NNPC Shuts Port Harcourt, Kaduna Refineries.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has announced the “operational shutdown” of the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries, owing to crude supply challenges arising from recent attacks on vital crude oil pipelines.
According to Ohi Alegbe, group general manager of the corporation, who released a statement to announce the move, the plants were shut simultaneously on Sunday after the Bonny-Okrika crude supply line to the Port Harcourt Refinery and the Escravos-Warri crude supply line to the Kaduna Refinery suffered breaches.
He stated that before the closure, the Port Harcourt Refinery was recording a daily PMS yield of over 4.1 million litres while Kaduna Refinery was posting a daily petrol production of about 1.3 million litres.

Why We Handcuffed Metuh − NPS

The Nigeria Prisons Service has said that putting handcuffs on the National Publicity Secretary, Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh while appearing for his trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday was at the discretion of the prison officer, who supervised his court appearance.
The NPS spokesman, Francis Enobore, said the officer in charge of the escort that took Metuh to court was at liberty to determine if the inmate should be handcuffed based on security situation, the environment and intelligence report made available to him.

Metuh Deserves No Sympathy, Says Oshiomhole

Adams Oshiomhole, Edo state governor, has expressed support for Tuesday’s handcuffing of Olisa Metuh, national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). There have been different reactions to Metuh’s appearance in court in handcuffs, with the opposition party accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of attempting to break the spirit of PDP through such measure. But speaking during a meeting with the new council of the Edo state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in Benin on Tuesday, the governor said there was nothing wrong with restraining Metuh. “If those accused of lesser crimes are handcuffed and paraded by the police and get no sympathy from the public, Mr. Metuh and others, accused of diverting huge public funds, should not have sympathy,” Peter Okhiria, his spokesman quoted him as saying.

Court Orders FG To Produce Dasuki In Court Feb. 16

Justice Adeniyi Ademola of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday ordered the Federal Government to produce the immediate past National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (retd), in court on February 16.
The judge made the order with respect to the charges of money laundering and illegal possession of firearms preferred against Dasuki by the Federal Government.
The four counts preferred against the former NSA before Justice Ademola are unrelated to the two separate sets of charges bordering on alleged diversion of arms funds pending against Dasuki and others before two judges of the Federal Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja.

Court Orders DSS To Take Nnamdi Kanu To Prison.

John Tsoho, justice of the federal high court, Abuja, has ordered that Nnamdi Kanu be remanded in Kuje prison pending his trial for treason. Tsoho, the judge, gave the order after listening to Mohammed Diri, counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), and Chuks Muoma (SAN), counsel to Kanu. Muoma had argued that the accused person be remanded in prison custody away from the cell of the DSS. He said that his client had been kept incommunicado in the custody of the DSS for three months.

60 Minutes Defames Russian Effort in Syria

by Patrice Greanville for the Greanville Post

Taking no chances, CBS also manages to denigrate the brave Syrian Arab Army, just about one of the most heroic forces fighting ISIL and other brutal terrorists in the Middle East.

The Treachery of The Western Media

Patrice Greanville

South Africa To Stop Buying Crude Oil From Nigeria, Opens Talks With Iran

ABUJA— Nigeria’s woes in the area of dwindling revenue from crude oil sales is expected to heighten in the next couple of days, as the South African Petroleum Industry Association, SAPIA, yesterday, stated that South Africa would likely stop importing crude oil from Nigeria following the lifting of the sanctions on Iran.

fuel-pumpExecutive Director of the SAPIA, Avhapfani Tshifularo, told journalists that the potential return of Iranian oil exports to South Africa threaten to displace barrels from Saudi Arabia and Nigeria that plugged the supply gap when sanctions were imposed on Iran, which is OPEC’s fifth biggest producer.

Economy Downturn: Redeploy Adeosun From Finance Ministry , Group Tells Buhari

A civil society organisation, Rescue Nigerian Economy Project has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency redeploy Nigeria’s Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun to another Ministry in order to save Nigeria’s economy from going into recession.
In a statement made available to Daily Independent on Tuesday, its Executive Secretary, Dennis Alamu- George said Adeosun’s handling of the Finance Ministry since her appointment has proven that she is a rookie who is not qualified to proffer solutions to the myriads of problems confronting Nigeria’s economy.

Nigeria Signs Agreement With UAE On Recovery Of Stolen Funds

Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday signed six agreements to enhance bilateral relations between them.

The signing of the agreements on trade, finance and judicial matters, according to a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, was witnessed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun and the UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs, Obaid Attayar signed the Avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement, while the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah signed the Agreement on Trade Promotion and Protection with the UAE Minister of State for Financial Affairs.

See The Rat That Causes Lassa Fever

The name of the rat that Possess and spread the virus that causes lassa fever is called multimammate rat( because it has many Tips like all these local street dogs after delivery). While the botanical name is mastomys natalensis.

There is also an upsurge of the disease everywhere. So we should all practice hand washing hygiene. Also all apple lovers should wash them with salt and warm water before refrigerating them to eat. Our wives should avoid testing of dry garri by chewing them for starch in the market. All garri soakers should let go for now.

#Dasukigate: Church Members Boo Falae - PerSecondNews

Former Presidential Candidate of Alliance for Democracy (AD) and All Peoples Party (APP), Chief Oluyemisi Falae on Sunday told worshippers at the historic St. David’s Cathedral, Ijomu street, Akure that he was not involved in the massive diversion and looting of security funds traced to ex-National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and other notable politicians and media executives.

Chief Olu Falae, amidst jeers and boos explained that one hundred million naira, which the former Board of Trustees (BOT) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih, purportedly paid to him was in no way connected to the NSA funds but to logistics for voters’ mobilization in the alliance forged between the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the then ruling party (PDP).

