Ibori released, re-arrested in London after completing jail term

– Ex-governor released after completing initial jail term
– Re-arrested to face fresh charges
– New location unknown as at press time
James Ibori, the former Delta state governor, has been rearrested in the United Kingdom after initially regaining freedom from a London prison.

The former Delta state governor has been released and rearrested after completing his jail term in a London hospital.

The ex-governor, who reportedly completed his prison terms in the United Kingdom bagged a 13-year in April 2012 by a Southwark Crown court in London and was released by prison authorities on January 22.
He finished his prison term at Her Majesty’s Prison in Bedford, outside of London, after initially being held at the Long Lartin Prison in Worcestershire.

According to PM News, a prison source at Bedford confirmed on Tuesday night that, “He is out of here.” but his new destination is yet to be confirmed.

Ibori was reportedly re-arrested to face another charge which borders on the confiscation of his ill-gotten assets, estimated to be about 250 million pounds as sources confirmed that the case initially billed for May, will now come up in June.

Ibori, 57, had been jailed for using UK financial institutions to misappropriate hundreds of millions of pound sterling he stole from public funds in Delta state and his journey to jail began with his arrest on May 13, 2010 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

He was nabbed under Interpol arrest warrants issued from United Kingdom courts and enacted by the Metropolitan Police.

Ibori also recently reacted to claims by Abubakar Malami, Nigeria’s minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation (AGF) that the federal government will soon recover £6.9 million stolen funds frittered away by him.

In a statement issued on his behalf by Tony Eluemunr, his media aide, Ibori said:“There is no Ibori loot anywhere in the world. Such money, whether in British pounds, American dollars or the Nigerian naira just does not exist. This is because the Ibori London trial is not yet over.

“It is an incontrovertible fact that the confiscation hearing has not started at all, and remains months away into the future.”

Policemen fighting Boko Haram Cry out over non Payment of Salary

– Policemen fighting Boko Haram lament non-payment
– Police IGP said they are holding discussions with the governors of the north-eastern states

Policemen fighting Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east region, especially in Borno state said the state governments have not paid their allowances.

Some police officers serving in Borno state lamented that they have not been paid for about three months, The Punch reports.

Others who had just concluded their tour of duty alleged that they were under-paid.

One of the policemen who felt shortchanged complained: “Before now, policemen on counter-insurgency operations in Borno State were paid N30,000, but this was later reduced to N15,000 due to the economic situation. Our set was paid N7,000 instead of N15,000 and we don’t know if this was done by the state government or by the police command.”

Another police officer who just got back from the battle front after spending three months fighting the insurgents said he and his colleagues were not paid, but were asked to hold on by the police authorities.
“We were not paid a dime, we were simply informed that the allowances have not been paid by the state government. I don’t know why the police were treated this way, because I am sure they would not ask members of the armed forces to be patient,” the police officer said.

However, Solomon Arase, the inspector-general of police admitted that the policemen had complained to his office about the non-payment of their allowances for about four months.

He noted that the police high command was holding discussions with the governors of the north-eastern states over the non-payment of allowances to police officers on counter-insurgency operations.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military recently recorded success in the fight against Boko Haram in Borno state. The troops killed 50 insurgents while rescuing 500 people in an operation around Mafa, Dikwa and Kala areas.

Naira slides further, exchanges at N307 to 1 Dollar 

The Naira on Wednesday depreciated by 0.7 per cent at the parallel market, following the last minute payment of tuition fees abroad. The naira lost N2 to exchange at N307 to a dollar against N305 traded on Tuesday.

The Naira had relatively remained stable in the past weeks. However, the naira closed at N197 to a dollar at the CBN’s official rate. Traders at the market expressed optimism that the proposed intervention of the apex bank by selling foreign exchange to the commercial banks would shore up the naira.

Some parents, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that it was stressful sourcing dollars to pay school fees of their children abroad. They urged the Federal Government to ensure easy access to dollars for legitimate needs.

SHOCKING! How our helicopter landed on water – Bristow Helicopters

SHOCKING! How our helicopter landed on water – Bristow Helicopters

Bristow Helicopters has given details of the accident involving one of  its aircraft Wednesday, saying the helicopter actually landed on water.

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, the company said the helicopter got involved in water landing in Lagos while returning from an offshore platform.

The statement said the nine passengers on board and a crew of two “are accounted for and in the process of being transferred to a nearby installation”.

The statement said, ” Bristow Helicopters (Nigeria) Limited, confirmed today that one of its helicopters, was involved in a water landing near Lagos at about 10.25 a.m. local time on return from an offshore platform.

“The aircraft, a Sikorsky S-76C++, had departed on a routine crew transfer flight offshore with nine passengers and a crew of two.

“All persons onboard are accounted for and in the process of being transferred to a nearby installation.
“The company is in the process of collecting pertinent information and will release more details as soon as it is available.”

The Accident Investigations Bureau had earlier told PREMIUM TIMES that crew members and passengers aboard the helicopter survived the accident.

Tunji Oketunbi, the spokesperson for the Bureau told PREMIUM TIMES on telephone that all occupants of the craft survived the accident.

“They all survived, they all survived,” the AIB spokesperson said when contacted for updates.
Mr. Oketunbi later issued the following statement, ” A S76 C++ helicopter marked 5N-BQJ  belonging to Bristow Helicopters, which departed ERHA Platform  enroute Lagos was ditched into the Atlantic Ocean 95 nautical miles into destination at about 10:20am local time.

