Senate Summons Service Chiefs over Gruesome Herdsmen Attacks

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
The Senate on Thursday summoned the service chiefs to appear before it and explain why persistent attacks on innocent Nigerians by Fulani herdsmen have continued unchecked.

The upper chamber which suspected that the dastardly acts were being perpetrated by fleeing members of Boko Haram terrorist group, asked the service chiefs to appear and brief it on measures they are putting in place to forestall the spread of terrorist activities all over the country.

The National Assembly also constituted an ad-hoc committee chaired by the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, to organise a public hearing on the rampaging attacks on innocent Nigerians by Fulani herdsmen and come up with recommendations capable of tackling the crisis.

The committee was asked to commence its assignment next week.
The resolution was the aftermath of a motion moved by Senator Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North) during which he lamented the killing of scores of residents of Ukpabi Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State last Monday.

The Senate which also observed a minute silence in honour of those killed in Nimbo community, asked the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant agencies to urgently dispatch relief materials to the affected community as well as neighbouring Nkpologu, Uvuru, Ugbene-Ajima and Adani communities to alleviate the plights of persons displaced by the attack.

It also called on security agencies of the nation to improve its intelligence gathering and be proactive instead of merely reacting to threats to internal security especially in cases where there is credible intelligence to act upon with a view to safeguarding lives and property.

The senators also asked security agencies to enforce laws on arms’ possession against unathorised persons just as they appealed to the Nigerian Police to expedite action on the establishment of a rapid response police unit around the communities where there have been attacks.

Utazi told his colleagues that the herdsmen entered into the community through Enugu State border with Kogi State shooting, hacking, matcheting, slitting the throats of hapless residents and razing down buildings.

He said contrary to reports that 20 people were killed in the incident, 38 persons were actually killed while no fewer than 100 others sustained varying degrees of injury.
The senator added that domestic animals were slaughtered while efforts were still being made to recover corpses of victims and as well account for those missing.

Utazi noted that only three months ago, Abbi, a neighbouring community to Nimbo was attacked by Fulani herdsmen whom he said killed scores of people and houses and barns set ablaze. He noted that Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area now faces extinction as a result of protracted attacks on communities in the council area.

Utazi lamented that whereas intelligence meant to avert the attack was passed on to security agencies ahead of the act, they failed to act on it adding that residents of neighbouring communities now live in fear.

In his contribution, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce (Bayelsa East) described the herdsmen as the worst group of terrorists who have been maiming, killing, stealing and raping women in the country.
According to Murray-Bruce, it was gruesome acts like this which precipitated the 1967-1970 civil war, pointing out that the situation had started resulting in reprisal attacks which he said would end up in a guerilla warfare, the battle he said could not be won by anyone.

He challenged the federal government to disarm cattle rearers, noting that the herdsmen were not licensed to carry arms. He also warned that if the situation was not quickly nipped in the bud, religious and ethnic colouration would be read into it, a situation he said would result in civil war.

While the Chief Whip, Senator Sola Adeyeye, said the killers should no longer be termed herdsmen but terrorists, Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, echoed Murray-Bruce that the last civil war started this way, observing that Nigeria would not survive a second civil war.

While disagreeing with Murray-Bruce that reprisals have started, Akpabio said with Nigeria’s population of 170 million, the entire African continent would be unable to contain Nigerians whom he said would be scattered across Africa if another civil war breaks out.

In his remark, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the session, emphasised the need for the Senate to act fast before frustrated Nigerians are forced to take laws into their hands.

“We must show some sensitivity on matters concerning our people. There are too many men and women in Nigeria today who are frustrated by economic realities and they will make themselves available for any possible mishap that this will give rise to. I believe that the earlier we nip this in the bud, the better for all of us.

“We want a very peaceful country and we will need to work towards that. And as leaders, we must be held responsible if there is breakdown of law and order because the primary purpose of government is the protection of lives and properties of the ordinary people. We must be able to come up with immediate approach to this problem, mid-term and long-term solutions so that people will see that we are interested in their welfare,” he said.

Fidelity Bank: $115m Cash Deposit was Reported

Says it is cooperating with EFCC
·Commission invites oil firms as INEC officials refund N300m
Iyobosa Uwugiaren and Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

The management of Fidelity Bank Plc on Thursday said the $115 million cash transfer, which led to the arrest of its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, on Monday and his subsequent interrogation, was duly reported to the appropriate authorities, adding however that it was cooperating with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as the investigation progresses.

The bank’s reaction came as the EFCC stepped up its investigation into the huge lodgement, dragging in four oil firm and their directors whom, THISDAY gathered last night, have been invited for questioning following a presidential directive.

The four oil firms were said to have made the lodgements, which the presidency, according to THISDAY checks, is bent on recovering from the companies. The firm officials are billed for interrogation this morning at the commission’s Lagos office.

The EFCC had arrested Fidelity Bank’s chief executive for allegedly receiving $115 million in lodgements from the former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, and disbursed the funds to politicians in the build up to the 2015 presidential election that was lost by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“We can confirm that the transactions were duly reported as required by the regulators,” the bank’s management said in a statement, adding that it was cooperating fully with the authorities on the investigation.

The bank’s statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to reports in the media on investigations into transactions undertaken by the bank in the normal course of business in 2015.
“The transactions are now the subject matter of investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“We can confirm that the transactions were duly reported as required by the regulators and the bank is cooperating fully with the authorities on the investigation.
“We assure our numerous stakeholders, including our customers, that we are working assiduously towards a quick resolution of the issues.”
Under the Bank and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) and Money Laundering Act, banks are mandated to report unusual transactions to the EFCC.

The commission’s investigators, THISDAY gathered, are getting useful information from Okonkwo and the bank’s Head of Operations, Mr. Martins Izuogbe, who is also in the EFCC net for his alleged role in the disbursement of the funds, which the anti-graft agency described as unprecedented.

“They have succeeded in providing the list of beneficiaries of the funds,’’ a senior EFCC operative told THISDAY last night, adding that the commission had raised a crack team to dig into the sources of the funds paid to Alison-Madueke by the affected oil companies.
The $115 million was said to have been given to Alison-Madueke by the companies, while she was alleged to have contributed another $25.77 million.

