in Jos on March 14.

Also killed in the crash were the pilot, Assistant Commissioner Garba Yalwa, the co-pilot, Chief Superintendent Alexander Pwol-Ja  and the late DIG’s orderly, Sergeant Sonatian Shirunam.

Chief Information Officer to the Commission Ferdinand Ekpei said in a statement that the promotion was based on the recommendations of Inspector General Mohammed D. Abubakar.

“The Eight AIGs are: Christopher T. Dega, Aliyu Musa, Bala Hassan,  Mohammed J. Abubakar, Tambari Y. Mohammed, Ibrahim Abdu, Julius A. Ishola and Alex Emeka Okeke now AIG medical services.

He said the Commission also promoted 32 deputy commissioners to commissioners and 91 assistant commissioners were made deputy commissioners.  The promotions are with effect from the August 1, 2012.

The Commission has approved the promotion of a sergeant to assistant superintendent II with effect from July 7, 2010

He said the Commission approved various disciplinary measures against some senior officers ‘for acts unbecoming of superior police officers’ at the meetings.

A superintendent of police was dismissed; a chief superintendent was compulsorily retired while another superintendent was demoted to the rank of deputy superintendent.

Chairman of the Commission Parry B.O. Osayande enjoined the police to redouble their efforts towards the maintenance of law and order as the Commission is keenly monitoring their service delivery pattern to the nation and would not fail to sanction erring ones adequately said.

Boko Haram: I won’t resign – Jonathan

ABUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, said he would neither convert to Islam nor resign his position for peace to reign in the country as demanded by the Boko Haram Sect.

The Jamaatu Ahlis Sunnah Lil Daawati wal Jihad, popular called Boko Haram, which said it was not negotiating with any government representative and had no plans to do so, had in a half-hour video made in Hausa and posted on YouTube, called on President Jonathan to resign, and also accept Islam as a pre-condition for peace.

President Goodluck Jonathan coming out from the newly inaugurated Armour Personnel Carrier, “Igirigi Apc” Manufactured by Nigerian Army Engineering Corp, after test driving today Monday in Jaji, Kaduna State. NAN Photo

Describing the demand as blackmail that he was not ready to succumb to, the President in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Reuben Abati, said he would not resign because he is the custodian of a mandate given to him by Christians and Muslims alike.
According to Abati, it is ridiculous for any group in the country to issue such conditions to the president.
“When Nigerians voted overwhelmingly for President Jonathan in the 2011 general election, they knew they were voting for a Christian. He continues to enjoy the goodwill and support of the good people of Nigeria. As president, Dr. Jonathan is the leader of both Muslims and Christians; in fact, he is the leader of persons of all faiths.
“So, it amounts to sheer blackmail for any individual or group to ask the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to convert to Islam. The president cannot be intimidated by any group or individual. The President will never resign. He has the mandate of Nigerians to serve his fatherland and nobody should imagine that he will succumb to blackmail.”

However, in the video, made by the group’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, in the form of an Islamic lecture on Saturday, the group offered no explanation for its demands and positions. It claimed that it doesn’t kill “women and children,” but those “who have offended us, arrested our people and killed them” and that some people were committing evil acts in its name and that it would go after such people.

The sect also rejected any plans by the Federal Government to legislate on the number of children Nigerians can have, describing such proposal as “blasphemy.”

The Federal Government has made dialogue with the Boko Haram sect a major way of curtailing the group’s insurgency in Northern Nigeria.

Ahmed Dasuki, the National Security Adviser, had pledged to seek ceasefire with the group before the commencement of the Islamic month of Ramadan which entered its 18th day today.

Major Al-Mustapha’s mother dies at 67

Hajiya Fatima Al-Mustapha Nguru, mother of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the late head of state General Sani Abacha has died. She died at a hospital in Kano yesterday at the age of 67 years after a protracted illness.

Her funeral prayer was held at the family residence on Lamido Crescent area of Kano metropolis after which she was buried at Kofar Mazugal cemetery in Kano city at around 5:30pm. The deceased left behind 10 children including Al-Mustapha and many relatives.

Family members of the deceased mostly seen in tears could not talk to the press, but a close family source blamed Nguru’s death on “accumulated emotional problems which had continued to worsen” since her son, Al-Mustapha, was imprisoned more than 13 years ago.

The source, who described Hajiya Fatima as a kind and loving woman, said her condition deteriorated after her last but unsuccessful attempt to see Al-Mustapha in prison after he was sentenced to death in January by a Lagos High Court for his alleged role in the death of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola in 1996.

“There wasn’t a single day that she would not discuss her son’s predicament with anybody who happened to be around her. She always believed that her son would not die in the hands of the authorities till the day she died. She always believed her son was innocent”, he said.

When Daily Trust asked the source why not a single high profile personality could not be seen at the funeral, he said that the family deliberately decided to not to inform them. “They were part of the problems which led to her death. That’s why we resolved not to inform them”, he said.

Major Al-Mustapha’s mother dies at 67

Hajiya Fatima Al-Mustapha Nguru, mother of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the late head of state General Sani Abacha has died. She died at a hospital in Kano yesterday at the age of 67 years after a protracted illness.

Her funeral prayer was held at the family residence on Lamido Crescent area of Kano metropolis after which she was buried at Kofar Mazugal cemetery in Kano city at around 5:30pm. The deceased left behind 10 children including Al-Mustapha and many relatives.

Family members of the deceased mostly seen in tears could not talk to the press, but a close family source blamed Nguru’s death on “accumulated emotional problems which had continued to worsen” since her son, Al-Mustapha, was imprisoned more than 13 years ago.

The source, who described Hajiya Fatima as a kind and loving woman, said her condition deteriorated after her last but unsuccessful attempt to see Al-Mustapha in prison after he was sentenced to death in January by a Lagos High Court for his alleged role in the death of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola in 1996.

“There wasn’t a single day that she would not discuss her son’s predicament with anybody who happened to be around her. She always believed that her son would not die in the hands of the authorities till the day she died. She always believed her son was innocent”, he said.

When Daily Trust asked the source why not a single high profile personality could not be seen at the funeral, he said that the family deliberately decided to not to inform them. “They were part of the problems which led to her death. That’s why we resolved not to inform them”, he said.

