S’East Is Safest Place To Live — UN

The United Nations Development Programme has named South-East Nigeria
as the most human security secure geopolitical zone in Nigeria.

This is contained in the National Human Development Report for Nigeria, 2016.

The report adds that Abuja, which is the Federal Capital Territory, is
the safest city to live in Nigeria as it ranks low in the Human
Security Index

The UNDP defined Human Security as safety from chronic threats such as
hunger, disease and repression as well as protection from sudden and
harmful disruptions in patterns of daily life whether in homes, jobs
or communities.

The Economic Adviser, UNDP Nigeria, Mr. Ojijo Odhiambo, said at the
launching of the report in Abuja on Friday that the North-East and the
North-West remain the most affected areas in Nigeria

The report adds, "The report further highlights the existing gap in
human security across the geopolitical zones of the country; – the
most human security secure geopolitical zone is the South-East while
the North-West and the North-East geopolitical zones are the least
human security secured, with residents of the Federal Capital
Territory being the worst in most realms of the Human Security Index.

"The North-East region of the country has been the most affected by
the more than five-yearlong military insurgency. It also remains among
the least developed parts of the country."

—PUNCH

Amazing Health Benefits of Avocados

The avocado is a tree native to Mexico and Central America, classified
in the flowering plant family Lauraceae along with cinnamon, camphor
and bay laurel. Most fruit consists primarily of carbohydrate, while
avocado is high in healthy fats and numerous studies show that it has
powerful beneficial effects on health. This piece on the 10 benefits
of avocado will help you see avocado as more than just another fruit
with minimal health benefits…


– These days, the avocado is often referred to as a superfood… which
is not surprising given its health properties. It has become an
incredibly popular food among health conscious individuals.

– One avocado packs four grams of protein, among the highest amount
coming from a fruit. Avocados don't contain every single amino acid
required in the body's protein-building process, but have all 18 of
the important ones, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

– Avocado is loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.
77% of the calories in it are from fat, making it one of the fattiest
plant foods in existence but they don't just contain any fat… the
majority of the fat in avocado is oleic acid (a "heart healthy" fatty
acid that is believed to be one of the main reasons for the health
benefits of olive oil.)

– They're an anti-aging powerhouse, the inner smoothness and
creaminess are what we need for youthful skin. With all of the
nutrients, healthy fat and vitamins, an avocado tree could be the next
fountain (tree) of youth!

– Fiber is another nutrient found in relatively large amounts in
avocado. Fiber is indigestible plant matter that can contribute to
weight loss, reduce blood sugar spikes and is strongly linked to a
lower risk of many diseases.

– Heart disease is the most common cause of death in the world. It is
known that several blood markers are linked to an increased risk. This
includes cholesterol, triglycerides, inflammatory markers, blood
pressure and various others. Studies have shown that avocado can
reduce total cholesterol levels significantly, reduce blood
triglycerides by up to 20%, lower LDL cholesterol by up to 22% and
increase HDL (the "good") cholesterol by up to 11%.

– People who eat avocado were found to be much healthier than people
who didn't eat avocados according to studies. They had a much higher
nutrient intake and were half as likely to have metabolic syndrome, a
cluster of symptoms that are a major risk factor for heart disease and
diabetes.

– Avocados are loaded with powerful antioxidants that can protect the
eyes. Avocados are high in antioxidants, including Lutein and
Zeaxanthin. These nutrients are very important for eye health and
lower the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.

– Some studies in isolated cells have shown that nutrients in avocados
may have benefits in preventing prostate cancer, and lowering side
effects of chemotherapy in some cells.

– Avocado extract may help relieve symptoms of arthritis as studies
have shown that an extract from avocado and soybean oils can
significantly reduce symptoms of arthritis of the bones, called
osteoarthritis.

-InformationNigeria

Buhari Not Sure If Chibok Girls Are Still Alive

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that there is no credible evidence
if the Chibok Girls are still alive.

He stated this while answering questions during his maiden
Presidential Media Chat in Aso Villa, Abuja, Nigeria's capital.

He said security agencies are trying to get credible intelligence
about the fate of the over 200 schoolgirls who were kidnapped in April
2014.

Buhari said neighbouring countries were also being contacted to
determine whether they are in those countries.
He said his government wouldn't mind negotiating with credible Boko
Haram leaders to free the girls if it could be ascertained that they
were still alive.