“All the eleven souls on board including two crew members were rescued alive. Accident Investigation Bureau AIB has commenced investigation into the occurrence. Details will be communicated to you later.”
The new crash occurred less than six months after another helicopter belonging to the same company crashed in Lagos.

The chopper had on August 12, 2015 plunged into the Lagos Lagoon, killing six of the 12 persons on board.

Niger Delta youths planning one-million march against Buhari

– Youths are unhappy with the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration
– Group wants a retention of the Maritime University

President Muhammadu Buhari

Some Niger Delta youths under the aegis of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide, have announced their plans to embark on a one-million protest march against President Muhammadu Buhari.
Vanguard reports that the youths are marching against perceived wrong policies against the Niger Delta region by the present administration, one of which is the planned closure of the Maritime University. According to IYC, there will be a youth convention at the temporary site of Maritime University, in Korutie community where various Niger Delta communities, student organisations, sympathizers of development education, the tertiary institutions in the region, and clans, local and international youth organizations will be gathered to stop the noticeable lopsided and biased policies of the present administration against the people and entity known as the Niger Delta region.

Riverine residents of Ogulagha in Burutu local government area, Delta state, have also taken to the streets of the community to protest the plans by the federal government to scrap the Maritime university.

Chief Boro Lala of Burutu council has since kicked against the scrapping of the maritime varsity in Okorenkoko and in an address of newsmen in Warri, he condemned the purported intention of Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of Transportation and Aviation to scrap the maritime university.

He noted that the contribution of the area to the common wealth of the nation cannot be overemphasized as no project was adequate compensation to the people, therefore, the institution cannot be scrapped.

Lara also pleaded with President Buhari to listen to the voices of the youths and those of reputable Nigerians who truly desire the university to remain as Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s administration planned it.

Meanwhile, a group of militants from the region have recently seized a merchant ship with foreigners and also threatened to blow it up if the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu is not released.

BREAKING! Biafra: Militants Free Hijacked Ship, Hold 5 Crew Members Hostage; Insist on Kanu’s Release

BREAKING! Biafra: Militants Free Hijacked Ship, Hold 5 Crew Members Hostage; Insist on Kanu’s Release





The navy of Benin is guarding a Greek-owned oil tanker hijacked by Nigerian militants who are holding five crew members hostage in Nigeria, a Nigerian agency that issues government statements and a shipping security expert said Wednesday.

The Liberian-flagged MT Leon Dias is anchored off Cotonou, Benin’s commercial capital, PR Nigeria agency reported. It gave no other details and no news of the crew and hijackers.

The hijackers disembarked from the vessel on Sunday and took five hostages with them — the captain, chief engineer, third engineer, the electrician and a fitter, said Dirk Steffen, maritime security director of Denmark-based Risk Intelligence. The ship then sailed to Cotonou, he told The Associated Press.
Owner Leon Shipping and Trading in Athens did not answer requests for comment.

Earlier Nigerian officers said the vessel was hijacked Friday by separatists threatening to blow it up with its crew unless officials release Nnamdi Kanu, the director of the banned Radio Biafra who is accused of terrorism.

Another terrorist group may emerge in Nigeria – Abubakar

– Governor Mohammed Abubakar warned the federal government that another terrorist group may emerge in Nigeria
– The governor stressed that problems of poverty and ignorance should be adequately addressed
– Bau­chi state has played host to more than a million of Internally Displaced Persons

Governor Mohammed Abubakar warned the federal government that another terrorist group may emerge in Nigeria.

Mohammed Abubakar, the governor of Bauchi state, has warned the federal government that another terrorist group may emerge in Nigeria, if problems of poverty and ignorance are not adequately addressed.
The Sun reports that the governor said his while receiving a 12-member assessment team of the European Union, United Nations and World Bank on insurgency devastated areas in the north-east.

Alhaji Wakil Adamu from the office of vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, led the delegation in company with officials of National Emergency Management Agency, the State Emergency Management Agency and UNICEF among others.

Abubakar commended the team saying that its mission was a welcome and timely one in a view of the devastation the Boko Haram sect has unleashed on Nigerians living in the north-east.

“Rebuilding infrastructure is important in rebuilding the areas but addressing the underlying factor of the insurgency is much more important because the north-east is seriously affected by poverty and ignorance.

“If poverty and ignorance are not properly addressed, they could provide grounds for the rise of another crazy group if Boko Haram is taken care of. We are running a risk if poverty is not addressed,” he said.

Abubakar further stressed that Bauchi state has been hosting more than a million of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who have escaped crisis in other parts of the country.

The governor noted that because of the influx of IDPS in the state, the facilities and infrastructures of the state had been overstretched.

“The effect of insurgency is felt by states like Bauchi state because of the multiplier effect of the displacement of persons who are now finding succour in the state. Indeed, rebuilding infrastructure is a very important aspect of your mission in the north-east,”he stressed.

Speaking earlier about the team’s mission, Adamu said:

“The focus is to do an on the spot assessment, interact with the people, inspect destroyed places, find out what happened, what the government of the affected state is doing and how to compliment government’s efforts.”

Meanwhile, the general officer commanding 3 Division of the Nigerian army, Brigadier General Msa Aliyu, has explained why Boko Haram has not been complitely defeated.

According to him, the ongoing offensive against the insurgents is been delayed in part because the terrorists are hiding among innocent people.