Man kills 8-day-old daughter for rituals

Asaba—AN eight-day-old baby girl, was, weekend, allegedly killed by her step father for ritual purposes. The gory incident took place in Jesse, Delta State.

Already, the suspect, who confessed that he carried out  the act on the orders of a spiritualist in Ghana, is currently in police custody.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Charles Muka, who confirmed the development in a statement, yesterday, in Asaba, said: “One Mrs. Gladys Emafuru, female, of Okunu village Jesse, reported that at 15:10 hours, while sleeping with her eight-day- old baby girl, the child’s step father (names withheld) 24 years old, walked into the apartment and killed the baby with a cutlass, opened the stomach and collected the intestines and other vital parts.”

Muka  added that “the suspect after collecting the vital parts of the baby, concealed them in a black cellophane bag and was about escaping to Ghana when he was caught. He has confessed committing the act, saying that it was demanded for in Ghana.”

Boko Haram: IBB warns Clark against further accusations

Former military president Ibrahim Babangida has responded to the statement credited to Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark that he (Babangida) is partly responsible for the Boko Haram menace in the country, saying the statement is not only in bad taste but also misguided.

 Babangida, in a statement by his media spokesman Prince Kassim Afegbua, said he takes exception to the implied conclusions contained in the statement as it exhibits crass ignorance about leadership in a multi-ethnic configuration like Nigeria and warned that further implied statements and misplaced accusations from Chief Clark would be greeted with litigation.

 The former president said instead of buck-passing and playing the blame game,  Clark should advise the government of the day to do more of consultation with former presidents, opinion moulders and leaders of thoughts across the country with the aim of getting lasting and integrated solutions to Nigeria’s problems.

General Babangida said he has no hand in the present challenges facing President Goodluck Jonathan, and the insecurity in the country, as it is his belief that some of the problems were inherited by the present administration.

General Babangida, according to the statement, does not have a hand in anything untoward against the unity and stability of the Nigerian State having seen it all in life, and after paying his dues by serving his fatherland.

“Having invested so much in the unity and stability of the country, to the extent of fighting in the civil war to keep the country together, it is out of place for anyone, least of all an old man of Edwin Clark’s nomenclature, to inpute directly or indirectly that the great IBB should prove his innocence on the Boko Haram menace.

“We want to believe that Chief Edwin Clark was quoted out of context, but if indeed he did say what was credited to him, we are forced to accept the conclusion that on account of his age, his senses have since departed him. He needs our empathies and not sympathies. We have since known Chief Edwin Clark to be a loose cannon in public discourse. He deserves our pity”, it said.

General Babangida said unlike Clark who has offered no solution to the crisis facing the country, he has offered several approaches and methodologies to addressing the precarious situation both in public and private, and had stated without equivocation that dialogue would serve as a better tool than the militant approach which is not yielding appropriate result.

100,000 workers lose jobs in construction industry – Unions

THE two unions in the nation’s construction industry, National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers, NUCECFWW, and Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association, CCESSA, weekend in Lagos, said no fewer than 100,000 workers have been sacked by Multi-National Corporations, MNCs, and indigenous contractors over government refusal to pay for completed and certified projects in the last one year.

At a joint briefing, the two unions claimed that not less than N100 billion debt remained unpaid to these contractors by both Federal and state governments, and appealed to government to release money to these contractors to save the industry and suffering workers.

Speaking on behalf of the two unions, President of CCESA, Dr. Augustine Etafo, said as part of the plans to attract the attention of government to the plight of the workers, the union would hold a peaceful protest rally in Abuja, where all the construction sites would be shut down for a day.

According to him, “governments at various levels have not been honouring the agreements on contracts by refusing to pay for contracts that had already been executed and certified complete. As we speak now, governments owe contractors over N100 billion. Consequently, capital projects are disrupted and contractors have moved out of sites for lack of funds”.

Governments have also reneged on payment for cash backing projects. This is democracy and if the political leaders are sincere to deliver to the people who voted them into powers the dividends of democracy, then they must be ready to settle all financial obligations on capital projects that have been executed and certified complete. These projects border on infrastructures, which form the bedrock of any development of any nation.”

“The implication of this is the attendant job losses and in the last one year, about 100,000 workers have been severed from their jobs.  Most of these workers were sent home by their employers without any benefits because of the debts owed them by Governments.

The job losses can also be linked with the high crime wave and insecurity in the country, as the saying goes that ‘An idle hand is devil’s workshop’. This has compounded our security problems, and we know that a country that has security challenges are not investor’s first option to put down their money.

Worse still, this has led to disruption of family system, family heads are no longer able to discharge their obligation because for every one worker, there at least ten (10) dependants. This leads to increase in poverty among the Nigerian people.”

”Many workers and employers have lost their lives as a result of this insensitivity on the part of the political leaders.

Employers who borrowed at high interest rates from banks to execute projects with the hope that after completing such projects they will be able repay the loans could not honour that obligations on the loans; and as banks are on them to repay the loans, they suffer lots of sicknesses and even death.

One of the construction companies just lost its managing director recently. Governments’ refusal to settle financial obligations on contracts has made some contractors to start cutting corners which lead to project failure.

We are therefore appealing to governments at all levels, federal, state and local government, to without further delay begin payments of debts they owe contractors to save lives and jobs, develop the country and deliver dividends of democracy to the people.”

Suicide bomber kills 6 soldiers in Yobe - We did it, Boko Haram says - Borno ex-commissioner shot dead

A lone suicide bomber in a vehicle loaded with explosives yesterday rammed into a military veicle in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, killing six soldiers and three civilians. The bomber also died in the attack, witnesses said.

 The Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, also known as Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility.

 Witnesses said the incident took place around 12 noon at Shagari Low-Cost junction in Damaturu. Following the blast, most residents hurriedly rushed back to their homes as angry JTF operatives fired gunshots continuously into the air.

Daily Trust gathered that the suicide bomber parked his vehicle by the road side waiting for the JTF patrol team which he suspected was trailing him, and suddenly detornated the explosives as the patrol team they approached him.

