Nigeria: Exclusive - Secret Intelligence Report Links Ex-Governor Sheriff, Chad President to Boko Haram Sponsorship

New facts showing stronger links between former governor of Borno state, Ali Modu Sheriff, and the Boko Haram sect have emerged, further fuelling suggestions the ex-governor is a major financier of the terrorist sect.
Intelligence insights obtained by PREMIUM TIMES in Maiduguri, Damaturu, and Abuja show dated communications between field officers and the velvet ranks of Nigeria's military chronicling Mr. Sheriff's involvement in promoting the growth of the sect.
The communications painted a picture of what appears to be a powerful regional support structure involving the Chadian president, Nigerian officials and Niger Republic, and spearheaded by Mr. Sheriff whom the intelligence presents as a powerful figure within this circle.
Strong evidence indicates that the Nigerian government received official actionable intelligence about Mr. Sheriff's links to Boko Haram as far back as 2011 but has, curiously, ignored all warnings and nudges to act to stop the Boko Haram call him in for interrogation.
Mr. Sheriff has long been suspected of masterminding the Boko Haram sect, but the documents sighted by this newspaper offers deeper understanding into how Mr. Sheriff allegedly finances the deadly sect and his probable motivations.
When Sheriff visits Abeche
Nourished by deep and impeccable sources from members of the Chadian Army, Nigerian intelligence experts had arrived at fairly certain conclusions that Mr. Sheriff was actively involved in the recruitment, training and deployment of Boko Haram members.
"... members of Boko Haram sect are sometimes kept in Abeche region in Chad and trained before being dispersed. This happens usually when Mr. Sheriff visits Abeche," a 2011 memo from field officers in N'djamena,the capital of Chad, read.
When Mr. Sheriff visits Abeche for these activities, he lodges in Chadian Presidential Guest House in Abeche, and is provided security by the Chadian government, the intelligence communications claim.
Mr. Sheriff is a close friend of the Chadian president, Idris Deby.
In 2011, during the Chadian presidential elections, Mr. Sheriff supported the Chadian president with 35 vehicles, for security, and is believed to have bankrolled Mr. Deby's re-election.
Nigerian defence and intelligence community members typically describe Mr. Sheriff as a gun runner in their many communications, and they often speak in conviction that his weapons find their way into Nigeria through Niger Republic into Yobe state. Yobe is Boko Haram's stronghold and has suffered heavy casualties in magnitudes only second to Borno.
Money, Politics and Power
Back in August 2011, intelligence officials were characterising Mr. Sheriff's motivations for sponsoring Boko Haram as similar to a certain "3rd generation South South governor," with the aim of covering up financial irregularities he might have committed as governor of Borno state, as well as propagate a stay-put in office strategy by suppressing the opposition.
The officials suggest that Mr. Sheriff did not create the sect but was actively using the "monster" and could be sponsoring the sect as a way of protecting himself from the sect members who were "calling for his head" at the time.
"One way of reclaiming the lost loyalty of the sect therefore, was sponsorship of their cause," intelligence officials were telling their principals.
Mr. Sheriff was not reachable for his comments. A former commissioner under his administration as governor of Borno state who also speaks for him, Inuwa Bwala, told PREMIUM TIMES Mr. Sheriff was outside the country and could not respond to enquiries.
Both the Nigerian defence headquarters and the Nigerian government also declined to comment on this intelligence. Phone calls were not answered, and text messages were not replied to.
Mr. Sheriff has been accused before of links to the terrorist group, Boko Haram. He denies any links.
An April 2, 2012 report by a Cameroonian daily, L'Oriel du Sahel, said the former governor, now a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was arrested in 2012 upon entering Cameroon from Chad on his way to meeting the governor of that country's northern region.
The report said Cameroonian police authorities questioned Mr. Sheriff for hours and only released him later following pressure from senior government officials in that country.
An Ambassador Usman Galtimari Panel, set up by President Goodluck Jonathan to investigate the genesis of the insurgency in the North East, had also blamed Mr. Sheriff for the growth of Boko Haram in a report.
Chadian President Connection
An Australian negotiator, Stephen Davis, recently named Mr. Sheriff, alongside former Nigerian Army Chief, Azubuike Ihejirika, as sponsors of the Boko Haram sect, quoting the sect's leadership.
Nigeria's defence intelligence was silent on the role of Mr. Ihejirika in promoting the deadly sect whose bloody campaign have killed up to 5000 Nigerians and left many homeless, broken and internally displaced, but names the Chadian president, Mr. Deby, as a new dimension to the Boko Haram sponsorship dynamics.
In 2011, a strong Boko Haram army was also beneficial to the Chadian president, as it provided a "ready army and possible refuge" for a president that was facing growing distrust from his legitimate army, Nigerian intelligence officials claimed.
The Chadian government support for the sect was made majorly through his friendship with Mr. Sheriff and at the expense of his country's relationship with Nigeria, the report said.
Transformed sect
Violence by the Boko Haram sect, which had only religious interest in the past, is traceable to the five days of clashes in July 2009, between the group and members of the security forces in Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, and Kano states that left more than 800 people dead, including at least 30 police officers.
The police summarily executed the captured Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf, along with several dozen of his followers in front of the police headquarters in Maiduguri. Dozens of its members were also arrested.
Boko Haram frequently said its attacks on the government, especially the police, are in revenge for these killings and an attempt to set free members incarcerated by the police.
Recently, the ideology behind Boko Haram attacks got more confusing with increasing attacks on schools, media houses and almost any soft target with wide media reach. The group has gotten bolder by the day and has shown interest in capturing and occupying cities it calls its Caliphates.
The sect has overrun towns and villages, including Mubi, Michika, Bazza, Gulak, Gwoza, Bama, Gamboru and Ngala in Adamawa and Borno states. Ngala is the home place Mr. Sheriff.

