For Spending 40 Years In Jail Wrongly, US Court Awards African Man $1 Million.

An African American man who spent nearly 40 years behind bars in the US state of Ohio for a murder he did not commit will receive $1 million from the state for his wrongful imprisonment.
On Thursday, an Ohio Court of Claims judge ordered that just more than $1 million be paid to Ricky Jackson.
Jackson said he learnt about the payment from a reporter who had called him on Thursday afternoon to get his reaction over the court order.
“Wow, I didn’t know that,” Jackson said. “Wow wow wow, that’s fantastic, man. I don’t even know
what to say. This is going to mean so much.”
Michele Berry, his attorney from the Innocence Project, said a financial advisor will help Jackson to handle the money in the wisest way.
After hearing the news of the court order, Berry became emotional and expressed her appreciation for all that the innocent black man went through.
“It’s been an honor to work for and with Ricky,” she said. “He’s probably the wisest person I’ve ever met.”

In November, Jackson, 57, and Wiley Bridgeman, 60, were both exonerated in a 1975 murder after a key witness against them, who was 13 years old at the time, admitted in 2013 that he lied during his testimony.
Eddie Vernon, now 53, told a minister who visited him at a hospital in 2013 that he had never actually witnessed the crime. He said Cleveland police detectives coerced him into testifying that the men killed businessman Harry Franks on May 19, 1975.
The Ohio Innocence Project, which took up their case, said Jackson and Bridgeman’s 39 years imprisonment mark them as the longest-serving exonerees in US history.
According to a study released in April, one in every 25 death row inmates in the United States is innocent. Approximately 3,000 US prisoners are waiting to be put to death.
African Americans are also far more likely to be arrested and imprisoned by police than any other racial group, according to a recent analysis by USA TODAY.
Experts say the dramatic gap in arrest and prison rates reflects biased policing as well as the vast economic and educational inequalities that plague much of the US

A pastor caught in the act – pants down with his member in a hotel, watch the video

The pastor is said to have been found in bed with a woman believed to be his church member. The man claiming to be the woman’s husband rained blows on her as shocked residents watched. Ian Wafula reports on the incident that has rattled the Anglican diocese in Nairobi.

I WILL RECONTEST IN 2019 – GOODLUCK JONATHAN

Former president Goodluck Jonathan has declared his interest to run for presidency in 2019 in Bayelsa State today. A jubilant crowd erupted as news leaked that the former president would be holding a press briefing this afternoon. In a statement released by his media secretary, the former president said, he has been inundated with calls from famous Nigerians to reconsider and salvage the economy from the current decay under the APC led government.


The statement reads in part: “A while ago I stood at the stood Eagle Square, to offer myself for election as the President of our beloved country on the platform of our great party; the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). I decided to run for office because of the many troubles our dear country faced. In a hotly contested election, we ‘lost’ the election to the opposition. We would have rejected the election results but decided my personal ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian.
“I made it clear then that when I leave office, Nigerians will understand the freedom they enjoyed under my administration. Are my I saint? Certainly not. Were my Ministers saints? Certainly not. But the opposition have unleashed untold hardship on Nigerians. I read from the news how power generation dropped to zero for a few hours. I read how the minister of State petroleum told Nigerians that he is not a magician to fix Nigerian oil problems. As we speak, subsidy regime has returned. As we speak the current government have reverted pump price to where we left it.


“Over the years, the Almighty God has made it possible for me to develop a bond with you and I am grateful for your support and understanding in the difficult periods we have journeyed through. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, as I stand here this day being April 1, I declare to you that our stewardship has not been without challenges. We dealt with waves of insurgencies, vandalization of our nation’s pipelines and armed banditry. Let me crave the indulgence of all present here to stand up to observe a minutes silence in honor of fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers who lost their lives in Agatu. The situation in Agatu and elsewhere has cast a dark cloud on our Nation but we will surely win. A number of young men and women have been kidnapped by these criminal elements including our daughters from Enugu and Kanu States.


