Wednesday, 31 August 2016

NIGERIA ECONOMY: FOREIGN INVESTORS ON THE RUN

Aero Contractors Airlines has announced that it would suspend its
scheduled services indefinitely from Thursday, September 1, 2016.

According to the airline, the decision was as a result of the current economic situation in the country, which had gravely affected its business over the past six months and by extension, its scheduled services operations.
The airline management, in a statement made available to The Point, however, said that suspending operations was part of the strategic business realignment to reposition the airline and return it to the part of profitability.
The factors responsible for the suspension are internal and external environmental factors that have made it difficult for the foremost airline to continue its scheduled services,” the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu was quoted as saying.

He said that during the period in review, Aero witnessed epileptic operations and services to the external publics that are caused by non-alignment of fundamental issue of the business, which in some cases have been frustrating and embarrassing to all parties including staff, customers and indeed all stakeholders.

Determined to ensure the airline survived unlike some other carriers that experienced short life span in the country, AMCON had earlier in February, appointed Mr. Adeniyi Adegbomire, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, as Receiver Manager, with the aim of turning the airline around.

Since AMCON’s intervention in Aero Contractors in 2011, it had provided support for the airline to meet working capital requirements and fleet expansion.
These were to ensure the airline remained a going concern, providing services to various clients and the general public.

Unfortunately, Akinkuotu said, the operating environment within and outside the airline have hindered any possible progress, especially in the last six months when the Naira depreciated against the dollar, thereby making it impossible for the airline to achieve its operational targets.

With these realities, coupled with protracted engagements with all relevant stakeholders, the Management of Aero has strenuously reviewed and assessed options and opportunities on ensuring viability, safety and sustainability of operations during the period with a lot of sacrifices.

The impact of the external environment has been very harsh on our operational performance, hence management decision to suspend scheduled services operations indefinitely effective September 1, 2016, pending when the external opportunities and a robust sustainable and viable plan is in place for Aero Contractors to recommence its scheduled services.

The implication of the suspension of scheduled services operations extends to all staff directly and indirectly involved in providing services as they are effectively to proceed on indefinite leave of absence during the period of non-services,” Akinkuotu stated.
Nice and tidy.

Nigeria Economy : Resign now or be disgraced out of office, you know next to nothing! - PDP, other top politicians tell President Buhari

FOLLOWING  the distressing figures released on Wednesday by the National Bureau of Statistics which bother on GDP and inflation, the Peoples Democratic Party has called on all and sundry to prevail on President Buhari to honourably throw in the towel or risk being disgraced out of office considering the suffering and hardship his incompetence to effectively manage the economy has brought on Nigerians.

In a statement issued on Wednesday made available to journalists , the Peoples Democratic Party the figures reveal what the party have repeatedly said over the last 15 months – the Nigerian President is destroying the Nigeria economy.
“For the avoidance of doubt, some of these figures include: GDP contracted by -2.06% in Q2 2016. 
In contrast, the economy grew by 2.35% in Q2 2015. Q2 was worse than the -0.36% shrinking of the economy in Q1 2016. 
“Headline Inflation for July 2016 stands at 17.1%. It was from 16.5% in June 2016. Food inflation was 15.58% for July 2016 from 15.3% in June 2016. 
Portfolio investment declined to an estimated $245.3m in Q2 2016. This represents a 9.5% from $271.0m in Q1 2016 & is a far cry from $2.81bn in Q2 2015. FDI declined from $211.1m in Q2 2015 and $174.4m in Q1 2016 to an estimated $133.0m in Q2 2016.
Total value of capital imported in Q2 2016 is estimated at mere $647.1m. This is the lowest quarterly figure since Nigeria started keeping records of capital importation. It is a decline from $710.9 m in Q1 2016 & a far cry from $2.67bn in Q2 2015. 
A total of 4,580,602 people have lost their jobs since May 29, 2015. The number of persons in full time employment decreased by 351,350 in Q2 2016 compared to Q1 2016. 
PDP said the result of these indices is that Nigeria is in its worst economic state for 29 years – dating back to 1987 when the nation had to take harsh steps to recover from President Buhari’s policies of 1984-85.
“As of 1984-85, companies  fled our shores in droves. Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) recently stated that 272 companies have shut down in the past 1 year.
“Furthermore, like we suffered in 1984-85, we are suffering a brain drain where our best & brightest talents are leaving the country in search of a better life elsewhere. 
“It is disheartening that the Buhari administration is destroying the Nigerian economy & our collective future by the implementation of his archaic & incoherent economic policies which failed in 1984-85 & are failing spectacularly now. 
“Our dismay is worsened by the fact that every sphere of the Nigerian socio-political space (ranging from the conduct of elections, human rights, respect for the rule of law, security, technology, health etc) is negatively affected by the Buhari administration.
These distressing  figures, however, continued to draw angry reactions from top politicians across  the political parties in Nigeria and the All Progressives' Congress,who did  not want their names in print as of the time of filing this report.
Recall that Ekiti state governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has called on President Mohammadu Buhari to listen to the cries of Nigerians and stop seeing those with opinions different from his own as threats to his hold on power.

Fayose said; “The reality our President must face now is that there is too much hunger in the land, Nigerians are hungry, they are suffering and the President should rather  listen to those who are more knowledgeable than him in terms of management of the country’s economy instead of seeing them as threats.” 

USA ELECTION:The Server Saga Continues: State Department Finds Clinton Deleted 30 Benghazi-Related Emails

The State Department said Tuesday that another 30 or so emails from Hillary Clinton’s personal server have been uncovered that could potentially be Benghazi-related. Clinton, who used her private server for email correspondence while serving as Secretary of State claimed she turned over every work-related document to Government officials in 2014.

