Yellow Fever Spreads To 7 States, 1,640 Cases Recorded

Nigeria has recorded over 1,640 suspected cases of Yellow fever with 41 confirmed cases according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Reference Laboratory in Dakar, Senegal, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) has said.

Meanwhile, about seven states in the country have reported the outbreak of Yellow fever and the states include: FCT, Kogi, Anambra, Nasarawa, Zamfara, Edo and Benue.

Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, who stated this yesterday in Abuja said that government has enough vaccines to contain the outbreak of yellow fever as about 6million doses were in its stockpiles while additional doses have been added.

He said, "There is a global stockpile of vaccine meant for such outbreaks. The vaccines are supposed to be for prevention, Nigeria is one the high risk countries in Africa for yellow fever. So there is stockpile of vaccine and as at the last time, it was about 6m doses with additional vaccine doses that are added to that”.

Shuaib, who expressed government’s readiness in ensuring local production of vaccines, disclosed that the federal government is committed to establishing a reference laboratory in the country within the next six months to reduce the logistics challenges with sample transportation and laboratory turnaround time and ultimately reduce the response time and consequently the morbidity and mortality rates.

The ED who noted that Nigeria is one of the 27 African countries that are high risk for yellow fever, said that all the agencies involved are working swiftly to contain the spread and prevent further outbreaks.

He observed that the country has been experiencing sporadic outbreaks of Yellow Fever since September 12, 2017, when the first case was confirmed in a 7- year old child from Ifelodun LGA, Kwara State. Currently, there are over 1,640 suspected cases line-listed with 41 confirmed from the WHO Regional Reference Laboratory in Dakar Senegal.

According to him, there is an ongoing third (3rd) Preventive Mass Vaccination Campaign with a target age group of 9 months – 44 years in Sokoto, Federal Capital Territory, Plateau and some LGAs not covered in the last vaccination campaign in Niger and Kebbi. The vaccination began on the 22nd November 2018 and is expected to last till the 1st of December, 2018’’.

He said the recent report from Edo state about a fever of unknown origin is also being investigated, adding that tests done at laboratories in Nigeria have shown that 9 of the samples tested positive for Yellow Fever and as such, samples have been forwarded to Dakar, Senegal for confirmation in order to quickly respond to the outbreak.

He added that NPHCDA, The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Edo State Epidemiology team, World Health Organisation and other international development partners are working together to rapidly conduct a comprehensive investigation and respond appropriately to the situation on ground.

Oyetola Sworn In As Osun Governor

Gboyega Oyetola, Governor of Osun State, has been sworn in as Governor of Osun State.

The ceremony was attended by leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), including Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman and Bola Tinubu, National Leader.

Rivers State APC Candidate visit Collapsed 7 Storey Building Under Construction

The Governorship Candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC)  Rivers State, Arc. Tonye Patrick Cole visited the site of the 7 Storey Collapsed Building at Woji Road, GRA, Port-Harcourt. 

Responding to News Men, he said; " When there is so much need for development in the State and you see a collapsed building like this,  it's very sad "It's not about Government, Politics, Party, it's about human Lives "I've made a couple of calls to different companies to bring in their equipment, hopefully in the next few hours, we should be getting more equipment" What you need in situations like this is Volunteer Organizations". 

Our Prayer is that there should be no more dead bodies, and to save the lives of those that are still alive. "Everybody must put all hands on deck to save those lives". There are trapped survivors in there, after saving their lives,  we can now look at what caused this collapse and try to prevent such means from happening.

Arc. Tonye Cole was accompanied by the Former Commissioner for works, Engr. Sampson Ngerebara, Former National Assembly Member, Hon Sampson Egop, Leader of Ikwerre LGA, Hon Ikenga Chibike.

COSON Rejects Presidential Manifestos Of Atiku, Buhari

The Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Africa’s fastest growing collective management organization for musical works and sound recordings, has rejected the presidential manifestos of the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), President Muhammadu Buhari, and that of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.

Rising from a meeting of its Board held at the COSON House on Monday, the group said that after reading both the #NextLevelNG manifesto of the APC and #TheAtikuPlan manifesto of the PDP, it is shocked that none of the candidates appears to have a plan to grow or develop the immense talent that exists in the Nigerian creative industry such as music, movies, theatre, fashion, content etc, an area in which the Nigerian nation has significant comparative advantage and the youth have tremendous flair for.

