NAIJAFEED

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Finance Minister Okonjo-Iweala warns of economic recession

Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has warned of a difficult time ahead as she told the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, yesterday, that "government should buckle up and prepare for a possible recession" in the economy.

Her warning came on the heels of the approval of a new visa regime by the Federal Executive Council.

Finance Minister, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala discussing with the Health Minister, Dr. Christian Chukwu (l); Housing Minister, Ms. Amal Pepple and the Solid Minerals Development Minister, Arc. Musa Sada during the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the State House, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida

Okonjo-Iweala, who gave the warning during the weekly meeting at the Presidential Villa cited the slide in the price of crude oil as well as the dire economic situation inSpainand Greeceas possible trigger for another round of global recess.

Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, who conveyed the Minister of Finance's warning quoted her as saying: "Nigeriamay not be so lucky to avoid recession this time as it did during the last economic meltdown and urged the Federal Government to put up measures that will help mitigate the effect of such economic melt down."

According Maku, the Coordinating Minister, however, explained that occasional delays in meeting government's obligation to creditors was not a sign of weakness in the economy, adding: "Our economy is sound."

New visa regime

According to Maku, the new visa regime is driven by economics to boost investment, tourism, generate employment and fight terrorism.

Maku, who briefed State House correspondents alongside his colleagues Minister of Interior, Abba Moro and Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, saidNigeriawas emulating countries that had tried to make it easier for potential investors by liberalizing their visa policy.

One of the highlights of the new visa regime, the minister explained, was the possibility of some visitors to the country to accessNigeria's visa at various international points of entries into the country.

He said the policy was based on the assumption and dynamics of constantly changing international economy and the need forNigerianot to be left behind in the drive by nations to attract more highly resourceful, wealthy portfolio investors.

Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, who gave further insight into the new visa policy stated: "The assumption and dynamics on the basis of which we had our old policy have changed in line with the realities of our time.

"Most significantly is the fact that we have been in recent time witnessing security challenges in our country and it becomes necessary that we must attack the problem from all sides and the way you enter and get out ofNigeriaconstitute a very vital component of fighting internal security."

He added: "Today, we have a new visa regime that contains some innovations in the sense that new elements are being introduced in line with the strategic interest ofNigeriaand of course most other areas still have to be based on the principle of reciprocity.

Visa at entry point

"We now have visa at entry point. So, if a businessman, a tourist or a business delegation or a government delegation has reason to visitNigeriaat short notice to do business with Nigeria and if by any coincidence we don't have embassy in such country, such delegation or group can come toNigeriaand obtain their visas at point of entry particularly at international airports. Of course, this is without prejudice to ensuring our internal security.

On the abuse of expatriate quota

On the abuse of expatriate quota in the past, the Interior Minister said government had introduced appropriate check mechanism that would make it easier to monitor compliance with expatriate quota under the new regime.

"For every expatriate that is employed, two Nigeria under studies must be employed. If you are coming toNigeriawith $500,000, for instance, in addition to those employed to understudy, you will be expected to employ between 30 to 50 Nigerians.

"We have admitted there has been difficulty in enforcing the expatriate quota before now but with the automation with the business department of the interior ministry, we will enforce expatriate quota."

New E-Health Policy

The other decision by Council was the approval of a new E-Health Policy also known as Regulatory and Business Practices Improvement and Information Management for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Maku explained that the "Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chwukwu had proposed in his memo to Council for approval to procure an e-platform as part of the e-governance to enable NHIS to function more effectively and improve manual work and make the programme more efficient".

The project is based on the need to promote an efficient plateform for scaling up the installation and implementation of an electronic network that will facilitate transactions between NHIS and other stakeholders in the sector such as Health Management organizations HMO, Health Financiers, Enrollees, Banks and Insurance companies.

He said 60 per cent of the fund is expected to be provided by the International Finance Organisation IFC and the World Bank, while the federal Government will provide the balance 40 per cent.

The IFC grant, which is unconditional amounting to $1,368, 964.45 represents 60 per cent of the total cost, while federal government will provide $554,785.78, representing 40 per cent of the total cost of the project.

Council also approved the rehabilitation of the G17 unit of Ugheli plant expected to deliver 100MGWts of electricity to the country.

Vanguard

Nigerians sabotaging their own economy with fuel smuggling

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Video - Air Nigeria grounded for safety checks

Air Nigeria, the national carrier and second-largest airline of the West African nation, has been grounded for safety checks.

The move comes days after one of the country's worst air crashes resulted in the deaths of all 153 people on board.

Thousands of Air Nigeria passengers are now left stranded as rumours of financial troubles and an engineers' strike adds to the challenges facing the carrier.

The most damning claims, however, come from John Nnorom, former finance director, who says the airline's engineers are under commercial pressure to certify unfit aircraft for travel.

Al Jazeera

Video - Dana Air crash major setback for Nigeria's aviation industry

Video - Investigation begins on crashed Dana Airliner

Nigerian government suspends Dana Air indefinitely

Air Nigeria operations suspended

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended Air Nigeria operations, just as the agency conducts thorough auditing on its aircraft.

Our correspondent gathered that the NCAA took the decision because Air Nigeria had not flown its aircraft in the past week following a strike by its pilots and engineers.

Air Nigeria only resumed operations some five days ago after the pilots and aeronautic engineers under the auspices of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) had called off a one week old industrial action.

The Media Assistant to the Director General of NCAA, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, who confirmed the suspension, said it was a routine action to allow NCAA look at the airline.

"It is a routine action to enable us look at them before allowing them to go back to operations having been on strike for days ,this is normal" he said.

Spokesman for Air Nigeria, Sam Ogbogoro, told our correspondent on phone that there was nothing out of the ordinary about the grounding of Air Nigeria aircraft.

He said that it was normal practice in civil aviation to conduct audits on aircraft once they have not been flown for some time; since Air Nigeria did not fly for a week, it was natural the aircraft are checked by NCAA.

Daily Trust

Video - Investigation begins on crashed Dana Airliner

Nigerian government suspends Dana Air indefinitely

Finance chief Arunmah Oteh suspended

The head of Nigeria's stock exchange regulator, Arunmah Oteh, has been suspended pending an investigation into allegations of malpractice.

The decision of the regulator's board comes after a parliamentary committee recommended she be investigated.

Ms Oteh was given the job of cleaning up the stock exchange following a crisis in 2009 which saw stocks lose around 60% of their value in a year.

She has not officially been accused of any wrongdoing herself.

The BBC's Will Ross in Lagos says this not the first time a probe into fraud in Nigeria has turned into a circus of accusations and counter-accusations as the hunter turns hunted.

'Yachts and Rolexes'

When she was appointed more than two years ago, Ms Oteh promised to restore credibility in the stock exchange.

She said fraudsters who had caused share prices to collapse would be charged.

Following her suspension by the board of Securities and Exchange Commission (Sec), some analysts believe she is now being punished for treading on some powerful toes, our correspondent says.

"Some powerful people are fighting back," an analyst told our reporter.