The latest documents were found in a batch of 15,000 emails that the FBI forensically uncovered after Clinton and her attorneys took it upon themselves to delete every file they deemed to be “personal”. While Clinton claimed that her personal correspondence only included talk about yoga, Chelsea’s wedding planning, etc., the personal emails that the FBI was able to forensically uncover proved to include some State Department communications, including some between top aides at the Clinton Foundation and State Department that many claim contain evidence that allude to engagement in pay-for-play tactics for Clinton Donors.

It was revealed last week that Hillary Clinton and her lawyers not only deleted the emails, but used a program called “Bleachbit” which, if used correctly, essentially annihilates them into oblivion. As Rep. Trey Gowdy said last week, Hillary Clinton made it so that“even god can’t read them.”
On Tuesday during a hearing for a lawsuit filed by conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch, Government lawyers told U.S. District Court Judge Amit P. Mehta that there were in fact a number of emails in the 30 that were not released in Clinton’s original 55,000 pages that she previously turned over, although the exact number is currently undetermined.
A lawyer at the State Department said they would need until the end of September to thoroughly sort through the newest batch and redact any classified or personal information before being released. Mehta requested that the State Department speed up the process and follow up with the information in one week pertaining to why sorting through the documents will take at least a month.
Following the latest developments State Department spokesman John Kirby said, “Using broad search terms, we have identified approximately 30 documents potentially responsive to a Benghazi-related request. At this time, we have not confirmed that the documents are, in fact, responsive, or whether they are duplicates of materials already provided to the Department by former Secretary Clinton in December 2014.”
With the Presidential election just weeks away, Republicans are urging the State Department to release the documents as soon as possible to avoid the potential of her getting elected to the highest office in the country.

The fallout from the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012 is among the most controversial of the scandal that have surrounded Clinton during her time as Secretary of State.  Clinton has been criticized for not taking proper action to defend the U.S. consulate during the hours long terrorist attack that left 4 Americans dead.  Many questions surrounding Clinton’s actions that night remain unanswered which leave many hopeful some answers may be revealed in these emails.

BETTER WASH YOUR HAND OFF FROM EVIL PLOT BY THE EMIRATE REBULIC OF NIGERIA

BIAFRA: COUNT ME OUT OF RE-IPOB – ARTHUR NWANKWO

CHANCELLOR of the Eastern Mandate Union, EMU, Dr Arthur Nwankwo, has dissociated himself from the Reformed Indigenous People of Biafra, RE-IPOB, a breakaway faction of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and his nomination as one of old Eastern Region eminent persons to negotiate with the Federal Government on Biafra. 

In a four-paragraph statement, Nwankwo, who restated his clamour for the restructuring of the country, said the association of his name to RE-IPOB is scandalous and unaccpetable. Reacting to media reports in which RE-IPOB mentioned him as one of the eminent Igbo personalities to negotiate with the Federal Government, he said: 

The statement credited to an amorphous breakaway group from the IPOB called RE-IPOB, gave the impression that I am in league with it. I consider the association of my name to this type of self-serving group absolutely scandalous, ridiculous and totally unacceptable. I have nothing whatsoever to do with the group or any other group for that matter. ”My position on the state of Nigeria is not ambiguous. I have relentlessly canvassed a thorough-going restructuring of this country; where all the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria would come to a round table to negotiate their existence. ”The Igbo nation has not mandated any person or group to negotiate for it. I therefore dissociate myself completely from RE-IPOB and demand an immediate retraction of my name from their press release to avoid unpleasant consequences

Biafran Groups Disagree On Way Forward

The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has declared that the struggle for the actualisation of Biafra was not negotiable and will never be renounced.

MASSOB made the statement in reaction to a statement made by a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Reformed Indigenous People of Biafra, RE-IPOB, which stated that they were ready to negotiate with the Federal Government.

MASSOB in a statement issued yesterday by its National Director of Information, Comrade Samuel Edeson, insisted that Biafra cannot be renounced, adding that it was pivotal to the existence and future of the Igbo people.

The statement read in part, “Though MASSOB acknowledged the regards and respect given to Comrade Uchenna Madu as a credible Igbo leader by Re-IPOB, we insist that Biafra is not negotiable and cannot be renounced.

It’s not a personal or religious belief, faith or human establishment. Biafra is the very existence and future of our people.

“MASSOB’s reaction is against the online news that included the name of Comrade Uchenna Madu (leader of MASSOB) as a member of trusted Igbo leaders to negotiate with FG on Biafra.

“What is Re-IPOB negotiating, a group that comes up today and wants to negotiate Biafra immediately? Who is fooling who? What has Re-IPOB done for Biafra and for what reasons would FG negotiate with it? Biafra struggle is not a business venture and it is not negotiable.

“MASSOB reaction is not because of external or internal pressure but for our dignity, pride, integrity, trust and confidence the people of Biafra bestowed on MASSOB.

“We also warn those delighted in creating confusion among Pro Biafra groups with falsehood and blackmailing to desist from it now or face the consequences and punishments of saboteurs. A stitch in time saves nine.

Obama made Buhari nigeria president



He narrated how US President Barack Obama assisted President Buhari to remove Goodluck Jonathan from power

Former aviation minister and one of the chieftains of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Femi Fani-Kayode has shared a hilarious video on his Facebook page on August 30,
The video posted by the Hope for Biafra channel is the recording of the interview with one former United States official, who claimed he worked with Bill Clinton, former American president. American official reveals that Barack Obama sent his operatives to help the candidate from the All Progressives Party Muhammadu Buhari be elected as the Nigerian president. He narrated
David Axelrod Obama’s chief advisor has just worked in a successful election campaign for the Muslim candidate in Nigeria against the Christian incumbent. The Muslim candidate is a former military dictator who ruled the country with an iron hand. His name is Muhammadu Buhari and he has just defeated a guy named Goodluck Jonathan.

