Dr Walter Eneji, former Deputy Governor of Cross River State is dead.

Mr Christian Ita, Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River, who confirmed the death of Eneji said his family members had informed the government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the deceased, served under former governor, Donald Duke from February 2003 to May 2007 after the impeachment of the then deputy governor, late Chief John Okpa.


The late Eneji was reported to have died in his sleep while recuperating from a prolonged sickness.

The deceased contested the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primaries ahead of the 2007 election, but lost to the immediate past governor of Cross River Sen. Liyel Imoke.

His death is coming on the hills of the preparation for the burial of yet another deputy governor, Dr Matthias Ofoboche, who died three weeks ago.

Late Ofoboche was deputy governor to late Chief Clement Isong in 1979.


The CPS to Gov. Ayade expressed regret that Eneji’s death came at the time the state was planning for Ofoboche’s burial. (NAN)

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s anti-drugs agency has proposed building a prison on an island guarded by crocodiles to hold death row drug convicts, an official said Monday, an idea that wouldn’t be out of place in a James Bond film.

The proposal is the pet project of anti-drugs chief Budi Waseso, who plans to visit various parts of the archipelago in his search for fierce reptiles to guard the jail.

“We will place as many crocodiles as we can there. I will search for the most ferocious type of crocodile,” he was quoted as saying by local news website Tempo.

Crocs rest with one eye open for threats: Australian researchers

Waseso said that crocodiles would be better at preventing drug traffickers from escaping prison as they could not be bribed — unlike human guards.

But he is banking on the convicts lacking Roger Moore’s crocodile-running skills showcased in Bond movie “Live and Let Die” when he escapes from an island using the reptiles as stepping stones.

“You can’t bribe crocodiles. You can’t convince them to let inmates escape.”

The plan is still in the early stages, and neither the location or potential opening date of the jail have been decided.

Indonesia already has some of the toughest anti-narcotics laws in the world, including death by firing squad for traffickers, and sparked international uproar in April when it put to death seven foreign drug convicts.

But President Joko Widodo has insisted that drug dealers must face death as the country is fighting a “national emergency” due to rising narcotics use.


Despite the harsh laws, Indonesia’s corrupt prison system is awash with drugs, and inmates and jail officials are regularly arrested for narcotics offences.

Anti-drugs agency spokesman Slamet Pribadi confirmed authorities were mulling the plan to build “a special prison for death row convicts”.

He said only traffickers would be kept in the jail, to stop them from mixing with other prisoners and potentially recruiting them to drug gangs.

The agency is currently in discussions with the justice ministry about the plan, he added

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Former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko has called on Nigerians to allow President Muhammadu Buhari to rule beyond 2019 so as to address the rot in the country.

This is coming barely six months into the first tenure of the President.

Wamakko made the appeal when he hosted students of Faculty of Law from the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto. He observed that four years would not be enough to resuscitate the country.



He said, “To me, President Buhari must be allowed to rule beyond 2019 to address the numerous challenges bedevilling the country. Four years cannot be enough to address the rot done to the country in the last 30 years.

“We cannot expect miracle from the president in view of the enormous damage done to the country; he needs to be given opportunity to be around beyond 2019.”

The former governor observed that President Buhari in the five months in power, was working hard towards putting the country on the right track of development.

“With the conclusion of ministerial screening, the administration would in no time shift to more actions on the development of the country”, Wamakko added

The Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Wednesday, expressed shocked at the pronouncement of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, that the APC is hell-bent on taking over Rivers and Akwa Ibom States, even as it called on the governor to steer clear of the state.

In a statement through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Jerry Needam, the Rivers State, PDP Chairman, Felix Obuah said “Governor Okorocha’s revelation is an eloquent collaboration of a similar recent pronouncement by the APC Chairman in the State, Davies Ikanya that the APC-led federal government cannot afford to lose Rivers State.
“Governor Okorocha who blew the lead off the bottle while addressing newsmen after the meeting of APC Governors’ said the desperation of the party to take over the two South/South States is because they won the April 11, 2015 governorship elections in the two States but were robbed by the PDP.

“Even though Okorocha who has allegedly converted Imo State to a family estate did not explain how his APC intends to actualize the plot, the PDP State Chairman warned him and his fellow plotters to steer clear of the State as the Rivers people are prepared to resist any unlawful means to snatch the mandate given to Gov. Wike.

“Bro. Obuah advised the governor of crisis ridden Imo State to engage his time to solve the myriad of problems he has foisted on the Imo people that have turned the historic Sam Mbakwe nation to a mere shadow of its glorious past.

