TheNewsGuru

Author: Peter Tuketu

  • Italian Embassy sends 50 passports monthly to SFU over forged documents

    Italian Embassy sends 50 passports monthly to SFU over forged documents

    TheNewsGuru.com can confirm that the Italian Embassy sends an average of 50 Nigerian Passports with fake documents to Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU) monthly.

    This has prompted the Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Lagos, to express concern over increasing number of Nigerians involved in using fake documents in their attempt to seek Italian visa.

    This is even as two persons who allegedly specialise in forging visa payment slips and fake visa procurement were arrested last Tuesday and Wednesday in Lagos Island.

    Spokesman of the unit, ASP Lawal Audu, admitted that the Italian Embassy, alone, sends an average of 50 Nigerian Passports with fake documents to SFU monthly.

    TheNewsGuru.com can also confirm that before now, Canada used to complain of such high numbers of fake documents. However, it appears that attention seems to have shifted from Canada to Italy now by Nigerians desperate for visas.

    “The Italian Embassy sends to SFU about 50 Nigerian Passports monthly with complaints of forged documents.

    ‘‘We have charged more than 15 persons to court for presenting fake documents between January and May, 2017.
    “Documents the applicants always forged include bank statements, health insurance certificates, invitation letters from Italy, letters of introduction and letter of employment from multinational companies.

    “Italian Consulate normally checks all supporting document for any applicant. They are very meticulous in checking. “We have many passports with such complaints in large numbers.

    “Once any embassy or high commission discovers irregularities in any application, they request the applicant to come to SFU for clearance; many never come to us.

    ‘‘After waiting for some time, we go out to look for such applicants.

    “Many of the applicants use fake names and addresses. Even their mobile phone numbers are with fake names and addresses. Some phone numbers have babies names for registration,” Audu noted.

    The image maker said that a major challenge faced by the unit was difficulty in tracking applicants due to lack of national data for identity.

    The two arrested suspects, Audu also informs, aged 28 and 31 respectively, were arrested after a complain by the American Embassy on the use of fake receipts to seek for their visa.

    “The suspects, who claimed to be working as online appointment agents to the American Embassy, are both single.

    “They allegedly specialise in manipulating visa payment receipts by using Corel Draw application in Microsoft Word to edit payment slip in order to use same for more than one applicant.

    “Trouble started for them when one applicant (name withheld) paid the sum of N60 ,000 into one of the suspects’ Account with GT Bank for appointment/visa fee for his son.

    “The suspect, instead of making payment upon receipt of the money, opted to buy already used payment receipt belonging to another applicant from the second suspect.

    “The first suspect paid N30, 000 to the second suspect who used Corel draw application to manipulate and made booking for their client.

    ‘‘The American Embassy noticed the irregularities and decided to invite the applicant, who then revealed the suspects,’’ Audu said.

    Similarly, a 34-year old single mother, was also arrested for allegedly using forged document to seek for visas to the UK, US and China.

    Audu said that the woman, who had been refused visa to UK twice, allegedly procured fake documents to appear before the American Consulate with Passport No. A0055907 containing fake UK visa and Heathrow’s Immigration stamp.

    “The suspect confessed that she employed the service of one Olawale, a document vendor in Ibadan, to procure fake UK, Chinese visas and departure/arrival stamps, including various African countries on her passport in order to give her previous travel history.

    “Members of the public should desist from patronising visa vendors as it can have adverse effect on their identities, which may affect them in future.

    “All cases are under investigation, suspects will be charged to court soon,”

  • Gov Obaseki aghast at military living condition, to move barracks

    Gov Obaseki aghast at military living condition, to move barracks

    Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has expressed disgust at the appalling living condition of military men at the Ikpoba Hill barracks of the 4 Army Brigade Headquarters, in Benin.

    He has therefore promised to collaborate with the military authorities to relocate the barracks to a more conducive environment.

    Governor Obaseki disclosed this after inspecting the 4 Brigade Ikpoba Hill Barrack in Benin on Sunday.

    The governor, accompanied by the Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Garba expressed displeasure with the dilapidated facilities at the barracks.

    Obaseki said that it was imperative that officers and men of the Army live in an ideal and conducive environment.

    He said that the Army needed better facilities for it to be able to strategise with other security agencies to tackle the insecurity challenges in the country.

    “As you can see this is not an ideal place for military men to live.