Nigeria is a very valuable country because of the huge oil reserves inside and winning the presidency there is a big deal. Buhari used to be an advocate of Sharia law and attempted to impose it in Nigeria.
He now says that he’s over that he’s not going to do that and he’ll behave himself but the question is do we take him at his word or not.

More disturbing is the concept that Obama’s leading political operatives with his approval or without we don’t know went to Nigeria to help overturn the Christian government that was in charge there.
I personally find it impossible to believe that he would have done so without at least consulting with the president. This conforms to pattern that’s emerging that’s very disturbing. It’s now known that Obama’s aids participated aggressively in the campaign to defeat Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel that they funneled over 20 million dollars into the anti-Netanyahu campaign.
Now this involvement in Nigeria.
The Nigerian candidate was just elected president has had ties to Boko Haram the terrorist group in Nigeria.

When I worked for President Clinton we worked aggressively to try to re-elect Boris Yeltsin and Russia but I think that was in the interests of the United States to stop the Communists in the fascists I’m taking over but this is one where I think clearly he’s going against the interests of the United States and in favor of putting a Sharia law a former dictator in charge of a largely Christian country for more than half a Christian country.


Embattled former minister Kayode has just recently accused President Barack Obama of supporting and assisting Buhari during the last presidential elections in Nigeria.

Buhari became the first Nigerian to defeat a president through the voting box, putting him in charge of Africa’s biggest economy and one of its most turbulent democracies.

After President Buhari’s victory the US renewed its assistance in the war against the Boko Haram insurgents, ending several years of tense relations that sank to new lows in 2014 when the United States blocked the sale of American-made Cobra attack helicopters to Nigeria from Israel.

The government of Northern Nigeria blames lack of adequate military hardware on recession.

The Federal Government, yesterday, attributed its inability to adequately fund major projects, including those of the armed forces, to recession currently facing the country. It also lauded efforts of the armed forces in the fight against insurgency, with the available resources at their disposal. Minister of Defence, Mohammed Dan-Ali, who disclosed this while declaring open a two-day 2016 Nigerian Air Force Logistic Command seminar, lamented that the dwindling economy had adversely affected the procurement of military hardware.

Represented by the  Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Ambassador Danjuma Nanpon, Ali  stated that the seminar, with the theme “Repositioning NAF logistics for efficient employment and air power in response to contemporary national security imperatives” was apt because the sustenance of the country’s  war efforts largely depended on a sound logistic system.

He asserted that the  Nigerian Air Force had remained a major player in carrying out aerial bombardments which led  to the destruction of Boko Haram fighters’ camps, thus dislodging them from their strongholds within the Sambisa forests and adjoining  enclaves.   Fighter jets consume 1.9m litres of fuel monthly Earlier in his address, Chief of  Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, explained that the theme of the seminar was borne out of the need for  NAF to put together a carefully planned strategy to effectively and efficiently deploy necessary air power to address the challenges facing the country. One such strategy, according to him, is to ensure availability of  aviation fuel for fighter jets  in operational areas, whether the product was available or not. For instance, he disclosed that the service consumed an average of 1.9 million litres of aviation fuel monthly on its fighter aircraft. Also in his welcome address, Air Officer Commanding,AOC  Logistics Command, Air Vice Marshal Sani Ahmed, said the command was striving to evolve a “credible, responsive and responsible logistics system that would guarantee timely, effective and efficient air support in all theatres of operations in the country.”

Tuesday, 30 August 2016

Biafra: Igbo elders, leaders must ensure situation is not out of hand — Prof Ejike

Professor Chiweyite Ejike, the deputy chairman of Igbo Leaders of Thought, ILT,


Professor Chiweyite Ejike, the deputy chairman of Igbo Leaders of Thought, ILT, in this interview, spoke on the centrifugal issues that give rise to Igbo marginalization and agitations for Republic of Biafra among others. Professor Chiweyite Ejike, the deputy chairman of Igbo Leaders of Thought, ILT,
On alleged marginalization of Ndigbo by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration
The issue of marginalization had been a constant theme in discussions of the dividends of governance in Nigeria since Independence in 1960. At any point in time, it has been either the North or the South claiming marginalization in the distribution of government amenities and services and blaming it on the government in power while suggesting that the zone or region producing the Head of Government is being favoured. Many a time, one can say that there is no smoke without fire. There is no denying the fact that favouritism, nepotism and related unwholesome practices are part of the second nature of most Nigerians. In the current situation, it is important that we work with the knowledge and understanding that marginalization form part of the general problem of bad governance in the Nigerian polity.
What is necessary is that we should fight marginalization not by pointing accusing fingers at any party, government or ethnic group, but by undertaking a proper study of the genesis, causes and empirical proof of this phenomenon both as it had played out in the past and as it is now being practiced under the current APC government at the centre and one might add, in almost all the state and local governments of the country. Thereafter, we should be able to proffer ways and means of providing remedies for this negative aspect of our national governance. The Igbo Leaders of Thought had in the past discussed this and other related national challenges at several of its Focus Group meetings. In summary, what we are saying is that, first, we need to be fully informed about the remote and the immediate causes of marginalization of Ndigbo. Secondly, the external and internal socio-economic and political dimensions of this fact of marginalization must be tackled.