At the time of this report, the President was till fielding questions
from journalists.

-PMNews

Soldiers Molesting S-East, S-South Travellers At Onitsha Bridge – Ohanaeze

OHANAEZE Youth Council has condemned what it called molesting of
Easterners travelling home for Christmas and new year celebrations at
Onitsha Head Bridge, Anambra State allegedly by soldiers from the 302
Battalion of the Nigerian army in Onitsha.

Army
In a statement by the National President of the Council, Mazi
Okechukwu, the council said: "The officers and men of the 302
Battalion of the Nigerian Army at Onitsha appear to have a different
agenda in that town. They appear to be there for [alleged] ethnic
cleansing.
"In the past one month, these raw soldiers have [allegedly] killed
more than 20 unarmed Igbo youths. This time around, they waylay Igbos
returning home for Christmas and New Year holidays and rough-handle a
lot of them.
"We can no longer tolerate this brazen act on our own land. We are
neither at war nor a conquered people. Mr. President should intervene
in this matter before it turns into another thing. We have the right
to protect the dignity of our people.
"The army is provoking us by their brazen acts in the South East and
South South. We hope there is no cabal in the Nigerian Army that is
pursuing an ethnic agenda and cleansing against Ndigbo."

-Vanguard

Nnamdi Kanu Didn’t Apologise To Buhari -- Lawyer

It is impossible that Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB) and director of Radio Biafra, tendered an apology to
President Muhammadu Buhari, his lawyer, Vincent Obetta, has said.

Speaking with TheCable on Wednesday, Obetta said reports of Kanu's
apology were proof that government was trying to use all instruments
at its disposal to "puncture" the Biaffra campaigner's defence. "It is
not true," he said. "The government is using every instrument to
puncture what we are doing."

The
Department of State Services (DSS) arraigned Kanu in court in October.

Shuaibu Usman, presiding over the chief magistrate court, Wuse zone 2,
Abuja, had earlier discharged him on all counts of criminal conspiracy
and ownership of an unlawful society brought against him by the
federal government. The federal government then filed a fresh
five-count charge of treasonable felony against Kanu, after Adeniyi
Ademola, a justice of the federal high court, Abuja, ordered the DSS
to release him "unconditionally".

In his ruling, Ademola held that the continued detention of Kanu by
the DSS was unlawful, since the accused was yet to be charged on
suspicion of terrorism. Speaking before the federal high court the
following day, Kanu said he has lost confidence in the court's
abilities to give an order and have the authorities follow it, asking
the court to leave him in detention. "I will rather remain in
detention than subject myself to a trial that I know amounts to
perversion of justice," he had said.

TheCable

Imo Budgets N102.2bn For 2016 Fiscal Year

Imo State Governor has presented a proposed budget of N102,208,328,832
for the 2016 fiscal year, to the state House of Assembly, tagged
"Budget of consolidation and continuity."

Making the presentation, yesterday, Governor Rochas Okorocha said that
this was lower than the 2015 budget by N41.11 billion, which
translates to 28.7 percent.

"The budget consists of N44.043 billion capital expenditure,
representing 43.1 percent of the total budget and N58.165 billion
recurrent expenditure, which represents 56.9 percent of the total
budget," Okorocha said.

The governor put the projected recurrent revenue at N76,074,165,612,
while the capital receipts was put at N26,134,316,419.
Okorocha said that outside normal taxes and fees, government intends
to collect over N522.55 million through the Imo Geographic Information
Services, IGIS, from the Ministry of Lands, Survey, Housing and Urban
Planning, as well as over N2.5 billion from anticipated interest and
bond proceeds from government investment within the second quarter of
2016.

"N5 billion is expected to be generated through the Environmental
Transformation Commission, ENTRACO, and other revenue consultants set
up by government," Okorocha said.
Saying that his administration will endeavour to enforce all the
existing revenue laws through revenue courts and effective use of
Alternative Dispute Resolution methods, Okorocha noted that government
remains committed to reducing incidences of tax evasion to the barest
minimum in the new fiscal year.

-Vanguard

Bloody Christmas In Borno As Boko Haram Kills 14, Burns Entire Village

At least 14 people were killed and several others injured by Boko
Haram gunmen in a Christmas Day attack on a village in northeastern
Nigeria, vigilantes said Saturday.

Attacking astride bicycles, the jihadists invaded Kimba village in
flashpoint Borno state around 10:00 pm on Friday, opening fire on
residents and torching their homes.