A senior operative in anti-graft agency further said that in the run up to the presidential election, Alison-Madueke gave a list to the Fidelity Bank MD and instructed him to change the $115million into naira and disburse the money to INEC officials in the 36 states, some individuals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The source said: “We have extended invitations to some of the owners of the oil firms who brought the pool of $115million that was given to Fidelity Bank Plc to change into naira for the purpose of tampering with the results of the presidential election.

“So far, only one of them has indicated interest in appearing before our team. We will give others some time to report but they are under surveillance, they cannot run out of this country.
“Once they can explain the legitimate sources of the funds, we will allow them to go home. By the Money Laundering Act, they were not supposed to be in possession of such huge cash.”

The EFCC source added: “We have interrogated INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) officials from Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Ogun, Osun and Lagos States. This exercise is being carried out simultaneously in all the 36 states because INEC officials and some NGOs benefitted from the bribes.”

Meanwhile, THISDAY’s source said last night that Fidelity Bank had refunded N40 million, being the interest on the funds deposited in the bank.
Also INEC officials from Osun, Ogun and Oyo States who were arrested, are also said to have refunded N300 million.
However, the source did not disclose the cadre of officials arrested in the affected Southwestern states.

Apart from the INEC officials arrested, a former chairman of INEC has also been invited up the anti-graft agency in connection with the bribery scandal.
The former INEC chairman was believed to have served as an election strategist to the Goodluck Jonathan Presidential Campaign Organisation on how to manipulate poll results.

 

N’Korea missile crashes moments after launch

North Korea fired what appeared to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile yesterday but it crashed seconds after the test launch, South Korea’s defence ministry said.
North Korean officials did not immediately comment.
Al Jazeera reported that the South Korean Defence Ministry claimed the missile was fired at 6:40am local time.
A defence ministry official told the Reuters news agency that it appeared to be a Musudan missile with a range of more than 3,000km – the same type of rocket believed to have failed in a test launch earlier this month.
The powerful mid-range missile could one day be capable of reaching far-off United States (U.S.) military bases in Asia and the Pacific. It exploded in the air a few seconds after it launched, the Southern official said.
“We are also hearing from the semi-official Yonhap news agency, citing unnamed military officials, that it was not detected on the South Korean military radar system because it apparently did not get high enough to be detected by that system,” Fawcett said.
He added, though, that it was detected by a U.S. intelligence satellite over North Korea.
The apparent launch came as the Koreas traded threats as Pyongyang expressed anger over annual South Korean-U.S. military drills that the North calls a rehearsal for an invasion.
Last week, North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un, hailed a submarine-launched ballistic missile test as an “eye-opening success”, declaring that Pyongyang had the ability to strike Seoul and the United States whenever it pleases.
The reported crash comes ahead of a major ruling party meeting next week in Pyongyang.
“It is a very rare event,” Fawcett said. “It is the seventh such event since the foundation of the ruling party of North Korea. It is very much centred around the personage of Kim Jong-un and his general status.”

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Cattle herdsmen as the new Boko Haram?