Earlier this year at a committee hearing of the House of Representatives into the 2009 crisis, she detailed the alleged financial mismanagement she had uncovered at the Nigeria Stock Exchange.

Ms Oteh outlined incidents of false accounting, misappropriation and questionable transactions.

She said the stock exchange had spent more than $230,000 (£147,000) on a yacht and more than $1m on Rolex watches to be given out as gifts - much of which she said the previous management of the exchange had not accounted for - allegations they deny.

The same parliamentary committee then recommended she be investigated over the alleged mismanagement of funds to mark the 50th anniversary of the stock exchange, which were organised last year by the commission.

Ms Oteh had earlier defended her name at one point accusing the committee of being a "kangaroo court" and the lawmakers of soliciting bribes from her to stop their recommendation - which they deny.

The Sec board says Ms Oteh, who arrived at her office in Abuja on Tuesday morning to find the locks changed, is being sent on "compulsory leave" to allow for an independent investigation into the 50th anniversary allegations.

Her suspension will once again test investor confidence in Africa's second-largest economy, our reporter says.

joyonline

Central Bank governor Lamido Sanusi accused of plagiarism

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Al-Qaida blames Germany for German hostage death in Nigeria

Al-Qaida's North Africa branch has blamed Germany for the death of a German engineer killed during a military raid in Nigeria, though authorities in Europe apparently complied with at least one of the terrorist group's demands by releasing a prisoner it wanted freed.

German Edgar Fritz Raupach, kidnapped in January by gunmen in the north Nigeria city of Kano, died May 31 as soldiers launched a raid against the house where his abductors held him. Nigeria's military later said it had no idea gunmen held Raupach inside the home and that kidnappers stabbed him to death as the raid began.

Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, the terrorist group that claimed it held Raupach, issued a statement on an Internet forum this week saying the hostage's death came only after the German government refused to negotiate with it.

"Your government gave the green light for the operation," the message posted late Monday night reads.

However, the group, known by the acronym AQIM, had demanded that German officials release Filiz Gelowicz, a German woman convicted last year of supporting a foreign terrorist network. Gelowicz's husband was among a group convicted of plotting unsuccessfully to attack U.S. soldiers and citizens in Germany.

German officials released Gelowicz from prison in late April on probation after she served two-thirds of her sentence. In May, an unsigned advertisement appeared in The Daily Trust, the newspaper of record in Nigeria's north, showing a photograph of Raupach and messages in Arabic and English calling for him to be released. It remains unclear what went wrong in the negotiation or if there had been a demand for a ransom payment, which happens regularly in AQIM kidnappings.

In the message, first reported by the SITE Intelligence Group, AQIM also warned European governments to avoid "dealing in foolishness" during hostage negotiations, as that would endanger lives.

In Berlin, a government source said Tuesday that Nigerian authorities raided the house only in an effort to arrest terrorists, not as part of a rescue operation for Raupach.

"German authorities were not informed beforehand," the official said. "Nigerian authorities have already (said) ... they had no knowledge of the whereabouts of the German." The source spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Gunmen kidnapped Raupach from a construction site in Kano, Nigeria's second-largest city, where he worked for Dantata & Sawoe Construction Co. Ltd. Raupach's kidnapping came days after a coordinated attack in the city by the radical Islamist sect in Nigeria known as Boko Haram killed at least 185 people.

AQIM released a statement in March claiming they had Raupach, as well as a video showing him disheveled and asking in German and English for his country to help win his freedom.

AQIM had not carried out operations previously in Nigeria, a multiethnic nation of more than 160 million people split largely between a Muslim north and a Christian south. However, security officials and diplomats say AQIM has loose links with Boko Haram, a locally focused sect that wants to implement strict Shariah law across Nigeria.

Boko Haram began its terror campaign with gun attacks from the backs of motorcycles. Last year, it started escalating its assaults with a string of suicide bombings targeting churches, government buildings, and even the United Nations headquarters in the capital Abuja. The sect has killed more than 560 people this year alone, according to an Associated Press count, while Nigeria's military and security forces appear unable to stop them from striking at will.

Nigerian security forces arrest 5 with 'Al Qaeda-links' over German kidnap

German engineer kidnapped in Nigeria

Christian Obodo's mother thanks President Goodluck Jonathan for son's release

As Nigerian international soccer star, Christian Obodo, savours regaining his freedom from ransom seeking kidnappers, his family has been thrown into a festive mood.

Monday, Christian's mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Obodo, expressed gratitude to President Goodluck Jonathan and a local Christian prophet, Jeremiah Fufeyin for their concerted efforts towards the release of her son.

Mrs. Obodo said in Warri said that she was overjoyed that her son was rescued hale and hearty, after gunmen whisked him away from in front of a church located in the Jakpa New Layout area of Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State.

She disclosed that the prompt action of the Delta Police Command, which culminated in her son's early release followed the marching orders of President Jonathan and the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed D. Abubakar, to secure the release of the ex-Super Eagles player within 24 hours.

Similarly, she said Prophet Fufeyin, who is the General Overseer of Christ Mercy-land Deliverance Ministry, Ekpan-Warri and others joined in fervent prayers for Christian Obodo's release without being harmed by his captors.

Mrs. Obodo however disclosed that the kidnappers had threatened to kill their victim if the N30 million ransom they demanded was not paid by Sunday. She said she sent the threat message to the church minister via a text message.

Fufeyin referred to her message thus, "I beg you pray for my son who has just been kidnapped yesterday (Saturday). The abductors asked for N30million ransom which should be paid before Sunday which is the deadline, else, he will be killed.

"As God would have it and after fervent prayers, Obodo's mother later called that her son had been released, praising God for his wonderful works."

This Day

Christian Obodo rescued from kidnappers

The kidnapped Nigeria and Udinese midfielder, Christian Obodo has been released by his abductors Sunday evening.

Obodo was released by the abductors who had initially requested a N30 Million ransom after frantic efforts by the Delta state Police Command. He was rescued at Enevo, a village in Isoko, Delta state.

When contacted at about 10 pm on Sunday, Delta State Chairman of Sports Commission and FA chairman , Pinick Amaju confirmed Obodo’s release. According to him, “Christian is with me now”, he disclosed.

It will be recalled that the former Super Eagles player was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the early hours of Saturday in Efunrun, Delta, Nigeria.

Vanguard

Video - Nigerian Police Continue Hunt For John Mikel Obi's Father

Former Super Eagle Christian Obodo kidnapped

Former Super Eagles midfielder, Christian Obodo has been abducted in Warri, his family confirmed Saturday.

The player's family said Obodo, who last season played for Lecce in Italy's Serie A, was driving alone in his car following a visit to a relative when he was taken by unknown gunmen, reports AFP.

"His whereabouts are unknown but his car was left behind by the kidnappers. We are yet to receive any call demanding a ransom," said a family member, under condition of anonymity.

Last season Obodo, who has not featured for the Eagles for quite some time, played on loan at Lecce from Serie A side Udinese. Lecce were relegated to Serie AB on May 13 after finishing third from bottom of Italy's top flight.

Unfortunately the 28-year-old midfielder is not the first footballer to be abducted in Nigeria.