"The gunmen killed 14 people and burnt the whole village before they
fled," Mustapha Karimbe, a civilian assisting the military in fighting
Boko Haram, told AFP.

"Not a single house was spared in the arson," another vigilante, Musa
Suleiman, said after visiting the razed village.
Hundreds of Kimba residents fled to Biu nearby, where they were put up
in a refugee camp already brimming with people running from Boko
Haram.

The attack comes just days before Nigerian President Muhammadu
Buhari's self-imposed deadline to stamp out the group expires on
December 31 and in the same week he said that Nigeria has
"technically" defeated the jihadists.

Buhari took office in May vowing to end the six-year insurgency that
has killed over 17,000 people and spooked much-needed investors in
Africa's largest economy and foremost oil producer.

Nigerian troops have won back territory from Boko Haram, but in
response the jihadists have increasingly resorted to suicide bombers —
many of them young children — to wage war for an independent Islamic
state.

The militants have damaged what little infrastructure existed in the
country's underdeveloped north at a time when the government is facing
a cash crunch as a result of the free-falling oil price.

According to the Global Terrorism Index, a report released by the New
York-based Institute for Economics and Peace, it "has become the most
deadly terrorist group in the world".

The UN children's agency said this week that over one million Nigerian
schoolchildren have been kept out of school because of the conflict,
warning that the lack of education will fuel radicalisation in and
around Nigeria.

The jihadists have allied themselves with the Islamic State group, but
experts doubt the scale and scope of the collaboration.
Still, there are growing fears that a once localised hardline Muslim
movement is morphing into a regional jihadist threat as Boko Haram
launches attacks on Nigeria's neighbours Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

-Vanguard

FG Removes Subsidy, To Reduce Petrol Price From January 1st

The Federal Government would on January 1, 2016 reduce the pump price
of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, to N85 per litre.

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, who
broke the news to journalists,during a tour of the Port Harcourt
refinery on Christmas Day said that the Federal government is working
to reduce the pump price of petrol to about 85 or 86 naira per litre
by Jan 1st.

He said efforts were on to get the refinery to achieve 60 percent
production capacity and to supply about 11 million liters of petrol
daily.

"If you look at the new PPPRA template that we developed and which I
just signed off two days ago, when it is announced you will find out
that for now ,and I use the emphatic word of the President for now,
the price of the refined product will actually be lower than 87 naira,
It will be 85. We will probably announce that in January if the prices
hold.

"Like I said, we have done a modulation calculation and it is showing
us below N87. I imagine that if PPPRA publishes it today, it will
become effective immediately. But
the 1st of January that is when we are looking at."

"What that does for you is that its modulating. If it goes up you move
up, if it comes down you come down. So we take away the fact of having
to go find funds to pay for these subsidies that we cannot afford.

"More importantly we try to be as close to the pump price that we have
now as possible," he said.

-Vanguard

Hold Lai Mohammed Responsible For Future Boko Haram Attacks – The THIRD Force

Press Statement

The THIRD Force, a coalition of young Nigerian politicians and
professionals committed to the birth of a new Nigeria, has called on
Nigerians across political, ethnic and religious divides to hold Lai
Mohammed responsible for any further attacks carried out by the Boko
Haram terrorist group on the citizens of Nigeria.

The group was reacting to a statement by Lai Mohammed, Nigeria's
Minister of Information on Wednesday declaring that the war against
Boko Haram has been won and the Nigerian Army has met the December
2015 deadline given to them by President Buhari to defeat Boko Haram.

In a statement issued on Thursday in Zaria by Ishaq Abubakar, the
spokesperson of The THIRD Force, the group described Lai Mohammed's
comments as reckless and irresponsible.

"While the defeat and end of Boko Haram in Nigeria is a dream all
well-meaning citizens of Nigeria desire and have supported the
government and the Nigerian Army to accomplish, The THIRD Force
however believes that there should be limits to reckless and
irresponsible propaganda especially when it is coming from the office
of a public officer paid with taxpayers' money.

"Lai Mohammed's hasty declaration on Wednesday that Boko Haram has
been defeated was not only misguided but an idiotic attempt to end the
war against Boko Haram on the pages of newspapers.