"COSON has said that the lack of strong policy positions in this area is evidence of the disconnect between the leadership and the follower-ship in Nigeria. This is not withstanding the significant contribution said to have been made by the Nigerian creative industry when the Nigerian economy was rebased a few years ago under the Jonathan administration," read a statement by Tolulope Balogun, the group's communications officer.

"COSON has announced that the organization is inviting serious politicians to the COSON Arena to come and educate stakeholders in the creative industry on the concrete plans that they have to deploy the assets that the country has in this creative direction. It is the interaction of the industry with the politicians that will determine whom the thousands of members of COSON will endorse, support and campaign for and recommend to their fans to vote for."

Speaking on the decision, COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, said: “We are no longer going to stand on the sidelines. This is the era of the knowledge and creative economy and we will do whatever is necessary to make sure that our country is not just an onlooker in this new world but a key partaker and serious player, starting from 2019. We mean business.”

Buhari launched his 'Next Level' manifesto, which has now been dogged by plagiarism claims, on Sunday, while Atiku launched his the day after.

Obafemi Hamzat - "I’ve Sworn Allegiance To US"

Obafemi Hamzat, running mate of the Lagos State All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, says he has declared allegiance to the United States of America.

Hamzat said this in the Form CF001 he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The 54-year-old had disclosed in the form of voluntarily acquiring American citizenship.

He further answered in the affirmative while responding to a follow-up question in the form: “Have you made a declaration of allegiance to that or any other country.”

Hamzat had, on June 14, 2018, resigned his position as the Special Adviser (Technical) to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

Thereafter, he declared his interest in contesting for the 2019 governorship election but stepped down for Sanwo-Olu, who had the backing of the party’s Mandate Movement, led by the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

He was, on November 4, 2018, named as Sanwo-Olu’s running mate.

Hamzat holds both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s from the University of Ibadan, as well as a PhD from the Cranfield Institute of Technology, United Kingdom.

Ex-British Minister Tells Investors To Keep Off Nigeria

Former Secretary of State for International Development of the United Kingdom, Priti Patel, has warned investors to be wary of investing in Nigeria.

In an op-ed for City A.M., Patel, who is a member of the British parliament, claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari was not in the habit of obeying law and court orders.

Patel cited the case of a firm owned by two Irishmen, which got a contract in Nigeria in 2010, adding that Buhari, upon assuming office in 2015, cancelled the contract.

Patel claimed that the firm’s efforts to get compensation through the court were also frustrated as Buhari refused to obey court decisions made in favour of the foreign firm.

Patel said, “In Nigeria, the unhappy experience of the firm founded by two Irishmen, Process and Industrial Development, is a case in point, and demonstrates the risk that businesses will face in Nigeria.

“In 2010, P&ID signed a 20-year contract with the Nigerian government to create a new natural gas development refinery, but the project fell through after the Nigerian government reneged on its contractual commitments.

“Upon taking office, President Buhari promptly cancelled a compensation settlement.

“Since Buhari reneged on this deal, P&ID has undertaken legal efforts to affirm a tribunal award, first decided in London. It also made several attempts in court to force the Nigerian government to respect its obligations.

“The most recent court decision at a London tribunal confirmed that the Nigerian government owes P&ID almost $9bn for the initial breach of contract, loss of income, additional costs, and interest accrued after five years of non-payment.

“However, the Nigerian government has continued to flout international law and convention, and it refuses to respect the various court decisions.

“Investors must consider this long-running scandal and weigh this obstinacy against Nigeria’s mishandled economic potential.”

She added, “Nigeria is ranked 145th in the world for its ease of doing business, which demonstrates the risks of investment into Nigeria.”

Responding, the Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Muda Yusuf, said it was not right for Patel to make such a generalisation about investing in Nigeria.

Yusuf said, “I don’t think people should rely on that kind of statement in order to make a decision on whether to invest or not. What is most important to an investor is the opportunity that exists to make profit in an environment,” he said.

Also, the Managing Director, Footprints for Africa, Mr Osita Oparaugo, called on the Federal Government to erase the poor perception of foreign investors about the Nigerian business climate.

He said, “When an agreement is signed, the government must stick to it. There should be continuity of government programmes because lack of continuity in government programmes creates uncertainty.”

On its part, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party said it was unfortunate that Buhari had given the country bad image abroad, with his alleged penchant for disobeying court orders.