Thirdly, the need to evolve a viable road map with which to act in rectifying this deficiency. For the time being, the immediate reaction recommended is to realize that we (Igbo) as a people  had fallen short of our expected role in preparing our people to take on the challenge of appropriate positions and role in the national theatre of operations in Nigeria.
We must therefore, through our individual and corporate efforts, serious and determined good governance of the various states, initiate emergency action-plans and programmes that would enable us stand out as a beacon of excellence in Nigeria. That way, we would legitimately demand and fulfil the responsibilities and duties expected of us and claim the reward that Ndigbo deserve considering their past and present investments in the founding and nurturing of the Nigerian nation over the past 100 years.

There is the opinion that Biafra agitations are being fuelled by extreme marginalization of Ndigbo in the country’s political and core professional appointments. Is this so and what have the ILT done in this direction?
We are living in an age of grave circumstances. Protests are accepted in the world over as modulating techniques for keeping any given democracy on a steady keel. The danger, however, is that what normally starts up as peaceful protests could readily escalate into violence especially if not well led and if met with disproportionate police action. As for the nascent militancy in the South-East, the ILT would like to remind the nation that the

constitution guarantees freedom of expression manifested in lawful protest(s) as a fundamental right. The solution to this serious development of Pro-Biafra demands is that we approach it with standard conflict resolution strategies accepted by the civilized world and directed by rules of engagement prescribed for such levels of national difficulties. What is required is not necessarily strong-arm response but consultations and dialogue aided by peaceful negotiations.

THE PRESDENT OF NIGERIA OFFICIALLY SAID THE COUNTRY IS POOR

Nigeria, South Africa Stare Down Recessions

A man balances a bowl with a print of the old Nigerian naira banknote on his head at a local market in Agege district in Lagos, Nigeria, Aug. 16, 2016.
Politics and petroleum have brought down Africa’s two biggest economies, South Africa and Nigeria, as both nations look down the barrel of recession.
Oil giant Nigeria will release quarterly growth figures Wednesday that most likely will confirm the economy is in recession. And the South African economy, the continent’s most established and mature, has seen slowing growth, with a contraction of 1.2 percent in the first quarter, as the population grows faster than the economy. The government is expected to release its second-quarter growth figures next week.
The two nations often see each other as competition. They have in recent years jockeyed for the economic top spot in Africa, with Nigeria recently losing the position to South Africa. But many global investors see them as part of the same Africa package, said Martyn Davies, managing director of emerging markets and Africa at the auditing and consulting firm Deloitte

“South Africa and Nigeria are the bookends, if you will, of the sub-Saharan economy. One’s misfiring, the other one’s in severe contraction,” he said.
While South Africa’s economy is more sophisticated and established, “Nigeriawas undoubtedly the flavor of the decade at least five, six years ago. For South Africa capital — for global capital flowing into Africa — you had to have a Nigeriaplayer, a piece of Nigeria. ... It was too big to ignore.”
Nigeria’s economy has been hit hard by a global slump in oil prices, and further harmed by militant attacks on pipelines in the oil-producing Niger Delta region that have dropped production to about 1.5 million barrels a day from around 2.2 million barrels.
Another problem for Nigeria is a shortage of foreign currency, which means a shortage of imported raw materials for factories and consumer goods for shops. That drives up inflation.
Nigeria’s economy shrank about four-tenths of a percent in the first quarter, and the second quarter is expected to be worse. John Ashbourne, Africa economist at Capital Economics in London, said he expected Nigeria’s economy to shrink by about 3 percent. He thinks, however, that growth will resume next year.
Pabina Yinkere, head of research at Vetiva Capital Management in Lagos, said the government had taken encouraging steps by raising fuel prices and allowing the currency to float freely against the dollar. Still, with less tax revenue, Yinkere said, the government may struggle to spend the money it needs to revive the economy.
In South Africa, the continent’s hub for financial services, investor confidence and the currency have been rattled by recent political shocks, such as President Jacob Zuma’s decision last year to fire the well-respected finance minister, and then fire his replacement just days later, before finally hiring another former finance minister.
New allegations of corruption around the new finance minister have further hit the economy.
Zuma himself has been accused of denting South Africa’s image. In 2014, the nation’s top anti-corruption czar determined that Zuma “benefited unduly” by using 246 million rand — at the time, about $23 million — of government money to upgrade his home. Zuma’s camp said the improvements were necessary security measures befitting a head of state. Earlier this year, he was ordered to pay back $500,000, or about 3 percent, of the money.
But Davies, a longtime proponent of the “Africa rising” narrative, said Africa might be down but isn’t out. East African economies, he said, like those of Tanzania and Ethiopia, are growing and presenting alternatives for investors, and South Africa and Nigeria can rebound, with time and determination.
“I think what they both have in common is the governance story, Nigeriaparticularly so. Nigeria's is not a short-term correction story,” he said.
“In South Africa’s case, we have the corporate muscle, we have incredible institutions, we have very, very deep capital markets, we have very well-run institutions at a business level. We have all the ingredients we need to be a successful emerging market economy. Unfortunately, we haven’t got the political alignment.”

