The people of Odeke in Kogi and Aguleri in Anambra have been at war over the ownership of an oil well in the area.

The governors, who spoke in Abuja on Thursday, said they had resolved to ensure that the people of the two communities continued to co-habit peacefully while they await the conclusion of the National Boundary Commission delineation.

Wada, at the joint briefing held at the Kogi State Liaison office, Abuja, refuted reports that 400 houses were razed during the communal crisis, stressing that only five buildings and four motorcycles were torched.

He stated that the two states were awaiting the outcome of the Presidential directive to the NBC to resolve the ownership tussle regarding the oil well.

He called on the feuding members of the communities to live in harmony and ignore those that might incite them to violence, adding that the two states would assist victims of the crisis.

Wada said, “NBC has started the delineation of the area, but no one knows how long it would take; we call on those inciting the people to violence to desist from the attempt, what Nigeria needs now is peace to ensure development.”

Obi expressed confidence that with their clarification and resolution to keep the peace, there would be no further skirmishes in the communities.

He denied that Orient Petroleum, which was exploring oil in the disputed land, had left, adding that the company temporarily vacated the area due to the heavy flooding recorded last year.

Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency has delivered more relief items to displaced persons in Bauchi State.

Director- General of NEMA, Alhaji Muhammad Sani-Sidi, who delivered the items to Governor Isa Yuguda, said the state government had set a good record for others to emulate in helping distressed people in their localities.

He promised that the agency would always collaborate with the stakeholders, including the state and local governments in the efficient and effective disaster management in the country.

A statement by the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Yushau Shuaibu, on Thursday, listed items delivered to include 2,400 bundles of roofing zinc, 2,400 bags of cement, 7,000 pieces of timbers and 150 bags of roofing nails.

Via Punch

The victims were among some some 22 passengers travelling in two commercial vehicles from opposite lanes of the road.

The accident happened at about 2:55 p.m. at a spot in Zariagi Village, near Lokoja.

The accident involved a Toyota Hiace passenger bus with registration number Abia XB 111 KWU and a Mercedez bus with registration number Lagos XR 106 EKY.

Some villagers who witnessed the accident told NAN that the two vehicles on high speed had head-on collision.

The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Kogi, Mr Garba Mohammed, who confirmed the accident blamed it on wrong overtaking by one of the vehicles.

He said that four male adults and three female adults were among those killed together with the male child.

Mohammed said that the corpses of the victims had been deposited at the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre in Lokoja.

According to him, five other people who sustained serious injuries in the accident are being treated in the hospital.

He said that the accident led to temporary disruption of movement of vehicles on the road, noting however, that FRSC officials had since cleared the obstacles and re-opened the road to traffic. (NAN)

Via Vanguard

POPE Emeritus Benedict XVI, the 264th successor of Pope Peter and the 265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, who made his final farewell Thursday evening, is likely to have a much better retirement package than most American seniors, according to a CNBC contributor.

The retired pontiff is expected to receive a monthly pension of 2,500 euros ($3,266), which is near the maximum a person could receive on US Social Security, according to Italian newspaper La Stampa.

That translates to almost $3,300, or close to the monthly maximum of $3,350 that Social Security will pay to an American who retires this year.

“That’s quite rare,” Richard Johnson of Urban Institute told the broadcaster. One would have to wait until 70 when they retire and would have had to make the maximum pay stipulated by Social Security for a long time.

“For most people, if you look at the median, Social Security counts for about 40 per cent of their income. So it’s important, but people rely a lot on other savings, like pensions or 401(k) savings,” Johnson added.

The Roman Catholic Church will cover the expenses of Pope Emeritus Benedict, born Joseph Ratzinger, and will give him a Vatican home with cooked meals and housekeepers, the report said.

A big nest egg is not something the Pope emeritus has to worry about. The Roman Catholic Church will cover his living expenses, provide him with a spacious home inside the Vatican and pay for everything from cooked meals to housekeepers, according to The Telegraph.