One witness who has a shop close to the scene said: “I saw him (suicide bomber) when he parked a CR-V jeep by the roadside. When the army vehicles vehicle approached, he suddenly crashed into one of them. Many people were affected by the heavy explosion, including one of our shop attendants who was killed instantly by the effect of the blast. The other attendant sustained serious injuries.”

Yobe state police commissioner Mr. Patrick Egbuniwe confirmed the incident, saying two military patrol vehicles suspected a CRV jeep and trailed the speeding driver, not knowing that the vehicle was loaded with explosives.

“As they stopped him, the EIDs detonated and killed six soldiers, injured one soldier and a civilian,” he said.

Military men were seen clearing the wreckage of the vehicle and the mutilated body parts of the soldiers after cordoning the area.

A hospital source told Daily Trust that six corpses of military men and one civilian were deposited at the morgue.

Residents of the area also said to have fled their homes because of fear of the unknown.

Witnesses also said two tricycles conveying passengers were hit by the blast and two people including a retired vehicle inspection officer (VIO) called Malam Baba Fada were killed. There was no official confirmation of the killing of the two.

One resident reported that mutilated body parts were hurled into nearby houses. “I found a human arm at my backyard and I decided to leave the house so that the military men will pick it by themselves,” he told our reporter.

Also in Damaturur, a cobbler was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at Sani Daura 250 housing estate along Potiskum road, a witness said. He was reportedly shot at close range at his workplace.

The gunmen equally seized a vehicle belonging to a local resident shortly after killing the cobbler. “They told him to sacrifice his car so that it can be used in executing Jihad (Islamic warfare),” a witness said.

Meanwhile a press statement by Abul Qaqa, the spokesman of the Boko Haram which was made available to reporters yesterday said the group was responsible for the Damaturu attacks, the killings of some soldiers at Kaleri area in Maiduguri on Saturday as well as the attack in Gombe.

The statement reads: “All gratitude goes to the Almighty Allah.  On Saturday around 6pm, the warriors of Almighty Allah were on a mission but were attacked by a detachment of JTF operatives at Kaleri area of Maiduguri. As our lord pleases, our warriors succeeded in sending many of them to their graves.

“Similarly, we succeeded in killing six soldiers during an encounter with them in Gombe town.

“Again, we triumphed in Damaturu today (yesterday), around 12 noon when JTF operatives attempted to stop one of our warriors in his bomb laden vehicle at a checkpoint. After realizing their intention, he did not waste time in crashing into them,” the statement said.

Our correspondents could not ascertain the number of soldiers, gunmen and civilians killed in the Kaleri attack in Maiduguri but residents said there was heavy casualty on the side of JTF operatives and the Boko Haram insurgents.

Efforts to speak to the JTF spokesman in Borno State, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, were not successful. It was gathered that he had lost his younger brother and had travelled out of town.

Most roads leading to the area of the attack in Damaturu yesterday had been cordoned off while security operatives intensified surveillance.  The state capital was gripped by fear as traders at the Damaturu Sunday market fled leaving their animals and merchandize in the open.

Also, though curfew has been relaxed (now 9pm to 6am), our correspondents also reports that people were finding it difficult to observe Tarawi (night prayers), one of the major features of Ramadan, for fear of the unknown.

Also in Maiduguri, some unidentified gunmen shot dead Alhaji Abdulkadir Kaasa, former commissioner for environment in Borno State, in the early hours of yesterday.

Witnesses said Kaasa, who served as commissioner during the administration of Ali Modu Sheriff was shot dead at his home in Bayan Quarters area of Maiduguri where the destroyed mosque of the Boko Haram sect was located.

Witnesses said he was killed around 1.30am by the some gunmen who stormed his residence.

Our reporter gathered that the gunmen numbering 10, shot him several times before fleeing the area after they were satisfied that he was dead.

A local resident said the gunmen who ransacked the rooms of his wives also carted away undisclosed amount of money and jewelleries belonging to the women.

Both Joint Task Force (JTF) spokesman Lt. Col Sagir Musa and PPRO of the Borno police command Gideon Jibrin could not be reached as at the time of filing this report.

Oyerinde: ACN asks FG, N-Assembly to probe SSS

Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has called on the Presidency and the National Assembly to urgently investigate claims by the State Security Service, SSS, that it has arrested the suspected killers of Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, a senior aide to Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole.

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said it was compelled to make the call following the riddle posed by two pictures carried by a national newspaper (not Vanguard) yesterday, which seem to show that the security agency may be recycling the same suspected criminals for different offences.

It said the three suspects in the first picture, who were paraded by the SSS on March 14th for allegedly kidnapping and murdering Briton Christopher MacManus and Italian Franco Lamolinara, in Sokoto, appear to be the same as three of the suspects in the second picture, who were recently paraded by the same SSS for allegedly killing Oyerinde.

‘’Three of the suspects paraded by the SSS for killing Oyerinde appear to wear a complete replica of the same shirts worn by the suspects paraded for killing the foreigners in March. The pictures published by the newspaper is so compelling that we are forced to ask a number of questions from the SSS. Is the agency recycling suspected criminals and deceiving the people that it is indeed solving criminal cases? Does this systemic gimmick go higher than the security agency? For how long has this game been going on? What exactly does the government know about this? And is the PDP privy to this recycling? If not, why was the party so quick to ask the ACN to apologise over the murder of Oyerinde?’’ ACN queried.

The party said the only way the riddle can be resolved is for the government to appoint a panel of respected judicial officers to investigate the SSS, while the National Assembly must conduct a public hearing at which the suspects paraded for killing the foreigners will be placed side by side with those paraded for killing Oyerinde.

‘’The reason why it is important to get to the root of the whole case is because the role of the SSS is so critical in ensuring peace and security in the country”.

For example, the Federal Government has relied largely on the agency to curtail the activities of the Boko Haram. If the agency has been cooking up stories and briefings to government and recycling criminals, how can it satisfactorily play its role? How can it help in resolving the many high profile murders that have been recorded in the country? ‘’Is it that once  any case cannot be resolved or points to government’s suspected involvement, the SSS rounds up some scallywags and parades them to the media, only for the case to go cold? What has become of the suspects paraded in March for allegedly killing the foreigners?’’

