#DASUKIGATE, EMEFIELE, AND HOW TO APPOINT THE NEXT CBN GOVERNOR.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has come under intense scrutiny in the past six months. This is not just because of its controversial restrictions on foreign exchange transactions but also as a result of allegations that its leadership facilitated inappropriate massive cash withdrawals of foreign currencies from the Bank’s coffers by the erstwhile National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, close to the 2015 presidential elections.

These transactions are believed to have had the blessing of President Goodluck Jonathan.

PREMIUM TIMES believes these unfortunate controversies pose a serious threat to the lived reality of the independence of the Central Bank, which we believe is of vital importance to the maintenance of a sound economy.

WHY I REFUSED TO HONOUR COURT SUMMONS - TOMPOLO.

Former Niger Delta militancy leader, Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo has explained why he has refused to honor court invitations over the corruption cases leveled against him by the EFCC. In an open letter to President Buhari which he sent out through his media aide, Paul Bebenimbo, yesterday January 18th, Tompolo said;

“The truth of the matter is that I do not know anything about the N34 billion Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is talking about. First, it was N13 billion issue, now it is N34 billion. I am not a signatory to any of the companies mentioned in the said N34 billion case, so I do not know where this one is coming from. I know that God in His infinite mercy will see me through in this critical moment.”‎the letter read.

JIMOH IBRAHIM SACKS MD & DMD OF NEWSWATCH ON LIVE TV AFTER SOME WORKERS EMBARRASSED HIM.

JIMOH IBRAHIM

Distressed workers of the National Mirror and Newswatch Times on Monday stormed the Nicon Luxury, Abuja, venue of the Global Fleet Group annual management conference as its group managing director and publisher of two newspapers, Jimoh Ibrahim, was delivering a lecture to top management staff of the company.

The workers, who have gone for about nine months without salary, stormed the venue when Mr. Ibrahim was in the middle of the lecture on how China’s development strategy has helped keep her ahead of America and other countries of the world today.

The placard wielding workers invaded the lecture venue chanting solidarity songs to demand the payment of their arrears of salaries.

HOW JONATHAN OREDERED DASUKI TO PAY TONY ANENIH N260M REFUND FOR POLITICAL EXPENSES.

Forrmer Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, has claimed that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan ordered a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), to give him the sum of N260m.

The revelation is contained in a letter the former BOT chairman wrote to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission recently.

An aide to the PDP leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed on Saturday that Anenih made the disclosure.

READ HOW LOOTED ARMS FUND LED TO THE DEATH OF AIRFORCE PILOT AND OTHERS.

New findings that emerged from the arms procurement audit which began in August 2015. have shown that corruption in the military, particularly in the Nigerian Air Force, led to the death of air servicemen fighting against Boko Haram. The audit of military procurements, exposed this week, resulted in President Muhammadu Buhari demanding a deeper probe into Nigeria’s most senior military officers.

In December 2014, Group Captain Ubong Akpan and Master Warrant Officer Zabesan Hosea boarded a Russian-made Mi-24V helicopter with the intent to carry out combat operations against Boko Haram terrorists in Adamawa State. Both air servicemen lost their lives when their helicopter crashed near Girei, Adamawa State.

At their funeral service, Chief of Air Staff AN Amosu said that their “sacrifice” saved Yola, the Adamawa State capital, from falling into the control of Boko Haram terrorists.

MAJOR CRUDE OIL PIPELINE BLOWN UP IN DELTA AS SIGNS OF MILITANCY RETURN THICKENS.

Attacks  on oil installations in Delta State entered  the third day, yesterday, as  militants blew-up major crude oil and gas pipelines to the Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, Tank Farm in Warri South West Local Government Area of the state.

Blown up on Friday night was the main crude line from Makaraba through Otunana and Abiteye to Escravos while  Olero to Escravos gas line was attacked in the early hours of yesterday.

Earlier on Thursday, the Escravos – Warri – Abuja – Lagos pipelines came under attack. The Itsekiri raised the alarm, yesterday, that the attacks could metamorphose into another Ijaw-Itsekiri war.