Nigeria: Army Moves to Turn Tide Against Boko Haram, Kills 100 in Konduga

 
By Michael Olugbode, Senator Iroegbu and Omololu Ogunmade
Determined to turn the tide against the terrorists Boko Haram, the Nigerian Army yesterday inflicted heavy casualty on the sect fighters who attempted to capture Konduga, a strategic town just about 35km to Maiduguri, killing over 100 and halting their match to Maiduguri.
The positive report from Konduga came on a day the President of the Senate, David Mark, challenged the Nigerian armed forces to brace up against the rampaging activities of Boko Haram and reclaim the communities taken over by the terrorists in the North-east.
A statement signed by Col. Timothy Atingha for the Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), said the terrorists' bid to overrun Konduga was met with a fierce response from Nigerian troops.
"At about 5.30am today, Boko Haram terrorists launched a massive attack on Konduga town, about 35 kilometres from Maiduguri. After about three hours of fierce fighting, Nigerian troops routed the Boko Haram killing over a 100 terrorists," Atingha said.
He added that a lot of equipment were also recovered from the terrorist: "Three Hilux and one Buffalo vehicles with mounted Anti-aircraft guns, three General Purpose Machine guns, over 30 AK 47 rifles and two global positioning systems have been recovered.
He also confirmed that four Nigerian soldiers were wounded during the battle. Atingha assured: "The morale of troops remain very high, while the entire area is still being combed for terrorists who may have escaped with bullet wounds."
He also said that the photographs taken at the scene of the battle were being expected and would be forwarded as soon as they are received.
Youth vigilante groups were also said to have helped the military to repel the attack on Konduga. A member of the local vigilante group, Kolobe Abdullahi told journalists on telephone: "We couldn't sleep yesterday as we all kept vigil in Konduga since we got hints that insurgents intend to attack us."
He said they cooperated with the military by keeping vigil while awaiting the terrorists: "People sighted them when they were coming and they were seriously dealt with. As I am talking to you, more than 100 of them were killed and several others sustained injuries."
Kolobe added: "We destroyed all their utility vehicles, some cars and motorcycles. We also seized some arms and vehicles." A military source within the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri also confirmed on telephone that the insurgents were dealt heavy blow.
A resident of Konduga, Abba Ali told journalists that what could have been a sad day for the people of the town was reverted as "we are now celebrating the killing of scores of Boko Haram."
Ali added: "I think today is the happiest in my life. Boko Haram killed two of my brothers in their recent attack on Konduga but today, many of their bodies were all scattered on the streets. I salute the courage of our gallant soldiers and members of civilians JTF. We are ready for them. "Our people and the civilian JTF climbed trees and telecom mast to sight them in the morning and behold they were coming, hundreds in number, in Hilux vans and motorcycles and cars. The soldiers waited for them and when they came, they attacked them immediately. Alhamudllahi, we are so happy today."
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had on Thursday debunked the assertions by the Borno Elders' Forum (BEF) that Maiduguri was under siege and had been surrounded by Boko Haram terrorists, thereby causing panic amongst the residents some of whom were alleged to have fled the city.
The military also assured Nigerians that the ongoing offensive through sustained aerial bombardment and complementary ground assault had helped to halt the terrorists' advance with most of their structures and strongholds destroyed in North-east towns like Gwoza, Bama, Michika and others.
The forum had decried the horror, death, destruction and misery that had been visited on North-eastern Nigeria and particularly Borno State by Boko Haram, warning that the sect had strategised and completely surrounded the city of Maiduguri.
BEF further warned that it was apparent that the sect's imminent target was to take the city of Maiduguri, noting that almost half of the population of Borno now resides in Maiduguri. However, the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Major-General Chris Olukolade, dismissed such statements as a design to create a sense of insecurity in the city. "The statement on Maiduguri was clearly intended to cause panic in the city and the nation," Olukolade said.
He assured Nigerians that "all facets of the security arrangements for the defence of Maiduguri have been upgraded to handle any planned attack or attempt to disrupt the prevailing peace in the city and its environs".
Mark Tasks Military to Reclaim Lost Territory... Mark tasked the military on Boko Haram during the graduation ceremony of the 61 Regular Course of the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna. He said the nation was facing a critical moment in which "our peaceful and corporate existence is threatened by insurgency, terrorism and sheer criminality." The President of the Senate, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, lamented that the war against terrorism was already having severe effects on the lives, finance and economy of the nation, regretting that "huge resources that would have been used for national development are now being diverted to fight insurgency and terrorism."
He added: "We will never relent in keeping this country one. Ethnic, political, sectional and religious problems have complicated issues in Nigeria. The situation demands that all hands should be on deck to tackle the problem."
Mark cautioned politicians against playing politics with the nation's security and unity, noting that "politicians irrespective of ideological or party affiliation should remember that politics can only be played when Nigeria exists as a corporate entity and in peace."
He berated those he said were fanning the embers of war and disunity, arguing, "Nigeria is not an accident. It has pleased the Almighty God to put us together as one and it is our solemn duty to nurture Nigeria to her full potentials.
"The future still holds greater promise if only we could put our differences behind us and work together as one people. With greater commitment and resolve, I have no doubt in my mind that Nigeria will be one of the world's super powers."
He was also said to have assured the gathering that the National Assembly would continue to provide necessary support for the military in the war against terrorism just as he urged Nigerians to cooperate with the Armed Forces in the protracted war.

Arab-Israeli pilgrims use temporary Jordan passports

The Jordanian government has confirmed that it issues temporary passports for Arab-Israeli passport holders so that they can enter the Kingdom to perform the Haj.
This follows the Saudi government this week rejecting reports that it would endorse Haj visas on Israeli passports if they were issued by its consulates abroad.
Every year, nearly 5,000 Arab citizens of Israel, arrive in the Kingdom to perform the pilgrimage. These citizens are holders of Israeli passports, which are not recognized by Saudi Arabia or the majority of Arab states, except for Jordan and Egypt that signed peace treaties with Israel in 1979 and 1994 respectively.
“We understand the problems Arab-Israelis are going through, therefore we try to facilitate their travel to the Kingdom as much as we can. We issue them a one-month passport upon their arrival in the Kingdom, which they use when applying for a visa at the Saudi embassy for the Haj,” Director General of the Jordanian Passport and Civil Status Department Marqan Qutaishat told Arab News on Friday.
Qutaishat said these pilgrims would then have to hand in these temporary passports to the Jordanian government after completing the Haj.

