Fresh Criminal Charge: Suswan and others to meet N25M Bail and one SH

In a fresh criminal charge, an Abuja Federal High Court yesterday granted bail to the immediate past gov­ernor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam and two others to bail in the tune of N750 million.

Suswam, his former Com­missioner of Finance, Mr Omadachi Oklobia, and the then Accountant, Benue State Government House Admin­istration, Mrs Janet Aluga, were yesterday arraigned before Justice Gabriel Ko­lawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja on a 32-count charge over alleged diver­sion N9,781,602,453.8, part of which was earmarked for police reform programme, and Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme.

In a ruling on the bail re­quests filed by the defendants, the trial judge, Justice Kola­wole said: “The 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants are hereby granted bail to the tune of N250million each, and one surety each in like sum.”

The sureties, according to the court, must be a Director or Principal Officer not less than level 12 in local, state or federal establishment.

In a situation whereby the defendants fail to get a high ranking civil servant, Justice Kolawole ordered that persons with national honour shall suf­fice.

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Gov.Ortom Explain Why He Paid Fulani Herdsmen N10 Million

Governor Samuel Ortom, last week sat down for an interview where he responded to issues bordering on the call for the declaration of state of emergency in the state, the security situation in the state and his relationship with herdsmen.



Excerpts:

What is your reaction to the call by Governor Wike for the declaration of State of Emergency in Benue State? It is laughable and unfortunate because if you talk about declaring state of emergency because of killings I am aware that there are more killings in Rivers than Benue State. Here we know the rules while in Rivers State there is no rule of law. When you do things as if there is no leadership, you take laws into your hands, we don’t do that here and I will not subscribe to taking laws into my hands or anybody taking laws into his hands in Benue State. One thing I know is that we are on top of the situation we have found ourselves in. The issue of herdsmen we have brought it under control. The issue of criminality we have brought it under control. I inherited a state that was ravaged by criminality, killings, terror, assassinations and kidnappings. Gov Samuel Ortom When last did you hear that somebody was kidnapped in Benue State? When last did you hear armed robbery took place in Benue State? If you talk about rivalry between herdsmen and farmers it is not just peculiar to Benue State. We have sent a bill to the State House of Assembly. We are proposing that ranching is the option, no need for open grazing which even the herdsmen themselves confirmed. State of emergency And if you talk about the criminality of Gana who has been killing people all over, we have declared him wanted and we have even placed a reward on him. He has gone into hiding and we are appealing to people to avail us information. We are ready to take on him. I am in touch with the Inspector General of Police, I am in touch with the Chief of Army Staff, the Commandant of Civil Defence, the DSS Director General and security men have been provided for Benue State. We are going to have him. We are on top of our situation. If Wike wants state of emergency he should first of all declare his own state of emergency in Rivers State, not in Benue State. Benue State people are with me. We are proactive and we are on top of the situation here in Benue State and I can assure you with this renewed spate of attacks not from herdsmen, but from Gana who is killing people and because he is being sponsored by some people, we are going after him. I pray that what is happening around me here should not happen in any other state. I pray for Wike. I pray that God will help him succeed as a leader. But leaders should not come out to make such statements. I have inherited a state that is difficult and everyone knows. The whole country knows. I have inherited a state that is in deficit of over a hundred billion naira. Where do you start and we have been doing our best here. Since I came no one has gone on strike because the people appreciate what efforts we are doing here in Benue State. So it is an unfortunate thing but I will not join issues with him, I pray for him that God should help him in his endeavours.

Have you had issues with Governor Wike before now?

 I took it that it was political. He said it because I was on the delegation that was nominated by my party to solicit the support of the people in Rivers to win election. Is that a crime?

Have I committed a crime by going to support my party men to win election? I wasn’t the only one that went there. You can imagine a colleague lost a commissioner in Plateau State while he was jogging and you can imagine the sarcastic statement he has made about that. Herdsmen attending to their cows It is not fair. We shouldn’t as leaders begin to make such statements. It doesn’t give us anything good. But I leave Wike to his conscience. During the last administration during the height of Fulani attacks in the state, the then president sent in soldiers, do we see same happening now? Soldiers are already deployed here, I told you that I’m in touch with the Chief of Army Staff and on the directive of Mr. President we will have as many as we need depending on the situation on ground. Mr. President has directed that I should be supported and we have enough policemen here on ground, we have equipment, a chopper has been deployed here to support us. So I don’t think anything is out of place. We are on top of the situation and the killings we witnessed before are far more than what we are seeing today because of the proactive steps we have been taking to check the situation.

What is your response to allegations of the soldiers taking sides?

I am not aware of that. The soldiers are not taking sides as far as I am concerned. The soldiers I have here in Benue State as far as I know are very patriotic and they are civil. They have accepted the fact that we have a civilian government in place. Government is proactive and ready, we have enough personnel, and equipment to track these people. And where we are not able to track them we are even ready to pay for damages. Recently the case of a herdsman whose 57 cattle were killed and 50 rustled, was reported to me and paid N10million and even up till today we have not apprehended the youths behind the attack, but if we see them we will arrest them. But we had to pay just to allow peace to reign because if they come for reprisals those youths who did the evil will not be there. Instructions of government Those that would suffer will be vulnerable children, women and the elderly. So it’s a matter of simply listening to the instructions of government. When you have leaders and you respect and follow them things will work out. There is no way we will allow lawlessness to prevail in the land because people there will bear the consequences.