ACN said the sooner the government and the legislature get to the bottom of the allegation now facing the SSS, the better for the agency in particular and the country in general, because the moment the people lose confidence in the SSS, the agency can no longer play its complementary role to the other security agencies in ensuring peace and security in the country.

Okonjo-Iweala: We’ve tampered with budget - Puts execution at 13.7%

The Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday admitted at a Senate session that in the course of executing the 2012 budget, monies were moved from one area to the other without recourse to the National Assembly.

Answering questions before the Senate Joint Committee on Appropriation, Finance, National Planning and Public Account,  the minister also did a volte face regarding the level of the implementation of the budget, saying if performance is measured over the entire year, 13.7% implementation has so far been achieved and not 56% as she earlier said.

Reacting to allegations that the budget had been tampered with, the minister said: “For certain projects and programmes of some MDAs, there were resources that were moved from some areas to others, making it a little bit difficult to implement with that movement.”

She however said this has nothing to do with constituency projects, which will be implemented as being designed.”

At this point, a member of the panel, Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi, cut in to challenge the minister, pointing out that any movement of funds from one area to another without recourse to the National Assembly constitutes a breach of the law.

He said: “Budget is not only about statistics and figures, any tinkering or tampering with the budget, whether there is a design or not, whether there is a reason for it or not, ought to be brought to the National Assembly. For anybody to say he will do this or that is a breach of the law.”

The minister did not respond to Senator Ningi’s observation, but she blamed a section of the media for misrepresenting the executive on budget implementation, hinting that the movement of resources, not constituency projects, was delaying the implementation of the budget.

Her latest admission concerning the level of implementation of the budget came after she had consistently maintained that government had implemented 56 per cent of the budget, a position which set her against the against the National Assembly in recent weeks.

She failed twice to appear before the joint committee, but did so yesterday after the Senate threatened to order her arrest.

Explaining the performance of the budget to the joint committees yesterday the minister noted that though N446 billion out of the capital allocation of N1.3 trillion ought to have been released from April to July, only N404billion had been released, N324billion cash-backed, N184billion utilised.

According to her, the N184billion utilised represents a budget execution of 41.3 percent from April to July 2012.

She said: “Out of the total capital budget of N1.3 trillion, we’ve so far released N404 billion, cash-backed N324billio out of which 56 percent has been used meaning that there is still 44 percent of resources not used. We’re working to see that even the 44 percent left, is used.

“We’ve released all the monies available. If we look at the pro-rata for those four months, N446billion should have been released for capital expenditure, but we’ve released N404billion, and you look at the cash-backing, the utilisation as a percentage of that, that will be a proper way of looking at the budget.

“If you look at that ratio, you’d see that we should have released N446bn from April to July, we cash-backed N324bn, N184bn has been utilised and this gives you, if you want to look at the execution part of the budget, 41.3 percent. I have not talked about budget implementation before, I only spoke about the utilisation of the resources, but now, in terms of the budget, this is the way we will present it.”

Speaking further, she said: ‘’N1.3trillion was appropriated for capital projects outside of SURE-Programme (SURE-P), but if you if you add SURE-P to it, you get N1.5 trillion. If you pro-rate that amount months by months, because budget execution is supposed to take place month by month, you get a figure of N113billion each month. If you want to measure it (budget execution) over the entire year, that means measuring it over 12 months, you get a figure of 13.7 percent. But we have been implementing for four months and we have been releasing like that because our money comes in every month, not in bulk,’’ she said.

Commenting on constituency projects, one of the contentious issues between the executive and the lawmakers, the minister said: “We absolutely have no problem with constituency projects, the projects are there, and neither the president nor any one has said that (there is a problem with the constituency projects).”

She assured that the 2013 budget would be submitted by September, pointing out that it would be premature to adjudge the performance of the 2012 budget at the moment.

Earlier, Senate President David Mark, who was represented by Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba said the executive should take responsibility for any lapses in budget execution.

According to him, “budget performance is a major concern to Nigerians because it is through that we can deliver the dividends of democracy to them. This is certainly not going to be a family meeting, it will be a Nigerian meeting and we are making it as open so that every Nigerian will get to know what truly is happening.

“During the military era, Nigerians got used to living without the National Assembly. Now, that there is the National Assembly, everything that goes wrong is blamed on the National Assembly.  We would like to take responsibility for where we go wrong, but what we certainly will not take responsibility for is the failure of others.

Oyerinde’s murder: We have reasons for detaining Ugulor – Police

Nigeria Police Force yesterday stated that it had good ground for detaining the Director of the African Network for Environmental and Economic Justice, ANEEJ, Revd. David Ugulor, over the alleged murder of the Principal Private Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomole, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, three months ago.

The human rights activist was arrested last week by armed security operatives from the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, following claim by the Police that one of the suspects earlier arrested in connection with Oyerinde’s murder  mentioned him as their alleged sponsor.

His continued detention sparked-off protest in Benin last week, with several calls for his release, particularly from the ANEEJ which described his arrest as a frame up.

But justifying his continued detention, the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Mba, stated that the Force had a cogent reason for detaining the human rights activist, following the magnitude of the offence in question.

According to him, “the Nigeria Police Force is constitutionally and statutorily charged with the investigation of this kind of crime we are investigating.  We have very good grounds in law for holding the suspect. At the appointed time, we will brief Nigerians.”

It would be recalled that life was snuffed out of  44-year-old Olaitan Oyerinde, by four gunmen who invaded his apartment  in Ugbor area of Benin city, at about 1am on May 4, 2012.

Two months later, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar announced the arrest of four persons in connection with Oyerinde’s murder.

But another dimension was introduced to the assassination saga, following the parade of six suspects  by the State Security Service, SSS, different from those with the police, last week, a development that is currently generating controversy from different quarters , as to who the real killers are.

Senate denies report on overseas trip

ABUJA—THE Senate,yesterday, denied a report that the Aviation Ministry was sponsoring Senators on overseas trip, describing the report as blatant falsehood.

The Senate also cautioned against the damage such unsubstantiated report could cause the nation’s democracy.

