Nigeria Ibom Power Plant Collapse: Small Businesses Groan In Akwa Ibom

The collapse of the Independent Power Plant built by the Akwa Ibom government has led to prolonged power outage from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in Eket and its environs even as a parallel fuel scarcity is inflicting a brutal toll on economic activity.

SaharaReporters learnt from officials of the PHCN in Eket that the power plant, which has never operated optimally, broke down and has not been fixed. 

U.S. Energy Subsidiary Named In Massive Oil Ripoff Rocking Nigeria

So-called fuel importers including a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil billed Nigeria for eye-popping sums of money without importing a single drop of oil.

 

Details of the wholesale scamming were revealed in a scathing 205 page official report that stunned citizens including Nobel Peace Prize winner Wole Soyinka.

 

A parliamentary probe, covering 2009 to 2011, found that dozens of petrol marketers, including the state oil company, helped themselves to payments for fuel that did not exist or was sold abroad - siphoning billions of dollars into the pockets of corrupt officials and businessmen.

 

"Nigerians have been suffering under the deceit of a select few that has milked us all dry in the name of fuel subsidy," said Lawan Farouk, head of the committee that led the probe.

 

The oil imports were designed to subsidize the price that Nigerians paid at the pump. It was considered one of the few benefits from being an oil-rich country.

 

Officials in the Goodluck Jonathan administration were named in the report as were 15 fuel importers who allegedly received over $300 million without importing any fuel. More than 100 oil marketers may have double billed. In one case, invoices of 999 million Nigerian dollars were OK’d for payment 128 times in 24 hours.

 

Mobil Oil contests the figure of $95 million supposedly owed to Nigeria.

 

Nobel winner Soyinka expressed dismay at the size of the ripoff.  He urged Nigerians to return to the streets as they did in January during the Occupy Nigeria protests. ”It is enough. Nigerians must be prepared to march, must be prepared to come out en masse and demand a termination of these years of insolence against the ordinary people.”

 

Of those named in the report, many deny taking part in fraud, with some taking out full-page newspaper ads proclaiming their innocence. w/pix of anti-corruption rally

NIGERIA MAY DAY: Fashola said " I’ll no longer pay any wage imposed by FG"

Governor Babatude Fashola of Lagos, yesterday, told Lagos workers that henceforth his government would no longer pay any wage imposed by the Federal Government unless the state was part of the negotiation that brought about the wage.

Foshola who spoke while addressing workers of the state during yesterday’s May Day celebration, said the government could only pay such wage if the Federal Government made money available.

This came as organised labour in the state blamed the growing insecurity in the country to unemployment, frustration, inequalities, injustice among others.

Nigeria: Suspect of Kaduna suicide bomber transferred to Abuja

The suspected suicide bomber of the SOJ Plaza Kaduna has now been transferred to the force headquarters Abuja, Kaduna State police commissioner, Mohammed J. Abubakar, said in Kaduna yesterday.

Last Thursday, a suspected bomber rode in a bomb-laden Honda Academy car killing three and injuring 25 persons at the plaza.  The SOJ Plaza housed offices of ThisDay, Sun and the Moment newspapers. Speaking to Daily Trust on phone, the police commissioner said the suspected suicide bomber who sustained various degrees of injuries has been transferred to force headquarters Abuja for further investigation.

In Yobe Nigeria: Gunmen kill three traders

Gunmen have shot dead three people in restive Yobe State in the latest deadly attacks to hit the region, police said on Tuesday.

The incident happened late Monday in the Dogon-Zare area of Potiskum, the commercial centre of the state.

The assailants stormed the residence of the three men who were believed to be Christian traders from southern Nigeria. Residents said they had lived in Potiskum for many years.

Killing Of Christians And Terrorism: Nigeria On The Verge of Disintegration, Says Nigerians Northern Christians

Christians of Northern Nigerian extraction, under the aegis of the 19 Northern State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have warned that there may be no longer a Nigeria if the killings and bombings by Boko Haram sect are allowed to continue.
The Northern Christians issued the statement after an emergency meeting in Kaduna, and they flung the blame at the feet of the federal government, as well as traditional and political leaders of the North, calling on those that are spearheading the terrorist violence to be conscious of the fact that non-terrorists could equally become terrorists by taking their destiny into their hands.

Jailed Ethiopian journalist Eskinder Nega honoured

An imprisoned Ethiopian journalist and blogger has been given a prestigious freedom of expression award.

Eskinder Nega was awarded the Pen America's "Freedom to Write" annual prize for publishing articles critical of Ethiopia's human rights record.

His wife Serkalem Fasil, who is a journalist and also spent time in jail, received the award on his behalf.

Somali Mohammad Shibin guilty over Quest hijacking

A US jury has convicted a Somali man of piracy for serving as a hostage negotiator during the hijacking of an American yacht.

Mohammad Saaili Shibin was found guilty of piracy, kidnapping and hostage-taking over the 2011 hijacking of the SV Quest, near Oman.
Prosecutors said he received at least $30,000 (£18,475) for negotiating ransom payments.
The incident saw all four Americans on board shot and killed.
Shibin was arrested by the FBI and military officials in Somalia in April 2011.

Bosco 'Terminator' Ntaganda takes over DR Congo towns

Troops loyal to Bosco Ntaganda, wanted by the International Criminal Court, have taken two towns in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

A BBC reporter in the area says thousands of people are fleeing the fierce fighting towards nearby Goma.
Hundreds of heavily armed soldiers loyal to Gen Ntaganda recently defected from the Congolese army.
Known locally as the Terminator, Gen Ntaganda has denied the ICC accusation that he recruited child soldiers.

Ivory Coast's Yaya Toure 'key' to City victory

Ivory Coast star Yaya Toure has been praised for the key role he played in Manchester City's vital victory over city rivals United on Monday.