In a statement to the media this week, Saudi Ambassador to Amman Sami Al-Saleh stressed that the embassy does not accept Israeli passports. He reiterated that Arab-Israelis traveling from the occupied lands in Palestine are issued Haj visas in temporary passports issued by the Jordanian government.

 

 

This statement follows reports earlier this week that the Saudi Passport Department would allow Arabs holding Israeli passports to enter the Kingdom provided their visas were issued by a consulate abroad and approved by the Haj Ministry.
Ahmed Luhaidan, spokesman for the passports department, told Arab News on the phone that the department does not issue visas. The Saudi Foreign Ministry is mandated to do this, he said.
Earlier, the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) confirmed there are no direct flights between the airports of the Kingdom and that of Occupied Palestine for the Haj season.
Khaled Al-Khaibari, spokesman for GACA, denied reports in Israeli media saying that Saudi Arabia would allow entry to pilgrims traveling to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah from Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
He said Gaza pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage via Egyptian airports, while pilgrims of the West Bank do so by air or road through Jordan.

Grand mufti: Drugs more dangerous than A-bombs

The Kingdom's grand mufti and president of the Council of Senior Scholars, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh, has called for tough action against those who smuggle, promote and sell drugs.
“Drugs are more dangerous than atomic bombs,” he said, and warned that users face ruin and loss of their morality.
Al-Asheikh said the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that those who are involved in any way with harmful substances can only bring "calamities" on themselves and others. He said Allah would also punish those who shelter or help such criminals.
Speaking during a live radio program, the grand mufti said: “Drugs of all kind destroy moral values, distort the brain and lead to the destruction of human lives. Those who promote drugs, market or use them will bear great losses.”
He said the Prophet (pbuh) was quoted as saying: “Allah cursed all those involved in wine, the one who presses it, the one who has it pressed, the one who drinks it, the one who carries it, the one who receives it, the one who serves it, the one who sells it, the one who makes a profit from selling it, the one who purchases it, and the one for whom it was purchased.”
He said drugs are highly addictive today because they have been treated with chemicals. “People become addicted to them, have their lives destroyed and eventually become a burden to society.” He said drug addicts are unproductive members of their community and are a burden to both their families and the state.
“So children of Islam, be careful and don’t ruin yourselves or your country ... drugs are more dangerous than deadly atomic bombs because they kill the heart and strip humans of all morals and values,” he said.
He praised the minister of interior and the police officers fighting this scourge, describing them as mujahideen — those who take up a struggle in defense of the oppressed, poor or exploited.
“You are the guardians of Islam, so when you uncover drugs, you prevent evil from reaching your nation. So work hard and seek the protection of God,” he said.
The Interior Ministry recently announced the arrest of 1,197 individuals, of whom 456 are Saudis, with the other 741 from 35 different countries. The criminals were involved in smuggling, transporting, receiving and promoting drugs with a market value of over SR878 million.
Meanwhile, a Saudi drug trafficker, Saad Al-Otaibi, was beheaded in Riyadh on Friday. He supplied amphetamine and hashish, according to a statement issued by the Interior Ministry.

Pakistan court orders first civilian execution in six years

ISLAMABAD: A judge in Pakistan has ordered a murderer to be hanged next week, officials said Friday, in what would be the country’s first civilian execution in six years.
The country has had a de facto moratorium on civilian hangings since 2008. Only one person has been executed since then, a soldier convicted by court martial and hanged in November 2012.
“A judge has passed an order that a murder convict be hanged,” an official at Adiyala Prison in Rawalpindi, the garrison city adjoining Islamabad, told AFP.
“Arrangements for the execution on September 18 are being made,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Shoaib Sarwar was given the death penalty in July 1998 for murdering Awais Nawaz in January 1996. All his appeals in the high court and Supreme Court were rejected, as was a mercy petition to the president, the official said.
Sarwar is currently being held in a jail in the northwestern town of Haripur, some 25 kilometers from Islamabad, but authorities there told AFP they had not yet been informed about the execution.
The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said it was dismayed at the news.
“HRCP wishes to remind the government that the reasons that have caused the stay of executions since 2008 have not changed,” the group said in a statement.
“These include the well-documented deficiencies of the law, flaws in administration of justice and investigation methods and chronic corruption.”
Last June the newly elected government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif scrapped the moratorium in a bid to crack down on criminals and Islamist militants.
But two weeks later it announced a further stay of executions after an outcry from rights groups and the then-president Asif Ali Zardari.
All execution orders in Pakistan must be signed by the president.
European Union officials indicated last year that if Pakistan resumed executions, it could jeopardize a highly prized trade deal with the bloc.
An EU rights delegation warned it would be seen as a “major setback” if Pakistan restarted hangings.
Rights campaign group Amnesty International estimates that Pakistan has more than 8,000 prisoners on death row, most of whom have exhausted the appeals process.

Srinagar ‘in ruins’ after floods

SRINAGAR, India: The main city in Indian-administered Kashmir has “drowned completely” under floodwaters, a senior official said Friday, with the deadly inundation now affecting about two million people in neighboring Pakistan and threatening its all-important cotton industry.
The floods began in Kashmir after heavy monsoon rains and are now progressing downstream through Pakistan, inundating thousands of villages and large areas of important farmland in the country’s breadbasket.
More than 450 people have been killed and Pakistan’s Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said just shy of two million people have been affected by the floodwaters — a figure that includes both those stranded at home and those who fled after the floods hit.
More than 140,000 people have been evacuated from towns and villages around Punjab, Pakistan’s richest and most populous province.
Authorities have made plans to blast holes in strategic dykes to divert the turbid brown floodwaters away from Multan, a city of two million inhabitants and the nerve center of Pakistan’s cotton and textiles industry, a vital export earner.

