Indian Police Arrest Four Nigerians Over Internet Fraud

The Hyderabad police in India on Saturday January 3rd arrested four Nigerians including a woman over internet fraud. The police said they recovered a car, money and mobile phones from them

The accused, Peter Austin (29), Eboh Felix (26), Steffi Ebohon (24) and Uzaonicha Daniel Iwenwanne (26), reportedly contacted a student named Mohd Wasiuddin, and told him he’s won some money.

The police said the gang managed to convince the unsuspecting victim to deposit money for registration, customs clearance, processing fees and other expenses.

“Believing the gang members, Wasiuddin deposited about Rs. 35 lakh in different bank accounts operated from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Mumbai, only to realize later that it was fraud” the police in charge said

The police arrested the four Nigerians after posing as another victim and tracing their phone call data record and email conversations.

Keshi dislikes me – Obafemi Martins

Seattle Sounders star striker, Obafemi Martins, has said out-of-contact Nigeria coach, Stephen Keshi, has overlooked him because he does not like him.

“I don’t think he likes me, that’s all,” africanFootball.com quoted Martins as saying on Monday.

“I don’t have any issues with him. I respect him as a coach, but I think Keshi doesn’t like me.”

The former Inter Milan and Birmingham City striker, who scored 17 goals Seattle Sounders, was one of three nominees for MLS Most Valuable Player for 2014 and helped lead the Sounders to its most successful MLS season yet.

But despite Martins ’recent exploits, Keshi preferred to work with several other strikers of lower standard.

Only court can disqualify Buhari - INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Saturday said only the courts could disqualify a former Head of State and Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), ahead of the 2015 general elections.

The commission, which said there was nothing it could do in the matter, also said it had not received any petition against President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party, Buhari and other presidential candidates, more than seven days after displaying their particulars.

The Director of Voter Education and Publicity in INEC, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, in an interview with our correspondent, said the commission could not go beyond its constitutional powers.

'What do you want INEC to do? INEC cannot disqualify anybody and there is nothing we can do. We don't have any power to disqualify him.He didn't bring it (certificates) and so there is nothing INEC can do. INEC cannot disqualify him and cannot remove his name. It is only the courts that can disqualify him, if they feel there is something wrong that he has done. I am not aware of any (petition); none that I am aware of for now. I am not aware of any (petition). I am not aware of any so far,' Osaze-Uzzi said.

Buhari had in an affidavit which he deposed to at a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, explained that all his academic credentials were with the Secretary, Military Board.

The affidavit deposed to at the FCT High Court and dated November 24, 2014, was stamped and received by INEC on December 18, 2014.

'All my academic qualifications documents as filled in my presidential form, President APC/001/2015 are currently with the Secretary, Military Board as of the time of this affidavit. The affidavit is made in good faith and for record purpose', Buhari stated.

The Nigerian Army had said it would readily release credentials and certificates in its custody to serving and retired officers whenever they apply for it.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Olajide Laleye, had while reacting to Buhari's claim in his affidavit, said that his credentials were with the military.

He said the procedure for the retrieval or collection of the certificates was known to all serving or retired officers of the military.

He said, 'Every serving and retired Army officer has, at least, a copy of his certificates and credentials kept with the Nigerian Army while that same serving and retired officer has copies of those same certificates and credentials.

'And there is a laid-down procedure to request for certificates. It is known to any serving and retired officer. If you want anything checked in your file, you simply follow the due process and it would be given to you because the credentials belong to you.'

'The Nigerian Army does not refuse to give anybody his credentials if the due process is followed. Now, take note of this. Not only does the Nigerian Army keep these things, the individual officers, whether serving or retired, have copies.'

Also speaking, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said he was not aware of any petition against any of the presidential candidates.

Nigeria Will Not Break Up In 2015, NLC Scribe Reveals

The Nigeria Labour Congress NLC has yesterday said that the prediction that Nigeria would disintegrate in 2015 would fail.

General Secretary of the NLC, Mr Peter Ozo-Eson, in Lagos, said that the country would overcome its challenges.