Such services are not available to the typical American senior, unless he or she pays for an assisted living facility or resides in a nursing home, Johnson said.

What about waiting to retire until 85, as Benedict did? The average American retires at about 64, so working that long is unusual, Johnson noted.

“If you have a job you love, it’s great,” he said.

“(But) just like the pope, the biggest determinant of retirement is health status. When your health starts to deteriorate, that’s what often pushes people into retirement, sometimes earlier than expected.”

Health care costs are one of the big risks that older Americans face, and while Medicare pays for the bulk of their expenses, many things are left uncovered, Johnson said. Meanwhile, the pope emeritus will continue to be a member of the Vatican’s generous private health care policy, the BBC reported.

“(But) just like the pope, the biggest determinant of retirement is health status. When your health starts to deteriorate, that’s what often pushes people into retirement, sometimes earlier than expected,” Johnson said.

When he stepped down on Thursday, he said that he was glad to be “surrounded by the beauty of creation,” reported The Associated Press. “I am simply a pilgrim beginning the last leg of his pilgrimage on this Earth,” he added.

Next Monday, cardinals will meet to determine the next papal conclave to elect the new pope.

“May the College of Cardinals work like an orchestra, where diversity—an expression of the universal church—always works toward a higher and harmonious agreement,” Benedict said, according to AP.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/03/pope-benedicts-retirement-package/#sthash.9kTtnLes.dpuf

Via Vanguard

The Republic of Korea has donated 20 rice mills worth $200,000 to three flood affected states-Benue,Kogi and Bayelsa- to cushion the effect of the disaster.

Ten of the mills are for Benue while five each go to Kogi and Bayelsa States.

Each of the mills is capable of processing 300 kilogrammes of rice per hour.

The ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Jong-hyun Choi, who handed over the mills to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Abuja, expressed delight that his country is part of the Nigeria’s comprehensive rehabilitation of the flood victims.

He hoped that the machines will assist Nigerian farmers overcome the plight caused by the flood witnessed in Nigeria last year.

He also pledged the commitment of Korea to assist NEMA in the area of capacity building for disaster management.

“We will go beyond what we are donating today. We will assist in the areas of training and capacity building of your staff in disaster management.

“This is part of my country’s commitment to pay back what we owed the international community. We would like to share with countries like Nigeria, the experiences we have acquired over the year,” he stated.”

The Director-General of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Sidi, thanked the Korean government and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for the gesture, which he described as a testimony of the mutual relationship between the two countries.
-Nation

I intend to recruit more people to the discuss using the only medium available, for me, I will be guided by the motto: no one is more Nigerian than us. My admonitions will preach oneness, it will address our differences. I will hurt us, not with arms, but the truth…this will be the little summary of my creed for this year 2013.

Having stated the above, back to my admonition today. Idris Wada, is controversial PDP governor of Kogi state, even his party was/is against him. I recall he was same person that documents made round questioning his sanity. He has been at loggerheads with the state House of Assembly while there has been a speakership tussle.

He has the honour of being governor in what I call one of the ‘red states’ (states always in the news for wrong reasons). Only recently a former governor of the state was on the run from EFCC, another governor was a carpenter with questionable educational qualification. Idris Wada, was a victim of a motor accident, a Lexus bullet proof luxury 4X4, this and that proof but not accident proof. He completed the list of governors with misfortunes for 2012.

So let us rewind, after an event in some part of the state, he was driving back when the one of tyres of the car burst and the rest is story. He survived with a broken leg or thigh one and minor wounds on other parts of his body.

His ADC was not that lucky, he paid the ultimate price. May his soul find peace.
So how does Idris Wada’s leg matter or mean a thing to you or anyone at that? Before I tell us, let me wish him a quick recovery. However I am happy that it is Idris Wada’s leg, wish it was more…very crude and wicked of me to wish him such. Sadly these are the thoughts of many Nigerians who have lost loved ones due to the reckless driving of government convoys. Many who have broken any part of their bodies can’t wish Wada any well.