 

 

This year’s floods in Indian Kashmir are the deadliest in the territory in 50 years and up to 100,000 people are still cut off in the mountainous terrain.
The waters are beginning to recede, revealing the extent of the devastation in Srinagar, the capital of Indian Kashmir.
“Srinagar has drowned completely, it’s unrecognizable. Almost everything is in ruins, it is just unimaginable,” Mehraj-Ud-Din Shah, State Disaster Response Force chief of Kashmir region, told AFP by phone.
He said work was “in full swing” to rescue people.
“But even now, around one lakh (100,000) people are believed to be stranded in different places,” he said.
Srinagar has also been hit by looting, leading some householders to risk their lives and stay with their homes to protect their property.
Jamal Ahmed Dar, who lives close to Srinagar’s Dal Lake, said that his neighbors had already caught two looters red-handed.
“We came across and then caught up with two young men on a boat who we didn’t recognize,” he said.
“When we searched them, we found they had cash and other belongings that they couldn’t account for. We gave them a bit of a slap, took the stuff back off them and then handed it over to the rescue coordinators.”
An AFP correspondent witnessed two men on a raft made out of a plastic water tank trying to break into a house in the upmarket Jawara Nagar neighborhood before they were chased away by locals who pursued them on a flimsy wooden boat.

Overflowing rivers
Pakistan’s Ministry of Water and Power has issued fresh flood warnings for the river Indus at Guddu and Sukkur, downriver from Multan in Sindh province.
The Sukkur area saw some of the worst of the devastating floods of 2010, the worst in Pakistan’s history, when the waters swamped 160,000 square kilometers of land — an area bigger than England — and cost the country nearly $10 billion. Around 1,800 people were killed and 20 million affected.
Analysts have said this year’s floods so far do not appear to be on the same scale, but thousands of people are still facing life in relief camps until the waters recede.
The Pakistani army, which often plays a leading role in disaster relief, said seven of its helicopters were engaged in rescue work around Multan and Jhang, upriver.
Troops have dropped more than 50 tons of rations around Punjab, the military said in a statement, and mobile medical teams are treating those affected by the floods.

3 Israeli soldiers protest ‘abuses’ against Palestinians

JERUSALEM: Forty-three reservists and former members of an elite Israeli army intelligence unit condemned alleged “abuses” against Palestinians in the occupied territories, in an open letter published on Friday.
The letter, addressed to Israel’s prime minister, armed forces chief and head of military intelligence and distributed to media, said information gathered by Unit 8200 was used by civilian intelligence agencies to coerce Palestinians uninvolved in militant activity.
The signatories of the letter said they would refuse to be party to such acts in future.
“There’s no distinction between Palestinians who are, and are not, involved in violence,” an English language copy of the letter says.
“Information that is collected and stored harms innocent people. It is used for political persecution and to create divisions within Palestinian society by recruiting collaborators and driving parts of Palestinian society against itself.”
“We cannot continue to serve this system in good conscience, denying the rights of millions of people,” the 43 soldiers and officers wrote.
The signatories gave just their ranks and first names or first initials.
“Those among us who are reservists, refuse to take part in the state’s actions against Palestinians,” the letter, seen by AFP said.

 

 

“We call for all soldiers serving in the Intelligence Corps, present and future, along with all the citizens of Israel, to speak out against these injustices and to take action to bring them to an end.”
The letter, published less than three weeks after the Israeli military’s fierce military offensive against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, slammed the “collective punishment of inhabitants” of the coastal territory.

2,100 killed
It did not specifically mention the July-August war which took the lives of more than 2,100 Palestinians, most of them civilians, and 73 people on the Israeli side, 67 of them soldiers.
The army on Friday questioned the accuracy and motivation of the protesters’ accusations.
“The Intelligence Corps has no record that the... violations in the letter ever took place,” it said in a statement.
“Immediately turning to the press instead of their officers or relevant authorities is suspicious and raises doubts as to the seriousness of their claim.”
Members of Unit 8200, considered among Israel’s best and brightest, carry out electronic communications monitoring and surveillance, similar to work performed by the US National Security Agency and Britain’s GCHQ.
The unit is one component of the broader military intelligence corps and shares information with Israel’s civilian intelligence agencies.
A former commander of the unit, reserve Brig. Gen. Hanan Gefen, accused the letter’s authors of a grave breach of trust.
“If this is true and if I were the current unit commander, I would put them all on trial and would demand prison sentences for them, and I would remove them from the unit,” he was quoted as saying by Maariv newspaper on Friday.
“They are using information that reached them in the course of their duties to promote their political position.”
One of the signatories, speaking on condition of anonymity, told top-selling Yediot Aharonot newspaper: “I think that all of us who signed the letter did so because we understood that we are unable to sleep well at night.”
Most Israeli men perform three years of compulsory military service after school, and women two years, followed by regular spells of reserve duty for years afterwards.

Nigeria: U.S.$190 Million Frozen in UK and Switzerland in OPL 245 Bribery Case As Eni CEO Is Named As Suspect