"We understand that the Nigerian government has been under pressure to
show the world that the December deadline to end Boko Haram given by
President Buhari to the Nigerian Army is feasible. But the reality on
ground suggests otherwise. No fewer than 1,500 Nigerians were killed
by Boko Haram in the past six months according to Associated Press
reports. Only last week, Boko Haram attacks in the northeast of
Nigeria left over 30 dead and 20 others wounded. News of the attacks
was slow to emerge because telecom masts in the area have been
destroyed in previous Boko Haram raids, hindering communication. Many
more attacks are happening on a daily basis that do not make the news
headlines. Is this normal? Are these not Nigerian citizens or are they
mere statistics in Lai Mohammed's school of governance by propaganda?

"Just last Thursday, Boko Haram insurgents killed 14 people,
decapitating some of them, when they raided Kamuya village, the
hometown of Lt. General Tukur Buratai, the Nigerian Army Chief's
mother, and burnt it down. Are these mere statistics or is Lai
Mohammed telling the world that this is normal in a country where
terrorism has been defeated?

"Even if the war against Boko Haram has been won and Lai Mohammed can
now relocate from the comfort of Abuja to Maiduguri, what is the
strategic sense in this needless public bravado? Would it not have
been wiser to wait a few weeks to assess the extent of this "victory"
before rushing to town to celebrate?

"Lai Mohammed will soon realize the hard way that there is a wide gulf
between being the spokesperson of the government of a country of over
170 million citizens and being the spokesperson of an opposition
party.

"Let it be on record that by declaring this phantom victory against
Boko Haram, Lai Mohammed is helping the government of Nigeria endanger
more Nigerian lives. Such a thoughtlessly provocative statement from a
senior Nigerian government official is capable of eliciting a response
from Boko Haram and their allies through bomb blasts and brutal
attacks against defenseless Nigerian citizens.

"Lai Mohammed must now begin to pray. He must pray hard that the Boko
Haram he defeated on the pages of newspapers are actually defeated and
remain defeated. The blood of any Nigerian citizens lost to fresh Boko
Haram attacks after this careless statement will be upon his head."

Signed

Ishaq Abubakar
Spokesperson
The THIRD Force
24/12/2015

How PDP Can Regain Strenght Before 2019 General Elections

PHOTO: Author, Adelaja Adeoye is a Lagos-based blogger and a
commentator on social and political issues. He tweets via
@AdelajaAdeoye.

This article expresses the author's opinion only.


Editor's note: The PDP are getting used to their status as the main
opposition strength in the country after losing the 2015 general
elections to their main opponents, the APC. Adelaja Adeoye, a
Lagos-based blogger and a commentator on social and political issues,
fleshes out a strategy for the PDP to gain its footing an return to
prominence in the upcoming 2019 elections.

The massive loss the PDP suffered certainly did not come as surprise
to most Nigerians and political analysts because of the magnitude of
the APC's campaign and tenacity to wrestle powers from Goodluck
Jonathan.

The PDP, since its birth in 1998 had held on to power for 16 years,
starting from the eight-year administration of Obasanjo/Atiku, three
years of Yar'Adua/Jonathan, and five years of Jonathan/Sambo.

The funny thing is that well over 75% of the same set of people who
made up the 16 years of the PDP are now in the new ruling APC.

Zoning arrangement

The arrangement of the PDP was to rotate power between the North and
the South based on agreement by principle which was not really bonded
by constitution of the party. After Obasanjo's eight-year rulership,
which represented the slot of all the three geopolitical zones of
Southern Nigeria (South-West, South-East and South-South), there came
the turn of Northern people. Yar'Adua stepped in, but, sadly, his
tenure was cut short by death which threw the nation into political
tension and almost caused constitutional crises because the North were
not willing to give up the slot claiming that they must complete their
eight years. Jonathan as the then vice-president came in, in acting
capacity, and completed the remaining tenure of the late Yar'Adua.

Jonathan was able to rally round members of the PDP and governors for
support to be elected as a substantive president in 2011. After
completing of his four-year tenure, he was supposed to quietly hand
over power back to North. And the trouble began for the PDP.

The ex-president Goodluck Jonathan led his party to electoral
battlefield against Nigeria's former military dictator, General
Muhammadu Buhari of the APC in 2015, and lost so woefully that the PDP
lost many of its controlled states to the APC.