Philippine President Duterte to United Nations “I do not want to insult you. But maybe, we have to separate from you

President of the Philippine Rodrigo Duterte stated in the Press Conference on Sunday that he is willing to separate with United Nations for interfering the operation of the Philippine Government against illegal drugs.
The President describes UN as a “useless” organization that couldn’t keep peace among its members.
He believes that UN didn’t do anything but to criticise other countries but they don’t know how to stop the war in Syria, Iraq and other countries.
“Maybe we’ll just have to decide to separate from the United Nations. When were you here the last time? Never. Except to criticize,” Duterte said to UN
“When have you done a good deed to my country?” The President added.
“If you can see one bad thing about me, I can tell you ten. What have you done to the world?” President Duterte asked United Nations.
The President also invited the UN Law Experts and ask them to present hard evidence and not newspaper clips.
“I’d like to talk to that alleged expert of the UN,Let them talk to me, and let him face me with hard facts. Not newspaper clippings.”
He also said that he wants to refund all the money contributed by the Philippines to the United Nations to build rehabilitation centers.
“I do not want to insult you. But maybe, we have to separate from you.” Pres. Rody Duterte said to the United Nations (UN)
Before ending the Press conference President Duterte said that the UN is not respecting the Philippine Government.

“The UN fell short of the protocol for respect, and you expect me to have respect to them? Kayo yung bugok, hindi ako, I studied my notes very well”

European Union (EU) ban exporting of Nigerian beans

The Federal Government has inaugurated a 26-member Standing Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee to address the rejection of Nigeria`s dry beans by the European Union. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, while performing the inauguration in Abuja on Tuesday, urged the committee members to work as a team to achieve the desired goal. “It is my pleasure to welcome you to this important workshop for members of the Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee on Zero Reject of Agricultural Commodities and Produce/Non-Oil Exports. “We are here to take our destinies in our hands by finding lasting solution to incessant rejection of our agricultural commodities, especially in Europe. “We need to avoid the embarrassment of further rejection in the future by strengthening our regulatory authorities to live up to their mandates. “Our desire for agricultural products and non-oil exports means there will be vigorous pursuit of investment in quality control and standardisation. “In addressing this challenge, we are working with the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service to ensure safety of what we produce and consume locally and internationally, “ Ogbeh said. The minister urged members of the committee to carry out the assignment with unity of purpose and in the interest of the nation. “We will get our desired result if this committee carries out its work diligently without fear or favour because there is demand for Nigeria`s product outside the country. “We are also working with other agencies on traceability; that is to know where the sub-standard goods are coming from. “ He, however, called on donor agencies to consider other gaps that could be filled to bring Nigeria`s agriculture to a loftier height. Mr Charles Malata, Chief Technical Adviser, UNIDO, said that the importance of the workshop and inauguration was to enable Nigeria to explore non-oil sector of the economy. Malata said that the committee was set up because of the rejection of the country’s agricultural produce and commodities at the international market. “We have a project which is funded by EU and it has been running for two years. “Through the project, we have been addressing the issue of safety and good health in order to boost the competitiveness of Nigerian products. “We appreciate what the Federal Government is doing towards the removal of the ban soon. “I urge the committee to take time to look at the issues that are challenging Nigeria to provide a roadmap to possible solutions to these challenges, “ he added. In a keynote address, Head of Trade and Economics Section, European Union, Mr Filippo Amato, said that the ban was a wake-up call for the country to work toward achieving standards. He commended the Federal Government in setting up the committee to look at the rejection of Nigeria`s beans for containing high level of pesticides which were dangerous to human health. He, however, reiterated EU`s support to the country in order to improve its compliance to meet standards and protect consumers` right. The EU announced import suspension measures in June 2015, which affected dried beans from Nigeria. The suspension was supposed to lapse in June 2016 when the country was expected to provide “substantial guarantees that adequate official control system have been put in place “. The EU further extended the suspension to three years for alleged lack of seriousness by stakeholders to meet the dateline. The committee members are from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service and Nigeria Export Promotion Council.

Mark Zuckerberg Is In Nigeria Right Now

We’ve  confirmed that Mark Zuckerberg is at the CoCreation Hub, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria at this very moment. Apparently, he arrived this afternoon and is meeting witha few key players in the Nigerian tech ecosystem.
Mark was in Rome with his wife, Priscilla, until a few hours ago (according to his Facebook page). He held a Q&A session, visited the Pope and did a few “touristy” things. This visit to Nigeria wasn’t announced so you’ll permit if I go off into speculation.
There’s been a lot of Facebook-related development in Nigeria so there’s a ton of reasons why Mark may be visiting. First, Free Basics launched in Nigeria and Markshowed his support for the Jobberman team. Then the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiativeinvested $24 million in Andela. Facebook’s developer workshop is happening tomorrow, and yesterday, we reported that Facebook is partnering with Cool Link to launch Express Wifi in Lagos some time this week.
I reckon Mark is in Nigeria to kill all these birds – visit Jobberman, the Andela team he’s invested in, attend the developer workshop, launch Express Wifi AND have policy-centred conversations with the Nigerian government to further Facebook’s cause.
You’ll know more when we know more.

EXPOSED: Secret Execution of Biafran Youths by the Nigerian Government

 The Nigerian government and it’s smart ways of clamping down and executing innocent Biafrans continued, investigation carried out revealed  that the Nigerian government has device a new means of exterminating the Biafrans.
Their latest means is going around on different platforms of the social media announcing for what they call the Biafra security service (BSS) recruitment. Thereby capturing the unsuspecting youths who ignorantly applies for the recruitment in the process and disappearing them completely.