The brother of Everton defender, Joseph Yobo was kidnapped before he was later freed, while most recently the father of Chelsea midfielder, John Mikel Obi was also abducted before he was freed after a police raid.

A brief statement from Lecce said: "We hope the situation can be resolved as soon as possible in the best possible way."

Obodo's brother, Kenneth Obodo, who is also a footballer in Italy and is currently in Nigeria, was quoted by Italian news agency ANSA as saying: "Christian is fine. We are in touch with the kidnappers, who want some money.

"We can't give them more than 100,000 euros ($125,000). Unfortunately these things happen in our country."

His brother-in-law, Obidike Okechukwu, was quoted by ANSA as saying that the kidnappers had asked for a ransom of 150,000 euros.

This Day

Video - Nigerian Police Continue Hunt For John Mikel Obi's Father

Video - John Mikel Obi's family speak about kidnapping

Monday, June 11, 2012

Air travellers flood to Arik Air for domestic flights after probe discloses age of planes

Following the publication of the probable age of aircraft operated by Nigerian airlines, considerable passenger traffic has gravitated to Arik Air, which has now become the first airline of choice for airline passengers travelling on domestic and regional flights.

The report, which was published a few days after last Sunday's crash of a Dana Air plane at a Lagos suburb, showed that while the average age of other airlines' fleets ranged between 13.5 and 25.6 years, the average fleet age for Arik Air was 5.5 years.

Meanwhile, the crashed Dana Air MD 83 plane that killed 153 persons on board, and six persons on the ground, was said to have been retired by Alaska Air in 2008 after two incidents of smoke in the cabin.

But Nigerian air passengers, most of whom are erroneously equating the fleet age of an airline with safety, have embraced Arik Air, reputed to have the newest fleet in the industry, with other airlines ruing their losses.

Industry sources, for example, confirmed to THISDAY that one of the airlines, Aero Contractor, whose average fleet age was put at 19.7 years in the report, has noticed a slight decrease in load factors.

As a result of the developments, touts have cashed in on the increase in load factors being witnessed by Arik Air to extort desperate passengers who are sometimes made to pay more than double the official airfare for a trip.

Also, the makeshift facilities at the General Aviation Terminal, from which Arik Air operates, owing to ongoing reconstruction work at the terminal, is currently overstretched as passengers compete for space with touts who are mopping up tickets to resell to passengers at outrageous prices.

However, Arik's head of communications, Banji Ola, who acknowledged the surge in load factors on his airline, said that it has not altered the prices of the airline's tickets, which range from between N26,000 and N27,000 for economy class fares on the Lagos-Abuja route.

He said unlike other airlines that increased their fares based on increase in load factors, Arik hardly increased fares on cue.

"The number of passengers cannot make us increase fares. Our fares from Lagos to Abuja are about N26,000 to N27,000, so even if there are one million passengers that fare cannot change," he stated.

He said the airline could not be blamed for the activities of the touts, adding that passengers who patronised them are taking undue risks.

He admitted that because of the ongoing reconstruction work at GAT where the airline is using makeshift canopies for its ticketing and check-in desks, it would be cumbersome for some people to go in and buy tickets but the situation was beyond the airline's control.

He was hopeful that the chaos would end in the next three months when the reconstruction work would have been completed.

Ola said the airline was concerned about the invasion of the terminal by touts but remarked that it was beyond Arik's control, because the facility is managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

"I have received several reports on the activities of touts but what baffles me is why people would not follow the proper channel for buying tickets from the airlines, instead they will prefer to patronise touts.

"These touts are damaging the image of this country, but there is nothing the airline can do about it; concerned authorities should act," he added.

Against the backdrop of the report on the average fleet age of the airlines, airline operators have said the major issue about safety in air transport is the effective maintenance of an aircraft and not its age.

Operators noted that a new aircraft that is not regularly maintained was far more dangerous than an old aircraft that is well maintained.

Chairman of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, Dr. Steve Mahounwu, said in Lagos at the weekend that the publication on the average fleet age of the airlines could create psychological problems for intending air travellers.

Mahounwu stated that if an airline regularly goes for all the mandatory checks, such as the 'C' and 'D' checks, during which the whole aircraft is overhauled, "it will come back like a new one."

The Secretary-General of OAN, Captain Mohammed Joji, corroborated Mahounwu, saying that the fact that an aircraft is still relatively new was not a factor in determining its airworthiness, "but how regularly all the checks are done."

Joji who frowned upon the knee-jerk reaction of the federal government to the Dana Air crash, faulted the Senate for setting up a panel to probe the airlines, adding that aviation is a technical sector that should be handled by professionals.

Meanwhile, a report by Associated Press has indicated that the crashed Dana plane was originally owned by Seattle-based Alaska Airlines, which acquired the aircraft from McDonnell Douglas in October 1990 and later sold it in May 2007 to North Shore Aircraft LLC that operated it under lease until the aircraft was retired in August 2008.

Spokesman of Alaska Air, Paul McElroy, was reported to have said the aircraft was maintained according to the stipulation of the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States regulations and had a valid certificate of airworthiness even after the two incidents of smoke in the plane in November 2002 and August 2006.

Alaska Air was said to have operated 26 MD-83 aircraft, which it replaced by August 2008 with an all-Boeing 737 fleet.

Reacting to the tragic crash, Boeing, which bought McDonnell Douglas in 1997, said it was ready to provide technical assistance to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority.

However, several industry experts have blamed the crash on the failure of regulation and on the airline for possibly cutting corners, but not on the age of the aircraft, because if well maintained, a 22-year-old aircraft is still considered airworthy.

THISDAY also learnt that preliminary investigations indicated that the aircraft had suffered engine failure prior to the accident while still under Alaska Airlines and on November 4, 2002, when it suffered a technical hitch which led to an emergency due to smoke in the cabin when the light ballast was overheated. A similar incident occurred in 2008.

These incidents prompted the management of Alaska Airlines to withdraw the plane from service and got it stored at Victorville, US on September 11, 2008, where the plane was sent to a maintenance facility at Miami.

It was after this that the plane was sold to Dana Air on February 17, 2009 and the registration number changed from the American code N944AS to Nigeria's 5N-RAM.

However, barely one year after delivery to Dana Air, the aircraft had an emergency landing following the loss of engine power after a bird strike on take-off in Lagos.

Recently, in Calabar, it suffered another technical hitch before it crashed last Sunday due to engine failure.

This Day

Nigerian government suspends Dana Air indefinitely

Video - President Goodluck Jonathan visits Dana plane crash site in Lagos, Nigeria

Six thousand Nigerians in foreign jails over drug offenses

Director-General, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Mr Femi Ajayi, weekend, said over 6,000 Nigerians were serving various jail terms across the globe for drug related offences.

Ajayi told the Abike Dabiri-Erewa-led House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora Matters in Abuja that Nigeria had more of its nationals in prisons outside the country than any other African country.

Ajayi who listed some of the countries as Iran 4,000, Brazil 500, Thailand 500, Malaysia 300, said the list was more than that "but that was what we have for now."

