The African Action Congress, AAC, has demanded that Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River discloses full details of how he spent N8bn the state received from the federal government of Nigeria in the last three months.

Agba Jalingo, Cross River State Chairman of ÀAC, in a statement on Friday, decried Governor Ayade’s perceived silence on how the money was disbursed and his refusal to give details on how the money was spent.

Jalingo stated that his party discovered that over N3bn was allocated to the state as the last tranche of Paris Refund as well as N5.4bn as Value Added Tax for the years 2015 – 2018, totalling over N8bn, which accrued to the State between March and May 2019.

He demanded that Ayade should prove his accountability and judicious application of public resources in Nigeria by confirming that the state received the fund.

“We demand Mr. Ayade to tell Cross Riverians what he intends to do with the said funds which total over NGN8Billion as we do not want to shave his head in his absence by taking in, hook, line and sinker, reports that he has ‘already spent’ such huge amounts barely eight days into his second term,” Jalingo added.

He demanded that Ayade provide the full details of how the state spent the Paris Refund it has received while stating that Cross River has moved from the era governors and office holders spend money without any record of the spending.

“It is worrisome the way in which Governor Ayade has handled the Paris Refund since inception till now with almost no statistics and indices made available to the public as one will logically expect from an administration that floats the principle of ‘politics with ethics’.

“As a party, we wish to note that Cross River has moved from being a State where budgets and spending, generated revenues, cash inflows and outflows, are hidden and when made available years after their cycles have elapsed, remain sketchy and devoid of details. This trend must stop!” He said.

By Joe Odje

The Delta State Government has said some major roads in the State Capital, Asaba would be closed on May 29 for inauguration of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa for second tenure.

The Dune Newspaper reports Secretary to the State Government, Festus Ovie Agas made this known in a statement while also stressing arrangements have been put in place to beef up security on inauguration day.

According to the statement, the information was necessary as part of efforts towards ensuring the convenience of road users on Wednesday.

The State Traffic Management Authority (DESTMA) has directed the closure of two points along Nnebisi road, namely, Konwea Plaza/AGGS junction; and Slot/Ibusa Road junction from 7 am on the day of the ceremony.

“Accordingly, traffic will be diverted to alternative routes as follows;

“Motorists coming from Inter-Bau round about, old Anwai Road and FMC round about to link Ibusa Road, shall be diverted through Kanene Azinge Street by Konwea.

“Motorists from Cable Road and Denis Osadebey Way heading to Anwai, Summit Road and Okpanam Road should go through Ezenei Avenue to link Benin Asaba Express Way and turn onto Summit Road.

“Motorists coming from Ogbeogonogo Modern Market shall be diverted left through Ibusa Road and Ilukwu Inalu Street.

“Furthermore, St Patrick’s College, AGGS and the Arcade have been designated as parking areas. It should be noted that DESTMA, FRSC, Traffic Police and other Security Personnels shall be positioned at strategic points and junctions to control and manage traffic in order to reduce travel time, congestions and delays.

“Motorists and commercial vehicles are enjoined to comply with these directives as government regrets any inconveniences resulting from them,” the statement read.

Governor Okowa will be sworn in for his second tenure at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.

By Admin

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) is seeking an agreement between Nigeria and neighbouring West African countries to end the practice of Nigerian girls being used as sex slaves in Mali.

At a presentation to the ECOWAS Parliament during its First Ordinary Session on Saturday, NAPTIP Director-General Julie Okah-Donli told members of parliament that Nigerian girls were being sold for between N210,000 and N240,000 to work as prostitutes.

Presenting the report of the fact-finding mission to Mali, Okah-Donli said that after being sold, the girls were made to pay back between N1.08 million and N1.2 million, usually within eight months, to their madams.

She said that after gaining their freedom from their madams, the girls would then go into business, making money for themselves through prostitution before graduating to madams of their own.

“There are more than one million Nigerians residing in Mali. About 20,000 of these Nigerians are girls believed to be victims of trafficking and the number increases by 50 per day.

“Many victims are deceived to leave their livelihoods in Nigeria for greener pastures in Mali.

“Some of the victims are abducted from Nigeria, including those that arrive in school uniforms.

“On arrival at the border town between Burkina Faso and Mali, many of the girls are sold off for CFA 350,000 to 400,000; their new owners then make them pay back about CFA 1.6 million to CFA 2 million with one CFA being 0.6 Naira,” she said.

Okah-Donli said that as part of efforts to curb the trend, the mission recommended among other things, that Nigeria should develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin Republic, Guinea and Senegal.