A presidency source said Patel’s claims were being analysed by government.

However, the Presidency described Patel warning as “lacking in substance and devoid of merit in empirical evidence established by facts.”

The President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, in a statement said, “Her claim is a fabrication that cannot be supported by the facts on the ground.”

“Nigerian has recognised the rights of investors, both local and foreign, as enshrined in our constitution, which states clearly that no investment can be taken from its owners without recourse to the law. Given the constitution, you don’t even need international protection for assets held in this country.

“Beyond this, we have established a proper climate of investment on account of which, the nation has gained 24 points of excellence in the global ease of doing business index.”

Fayose’s Trial: We Moved N1.2b Cash In Three Planes, Says Witness

A prosecution witness yesterday told the Federal High Court in Lagos how three aircraft flew N1.2billion from Lagos to Ekiti State for delivery to former Governor Ayo Fayose.

Danmola Otuyena, a banker, was testifying in Fayose’s trial for allegedly receiving and keeping N1.2billion and $5million said to have been stolen from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), contrary to the Money Laundering Act.

Otuyena, who headed his bank’s Cash in Transit Services Unit when the transaction occurred, said he accompanied the bullion van that took the cash to the airport.

He was the fourth prosecution witness and was led in evidence by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lawyer, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN).

The witness gave evidence on the bank account of Sylvan Mcnamara Limited and how cash was withdrawn from it on the instructions of former Minister of Defence (State) Musiliu Obanikoro on June 16 and 17, 2014.

The witness also revealed that although Obanikoro operated the account and was the known holder, he was not the official signatory to it nor was he a director to the company in whose name the account was opened.

Otuyena said he got instructions from his boss to get the cash ready for movement to Ekiti.

“My director gave further instructions that we should move the cash to the airport. We contacted the cash in transit company that renders bullion services – Bankers Warehouse Ltd – and the cash was moved to the private wing of Murtala Mohammed Airport.

“We could not get access when we got there, so we waited outside. My director said someone would be there to attend to us.

“He spoke to a certain Gbolahan Obanikoro through my phone. He helped to process a pass and we were able to enter the airport – the bullion van and myself.

“Later, Musiliu Obanikoro came. My boss called me and spoke to him through my phone and said we should give him the cash. The cash was given to him.

“We loaded the bags of cash into the aircraft. About two or three aircraft were used to load the cash.

“My director, Premier Oyiwo, having identified Obanikoro, said I should release the cash to him. When we pay cash to beneficiaries, they sign off for collection. Obanikoro signed off for collection,” the witness said.

Asked how the cash was packed, Otuyena said: “We have bags designed in a standard way in the banking industry. We used them to package the money. We call them jumbo bags. We used the biggest sizes to pack the money. We used jumbo bags for the N1.2billion.”

Otuyena said he also got a call from his boss on June 17, 2014 to pay N200million to Malik Bauchi from the same account operated by Obanikoro.

He said he was asked to waive the identification process.

“But we contacted the account holder. Rather than pay Bauchi, the amount was paid to the account holder. We used Ghana Must Go bags for the N200million,” the witness said.

Under cross examination by defence counsel Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), the witness said there was an initial instruction that the N1.2billion be paid to six persons, but that they were not available to collect the cash before it was given to Obanikoro.

He insisted that Obanikoro was the account holder and ran the company account even though his name was not stated in the account opening documents that he was the sole signatory.

The witness read a board resolution appointing Olalekan Ogunseye as the sole signatory to the account.

“I’ve not come across any other resolution appointing another signatory to the account or Obanikoro as the signatory,” he said.

Ojo asked the witness if there was evidence that Obanikoro personally withdrew the cash from the bank in view of the fact that there was no instruction to that effect in his name.

The witness said: “The narration we have in the bank statement is fund transfer. There was no entry that Obanikoro received the N1.2billion.”

On why that is so, the witness explained: “The instruction to release the cash first went to the Treasury Department, which debited Sylvan Mcnamara’s account and moved the cash to a transit account. So the entry is a default narration for the debit.”

The witness said Obanikoro was not a director to the company, and that he did not know what happened to the cash after he handed it over to the former minister.

Three other witnesses testified earlier for the prosecution: Zonal Heads, Southwest 1 and 2 of a new generation bank, Lawrance Akande and Abiodun Oshodi, and the Head of Financial Operations of another new generation bank, Olaitan Fajuyitan.