“No matter how far the town, there is another beyond it” – Fulani Proverb.
There has been so much emotionalism developing around the subject of the recent clashes between nomadic pastoralists and farmers, and the seeming emergence of the former as the new Boko Haram, forbidding not Western education this time, but the right of other Nigerians to live in peace and dignity, and to have control over their own geographical territory. From Benue, to the Plateau, Nasarawa, to the South West, the Delta, and the Eastern parts of the country, there have been very disturbing reports of nomadic pastoralists killing at will, raping women, and sacking communities, and escaping with their impunity, unchecked, as the security agencies either look the other way or prove incapable of enforcing the law.  The outrage South of the Sahel is understandable. It is argued, rightly or wrongly, that the nomadic pastoralist has been overtaken by a certain sense of unbridled arrogance arising from that notorious na-my-brother-dey-power mentality and the assumption that “the Fulani cattle” must drink water, by all means, from the Atlantic Ocean.
It is this emotional ethnicization of the crisis that should serve as a wake-up call for the authorities, and compel the relevant agencies to treat this as a national emergency deserving of pro-active measures and responses. It is not enough to issue a non-committal press statement or make righteous noises and assume that the problem will resolve itself. Farmer-pastoralist conflict poses a threat to national security. It is linked to a number of complex factors, including power, history, citizenship rights and access to land. Femi Fani-Kayode in a recent piece has warned about Nigeria being “on the road to Kigali”, thus referring to the genocide that hobbled Rwanda in the 90s as the Hutus and the Tutsis drew the sword against each other. Fani-Kayode needs not travel all the way to Rwanda. Ethnic hate has done so much damage in Nigeria already; all we need is to learn from history and avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
Ethnic hate, serving as sub-text to the January 1966 and July 1966 coups, for example, set the stage for the civil war of 1967 -70. The root of Igbo-Hausa/Fulani acrimony can be traced back to that season when Igbos were slaughtered in the North, the Hausa/Fulani were slaughtered in the East and Nigeria found itself in the grip of a “To Thy Tents, O Israel” chorus. Ethnic hate also led to the Tiv riots, crisis in the Middle Belt since then, and the perpetual pitching of one ethnic group against the other in Nigeria’s underdeveloped politics. We should be careful.
We need to remind ourselves that the current friction between the pastoralists and their farming host communities is one of such potential factors that can further tear the nation apart. Nigeria cannot afford a second civil war or mass-scale genocide. Today, every other Nigerian is afraid either of the Boko Haram or the nomadic pastoralist.  It is not likely that the populations south of the Sahel will continue to stand idly by and allow herdsmen to trample upon their lands, destroy their crops, kill, maim and rape and then get away with it. A resort to self-help such as occurred in 1966 could have serious national security implications. With the economy in crisis, with anger in the land, and the people feeling disappointed, we cannot afford any evil trigger to deepen the nation’s woes. So, the state cannot afford to be aloof or indifferent.
Nomadic pastoralism is at the heart of the Fulani cultural lifestyle, and that is why there has been so much labeling of the Fulani in the emerging narrative, whereas the violent herdsmen certainly do not represent Fulani interest. For centuries, the Fulani, living across West Africa, have herded cattle from one part to the other, across borders. In Nigeria, the migration is seasonal or cyclical: as the dry season begins in the North, the herdsmen travel with their livestock down south in search of pasture and water, and to avoid seasonal diseases. After about six months, with the onset of the rainy season and farming in the South, they travel back to the North. Along the route, they sometimes settle down, develop a relationship with the farming communities and function as transhumance pastoralists, in fact, many herders used to pay homage to the local hosts, but over time, the politics of power, identity, and access to land as well as differences in culture, lifestyle and religion began to cause friction. It is an old problem that has gotten worse as the sedentary farmers whose land is violated by the nomads complain and the local power elite who are soon displaced by the settling nomad fight back in protest, thus creating a relationship fuelled by fear and mutual suspicion.
The new phenomenon of the nomadic pastoralist now behaving as a conquering group of invaders, ready to inflict terror, and not ready to ask for permission for land use, is where the big problem lies.  The bigger problem perhaps is the refusal of the nomadic pastoralist to give up an old tradition that has become antiquated in modern times, or perhaps in urgent need of modernization and reform.  And to insist on that old mode on the grounds that the life of a cow is more important than that of a human being is worse than the Boko Haram phenomenon.  There are Nigerians, including the Fulani, who consider the lives of human beings far more important. Even if there is an ironic interdependence between the pastoralist and the farmer: both provide food, both trade with each other, the farms provide grass and crop fodder, the cattle provide manure: the disruption of this economic interdependence and its replacement by fierce competition for space, power and resources is the source of the present tragedy.
The politicisation of the relationship between the pastoralist and the farmer as an extension of national politics, and the failure of Nigeria’s leadership elite, is part of it. Most of the herdsmen making the long seasonal or cyclical journey North to South and back, now wielding sophisticated guns, with rounds of ammunition, are actually hired economic agents. The real herdsmen are big men in high places; the ones with the resources to buy herds of cattle, and hand over guns to their boys on the roads of Nigeria. That is the source of the arrogance, the impunity, and the meanness of the herdsmen. That is why you’d find herdsmen with cattle and goats on major expressways and no security agent will stop them. It is also why they go to the airports and actually herd cattle across the runway.
A few years ago, there was a head-on collision between a cow and an aircraft at the Port Harcourt International Airport. Rather than get the herdsmen arrested, airport staff including the security agents on duty were busy scrambling for a share of free meat. The people to talk to are those men in high places, and this includes an emerging crowd of non-Fulani investors in the cattle-rearing business (yes!), whose support and acquiescence allows this kind of madness to happen in 21st Century Nigeria.
There used to be in Northern Nigeria, a Grazing Reserves Law. Grazing Reserves were created across the North, but these were not maintained and later, the big men converted the reserves to plots of land and shared them out.  To avoid the clash with farming communities in the South, those reserves can be created afresh in the 19 Northern states. More ranches and farms for livestock production and management should also be established. There is no need for National Grazing Reserves, which would bring the nomadic pastoralist into worse conflict with other communities insisting on their right to land in their geographical territory. Nomadism may have been a way of life for centuries, but we are in the 21st Century and there are better ways to manage livestock.  The argument that nomadic pastoralism is cultural is on all fours with that equally silly argument that child marriage is cultural. Certain things just must change if society must make progress.
One of the original reasons the pastoralist goes to the South with his cattle is desert encroachment and the lack of pasture during certain periods of the year. What makes the life of the herder worse is global warming and climate change: the seasons have become unpredictable and the life of the nomad has become riskier than ever. This was a foreseeable problem; hence, for years, Northern governments spoke about afforestation, irrigation projects, and the urgent need to check the menace of desertification. Obviously, managers of the project seemed to have been more interested in money and contracts.  Rather than think ahead and provide pasture for livestock, a major element in the agricultural business of the North, the leaders chose to provide pasture for their own stomachs. They have in the end turned what could have been managed with vision into a nightmare for the rest of Nigeria.
One way forward is for Government to takes steps to sedentarise the nomads. In many parts of Africa, climate change and the transition to a modern way of life have turned many nomads into agro-pastoralists, spending more time farming than moving up and down as the elements and the herds dictate. Herdsmen are usually young men, and children. They probably would be of better value to society if they are encouraged to go to school, and not sentenced to a life of risk and violence. Insisting on the establishment of ranches and farms and more sustainable and modern methods of livestock management will also rescue many of those children who are recruited as nomads so early and place them on the path of a more productive future.
The story of the gun-totting herdsmen should also draw attention to the proliferation of small arms and ammunition. Our borders are porous allowing herdsmen from across West Africa to enter Nigeria unchecked, wielding dangerous weapons, left-overs from wars in Mali and Libya. Border controls must become stricter, and Nigeria should take a more serious interest in the ECOWAS Convention on small arms and light weapons. The cost of negligence in this regard is to be measured by the frightening number of persons that have been killed by herdsmen since January 2016 alone. The herdsmen must be stopped; impunity must be punished, not condoned. Every step should be taken to prevent a slide into anarchy

‘Government receives $33b from NLNG’

• Firm restates commitment to Niger Delta development
• CBN posts N123b profit in 2015 • Crude oil price gains steady rise
The Federal Government has reaped over $33 billion from the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) initial investment of $2.5 billion.
Managing Director of the company, Babs Omotowa, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja while briefing the House of Representatives Committee on Gas Resources during a public hearing on a bill to amend the NLNG Act.
Omotowa said that the Act enabled the company to grow from its original 2-Trains to 6-Trains, creating an asset base of $19 billion, 49 per cent of which the Federal Government owns.
The NLNG boss, who restated the company’s commitment to the development of the Niger Delta and willingness to partner with government agencies, including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to develop the region, said this was why NLNG is easily one of the biggest promoters of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the area, supporting education, infrastructure development and entrepreneurship.
He stated that the NLNG needs to be in the position to continue to support the region through being a successful Nigerian company, bringing value to the Niger Delta and the nation in general, but that this would only be possible if the promises made to investors are not broken by amending the NLNG Act, which would certainly portray the country as one that does not honour agreements.
He emphasised that keeping agreements entered into with investors was crucial to retaining and attracting foreign investment into NLNG, as well as other sectors of the economy in line with the drive of the current administration.
In another development, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has recorded a net income of N123 billion in its 2015 operations, against N33.6 billion achieved during the corresponding period in 2014.
The consolidated and separate financial statement obtained by The Guardian yesterday showed that a net income of N123 was posted during the year under review while the bank recorded N108.5 billion profit.
Meanwhile, crude oil prices continued on a rising note yesterday with the Brent benchmark rising to $47.80 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate now $45.79 per barrel.
The rising prices almost took industry operators by surprise while reports showed that the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) may foreclose the earlier production cut deal, as some of the governors believed that the price presently is at a “comfortable level”.