The department of state services (DSS) with their secret agents have kidnapped and maimed hundreds of Biafran youths with the disguise of recruiting them. Recently the Nigerian government deployed about 800 released boko haram terrorists in Nigerian Police uniform to Biafra land and their assignment is to kidnap our young youths and take them to unknown destination, this shows that President Muhammadu Buhari is trying every means possible to secretly exterminate Biafrans. Many cases of missing youths have been severally tabled to IPOB Journalists and our findings proved that the work of the deployed military personnel in Biafra land is to kidnap and kill all the Igbo-Biafra responsible youths by every means possible.
IPOB is warning all  Biafran youths that the plan to establish BSS is brought by the Nigerian government to disorganize and secretly kill as much as they can the Biafran youths agitating for the sovereign state of Biafra. This people are not with us, they are the same thing as Boko Haram terrorists parading on military uniforms that shoots molest and kill armless and peaceful protesters.
The Nigerian government is aware that IPOB is sagacious, fanatical and ordained by the creator of the heavens and earth for the struggle to restore the sovereign state of Biafra and nothing can hinder the struggle, kidnapping and killing us can never stop or pause the struggle. Rather it strengthened us more to mobilize and defend ourselves by every means possible. It’s either Biafra flag is raised up or their will be nothing left in Nigeria. BIAFRA OR DEATH!


( source:http://www.thebiafraherald.co/2016/08/exposed-secret-execution-of-biafran.html )
written br  Kings J.V Chibuzor
Edited by Jenny Black 
For Family Writers.

The lawyer to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra Nnamdi Kanu has alleged that his client’s life is under threat

The lawyer said five canisters of tear gas was shot into Kanu’s cell during a riot that broke out at Kuje prison on Monday, August 30
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu


A lawyer to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has alleged fears of threat to the life of his client currently under custody at the Kuje prison facility in Abuja. Ifeanyi Ejiofor who spoke to NAIJ.com said security operatives at the Kuje prison shot five canisters of tear gas into Kanu’s cell during a riot that broke out at the facility on Monday, August 29. Ejiofor said: “As we speak right no, Nnamdi Kanu’s life is under threat, there is a situation in the prison custody right now.” “There was a particular cell – very far from where he is – the cell was being searched by security operatives in the course of their routine exercise,” Ejiofor said. “This is happening now as I am talking to you this moment, now, that cell is being searched and in the cause of the search, the security operatives had problems with the inmates. READ ALSO: Tension: Riot breaks out at Kuje Prison, gunshots fired, life feared lost “This particular cell is far far far away from where Nnamdi Kanu is being kept, the security personnel now started shooting tear gas  and also shooting guns indiscriminately,” he said. Ejiofor said the security officials proceeded to his client’s cell and shot five canisters of tear gas into his room. The lawyer said the tear gas was shot through Kanu’s window. And he is not the that started the trouble neither was it his cell that was being searched, he wasn’t even in any means affected by that so why throw tear gas into his cell?” Ejiofor asked. Ejiofor said he went to Kuje prison and was also blocked from seeing his client over the incident. “I was reliably informed from a source there,” he added. to reach the spokesperson of the Nigerian Prison Service Francis Enobore was futile –  his mobile phone line was switched off. Also, NAIJ.com is yet to receive a reply on a text message sent to Enobore on the incident. Riot broke out at the Kuje prison on Monday, August 29, during a routine check by security officials. The riot which started inside one block of cell at about 10.30 am and gradually spread to other cells within the facility.

Monday, 29 August 2016

MUSLIMS SAID THEY WILL LEAVE USA “IF DONALD TRUMP WILL BE THE PRESIDENT, WE WILL LEAVE THE US” AND I CAN ASURE YOU THAT THEY WAY THINGS ARE LOOKING DONALD TRUMP WILL WIN AMERICAN PRESDENT ELECTION.

As we heard it before, if Donald Trump becomes American president, he would deport all the illegal immigrants including the Muslims…
What do you think about what they say?.. Watch & Share this video!

Buhari may not end his govt, die mysteriously in Aso Rock or be overthrown' - Fani Kayode drops another bombshell

Chief Fani Kayode, the former Minister of Aviation has predicted doom for President Muhammadu Buhari in his latest article.
The Buhari fiery critic said that Buhari run the risk of dying in Aso Rock or would be overthrown as no leader from the core Muslim north has ever ended up well at Aso Rock Villa, the nation's seat of power.
He stated this in his latest article titled, “The Butchers From The North” first published by Vanguard newspapers and syndicated by other newspapers.
He said, “The truth is that every single core Northern Muslim leader that has ever ruled this country has either died on the throne or been removed from power in a military coup. Not one of them ended well.”
Bellow in the full text of the article:
''The butchers from the north are better known as the Fulani militants and herdsmen. They have unleashed horror and levied war against the people of Nigeria over the last one year. The saints are the Christians that they have slaughtered all over the country in that same period of time. I consider every single saint that they have killed as a martyr because they died for their faith. I honour them with this essay and I dedicate it to their memory.
  
On 24th August 2016 Mr. Phil Smart wrote the following on Facebook: “Catholic seminarian butchered, pregnant woman’s stomach cut open….as Fulani herdsmen continue killing in Enugu”. The words were accompanied by a picture of a Catholic priest whose body had been shredded into pieces like fresh mincemeat or a Japanese sirloin steak. There was another of a pregnant woman whose stomach had been slit open right down the middle and whose unborn foetus and guts were hanging out for all to see. Clearly she had been carefully and clinically gutted. Many other bodies were strewn all over the burnt out fields and compounds of the village and some were so badly mutilated and chopped up that it would have been difficult to convince anyone that they once belonged to human beings.
Not even babies were spared. In truth this was not the work of men but rather of demon-possesed hybrid entities that the famous British conspiracy-theorist Mr. David Icke describes as “shape-shifting reptilians” and sociopathic beasts. Worse still this was the second time in a matter of weeks that the relative tranquility of Enugu was desecrated by the presence of these nomadic beasts and murdering bastards. On the previous occasion they caused as much havoc, slaughtered as many people and engendered as much consternation and outrage as the succeeding one.