“During my tenure, we established a Presidential Initiative for the North East, the Victim Support Fund and the Safe School Initiative. These programs built Almajiri schools and opened brand new universities across all regions in this country. I read how the APC led government dissolved the governing board of universities and sacked the vice chancellors. We did what we did to better the lots of less privileged among us. Today, those dreams are but a mirage.


“I am grateful to all Nigerians for standing with me and my ministers despite the persecution we have so far face by the current administration. Let me also thank the leaders and elders of our great party, the People’s Democratic Party, for the opportunity reposed on all PDP governors and House of Assembly members. I am overwhelmed by the trust, confidence and support of the various organs of our party, the Board of Trustees, the National Caucus, the National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee, the PDP Governors Forum, members of the PDP Caucuses of the National Assembly, and others. This trust showed itself in the just concluded Rivers state re-run elections. This day affords me the opportunity to continue the conversation of development we started together. We must develop our country.

Nigerians Attack Dino Melaye On Twitter Over UK PM David Cameron's 'Fantastically Corrupt' Comments

Nigerian Senator Dino Melaye who earlier today announced that he was on his way to the UK to attend the anti-corruption summit called by UK Prime Minister David Cameroon has come under attack for tweeting his views about Cameron's classification of Nigeria and Afghanistan as "fantastically corrupt."
After Mr. Cameron was caught on camera telling Elizabeth II that Nigeria and Afghanistan were the most corrupt nations in the world, Melaye took to twitter to ask what indices and yardsticks he used in coming to that determination. However, Melaye had barely finished sending his tweet when his followers on twitter brutally descended on him.

NeNe Leakes, 48, slips into plunging white swimsuit on board a sailboat in Miami.

NeNe Leakes took to Instagram on Monday revealing a lot of skin as she highlighted her svelte curves in a skintight one piece.

The 48-year-old reality star donned the 'hot number' for a Mother's Day sailing excursion in Miami, Florida, with her husband Gregg Leakes on Sunday.

source:dailymail

Rashidi Yekini Lawyer Lied: The Truth Behind Rashidi Yekini’s Mother Condition

oba Abdul-Wahab Oyetoro of Onira has expressed regret that Nigeria does not honor its sports heroes, and called on the government to take measures to immortalize them, with specific reference to soccer legend Rashidi Yekini.  

He was speaking to SaharaReporters which was in the area in a follow-up to the story about the plight of Alhaja Sidikat Yekini, mother of the late Super Eagles striker, who has fallen on hard times and now retails bread to survive.

“People like Yekini, Muda Lawal, and Samuel Okwaraji to mention just a few should be fully immortalized,” the Oba told our reporter yesterday in Ijagbo, Kwara State when we visited his palace. 

Yekini, one of the world’s most feared strikers in his prime, died four years ago, and his mother confirmed that things have been tough for her since his passing. 

The old woman had only two loaves of bread available for sale when our reporter arrived, and her tray was soon left empty in two customers.

Rashidi was said to be a generous man who took good care of his mother while he was alive, and his mother attested to the fact that was a very good son who had cared for her and the entire family when.

Alhaja Yekini recalled: “I must confess Yekini took care of me and my late mother (the grandmother).  Anytime we had a festival, especially the Muslim Ileya festival, my son would buy two giant rams, one for me and one for my late mother. He took care of me, and I can never forget him. But after his death, I have been suffering, no help, no assistance from anybody whatsoever.”

She further told SaharaReporters that in addition to supporting herself from the little money she makes from selling bread and other items, she has other responsibilities, noting, “Most times I don’t even spend the money alone.” 

She drew attention to all the bills she has to pay, including electricity.  And while she has been interviewed by many journalists in the past, nothing has happened so far.

Asked if she knew about what Rashidi Yekini’s lawyer wrote about her condition, she replies “I don’t know the lawyer they are talking about because the last time I saw him was during the Fidau prayer, we met at Ira,” she said.  “Ever since then I haven’t set my eyes on him again; it was the first lawyer that I know, but this one I don’t know at all. I heard he (the lawyer) is claiming lots of things, but sincerely speaking he has never come to Ijagbo here where I live. “ 

Alhaja Yekini confirmed that her famous son built the house she lives in; completed the house where his uncle lives at Ira, and also another family house in Ira.