    “We are going to work with the Brigade to look at other property and other barracks to see how we can get land to relocate most of these facilities including the schools and health facility.

    “I don’t think it is in the interest of the nation that our Army officers and men live under this condition,’’ he said.

    Obaseki said his administration was currently partnering with some institutions on provision of social housing scheme that would allow Army officers and men live in decent accommodation.

    The governor later proceeded to the Ekewuan barracks of the 4 Brigade where he also inspected facilities and noted that some facilities at Ikpoba barrack would be relocated there.

    Among facilities inspected were the Army Day primary and secondary schools, the Medical Centre, residential quarters and water facilities.

    Obaseki expressed concern over the vandalism of school facilities in the barracks, saying that he would call back the contractors handling rehabilitation in the school as the Brigade Commander had promised to reinforce security.

    The governor condemned the encroachment by neighbouring communities into the barracks’ land, saying that the ministry of Lands, Urban and Regional Planning would be mandated to recover the land for the Army.

    He ordered that structures built around a moat in Orovie community close to the Army barrack be demolished because it was against an existing law.

    Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Garba expressed appreciation and promised to collaborate with the government to achieve the desire goals.

  • Customs Apapa ports rakes in N136billion, intercept banned export products

    Customs Apapa ports rakes in N136billion, intercept banned export products

    THE Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS) says it raked in over N136 billion as revenue from January to May this year just as it frustrated efforts by a syndicate to export various prohibited goods.

    The Customs Area Comptroller, Mr. Mohammed Jubrin, who made these disclosures in Lagos, said the command’s enforcement unit effected a number of detentions which included containers with different items, such as frozen fish, medicaments, pharmaceuticals which were falsely declared and resulted to under payment of customs duties.

    “We have also intercepted and detained some export containers of scrap metal, wet Blue (leather and unprocessed wood) which falls under export prohibition, Mr Jubrin further informed, concluding that “investigations are ongoing and sanctions will be applied in line with extant laws.”

    On the spike in the generated revenue, the Custom boss disclosed that it represents 38.78 percent of N98billion collected within the same period the previous year

    Apart from the revenue generated from import duties, he continued, over N1.8billion was also realized from identified infractions within the period under review.

    Sounding jubilant, Jubrin informed that on resumption of office, he explained to his officers that value addition must be a propelling force for the command’s team.

    “This implies that we all must be committed to adding value that will leave the command progressively better each day.

    “The principle over time has been internalized by officers and men of the command hence an impressive result recorded in the first five months of the year.” He added

    The Custom command’s boss assured prospective exporters of made in Nigeria products and raw materials of his commands determination to facilitate a flawless trade process.

    “I have already held meetings with all the critical agencies and we have rubbed minds on the smooth operations of the Customs examination centre within Apapa port, the system will continue to be perfected as the project progresses with intention to reduce human contact as well as time spent on cargo clearance,” he further informed.

  • FG orders probe of NDDC personnel employment, certificates

    FG orders probe of NDDC personnel employment, certificates

    The Federal Government has ordered investigation into educational qualification of members of staff of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Uguru Usani gave the directive when he visited the commission on Friday in Port Harcourt.

    He expressed optimism the investigation would expose ghost workers and staff members, who gained employment in the commission with forged certificates.

    According to him, the Federal Government was committed to purge the commission of sleazy practices with focus to fast track development of the Niger Delta.

    “We have observed that there are several people working in NDDC with forged certificates, which is partly responsible for the bad image of the commission.

    “Directors of the various departments in the commission are expected to submit the nominal roll of their respective departments to the NDDC Managing Director, Nsima Ekere, within one week.

    “We will not tolerate any delay to this directive and as such, failure to submit the nominal roll on or before one week would lead to sanction.

    “Any departmental head who signed for a ghost worker would face the music,” he said.

    Usani, who was accompanied by the House Committee Chairman on the NDDC, Mr Nicholas Mutu, warned against political interference in the process.

    He said, henceforth, political interference in the running of the commission would be resisted and assured that Federal Government was committed to “governance without partisanship.”

    Mr Nsima Ekere, the Managing Director of NDDC, said the commission would partner the Ministry of Niger Delta, its supervising ministry, to complete construction of the East-West road project.

    He said the road project, which cut across six states in the Niger Delta, would cost in excess of N70 billion to complete.

    “The strategy will be to harness private sector collaboration to complete the road project. The portions that have totally collapsed will be addressed immediately.