#DASUKIGATE - EFCC GETS LEAD ON HOW TOP MILITARY OFFICERS LOOTED ARMS FUND.

Indications emerged last night that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has received some  lead on how some of the indicted top serving and retired military officers looted the nation through fraudulent arms contract and direct diversion of funds meant for arms procurement.

Findings revealed that the arrest and detention of a serving Colonel in the Nigerian Army in relation to the diversion of $2.1 billion meant for arms purchase in the Office of the National Security Adviser, exposed the illicit deals undertaken by the indicted officers.

Findings also showed that the Colonel, who hails from Delta State and served as a Personal Assistant to the embattled ex-NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, has been telling the anti-graft operatives all that he knows about the arms deals and those who masterminded the looting of the nation’s resources in the name of arms purchase.

OONI OF IFE MAKES HISTORIC VISIT TO ALAAFIN OF OYO.

The newly-crowned Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Sunday made a historic visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who celebrated his 45th coronation anniversary.

The visit by Ooni was unique as he became the first Ife monarch to visit the Alaafin since 1937. The visit was also exceptional, especially with the supremacy battle that existed between the Alaafin and Ogunwusi’s successor, Oba Okunade Sijuade.

Witnessing the historic visit were about 100 Yoruba traditional rulers.

JONATHAN TURNED CBN INTO ATM MACHINE JUST LIKE IDI-AMIN DID IN UGANDA - CHARLES SOLUDO.

JONATHAN

A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of turning the CBN into the Presidency’s Automated Teller Machine to produce cash for the government.

He also said the Jonathan administration ran the bank like a movie plot from Uganda under the late dictator, Idi Amin Dada.

Idi Amin ruled Uganda with an iron fist between 1971 and 1979, and has been described as one of the most corrupt African rulers.

BIAFRA IS DEAD - OBASANJO SPEAKS.

As the protagonists of Biafra intensify efforts for the realisation of their secession agenda, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, described the move as a dead agitation borne out of sheer ignorance and error of judgment. The former President said those involved in the current agitation for Biafra were embarking on hopeless and futile exercise, which no serious-minded Nigerian should engage in.

Obasanjo who spoke in Abuja during  a roundtable discussion organized by Nextier Advisory, a public sector advisory firm spearheaded by Patrick O. Okigbo III, with the theme: “Nigeria and the Biafra Agitation”. The ex-president asked leaders from the South-East geopolitical zone to call the protesters to order as such action would not do them any good. He said only those who did not experience the Nigerian civil war would embark on such a malevolent exercise.

OLISA METUH REMANDED IN JAIL TILL TUESDAY.

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ordered that the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, should be remanded in prison till Tuesday, the day scheduled for the hearing of his bail application with respect to the charges of money laundering preferred against him.

Justice Okon Abang gave the order after the PDP spokesperson pleaded not guilty to the seven counts of money laundering preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The EFCC alleged that Metuh received N400m, part of the money meant for the procurement of arms, from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November 2014.

FROM OCTOBER RUSH TO OCTOBER RAPE - SAD TALES BY FEMALE FRESHERS IN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS - #SAYNOTORAPE.

Bimbo Coker’s (not real name) first day on campus in October 2008 was full of apprehension. It was expected.

As a 15-year-old who had spent all her primary and secondary school education at private schools in Osun State, she had never left the sight of her parents, not even for a day. All through her primary and secondary schooldays, she was known to be a quiet, obedient “mum’s girl.”

In the church on Sundays, she sat where her parents sat, and left for home when service was over. No time to play with friends after the grace was said. During the holidays and weekends, her parents — both educationists — got her tutors to groom her academically. She is the only girl among five children.

$2.1BN ARMS SCANDAL - BADEH AND 17 OTHER MILITARY CHIEFS TO START APPEARING BEFORE EFCC ON MONDAY.

Eighteen military chiefs that President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to probe will start appearing before the commission on Monday.

The commission had sent invitations to some of the Generals and the companies, whose names featured in the report submitted to the President.