press release

Global Witness, Re: Common and Dotun Oloko welcome the freezing of funds as part of the continuing investigation into the deal for the OPL 245 oil block in Nigeria. Italian authorities are investigating the acquisition of the Nigerian oil block OPL 245 for which subsidiaries of Eni and Royal Dutch Shell agreed to pay US$1.1billion in 2011.
Shell and ENI have claimed that they only paid the Nigerian Government. Eni has said in a statement that "Eni continues to deny any illegal conduct" and "Eni is cooperating with the Milan prosecutor's office, and is confident that the correctness of its actions will emerge during the course of the investigation."
The funds frozen today are thought to be held by Malabu and its middleman Energy Venture Partners.
"The freezing of $190m in proceeds from the OPL 245 oil deal is good news for the people of Nigeria many of whom live in poverty despite the country's oil wealth. $1.1bn was diverted from the public purse, this needs to be recovered as well as get to the bottom of the role companies and individuals played in this heist." Said Dotun Oloko, a Nigerian anti-corruption activist.
"This case shows precisely why the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the United States needs to establish a strong transparency rule for provision 1504 of the Dodd Frank Act.
This will require companies to disclose their payments for oil projects so that they don't go missing. Had an operational rule for 1504 been in place in April 2011, when the deal for OPL-245 was concluded, this would have shed crucial light on a process that was conducted hidden away behind closed doors." Said Simon Taylor, Global Witness director.
"The naming of Claudio Descalzi, ENI's new CEO, its outgoing CEO Paolo Scaroni and Roberto Casula its Chief development, operations and technology officer as suspects in the Italian bribery investigation should raise concerns in Italy about ethics standards in state owned companies.
Today's news demonstrates our concerns around Descalzi's controversial appointment and represents a further setback for the Italian government which failed to achieve reform in a vote at the company AGM. Bold action against alleged mismanagement by ENI managers is urgently needed." Said Antonio Tricarico, programme director, Re: Common
CONTACTS:
Barnaby Pace, Oil Team, Global Witness bpace@globalwitness.org +44 7525 592 738
Simon Taylor, Director, Global Witness staylor@globalwitness.org +44 7957 142 121
Antonio Tricarico, Programme Director, Re: Common atricarico@recommon.org , +39 328 84 85 448
INFOGRAHPIC:
'What Nigerians could have done with $1.1bn?' - Available here: http://www.globalwitness.org/shellagm/
NOTES TO EDITOR:
1. Shell and Eni have denied paying money to Malabu. Indeed they did pay the money to the Nigerian government. However court evidence has revealed that Shell and ENI knew that the payment was going to Malabu and had negotiated directly with former oil minister Chief Dan Etete an owner of the company who awarded Malabu the block in 1998 while in office.
2. Global Witness together with Re: Common and Nigerian anti-corruption activist Dotun Oloko has asked for action over these funds in the past and commented on the investigation, please see our previous publications for further details:
Italian authorities raid ENI in fresh investigation into billion dollar Nigerian oil scandal, 4 July 2014 http://www.globalwitness.org/library/italian-authorities-raid-eni-fresh-investigation-billion-dollar-nigerian-oil-scandal
UK Crown Prosecution Service fails to block proceeds of corrupt Nigerian oil deal, 5 June 2014, http://www.globalwitness.org/library/uk-crown-prosecution-service-fails-block-proceeds-corrupt-nigerian-oil-deal
New head of Italian oil giant Eni must explain role in corrupt Nigerian oil deal at AGM, 7 May 2014, http://www.globalwitness.org/library/new-head-italian-oil-giant-eni-must-explain-role-corrupt-nigerian-oil-deal-agm
Corrupt Nigerian oil deal loot to be distributed by UK Court, 25 March 2014, http://www.globalwitness.org/library/corrupt-nigerian-oil-deal-loot-be-distributed-uk-court
3. In the July 2013 UK High Court case of Energy Venture Partners Versus Malabu Oil and Gas, Lady Justice Gloster of the Queen's Bench Division, Commercial Court ruled, "I find as a fact that, from its incorporation and at all material times, Chief Etete had a substantial beneficial interest in Malabu", Approved Judgement, Case 2011 FOLIO-792 17 July 2013.
The Nigerian House of Representatives investigation into the case also found Dan Etete is the 30% owner of Malabu. See also Global Witness, 25 November 2013, "The Scandal of Nigerian Oil Block OPL 245", http://www.globalwitness.org/library/scandal-nigerian-oil-block-opl-245 4. ENI's statement is available at http://www.eni.com/en_IT/media/press-releases/2014/09/2014-09-11-opl-245.shtml?home_2010_en_tab=editorial

BREAKING NEWS: 65 houses razed, scores injured as PDP supporters clash in Benue

ABOUT 65 houses were razed, yesterday, rendering many homeless with others injured as People’s Democratic Party, PDP, supporters clashed in Loko, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.
The latest crisis in Katsina-Ala is coming on the heels of moves by the people of Loko and PDP to recall Mrs Hembadon Amena representing Katsina-Ala West constituency in Benue State House of Assembly over alleged anti-party activities.
Vanguard gathered from an eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, that crisis erupted “when a supporter of the embattled lawmaker, Mr. Shiaondo Ukor, who is chairman of Motorcycle Hirers Association at the Daudu unit, allegedly accosted one Teryange, a commercial motorcycle rider and his employee.
“Ukor asked him to hand over the keys of his motorbike to him on the ground that he (Teryange) disrespected him by joining forces with some people to unseat Mrs. Amena.
“As the two argued to a point of exchanging blows, they attracted the attention of passers-by who joined the fray and the fight escalated.”
According to the source, Mr. Ukor was alleged to have moved with his supporters to the home of the youth leader of Ugber Mr. Aondoaseer Ornguze and razed down his house after beating up his family members.
The source said: “His action sparked a reprisal attack and further escalation of the fighting and burning down of the houses of notable and vocal members of the party in the area.
“The fighting is still on with many persons injured, while over 65 houses have been razed already, as I speak to you.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Superintendent, DSP, Daniel Ezeala, said he had received reports on the razing of thatched houses in the affected area last night, adding that he was still waiting for full details of the crisis.
On her part, Mrs. Amena confirmed the story, saying the trouble was caused by those who wanted to recall her for no just cause.
She said the matter had been reported to the Police in Katsina-Ala and Makurdi.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/55853.html

Why Obasanjo Should Leave Jonathan Alone

The Ex-Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diep-reye Alamieseigha, yesterday spoke on Obasanjo's controversial letter to President Jonathan saying the former President Olusegun Obasanjo should allow President Goodluck Jonathan freely run his administration without interference.