“But he warned me to stay here at Ijagbo in the house where he built for me and my late mother,” she said, before praising some of her tenants whom she said had been supportive of her.  

“How much am I collecting here as rent, go round and see things for yourselves, and you would know what I am talking about,” she told our reporter.  “But my tenants here have been very supportive, just that they can’t do more than they are doing.”

Alhaji Tunde, one of those tenants, was said to have assisted Alhaja Sidikat in converting the security post built by late Yekini at the gate into a shop apartment so she would be able to collect rent from it to alleviate her financial situation. The house Rashidi built for his mom has 4 three-bedroom flats, one two-bedroom flat, and three single room apartments known as “Boys quarters.”  SaharaReporters gathered that the money collected from the rents is less than N140,000 per annum which is not enough to take care of the elderly woman’s needs. There is another shop apartment available for renting, but nobody has shown willingness in occupying the space.

Alhaji Tunde described Rashidi as a very nice person when he was alive.  “Anytime Mama informed him about how we tenants have been taking good care of her, he would not hesitate to give out anything he had on him; he was such a generous person. But since after his death things have not been the same again,” he explained.

As a matter of fact, Rashidi’s younger sibling, Akeem Yekini also lives in one of the flats, Alhaja Sidikat and two others tenants live in the flats at the Ijagbo house. But another tragedy for the family was the death of Yekini’s younger sister, Rofiat, who died in a ghastly motor accident less than two years ago. Late Rofiat had been the only active person engaging Rashidi’s lawyer over the properties of the former African soccer king. Since her death, it was alleged that the lawyer has been having his way.

Upon leaving Ijagbo, our reporter embarked on another journey to the palace of Onira, Oba Abdul-Wahab Oyetoro, about 40 minutes of drive from Ijagbo. 

The royal father narrated his experience about the sad situation. “I don’t know anything about Yekini’s property because I am not a member of his family,” he said.  “But I think the lawyer and the wives are in the best position to answer that question. Since Rashidi died, the mother also “died emotionally” four years ago, what I mean is that the women is no longer the same again, 

because he was the breadwinner of the family. But please help us appeal to the government and concerned authorities to immortalize Rashidi Yekini. He served this country with all his might, and I don’t think it is right for them to just let the labor go unrewarded.”

“People like Yekini, Muda Lawal and Samuel Okwaraji to mention just a few should be fully immortalized. Muda Lawal already has a stadium named after him, but that is not the same with Yekini. I remembered during the Fidau prayer four years ago, the Kwara State government promised to name the Kwara Stadium after late Yekini, but we later saw they named one tiny place near the CBN quarters after him; it is even hard to identify the place.

“Also, former NFF President Aminu Maigari promised that memorial games would be played in Lagos and Abuja, and the gate takings would be given to the family; including many other promises that never saw the light of the day. Let the state and the federal government do something so that the younger generation would also be motivated by Yekini’s heroics for the nation. In other advanced countries, people strive to get the name, but here in Nigeria, we don’t even cherish the name again; my appeal again is that Yekini’s name must not perish.”

Our reporters also visited the Yekini family home at Irra town, as well as the burial ground where Rashidi Yekini was buried. There was nothing in the area even to indicate the final resting place of the soccer legend.

sahara:sahara

Family of young woman who died in India hospital seek justice "Our family deserves to know why Chinenye died"

A devastated family is seeking for answer and justice seven months after their young daughter died in a hospital in New Delhi, India. According to Sahara Reporters, the family has yet to receive autopsy results or any other details explaining the cause of her death.

"Since the age of 16, Chinenye had experienced ongoing pain in her leg after a bad fall. In 2015, shortly after graduating from the University of Abuja, Chinenye went to Fortis Hospital in New Delhi to undergo surgery conducted by one Dr. Dhananjay Gupta that would fix her leg and alleviate the pain.