He said the bulk of those caught for drug related offences outside the country were from the South-East with majority coming from Anambra State.

"I don't know what we can do about the large number of our brothers from the South-East who indulge in this illicit business. Can you believe that of the 500 Nigerians in Thailand prisons, 480 of them are from the South-East and 450 from it are from Anambra State?"

Ajayi further said the agency had been facing many challenges hindering the optimal performance of its duties as an enforcement agency on drug related matters.

He listed these challenges to include poor funding, lack of necessary equipment, uncooperative attitude of some collaborative agencies, lack of capacity building for staff and difficulty in tracking down drug barons.

"For instance in 2011, our capital budget was N84.5 million but only N61 million was released. Our overheads also reduced from N630 million in 2011 to N600 million despite the fact that our staff strength increased from 3,200 to 5,300," he said.

Ajayi said that Nigeria has not been able to buy a single scanner for its airport commanders since inauguration of the agency but rely on donation from advanced countries, despite the fact that a scanner costs only N30 million.

He said another major challenge confronting the agency was that it was not allowed at the sea port where most of the couriers now use to transact their illegal business.

Said he:"The fact that we were sent out of the seaports will facilitate the entry of more drugs into the country and worsen the situation. "

Ajayi, who pleaded with the committee to assist it solve some of its challenges, said there was need to have a drug attaché in some specific embassies abroad to see to the drug related offences in those countries as the image of Nigeria was involved.

Hon. Dabiri-Erewa, who decried the bad image the increasing number of Nigeria prisoners abroad was giving to the country, asked the agency to come up with a comprehensive plan for its operations.

Vanguard

Video - Nigerian criminals using Asian women as drug mules

457 Nigerians in Brazilian prisons

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Suicide bomber attacks church in Jos, Nigeria

A suicide bomber has blown himself up outside a church in the central Nigerian city of Jos, witnesses said, while gunmen also attacked a church in the country's northeast.

The blast happened on Sunday morning at an evangelical church in the city of Jos, a restive city on the dividing line between the nation's Muslim north and Christian south, causing unknown injuries.

Police have not yet commented on the apparent attack.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, although attacking churches has become a trademark tactic of Boko Haram, an armed group that seeks to impose Islamic law in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, gunmen opened fire on a church in northeastern Nigeria on Sunday, spraying the congregation with bullets and killing and wounding many of them, witnesses said.

"Three gunmen came to the premises of the church and started firing at people outside the church before going into the main building to carry on their killings ... Many people have been killed and wounded," said witness Hamidu Wakawa, who was at the church in Biu Town, Borno state.

Police said they did not yet have any details on the attack.

Al Jazeera

Boko Haram attack church at Kano University - 20 confirmed dead

Video - Bomb blast near Church in Suleja

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Super Eagles move up in FIFA rankings

Nigeria, propelled in part by Sunday's win over Namibia, moved up three places in the latest Fifa Rankings to 60th place in the world, and 11th on the continent.

The move is an improvement from last month, where the Super Eagles were dragged down by draws and a loss to Egypt. Super Eagles beat Brave Warriors of Namibia in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier 1-0

Cote d'Ivoire dropped one place in the world rankings but held on to their place as Africa's top team. They are followed by Ghana, who dropped three places to 25 in the world.

African champions Zambia are the only one of the continent's top five from last month to drop out following their loss at Sudan. Their place is taken by Libya, who moved up four places to fourth, just behind Algeria.

Nigeria 2014 World Cup qualifying group opponents Malawi, Kenya and Namibia are outside of the top 20 on the continent, and away from the world's top 100.

Nigeria's next opponents Malawi are the highest ranked of the three at 107 in the world and 27th in Africa, Kenya are at 111 in the world and 29th in Africa while Namibia are way down at 134 in the world and 41st in Africa.

AFRICA'S TOP 20

16 1 Côte d'Ivoire

25 2 Ghana

32 3 Algeria

42 4 Libya

43 5 Mali

43 6 Zambia

46 7 Tunisia

48 8 Egypt

49 9 Gabon

59 10 Sierra Leone

60 11 Nigeria

63 12 Senegal

64 13 Cameroon

67 14 Guinea

68 15 South Africa

70 16 Morocco

72 17 Benin

77 18 Cape Verde Islands

83 19 Congo

84 20 Angola

Vanguard

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Video - Investigation begins on crashed Dana Airliner

Nigerian airline Dana Air has had its licence suspended after a crash killed all 153 people on board one of its planes as well as others on the ground.

An investigation was launched after the local flight from Abuja plunged into a busy suburb of Lagos on Sunday.

The focus is now on whether the plane was too old to fly and whether Dana Air and the Civil Aviation Authority carried out all the necessary inspections before take-off.

Al Jazeera

Video - Dana Air crash major setback for Nigeria's aviation industry

Nigerian government suspends Dana Air indefinitely

The Federal Government has suspended the operating licence of Dana Airlines "as a precaution" following last Sunday's crash which claimed over 160 lives, including tenants of a residential building.

Meanwhile, the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) will this week send a team of its investigators to the United States with the recovered Flight Data Recorder (FDR), also known as the "Black Box", for further analysis.

The Black Box, an electronic device, is used to record any instructions sent to any electronic systems on an aircraft.

The device records specific aircraft performance parameters, while the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) records the radio conversation between the cockpit crew and others, including the air traffic control personnel.

The data recorded by the FDR is used for accident investigation. It is also used for analysing air safety issues, material degradation and engine performance.

The captain of the ill-fated Dana 992 flight was said to have complained about engine problems and requested emergency landing but could not make it to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos State.

It crashed on a two-storey building at Iju-Ishaga, Agege area of the state, after losing control with the control tower.

THISDAY learnt that already, the conversations on the CVR are being transcribed at a secure location in the country and the investigative team will travel with the recovered materials to the US "before weekend", according to aviation sources.

Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, Tuesday evening said the Federal Government suspended the operating licence of Dana Airlines "for safety reasons".

Speaking on the telephone with THISDAY in Abuja, the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Joe Obi, said: "The decision to suspend the airline for now even though investigation has commenced is for safety and precautionary reason."

While the minister did not specify how long the suspension would take, she said government had the primary duty of ensuring safety of its citizens, provided it was done in the general interest of the country.

The Senate had earlier demanded the immediate suspension of the Director General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr. Harold Demuren, and other top officials of aviation regulatory agency to allow for an unfettered investigation into the crash.

The upper chamber of the National Assembly had also urged the NCAA to immediately ground all planes in the fleet of Dana Airlines operating in the country pending the outcome of the investigation into the mishap.

At the end of the heated debate, the Senate directed its Committee on Aviation to jointly sit with the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation to conduct a thorough investigation into the crash.

The joint investigation is also aimed at ascertaining the airworthiness of all aircraft operating in the country to ensure that they conform to global safety standards.

The Senate also directed the Ministry of Aviation to release without any further delay the reports of all previous air mishaps in the country and prosecute all those indicted in the reports.

The Senate President David Mark directed that the resolutions of the motion should be communicated to the Presidency without delay.