Speaking in Yenagoa, he said though Obasanjo deserves Jonathan’s respect, the president needs the support and encouragement of all Nigerians to run the country successfully.
He said, “No man is infallible, there is no man on this earth that knows everything about governance. Even if  you have tested power severally, one is still bound to make mistakes. Governance is a very complex thing. The office of president if you are not careful only those who want to tell you what you want to hear will have access to you. I cannot say the content of the letter is entirely rubbish as a Nigerian’’.
“You should know that President Jonathan must step on some toes for him to achieve success in the reforms he is embarking upon. He has done certain things that only courageous people can do. The pains for the ultimate realisation of the Nigerian dream can only last for a while’’.
“We must concede that at least Jonathan has achieved some great feats. But those things that he has not done well, he should be encouraged and advised in the right way and with good intention and not staying outside to command him as if the president is your subject that you can just sit anywhere to control. Leadership is like a relay race, Goodluck Jonathan should be allowed to run his race’’, Alamieyesieya maintained.
Meanwhile Alamieyesieya does not agree that Obasanjo’s letter is capable of truncating the ambition of Jonathan for a second term, insisting than Nigeria is bigger than Obasanjo.
“Obasanjo is not Nigeria, he alone cannot tell the citizens what to do. Remember he lost an election in his own village. That is how unpopular he is, even up till today or tomorrow. But Nigerians still voted for him. His disposition cannot significantly affect the electoral fortunes of Jonathan.
“Its God who gives power, if God so desires that Jonathan should continue in office then his aspiration will come to fruition. Jonathan has done much more than any other president has done. Let us support and encourage him instead of trying to pull him down by whipping up sentiments’’, Alamieyeseigha said.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/54987.html

President Jonathan To Contest In 2015 - Tukur Confirms

People's Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Bamanga Tukur has confirmed the interest of President Goodluck Jonathan to seek re-election for the office of president come 2015.

Although the president has not publicly announced his interest to contest in the next presidential election, there had been concerns by opposition parties and some members of the ruling party on the president's interest in seeking re-election claiming Jonathan's body language and political developments across the country reveal his 'real interest'.
As a result Jonathan has had many against him running in 2015 and working towards stopping the president, even some strong members of the ruling PDP including governors had defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), with an aim to wrest power from Jonathan and the ruling party.
Tukur finally declared on Thursday for the first time a local event held in Abuja since the beginning of the crisis rocking the PDP that the Nigerian leader has been chosen as the ruling party's presidential candidate for  2015.
Urging party faithful not to be deterred by the exodus of some of its key members, the ruling party leader maintained that PDP remains insurmountable as the strongest and biggest party in Nigeria and Africa, according to Abuja-based local Leadership Newspaper on Friday.
"Don't be deterred by some people saying they are leaving the party. People leaving the party are individuals, not the party. It does not mean if they leave the party, the party leaves. No, the party remains. PDP is the only party in Nigeria that fields a candidate in every election that is held. Don't be deterred; don't be afraid, you are part of the ruling party," said the party leader who further tasked officials to play their roles wisely in making sure that Jonathan wins the 2015 election.
With this declaration of Jonathan's interest to re-contest in 2015 elections, another round of controversy may however be raised.
Just as the president continues to keep mum on his second term ambition, there seems to be no end in sight to the crisis rocking Nigeria's ruling party for more than six months now
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/54238.html

BREAKING NEWS: Boko Haram Leader, Shekau Responsible For Maiduguri Attacks, Vows To Attack United States Of America

Leader of the Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has today claimed responsibility for the attacks on the Composite Group Air force Base in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital that occurred on 2nd December.

Shekau spoke in a 40 minutes video which was obtained by newsmen through intermediaries spoke in Arabic, Hausa and Kanuri  in which he claimed victory over Nigerian forces and vowed to extend what he described as “Crusade” to the shores of the United States of America.
The Boko Haram terrorists had attacked the 79 Composite Group of the Nigerian Air Force in Maiduguri, destroying five aircrafts and many buildings as well as the 333 Artillery Regiment also in Maiduguri where many buildings and vehicles were destroyed and burnt.
Meanwhile the Nigerian Army had insisted the military troops were able to inflict serious casualties on the terrorists and claimed that 25 insurgents were killed but the Boko Haram leader, Shekau in the new video said he only lost seven of his men but killed “many soldiers”.
Shekau said, "This message is intended as a glad tiding. Allah the Almighty has given us victory in the attack we launched inside Maiduguri (which was) called Borno in ancient times.
"We stormed the city and fought them (and) Allah blessed us with lots of booty. Three of our men carried out suicide bombings, three of our men died from bullets, one of them died from friendly fire and not from your bullet. May Allah accept them as Martyrs and may we attain such honour.
"Useless, stupid America! If you could do anything you would have done it in your country. Vagabond. You are boasting you are going to join forced with Nigeria to crush us, bloody liars. You couldn't crush us when we were carrying sticks. Is it today when we storm your  barracks and commandeered your things one after the other.
"By Allah we will never stop. Don't think we will stop in Maiduguri, tomorrow you will see us in America itself. Our operation is not confined to Nigeria, it is for the whole world,” Shekau said.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/54151.html

Obasanjo's Touching Tribute To Nelson Mandela

Nigeria’s former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has described the late Nelson Mandela as a man who raised the beacon of human struggle to lofty heights of nobility.