Three days after the surgery, Chinenye began to experience pain in her leg. She returned to the hospital to have a screw in her leg changed. While the screw was being changed by one Dr. Rahul Kaul, she lost consciousness and was declared dead shortly thereafter. Chinenye’s mother asked that the doctor make an effort to resuscitate her, but her request was ignored,

"In October 11, 2015, an autopsy was conducted on Chinenye without requesting permission from her family. The family has reached out to the hospital several times to receive results of the autopsy to no avail. 

 

After getting in contact with Dr. Gupta, Chinenye’s mother was told that the hospital did not have access to the autopsy report because it is “a police matter.” He added that the Ministry of External Affairs is handling the situation, but he refused to give Chinenye’s mother any details regarding this alleged investigation.

 

The victim’s family is left wondering what caused the untimely death of their daughter. While Dr. Gupta said the official cause of death was a severe heart attack, the medical superintendent cited breathlessness as the cause of death.

Chinenye’s family and friends have since written letters and staged peaceful protests at the Indian embassies in Lagos and Abuja, but their efforts have thus far been futile."

"Our family deserves to know why Chinenye died. It’s about justice," her sister said. "We have heard numerous stories of how Nigerians have been fleeced and treated without regard in their desperate quest to seek good health. Let it end today."

To contact the family, you can send an email to nkonwughalu@gmail.com

Source: Sahara Reporters

Photospeak: President Buhari arrives UK for anti-corruption summit

Petroleum minister confirms oil sector deregulation to take off in few days

The Nigerian government appears set to introduce policy changes to finally herald the take off of deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry, minister of state petroleum resources, Ibe Kachickwu, confirmed on Tuesday.

PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported on Monday that government was planning to unveil in a matter of days the new policy, which would see a minimum of 27.17 per cent hike in the price of petrol.

Officials familiar with the matter had told PREMIUM TIMES that deregulation, which would effectively see the end of subsidy payment in the petroleum industry, would likely push petrol prices to about N110 per litre at Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC-owned filling stations and higher at other independent outlets.

Also it was learnt on Tuesday that a new price band of between N135 and N145 per litre of fuel has been proposed for marketers under the regime, while adjustments would be made to the ex-depot price in the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA pricing template.

Speaking in Kaduna during the second town hall meeting organised by the federal ministry of information and culture, Mr. Kachikwu confirmed that in the next few days, the new policy which is expected to help address the fuel scarcity crisis, would effectively take off.

“We are coming up with a new policy in the next few days that will allow our fuel price swing along with international pricing,” the minister said. “We are now transiting into fuel modulating pricing, because we do not have sufficient foreign exchange to continue fuel importation we have been doing.”

The minister said the introduction of price modulation mechanism early this year had helped stabilize the problem, pointing out that it was becoming necessary for the country’s oil sector to reflect global pricing of its fuel products.

To demonstrate the seriousness to end fuel subsidy payment in the country, Mr. Kachikwu said government deliberately did not have any budgetary allocation for fuel subsidy in the 2016 budget approved last week by the National Assembly.

He said since the federal government managed to settle about N600 billion outstanding claims by marketers for subsidy inherited from the previous administration, it was determined not to continue paying fuel subsidy in the country.

He said since the NNPC did not also have the logistics and coverage for effective distribution of the product 100 per cent, it was necessary that the industry was opened up for effective participation by private operators.

On the uncompleted Petroleum Training Institute, PTI in Kaduna, the minister said the ministry had created a skill learning department to coordinate staff training and the running of its specialized centres in Warri, Lagos and Kaduna.

The institute is programmed to provide skills to HND graduates in refining and solar energy so as to prepare them for a future in the oil industry.

On oil exploration in the northern part of the country, the minister said government had invited investors to explore for oil in the region, since research conducted revealed there was both oil and gas in commercial volume in the region.

“I am one of those who believe that with modern technology, oil and gas exist in every part of Nigeria,” he said. “We are putting a lot of investments and we are inviting people to invest money. We have set up a department which is doing three things for the North.