Koko, 37, needs N4.5m for kidney transplant

Thirty-Seven-Year –Old Koko Rosemary needs N4.5 million for kidney transplant.
According to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital’s Medical Report No: 344148 signed by Dr. Amisu M. A.: “The patient is a 37-year-old woman admitted at our Medical Emergency Unit on account of three months history of generalised body swelling, reduction in urinary output, frothy urine and difficulty in breathing and a known hypertensive diagnosed two years ago.
“Examination finding revealed she was pale, anicteric with anasarca. BP was 160/130mml lg, with reduced breath sounds in both lung helds.
Results of investigation done on December 28, 2015 revealed bilaterally shrunken kidney with elevated area 205mg/dl and creatinine of 9.06mg dl. An assessment of Chronic Kidney disease 20 to chronic glomerulonephritis was made.
“Patient was commenced on antihypertensive, which included lab Aldonet 500mg lds, lab Nifedine 20mg bd, lab Vaisartan 320mg daily and maintenance haemodialysis.
“However, patient will need kidney transplant for more definitive therapy and the estimated cost at LASUTH is N4.5 million.
She appealed to kind -hearted Nigerians to assist her. You can pay into Patrick Koko, Diamond Bank Account No. 0022060944 or call 08163230720.

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EFCC recovers N6.5b in cash, properties

We reported Alison-Madueke’s transactions, says bank
• NBC ex-boss, commissioners deny N3.4b fraud
As investigations continue and more discoveries are being made in the controversial arms procurement deal, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has recovered up to N6.5 billion in the last two weeks.
Much of the recoveries were allegedly from the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Mashall Adesola Amosu.
According to reports, Amosu, about a fortnight ago, returned N2.3 billion to the Federal Government. Also, properties worth about N500 million were reportedly seized from him while another N381million was allegedly refunded by his wife, Omolara. A Magnetic Resonance Imaging machine was also reportedly seized from Amosu’s diagnostic centre this week by the EFCC. The machine is said to be worth N2.6 billion. Altogether, N5.78 billion has been recovered from Amosu alone in less than two weeks.
Other recoveries made this week include a combined sum of N580 million (£2 million) in jewelries, allegedly from former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Alison Diezani-Madueke, and wife of her associate, Jide Omokore. This is excluding houses seized from both Diezani-Madueke and Omokore.
The commission said that former Minister of State for Finance, who was the Director of Finance of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Nenadi Usman, had submitted two of her houses and pledged to refund N140 million.
These recoveries are coming just as the amount being investigated in connection with the arms procurement deal has gone up to $15 billion, from the $2 billion alleged fraud at the Nigeria Air Force for which Amosu, the former Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (rtd) and other serving and retired officers are being investigated. Altogether, so far, the total amount being investigated has gone up to $17 billion. This is aside from a fresh $12.9 billion arms fraud uncovered this week by the EFCC.
The recovery of this $17 billion is at the centre of all efforts by the EFCC at the moment. Aside from the cash and assets recovered, the commission still has the duty to recover another N23.3 billion ($115 million) from an alleged transaction between Diezani and the management of a new generation bank whose managing director and head of operations are currently in EFCC custody.
According to the commission, this amount was routed through the bank by ex-government officials who served in the last administration.
“The bank’s MD got the money from Diezani. She summoned him to her house and told him that four companies would deposit money into his bank. The former minister herself deposited $26 million. The whole amount they deposited was $115 million.
“Where the problem is, is that when a bank receives such money they are supposed to fill the suspicious transaction form and forward it to the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU). But the bank didn’t do this. Rather the MD went ahead and distributed the money as he was instructed by the former minister.”
But the embattled Fidelity Bank has said that the $115 million transaction it allegedly had with Alison-Madueke was duly reported to the regulators.
In a statement from its Head of Corporate Communications, Ejike Ndiulo, the bank claimed to be cooperating with the anti-graft agency and that it was working to resolve the issues.
The EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren declined giving official figures on the recovered funds so far. However, chairman of the commission, Ibrahim Magu, had several weeks back, stated that the EFCC had recovered “billions and billions” for the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, the former Director-General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Emeka Mba, and 10 commissioners of the commission have taken strong exception to their being portrayed as corrupt, and have written to the EFCC explaining their role in the sale of a spectrum to the MTN for $171 million.
In a letter by their counsel, Chief Ogwu Onoja (SAN), demanding confirmation, clarification and rescheduling of their invitation by the EFCC, the commissioners took time to debunk allegations of fraud in the sale of the spectrum to MTN.
Last weekend, it was disclosed by an EFCC source that the board members were going to be questioned in batches, with the first batch expected to appear before a panel of investigators last Monday.
They were to be questioned over issues surrounding the sale/lease of a spectrum to a telecoms firm for $171million (about N34,114,500.00) and how 10 percent broker fees, amounting to N3.4 billion was paid a company even before presidential approval was secured.
But condemning the manner the allegation against them was leaked to the media, the board members objected to the approach adopted by the EFCC which their lawyer said they perceived to “amount to deliberate media persecution and conviction calculated to embarrass and disparage their reputation in the eyes of the public and before their families and friends.”