The midfielder, who has been central to the revival of his club's ambitions, was again at the heart of the action.

The BBC said he had been "dominant" during the derby against City's rivals for the Premier League title.

The Daily Telegraph   described him as "magnificent" and said he had "given everything in securing the win".
City now top the table on goal difference, with both teams having two games left.

Mazembe confident in African Champions League

Former African champions TP Mazembe of DR Congo are confident of making it to the group phase of this year's tournament.

The Lubumbashi-based side beat Sudan's El Merreikh 2-0 at home in the first leg of their round of 16 tie on Sunday.

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And striker Given Singuluma has told the BBC his side can get the result they need in Sudan in two weeks' time.

Fifa ban Zambian match fixers in Finland scandal

Six Zambian players have had worldwide bans imposed on them by Fifa after a match-fixing scandal in Finland.

Godfrey Chibanga, Chileshe Chibwe, Steven Kunda, Christopher Musonda, Chanda Mwaba and Nchimunya Mweetwa had already been banned by Football Association of Finland (Faf), following the conclusion of an appeals process.
The six played for Rovaniemi Palloseura (RoPs), and along with a number of colleagues, were convicted of taking bribes by a Finnish court last year.
The Singaporean man at the heart of the investigation, Wilson Raj Perumal, was sentenced to two years in prison.

Mali violence delayed Ahly and Sunshine Stars

Players and officials from Egypt's Al Ahly and Nigeria's Sunshine Stars are stranded in Mali, after renewed violence on Monday.

Ahly played Stade Malien and Stars took on Djoliba in the African Champions League at the weekend.
The Cairo club's flight was delayed by bad weather, and then - when trouble broke out - the airport was closed.
Some members of the Nigerian party left the country on Saturday night but a small group remain trapped.
"They cannot leave the hotel, on the instructions of the Egyptian embassy," Ahly board member Khaled Mortagy said.

Mali coup: Junta forces 'overrun rivals' camp'

Pro-junta forces in Mali have taken control of the main anti-junta military base after two days of fighting in the capital, Bamako, witnesses say.

Junta forces are going through the camp looking for any remaining troops, a witness told the BBC.
The shooting broke out late on Monday after reports that the leaders of the presidential guard would be arrested.

“Dieziani Allison-Madueke Called Me Over 20 Times In Quest to Become Nigeria Minister For Petroleum,” Claims Henry Okah in Affidavit

In an affidavit to be filed in a South African court, detained Mr. Henry Okah claims that in just the first few days of April 2010, after Mr. Goodluck Jonathan became Acting President of Nigeria, one Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke called him over 20 times for help to become Petroleum Minister.

Regional force 'should help Nigeria' fight boko haram militants

Chad's leader has called for the urgent creation of a regional force to tackle Nigerian Boko Haram militants.

The Islamist group operates in northern Nigeria, but President Idriss Deby said it was posing a threat to its neighbours around Lake Chad.
"Our basin is exposed to insecurity because of the permanent threat posed by Boko Haram," he said.
Nigeria has been struggling to contain attacks by the militants who want to impose Islamic law in the country.
On Monday, a suicide attack on a police station in Taraba state, which borders Cameroon, killed at least 11 people. No-one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, but Boko Haram militants have carried out many similar attacks.

Kenya mourns women's rugby captain Aberdeen Shikoyi

Tributes are being paid to Aberdeen Shikoyi, the captain of the national Kenya Women's Rugby team who died on Saturday in Nairobi.

According to the Kenya Rugby Football Union, Ms Shikoyi was injured during the first leg of the Women's Elgon Cup in Uganda a week earlier.
She was immediately airlifted to the Kenyan capital for treatment, reportedly for a spinal injury.
Her death was announced shortly after her team won this year's Elgon Cup.

Somalia MPs killed in al-Shabab suicide attack, sevral injured

Seven people, including two MPs, have been killed in a suicide attack in central Somalia, authorities in the town of Dusa Mareb have said.

Eyewitnesses told the BBC the attack targeted a group of about 20 politicians at an outdoor cafe.
They had travelled to Dusa Mareb in Galgadud region - which is controlled by a pro-government militia - to promote reconciliation.

Nigeria: Boko Haram Releases Video On ThisDay Bombing, Threatens To Attack VOA, Guardian, Daily Trust, SaharaReporters

The extremist group, Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihadl, popularly called Boko Haram, today named more media houses and staff as targets of their attack.

In an 18minutes video, the group threatened to attack more media houses, naming Voice of America (Hausa), Radio France (Hausa), Daily Trust, Guardian Newspapers, among others. The group also gave reasons why they bombed Thisday office in Abuja and other media houses last Thursday.

“This is a message from jamaatu ahlis sunnah lil daawati wal jihad, and we wish to inform Nigerians our reasons for attacking some media houses,” the group said.

The video also shows that the radical group carried a live coverage of the bombing in Abuja showing and filmed the exact explosion of the Thisday bombing. The group created the new Youtube video under the name Alhaji Mani.

Unknown gun men kill six at Cairo protest

Unknown assailants have killed at least six people at a protest against Egypt's ruling generals near the defence ministry in Cairo, officials say.

Witnesses described how the attackers set on them at dawn using rocks, clubs, firebombs and firing shotguns.
Up to 100 people were also reportedly injured and are being treated at a field clinic in the Abbasiya district.
Many of the protesters are supporters of a Salafist preacher barred from standing in the presidential election.
Hazem Abu Ismail was disqualified because his mother held dual Egyptian-US citizenship, violating rules laid out in a constitutional declaration approved after an uprising forced President Hosni Mubarak to step down.
Mr Abu Ismail complained that he was the victim of a "plot" by the military authorities, but the election commission said it had found no evidence.