A source in the commission stated, “We have sent invitations to many of them and as from Monday, they will start coming.”

HARD TIMES FOR CELINE DION WHO LOST HER HUSBAND TO CANCER WHILE HER BROTHER NOW HAS FEW HOURS TO LIVE DUE TO SAME AILMENT.

RENE & CELINE

 Celine Dion is facing more heartbreak after the death of her husband René Angélil on Thursday.

The singer's older brother Daniel is also battling cancer, and his family believe he has just hours or days to live. 

Celine's sister Claudette told Journal Of Montreal: 'It's very painful. It's a matter of days or hours. It looks a lot like René, he had cancer of the throat, tongue and brain. Our family is very experienced.'

Daniel, who is 59, is in hospital in Celine's native Montreal and surrounded by family, including 88-year-old mother Therese.

TERROR HORROR IN BURKINA FASO AS GUNMEN KILL 20 IN POPULAR HOTEL.

At least 20 people have been killed in the deadly terror attack in Burkina Faso after al-Qaeda gunmen attacked a popular hotel in the capital last night. 

A unit of Bukinabe special forces assisted by around 30 French special forces and an American soldier have stormed the Splendid Hotel in Ougadougou and reportedly killed three of the gunmen.

Security forces managed to rescue 126 of the hostages trapped inside the 147 bedroom hotel, with 33 of the survivors wounded from the attack, the Burkinabe Interior Ministry confirmed.

At least ten of the victims in the terror attack were gunned down at the Cappuccino Cafe, situated next door to the hotel. The attack has been claimed by al-Mouribatoun, an al-Qaeda group based in the Sahel region of northern Mali.

'There was someone in front of me and they shot him and he fell onto me,' one woman said. 

WHERE WE CAME FROM - REUBEN ABATI.

January 15 every year is Nigeria’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day: wreaths are laid, statements are made, soldiers, government officials and the Nigerian Legion attend parades, pigeons symbolizing peace are released, a dinner is organized for widows of fallen soldiers and there is so much talk about death and dying for one’s country all in honour of Nigerian soldiers who have had to die so that Nigeria may live. In terms of context however, what is also celebrated is the surrender of the secessionist Biafran forces to the Nigerian government on January 15, 1970, a throw back to the country’s three years of civil war. 

WIZKID (@WIZKIDAYO) AND DAMMY KRANE (@DAMMY_KRANE) INVOLVED IN PHYSICAL FIGHT AT QUILOX.

Few hours after Dammy Krane apologised to his fans for calling out Wizkid on social media over theft of his materials , the two music stars were involved in a physical brawl earlier today at Quilox. 

According to reports, both of them were guests at Obafemi Martin's All Black party at Quilox night club. 

ABUJA BUSINESSMAN CHARGED FOR RAPING AND IMPREGNATING 14-YR-OLD HOUSEGIRL. #SAYNOTORAPE.

A businessman, Malam Yahai, has been dragged before a magistrates’ court sitting in Garki LGA of Jigawa State by a 14 years old girl for allegedly raping and impregnating her.

The 14-year-old is asking the court presided over by Magistrate Aliyu Roni of the Maigatarin Bawan Allah Village in Garki Local Government to compel the suspect to take responsibility of naming of the new born baby she delivered, including slaughtering a ram and providing clothes for her son.

Narrating her ordeal before the court, the girl, who works as a house girl to Malam Yahai’s wife, said Yahai raped her several times.

EFCC FILES 7-COUNT CRIMINAL CHARGE AGAINST OLISA METUH.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, preferred seven-count criminal charge against detained National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh

Metuh and his firm, Destra Investment Limited, were charged before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court over alleged N400 million fraud.

The charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/05/2016, was signed by the Assistant Director, Legal & Prosecution Department of the EFCC, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir.

DAMMY KRANE APOLOGIZES TO HIS FANS FOR CALLING WIZKID A THIEF.

Dammy Krane has apologized to his fans for calling Wizkid a thief few days ago.

See screenshots after the cut.