DPR impounds Cameroun-bound truck with 40,000 litres of fuel

Agency says nation needs 1mbpd to check scarcity
• Shuts 24 filling stations in C’River, A’Ibom
• CNPP gives seven-day ultimatum over crisis
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in collaboration with the Cross River State Task Force on Petroleum Resources has impounded a truck belonging Virgin Coast Limited with 40,0000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) heading for the Republic of Cameroun.
The vehicle was arrested by a team set up by the Cross River State Ministry of Petroleum Resources working in tandem with security agencies and the DPR.
Briefing reporters yesterday at the Nigerian Army 13 Brigade, Akim Barracks Calabar, the DPR Controller, Operations for Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, Bassey Nkanga, said the diverted vehicle was meant to supply the product to the NNPC retail outlet in Awi, Akamkpa Local Council of Cross River State.
“But it was diverted and caught in Ikang-Bakassi, a border town to the Republic of Camerooun and brought to 13 Brigade Nigerian Army in its custody.
“We are going back to the station at Akamkpa to put a seal and the marketer is going to be sanctioned adequately,” he said.
However, the agency says Nigeria would need about 1,000,000 barrels per day bpd effective installed capacity to tackle the shortfall in refining capacity of 554,000 bpd.
Also, the DPR has sealed 24 filling stations in the two states for engaging in illicit activities just as it has disclosed that 80 per cent of the product for Cross River and Akwa Ibom was being diverted to Niger Republic and Chad.
Nkanga said: “We have sealed 24 filling stations both in Akwa Ibom and Cross River. We also sanctioned them for no less than 30 days at the minimum.
“If you go to Northern Cross River in particular, there are stations that are still under DPR seals. We have sealed them for more than 90 days because they have refused to come and pay the fine and we don’t allow them to operate.”
Meanwhile, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to end the fuel scarcity, threatening to mobilise organised labour as well as civil society groups and the masses to occupy the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) until the minister resigns.

Widows made by herdsmen

Joseph Wantu (Makurdi) captures the mood of the widows of the men killed recently in Agatu village.
The recent visit of Fulani Herdsmen was like a nightmare, particularly to the women of Agatu Local Government Area and other crisis-ridden communities in Benue State. Many of them woke up to confront an ugly reality that their husbands would wake up no more.
They are the survivors of attack carried out by herdsmen who invaded and destroyed not just farms and houses, but many lives in the rural community.
It is more devastating that the widows could not immediately recover the remains of their husbands for proper burial as the Fulani who dislodged them from their ancestral homes continue to occupy the communities with their cattle while the decomposing corpses litter everywhere in the devastated communities.
Some of these women who are now taking refuge at the Agatu IDP Makurdi Camp located at the NOGOA Secondary School, Wadata recount their ordeals to The Guardian.

Veronica Benjamin

Weeping profusely, Mrs. Elamiyi Okelemu, a mother of four who said she has been married to her husband for over 20 years ago before her his death in the hands of herdsmen; live in Okokolo, Agatu local government area where they both farmed.
On the fateful day,, she was preparing the evening meal when suddenly, the sound of sporadic gunshots rented the air around the village and everybody scampered out for safety.
“We ran under the cover of the night for hours before we got to Odugbeho. We were lucky to have escaped unhurt because so many others of our villagers couldn’t make it to safety as they were killed either by the bullets or machetes of the invading Fulani herders.”
However, few days later, when it was becoming difficult for them to feed in their new abode, Elamiyi’s husband decided to brave it all and went back to his farm to get some food items for the family. That decision ended up being his greatest mistake as the Fulani herders, on sighting him and other villagers who had gone to their farms opened fire on them and killed many while only a handful managed to escape back to Odugbeho to break the sad news.
Elamiyi wondered how she will go back to stay in the same village without her husband.
“We were always together at the farm and at home. I don’t think I can cope without him. My head has been cut off. I don’t know where I can start from. To worsen the situation for me, I don’t have any picture to keep as a memory of him because I hear that the Fulanis burnt our house and destroyed everything we had.”
Her worry is made bigger because she now has to cater for four children who are still in school without the support of her husband.
Another AGATU widow and an indigene of Aila Village in Agatu local Government area, Mrs. Dorcas Onoche, said she got married to her husband, Patrick Ochoche more than 30 years ago.
“We were living together and doing very well as civil servants in Kaduna when suddenly he became mentally ill and had to be moved home some years back.  Ever since then, we had been managing him at home until the recent invasion of Agatu by the Fulani herders,” she said.
Continuing, she said, “We actually escaped from our village when the Fulani  herdsmen invaded our villages but because of my husband’s mental illness, we did not know when he ran back to our village. We later found his dead body, killed by the Fulani herdsmen.”
The stories of Mrs. Dorcas Godwin, Sophia Dole, Dorcas Oluma and Veronica Benjamin are not less heartbreaking.
Narrating her story, Mrs. Godwin said “My husband, Godwin Thomas, a fish farmer and I were in the village when suddenly we heard gunshots all around us. He quickly instructed me to carry our two children and run through one route while he followed another route because we did not actually know where the invaders were coming through.
While I was able to escape through the path I took, my husband was not as lucky as he ran into the invaders and was killed. Sadly, we have not seen his corpse until today.”
That is how a marriage of seven years was brought to an end by the Fulani herdsmen.
The widow of Dole Benjamin, Mrs. Sophia Dole, said they were running away from the Fulanis, but her husband ran into them and was killed immediately.
“I ran several kilometres with our eight months old baby from Abugbe to Odugbeho. Fulani burnt our drug store. After I escaped to Odugbeho, someone helped to pay my fare to Makurdi.”
She described her husband as a quiet person. “He never laid his hands on me for one day. He was killed three weeks ago but up till now, we have not been able to recover his corpse for burial. I don’t have anywhere to go if this camp is closed today.”

Dorcas Godwin

Mrs. Dorcas Oluma was married to her husband, Eheda, a commercial motorcycle rider in 2006 and their marriage is blessed with three children with age ranging between 4 and one.
“We ran from Abugbe to Odugbeho but he had to go and pick something with his okada in our village. He was on his way back to Odugbeho when he was killed. His corpse was recovered three weeks later. Every day of my life, I think about my husband because he was everything to me. I am a trader and don’t know how I would be able to train our children because my husband provided everything. That is why I am calling on well-meaning Nigerians to come to my aid.”
Among the survivors who spoke with The Guardian, perhaps the case of Mrs. Veronica Danjuma is the most pathetic.
“ I lost my husband, my 21-year-old son and my sister in the hands of the Fulani herdsmen who invaded our Okokolo village recently. We were running away when the Fulanis kept shooting sporadically and in the process, killed my husband, my son and my sister. I narrowly escaped being killed too.
“My husband’s corpse was discovered a day after, my sister’s four days later while my son’s corpse is yet to be found. I trekked for hours from Okokolo to Ugbokpo in Apa before finding my way down to Makurdi. I had six children but one killed by Fulani.”