Also Tuesday, the House of Representatives vented their anger and disillusionment on the operators of Dana Airlines over an alleged negligence.

At a stage during the session filled with emotional outbursts, the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, said that there was an overwhelming outcry and demand for thorough investigation of the crash.

He directed the committee on aviation to commence probe of the incident and to unearth all issues that might inhibit the smooth and safe operation of the aviation industry.

This Day

President Goodluck Jonathan declares 3 day mourning for victims of Dana Air plane crash in Lagos, Nigeria

Video - All passengers dead in airline that crashed into building in Lagos, Nigeria

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Video - Dana Air crash major setback for Nigeria's aviation industry

Nigeria's government says at least 63 people on the ground as well as the 153 people onboard the Dana Air passenger plane which crashed into a densely-populated neighbourhood of Lagos have died.

As the scale of this human tragedy sets in, the focus is shifting to what caused Dana Air flight to crash with reports emerging that the pilots reported engine trouble shortly before the crash.
President Goodluck Jonathan has called incident a "setback" for country's aviation industry after a visit to crash site.

Al Jazeera

Related stories: Doomed Dana Airliner was forced to fly

Video - All passengers dead in airline that crashed into building in Lagos, Nigeria

Video - President Goodluck Jonathan visits Dana plane crash site in Lagos, Nigeria

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan described on Monday the crash of a passenger aircraft as a "setback" for the country's aviation industry.

All 153 passengers aboard the plane were killed when it went down in a Lagos suburb on Sunday.

Al Jazeera

Video - All passengers dead in airline that crashed into building in Lagos, Nigeria

Doomed Dana Airliner was forced to fly

An official of Dana Airline, yesterday, made a startling revelation on the circumstances surrounding Sunday's crash of the airline's Lagos-bound plane in Iju-Ishaga, Lagos, saying the management of the airline knew the ill-fated aircraft was faulty before take-off but still went ahead to fly it.

This was corroborated by two officials of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA),one of the regulatory agencies in the Aviation sector who argued that the airline should be charged with murder because "the particular aircraft McDonnell 83 with Registration Number 5N-RAM had history of technical problems which both the airline and regulatory agencies were aware of"

According to the officials, "this particular aircraft had hydraulic problems three weeks ago and had to return to Lagos after take off, thereby aborting the flight.

DANA forced plane to fly - Staff alleges

The airline official, who made the revelation in an interview with Channels television,but does not want to be named, confirmed that the ill-fated Dana Air flight 0992, MC Donnell Douglas (MD 83) was faulty shortly after it left Lagos and stopped over in Calabar.

She alleged that the Indian owners of the airline threw caution to the wind and insisted that the plane must fly in a bid to maximise profit, thereby sending the plane over to Abuja to pick passengers, when it should have been returned to Lagos for further repair.

She also claimed the flight has had persistent history of faults with its hydraulics in recent times and it was not supposed to have flown.

According to the official, "the plane has been faulty for a very long time. There was a case when it was on ground in Uyo for over six hours, because of delayed flight, it had a bolt. And then in Abuja it happened a few days ago, then some people went with the aircraft but they could not come back, because it had a fault there and it couldn't leave Abuja."

"The same engineers that fixed it and then they sent crew to bring it with passengers to Lagos."

Confirming that the plane that crashed on Sunday, was not supposed to leave Lagos at all, the Dana official stated that "yesterday, it (Dana Air flight 0992) was not supposed to leave Lagos at all, but it left and then got to Calabar, developed fault and it was fixed and then they took it to Abuja, when they should have returned to Lagos but because they didn't want to part with the little money they will make, they took it to Abuja, loaded full passengers, and then it couldn't get to Lagos. "

"It has been having faults over time, continuously, hydraulics or one thing or the other. That aircraft kept having problems and they were not ready to park it" she alleged.

She added that the management of the airline does not return aircraft with faults back to the station, as it should have, but "they make it complete its normal route to where ever it is supposed to go before they bring it back to Lagos" she said.

Also, the Special Adviser, Technical to Minister of Aviation, Mr. Victor Oche Elias, has revealed that the pilot of the ill-fated plane, had alerted the aviation authority of the airport, on the emergency situation 11 nautical miles to landing.

It was further disclosed that the pilot's May-Day cry was given priority, but the plane could not make it, as it crashed 4 nautical miles to landing.

MC Donnell Douglas MD 83 was sold to Dana Airline in 2009 by a US-based Alaska Airlines, ahead of the airline commencing its services in Nigeria.

Dana Air blames crash on engine failure-Apologises

Meanwhile, Officials of Dana airline have attributed the cause of the ill fated flight which crashed at Alagbado on Sunday, to engine trouble Oscar Wason, Dana Air's director of operations, told CNN the American pilot of the passenger lane had reported engine trouble shortly before the crash. Sources said the engine of the Aircraft had caught fire and the radioed the control tower to declare an emergency, landing as it was in its final approach to Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The Dana Air flight was from Abuja to Lagos with its six crew members. The Boeing MD-83 slammed into a two-storey residential building. This contradicts earlier reports that the ill fated Dana aircraft crashed into high tension electricity tower. The Airline equally apologised to Nigerians and the families of the victims.

Reports said over at least 115 bodies have been recovered from the smoldering wreckage, where rescue workers were still searching for the flight data recorder. Policemen with cadaver dogs and officials of National Emergency Management Agency are maintaining the search for bodies and valuable items inside the wreckage. Large crane from a local construction company was being used to lift pieces of debris away. They also brought blow torches to cut through what remains of the plane. Some of the rescue workers wore masks to protect themselves from the stench from the site of the crash. Lagos state governor Babatunde Fashola told the surging crowd to make way for the first line responders to do their work because they are in an accident site, not a tourist site. Said Governor Fashola: "This is a crash site, it is an investigation site, and we should keep our distance and allow the first responders to do their work."

Meanwhile families of the deceased are being invited to take a look at some of the recovered bodies for possible identification. Said source: "It is going to be a tough call for some of the families to see the mangled bodies of their loved ones but in this part of the world it is important for departed ones to be given a proper burial"

Vanguard

List of the deceased from Dana Air plane crash in Lagos, Nigeria

Monday, June 4, 2012

Video - All passengers dead in airline that crashed into building in Lagos, Nigeria

Nigeria's president Goodluck Jonathan has declared three days of national mourning after an airliner crashed in the
commercial capital Lagos.

The Dana airlines flight was on its way from the capital Abuja. The cause of the crash is still unclear but the aircraft crashed down in a densely populated suburb north of the airport.

All 153 passengers and crew have reportedly been killed.

