EMERGENCY RULE: BOKO HARAM MILITANTS FLOOD GOMBE, BAUCHI

Following the declaration of a state of emergency in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states, some members of the fundamentalist Boko Haram sect have started fleeing to neighbouring Gombe, Bauchi and Jigawa states, SUNDAY PUNCH authoritatively reports.

On Thursday, members of the sect attacked two police stations and four banks in Daura, Katsina State.

It was the first time the sect was carrying out attacks in Katsina.

President Goodluck Jonathan placed the three states under emergency rule following unabated bloodbath and bomb attacks which have left hundreds of people and security officials dead.

I GAVE OBASANJO N100M FOR 1999 ELECTIONS –KALU

Former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, has said he gave  ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo N100m to run his campaign in 1999.

He said he gave another N100m to the Peoples Democratic Party prior to the 1999 elections.

The former governor said this as ‘Guest of the Week’ on a Kaduna-based Liberty FM radio programme on Saturday.

He said, “I made millions before joining politics. I was doing business between Maiduguri and the East. I carried fish from Maiduguri to the East and palm oil from the East to Maiduguri. So, I had money and invested so much in the PDP.

JONATHAN TO NDIGBO: YOU’RE MY STRONGEST SUPPORT BASE

South East political leaders on Saturday said they were fully in support of President Goodluck Jonathan on his declaration of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, three states worst hit by Boko Haraminsurgency.

They spoke as Jonathan told the Igbo that they are the strongest support base of his administration.

Chairman of South-East Governors and Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, made this position known in a town hall meeting between President Jonathan and South-East political leaders at Enugu State Governors lodge.

The town hall meeting was held shortly after the president performed the foundation laying ceremony of the New International Terminal and the commissioning of the re-modeled Terminal of Akanu Ibiam International Airport Enugu.

ACHEBE AND I ARE NOT FATHERS OF AFRICAN LITERATURE — SOYINKA

In a wide-ranging interview with SaharaReporters, Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka paid tribute to Chinua Achebe, who died on March 21, 2013 at 82. Soyinka, who won the 1986 Nobel Prize for literature, also spoke on his personal relationship with Achebe and other Nigerian writers; his regrets about Achebe’s last book, There Was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra; and his attempt to talk the late Biafran leader, Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, out of fighting a war

Do you recall where or how you first learned about the death of Professor Chinua Achebe? And what was your first reaction?

RIVERS CRISIS :SEKIBO, OMEHIA, AWUSE, OTHERS PLAN PDP RETURN

The noose around the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, is being tightened every minute as it emerged during the week that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership had concluded plans to re-admit into its fold, the likes of the former 2011 governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state, Dr. Abiye Sekibo and few others who left the party for political reasons.

Apart from Sekibo, also likely to return to the PDP include the former six-month governor of the state and governorship candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Sir Celestine Omehia, and one time Rivers State All Peoples Party (APP) governorship candidate, Sergeant Awuse.

Sunday Independent got it on good authority that they are to return to the PDP’s fold any moment from now.

NIGERIA IS HIGHEST IMPORTER OF BULLET PROOF VEHICLES

Nigeria has overtaken Iraq, Afghanistan and Latin American countries as the world’s biggest importer of bullet proof (armoured) vehicles.

It is estimated that about 30 percent of customers for armoured vehicles worldwide come from Nigeria.

In the last few years, manufacturers of armoured vehicles have exported an estimated 800 to 900 units to Nigeria at the cost of more than N60 billion.

This was made known to journalists during the launch of the Land Rover Defender (AVM) recently in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

JUSTICE SALAMI MAY BE ASKED TO GO ON TERMINAL LEAVE –INVESTIGATION

There are strong indications that the National Judicial Council (NJC),may ask the suspended President of the Court of Appeal (PCA),Justice Ayo Isa Salami,to proceed on terminal leave in July.

The development, according to a highly-placed source, is without prejudice to the suspended PCA’s pending suit,before a Federal High court sitting in Abuja.

By virtue of public service rule, which also applies to the judicial service, a public office holder, must proceed on pre-retirement leave three months to their date of retirement.

Sunday Mirror’s investigation from the NJC showed that the embattled PCA will be due for retirement in October, when he would have clocked the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

BOKO HARAM: MILITARY POUNDS INSURGENTS, MOVES TO REINFORCE TROOPS

•JTF captures 65, takes over camps  •24-hour curfew in parts of Maiduguri

•Northern governors ask army to play by the rules

As the troops deployed to enforce the emergency rule declared in some states in the North-east pounded Boko Haram strongholds, the Defence Headquarters said last night that the insurgents were in complete disarray and on the run.

THISDAY has, however, learnt that the military is considering bringing back Nigeria’s troops from Liberia to join efforts in stamping out the Boko Haram insurgency.

The military is said to be preparing for a prolonged war with the insurgents and as such is reviewing the Nigerian troops’ commitment all over the world with a view to bringing those who have accomplished their tasks back home to strengthen internal security.

AT LAST, JULIUS BERGER, 7 OTHERS SUBMIT BIDS FOR LAGOS-IBADAN ROAD CONTRACT

*As FG’s indebtedness to local contractors Hit N200 billion

Indications were rife at the weekend that the Federal Government is now set to begin the much-waited reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway as eight construction firms including Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and RCC Nigeria Limited submitted bids for the tender opened for the project two weeks ago.

Also last week, figures emanating from construction industry showed that the Federal Government’s indebtedness to local contractors has hit N200 billion.

The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Works, had drafted two construction firms-Julius Berger and RCC to the road for repair works after the three-year-old concessionary agreement on the reconstruction of the road awarded to Bi-Courtney Highway Services was revoked last year.

FRANCE LEGALISES GAY MARRIAGE

FRANCE’S president has signed into law a controversial bill making the country the ninth in Europe, and 14th globally, to legalise gay marriage.

Last Friday, the Constitutional Council rejected a challenge by the right-wing opposition, clearing the way for Francois Hollande to sign the bill, BBC reports.

He said: “I have taken [the decision]; now it is time to respect the law of the Republic.”
The first gay wedding could be held 10 days after the bill’s signing.

But Parliamentary Relations Minister Alain Vidalies told French TV he expected the first ceremonies to take place “before July 1″.

HOW CLUB GIRL DELIVERED ME TO KIDNAPPERS –BUSINESSMAN

Justice Olabisi Akinlade of a Lagos High Court in Ikeja yesterday heard how  Esther Phillips, girlfriend  of a businessman, Ayodele Olaoye, conspired with others to kidnap him and collect N5 million ransom from his parents. 

Olaoye, 28, gave his evidence before the court while testifying at the commencement of the trial of seven suspected kidnappers charged to court by the Lagos State Government. 

Others charged with Phillips are Patricia Nna, Kingsley Okonwa, Osita Adigwe, Uzochukwu Ezioha, Jude Sunday and Michael Olarenwaju.