“I am confident that the prediction will fall flat on the face; Nigeria will not disintegrate in 2015.

“Yes, we have these challenges, we however have confidence that Nigeria will rise to the challenge and deal with these challenges.

“Nigeria had faced challenges in the past, probably more severe than now and we did not disintegrate. “I believe that this country is so united and has created ties that are not easily dissolve-able; the prediction will not come through,” he said.

The scribe, who expressed optimism that the country would overcome the current challenges, however, decried the failure of politicians to unite in the fight against terrorists.

PMS: Reduce Fuel Price, APC Tells FG

The All Progressives Congress in Oyo State has urged the Federal Government, to make an immediate reduction in the pump prices of petroleum products in view of the crash of the price of crude oil in the international market.

In a statement on Sunday by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, the APC recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan and his economic team had arrived at N97 per litre of Premium Motor Spirit in 2012 citing skyrocketing prices of crude oil in the global market which necessarily rubbed on high landing cost of imported petroleum products, particularly the PMS, otherwise known as petrol.

Sadare said, “The oil price has fallen by 49 per cent from 2013 prices and Jonathan administration still claimed it spent a whooping N971bn on its voodoo subsidy payment in 2014. Does it mean that Nigeria has been buying refined petroleum products at the same rate from nations with functional refineries despite the crash in crude oil prices?

How come Ghana was able to implement a 13 per cent reduction in the prices of same products in its local market?

“As much as we know that the present administration would never be transparent in its economic dealings with the citizenry since it has prioritised promotion of corruption and pursuit of parochial interests, we challenge the President and his economic team to be sincere to Nigerians for once and implement a drastic reduction in the pump prices of petroleum products with a view to alleviating the suffering which the masses currently experience.”

The party, however, lauded the Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, for what it described as the governor’s rare display of competence, which it said made the economy of the state to remain strong despite the threat posed by persistent slash in the statutory allocations coming from the Federal Government.

“It can only take a tactful, visionary and pro-active mind to face the challenge of drastic dwindling allocations to a state like Oyo with weak Internally Generated Revenue base to keep the machinery of government afloat. With a paltry sum of N2.9b being received by a governor who is responsible for the monthly payment of N4.95b in overhead cost, the task could be more than daunting.

“This the governor does effortlessly in addition to regular maintenance of the environment, security and improvement on social infrastructure without borrowing a dime from anywhere,” the statement added.

Sanusi marries 17-year old girl as his fourth wife

Emir of Kano, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (Muhammadu Sanusi II), is set to take his fourth wife. The bridal candidate is a 17-year-old beautiful daughter of the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa.

Sanusi, an accomplished banker, who became the 14th Emir of Kano last June, is a respected Islamic Scholar, and his decision to take a new wife is in line with Islamic injunction which prescribes a maximum of four wives for those who can treat all of them equally. Already, Sanusi has three beautiful wives – Sadiya, Maryam and Rakiya.

Like in ancient times when bonds between empires were deepened by marriages among royals and nobles across boundaries, the betrothal of the Adamawa princess to Emir Sanusi II may also be a move to deepen royal bond between Adamawa and Kano. Historically, both emirates have similar origins in the 19 century Usman dan Fodio’s jihad.

The Adamawa Emirate headquartered in Yola, founded by Modibo Adama, one of the commanders of Usman dan Fodio, during the Fulani Jihad of 1809, was traditionally located in Fombina, which covers present Adamawa and Taraba states and previously stretched as far as northern provinces of Cameroon, minor parts of Western Chad and the Central African Republic before becoming an emirate of the caliphate.

Kano, which was formerly a sultanate, at the end of the eighteenth century, was the richest and most populous of the Hausa states and its capital was perhaps the greatest city in the whole Sudan. As a centre of trade, its reputation stretched far and near. The wave of the 19th century Fulani Jihad of Sheikh Usman dan Fodio defeated the last sultan of Kano by the Jobe Clan of the Fulani, thus making Kano an emirate of the caliphate.