Yet it doesn’t stop there. On the very same day that the latest attack in Enugu was going on other Nigerians were being attacked and “burnt alive” by people of the same radical Islamist bent and spirit in far away Zamfara for “blaspheming against Islam”. Other similar attacks by the same fanatics and jihadists took place on that day in southern Kaduna, Benue, Niger, Ondo, Plateau, Delta and various other parts of the country. If the truth be told this carnage and butchery has now become a daily occurrence in our country and it is always the same people, namely the butchers from the North that perpetrate them. The worst aspect of it all is that no-one has ever been arrested, prosecuted or brought to justice by the government for these hideous crimes mainly because President Buhari himself is a Fulani and consequently the authorities seem to have cultivated a soft-spot for them.
Indeed Buhari is actually the life Patron and “protector-in-chief” of the umbrella organisation of all the Fulani Herdsmen in Nigeria which is known as Miyetti Allah. There is of course another view which is that the herdsmen are actually a tool of conquest who are being carefully cultivated, co-ordinated, controlled, organised, armed and funded by a sinister and dark hidden hand: that they are something akin to a Fulani “death squad” or armed militia. Those that share that view, and yours truly is amongst them, often refer to the butchers from the north as Nigeria’s “Janjaweed”, after the ruthless camel-riding Arab Muslim militia which Sudanese President Al Bashir commissioned, armed and employed to decimate, slaughter and commit genocide against over one million defenceless black African Sudanese Christians in the vast region of Darfur for many years. It is also why the U.S.-based Global Terror Index describes them as the “Fulani Militants” and has designated them as the “fourth most deadly terrorist organisation” in the world. Whatever one chooses to call them, whoever is behind them and whatever their motives may be one thing is clear: their actions are outrageous and barbaric and such behaviour has no place in a civilised society.
I feel a deep sense of anger and outrage on the one hand and utter shame and frustration on the other about what is going on in our country today and what these butchers from the north are doing to our people. Theirs is a scorched earth policy and they take no prisoners. They rape, kill, abduct, kidnap and terrorise people and they rob, burn down, destroy and pillage their homes, churches and farmlands at will. Worse still they commit these atrocities with total impunity and without any fear of the law enforcement agencies or security forces. And all this is done in the name and under the guise of herding cows and looking for grazing land for their cattle.
I feel a deep sense of anger and outrage towards President Buhari and his government, because they seem to believe that the constant spilling and shedding of innocent Christian blood is something that brings them good fortune. It also appears to give them immense pleasure and joy otherwise they would have put a stop to it long ago. I feel shame and frustration because the Nigerian people themselves seem wholly incapable of standing up to that which is nothing less than pure evil. They seem incapable of protesting against anything, no matter how bestial and barbaric that thing may be. I wonder who has bewitched us. Is this the work of the “mai chanji” sweeping broom brew?
Have the Nigerian people been charmed? Are we under a spell? Are we like the biblical Galatians who the Apostle Paul says were “bewitched”? Our people appear to be wholly incapable of resisting and facing down those that have enthroned sadism and wickedness in their hearts and that take pleasure in indulging in mass murder, genocide and ethnic cleansing in our land. It is not only the government that has failed but the political leaders from all the opposition parties, the traditional rulers, the clerics, the religious leaders, the media practitioners, the publishers, the columnists, the writers, the human rights activists, the editorial boards of newspapers, the bloggers, the intellectuals, the businessmen, the teachers, the students, the writers, the elites, the middle class, the workers, the unions and the ordinary people themselves have all failed too. They have all been gripped by the spirit of fear. They have been bullied, intimidated, brow-beaten and shocked into pitiful submission and a sickening and cowardly timidity. They have all failed to defend and speak up for the defenceless, the weak and the vulnerable in our midst. They have failed to protect and shield the thousands that are hacked to pieces and burnt alive on a regular basis by the rabid islamist beasts and terrorists in our midst for no just cause other than the fact that they are perceived as being nothing but Christian, Middle Belt and southern slaves.
I am going to say some hard things and speak some home truths in this contribution and frankly I do not care who takes offence, whose ox is gored or who feels hurt by it. People are being killed by the demons in flesh, the tsetse flies and the religious and ethnic bigots in our land every day. Buhari’s Nigeria is awash with blood and most of it is Christian blood that is being shed by his misguided and dark-hearted Fulani kinsmen. It is time to speak the truth no matter how ugly that truth may be and no matter how politically incorrect it may be to speak it. It is time to stand up to the evil in the land, to damn the consequences and to bear the threats and insults that always come for speaking and exposing the truth in what has essentially become a police state. It is time to coin that famous Ghanaian phrase that says “all die be die” and to remember Shakespeare’s words when he wrote “even though the heavens fall, let the truth be told and let justice be done”. And that truth is that the evil that has seized our land has two columns, two heads and two primary sources of motivation.
The first is the forceful and bloody quest for Fulani supremacy, ethnic hegemony and racial domination. The second is the morbid obsession by the radical Muslims of core northern Nigeria to shed innocent blood, to take life in the name of their god, to effect Jihad against those that do not share their world view, to wipe out Christianity, to enslave our people and to Islamise our country.
“The truth is that every single CORE northern Muslim leader that has ever ruled this country has either died on the throne or been removed from power in a military coup. Not one of them ended well. Whether the second coming of Buhari will end any differently remains to be seen. One thing that is clear to me though is that the whole thing is spiritual. It is being orchestrated and effected by the finger of God and not by any man. It is God’s way of saying that they were never meant to rule and be there in the first place and that He has rejected them. It is the work of the Ancient of Days and the Lord God of Hosts. ”