A statement by Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said Senators were currently on their annual vacation, adding “the Senate is alarmed at the emerging falsehood being peddled, that the Aviation Ministry sponsored senators to overseas trip.

“The story is not true and only exists in the imagination of its authors. For the avoidance of doubt, the Senate is on vacation and as a result most of them are currently on Lesser Hajj (Umrah).

“Some are currently meeting their constituents, while others may have gone with their families on vacation.

“So, the deployment of an outright falsehood by the authors to purport that distinguished Senators were sponsored by Ministry of Aviation on overseas trip was not only denigrating, but a wicked resort to blackmail.”

FG builds N1.5bn grain silos in Bauchi

The Federal Government is building a N1.5 billion grain silos in Bauchi State under the National Food Reserve Program (NFRP). The leader of the team from the Presidency, Mr Ademola Adeyemi, while on an inspection tour of the project at Wailo village in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state, said the visit was to assess the level of work done so far and the level of acceptance of the project by the state government.

Responding, the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Tasi’u Mohammed’ said the project would create job opportunities for youths, and expressed happiness with the quality of work done so far. Mohammed said of the total sum of the project, about 80 per cent of it has been paid, and that the remaining would be paid as soon as possible. He called on the host community to cooperate with the contractors for the successful execution of the project. The contractor handling the project, Mallam Abdullahi Salisu, said when completed, the silos would have the capacity to store 25,000 metric tonnes of grains. The team also visited the Agro input center in Dass and Wabu village.

Abuja light rail ready in 2015

ABUJA — Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has assured on the completion of the N22.4 billion Abuja Light Rail project by 2015.

It added that N22.4 billion for the project, to ease the problem of transportation faced by residents, had been paid.

FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, weekend, at the 2012 Senior Staff Retreat for FCT Transportation Secretariat, with the theme Transportation in the FCT: Prospects, Challenges and Solutions, noted that the light rail, which was initially slated for completed by 2013 would be completed by the 2015 baring all odds.

He said: “In order to fulfill the vision for building a capital city that will be among the top 20 capital cities in the world by year 2020, and if this goal is to be achieved, there is need to build a transportation system that is in conformity with global best practices.

“In order to arrest the declining transport fortunes of the city, this administration took up the task of building an efficient, affordable and modern transport system under our greater Abuja transportation policy to ensure effective and seamless movement of personnel, goods and service in the FCT.

“The project is being done to fast-track development of on-going infra-structural projects and ensure their realisation within stipulated time.”

He added that government alone cannot deliver on these promises without effective private sector participation.

JIBWIS to partner FG on Almajiri

National chairman of Jamma’ati Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), Sheikh Abdullahi Bala Lau has said that arrangements have reached advanced stage by his sect to complement Federal Government’s efforts to keep Almajiris off the streets.

 Sheikh Lau made the statement yesterday when he visited Minna, as part of the tour of the national leadership of the sect to assess the performance and level of compliance of guidelines by Islamic preachers posted to the state for this year’s Tafsir.

 He said JIBWIS launched a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), named, Family and Difficult Circumstances Scheme three weeks ago, and that the goal of the NGO is to keep Almajiris off the street by establishing skills acquisition centers to train them.  He said the NGO is at present working on modalities to source funds so that it can take off. Sheikh Lau  said the NGO was also mandated to ensure that at least 5,000 orphans are well catered for in terms of feeding and clothing  in each of the 36 states of the federation during this fasting period.

He urged the Federal Government to set up a committee for the decongestion of prisons across the country, saying if such is done, it would encourage fairness and timely trial of accused persons.

‘Nigerians need to know the true status of Boko Haram’

Leaders of the Muslim community in Nigeria must examine the doctrine of the  Boko Haram group and tell Nigerians if their actions are justifiable or not, former Federal permanent secretary, Dr. Hakeem Baba Ahmed has said.

 Speaking at the 2nd annual Ramadan lecture of the Muslim Media Publisher’s Association of Nigeria in Kaduna at the weekend, he said since the sect claims to be fighting a war on behalf of Islam, it is important for the Muslim community to engage them and find out the doctrinal basis of what they are doing.

 He lamented that nobody appears to be concerned about examining the doctrine of the group, with a view to guiding it and the entire Muslim community in the nation.

“We must not leave the Boko Haram group with government alone. We must examine the doctrinal basis of the fight and know whether they are right or wrong and those responsible for interpreting and guiding the Muslim community must do that,” he said.

On the bombing of churches in Kaduna and Zaria and the reprisal that followed some time ago, Baba Ahmed maintained that there will never be a time when there would no more Muslims or Christians in the state.

Earlier in his lecture entitled; “Unity and Dialogue Among Nigerians”,  Ustaz Mustapha Yakubu said Muslims must desist from following religious leaders who preach different doctrines. While describing Christianity and Islam as religions of mercy and peace, Ustaz Yakubu expressed confidence that if adherents of the two religions can follow the teachings of their holy books, there will be peace in the country.

Islamic banking encourages fairness’

The Director, International Institute for Islamic Banking and Finance (IIIBF), Professor Shehu Usman Rano, at the weekend said the Islamic banking system is meant to ensure fairness through just and equitable distribution of resources.

Professor Rano said this while presenting a paper titled; “The Role of Islamic Finance in Economic Development” at the second annual national conference of the Islamic Economic Thought Association (IETA), a students’ group in the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

Professor Rano said; “While conventional economy deals with papers and gains accruing for worldly benefit, Islamic economy deals with reality and benefits accruing here and hereafter. Wealth is distributed fairly through Zakkat and other lawful means. Asset of Islamic economy is expected to grow by 20 to 30 percent globally.”

The Vice Chancellor of the ABU, Professor Abdullahi Mustapha, represented by the Head of the Department of Economics at the institution, Dr Suleiman Karwai, described the conference as an avenue of enlightenment. He urged IETA to sustain the tempo.

In his remarks, a professor of Economics in ABU, Professor Mike Kwanashe, said Islamic banking should not be viewed as a faith-based system.

The president of IETA in ABU, Rabi’u Magaji, on his part, said Islamic economy has the ability to proffer solution to the economic crisis facing the world.