“To before warned is to be armed, the PDP State boss stressed, calling the whole world to take note of those to hold responsible for any eventual mayhem that may befall the State and defenceless Rivers people.

“Bro. Obuah however noted, that notwithstanding the evil plot of trampling on the laws of the land and the people’s rights to usurp power in Rivers State, Okorocha has unwittingly admitted in the first instance that governorship election afterall, took place in the State, a sharp contrast to the claim of the APC in the State and before the State governorship election petitions tribunal.
“Even though the Rivers people are more than ready to defend their mandate willingly and fairly given to Governor Nyesom Wike, the PDP State Chairman wants the entire Nigerians to take note of the grand plot to cause crisis in the polity and demand to know whether such witch-hunt, forceful usurpation of power and executive lawlessness are what the CHANGE mantra of President Buhari is all about.

“While we place our trust in God and believe that the truth will prevail in the face of the unprecedented plot against the will of the people, we make bold to say that the Rivers people are waiting and cannot be intimidated,” Obuah declared.

Britain has launched an investigation into a Nlgerian oil tycoon at the heart
of a search for tens of billions of dollars in revenues that went missing from the coffers of Africa’s most populous nation.
Kola Aluko, founder of London-based Seven Energy, rose from obscurity to fabulous wealth during the tenure of former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke. She held power for five years before leaving in May, when new president Muhammadu Buhari won power on a pledge to stamp out corruption. Under her watch the national oil company allegedly failed to pay as much as $20bn (£13bn) owed to the state.
Last month the National Crime Agency’s new International Corruption Unit arrested the former minister, who has relocated to London for cancer treatment, along with four others under an investigation of “suspected bribery and money laundering offences”. She was released on conditional bail.

Aluko, a Swiss citizen known for his flamboyant lifestyle, has been drawn into the inquiry. Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice said it had “received a British request for legal assistance concerning Kola Aluko. The [office] has forwarded the request to the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland for execution”.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, Aluko confirmed a probe over potential violations of the UK Proceeds of Crime Act and Bribery Act but professed his innocence. He said: “I’m willing to co-operate with anybody. I have nothing to hide.” Alison-Madueke has also denied any wrongdoing.

The inquiry comes amid a shake-up in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest oil producer. Buhari beat incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in the wake of allegations from former central bank governor Lamido Sanusi that $20bn of petroleum revenue had not been remitted to the state over a 19-month period. Jonathan fired Sanusi, but lost the election. Buhari made himself oil minister and launched an effort to track down the cash.
The probe into Aluko centres on Atlantic Energy, the 46-year-old’s private oil group. (Seven Energy is not subject to investigation.) In early 2011 Atlantic signed a lucrative strategic alliance giving it rights to sell oil from four big blocks on behalf of Nigeria’s national oil company. Before the oil price crashed, Aluko said the commercial value of the contract was an estimated $7bn.

Aluko admitted he paid the rent on a flat in St John’s Wood in London for Alison-Madueke’s mother, as well as bringing her “hams, sausages and orchids”. He said these were simply gifts to a friend, given long after Atlantic had signed its deal. He said: “We already had our contract before I developed a friendship with her. She wasn’t even involved in the negotiations. There is no crime here.”
Atlantic was one of several companies that struck similar strategic alliance agreements.

Egyptian officials say technical problems were responsible for the disaster that killed 224 people on Saturday

Isis has claimed responsibility for shooting down the Russian plane that crashed in Egypt today, despite authorities maintaining that a technical problem caused the disaster.

A faction of the terrorist group called Wilayat Sinai has mounted an Islamist insurgency in the region where Metrojet flight 9268 went down, launching a series of suicide bombings and attacks on the authorities.

A statement published by Isis’ propaganda agency said: “The fighters of the Islamic State were able to down a Russian plane over Sinai province that was carrying over 220 Russian crusaders. They were all killed, thanks be to God.”

It did not say how the aircraft was supposedly taken down but supporters were also sharing a video claiming to show it exploding and going down trailing smoke, which many viewers dismissed as fake.

Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Centre said before the general elections, God revealed to him that Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi would be the next governor of Enugu state. Speaking at a holy mass, which was part of activities to mark the beginning of Enugu state Judiciary legal year held at Christ the King Parish, Enugu,

The cleric urged Ugwuanyi to always remain close to God in all he does, Daily Sun reports. He said: “The first time I saw the governor, then he was in the National Assembly and I didn’t even know him. I greeted him and told him ‘you are going to be the governor of Enugu state. “You need protection from heaven so that you will be able to actualize all the good plans you have for Enugu. Know that you are a prayer answered because Enugu made a lot of noise about your election.” Father Mbaka alleged that some judges in Enugu state were members of secret societies and they joined for protection and a successful career.