He said government was aggressively pursuing the programme to find oil in the region, pointing out that it was in the country’s interest for that to happen, especially given the problems the government was having with oil pipelines.

Besides, the minister said government was focusing attention on clean energy development, particularly solar energy, which is available in abundance in the northern part of this country.

“We are promoting the concept of partnership in oil. We believe that every system has a relationship with oil in different perspectives. The programme is building 700 marketing outlets all over the country, with one per local government. We are asking the state governments to co-venture with the federal, by giving land for this project,” he said.

source: premium times

David Cameron calls Nigeria and Afghanistan 'fantastically corrupt'

David Cameron and the Queen

The PM was speaking with the Queen, the archbishop of Canterbury, Speaker John Bercow and Commons Leader Chris Grayling
David Cameron has described Nigeria and Afghanistan as "fantastically corrupt" in a conversation with the Queen.

The PM was talking about the forthcoming anti-corruption summit when he made the comments.
It was not clear whether he knew the comments were being recorded.

"We've got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain... Nigeria and Afghanistan, possibly the two most corrupt countries in the world," Mr Cameron said.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby intervened to say: "But this particular president is not corrupt... he's trying very hard," before Speaker John Bercow said: "They are coming at their own expense, one assumes?"
The government will host world and business leaders at the summit on Thursday in London, aiming to "galvanise a global response to tackle corruption".

Source - BBC 

Militants kill three soldiers in Bayelsa

Three soldiers attached to Operation Pulo Shield – the joint force in the Niger Delta – were killed in an attack by suspected militants in Bayelsa state.

According to Sahara Reporters, the incident happened on Monday night in Foropa, a community in Southern Ijaw local government area (LGA), known to be a stronghold of militants in the state.

The military reportedly evacuated the bodies of the slain soldiers before dawn.

Residents of the community are said to be fleeing “for fear of military invasion and indiscriminate arrest of innocent persons”.

Isa Ado, spokesman of the security outfit, later confirmed the report, but said the militants also suffered heavy casualty.

In recent times, security personnel have come under serious attacks, particularly in the Niger Delta region.

On Monday, seven mobile policemen were killed in Rivers and Delta states.

President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the military to crackdown on militants following resurgence  in bombings of oil and gas facilities.

A new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, claimed responsibility for most of the attacks, saying it was on a mission to cripple the nation’s economy.

FG To Probe $16b Invested by Past Administration Into Power -

President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to investigate the $16 billion spent by the Olusegun Obasanjo and the Goodluck Jonathan administrations in the power over the years.

Despite the huge investment in the sector by the previous administrations, Nigerians are still grappling with poor power supply and most companies have closed down or relocated to other countries, due to non availability of electricity for production.

President Buhari made this known in an interview in Katsina monitored on radio and television.

While reiterating his administration’s desire to improve power supply in the country, President Buhari disclosed that he would look into the investment in the sector by previous administrations.

“It is a must for us to look into the investment in the power sector because nothing will work without adequate power supply in the country. The problem of the power sector is like that of the petroleum industry. We will look at how they spent the money because there is no power and nothing to show for the $16b investment by the previous administrations,” he said.

He assured Nigerians that he would do his best to turn around the fortunes of the country through the effective utilisation of available resources.

On the 2016 budget, the president said he would do his best to implement it.

“We will do our best to fix the country. When the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, asked me to sign the budget weeks ago and there were issues, I told him I won’t. But when he insisted, I told him if I assented to it and anything happened, he would be held responsible. He accepted and left. But when he had a second thought, he ran back to me and agreed with me that we shouldn’t sign it. It was at that point I heard of padding. The committees of the National Assembly removed our projects and replaced it with theirs.

“That’s was why we had three weeks to look at it. When he returned to me again, Udoma told me that most of the projects they (National Assembly) included had been removed but that we can go with the remaining ones since I must approve money before funds would be released for the execution of projects, “ he said.