NIMET says serious flooding coming Aug to Oct

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has told Nigerians to clear drains because of imminent heavy rainstorms that may lead to serious flooding between August and October.

 NIMET gave the advice in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, signed by Mr Eleazar Obende of the agency’s public relations unit.

 “NIMET has observed wetter-than-normal soil surface moisture and groundwater conditions in some parts of the country over the past 12 months. “The northern sector of the country will experience peak rainfall during August to October season, the effect of the wetter-than-normal conditions observed is the prospect of the occurrence of above-normal rainfall, which may lead to surface run-off.

“The flooding incidents that may accompany further one-day high rainfall events in and around Lagos, Ogun, Delta, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states will leave in its trail devastation and destruction.’’ The agency noted that similar incidents were recorded in some parts of the country some months ago.

NIMET in its SRP, released in February, informed Nigerians that there would be normal rainfall season across the country. The SRP, however, noted that “although there will be normal rainfall season in many parts of the country for 2012, that normal rainfall trend in any area can cause flooding and associated consequences. “Such consequences are mainly because of the people’s attitude of dumping refuse in water channels and drains.’’  (NAN)

Our recruitment complies with Federal character —NNPC

Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has denied claims that the recruitment of experienced hands it carried recently was lopsided and breached the federal character principle.

 A press release signed by Fidel I. Pepple on behalf of NNPC’s Group General Manager (Group Public Affairs Division) said the management a recent news report that  suggested the “NNPC Staff Recruitment” was lopsided was not  true.

 Though the NNPC did not provide details of the recruitment to counter the publication which showed some states got up to 11 slots while some didn’t, it stated that candidates were selected from all states of the federation.

It added that the exercise did not breach federal character principle.

“In the recently concluded exercise, suitable candidates were recruited from ALL the States of the Federation in accordance with the “Federal Character” principle.

“The Corporation does have a Certificate of Compliance from the Federal Character Commission for the exercise,” it added.

Officials of the Federal Character Commission told Daily Trust that all states of the federation had candidates on the list of the recent NNPC recruitment.

Flood: 100 persons displaced in Nguru

Over 100 people were displaced yesterday after a heavy downpour that destroyed more than 50 houses in different locations in Nguru town of Yobe State.

 Daily Trust gathered that the rainfall, which started around 1pm and lasted more than four hours, destroyed many buildings at Bulaburin, Tsohuwar Nguru and Unguwar Kanuri areas of the town.

A resident in the area told our correspondent that over 10 persons were removed from collapsed buildings and are currently receiving treatment at a hospital.

A source from the Fe-deral Medical Centre, Nguru also confirmed receiving over 10 victims of the flood disaster. “Some with complex conditions were admitted but majority of them are at the emergency unit”, the source said.

Another resident in the areas complained of lack of good drainage system in place as responsible for the disaster, adding that even the existing ones were blocked and “so the running water could not get the right passage”.

Nigerian dies in action in Romania

Nigerian player Henry Chinonso Ihelewere slumped and died Sunday while playing for his Romanian team Delta Tulcae in a friendly.

 The Jos-born midfielder, who is a regular player for Delta Tulcae, gave up the ghost yesterday morning while in action for his team against a division three team.

 Confirming the incident to MTNFootball.com from Romania, his very sorrowful team mate Mansur Razaq confirmed the player, who is popularly known as ‘Awilo’, slumped and died during match.

“Awilo is gone. It is still a mystery to me that he is no more. He died on the field while playing in a friendly match with a division three team in Romania,” lamented a devastated Razaq.

Kehinde Fatai, who played with Ihelewere at FC Farul, told MTNFootball.com he is still in a big shock.

“I am still in shock over Awilo’s death. It is a big loss. I can’t say more than this,” said the former U20 international told MTNFootball.com’.

Henry Ihelewere was born on July 8, 1991, in Jos and started out with El Kanemi Juniors of Jos, before he left for Romania, where he played for Farul Constanta and later joined Delta Tulcae.

He is now one of several Nigerians who have died while in action overseas. Others include Endurance Idahor at Al Merriekh of Sudan as well as Bobsam Elejiko, who was playing in Belgium.

At 13, youngest Olympics competitor from Togo keeps it simple

LONDON  (AFP) – Togo’s 13-year-old swimmer Adzo Kpossi, the youngest competitor at the London 2012 Olympics, trains in a hotel pool and wears costumes bought on sale at the market.

Her goal at the Games was simple: to beat her personal best of 44.60sec in the 50m freestyle — a time nearly twice as long as the 23.73sec world record.

Togo’s Adzo Kpossi 13 competes in the women’s 50m freestyle heats during the swimming event at the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 3, 2012 in London. AFP PHOTO

The teenager “has nothing to train with: no starting blocks, no flippers, no goggle straps”, her father and coach Kwami Kpossi told AFP.

Due to a dearth of public swimming baths in the west African country’s capital Lome, she trains five times a week at two hotel pools.

“The managers let us swim there for free” after school, said Kwami, a former sports teacher.

Even without these hurdles, Adzo’s training represents a big sacrifice for her modest family.

“The pool is 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) from our house,” her devoted father said.

“It costs us a lot of money. Every three days, I have to fill up the car. But the Togolese Olympic Committee gives us a fixed amount towards the petrol.”

“I like the hard work,” said Adzo in her soft voice, her hands buried in the pockets of a Togo top and her long feet overshooting the ends of her flip-flops.Despite her dedication, the youngster failed to even reach the minimum standard required to secure a place at the Olympics.

However, she was given a wildcard thanks to the Olympic tenet of representation coming from every corner of the globe.

Every national Olympic committee is allowed a spot in the athletics and swimming, regardless of whether their athletes meet the qualifying times.

Since Kpossi’s arrival in London in mid-July, fortune has not been on her side.

Togo’s 13-year-old-swimmer Adzo Kpossi smiles after she competed in the women’s 50m freestyle heats during the swimming event at the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 3, 2012 in London. AFP PHOTO

The teenager was struck down with malaria — “I spent three days in hospital. But now I’m OK again,” she said.

Her father adds: “If she doesn’t fulfil her duties here, don’t blame me!

“As she is the youngest athlete, I want her to show that it’s not age but determination, the love of the sport which prevails.”