The biggest mistake the PDP made was to allow themselevs to be
arm-twisted by Jonathan and his men against the party's zoning
arrangement. The APC as a new party which clearly understood the
agitation of the North and weakness of the PDP, swung into action
immediately by mobilizing and consolidating its membership across
every states. The APC in their usual political antics began to incite
Nigerians against the PDP using the biggest epidemic befalling the
country: corruption, Boko Haram, the Chibok girls saga and many other
prompts to blackmail the party out of power. They campaigned
rigorously and ensured the PDP and Jonathan were defeated by either
hook or crook.

Setbacks of new technology

Jonathan approved the use of card-readers for general elections
thinking that he was bringing innovation into our electoral system,
not knowing that the device was a plot targeted at removing him from
the office.

The Ekiti state governor, Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, warned and
campaigned against the card-reader machines, but Jonathan and probably
those that stood to benefit from the contract refused to heed to his
call.

Fayose's argument was that a device that had not been put to use
cannot be trusted at a general election. He was vindicated with the
massive complaint that greeted the use of the device; even Jonathan
himself was quoted by some section of media that card-readers should
be revived before 2019 election after a card-reader machine almost
prevented him and his family members from voting during the Bayelsa
governorship election.

The PDP is still nursing the wound suffered at the poll, but the
question is how long would the party continue mourning the loss?

Survival strategy

The PDP needs to put its house in order as soon as possible. Six
months is more than enough to put itself back in shape instead of
wobbling and fumbling as a viable opposition, or else a new mega party
should be activated.

Nigerians expect the PDP to put up a strong opposition against the
ruling APC, and the best way PDP can once again entrench themselves in
the hearts of Nigerian is by forming a strong, formidable and
responsible opposition to Buhari's government.

Below are some of my thoughts on how the party can easily and quickly
bounce back ahead of future elections.

First assignment for the PDP in their efforts to rebuild the party is
to elect or appoint a well-experienced publicity secretary who knows
how to play the game with the ruling APC. Even non-PDP members are
unimpressed with the current publicity secretary Olisa Metuh; he is
seen as not competent enough to be an image-maker for the party.

Second assignment: the PDP should set up a committee that would
proffer solutions on how to win future elections with achievable,
realizable and modern manifesto based on the needs and yearnings of
Nigerians.

Third assignment: the party must appeal to all Nigerians to support
them, set up a committee that would pacify and ensure all the members
in other parties the return to the big umbrella for a better future.
Senior members who have suddenly become non-partisan must be reach out
to. People like Olusegun Obasanjo, General Ibrahim Babangida and other
founding members must be brought back to contribute their own ideas to
the success of the party.

Fourth assignment: the party must ensure that it fields credible,
popular, influential, rugged and competent candidates at the
presidency, state governorship, local governments, and other elective
posts in the future elections, those who can deliver on the party's
manifestos and give people the dividends of democracy.

Fifth assignment: the PDP must form a very strong and united front
that would not be easily intimidated, harassed or hounded with state
the security apparatus by the intolerant AP- led government.

Reaching out

For the PDP to survive, it must understand that both old, young and
new members are needed. The attitude of some party leaders that they
can do without some people in the party was one of the major downfalls
of the party. Recall that the problem began when five strong PDP
governors crossed to the nPDP and eventually left for the APC. The
situation could have been salvaged when they were still in the nPDP
had the ex-President Goodluck called for a truce, but ego and pride
deterred him.

After the 2016 National convention where new leaders will be elected,
the PDP needs to start reaching out to all aggrieved members, youth
groups, women groups, other smaller parties and all stakeholders that
can help them build formidable winning structures across every
geopolitical zone in Nigeria.

The PDP must move from analogue use of media to a very efficient and
purposeful use of digital media. The reality is that there are lots of
its members such as Demola Olanrewaju, Adeyanju Adedeji, Anthony
Ehilebo, Opeyemi Azeez Ahmed, Vincent Arogbodo, Chinedu Nwosu, Paul
Utho, Vox Populi, Lekan Durojaye, Zainab Dabo, Reno Omokri, James
King, Olufemi Fani-Kayode, Doyin Okupe, Babatunde Gbadamosi, Kamaldeen
Abdulsalam. and many others who can be of great advantage to the party
in terms of media organization.

As a matter of fact, the PDP leaders at National Working Committee
must come to join social media by themselves and begin to identify
some of the supporting youths in order to attract and train them for
future purposes. The PDP must leverage on social media but not for
hate campaign and malicious propaganda like the APC did during the
last general election.