On the recovery of stolen funds, he said all the stolen funds would be recovered and the perpetrators would not be spared.
He said adequate attention would be given to the agricultural sector in a renewed effort to diversify the country’s economy.
“We will work hard to restore the glory of the agricultural sector to ensure food security in the country.”

On the activities of the Niger Delta militants, he said they would be dealt with at the appropriate time. Quoting a slogan familiar with former Head of State, retired General Yakubu Gowon after the civil war, Buhari said, “To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be won.”

- See more at: http://independentnig.com/fg-to-probe-16b-invested-by-past-administration-into-power/#sthash.o70d6Obo.dpuf

Edo swears in new speaker amidst tight security

The member representing Uhunmwode constituency in the Edo State House of Assembly, Mrs. Elizabeth Ativie,  has been sworn in as the new Speaker of the House.

The House also lifted the suspension of the former Speaker, Mr. Victor Edoror, who was impeached last Tuesday.

It, however, terminated the appointment of political appointees under the former Speaker.

Ativie was sworn in on Monday by the Clerk of the House, Mr. Lawson Ugiagbe, in the presence of other members of the sixth Assembly, including Edoror.

She becomes the first female Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly.

Prior to the resumption of sitting, the premises of the assembly complex was cordoned off by combined team of security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps to forestall a possible break down of law and order.

No fewer than 10 Hilux patrol vehicles and an armoured personnel carrier were strategically positioned around the complex.

Policemen were also at the major entrance of the House of Assembly complex to monitor entry and exit.

Edoror, representing ýEsan Central (APC), was impeached and suspended last week, following an impeachment notice signed by 17 out of 24 lawmakers for alleged gross misconduct.

Shortly after her swearing in on Monday, the new Speaker appreciated the lawmakers for expressing confidence in her leadership.

She promised to lead the sixth Assembly with transparency, adding that the House would work tirelessly with other arms of government to ensure that the state reaches an enviable height.

The Speaker also announced the sack Edoror’s aides after lifing the suspension placed on the former speaker.

Attacks: Osinbajo meets security chiefs, IOCs, production falls

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday presided over some meetings as part of efforts aimed at tackling the menace of militants who have been vandalising oil and gas pipelines in the Niger Delta.

Osinbajo first met behind closed doors with some top security chiefs and government officials over the matter.

Chevron’s Okan offshore production platform around Escravos in Warri, Delta State was last week blown up, a development that led to the shutdown of the facility by the oil major.

On Thursday night, a pipeline transporting crude oil to the Warri and Kaduna and a 16-inch gas line owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation were also blown up.

A group known as Niger Delta Avengers has claimed responsibility for the explosions.

Monday’s meetings presided over by Osinbajo were held in the conference room of his office inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The first of the meetings was also attended by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, as well as the Navy and Army chiefs.

Osinbajo also had a separate meeting with the Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson; and the Amayanabo of Toun Brass, Bayelsa State, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, on the same matter.

Dickson and Diete-Spiff arrived the vice president’s office at about 6pm while the first meeting was still ongoing and waited to meet with Osinbajo.

The vice president again returned to the conference room for another round of meeting with representatives of major oil companies in the country.

Those who attended included the representatives of Shell, Agip, Total, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas and Chevron, among others. Dickson and Diete-Spiff also joined the meeting.

The last meeting, which started at about 7:45pm, was still ongoing as of the time of filing this report at 8pm

Following the spate of attacks on oil and gas assets, Nigeria’s output of crude oil has declined and is now close to a 22-year low, Reuters data shows, putting intense pressure on the country’s finances.

Shell’s Forcados field is still closed and under force majeure following a February subsea pipeline attack, taking out 250,000 barrels per day.

The violence has depressed production in the country to roughly 1.69 million bpd in May, the lowest since at least June 2007, when production fell to 1.68 million bpd, International Energy Agency data shows.

A small reduction from any field would quickly send output to the next low, seen in August 1994, when it hit 1.46 million bpd, according to the IEA data.