Are you not disturbed sir, that with the level of killings by herdsmen none of them has been prosecuted?

Well, I’m aware that we arrested some herdsmen with arms and they are being prosecuted. I can talk about my own state. But it is something we can all tackle together, the journalists, the people themselves all of us including the security agencies because most times journalists know where these criminals are but you will not volunteer information.

You said some persons are sponsoring Gana the wanted militant leader, who are his sponsors and their names?

No, it’s not every security matter that you say or discuss in public, I won’t say that for now but I have it in my chest.

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Presidency Deny knowledge of Budget Padding

The budget padding controversy took a different turn on Tuesday as the Presidency denied knowledge of any padding in the budget presented to the President for his ascent.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ismail Kawu told newsmen in Abuja that the budget signed by the President which is being implemented was not a padded budget.
Senator Enang, who spoke after over three hours meeting with the national leadership of the All

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Good News as Chinese firms conclude plans to open businesses in Nigeria

The efforts of the All Peoples Congress (APC)-led government to attract foreign direct investment into Nigeria got a boost recently when a consortium of Chinese busi­nessmen under the aegis of One Belt One Road Funds Management Company Ltd (OBOR) arrived the country.
Earlier, the company signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government and some governors of the North Central states during President Mu­hammadu Buhari’s visit to China.
The group, led by its Chairman, Mr. Rujun Yuan, and its core managers, was accompa­nied by the Nigerian High Commissioner to China, Mr. Orevba Olusola, newly appointed OBOR Director of Liaison in Nigeria and President, Blue Diamond Logistics, China, Mr. Festus Mbisiogu. Six

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How FG spent $340m, N27bn in search of oil in the North

After 3 decades of elusive search for hy­drocarbons in the Lake Chad Basin where the Federal Government spent about $340 million and additional N27 billion, in seismic expedition, Nigeria looks set to continue its crude oil exploration in the North East region.
But petroleum engineers, investment ex­perts and geologists have warned the Buhari administration could yet burn its fingers in the long run as the geography of the zone may not guarantee a commercial find.

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FG TO LEASE OUT LAGOS,ABUJA,KANO AND PH AIRPORT TO PRIVATE ENTREPRENEURS

Plans increased flight frequency for foreign airlines operators

The Minister of State for Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika

It is no longer wise for government to bear the burden of managing airports, said Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika.
According to the Minister, dwindling revenue, high rate of foreign exchange and demands of global best practices, make the need for Public Private Partnership inevitable.

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147 Killed In Military Operation In Riverine Communities In Lagos, Ogun

About 147 suspected militants might have been killed in the ongoing joint military operation in riverine communities affected by recent spate of criminal attacks in Lagos and Ogun states.

The affected communities had come under the siege of hoodlums suspected to be Ijaw militants with about 50 residents reportedly killed in the past weeks while few others were kidnapped.

The development has led to the desertion of some of the affected communities by residents as many of them continued to leave in droves until last Thursday when the military commenced a raid on the camps of suspected militants. Speaking with Sunday Sun reporter, a local security source told our correspondent on phone that casualty recorded on the part of the militants as at yesterday afternoon might not be less than 150.

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NESG Commends Bukola Saraki over pasage of RailWay Bill

• NESG Commends Saraki Over Passage Of Railway Bill

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has commended the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, for his "leadership and unflinching commitment" that led to the recent passage of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Bill, by the Senate.

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1 Dead 10 injured as Ansbach, Germany, rocked by explosion

An explosion occurred in Ansbach, Germany, Sunday evening, according to German media. At least one person is dead and as many as 10 others are wounded, German media is reporting.

Story still Developing 

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BENUE: HOUSE IN DISARRAY AS VEHICLE CONTRACT SCAM BITES HARDER

All was cool with the Benue State House of Assembly until recently when news of a N750 million vehicle contract scam involving prin­cipal officers and indeed, all members of the House started going viral.
The House members, led by 36 year old Hon. Terkimbi Ikyange (Ushongo State Con­stituency) have been frequent visitors to the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the last three weeks over their complicity in the vehicle deal.
Sunday Sun gathered that the legislators had pressurised the executive arm of govern­ment in the state to approve the purchase of Toyota Prado jeeps for each of them after commissioners were given Prado jeeps as their official vehicles.

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Rivers Rerun: PDP, Civil Society Disagree Over Police Posting

Controversy has continued to trail the recent comments credited to Governor Nyesom Wike on the Police postings ahead of the rerun election in Rivers State.

The reaction is sequel to the planned move by the acting Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, to send a new batch of Police officers for the legislative rerun in disputed areas of the state.
Governor Wike had stated that he would not support Police officers with questionable character and who had earlier served in the state to be assigned to  oversee the rerun and security affairs in the state.
However, a civil right society group has frowned at the Governor’s stance.

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Banikole Finally Clear the Air on the Position of Bukola Saraki With APC

Mr Bamikole Omishore who is the special assistant new media to the senate president today release a statement on  Bukola saraki's stand  and to clear the air about rumor making round that the senate president with pictured in at the PDP Ccaucus meeting yesterday check this publication Below;

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Bukola Saraki Reply Nigerian Who Blasted Him for Standing with France

Read  Senate President Epic reply to a guy who blasted him for standing with France by saying France never stood by us when Boko Haram are Attacking Nigerians, Though some Nigerian ain't too cool with that see their reaction below

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