    “We will involve multiple contractors, especially the Eleme-Refinery Junction road, which is a strategic link to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

    “The East-West road is also strategic because it connects Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states,” he said.

    Ekere said the commission had deployed a technology designed to monitor project with focus to reduce incidences of abandoned projects in the area.

    He said the technology would enable the commission to monitor project sites and record progress of work in real time.

    “With this technology, contractors will longer lie to us that they are on site when the work is not going on,” he said.

  • Lamina, suspected notorious land grabbing kingpin, others arraigned in Lagos

    … Suspects Remanded In Badagry Prison

     

    Chief Kamorudeen Lamina, the alleged notorious land grabbing kingpin in Lagos had his day in Court today as he was arraigned, along with his collaborators, before a Special Offences Court sitting in Oshodi over alleged forceful dispossession of residents from their legitimate rights to land ownership.

    The Lagos State Government arraigned the suspected, notorious land grabber, Lamina, popularly known as Sir K, alongside six others on a six-count charge at the Special Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force set up by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s administration.

    Lamina and his gang were said to have been terrorising the people of Ikorodu area of the State for some time before he was arrested on Thursday.

    Others arraigned alongside him are Mr Omotola Ogunsanmi, Mr Samson Shobule (A.K.A Samson Salau), Biliaminu Orega (A.K.A Biliaminu Salau), Alhaji Jimoh Aromasodu, Alhaji Wasiu Orenuga and Alhaji Nurudeen Kasali.

    In counts one and two, Lamina, was said to have sometime in February 2017 in Mowo Kekere area of Ikorodu Local Government, allegedly took over one plot of land forcefully which was sold to one Mrs Ebere Okafor by Ifegbuwa family contrary to Section 2 (1) of the Lagos State Properties Protection Law 2016.

    The action was allegedly carried out by Lamina despite the fact that the sale of the land had been ratified with proof of payment.

    In count three, Lamina was accused of forcefully taking over and remaining in possession of 200 plots of land in Mowo Kekere belonging to Planet Properties Ltd contrary to Section 2 (2) of the same law, while in count five, the defendants were said to have fraudulently sold 60 hectares of land which had been previously sold by the rightful owner contrary to Section 8 (1) (b) of the law.

    The fraudulent sale, which was allegedly carried out in January 2017, was perfected by the defendants fraudulently claiming to be the descendants of Ifegbuwa family.

    In count six, the defendants were accused of fraudulently selling 25 hectares of land to third parties without any lawful right to do so, an offence punishable under the law.

    After the charges were read to them, they all pleaded not guilty, while their lawyers, Mr E Obatayo and B.O Abdusalam applied to the court to grant them bail in most liberal terms.

    The lawyers argued that the offences for which their clients were charged are bailable, and that they were ready to defend the case.

    The prosecutor, Ms Mosunmola Balogun from the Lagos State Ministry of Justice did not oppose the bail application but urged the court to impose conditions which would make the defendants available for trial

    In his ruling, Magistrate Lateef Owolabi granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N1million and two sureties in like sum.

    One of the sureties must be a land owner in Lagos, while the other must be a civil servant not below grade level 15. The sureties must have three years tax clearance and registration with Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA).

    The Magistrate also ordered the defendants to deposit N150,000 each with the court, while they are to be remanded in Badagry Prison pending when they are able to meet the bail conditions.

    The matter has been adjourned to July 13.

    Speaking to journalists at the end of the proceedings, Chairman of the Lagos State Anti-Land Grabbing Task Force, Mr. Jide Bakare said the administration of Governor Ambode, through the arraignment, was sending a strong message to others still involved in the act of forceful dispossession of property it would no longer be business as usual.

  • Marine pilots raise alarm over collapsed Escravos breakwaters

    • Petition Buhari, NIMASA

    THE Escravos Marine Pilots have raised a save our soul alarm over the damaged breakwaters in the Escravos channel leading to the Warri port.

    They have petitioned the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) to come their aid urgently.

    The collapsed breakwaters, according to the pilots have drastically affected the vessels traffic in the Warri port area.

    A breakwater is the sea gate to a port, built to prevent sand from entering the dredged channel.

    The marine pilots in their petition to President Muhammadu Buhari, complained that despite several letters to the relevant authorities with a view to rehabilitating the channel facility, nothing has been done. This has consequently led to the Warri port recording poor ship operations.