“It’s really not a good situation,” said Eugene Lindell, senior energy analyst with JBC Energy in Vienna, noting that the global excess of crude was keeping Brent prices from moving significantly higher on the back of the outages. “They have less production, and they’re getting less bang for their buck.”

Analysts said the violence could scare investment away from the country.

“If it continues like this… there are companies who will probably not consider Nigeria” for upstream investments, Lindell said.

The country’s 2016 budget, signed into law just last week, assumes 2.2 million bpd of oil production at $38 a barrel. In a country analysis released late last week, the US Energy Information Administration noted that pipeline sabotage and oil supply disruptions had increased in 2016, putting direct pressure on the country’s finances.

“Because Nigeria heavily depends on oil revenue, its economy is noticeably affected by changes to its oil production and/or to global crude oil prices,” the report said.

Strong indications emerged on Monday that the attack on the Trans Forcados pipeline in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State had reduced the production of the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company from 250,000 barrels per day to almost 115,000 bpd.

It was gathered that the NPDC, which is the crude oil production arm of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, had been forced to stop operation in the area because of the damage to the 48-inch pipeline being operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company.

It was gathered that the total production of crude oil by the state-owned NPDC dropped from 250,000 bpd to 115,000 bpd on Monday, because of the February attack on the major pipeline.

The NNPC’s latest financial report had stated that vandalism of the Forcados Export Pipeline resulted in crude oil loss worth about N20bn between the months of February and March.

It was learnt that efforts were being made to repair the pipeline when the militants under the aegis of the Niger Delta Avengers again attacked the Chevron Okan platform at Abiteye and the NNPC pipeline transporting crude oil and gas to the Warri and Kaduna refineries.

The source said that there were serious doubts about the repair of the damaged pipeline as the two recent attacks, which took place in Escravos, were in the same place as the Forcados pipeline.

The source said, “There are concerns over the repair of the pipeline. The repair efforts have not been completed. And you know that that these recent attacks took place in the same area. This is quite unfortunate.

“It is affecting everybody. The Forcados attack has reduced NPDC’s operation by more than half. The company was doing over 250,000 barrel per day but that has been reduced to 115,000 barrels now. This means that the 135,000 barrels from the Forcados are not coming now.

“Another thing is that the other pipeline taking crude oil to the Warri and Kaduna refineries is also a gas pipeline.

It was also gathered that the loss may have eroded the gains Nigeria would have derived from the recent rise in oil price.

The attacks on the oil and gas facilities have worsened the blackout being experienced in many parts of the county as four power plants became idle on Sunday, bringing the total number of plants not generating any megawatts of electricity to 12.

There was significant reduction in generation from virtually all the plants producing electricity, including Egbin in Lagos State and Alaoji in Abia State.

Meanwhile, International Oil Companies operating in the country have been jolted by the latest attacks on oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta, which have seen Chevron shut down one of its major offshore production platforms in the country, the Okan platform.

Chevron said the damage to the Okan platform had affected about 35,000 barrels per day of its own net crude production, or about 15 per cent of its output in the country.

Onshore oil assets in Nigeria have been attacked for years, forcing IOCs to reduce their land-bound operations in the area in favour of more-secure offshore projects. But the latest attack shows that offshore facilities are also vulnerable.

Shell workers at the Bonga oil field in the Niger Delta on Monday were evacuated following a militant threat, Reuters reported.

“We are aware of the development and the evacuation is being done in categories of workers and cadres. My members are yet to be evacuated,” the Chairman of the Warri branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Cogent Ojobor, was quoted to have said.

Shell had earlier said that oil output was continuing at its fields in Nigeria despite reports of a militant attack near its Bonga facilities.

When contacted for comment, the Media Relations Manager, SPDC, Mr. Precious Okolobo, said, “We continue to monitor the security situation in our operating areas in the Niger Delta and are taking all possible steps to ensure the safety of staff and contractors. We do not wish to go into details. Our operations are continuing.”

source:punch newspeper

Gunmen attack Rivers judiciary complex, kill two

THE Rivers State Judiciary complex, which houses the Rivers State High Court, has been closed down after gunmen invaded the court premises, killing two private security personnel attached the institution.