According to him, engaging in such activities would only incur the wrath of God on them. “If any of you is in any secret society, you had better come out of it before it is too late. You don’t need such things. Those who join them never enjoy their last days. You are never protected. “They may promise you favour but that comes from God alone. So, depend on Him because He is the Chief Judge. “One thing with such secret societies is that they will never tell you what the end of it is like, they will show you the part you think is good but when you enter, you will be finished,” the Rev Fr. stated.

The cleric charged the judges in the state to always dispense justice without fear or favour, saying, “Whatever you do in the court will come back to your family; if you are unjust in the court, maybe one day, one of your children will be jailed or even killed.” Dignitaries present at the mass service were the Enugu deputy governor, Cecilia Ezeilo; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Ubosi; the Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice I. A. Umezulike; Senator Chukwuka Utazi, among others. During the 2015 election campaign period, Father Mbaka was a constant torn in the flesh of immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan. He was one of Jonathan’s biggest critic. He also accused Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan of planning to assassinate him. On the occasion of Mbaka’s 20th year of priesthood, President Muhammadu Buhari applauded him rising to the occasion and lending his voice in support of good governance and also identifying with ordinary Nigerians in the face of despair and uncertain future. He described the cleric as a great priest who is not afraid to speak the truth, even at the cost of his own life or being hated by those in power

Business is slow at the moment for Benedict Okafor, who sells luxury cars from a lot near the port in Nigeria’s financial capital, Lagos.

In the capital, Abuja, 535 kilometres (333 miles) away, the property market seems to be in a rut, with the habitual buyers — the monied elite — staying away.

“I normally sold five cars every month before” President Muhammadu Buhari came to power, said Okafor. “But in the past four months I have sold only one Toyota car.

“I guess rich people are scared.”

Jide Agboola, a real estate agent in Abuja, also attributed the current slump in conspicuous consumption to fear: “The fear of Buhari.”

It’s not hard to see why, when Buhari’s promised crusade against high-level corruption has already snared a series of household names.

Senate leader Bukola Saraki — Nigeria’s third-most senior politician after Buhari and his vice-president Yemi Osinbajo — is facing charges of false declaration of assets.

Godswill Akpabio, the former governor of coastal Akwa Ibom state, was hauled in for questioning over claims he had stolen 108 billion naira ($540 million, 475 million euros) while in office.

Sule Lamido, the governor of Jigawa state in the north, and Gabriel Suswam, who was governor of Benue state until earlier this year, are also fighting accusations of graft.

At the same time, former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, was arrested in London as part of a British investigation into suspected bribery and money laundering.

– Stopping the rot –

Buhari’s arrival in May appears to have given fresh bite to the fight against corruption, which has plagued Nigeria over decades of military rule then civilian administration.

Cases involving top officials that were long thought to have been shelved have been revived, as he seeks to fulfil his election promises of stopping the rot in the system.

“As soon as he (Buhari) came to power, without any direct instruction from him, the anti-graft agencies went into a frenzy, dusting down cases of corruption against some past officials which have been long dead in order to convince Nigerians that they are working,” Debo Adeniran, head of the pressure group Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, told AFP.

The move was predictable for many: Buhari’s previous time in power as the head of a military regime in the 1980s was characterised by his so-called “War Against Indiscipline”.

“Everybody remembers Buhari’s antecedents when he was a military dictator,” said Bukola Daniel, a Lagos-based political scientist.

“He was a no-nonsense military ruler. The fear of Buhari is now all-pervading and everybody is careful not to be caught in a corruption web.”

– Witch-hunt? –

Nigeria’s main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), however, is crying double standards.

They point out that the former governors of Lagos and Rivers states, Babatunde Fashola and Rotimi Amaechi, have both been accused of graft but are still in line for ministerial posts.

Instead, the PDP described the anti-corruption drive as a “witch-hunt” against its members and other “perceived political opponents” of Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) government.

Party spokesman Olisa Metuh denounced what he described as “the relentless victimisation of our key members”.

The APC dismissed the claim as a “worn-out argument”.

Certainly, Alison-Madueke’s arrest in particular has underlined to Nigeria’s elite that it’s no longer business as usual — even if Abuja has denied any direct involvement.

But Adeniran and others said Buhari needed to go further to avoid accusations of posturing.

Clement Nwankwo, head of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, a pro-democracy group, said securing convictions would prove the situation was not just “rhetoric”.