The mission further recommended that all motor-parks through which the girls were trafficked should be sanitised and efforts made to stop extortion of Nigerians travelling to or through the aforementioned countries, she said.

“There is need for comprehensive sensitisation of rescued victims before repatriation and a comprehensive blueprint worked out for tracing, empowerment and rehabilitation of victims,” Okah-Donli said.

She said NAPTIP was ready to give technical support to Mali if it sought to establish an anti-human trafficking agency.

For the ECOWAS Parliament, the mission recommended that the protocol on Free Movement of persons and goods be properly implemented such that other nationals are not harassed in other ECOWAS countries, the Director-General said.

Throwing more light on the findings of the mission, Okah-Donli said that efforts to repatriate girls were usually foiled through the complicity of Malian security forces, coupled with the willingness of many girls to return to the ‘sex-for-gold’ trade.

She said that there were some of the girls who were trafficked to the northern parts of Mali where they not only offered sex but were radicalized.

She said that many of the victims who were rescued in 2011 and some others in 2017, came back to Nigeria only to return with more girls.

The Director-General further said some of the sex slaves were made to sleep with numerous men without protection while also being made to pay huge taxes by the complicit Malian authorities.

She raised the alarm that there was now a growing possibility of xenophobic attacks as Malian women were already grumbling that Nigerians were taking their men.

“The Malian authorities collect taxes from the victims on a weekly basis and sell condoms and other medications compulsorily to their victims every month.

“Malian women are already grumbling that Nigerian girls are taking their men, and there are fears of imminent xenophobic attacks.

“Three Nigerian girls were killed between November and December 2018,’’ Okah-Donli said.

She said that efforts to stop the trade at the borders had not been successful.

The Nigerian Army has denied media reports that 25 soldiers were killed in an attack coordinated by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno.

According to Punch News Today Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sagir Musa, made the denial in a Short Message (SMS) sent to the News Agency of Nigeria in Maiduguri on Sunday.

Some reports claimed 25 soldiers were killed on Saturday when the insurgents attacked a military convoy evacuating civilians on Damboa-Biu Road.

“Contrary to rumour and fake news circulating, there was no attack on any of our troops’ locations at Sabon Gari or any other locations in Borno State.

“I have spoken with the Special Force Commander in Damboa and he confirmed to me that there was nothing of such in Damboa or any of his locations as at Friday) and Saturday,” he said.

By Admin

LAGOS – THE police in Lagos State have arrested two suspected cultists, Balogun Oluwadamilare, 24 and Badmus Idris, 23, at the matriculation ceremony at Yaba College of Technology.

The Command’ Spokesperson, DSP Bala Elkana, said in a statement that the suspects were arrested with one Berretta pistol, four live ammunition and three expended cartridges.

“On May 21, at 4.00 p.m., Sabo Police Station received a distress call that a group of armed hoodlums suspected to be cultists were sighted at Yaba College of Technology during the College Matriculation ceremony.

“Teams of Policemen from the station and Tactical Units of the command were promptly drafted to the scene to reinforce the campus patrol team.

“Two suspects were arrested. One Beretta Pistol with four live ammunition and three expended cartridges were recovered from the suspects.

“Investigation is ongoing and the suspects will be charged to court,” he said.

The weekend also witnessed a massive onslaught on traffic robbery suspects in Lagos State during which the surveillance patrol strategy introduced by CP Zubairu Muazu, targeted towards tackling the menace of traffic robbery in the state, arrested over 10 robbery suspects with various firearms and ammunition.

“On May 24, at about 5:30 p.m., surveillance patrol team from Ketu Police Station foiled a robbery attempt at Kosofe Bus Stop.

The leader of the gang, popularly known as Gabazine and two other members of the gang, were arrested. One Samsung phone, snatched from a victim, was recovered and handed over to the owner.

“On May 25, the same surveillance team on undercover operation at the same spot, arrested two traffic robbery suspects attempting to rob some unsuspecting road users.

Two Knives and a toy pistol were recovered.

“On the same date at 12 a.m., surveillance patrol team deployed to Ketu Bus Stop, arrested two traffic robbery suspects: Ayomide Ayobami and Taye Onofowokan, both living at Agboyi Ketu.

“One pistol with three live ammunition and a jack knife were recovered from them.

“On the same date at 1 p.m., surveillance patrol team attached to FESTAC Police Station arrested one Bamidele Ogunbanjo, 30, of Prayer Estate, Amuwo Odofin.

“One locally- made pistol with one live ammunition were recovered.

“Investigation is ongoing and all the suspects will be charged to court,” the PPRO added.