-Naij

Christmas Tragedy: 100 Burnt To Death In Anambra Gas Explosion

Tragedy occurred, Thursday in the industrial town of Nnewi, Anambra
state when an industrial Gas plant suddenly exploded and with over 100
persons burnt to death.

The explosion rocked the Inter Corp Oil limited(LPG Gas Plant), an
subsidiary of Chikason Group.

According to an eye-witness, the fire incident which started at about
11am, was caused by an explosion that occured when a truck was making
an attempt to discharge its contents without waiting for the mandatory
cooling time.

It was gathered that tanker was discharging at a time when customers
were said to be refilling their gas cylinders.

The source hinted that all the customers who went to the gas plant to
get a refill were allegedly burnt to ashes while some of the victims
who were in the neighborhood and passers-by also got caught in the
inferno.

At the scen e of the incident, the charred bodies of the victims and
other badly affected burnt persons in the vicinity of the gas plant
were taken to Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH, Nnewi
while the heavy inferno did not allow rescue workers gain assess into
the factory where the majority of the victims allegedly to be in their
hundreds are trapped.

-Vanguard

Somalia Gov't Bans Christmas, New Year Celebrations

The Somalian government has issued a ban on Christmas celebrations in
the Muslim-majority country.

The Sheikh Mohamed Khayrow, director general of Somalia's religious
affairs ministry, said the ban was necessary because of fear Christmas
celebrations could threaten the country's faith .

Director General of Somalia's Ministry of Religious Affairs, Sheikh
Mohamed Khayrow
Speaking to reporters on on Tuesday, the DG said armed security
forces have been ordered to disrupt all celebrations hence 'there
should be no activity at all'.

He said: "All events related to Christmas and New Year celebrations
are contrary to Islamic culture, which could damage the faith of the
Muslim community."


In a plea to the Christian community, Sheikh Nur Barud Gurhan, of the
Supreme Religious Council of Somalia, warned that celebrations could
provoke Al-Shabab "to carry out attacks"

Back in 2013, the country also banned celebrations because the Islamic
calendar that does not recognise January 1 as the beginning of the
year.

Foreign diplomats, aid workers, and soldiers living in the AU compound
in Somalia are however are permitted to mark the day privately.

The ban comes just days after the Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah
banned celebrations with the threat of five years in jail if anyone
was found violating the rule.

The leader's decision is informed by the fear that the religious
holiday will affect the faith of his country.

-Naij

FMC Owerri Crisis: FG Inaugurates 5-man Committee

The federal government has inaugurated a 5-man interim management
committee to look into the‎ crisis that has disrupted activities at
the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, Imo state, with the intention of
restoring lasting peace and services.

The committee has been saddled with 11 terms of reference and is
expected to complete the job within six months of its inauguration and
chat a roadmap towards the achievement of delivering health services
to the people.

This was revealed, Monday, by the minister of health, Prof Isaac
Adewole at the Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, when he ‎inaugurated
the committee to be supervised by Prof Ndubisi Eke.

He stated that despite all entreaty to end the crisis, the unions
rebuffed federal governments request to give a 3-month moratorium to
work with the management, within which period it would make resources
available to address some of their welfare issues in addition to
improving the lot of the hospital, hence the decision to shut dowm the
hospital.

He said the committee is expected to "take over all administrative,
technical, operational and financial functions of the centre and
restore humane healthcare services, review events leading up to the
industrial unrest and ensure inter/intra professional harmony among
all cadres of staff and take inventory of all properties, assets and
liabilities of the centre."

"Review financial transactions for proper records, conduct personnel
audit of all employees to establish accurate staff disposition,
conduct audit of the operational processes and systems of the centre
and to evaluate the effectiveness of the governance structure, process
and recruitment" among others.

‎It will be recalled that activities were brought to a halt at the
center for the past eight months due to severe unrest which was
carried out by union members who have continued to insist that the
medical director, Dr Angela Uwakwem must be sacked on account of
high-handedness and other allegations levelled against her.

However, the fact-finding committee that investigated the allegations
against the medical director had since submitted its report and had
exonerated her and the contents of the report was brought to the
public domain.

-Leadership

Hajj Stampede: 43 Nigerians Still Missing—Report

Weeks after the conclusion of the 2015 Hajj exercise and the attendant
tragedy that occurred during a stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia, it has
emerged that 43 Nigerians are still missing.