    The pilots described the damaged breakwaters as a hydrographical and technical error which has led to the facility been submerged thereby impacting negatively the operations of multi-national firms in that axis.

    According to the pilots, if the breakwaters were rehabilitated, the Nigerian economy will receive a boost as ships coming the Ekpan refinery, Delta Steel Company, Flourmills and Julius Berger construction firms will have easy access to the port.

    To them, “rebuilding, rehabilitating the Escravos Submerged Breakwaters will boost, and contribute to the Nigerian economy as more ships will come into the port with more tonnage of cargoes”.

    They suggested that the length of the mole at sea for the proposed re-construction of the breakwaters should not be less than 0.5miles, while the length of the main mole from sea to inshore should be 3.1miles.

    The also want the length of the shore protection along the shorelines to be increased to 4.5 miles.

    Officials of the Nigerian Ports Authority approached for comments kept sealed lips but a source that spoke anonymously hinted that the cost of the re-construction of the Esravos breakwaters was included in the 2017 budget.

    The process of finding out why the breakwaters collapsed took time and hence the delay. Apart from that test designed to fortify the one that will be constructed also took time, hence the delay in budgeting for the rehabilitation of the breakwaters.

  • Royal Exchange grows Written Premium to N12.5BN in 2016

    Royal Exchange Plc has announced a gross premium of N12.5 billion from its business activities for year 2016, representing an increase of 16 percent over the figure of 2015, which stood at N10.8billion

    It also announced it made a Net Premium Income of N8.2Billion, a minimal growth over that of Year 2015, which stood at N8.1Billion. Underwriting profit, it said, witnessed a 19 percent spike from N1.6billion in 2015 to N1.9billion in the financial year under review.

    Group Managing Director, Royal Exchange Plc, Alhaji Auwalu Muktari, who made this known following the release of the financial results on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), recently.

    A detailed analysis of the operating results showed that the Total Assets of the group witnessed a growth of 20 percent, from N26.5 billion in 2015 to N31.7billion as at December 31, 2016.

    Net claims paid for the period under review amounted to N3.6billion, an increase of 20 percent from 2015, which was N3.0billon. Net Income before management expenses grew by 13 percent to N2.7billion, up from N2.4billion in 2015

    The Group Managing Director of the company, Alhaji Auwalu Muktari, informed that despite the very harsh operating environment in the year under review, the group was able to grow its top-line figures by participating in large-ticket financial transactions, as well as playing in the retail insurance market, which shall be a key growth driver in the years ahead.

    According to Muktari, “Royal Exchange Plc envisions a situation where the retail insurance market should be able to contribute between 50-60 percent of our revenues in the future, as the retail market is the future of insurance in Nigeria, considering the population of the country.”

  • Tax default: Federal Inland Revenue Service seals Warri hotels, firms

    WARRI – Warri, the oil city had a taste of the seriousness of the determination of the Federal Inland Revenue Service when its officials swopped on the town and sealed a number of firms including hotels.

    For guests and management of Golden Tulip, Warri Airports Hotels, Effurun, it was a massive show of embarrassment Uvwie as the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, on Tuesday evening sealed the hotel for tax liabilities.

    The team which went around Warri and Effurun to seal defaulting companies showed early sign of seriousness when they sealed Kevwe Construction Company, Okwokoko, for N84.4 million VAT default but granted Ishaka Hotels and Tebelos Hotels, both along Refinery Road, Effurun, a day grace based on their undertaking to resolve their liabilities.

    Led by Anita Erine, the tax body’s enforcement team showed no mercy, and brooked no intervention from any quarters as they insisted that defaulting firms, especially Golden Tulip hotel which has accumulated Value Added Tax liabilities of over N15.6Million through 2014 to 2016 years of assessment must pay or show evidence that they have paid before any discussions could take place.

    According to Ms Erine: “The chairman of FIRS, Dr. Babatunde Fowler, has signed a warrant of distraint to seal this company (Golden Tulip) and the only way we can do otherwise is for you to pay up what you owe or show proof that you have paid.”

    Efforts by one of the management staff on ground to explain that the hotel has not been in operation from the said assessment period proved abortive as the enforcement team insisted on documentary proof.