Just last month, last year, the Gombe state governor’s convoy killed two persons, and it barely received a mention. I know that PR defence ‘the speed was normal, bla bla bla’.

The truth is that a first look at the accident-ed car tells you the speed it was being driven at. It is almost as if these government drivers, their boss and the convoy are hell-bent on a suicide mission.

Where are they often speeding to, is the place leaving that location? Why is it that government convoys from local to presidential cannot obey traffic rules and why are they in a hurry to break our legs, hands, heads, flog us, and push us out of the roads?

The same us they claim voted them, same us, they insist they are serving.

While I looked at the picture of Idris Wada’s encased leg as Jonathan ‘greeted’ him. I counted the many Nigerian legs, the many Kogi legs that cannot get such treatment as our governor was getting.

The governor was humble enough (maybe PR) to say he was not going to Nigeria’s 37th state i.e Germany for further treatment. But really how many Nigerian legs could afford that private hospital in abuja, infact, how many Nigerians can get to the national hospital abuja. Can the hospital cater for Nigerians?

Why can we not have 36 first class medical facilities in Nigeria and specialist hospitals across major cities? Why can’t simple DNAs, kidney transplants, CT scans be done just about anywhere. Why must CS operations cost as much as N70K?

Is it not true that Igbobi is about the only Orthopedic Hospital we have, the rest being renowned Orthopedic professionals scattered across the nation and Nigerians barely left at the mercy of local ‘bone setters’. So what happens if and when its my leg or your leg.

Its 2013, I dare hope, infact I wish I wake to a government convoy driving at barely a 100km an hour, on good roads.

Hence according to Gowon, the money is not the problem, but how to spend it–I suggest that we spend some few millions to building a first class health facility for broken hands, broken heads, hearts, and importantly for broken legs of ordinary Kogites, and Nigerians, then we will know that Idris Wada has learned from the accident, then we will know that government means business, until then–only time will tell.

Prince Charles Dickson
Editor, burningpot.com

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Kogi State Governor, Captain Idris Wada, three days after he was discharged from the Cedar Crest Hospital, Abuja, where he was receiving treatment following a fatal crash, yesterday returned for check-up. He thanked President Goodluck Jonathan in particular and Nigerians in general for the show of love. The governor was driven into the premises of the hospital in a metallic grey Toyota caravan a few minutes past 10 a.m. in a convoy of three vehicles, clad a white kaftan with a multi-coloured cap to match.

Wada particularly expressed gratitude to God for sparing his life after a close shave with death, his speedy recovery and for the prayers offered for his survival and quick recovery by Nigerians. The governor, who was in crutches, also commiserated with the people of his state over another fatal accident that took the life of a security aide to the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Lawal Jimoh.

Wada, who came for his first post-surgery medical examination, expressed appreciation to President Jonathan for remaining in constant touch with him even after his visit while he was still admitted in the hospital. Responding to questions from newsmen that had stormed the hospital when they got wind of his coming, Wada said: “I thank God almighty and all Nigerians, especially Mr. President and all the people who have been praying for me”. On the crash which claimed the life of a security detail to the Speaker, Kogi State House of Assembly, Governor Wada said though he received the news with rude shock, he could not question God.

According to him, “it’s unfortunate and everybody is to take heart. Death is from almighty God, it’s from Him we came and to God we’ll return”. Wada spent about 45 minutes with the Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and CMD of the hospital, Dr. Felix Ogedegbe. Ogedegbe also in a chat with newsmen said the governor’s speedy recovery was not a miracle but a medical process that has worked for hundreds of patients who were brought to the hospital for a similar treatment.

He said the efficacy of the process which makes patients walk without crushes within three to four weeks has been scientifically proved and has worked for many patients. According to him, “from your chat with His Excellency, he’s doing very well at the moment, he was discharged a couple of days ago from hospital and he has come for his first routine check now. “From our assessment, he’s doing very well, he is gaining steadily on his post-operative course; we’ve not seen any problems at all, his physiotherapy is going on, like you saw him with crush ambulation; he’s walking around, he’s keeping fit and with all the things we’ve asked him to do, I think he’s doing very well at the moment.” On how soon the governor will drop the crushes, he expressed optimism that it will be very soon.