“The challenge to corruption has to be systematic. That I have not seen,” he said.

“We also cannot fight corruption with the judiciary we have today,” he added, explaining the courts were ill-equipped to deal with corruption cases.

– ‘A few more Buharis’ –

For now, there is a sense that rich and powerful Nigerians — so long accustomed to impunity — are on their best behaviour.

How long it will last is unclear but social commentator and university lecturer Samson Olatunde Oduleye said Buhari’s influence could be decisive.

“If we have a few more Buharis and emphasis shifts to the root of the problem — the society — inroads can be made into a sustainable assault on the malaise,” he said.

“The most effective, non-legal check on corruption is the moral tone of society: societal values.

“There are things you will not contemplate doing even when there is no-one around to restrain you.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has been asked to urgently save his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), from sliding into crisis by reversing some of the nomination for ministerial positions he made.
A statement yesterday, by a group, Save Democracy Contingent (SDC), alleged that some of the nominees were not members of the APC but got their appointments because they have relationships with a “cabal” within the Presidency and therefore do not merit their appointments.

The group in the statement jointly signed by its President, Ade Ibitutu, and other officials, namely Ahmed Jibrin, Okon Eta and Chijioke Nkwocha, alleged that Zainab Ahmed, the nominee from Kaduna, was nominated because she is a cousin to the state governor, Nasir El- Rufai, adding that Aisha Abubakar was allegedly nominated for being the daughter of Abubakar Alhaji and niece of Mamman Daura.
Recall that President Buhari has so far forwarded names of 37 Nigerians in two batches to the Senate for confirmation as ministers.
However, the president, last week, withdrew nomination of a former deputy governor of Niger State, Ahmed Ibeto.
The upper house has already confirmed 18 of the nominees, with the remaining 18 to be screened tomorrow (Tuesday), for subsequent confirmation.
The SDC also claimed that Suleiman Adamu was nominated merely for being Mr. Buhari’s nephew while Khadija Abba Bukar Ibrahim was picked because she was the wife of Abba Bukar Ibrahim, three time governor of Yobe State.
In the South, the group alleged that a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Isaac Adewole, was nominated “merely to make sure that the imprimatur of the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is absent, despite the gentleman agreement reached with the governor of Osun State before Colonel Olagunsoye Oyilola (rtd) decamped to APC.”
It also alleged that Claudius Daramola was chosen to diminish the hold of a former governor of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu, in the South West.

The SDC further claimed that Anthony Anwuka, a professor, was nominated because he is an in-law to Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, “in spite of the fact that he was indicted by a White Paper of Visitation Panel led by S.A. Nsofor, JCA, which investigated the affairs of Imo State University and against the declaration of Justice Ngozi Opara of Imo State High Court on 29th of January, 2013.”
It said the appointment of persons indicted into position of authority is illegal, unconstitutional, immoral, null and void is binding.

It also faulted the appointment of Geoffrey Onyeama, an indigene of Enugu State, who it said was nominated because he was a class mate and friend of Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to the President
It further claimed that Okechukwu Enelama was nominated merely for being the Deputy Pastor to the Vice President.

The group said, “Unfolding events have shown that our great Party the APC is dangerously sliding into crisis of unimaginable dimension. Our genuine fear is that if APC implodes or runs into the palpable crisis being brewed wittingly or unwittingly by a cabal around Mr President, it will definitely impact negatively in the country’s democratic landscape.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we are not making this statement because no youth made his ministerial list; but genuine concern to say capital NO to the deceit making rounds that the cabal which hijacked power from President Buhari is Kaduna Mafia. The tag of Kaduna Mafioso is being weaved to hold tightly on Northerners who in all Mr President’s four elections of 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015 pro bono obliged him vote bank of 12 million votes.”
The group stated that its analysis showed that the cabal was a sophisticated fascist variant, with uncanny capacity exemplified by the response of some sections of the country when it was alleged that Mr. Tinubu, the national leader of the APC, complained over the lopsided nature of the initial appointments the president made.
“The crass nepotism and cronyism unfortunately have spread across in the ministerial nomination,” the group argued.
“It is akin to the early days of Hitler’s fascism; where people will say the annihilation doesn’t concern them because they are not communists nor Jews or Catholics, until it spread.

“The Fascist Cabal is given an impression that President Buhari will run for one term, even if this is the case; is it enough reason to kill APC? Or kill the integrity quotient of President Buhari?”

The SDC said though it was not challenging the powers of the president under the 1999 Constitution to appoint whomsoever he deemed fit, he should, in the interest of fairness, equity, natural justice and survival of APC, urgently “reverse the Signature of the Fascist Cabal, especially in the 2nd Ministerial Nominees List as the Window of Substitution is still wide open.”