    The FIRS team also rejected appeal by the hotel staff that she should speak to the owner, a former minister and Delta politician. The enforcement team leader repeatedly insisted, “Sorry, we are not allowed to speak to people on phone. If you have no proof of payment, we are sealing you.”

    The encounter got to a climax after nearly an hour of exchange as the FIRS team, aided by mobile policemen went round the hotel rooms, alerting guests and staff to vacate the premises before placing its seals on the entrances and its gates chained under lock and key.

  • Okowa thanks Uvwie people, wants rampaging herdsmen checked

    Okowa thanks Uvwie people, wants rampaging herdsmen checked

    WARRI – GOVERNOR Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has thanked the Uvwie local people for maintaining the existing peace, promising to extend more development to them if they continue to sustain the peace.
    The governor also called on the federal government to urgently do something about rampaging herdsmen who are killing and maiming citizens of Delta and other states of the country at will.
    The governor who said yesterday noted that the menace of herdsmen will continue to be a challenging stress on state governments unless federal government comes up with appropriate laws to nip it in the bud.
    Speaking, in continuati0n of his tour of local government areas of the state, at a town hall meeting in Uvwie local government area at the Petroleum Training Institute, Conference Centre, Effurun, Governor Okowa wondered why some group of persons, from a section of the country, are free to carry AK 47 rifles to kill with impunity while others are not allowed.
    “We are aware that the National House of Assembly is doing it’s best, but we know that this has gone beyond legislation. We have lived with herdsmen before but what we are experiencing today is not what we used to see in past and we are very worried about it.
    “The legislation we are trying to put in place will soon come. But I will let you that we do not have a strong policy because federal government needs to find appropriate strategies as they have full control of the security agencies. We are trying our best to work with them but there are limits
    “However, there are some of these herdsmen who are very good. They identify themselves with the community they reside in and they have been very peaceful. The problem we have is with the ones carrying arms.
    “They use these arms to not only destroy our crops but also use them to engage in other crimes. We have been working with the Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to tackle the issue”
    On salaries arrears owed local government workers, the governor restated that his administration was not owing local council workers, since it was not the responsibility of states to pay local government staff.
    “I have sworn to continue to speak the truth to our people. We have the federal, state and local council areas. I will help when there is money but when local government workers begin to think that their salaries come from the state, that is not true. The only thing that connects us is the money that comes from the federal allocation. It is called Federal Allocation Accounts, FAAC, meeting.
    “In that meeting the money that comes to the state and the one that comes to local government is also defined. And what we do as a state government is to provide ten percent of our internally generated funds to the local governments.”
    On cultism being experienced in the Primary and secondary schools, governor Okowa blamed it on family and society, noting that parents have failed in their responsibilities to take care of their children.
    Present at the town hall meeting were Okowa’s deputy, Kingsley Otuaro, Speaker of the state, Sheriff Oborevwori, Secretary to the State Government, Ovie Festus Agas among others.
  • Edo embarks on urgent repairs of facilities at College of Education Ekiadolor

    Edo embarks on urgent repairs of facilities at College of Education Ekiadolor

    Edo state government is to carry out urgent repairs of the facilities at the state owned College of Education as part of its efforts to equip teachers to adapt to a new technology based curriculum the state intends to introduce in the next academic session.

    Edo state governor, Godwin Obaseki, disclosed this on Thursday when he inspected facilities at the Abudu campus of the College of Education, Ekiadolor, in Orhiomwon Local Government Area of the state.

    Obaseki said that his administration was seeking to change the school’s curriculum to a technology-based one which would allow the use of tablets and computers as teaching and learning tools.

    The governor , however, expressed dissatisfaction with the dilapidated state of the school facilities which would serve as a training centre for the teachers.

    He said the government would carry out quick repairs on some of the structures to accommodate teachers coming for their training soon.

    Obaseki described the school as one of the greatest assets of the state, saying it had been instrumental to the success recorded in the education sector in the past.

    The governor said it was sad that despite the huge investment in the school over the past decades, it had degenerated to a sorry state.

    He said that the school would be given proper attention, especially as the state was preparing to embrace vocational education.

    Interim Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education, Malam Ali Sulaiman, in his welcome address urged communities to take ownership of government assets in their domains to prevent deterioration.

    Also speaking, Prof. Edu Akenzua, the Enogie of Evbuonosa, where the school is located, said the community was happy with government’s drive to revamp the education sector.

    He said that the community would play its part in the protection and management of the school’s facilities.