A Rwandan competitor in the Athletes’ Village wishes her “good luck, kid!”, while a swimmer she has befriended from the Central African Republic tells her: “The most important thing is taking part.”

“My goal is to beat my personal best,” Kpossi said.

“I think I can do it, with the support of my friends. They have told me not to worry about the others, but uphold the honour of Togo.

“I put all that in the hands of the Lord”.

At the Aquatics Centre on Friday, in front of thousands of spectators, she clocked the second-slowest time in the 50m freestyle heats

And in doing so, fulfilled her dream.37.55 seconds — a new personal best.

Okagbare sad, Vows to move on

Blessing Okagbare had a progressive rise to the London Olympic Games final. About ten days to the Olympics, she ran 11 seconds in a Diamond League in Crystal Palace, London, to beat the big names in the sport including Carmelita Jeter of USA and Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica.

Few days later she ran her personal best of 10.96 seconds to win again in Monaco. She arrived the Olympic Games and improved on that in her first heat here which she won with 10.93 seconds, the second fastest time in the heats, only second to Jeter’s 10.83.

US’ Tianna Madison (L) and Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare compete in the women’s 100m heats at the athletics event during the London 2012 Olympic Games on August 3, 2012 in London. AFP PHOTO

Blessing was to improve on her speed again in the semi-final, running 10.92 to win although she fought from behind to outpace those who left her on the block. She won after it looked as if she was losing out.

The girl Nigerians banked on to win the country’s first medal here ran a disappointing 11.01 seconds in the final when all hoped that her progression would continue in the star-studded race. It simply meant that something wrong had happened. She confirmed this to Vanguard yesterday but vowed to move on. Fraser won and Jeter was third. Blessing was last.

“I’ll get some treatment and move on,” she said in a brief chat yesterday morning. It was her first reaction since Saturday night.

“I had cramp after the semi-final race. It was painful. I really worked hard and looked forward to a good outing. If it happened 24 hours before the final, I could have been fine. But it was too short a time. There must be a reason why this happened. And that’s why I must give glory to God,” she said.

Nigerians, especially online readers, have followed with goodwill messages. Officials were not left out too.

“I’m proud of her,” said President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, Chief Solomon Ogba who did a lot to motivate Nigerian athletes.

“Getting to the final of the Olympic Games 100m event is a huge achievement and I’m sure that she will build on it. She has made us proud.” Ogba said.

Amaju Pinnick, the Delta State sports boss who has returned to Nigeria called after speaking with her to say “we are proud of her and we will fulfill all the promises we made to her. The most glamorous event in the Olympic Games is the men’s 100m final and the second is the women’s event. And for a Nigerian to be in the final and enjoyed good preview by the world press is something  to be proud of. But for the cramp I think something could have happened. We leave it to God.”

African Club installs ultra-modern Gymnastic equipment in Calabar

AHEAD of the 2014 National Sports Festival to be hosted by Cross River State, African Club has installed and commissioned an ultra-modern gymnastic equipment, a Volley Ball Court as well as planning to put in place an utra-modern Squash Court, in Calabar, the state capital.

Already, the football unit of African Club has discovered two youths and sponsored them to play professional football in Nigeria and Ghana.

Speaking at the commissioning of the gymnastic equipment, weekend, the President of the club, Barrister Ferdinando Otudor explained that the newly installed equipment will serve not only members of the club, but  also the public that will like to make use of them.

Otudor said it would help members of the club to live longer as a coach had been hired for those that would make use of facilities, adding that African Club was established out of protest in 1903 as a result of the apathy by the colonial masters against Nigerians in the European club that now metamorphosed to Calabar club Sports.

The Gymnastic  which was named after the grand patron of the club, Chief Inameti Henshaw, has Trojam Elliptic cycle, Dual Action Calorie Monitor, Luxurious Blood Circulative Massager, two Stallion Gyms, Trojam 5kg, Teeter Hang-up, stallion bicycle, Climber, Bench and Treadmill with two Massager cost several millions.

Also speaking after the commissioning, the Team Manager, Engr. Maurice Ekanem disclosed that the football section has table tennis unit and that two talents discovered by the club, one of them, Lawrence Okon is playing for Adida FC, a division two club side in Ghana, while Ekpo Okon played for

Bolt storms to 100m Olympic glory

Usain Bolt sensationally defended his coveted title as the fastest man on the planet yesterday night as he sprinted to glory in an Olympic record time of 9.64 seconds.

In front of a global TV audience estimated at up to two billion, the 25 year-old Jamaican answered all the questions about his fitness and state of mind to retain his 100-metre sprint crown in what had been billed ‘the greatest’ race of London 2012, and certainly the most anticipated.

Known around the world as ‘Lightning Bolt’, he lived up to the legend to run the second-fastest time ever and beat his fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake, who claimed silver with a time of 9.75, and American Justin Gatlin, who won bronze in 9.79.

Left trailing were American Tyson Gay and Bolt’s fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell.

The race had been billed as the ‘hottest ticket’ of London 2012 with people paying prices of up to £725 to be among those in the stadium who could forever say ‘I was there’.

In Britain alone the TV audience was expected to be about 15million, a quarter of all Britons, with theatres and cinemas putting on special screenings that had begun in time to the semi-finals earlier in the evening.

Despite earlier heavy rain and soggy conditions, thousands who had been at other venues inside the Olympic park on so-called ‘Super Sunday’ and ‘Showdown Sunday’ stayed to watch the race on the big screens.

Keshi calls 26 for Niger friendly

25 players from the Nigeria Premier League and one from the lower tier are to commence camping ahead of the international friendly between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Mena of Niger.
The match is billed for August 15 at the Seyni Koutche Stadium, Niamey.
All the players invited by the Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi on Wednesday were home-based.
Top of the list is goalkeeper and skipper Chigozie Agim, with Heartland FC’s Daniel Akpeyi and Moses Ocheje of CAF Champions League campaigners Sunshine Stars to keep him on his toes.
The surprise is FAME Academy striker Chibuzor Onyekwelu.
A number of new faces in the defence include Enugu Rangers’ ace Osuchukwu Ogonna, Kwambe Solomon of Sunshine Stars, Heartland FC’s Francis Benjamin, Ezekiel Henry of Rising Stars and Umar Zango of high-riding Kano Pillars.
They join usual suspects: Azubuike Egwuekwe, Papa Idris, Juwon Oshaniwa and Godfrey Oboabona.
Midfielders and strikers include Kano Pillars’ Reuben Gabriel, Izu Azuka, Sunday Mba, Ejike Uzoenyi, Uche Kalu, Henry Uche and Obinna Nwachukwu.