Multilateral task force for Gulf of Guinea patrol underway, says Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has hinted of plans to raise a multinational task force to patrol the Gulf of Guinea.
A statement by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, quoted the President as giving the assurance during an audience with the French Minister of Defence, Jean-Yves Le Drian, where he said the task force would augment and boost ongoing efforts to improve security in the Gulf as well as curb crude oil theft and piracy.
Buhari and Le Drian also discussed ongoing French support for the Federal Government’s moves to end the Boko Haram insurgency.
The President expressed his government’s appreciation of the assistance and support of France and other G7 countries, which he said, had helped Nigeria in achieving significant milestones in the anti-terror fight.
“When we got into office in May last year, Boko Haram was effectively controlling at least 14 local government areas. But now, it is no longer so, and they have resorted to attacking soft targets with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
“We are determined to secure all of our territories effectively. We are doing our best and our troops are now operating in the Sambisa Forest,” President Buhari told the French minister.
Le Drian pledged France’s continous assistance for the anti-insurgency war, noting that all terrorists must be seen as common enemies of the free world.

Boeing launches new 737 aircraft to increase passengers’ capacity

Boeing airplanes manufacturer has concluded plans to launch a new version of its 737 MAX 7 aircraft, aimed at surviving competition from other plane makers like Airbus and Bombardier.
The move, according a report, came amid latest Delta Airlines’ interest in Bombardier’s C-series and Airbus’ A320neo series.
Although Boeing is in the initial planning phase, the new model, which is meant to be slightly larger than the smallest of 737 MAX family, was called 737 MAX 7X.
The newly planned model will have and increased capacity and is ought to carry 150 passengers – a modest increase from MAX 7, which is able to seat 126 people. The airliner would also have an extended range because of MAX-8 wings and auxiliary fuel tanks, stated Boeing.
The representatives of Boeing said the product is yet to be proved viable. However, the Southwest Airlines, who has already ordered MAX 7 planes, expressed their support to the MAX 7X model, saying it would consider the newly proposed plane.
However, experts warn that if MAX 7X will be a shortened version of 737 MAX 8, it would add extra weight which might prove inefficient in terms of additional fuel consumption.
On the other hand, if MAX 8 would serve as a base for its future ‘mini-me’, the production might become cheaper due to economies of scale, they added.
Meanwhile, Boeing has announced that 737MAX has successfully completed its first flight lasting around three hours. The 737 MAX program achieved the milestone on schedule which begins a comprehensive flight-test program leading to certification and delivery.
The Commercial Airplanes President and Chief Executive Officer, Boeing, Ray Conner said: “First flight of the 737 MAX carries us across the threshold of a new century of innovation – one driven by the same passion and ingenuity that have made this company great for 100 years.
“We are tremendously proud to begin testing an airplane that will deliver unprecedented fuel efficiency in the single-aisle market for our customers,” Conner said.
During the flight, 737 MAX Chief Pilot Ed Wilson and Boeing Chief Test Pilot and Vice President of Flight Operations Craig Bomben departed to the north, reaching a maximum altitude of 25,000 feet (7,620 meters) and airspeed of 250 knots, or about 288 miles (463 kilometers) per hour typical of a first flight sequence.

Thousands flock to ‘miracle’ icon at south suburban Chicago church

CHICAGO—As millions of Orthodox Christians around the world prepare to celebrate Easter this Sunday and the miracle of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, thousands across the Chicago area are flocking to a southwest suburban parish to see what they believe to be a different miracle.
Since July, tiny droplets of fragrant oil have trickled down an icon of St. John the Baptist in front of the altar at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Homer Glen. Parishioners believe the oil has healing properties and that its origins are a blessing from God.
“The first thing out of my mouth was ‘What do I do?’” said the Rev.Sotirios “Sam” Dimitriou, the parish priest. “You don’t expect anything like this. It’s breathtaking. It’s so powerful to see such an act of God before your eyes.”
Whether it’s an act of God or a chemical reaction, no one really knows. And frankly, few in the Greek Orthodox community care. A rational explanation is irrelevant if what seems to be a supernatural event draws people toward God, clergy say.
“We don’t necessarily make official pronouncements on these things,” said Bishop Demetrios, auxiliary bishop of Mokissos of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago. “We let the faithful believe it if they wish. … If it brings you closer to God that’s wonderful. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
The oil, which parishioners believe to be myrrh, exudes from the icon’s halo, wings, hands and beard. Collected every week by a reservoir of cotton at the base of the icon, Dimitriou regularly extracts the oil into a pitcher, then saturates cotton balls, which he seals in plastic bags for parishioners to take home and share with their loved ones. So far, he has handed out more than 5,000 samples —a handy way to track the flow of pilgrims.
While Dimitriou certainly does not mind sharing the oil, he has been reluctant to broadcast its origins. Instead, news of the icon has spread by word of mouth.
Reports of the oil’s healing effects have made their way back to Dimitriou. One man reportedly went to the doctor to remove a blockage in his artery, but it had disappeared. Another reports being cancer free after touching the oil.
The painter of the icon, Peter Mihalopoulos, said he believed the oil was the reason why he was in his garage painting two days after a hip replacement.
Dimitriou himself, who before the oil began to flow, frequently passed out at the altar or in his office because of nerve damage, said he has not been hospitalized once since the phenomenon began, even though he stopped taking his medication in September.
This is not the first time streaks of moisture have been spotted on an icon in the Chicago area.
A weeping icon of Mary has drawn huge crowds to St. Nicholas Albanian Orthodox Church several times since it first began to emit moisture in December 1986. In 1994, parishioners at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cicero said they witnessed tears streaming from the eyes of Mary in an icon of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus.
Unlike those weeping icons, Dimitriou said the oil on St. John the Baptist appears to come from everywhere but his eyes. He has been told that means the icon offers a sign of joy, not sadness.
The fact that it’s an icon of St. John the Baptist, also sets it apart. John Price, a 20-year-old altar server, noticed the tiny droplets of oil on the icon, as he held a flickering candle during a Sunday service last July.
Sitting in the front chair that morning, his mother Miki noticed her son transfixed. When he told her later what he had witnessed, she immediately went back to the church to see for herself. “That’s my son’s saint, and my son wants to be a priest,” Miki Price said. “It totally blesses me that John was the first to see it.”
James Skedros, dean of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Mass., said while icons don’t exude oil every day, similar episodes have taken place across the U.S. There is no formal process in the Orthodox church of authenticating such incidents as miracles, he said, but they are believed to hold significance.
Just as Christians believe God broke into the physical world with his incarnation 2,000 years ago, Orthodox Christians believe that matter can be a conveyor of sanctity, he said.
“We have a very different understanding of matter as a vehicle of holiness so we treat icons in that matter,” Skedros said. “We put them on walls, burn candles in front of them, light incense in front of them because they’re images of what they represent—the holy person or image of Christ or the saint.”
Could the phenomenon be attributed to some reaction to the church’s environment? Of course, Skedros said. But why go there? What bishop wants to question the congregation, discredit a priest or doubt God?
Indeed, Bishop Demetrios sees the rivulets of oil and powerful perfume emanating from the icon as a blessing for a wounded congregation.
In 2007, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese suspended a former priest over allegations he sexually abused minors in the early 1970s while he was a priest at Assumption, when it was located in Olympia Fields. The parish eventually moved to Homer Glen in 2013.
“God through this icon is somehow healing this parish from some serious hurt in its past,” Bishop Demetrios said.
Helen Conits, who joined the parish this week, said the icon has offered her comfort and peace of mind. On Wednesday, she came to the church to be anointed with oil in the sacrament of holy unction and to pick up a cotton ball for her ailing father.
“I do believe in miracles,” she said. “I don’t necessarily have to see it but it’s nice. At a time when everything seems to be falling apart in the world and for us personally, it’s nice to see.”
Dimitriou said while the potential for crowds does make him nervous, it’s stories like Conits’ that remind him what a blessing the icon offers to the world.
“When people see this, it’s just a reminder that God is still alive and still working through us and it’s a reminder that there’s still hope in the world for us,” he said.
Pamela Arvanetes, a parishioner at Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Palos Hills, brought her five children to venerate the icon Wednesday.
“I wanted them to witness it,” she said, “an extra blessing, the symbol of our faith, a miracle.”