Al Jazeera

President Goodluck Jonathan declares 3 day mourning for victims of Dana Air plane crash in Lagos, Nigeria

Passenger plane crashes into building in Lagos, Nigeria

List of the deceased from Dana Air plane crash in Lagos, Nigeria

Onyeka Anyene

Harry Lawal

Mamuna Anyene

Berkisum Yindadi

Ebuka Enuma

Oluchi Onyeyiri

Sunday Enuma

George Moses

Ogechi Njoku

Noah Anyene

Kamsiyonna Anyene

Stamford Obrutse

Kaiyenotochi Anyene

Okeke Hope

Kayimarachi Anyene

Rev. Ayodeji Cole

Ngozi Cole

Noah Anyene

Ailende Ehi

Oluwasegun Funmi Abiodun

Shehu Saad Usman

Alade Martins

Onita Jennifer

Onita Josephine

Ike Ochonogor

Joy Alison

John Ahmadu

Aquade Roger

Osunbade Aderogu

Akowe Fatokun Anjola

Fatokun Olaoluwa

Fatokun Ibukun

Bukhari Maikudi

Amina Idris Bugaje

Ajani Adenike

Ike Abugu

Adijolola Abraham

Obot Emmanuel

Otegbeye Hadiza

Ehioghae Sonny

Onwuriri Celestine

Abikalio Otatoru

Norris Kim

Eyo Bassey

Njoku Charles

Anibaba Tosin

Okocha Christopher

Shobowale Femi

Phillip Chukwu -Ebuka

Sparagano Lawrence

Somolu Oluwakemi

Ariyibi Temitope

Mecha Eke

Ojugbana Amaka

Ojugbana Christopher

Hnuna Walter

Coker Olumide

Lilian Las

Mutihir Itsifanus

Yusuf Ali

Lt. Col. Jumbo Ochigbo

Eribake Wale

Zhai Shutao

Wang Yu

D. Awani

O. Awani

N. Chidiac

Rijoel Dhose

Li Huizha

Apochi Godwin

Kang Yi

Inusa Ahmed

Faysal Inusa

Mojekwu Adaobi

Ibrahim D

Bamaiyi Adamu

Ifekawa Jones

Peter Nosike

Anthony Nwaokoagbara

Mahmudu Aliyu

Nnadi John

Akwaeze Elizabeth

Dorothy Adedunni

Echeidu Ibe

Maria Okwulehie

Jennifer Ibe

Oloko Tunji

Sarah Mshelia

Ahmed Mbana

Okonji Patrick

Oyosoro Rajulie

Oyosoro Ugbabio

Kaikai Farida

David Kolawole Fortune

Eyinoluwa David Kolawole

Kaltum Abubakar

Dakawa Mahmud.

Patience Sunday Udoh

Asuquo Ini Obong

Onemonelease Aimanehi

Onyeagocha Chidinma

Onyeagocha Ogechi

Ike Okoye

Amaka Raphael

Ijeoma Onyijuke

Garba Abdu

Aisha Abdu

Benson Oluwayomi

Anthony Opara

Taiwo Lamidi

Awodogan Olusanmi

Obi Chinwe

Shaibu Memuna

Major I.G Muhammad

Nagidi Ibrahim

Attah Anthonia

Shaibu Sam

Ifeanyi Orakwe

Obinna Akubueze

Li Rui

Xie Zhenfeng

Okor Eseoghene

Chukwuemeka Okere

Adekunbi Adebiyi

Ibrahim Matankari

Wasa Ruth

Wasa Awiyetu

Ojukwu Alvana

Lawal Anakobe

Nabil Garba

Mohammed Falmata

Ibrahim Jangana

Okikiolu Olukayode

Komolafe Olugbenga

Dike Chinwe

Dike Chukwuezugo

Olusola Arokoyu

Adekola Ayoola

Akinola Olumodeji

Olukoya Banji Saka Otaru

Adeleke Oluwadamilare

Yusuf Ibrahim

Ikpoki Obiola

Aikhomu Ehime

Levi Ajuonuma

Mbong Eventus.

Leadership

President Goodluck Jonathan declares 3 day mourning for victims of Dana Air plane crash in Lagos, Nigeria

Passenger plane crashes into building in Lagos, Nigeria

Sunday, June 3, 2012

President Goodluck Jonathan declares 3 day mourning for victims of Dana Air plane crash in Lagos, Nigeria

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday declared three days of national mourning for those who lost their lives in a Dana plane crash in Lagos, according to a statement from Aso Rock Presidential Villa.

The Dana Air flight from Abuja to Lagos crashed a few kilometres to the airport with 147 people on board, according to an airline official.

The statement said Jonathan had cancelled all his public engagements scheduled for tomorrow and had also directed that the Nigerian flag be flown at half-mast for the three days of national mourning.

The President has also ordered the “fullest possible investigation’’ into the crash.

The statement said that In compliance with the President’s directive, the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, had already left Abuja for Lagos to oversee the crash investigations and present an interim report to the Federal Government as quickly as possible.

“The President joins all Nigerians in mourning all those who lost their lives in the plane crash which has sadly plunged the nation into further sorrow on a day when Nigerians were already in grief over the loss of many other innocent lives in the church bombing in Bauchi State.

“President Jonathan assures air travellers in the country that every possible effort will be made to ensure that the right lessons are learnt from the tragic loss of valuable lives in today’s plane crash and that further measures will be put in place to boost aviation safety in the country.

“He prays that God Almighty will grant the families of the victims of the plane crash the courage and fortitude to bear their irreparable loss,’’ said the statement signed by Dr Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity.

Meanwhile, a spokeman for the airline, Mr Tony Usidamen, said that 147 people were on board the plane, 139 of them passengers.

In another development, investigations into crash have begun, the Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Dr Harold Demuren, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on phone on Sunday in Lagos.

Asked if they were survivors among the passengers on board when the plane crashed, he said: “We don’t believe there are survivors.

“I am talking to you from the scene of the crash. Right now our thoughts and prayers are with the families.”

Rescue efforts are being hampered by a huge crowd of onlookers, miscreants and sympathisers.

NAN correspondents at the crash site at Iju, on the outskirts of Lagos, report that the inaccessibility of the site has made it difficult for rescue teams, which include the police, Red Cross, Army, FRSC, Nigeria Air Force and Fire Service to get to the plane.

The General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Femi Osanyintolu, told NAN that the building on which the plane fell must be demolished for any rescue operation to take place.

He also said that they had to be cautious in demolishing the building because of its location in a residential area.

In a related development, a contract staff with the British American Tobacco Company, Mr Isaac Daniel, who resides in a two-storey building where the plane crashed, said he had lost everything to the incident.

Daniel said that he resided at the ground floor of the building with five members of his family.

He said that all his family members survived the crash but lost their certificates to the fire that engulfed the plane, adding that he was not at home when the incident occurred.

Eyewitnesses said that three lifeless bodies had been removed from the building.

Vanguard

Passenger plane crashes into building in Lagos, Nigeria

List of the deceased from Dana Air plane crash in Lagos, Nigeria

Passenger plane crashes into building in Lagos, Nigeria

A passenger plane has crashed into a two-storey building in densely populated Lagos city, Nigeria's commercial hub.

A source at the national emergency management agency said the aircraft belonged to privately-owned domestic carrier Dana Air and had 147 people on board.

Femi Oke-Osanyinpolu, Lagos state emergency state manager, said on Sunday that casualty numbers are unknown.

Harold Denuren, head of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, said the flight was heading from Lagos to Abuja, the capital. "I don't believe there are any survivors," he said.