They believe that they were “born to rule” but in actual fact they have been rejected by the Living God. Those that employ mass murder, ethnic cleansing and genocide as a tool of conquest and a legitimate weapon of war, that consider their fellow Nigerians to be sub-human and that believe that those fellow Nigerians are nothing but chattel and serfs that are destined to be ruled over by some distant caliph are in grave error: they have not fully understood God’s plan and purpose for this country. They cannot comprehend or understand what is slowly unfolding. They do not appreciate the fact that no matter how much evil they visit on the rest of us that God is at work and His counsel alone will stand over our people and in the affairs of our nation. The truth is that the Lord regards them as nothing more than unbelieving slaves and they are far below us. They are of the darkness and we are of the light. The bible describes it is a “great evil under the sun” when “the children of slaves ride on horseback” whilst “the sons of Kings walk around barefoot”.
That is what has been happening in Nigeria since 1960. The children of the “bonded woman” have been riding on horseback whilst the children “of promise” have been walking around barefoot. This is indeed “a great evil under the sun”. It is a spiritual affliction. It is witchcraft. It is an abomination. It is unacceptable. It is a total reversal of the way things ought to be. It is a rejection, usurpation and total corruption of God’s original plan. It is ungodly and it is anti-Christ. I blame no-one but the leadership of the body of Christ in Nigeria for this mess. There are a few good ones amongst them who stood firm and spoke out when it mattered the most but sadly there are others who are more interested in collecting tiny crumbs from the President’s table and buying fine clothes, expensive jewellery, fast cars and private jets than they are in standing up for their flock and effecting God’s purpose and plan for Nigeria. Worst still there is also a small handful, like that short and vocal Rev. Father from Enugu, who have chosen to sell their souls to the devil, collaborate with the enemies of Christ and serve as the principal cheerleaders to the tyrant. If our men and women of God were bold and courageous and if they were doing their job properly the radical Muslims could not have turned Christians in Nigeria into second class citizens and toilet paper and a sharia-loving, Muslim-fundamentalist, closet- jihadist and Fulani supremacist like Buhari would never have been in power today. The bottom line is this: if you are not ready to die for Christ or to lose your life or liberty for defending and protecting the gospel, God’s children or the faith then you are not worthy of being called a Christian.
We must help the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to stand firm and strengthen their collective resolve but we must not leave it at that. We must also organise ourselves as well, not only in the political arena, but also by setting up strong Christian militias and defence squads to protect our churches and our people from the terrorists and butchers. We must aspire to emulate the Christian Phalange militia in Lebanon which was formed just before the Lebanese civil war broke out in the ’70’s and 80’s. They were disciplined, well organised, gallant and courageous and they defended the lives of their people and the honour of their faith.
The truth is that had it not been for the Phalange the Christians of Lebanon would have been wiped out by the Muslims in that war. I abhor violence and neither do I advocate its use. However we must accept the fact that, whether we like it or not, ultimately this matter will be settled not just by prayers, politics, long essays and press statements but also with guns and bullets. This is because violence is the only language that the butchers from the north appreciate and can comprehend. If the state is either incapable or refuses to protect the Christian community in Nigeria we will be left with no choice but to defend ourselves and protect our own. Permit me to conclude this contribution with the following.
I would urge all those that still love and support this government to take a long hard look at the pictures that are strewn all over the internet of their fellow Nigerians that have been mutilated and carved up like Christmas turkeys and sallah goats. This is the work of Buhari’s kinsmen, the Fulani militias and herdsmen. He has refused to arrest any of them let alone bring them to justice. Instead he has ruined our economy, impoverished and destroyed the lives of our people and aborted their God-given destiny, divided our nation on religious and ethnic lines, demonised us before the international community and labelled every Nigerian, apart from himself, as being incompetent and corrupt.
This is a man that spends his time pontificating about corruption with long and boring speeches and pointing fingers at others. This is a man that told Mr. Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan at the Tokyo summit in Nairobi just yesterday, that Nigeria’s “business environment is not friendly to investors” and that consistently tells other world leaders how supposedly “corrupt” his own people are. He has conveniently refused to tell those same world leaders how his presidential campaign was funded, how much money those that ran his campaign paid Mr. David Axelrod, President Obama’s campaign advisor and publicist, and how many cars and how much “allowance” he collected from Col. Sambo Dasuki, President Goodluck Jonathan’s National Security Advisor, before being “elected” President. The Bible says “let he who is free of sin cast the first stone”. Nigerians may not know the truth today but God does and He cannot be mocked. Let Him judge between us.
Yet the truth is that President Buhari’s administration is not only essentially hypocritical but they also have no shame. All those that continue to support them and cheer them on are equally shameless. Worst still their supporters are cowards because they cannot find the courage to admit that they were wrong in supporting a government that is manifestly divisive, insensitive, incompetent, corrupt and intolerant of criticism and dissent. They are the ones that we must hold responsible and accountable for what has happened to those unfortunate people in all those pictures. They are the ones that we must blame for what has been happening to thousands of others at the hands of the Fulani militants and herdsmen all over the country for the last one year and three months. I say this because they are the ones that have encouraged the beast and cheered him on.
They are the ones that have fed his blood-lust and encouraged him in his morbid quest to steal, kill and destroy. They are the ones that wanted, and still want, “mai chanji”. I say a pox on all their houses! Shame on them and shame on the beast and tyrant that they worship. May the souls of all the saints, believers and Christian martyrs that were cut short by the butchers and barbarians from the north rest in peace and may the Lord God of Hosts avenge them speedily. Shalom.''


Source: This article headlined 'The Butchers From The North' appeared first on VANGUARD