Sheila E. 'Concerned' Prince's Estate 'Will Result in Exploitation for Profit'

Sheila E. is hoping she can help protect Prince's fortune.

A rep for the longtime collaborator and former lover of the legendary musician, who died on April 21 at age 57, gave a statement to ET on Thursday, following the news that Prince had never created a will.

"Sheila E.'s only interest in the estate of Prince, is to provide support for his family, provide support to Paisley Park representatives, and provide support to court appointed officials in the handling of the estate," the statement read. "Sheila is concerned that the death of her longtime friend and collaborator will result in exploitation for profit by people who may have been seeking personal financial gain from him while living and may now see the opportunity to do so in his untimely death." © Provided by ETOnline

Prince's net worth is reportedly near $300 million. According to the Bloomberg News, his song catalog is worth $100 million alone, which explains why Sheila E. is so concerned about protecting Prince's music, both released and unreleased.

"[She] has promoted that the family or Paisley Park representatives have the final decision in regards to the usage of his name and likeness," the statement continued. "She feels strongly that tributes, concerts, or promotions should be authorized, and net revenues generated, be distributed in Prince's name to charities and causes which Prince has supported in the past."

"Sheila's involvement or interest thus far has only been in what is previously stated here," the statement concluded. "She has received no compensation nor will accept compensation, and has actually refused many 'offers of profit' for so called 'tributes' performances in his name."

Previously speaking with ET's Nischelle Turner about the estate in Chanhassen, Minnesota, last week, Sheila E. said, "All of that is being worked out with the family and lawyers and attorneys. It's gonna be [a] process."

Bremer Trust, National Association has been appointed by the court to oversee Prince's estate after his sister, Tyka Nelson, filed legal documents in Minnesota requesting the trust company to do so. As ET previously reported, potential beneficiaries of Prince's fortune, in addition to Nelson, include the "Purple Rain" singer's five other half-siblings: John Nelson, Norrine Nelson, Sharon Nelson, Omarr Baker and Alfred Jackson. Prince's deceased half-sister, Lorna Nelson, is also named as a possible heir in Nelson's petition on Tuesday, though she left behind no children. According to Minnesota state code, Prince's estate will be divided among his siblings, since he didn't leave behind a living spouse, children, parents, or grandparents.

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Prince's Death Investigated as Possible Drug Overdose: Report

law enforcement official told The Associated Press the news Thursday and said they are also looking into whether a doctor was prescribing the singer drugs prior to his death.

Sources told PEOPLE in this week's cover story that the "Purple Rain" singer had a history of using the prescription painkiller Percocet.

Officials have told AP that investigators are also looking into whether a doctor was onboard Prince's plane when it made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois.

An autopsy of Prince's body was conducted just one day after he was found unresponsive in an elevator at his famed Paisley Park estate outside Minneapolis. While the medical examiner found "no obvious signs of trauma," toxicology reports may take weeks to complete.

On Wednesday NBC reported that the county sheriff investigating Prince's death is now asking the Drug Enforcement Administration to help with the investigation.

Other sources have told PEOPLE that Prince had also been struggling with an "ongoing illness" at the time of his shocking death – just under one week after his private plane made an emergency landing so that he could be rushed – unresponsive – to the hospital to receive what several reports called a "save shot."

 

NFL Draft grades 2016: Snap reactions to the 1st round

The initial outlook for the first round in the 2016 NFL Draft is mostly a positive one. Even though we saw several trades in the first round, a lot of teams navigated the draft to their favor.
Ultimately, how well they navigated the first round won't truly be known for a few years, but way too early grades need to be handed out. These grades were decided on a number of factors: Relative value, need, system fit, risk and potential. These are snap reaction grades that we'll revisit in a few years.