This was contained in a report submitted, yesterday, to the Secretary
to the Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal, by the
committee on the 2015 Hajj exercise.
A synopsis of the report was contained in a statement issued last
night in Abuja by the Director of Press in the Office of the Secretary
to the Government of the Federation, Bolaji Adebiyi.
Chairman of the committee, Abdullahi Mohammed, described the exercise
as the most eventful in the history of hajj operations in Nigeria with
pilgrims witnessing two tragic events, the crane incident at the Grand
Mosque in Makkah on September 11 and the stampede in Mina on September
24.

His report indicated that Nigeria recorded a total of 280 deaths from
both events, while 43 are considered missing as their status is yet to
be ascertained.
A total of 75,081 Nigerian pilgrims participated in the 2015 hajj exercise.

According to him, the report submitted contains observations and
recommendations that will ensure seamless exercises in the future.

Receiving the report, Lawal commended the chairman and the entire
board of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria for their performance
in Saudi Arabia, especially, during the tragedies at the hajj.

He said he was particularly impressed with the conduct of the chairman
in providing the government and indeed, the general public, adequate
and incontrovertible information throughout the crisis. He assured
the commission that the report will receive the attention of the
government.

Biafra: FG Slams Fresh 6-count Charge Against Kanu, 2 Others

The Federal Government has filed a fresh six-count charge of treason
and managing the affairs of 'an unlawful society,' against the
embattled leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi
Kanu.

Kanu was charged before the Federal High Court, Abuja alongside two
others, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.

MASSOB, IPOB accuse Obiano

Meanwhile, Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of
Biafra, MASSOB, and Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, which were the
arrow-heads of the agitation for the release of their detained leader
and Director, Radio Biafra, Nnamadi Kanu, have accused Governor Willie
Obiano of Anambra State of alleged collusion with security operatives
to kill, maim its members, who were last week, jubilating over the
bail granted their leader by a Federal High Court, Abuja.

Also, pro-Biafra agitators in Delta State, yesterday, declared support
for the leader of the Biafra Independence Movement, BIM, Chief Ralph
Uwazuruike, describing him as a non violent messiah.

In the fresh charge, the trio were accused of committing treasonable
felony, an offence punishable under Section 41(C) of the Criminal Code
Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, when the matter came up before Justice Mohammed, yesterday,
neither the prosecuting counsel nor the accused persons were present
in court.

However, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor announced appearance for the defendants,
even as he queried the seriousness of the Federal Government to
prosecute the matter.
Ejiofor insisted that the fresh charge was nothing but a ploy by the
government to ensure the continued detention of the accused persons,
especially Kanu, who was earlier granted bail by the same high court.

Nevertheless, Justice Mohammed, explained that though the matter was
slated in the court's cause-list for mention, yesterday, he said it
was obvious that the prosecution was not notified.

The judge therefore, adjourned the case, saying a date for the
arraignment of the accused persons would be communicated to all the
parties.

Meanwhile, there was heavy police presence around the court premises yesterday.

Fresh charge

Nnamdi-Kanu in court
In the fresh charge, FG, alleged that the three accused persons were
the ones managing the affairs of "an unlawful society," the IPOB.

The charge read, "That you, Nnamdi Kanu and other unknown persons, now
at large, in London, United Kingdom, between 2014 and September, 2015,
with intention to levy war against Nigeria in order to force the
President to change his measures of being the President of the
Federation, Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
of the Federation as defined in Section 3 of the Constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) by doing an act to wit:
Broadcast on Radio Biafra your preparations for the states in the
South- East geo-political zone, South-South geo-political zone, the
Igala Community of Kogi State and the Idoma/Igede Community of Benue
State to secede from the Federal Republic of Nigeria and form
themselves into a Republic of Biafra, and thereby committed an offence
punish- able under Section 41(C) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38
Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004."

It will be recalled that Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the same high
court had on December 17, ordered the "unconditional" release of the
IPOB leader, Kanu, from the custody of the Department of State
Service, DSS.

Kanu who is also the Director of Radio Biafra and Television, was on
October 17, arrested in Lagos by security operatives, shortly after he
arrived Nigeria from his base in the United Kingdom.

Pro-Biafra agitators in Delta State in a communique, meanwhile, at the
end of the enlarged meeting of BIM, in Asaba, the state capital, who
are from lgbo speaking axis, condemned violent approach to the
agitation.

-Vanguard