Obasanjo, who addressed journalists in his home in Abeokuta on Friday, said Mandela’s life was an example of what people should all aspire for.
“In all situations, he lived nobly and died in nobility. Let us bear in mind that we all have the opportunity to act nobly in whatever position we find ourselves,” he added.
He described Mandela’s death as a monumental loss to all human races and called on all to emulate the life and times of the great leader.
“His demise is a loss to his family who will miss a caring patriarch; the people of South Africa who will miss a guide, Africa who will miss a role model and the world who will miss a leader.
“When we teach our children lessons for tomorrow, let us remember lessons Mandela gave the world in forgiveness and forbearance,’’ Obasanjo said.
Obasanjo, who eulogising Mandela, recalled the times when he was voted to become South-Africa’s post-apartheid president.
“During the first non-racial democratic elections in 1994, I was on election observation assignment in South Africa and was there for his campaign and when he cast his vote.
“He was devoid of bitterness or anger against anybody except the hated apartheid system.
“He went on to win the election and more importantly led South Africa to the extent that the country was able to cast aside its apartheid legacy and take its place in comity of nations.
“Certain that his task was completed, Mandela modestly refused to seek re-election after his first term in office as his presidency elapsed.
“I still recall his pragmatic words when he said to me ‘Olu, show me a place in the world where a man of 80 years is running the affairs of his country.
“This, to me, reflects an unequalled sense of modesty for a man who spent 27 of the prime years of his life in prison for a just cause.
“Yet he still kept a calm and peaceful disposition to those who took away his freedom for all those years of his life,’’ he explained.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/53791.html

"I'm Just A Poor Jobless Pensioner, Would You Hire Me?" - Remembering Mandela's SENSE OF HUMOR

6 December, 2013

Foreign

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Nelson Mandela was many things to many people, but his sense of humor, his dry wit and his remarkable ability to render someone speechless with a well-placed one-liner, is a separate topic worth to be remembered.
He was not the kind of man to fall over in laughter or to guffaw loudly. He did not make silly gaffes, inappropriate innuendos or stupid jokes. Instead, just like the rest of him, his humor was dignified, statesmanlike and perhaps a little old-fashioned.
Some of Mandela's jokes were well-used and a bit cheesy, but that did not detract from their simplicity and effectiveness.
He had a small arsenal of one-liners he used for different people.
If he met a married couple, he demanded to know from the lady, "When did you propose to your husband?"
Of course, for Mandela, with his early 20th century, patriarchal value system, it was hugely amusing to imagine anything as audacious as a woman asking a man to marry her. And of course, his question was always met with nervous, unnaturally loud laughter that broke the ice.
Either way, Mandela won over foes, disarmed critics and charmed the media with his cutesy, gee-whiz humor.
Besides the jokes, he could also lather complete strangers with devastatingly flattering compliments. He often said to those whose lives are not distinguished by public office or marked by accolades, "I am so honored to meet you."
More often than not, he would poke fun at himself with classic comic timing. He would often start off a speech by thanking everyone for coming to listen to "such an old man."
Later, after he stood down after one term as South African president, he won over a group of staid, white South African businessmen by telling them, "Nowadays, I am just a poor pensioner. I am jobless. Maybe you could hire me?"
Self-mockery was a typically savvy Mandela ploy to ensure that people would relax around him.
The cult of Mandela had become so pronounced that celebrities, world leaders and ordinary people often became tongue-tied and gibbering when they met him.
So, joking about his failings or mistakes was just another way of Mandela saying: "Chill! I'm cool. Relax."
Mandela walked with a ramrod gait, straight-backed and stiff. Over the years,many people meet him for the first time, and without exception, they came away from the encounter amazed at how tall and regal-looking he was.

PHOTONEWS: APC In Street Protest Demanding Cancellation Of Anambra Poll

The opposition party All Progressives Congress (APC) has today staged street protests by marching to the headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Maitama District of Abuja.
They are demanding cancellation of the controversial governorship election in the Anambra State that took place November 16. The protesters also submitted a formal petition with their request.
Are you a witness of the event? Send us your pictures! Thank you!

Soldiers have been drafted to the HQ of the INEC as part of a heavy security build-up to stop the march.

Earlier, November 27, the APC leaders announced their intension to march in protest against INEC's plan to hold a supplementary election in Anambra State. The polices, however, rejected the APC's application to organize a protest, citing security reasons.
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/53129.html

BREAKING NEWS: FG Gives ASUU 1 Week Ultimatum To Call Off Strike

Today the Federal Government gave the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), one week ultimatum to call off the lingering lecturers' strike.
The acting Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, stated this while briefing journalists in Abuja.
It was gathered  that the government has also ordered Vice Chancellors of Universities to declare the jobs of the striking lecturers vacant as from Wednesday, December 4.
Wike called the ongoing varsity teachers’ strike as “act of sabotage.”
“The continuation of the strike despite several meetings, especially with President Goodluck Jonathan is an attempt by the union to sabotage all efforts by government to address the issue," he said.
The minister disclosed that government has met all its commitments and obligations with respect to the agreement.
According to his words, government took the decision to reopen the universities following ASUU’s new conditions which are “not tenable. “
His words:

"On November 4, 2013 President Goodluck Jonathan met with ASUU executive, labour union leaders from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), where all the issues were resolved and firm commitments made to address the lingering crisis. “It is noteworthy that Mr. President’s gesture was more than sufficient to guarantee the commitment of government to address all issues raised at the meeting with Mr. President.
"At the end of the meeting, the ASUU team promised to convene a meeting of its National Executive Committee to present the resolutions reached and report back by Friday November 8, 2013. It is unfortunate that while travelling to attend the NEC meeting in Kano, we lost a key member and former President of the union, Prof. Festus Iyayi.
"Government sympathizes with the family of the late Iyayi and ASUU. It is however amazing that three weeks after the meeting with Mr. President, ASUU responded by giving new conditions for suspending the five month old strike. I have never seen anywhere in any country where you sit down with Mr. President.
"That is the highest level of discussion. If you cannot believe Mr. President then who else will you believe?”
“Any academic staff who fails to resume on or before the 4th of December, 2013 automatically ceases to be a staff of the institution
“Vice-Chancellors are also directed to advertise vacancies (internal and external) in their institutions.
“The National Universities Commission is hereby directed to monitor the compliance of these directives by the various institutions.
“The Federal Government has met all its Commitment and obligations with respect to the FG/ASUU 2009 Agreement. We appeal to all stakeholders to appreciate the position of Government which is in the best interest of our dear country.”

United Bank For Africa Appoints Ambassador Joe Keshi As Chairman

United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, the pan- African financial services group is delighted to announce the appointment of Ambassador Joe Keshi as Chairman of the Board. Ambassador Keshi was appointed to the Board of UBA in 2010 and was made Vice Chairman on January 1, 2011.