“A lot of questions have been asked why we didn’t tie up his leg and all that, the modern way of checking thigh bone fracture is to operate them with a machine we call image identifier. We have the capability to do that, with minimal injury to the leg, because you know, the leg has been injured in an accident and surgery itself is a form of injury, an injury that is necessary to treat the patient”, he added.

By PREMIUM TIMES
Report reaching PREMIUM TIMES indicates that the Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada, was badly hurt in a fatal road accident on Friday and is in the intensive care unit at the Kogi State Hospital in Lokoja, the state capital.

The ADC to the Kogi State Governor reportedly died on the spot.

Mr. Wada was on his way back to Lokoja from a function in Ayingba.

Update – PREMIUM TIMES

Doctors at the Lokoja Specialist Hospital where Mr. Wada received first aid treatment said his leg is “totally broken.”

The doctors said the governor was brought into the intensive care unit with a severely fractured femur, a senior government official said. He added that the doctors said the governor is in good condition and did not sustain major head or spinal cord injuries.

“There is hope,” he said.

The state government arranged for a helicopter which flew the governor to the National Hospital in Abuja, a source at the government house told PREMIUM TIMES.

The governor is in “serious pains,” the aide, who saw the governor at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital, said.

The multi-million dollars home where the ex-governor has now moved
to is located at 12301 Glen Road, Potomac, Maryland, 20854 USA.

African Examiner gathered that Mr Audu arrived USA on Wednesday
through London and may be in the US until the end of January,
according to his itinerary.

It is definitely a huge surprise how the ex-governor could flee Nigeria
despite its much publicized wanted notice by the country’s anti-graft
agency, EFCC.

The commission had said that the former governor fled when the its
officials stormed his 32 Suleiman Barau Street, Aso Villa, Asokoro
Abuja residence to arrest him in the early hours of Tuesday
December 11.

He was alleged to have fraudulently enriched himself to the tune of
over N4 billion while he was governor of Kogi State between 1999
and 2003.

EFCC stated that the latest effort to arrest and prosecute Mr. Audu
followed a Supreme Court ruling of November 23, 2012, which
quashed the appeal challenging his prosecution.

Last year, Mr Abubakar Audu staged a failed comeback into Kogi
politics when he re-contested for the state governorship election
under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and was
defeated.

African Examiner gathered that Mr Audu owns three expensive
houses in rich neighbourhood in Washington DC, Maryland and
Connecticut.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday said it had concluded arrangements to declare Kogi State ex-governor, Alhaji Abubakar Audu, wanted over alleged N4bn fraud.

A statement by the spokesperson for the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the decision followed alleged evasion of arrest of the embattled former governor.

EFCC said he “fled when operatives of the commission stormed his 32 Suleiman Barau Street, Aso Villa, Asokoro-Abuja residence in the early hours of today.”

According to him, Audu was alleged to have fraudulently enriched himself to the tune of over N4bn while he was governor of Kogi State between 1999 and 2003.

He added, “The latest effort to arrest the ex- governor followed a Supreme Court ruling of November 23, 2012, which dismissed his appeal to continue to protract his corruption trial by the EFCC. The Supreme Court ruling therefore clears the way for his fresh arraignment.”

Uwujaren added, “Audu was arrested in Jos in 2006, after a six months manhunt by operatives of the Commission, before his earlier arraignment at the Kogi State High Court on December 1, 2006, on an 80 counts of conspiracy, fraud, criminal breach of trust and embezzlement of public fund.

“The EFCC had, while the case lasted at the High Court, cause issuance of nolle prosequi by the former Attorney- General of Kogi State, Dr. John Agbonika and the then Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), on February 8, 2007 for the case to be discontinued at the Kogi State High Court, as the commission claimed to have lost faith in the handling of the matter by the State High Court.

“But rather than discontinue the matter in the spirit of the nolle prosequi, the trial Judge, Justice Medupin, went ahead and referred two questions to the Court of Appeal for determination.”