At the moment, the cause of the killing has not been ascertained, but security operatives have been deployed in the court premises.

It was learnt that the gunmen had invaded the judiciary complex late last night and attacked their victims leaving two dead and another hospitalised.

An employee of the judiciary told The PUNCH they had been asked go home for the moment following the incident.

Details later…

source punch breaking news

Photos of Slain Cop, DSP H.M Nasir, who was killed today in Rivers state

This DSP Halidu M. Nasir, who murdered in cold blood along with others in Rivers state in the early hours of today at Ahoada area of Rivers State today May 9th by unknown gunmen May his soul rest in peace, amen!

Friend of Lekan Shonde claims late Ronke's alleged lover has apologized over the alleged affair

Unfortunately, the woman is not alive to defend herself. A friend of Lekan Shonde, Gbenga Sholuki, who spoke with The Nation newspaper, claims the alleged lover of late Ronke Shonde has apologized to Lekan for bringing confusion into his home. Lekan had alleged that his wife had been cheating on him with an Abuja-based lover. Sholuki who is the Executive Director, Campaign against Impunity & Domestic Violence, told The Nation, that Lekan had spoken to Ronke's alleged lover on the phone

"Even as we were coming to the police command, he has spoken with his mother-in-law to notify her that he has surrendered. The woman told him that he has done very well for her family and that though they were pained, they have forgiven him and he should not think of suicide again. He also called his wife’s lover and told him he hoped he was happy now that he has destroyed his home. The man begged for forgiveness. When information came to us about what has happened, we told him to come out for the law to take its course. We have known him for a long time and he is not a violent person. We want justice. We are demanding a medical examination to ascertain what really happened. He is a family man. He cherishes his wife and says very pleasant things about her. All we want is justice. If scientific evidence proofs he killed his wife, then, he should go in for it. But what we do not like is his being condemned even before autopsy result comes out,” said Sholuki

Another friend of Lekan, Sunday Nwobi said Lekan loved his wife so much that she fully controlled the finances of his home. 

"At the moment he has nothing because even the money he makes was kept in an account the wife has access to. Even the ATM card is with her. Everything was under her. That’s how much he loved her. He has never been violent. I have known him for the past 33 years and I can tell you that he is a gentleman. He was in the same class with my immediate younger brother who has just returned from the United States because of this matter. He attended Ikeja High School. I have been in touch with him since the ugly incident and he sent me over 70 messages threatening to commit suicide. He told me he had quarrel with his wife on alleged infidelity. He said his wife confessed she has man friend, at her place of work. Lekan told me that he caught his wife talking to the man on phone and that she went to Abuja with her lover and they spent five days together. As the wife was confessing and begging him, he said he pushed her aside and went into the room to sleep. That he didn’t talk to her nor touch her because he was angry. Since he usually left the house early (5am) for work every day and returns around 8pm, he said he left that day as usual and that their eight-year-old son was the one who bolted the door, while he used his own key to lock the gate as usual. Lekan told me that he never knew anything has happened to his wife until he was called by his landlady on phone. That his landlady told him his wife had died and that he was a suspect. He said his landlady’s daughter also called him. He was on his way to the house but different people called and told him to run because police were in his house and they were looking for him as the suspect. That was why he fled. But as soon as he contacted me that same day, I kept telling him to come out. His aged father also told him to turn himself in and allow the law to run its course,” he said.

Meanwhile the Lagos state commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said an autopsy will determine the real cause of Ronke's death.  

“As you can see, he has just been brought in. It is still an allegation and the police is not the court of law to pronounce anyone guilty or otherwise. He has turned himself in. I confirm he is in our custody. We will ensure we get to the root of the matter. He shall be interrogated and investigation is ongoing. We cannot say for sure what happened but autopsy report will prove cause of death,” he said.

Lekan is being detained at the homicide unit, State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti-Yaba.