1. Los Angeles Rams - Jared Goff, QB, California

As expected, the Rams took Goff after making the blockbuster trade with the Titans. Goff is the draft's best quarterback who excels at doing the small stuff. With the way he reads a defense, works progressions and fits the ball in a tight window. This grade is only lower than you may expect because of the amount of picks the Rams had to give up. It was a steep price to pay for a quarterback who doesn't enter the NFL with a grade as high as Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota a year ago.
Grade: B

2. Philadelphia Eagles - Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State

There is a real risk with Wentz. Obviously, taking him second overall, you assume the best. You assume he's going to be the franchise quarterback who leads the Eagles to the playoffs consistently. You assume his impressive tools will translate to the NFL. But you also have to assume he can transition from the FCS level where he had limited starting experience. Similar to the Rams' grade, this one gets knocked a touch because of the amount of picks the Eagles had to give up to move up six spots in the draft. Still, if you're giving up that many picks, you do it for a quarterback you think can be a star.
Grade: B

3. San Diego Chargers - Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State

This was the first surprise of the first round of the draft, but if the draft was in January a lot of people probably would have expected this choice. Bosa is the draft's best player, but got unfairly picked apart during the combine process. It's almost like we all got bored of Bosa. The Ohio State junior is a good combo end who can stop the run and get after the quarterback. Pass rush skill will get negated some if the Chargers use him as an end in a three-man front. That's the big issue with this choice.
Grade: B+

4. Dallas Cowboys - Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Ohio State

There's no mistaking that Elliott is one of the draft's best players. He's a complete running back who can do everything. But this is high for a running back, especially when you have Alfred Morris and Darren McFadden on the roster. Sure, they're not world beaters or superstars like Elliott, but having them is a waste of money. Still, Elliott should be the Offensive Rookie of the Year front runner. With Elliott to go along with quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Dez Bryant, they have their new Triplets.
Grade: B

5. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jalen Ramsey, CB/S, Florida State

This had to be one of the more effortless picks in the top 10 to make. Ramsey is an NFL-ready superstar who can star at cornerback. Ramsey fits perfectly in Gus Bradley's defense, thanks to his size and physicality. With Ramsey and the addition of safety Tashaun Gipson, the Jaguars now have an imposing pass defense.
Grade: A

6. Baltimore Ravens - Ronnie Stanley, OT, Notre Dame

Just when you thought Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome would zig, he zagged. Ole Miss left tackle Laremy Tunsil grades out higher than Stanley. He's more athletic and more physical as a run blocker. But you wonder if the Ravens went with Stanley due to some issues about Tunsil off the field. Stanley goes this high because he's a high-level pass blocker. Stanley can keep Joe Flacco upright, and that's priority No. 1 for the Ravens. The grade is average solely because Tunsil has the potential to be so good.
Grade: C+

7. San Francisco 49ers - DeForest Buckner, DE, Oregon

The expected pick happened as expected. With Buckner and Arik Armstead, the 49ers have an imposing and young defensive front. Buckner fits the system San Francisco is going to run. He's a powerful end who fits the Calais Campbell comparison perfectly.
Grade: B+

8. Tennessee Titans - Jack Conklin, OT, Michigan State

This is a safe pick. It's a smart pick. It's a pick the Titans gave up a lot to make. The Titans must have been another team really anxious about Laremy Tunsil. Conklin is a good fit, though. He's a tough and hard-nosed blocker who will pair nicely with Taylor Lewan. Which one of them ends up on the right or left will be decided, but now the Titans have bookends to protect Marcus Mariota.

North Korea sentences Korean American to 10 years hard labour - Xinhua

SEOUL, April 29 (Reuters) - North Korea's Supreme Court sentenced a Korean American man to 10 years of hard labour on Friday for subversion, China's Xinhua news agency reported, in the latest conviction of a foreigner for crimes against the isolated state.
Kim Dong Chul was arrested in North Korea in October and had admitted to committing "unpardonable espionage" including stealing military secrets, the North's official news agency reported earlier.
"The Supreme Court of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Friday sentenced South Korea-born U.S. citizen Kim Dong-chul to 10 years of hard labour for subversion of the DPRK social system and espionage activities," Xinhua said.
There were no further details.
North Korea, which has been criticized for its poor human rights record for years, has used detained Americans in the past to extract high-profile visits from the United States, with which it has no formal diplomatic relations.
It has previously handed down lengthy sentences to foreigners before eventually freeing them.
Six foreigners, including Kim and three South Koreans, are known to be detained in the North.
Kim, who has said he was a naturalised American citizen, had confessed to committing espionage under the direction of the U.S. and South Korean governments and apologised for his crimes, according to the North's KCNA news agency.
Some foreigners held by North Korea have said after their release that their confessions were coerced.
The North is also holding an American, Otto Warmbier, who was sentenced to 15 years of hard labour in March for trying to steal a propaganda banner. It is also holding a Korean-Canadian Christian pastor, who is serving a life sentence for subversion.
North Korea has tightened security ahead of the first ruling party congress in 36 years which will begin on May 6. It has also intensified its pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles since its fourth nuclear test in January. (Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Robert Birsel)

 

Canadian high school basketball star claims he did not know his real age

Jonathan Nicola, the star high school basketball player in Canada who is under investigation for possibly lying about his age, claims that the misunderstanding is due to him not knowing his real age.
Nicola was a star player for Catholic Central Secondary School in Windsor, but he was arrested at the Canadian border and has been held by immigration since April 15. He was traveling to the US with his team when border services were alerted that his fingerprints matched that of someone who tried to make a refugee claim in the US, The Toronto Star reports.
According to information shared at a hearing, Nicola’s visa application and passport to Canada listed his birthday as Nov. 25, 1998. However, his documents for the US listed his birthday as Nov. 1, 1986.
Nicola says the issue is his mother never told him his birthday.
“I always keep asking what is the specific age that I was born, and she has told me that she could not remember,” Nicola said at a recent hearing.
“Over (in South Sudan) . . . not every year we study . . . we always keep moving to different schools, and over there, they do not ask your age. They do not ask you nothing,” Nicola said.
If Nicola’s story hardly seems believable, it’s for good reason. He applied for a visa to the US in Nairobi that was denied in April 2015. He was applying to enter the US on a full scholarship.
Does it seem at all suspicious that six months later he headed to Canada on a student visa to attend a school on a full scholarship? The question is how did Nicola get his documents to play ball in Canada. He says he met someone who helped him with his application.
At 6-foot-9, Nicola was a stellar player for his high school. His coach thought the supposed 11th grade had a chance to go pro.