In the judgement delivered by Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, the Supreme Court held that the Court of Appeal was wrong to consider the questions referred to it for determination after being aware from the records of Appeal that a nolle prosequi had been filed.

Uwujaren said, “Part of the setback suffered by the Commission in the prosecution of the case was the filing of several applications by the defendant for stay of proceedings at the high court pending the final determination of the appeal.”

“Audu had on December 12, 2011, through his lead counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, filed the stay of proceedings motion supported by 11-paragraph Affidavit. This was 26 clear days after the Supreme Court of Nigeria on November 16, 2011, struck out a similar application he filed on January 24, 2011.”

Via punch

From EMMANUEL ADEYEMI, Lokoja

Government officials and greedy individuals may have taken advantage of the flood disaster on Kogi State to enrich themselves, Daily Sun gathered. A discreet survey carried out on the flood disaster in the state revealed that figures on those affected were grossly amplified while bogus sums of money were being mentioned as cost resulting from the disaster. For example, the state government put the number of those affected as two million and the monetary value of property destroyed at over N2billion. This has been discovered to be exaggerated.

Also it was observed that there were more than 30 fake refugee camps created across the state ostensibly to divert funds and materials meant for the refugees to private pockets It was also gathered that most of the refugees were still living in pitiable condition with most of them sleeping on empty stomach.

The state government, it is gathered, has received about N1billion so far as donations with the Federal Government donating N500 million, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, N430 million and several other donations from corporate bodies and kind-hearted individuals, yet all these seemed not to have reflected in the standard of the living of the refugees.

It was also gathered that since the Federal Government announced the release of N500 million as succour to cushion of the effect the flood disaster, many towns and villages especially in Igala land have suddenly turned out to be flooded areas. Some of the victims narrated their ordeals: ZAINAB IBRAHIM 65 yrs I am a widow with 10 children, I laboured to build a ten room bungallow at Hausa street, Adankolo but all has been washed away by flood.

Our condition in the camp is worst, there is not enough to eat. We are only being fed with three satchets on indomie for a family of 10.

JOHNSON ENEJO CIVIL SERVANT 44 yrs We are only being starving here, we only hear of millions being donated to goverment but none comes to us except the one personally given out to us. We discovered that some government offials especially SEMA officials and some other political office holders are not honest the exception of NEMA officials and Red cross who are very diligent and helpful.

UMORU NDAKWO 25yrs LANDLORD My father has a seven-room bungallow and I built a three-bed room beside it which the flood submerged We are being fed with biscuits and indomie with small cup of rice. The toilet facility is disheartenening and there are no drugs to take care of those who are sick RACHEL ADESUPO 35yrs I just gave birth to this baby girl two days ago. It was a good Samaritan who rushed me to hospital and paid part of my hospital bill. I was only given these two cups of beans to feed me and my six children and we do not even know when the next will come. I am from Ekiti State.

FAITH EMMANUEL, WIDOW 28yrs I was a tenant at Kabawa when the food suddenly came at night, we lost all our property to the flood and I had to quickly evacuate my children to the camp. Now they can no longer go to school and we are starving and nowhere to run to.

ESTHER OMACHI 25yrs I gave birth also in the camp on Wednesday night.

There was no medical people to attend to me I had to be rushed to Federal Medical Centre by a visitor. The situation here is not conducive at all, we are still being fed with N30 loaf of bread per family and I have five children plus the new born.

ISAYA ISA CHINOKO, NEMA OFFICER We have been able to effectively render assistance to flood victims in four areas of interventions namely; camp management, needs and on-the-spot assessment, provision of relief materials, and rescuing operations in collaboration with the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority “We mobilize our search and rescue department to rescue over 7000 people trapped in Ibaji Local Government, which is the worst hit and we have distributed over N17 million worth of drugs to victims through the state ministry of health. Inspite of Kogi’s classification as category A, we are happy that no death was recorded in the state because of our proactive measures.

-Sun