It was unclear how many people were on board the plane or in the building, located just north of the airport.

An Associated Press reporter saw parts of the plane's seat signs scattered around. The rest of the plane was cratered into the apartment building.

Firefighters tried to put out the smoldering flames of a jet engine and carried at least one corpse from the building that continued to crumble. Thousands of people looked on.

Two firetrucks and about 50 rescue personnel were at the site about an hour after the plane went down. A military helicopter flew overhead.

Lagos airport has been shut down and passengers awaiting further flights told to go home.

Al Jazeera's Yvonne Ndege, reporting from Abjua, said people on the ground in Lagos believe it may have hit a power line and crashed into a building. She said there are pictures on the internet of huge plumes of smoke across the Lagos skyline.

"NEMA (the National Emergency Management Agency) has been alerted to an air crash in the Ishaga area of Agege, Lagos," NEMA spokesman Yushua Shuaib said.

Witnesses said they saw the plane strike a building and burst into flames.

The weather in Lagos on Sunday was clear and sunny.

Lagos' international airport is a major hub for West Africa and saw 2.3 million passengers pass through it in 2009, according to the most recent statistics provided by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

In August 2010, the US announced it had given Nigeria the FAA's Category 1 status, its top safety rating that allows the nation's domestic carriers to fly directly to the US.

The Nigerian government said it also now has full radar coverage of the entire nation. However, in a nation where the state-run electricity company is in tatters, state power and diesel generators sometimes both fail at airports, making radar screens go blank.

This latest incident came after another plane crash on Saturday night in the capital of the nearby West African nation of Ghana, which saw a cargo plane overshoot a runway and hit a passenger bus, killing at least 10 people.

The Allied Air cargo plane had departed from Lagos and was to land in Accra.

Al Jazeera

President Goodluck Jonathan declares 3 day mourning for victims of Dana Air plane crash in Lagos, Nigeria

Nigerian tries to blow up U.S. airliner

Multiple car crash kills 32 in Abuja

Bomb blast at Church in Bauch, Nigeria - 9 dead

A suicide bomber who tried to drive an explosives-packed car into a church in northern on Sunday killed at least nine people, including himself, and injured 35, officials said.

The attacker sped his vehicle as he approached a checkpoint near the church in Bauchi State, which had heightened security following previous attacks in the area blamed on Islamist group Boko Haram.

“We have a checkpoint not far from the church which prevented the bomber from gaining access to his target,” said State police commissioner Mohammed Ladan.

“So he rammed the car into a security gate and the car exploded, killing him and eight other people. … Many people were injured but I can’t give you any precise number because the hospital is still trying to take a toll,” he added.

The head of the Nigerian Red Cross in Bauchi state, Adamu Abubakar, told AFP he counted 35 people injured at an area hospital.

Residents said that the explosion caused the church building to collapse, prompting dozens of people to flee seeking refuge, but some ran straight into a fire raging outside.

“There was confusion as residents and churchgoers tried to flee. Some of them out of fright fell into the fire caused by the explosion,” said resident Timothy Joshua.

Another witness, who requested anonymity, said a presumed accomplice tried to escape the scene after the blast went off and was later chased down and killed by enraged residents, although police could not confirm this account.

“The other bomber abandoned the car they came with and wanted to flee, but he was pursued by a resident and worshippers and beaten to death,” this witness said.

Boko Haram has claimed attacks killing more than 1,000 in Nigeria since July 2009, with some of the worst bloodshed coming in the northeast.

The group staged a daring jailbreak in Bauchi in September 2010 during which it said roughly 100 of its members were freed.

Vanguard

Video - Bomb blast near Church in Suleja

Nigerian wins banker of the year

At the 6th edition of the African Banker Awards, under the patronage of the African Development Bank (ADB) on Wednesday in Tanzania, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria, was awarded the African Banker of the year.

He was presented with his Trophy by Tim Turner, Director, Private Sector Operations, ADB, at the picturesque Frangipani Gardens, where the Awards ceremony took place. Also, Ecobank beat tough competition posed by six other contestants in its category to come out on top as African Bank of the Year.

The Bank which was given particular credit for its continued expansion throughout Middle Africa as the pan African bank, got a strong endorsement when South Africa's Public Investment Corporation officially signed the $250 million investment agreement in the Group.

The Best Regional Bank category named a winner from each of the five regions of Africa: Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco, for North Africa; BGFI, Gabon, for Central Africa; Bank of Kigali, Rwanda, for East Africa; Access Bank, Nigeria, for West Africa; and BCI, Mozambique, for Southern Africa.

Leadership

Four Nigerian banks make it in top 500 banks of the world ranking

Friday, June 1, 2012

Video - Nigeria's electricity generation crisis continues

There is anger in Nigeria over the rising cost of electricity, with many upset about paying more for a service the government barely provides.

The country's electricity sector has been heavily subsidised for years, but government officials say the current rate is simply unsustainable.

Al Jazeera

Related stories:

Nigerian wins top prize at world science contest

All African countries stood still for Oluwaseun Alamu when he emerged best science student in Africa during UNICEF World Science Day 2012 competition.

Seun, 16 who represented Rainbow College, Ogun State, came first in Africa and was awarded a trophy and certificate for excellence. With this feat, he has made a bold statement that Nigeria and Africa are no longer the dark country and continent but that if given the right opportunity, we can be the best.

In the UNICEF World Science contest, Rainbow College succeeded in writing Nigeria's name in the world book of records having produced the Third Best Science School in the world, Best Science School in Africa, Best Science Student in Africa and 38 ruby awards/certificates.

By this achievement, high priority is now placed on African education as the breakthrough has enabled Africa take its pride of place in the world. More importantly, the world is now forced to recognise Africa in the rating of world schools.

The online competition which took place within 24 hours on March 8, 2012, requires a knowledge of facts, quick thinking and Information Communication Technology (ICT) readiness. It covers three key curricular areas which include: Mathematics, Science and spelling in English Language.

Vanguard

Tech expert Saheed Adepoju featured in WIRED

Italian kidnapped in Illorin,Nigeria

An elderly Italian working as a construction engineer with Borini Prono Construction Company has been kidnapped in Ilorin, Kwara State.

Kwara police public relations officer (PPR0), DSP Fabode Olufemi, who confirmed the incident in Ilorin yesterday said the state police command was aware of the incident but could not give details of the whereabouts of the victim.

Olufemi said the incident was capable of frustrating the efforts of the state government at delivering democracy dividends to people.

Daily Trust gathered that the victim, who had gone to inspect one of the ongoing road construction projects, awarded to his company by the state government was whisked away at about 5:30 pm on Monday to unknown destination. The projects he went to inspect are located at Bishop Smith Road, opposite Stella Obasanjo Multipurpose Hall, it was learnt.

Our correspondent also gathered that the kidnappers were yet to make any contact with the associates of the Italian four days after he was kidnapped.

And no contact has been made with the kidnappers and all what the police could confirm about the incident was that he was an Italian working with Borini Prono, according to the PPRO.