New faces are Christian Ofili, Solomon
Jabason, Kabiru Umar, Chibuzor Onyekwelu, Sanusi Sani, Sibi Gwar and Philip Asuquo.

Camping

The players are expected to resume at the Bolton White Apartments, Abuja on Sunday, 5th August.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

GOALKEEPERS:

Chigozie Agbim (Warri Wolves)
Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland FC)
Moses Ocheje (Sunshine Stars)

DEFENDERS:

Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves) Papa Idris (Kano Pillars) Juwon Oshaniwa (Sharks FC) Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars) Ezekiel Henry (Rising Stars) Francis Benjamin (Heartland FC) Umar Zango (Kano Pillars) Osuchukwu Ogonna (Enugu Rangers) Kwambe Solomon (Sunshine Stars)

MIDFIELDERS/FORWARDS:

Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers) Sunday Mba (Warri Wolves) Reuben Gabriel (Kano Pillars) Izu Azuka (Sunshine Stars) Uche Kalu (Enyimba FC) Henry Uche (Enyimba FC) Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland FC) Christian Ofili (ABS FC) Solomon Jabason (Akwa United) Kabiru Umar (Heartland FC) Chibuzor Onyekwelu (FAME FC) Sanusi Sani (Gombe United) Sibi Gwar (Niger Tornadoes) Philip Asuquo (3SC)

Eagles’ camp bubbles with 23 players

The Super Eagles camp bubbled into life yesterday evening when almost all the 26 players and officials arrived the Bolton White Apartment camp of the team ahead of the friendly against the Menas of Niger Republic scheduled for Niamey on August 15. The game is a preparatory encounter for the September 8 Nations Cup qualifier cliff-hanger against the Lone Star of Liberia.

The only players still expected in camp today are the Sunshine Stars trio of Godfrey Oboabona, Izu Azuka and goalkeeper Moses Ocheje, who were in action for their club in the CAF Champions League game against an Algerian opposition. Head Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, who just returned from a trip outside the country led by example when he arrived camp on Saturday to await other officials and players.  Keshi with his trade mark disarming smiles welcome all the players with a stern admonition that the business of qualifying for the Nations Cup has started and only the best will be picked for the encounter against Liberia, whether home or foreign based.

From the players angle, Warri Wolves shot stopper, Chigozie Agbim, who has been captaining the side in the absence of the foreign legion, led his assistant Azubuike Egwueke also of Wolves to the camp early enough along with all other invited players. “We are here again, happy to be reunited but most importantly its serious business as we want to qualify for the Nations Cup and the World Cup at all cost”, he said.

The team will commence training at the Practice Pitch of the Abuja National Stadium on Monday evening to allow for the arrival of all the players. For now training which lasts between 2-3 hours has been pegged at once in a day but is expected to be doubled as the days for the games against Niger and Liberia draw nearer.

Smiling Regina promises to be back on podium

Regina George did not stop smiling even when she did not qualify for the  400 m final. She returned a time of 51.35 secs but took it in good strides.

‘’This is great. This is my first Olympics. I’m excited. I’ve conquered nervousness and things can only get better in my next Olympics”, beautiful Regina said with her trademark smiles.

‘’I’m going back to work harder. I promise that the next time I return, I’ll be on the podium to receive a medal”, she said still smiling.

She ran her first heat in the Olympics as a green-horn but discovered that the other girls were not made of steel. ‘’I was praying to be among the qualifiers but I discovered that I could do better. I kicked and finished first in the race. I have learnt well in the Olympics. I will be back with a medal”, she promised.

Olympics: D’Tigers score first in Africa

The American Basketball team may have run over Nigerian D’Tigers and Argentina over-powered them, but the team still have a pride to walk with their noses in front.

The Nigerian team which beat African champions, Tunisia in the opening Basketball event of the Olympics are reckoned to be the first African team to have won a game at the Olympics.

‘’It’s painful that things did not go well with us after our first game but we still have something to savour. We are the first African team to have won a game at the Olympics. That is something good in our first attempt at the Olympics. Other African countries that came to the Olympics before us never won a game”, Olumide Oyedeji explained.

He attributed their spate of defeats to the injuries in their camp. ‘’We’re struggling with injuries. Some of our fine players are down with injuries. When your points guard is down, it’s like when your engine is bad. It can never work and if it does, it can never be the same”.

Looking back at the American game, Olumide hissed and said; ‘’they(USA) did everything perfect hitting countless three pointers.

We need to move ahead because the future is bright for the game in Nigeria. All we need do is to give it only 2% of what is given to football. Rome was not built in a day. We have young players who can propel the team to greater heights.

But I must commend the NSC and the NOC for a job well done in getting us this far. We can build on this if we pay little attention to Basketball”, the big man said.

Athletics: Ogba bans meetings, visitors

As the Nation waits anxiously for Team Nigeria’s first medal at the London 2012 Olympics, President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Solomon Ogba has imposed bans on frequent meetings with the athletes as well as barred visitors to the team.

Ogba, who stormed the Olympic Village met with the athletes and said that he would not want people to distract them by locking them up with meetings.  “I have told them that there should be no meetings with my athletes, and there should be no visitors, too. I want the athletes to concentrate and have peace of mind before their events start”, Ogba said.

He added: “The athletes are in good mood and training well, and that is why I want them to remain focused and not to be burdened with meetings upon meetings. I don’t know what they are meeting”.

He assured Nigerians that the athletic team to the Olympics would do its best to bring smiles on the faces on Nigerians.

“I am not promising anything, all I know is these athletes are in good condition. For me, I want all them to get to the semi-final. And from there, anything can happen”, Ogba, a former Sports Commissioner in Delta State said.