It said, “Accordingly, we appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, to urgently reverse the ignoble Signature of the Fascist Cabal, as the window of substitution is still open.

“This will quickly redeem Your Excellency’s image, which the main opposition party – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has gone to town, narrating the ugly tale that Mr President is never in.

A 32 year old Nigerian could be jailed in Australia for life for allegedly smuggling $10million worth of methamphetamine into the country inside a gaudy fish statue.

Sydney border force officers found 10kg of the highly addictive drug hidden, also known as ice, inside one of three gold-coloured fish statues destined for a residential address in Kaleen, north of Canberra.



Police were alerted and arrested the Nigerian after he picked up the statues, removed the drugs, and tried to board a bus bound for Sydney on Saturday. He will face an Australian Capital Territory Magistrate court on Monday.

The drug stash, which had been imported from China, was found on the man when he was arrested, police say.

The Nigerian, who arrived in Australia in July on a student visa, faces a maximum penalty of life in jail if he’s convicted of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of an illegal drug.
In September, two Nigerians were similarly arrested in Australia for importing more than 40kg of methamphetamine into the country.

The men were identified as 51-year-old Iwuchukwu Odemegwo and Chibuike Anyasor. The duo concealed the drug inside bar fridges and Jackie Chan-branded DVD players

The picture below is the gold fish statue where the drugs were kept

Two unnamed siblings were Friday, burnt to death in an early morning inferno that razed a three bedroom flat in the Navy Officers’ quarters, Camp site, Kirikiri, Lagos state.

According to reports, the incident occurred at about 3:30am, killing two brothers aged six and nine years, whose father, a Navy Captain, was reportedly out of town with their mother.

The fire was said to have been put out by a combined team of Fire Service, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and policemen from the Kirikiri division, at about 4:30am.



Although reports claim the fire broke out when all the four occupants of the flat were fast asleep, it was gathered that the house-help, Patience, rescued the first son, Ayomide, 13. Unluckily, the younger sons did not survive the inferno allegedly caused by electrical surge.

When Micheal Akindele, the General Manager of LASEMA was contacted, he said the remains of the deceased were taken to Navy hospital in the area, adding that the other two occupants of the flats were taken to Navy hospital for further examination and treatment.

According to him, “Preliminary report revealed that the fire was caused by electrical spark from one of the rooms in the building, spreading to the whole apartment.

“Prompt intervention of the fire service stopped the fire from spreading to surrounding buildings,” Akindele added.


He however, appealed to Lagosians that proper checks should be carried out on cables and electrical installations to avoid unnecessary loss of lives and property, The Nation reports.

Sen. Gbenga Ashafa, representing Lagos State East senatorial district, on Thursday hailed the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the confirmation of former Lagos governor, Babtunde Fashola; Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and the All Progressives Congress Party’s Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed as ministers.

In a statement he personally signed, Ashafa congratulated the 18 ministers who were confirmed yesterday by the upper senate chambers, but said the trio of Fashola, Fayemi and Lai were products of Tinubu’s talent.

The statement reads:


I, Seator Gbenga Ashafa, representing the Lagos East Senatorial Constituency, hereby congratulate the 18 eminent Nigerians, who were today confirmed as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

While I recognise that the task before them is both herculean and complex, I am confident in their ability to succeed and set Nigeria on the path of greatness. With our fearless and visionary leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, at the fore of this team, ably supported by the erudite Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, I am more than assured that this new government will deliver on its promises and make our economy competitive and productive.


I am particularly proud of the intelligence, poise and grace with which our own Former Lagos state governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), conducted himself throughout his time addressing us in the Red Chambers. His thoughts and plans were illuminating as always. He represented Lagos State very well on that podium and will do very well in the Federal Executive Council. Of that, I have no doubt.

The revered National Leader of the All Progressives Congress and Former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should be proud of himself on a day like this. It was his foresightedness and uncanny judge of character and talent that brought the likes of our Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Former Ekiti Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and Mr. Fashola to limelight. These three are graduates of the Bola Tinubu School of Leadership and today, they are ministerial appointees. This is indeed a lifting moment for us all who have climbed on Asiwaju’s broad shoulders to our current heights in political and leadership accomplishments.


May the Almighty bless our leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and increase him in wisdom and good health.

As for the confirmed ministerial appointees, may you be filled with all the strength and patriotism required to deliver on your commissions. Please, make our party and nation proud!

Signed:

Senator Gbenga Ashafa

Lagos East Senatorial Constituency