The police, however, assured the general public that the victim would be rescued soon without any hurt.

Sunday Trust

Murderers of British and Italian hostages explain their reason for killing them

Kidnapped German killed during Joint Task Force raid

A German Engineer, Edgar Fritz Raupach, who was held hostage by gunmen since January 26 this year was killed by his captors yesterday when Nigerian security forces stormed their hideout, a bungalow apartment located at Danbare surburb, along Gwarzo highway, in Kano.

It was gathered that members of the security forces who conducted a raid on the building were unaware that the German was being held there but attacked the building based on intelligence report that sect members were hiding there.

A reliable source who witnessed the incident related how it happened. Said he: "Members of the Sura Council were holding their meeting in a secluded place in Kano. The Sura Council is the highest decision making organ of Boko Haram comprising their operation commanders, thinkers, planners and strategists. Somehow, the security forces including the Joint Task Force got hint that Boko Haram members were meeting there and stormed the place in full force unknown to them that the kidnapped German national was being kept there. There was heavy exchange of fire and when the sect members realised that there was no escape for them they killed the German. In the course of the gun battle, the security forces killed all the members of the Sura Council at the meeting, no single one escaped. It was only their leader, Shekau who was not at the meeting that escaped being killed".

The German's death came on the heel of a similar incident on March 8th in Sokoto when a Briton and two Italians died in a failed rescue attempt by security

A counter terrorism officer who participated in yesterday's operation told Vanguard on condition of anonymity that seven people died in the operation while one AK 47 was recovered including129 rounds of ammunition and a hand grenade

Security sources however explained that six people died during the encounter including the five sect members, a woman, while three soldiers were believed to have sustained injury from a blast that rocked the building during the operations.

Vanguard learnt that the sect members detonated a primed Improvised Explosive Device when the Special Forces stormed their residence.

In a statement issued by JTF spokesman in Kano, Lt Ikediche Iweha he confirmed the death of the German saying that he was killed by his captors who held him hostage.

Lt Iweha stated that the security forces stormed the enclave where he was being held near BUK, adding that "Upon search of the premises the security forces, found the hand cuffed gruesomely murdered corpse of an expatriate, later identified as the German national, Mr Egdar, who was kidnapped since January 26rd 2012 along Zaria bye pass Kano. The German was apparently killed by the terrorists on noticing the security forces".

Iweha added that "During a further search of the terrorists' hideout, the security forces recovered 2 AK 47 rifles, huge quantity of ammunition. 36 hand grenade and Improvised Explosive Devices stored by the terrorists for possible attack against innocent persons and security personnel".

Giving a graphic details of the operation, the Army Spokesman explained that "At the early hours of this morning (31/5/2012) precisely at about 0635 hours, based on intelligence of an ongoing meeting of senior commanders of the terrorists elements, the JTF raided an enclave near Bayero University Kano new site, where the terrorists senior commanders were meeting". On sighting the security forces, the terrorist elements opened fire and threw Improvised Explosive Devises on the security forces. The security forces responded immediately resulting in a gun duel that lasted for about thirty minutes. During the encounter five of the terrorists were killed". A military source in the city confirmed that the body of the German engineer and the six other casualties have been deposited at the Armed Forces military Hospital in Kano.

Residents reported hearing explosions and gunfire in the neighbourhood of Danbare for more than half an hour at around 6:00 am, and said it appeared several hundred soldiers were involved along with trucks and armoured vehicles.

"Following intelligence reports, men of [a military task force] raided a hideout where he was being held by his abductors."

A shootout occurred and the abductors also detonated explosives, said the official.

"They were subdued, but realising that it was the end for them, they killed the hostage," the official added.

Another military source and a police source confirmed Raupach's death. He was said to have been shot and stabbed by his captors.

The sources also said a number of the abductors had been killed in the raid, with differing accounts putting the figure between two and five.

Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) said in March it was holding the German and that it wanted to swap him for Filiz Gelowicz, the jailed wife of Fritz Gelowicz, the leader of a Sauerland-based group of Islamists. He is serving 12 years in prison for a bomb attack, while she is serving two-and-a-half.

They released a video which showed Raupach flanked by two armed men, begging for his life.

Speaking first in German and then English, he asks the German government to do something. "I beg my government to save my life," he said. "My life is in your hands now, I beg you, or these people will kill me here."

AQIM has not been known to operate directly in Nigeria, though Islamist group Boko Haram and other extremists in the country are believed to have links to the group.

Vanguard

Related stories: German engineer kidnapped in Nigeria

Nigerian security forces arrest 5 with 'Al Qaeda-links' over German kidnap

British and Italian hostages killed in Nigeria during failed rescue attempt

Lagos State Governer reinstates sacked doctors

Three weeks after 788 doctors were sacked by the Lagos state government, Governor Babatunde Fashola earlier today bowed to to the demands of the sacked doctors and the public as the state government suspended the sack action.

The announcement was made by ACN leader, Asiwaju BolaTinubu after a closed door meeting inside Lagos House with Gov. Babtunde Fashola that lasted for about one hour.

Daily Trust can report that Fashola and Tinubu went into the crucial meeting shortly after the inauguration of the new chamber of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

The meeting, according to a source in the governor's office, started at about 3.20 pm and lasted for about one hour after which State House Correspondents were invited in and the reinstatement was announced.

Breaking the news to reporters, Tinubu said, "The fact is that I brought a message by the leadership of our party, various organizations, professionals and the general public for him to be more flexible, for him to look at the issue of sack doctors critically. He has agreed to suspend the dismissed doctors."

Meanwhile, Tinubu advised and appealed to the sacked doctors to resume work in earnest promising that all the challenges that led to the crisis would be solve with time.

However, Tinubu said he would not speak further beyond this point until both parties agreed to the truce brokered.

Sunday Trust

Nigerian government to ban foreign medical trips by civil servants

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Anti-Bomb police officer killed in Kaduna blast gets promotion

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammad D. Abubakar, has promoted Sgt Sunday Badang who died while trying to demobilize an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) planted in Uguwan Sarki in Kaduna State metropolis last February to an inspector.

Daily Trust reports that late Sgt Bodang died on February 14 when he went closer verifying the contents of a bag containing explosives that blew him up.

Kaduna State commissioner of police, Mohammed Jinjiri Abubakar, in a statement by the spokesperson of the command, DSP Aminu Lawan, said the late anti-bomb squad policeman has been posthumously promoted by the IG to inspector.

"The death of the sergeant, which also attracted wide public sympathy, was deeply felt by the IGP, the police management team and the entire spectrum of the force.

This was not only because he died in a very active duty but given the fact that he was highly dedicated, patriotic, zealous and hardworking policeman," the police commissioner said.

He said it was in appreciation of the late sergeant that the IGP earlier donated N500,000 to the family outside the deceased's official entitlement in support of their upkeep.

"All these are obvious indications that hard work, sacrifice and patriotism never go unrewarded. The Kaduna State police command and the family are full of praises for the IGP for this recognition," he said.

Sunday Trust

Video - Boko Haram attacks keeping Christians in hiding