He has over 35 years working experience at the highest levels of government as a career diplomat, serving as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, The Presidency, Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of Nigeria, The Hague, Netherlands and Consul-General of Nigeria, Atlanta, Georgia.

Ambassador Keshi’s appointment follows the retirement of Chief Israel Ogbue, a member of the UBA Board since 2005 and Chairman since January 1, 2011. “It has been a pleasure serving the Bank. I have worked with a group of men and women who have been responsible for forging an extraordinary transformation in Nigerian and African banking. Ambassador Keshi is an admirable choice to lead the Bank in its next growth phase” said Chief Ogbue.

The Board also appointed Mrs. Rose Ada Okwechime as Vice Chairman. Mrs Okwechime is the Managing Director of the Abbey Building Society Plc and has played a leading role in financial services for over 20 years, including time spent with the Bank of England.

Both appointments are effective November 21, 2013.

Ambassador Keshi speaking on his appointment said “I am touched that my fellow board members have asked me to chair the Board. Chief Ogbue has raised the bar on governance, transparency and business growth. We will sustain the strong governance and risk management structures in place and maintain the momentum of our pan-African growth strategy”.

Phillips Oduoza, UBA’s Chief Executive, speaking on behalf of the executive management said, “We are looking forward to working with the new Chairman and Vice Chairman, even as we will miss the wise counsel and insights of Chief Ogbue. We are privileged to have the combined experience of Ambassador Keshi and Mrs Okwechime, one of the four distinguished women on our board”.

UBA is a leading Pan African financial services Group with presence in 19 African countries, New York, London and Paris. Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, the Group provides banking services to diverse customer groups across Africa.
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Wife Of Late MKO Abiola, Doyin Arrested For Fraud

Former Managing Director of the defunct Concord Newspapers, Dr. Doyin Abiola has been arraigned before the Federal High Court, Lagos, for fraud.

A statement signed by Police Public Relations Officer DSP Ngozi Isintume-Agu said that the Financial Malpractices Investigation Unit (FMIU) of Special Fraud Unit (SFU) said that between 2006 and 2008, as a Director of the Integrated Microfinance Bank, Dr. Abiola granted to herself without collateral and approval from the Management, the sum of N26,611,246.48.
Dr. Abiola, of 42/46 Moshood Abiola Crescent, Ikeja, Lagos, and wife of the late Chief Moshood Abiola, is one of four Managing Directors or Directors of Integrated Microfinance Bank (IMFB) located at 6A Adeniyi Jones Avenue, Ikeja, who were arrested and charged by the SFU.
The others are Akinteye Simon Ademola, Dr. Jerry Orimovuohoma and Oladapo Bello.
The SFU said the four officials of IMFB unauthorized credit facilities to the tune of N327,566,000 to themselves and other related companies without collateral and that the loans are still outstanding.  In the forensic investigation conducted by FMIU of SFU, the Directors were found wanting in the discharge of their duties while on the Board of Integrated Microfinance Bank (IMFB).
Ademola of Plot 7, block 90, Mobolaji Ogunde Crescent, Magodo GRA Phase 2, Lagos converted the sum of N131.176 million to his personal use without approval.
Orimovuohoma of 129B Oba Ladejobi Street, GRA, Ikeja granted unauthorized credit facility to the tune of N29,200,000.00 to himself without collateral.
Bello of 23/25 Ijora Causeway, Ijora, Lagos recklessly granted the sum of N3,200,000.00 to himself without collateral.
“The bank liquidity was greatly affected with the sum the directors took,” the statement said. The case comes up at the Federal High Court on December 10.
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PHOTOS: President Jonathan Arrives From The UK

President Jonathan has returned back from London where he was admitted in a hospital for a stomach related illness.

The president has denied reports that the illness was caused as result of Alcohol from the heavy party thrown to celebrate his 56th birthday.
The president was in London to preside over a 3-day meeting of Nigeria’s Honourary International Investors Council (HIIC). He returned to Nigeria yesterday evening and spoke to the press at the presidential wing of the airport.

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READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/52813.html

ILL HEALTH: Jonathan Postpones Meeting With Rebel Governors

President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday postponed his peace meeting with the seven aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party governors which was earlier scheduled for Sunday.

Jonathan, who arrived the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja from London around 7pm attributed his action to jet lag and “health challenges.”
But The PUNCH however gathered   that pressure from political hawks  made the President, who was in  London  for  the 15th meeting  of Nigeria’s    Honorary International Investors’ Council, to postpone the meeting.
It was learnt in Abuja that the hawks within the PDP,  who insisted that Jonathan should shelve the meeting,    also   wanted   the four suspended  leaders of the New PDP- Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola,  Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, Dr.  Sam Jaja and Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure -  expelled from the ruling party.
Our source said  this could happen on or before Friday this week.
A reliably PDP source told one of our correspondents on Sunday that the need to have an enlarged secret caucus meeting with the President on the modalities to be adopted before taking a final decision on “Oyinlola and others ” was responsible for the President’s decision to shelve the Sunday meeting.
Some of the rebel governors  were said to have  arrived  in Abuja before the postponement  was announced  by Jonathan.
The President  became indisposed and had to be treated for severe abdominal pains while in London .
He had   missed  the opening of the London meeting based on doctors’ advice that he should take some days’ rest.
However, he   gave an indication  to  journalists on his arrival that the meeting with the rebel governors  might hold within the week.
The President said the peace moves would continue since political discussion is a continuous process.
Jonathan said, “I don’t think I will be able to hold any meeting.You know six hours’ flight is quite a distance and also following from my health challenges;  but we will meet.”
When asked specifically on the next meeting date, the President said, “I don’t know. I am just coming in. I believe within the week, we will be able to meet.
“Politics is about discussion. We belong to the same political party. Even people from different political parties engage in political discussion  and  you know political discussion  is a continous process. So we will continue to discuss.”
READ MORE:  http://news.naij.com/52843.html