Akande said he was informed that money would be brought from the Akure airport to be paid into the accounts of Spotless Nigeria Limited (Fayose’s company and co-accused) and De Privateer Limited.

He said Fayose’s associate Abiodun Agbele called him in June 2014, saying he had a lodgment of N1.2billion to make. He said he also got a call from Fayose to that effect.

Akande said he asked Oshodi to follow the transaction, adding that they had solicited for deposits from Fayose.

“I had no reason to regard the funds as proceeds of crime. I didn’t observe any anomalies in the operation of the accounts,” he said under cross examination.

Oshodi testified that he got a bullion van that took the money from Akure airport to the bank for lodgment.

“Biodun Agbele came with a security escort, including police and soldiers, and we went to the Akure airport with the branch manager and the bullion van.

“We moved the bullion van close to the plane, and then evacuated the cash. The former minister was there also.

“Agbele supplied the accounts where the money would be lodged – De Privateer, Spotless and the personal account of Fayose,” he said.

The witness also narrated how the cash was deposited. For instance, he said a driver, Taofik, came to the bank 21 times to make some cash deposits in one day.

He said Taofik deposited N9.9million 10 times, N9.5million 10 times, and N5.5million once. Other deposits were also made at various dates, he said.

“Taofik happens to be the driver of Abiodun Agbele. The teller was filled by our former cash officer. Taofik couldn’t write,” he said.

Oshodi testified that the deposits were normal, and that he associated with Agbele because he considered him a man of good character.

“I didn’t know the source of the money. I was glad to receive the money. Until I was called by the EFCC, I didn’t find any anomaly with the money,” he said under cross examination.

Oshodi said Fayose also did not personally visit the bank to make any lodgments.

Fajuyitan said he received instruction to make the N1.2billion available, as well as the N200million, which he moved into a transit account

He said since the money came from the ONSA account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), it must be legitimate.

“My bank will not knowingly receive proceeds of crime. The bank does not regard the money as proceed of crime,” the witness said.

Fayose had pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on an 11-count charge.

He was charged with his company, Spotless Limited.

EFCC said Fayose and Agbele, who is facing a different charge, allegedly took possession of N1, 219, 000, 000 on June 17, 2014 to fund the former governor’s 2014 gubernatorial campaign.

The commission said Fayose “reasonably ought to have known” that the money “formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: criminal breach of trust/stealing.”

The alleged offence is contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) and (4).

EFCC said Fayose, on the same day, received cash payment of $5million from Obanikoro, without going through a financial institution, the sum having exceeded the amount authorised by law.

The alleged offence, EFCC said, contravenes Sections 1 and 16 (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011.

The commission said Fayose benefitted from N4.65billion slush funds allocated by the ONSA under Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) during the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

EFCC listed Obanikoro as one of 22 witnesses who will testify in the trial.

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun adjourned until January 21 and 28 for continuation of trial.

APC chieftain, Wanjoku, murdered in Rivers

Samuel Wanjoku, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, who was kidnapped last week Saturday along Ubima Omawan road in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State has been recovered in a forest in the area.

Late Wanjoku, the immediate younger brother to the member representing Ikwerre State constituency in Rivers State House of Assembly, Azubuike Wanjoku was kidnapped alongside one Moses Ogu on their way returning from their village of Apani in Ikwerre Local Government after a political function.

One week after the abduction of the two chieftains of the All Progressive Congress with no contact with the family, the remains of Wanjoku was found in a forest.

Meanwhile, the Leadership and Members of Ikwerre Youth Movement International, IYM have announced the disappearance of one of its members, Moses Ogu.

Ogu was kidnapped along with Samuel Wanjoku, also known as ‘Egbe’ who was gruesomely murdered by his abductors with his decomposing body discovered in a forest along Omuanwa-Ubima road.

The socio-political group in a statement by its Deputy President-General, Kingsley Owhondah said the murder of Egbe, the younger brother of the member representing Ikwerre State Constituency in the Rivers state House of Assembly,Azubuike Wanjoku is a huge blow to IYM.

The group is, however, calling on relevant Security agencies to immediately investigate and quickly unravel the perpetrators of this wicked act.

The pro-APC group also condemned what they described as the insensitivity of the Rivers State Government over the steady and incessant killing of Ikwerre youths mostly within the Ikwerre and Emohua Local Government Areas.