Metuh Returns To Prison After Bail

The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, was driven off in a prison pick-up van ‎from the premises of the Federal High Court in Abuja, shortly after he was granted bail in the sum of N400m by the court on Tuesday.

Metuh, who was produced in court in handcuff for the bail hearing on Tuesday, is to remain in prison till when he meets the bail conditions.
After the court delivered its ruling on Tuesday, prison officials led him to a waiting pick-up van and he was locked up at the rear cabin of the vehicle.

Police Rescue Suspected Rice, Noodles Thief From Mob Beatings (Picture)

But for the intervention of policemen in Ogombo, angry residents of Ikota, Eti-Osa East Local Council Development Area of Lagos, would have lynched a suspected thief.

The suspect, Stephen Effiong, was stripped Unclad and beaten to a pulp, after he was allegedly caught stealing rice and other food items from people’s homes.

A police source yesterday confirmed to The Nation that the incident occurred at the Ikota Second Gate, on the Lekki – Epe Expressway, last Wednesday.

Pastor, 70, Seeks Dissolution Of 41-year-old Marriage Over Sex Starvation

A 70-year-old pastor, Mr Caleb Oluwafisibe, on Tuesday pleaded with an Ojo Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve his 41-year -old marriage to his wife, Titilayo, because he was sex starved.

The pastor, who ironically appeared in court wearing a polo T-shirt which had the inscription ‘peace’ at the back, told the court that he was already practicing a celibate life, even as a married man.

“Since I married my wife in June 1975, it’s been marriage and separation in two phases because any situation was determined by what I could offer.

Defeating Them Won’t Be Tough - Buhari to Niger Delta Militants,

President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to deal decisively with the seeming resurgence of oil theft, vandalism of pipelines and insecurity in the Niger Delta.
Declaring that the Nigerian Armed Forces had already dealt “deadly blows” on Boko Haram, Mr. Buhari said the activities of oil thieves and vandals would soon be brought to an end, according to a statement by his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, on Tuesday.
“The oil thieves and abductors are a less problematic target. We will re-organise and deal with them,” he was quoted as saying.

Spirit Told Me To Stab The Pregnant Woman –suspect (pictured)

A 19-year-old man, Ibibe Okonta, who stabbed his seven-month-old pregnant neighbour seven times, leading to loss of the pregnancy, said he was told by an evil spirit to carry out the dastardly act.

The victim, Mrs. Oyinyechi Chinaka, a mother of two, was said to have been rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Idi-Araba, Mushin.

Although Mrs Chinaka survived, she lost the pregnancy. Okonta was said to have stabbed Chinaka in her stomach, arm and neck and left her to bleed to death. Chinaka would have died, but for the timely intervention of neighbours. Chinaka, who is now recuperating in the hospital, said that Okonta stabbed her in their compound in Mushin.

Activating The Koboko Revolution

Activating The Koboko Revolution
By Adekoya Boladale

Apart from institutional leakages where deliberate non-implementation of policies has continued to lead to porosity of public funds; braze greed of unpatriotic public servants and sheer lust to climb the ladder of societal superiority are elements that have continued to rekindle the flames of corruption in Africa.

Iran versus US: Iran Wins

The lifting of sanctions is an unequivocal victory for Iran, sealing its regional position, and leaving its nuclear capability intact

by Alexander Mercouris for Russia Insider.

Confirmation that international sanctions on Iran have at last been lifted is unequivocally a victory for Iran.

The sanctions should never have been imposed in the first place.

Israel vs Iran: Israel loses, *big* time

Today I have already posted to excellent analyses of the (possibly temporary) failure of the USA to submit Iran to its will: one by Alexander Mercouris, the other by Soraya Sepahpour Ulrich.  I shall not repeat their very arguments here, mainly because both see this as a conflict between the USA and Iran, whereas I see that as a conflict between Israel and Iran in which Israel attempted, but failed, to get the USA to fight on its behalf.  This is also, albeit to a lesser degree, a conflict opposing the House of Saud to Iran, and the KSA is the other big loser here.  But first, let us look at the real causes of this confrontation.

Britain Awakes to Reality: The European Crisis of 2016

by Henry Mangold

Britain, once a great world power, is now in most respects ruled from Brussels, as part of the European Union. This transfer of power was carried out, essentially, by a conspiracy. To understand how this conspiracy was possible, it’s necessary to understand the present British constitution.

In the eighteenth century, Britain had a hereditary king, who was responsible for defence and foreign affairs. Taxation and legislation were the responsibility of two houses of parliament, one of them elected (The House of Commons), the other hereditary (the House of Lords). The king could veto new laws. Equally the two Houses of Parliament had a degree of control over royal policy, through the power of the purse. Armies and navies cost money, which must come from taxation.

The Day After

by Soraya Sepahpour Ulrich

Some final thoughts – the day after

Not the movie about a fictional war between NATO forces and the Warsaw Pact and a nuclear exchange between the United States and the Soviet Union, but the Day After the Implementation Deal of the Iran Nuclear Deal.

Although I said and wrote repeatedly in the past that the US stance toward Iran will not change, by now it should be obvious to all that this is the case.   America “thanked” Iran by imposing further sanctions on Iran for its defense capabilities – the ballistic missiles.

Anambra Central: Stop Parading Yourself As A Sole Candidate – APC Cautions Umeh

Ahead of the scheduled rerun for the Anambra Central Senatorial District, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has called on Chief Victor Umeh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, to brace up for the polls and stop presenting himself as the sole candidate for the election.
In a statement by Mr. Osita Okechukwu, the Spokesman, South East, APC Leadership Caucus, he said Umeh was clearly displaying his fear of facing other parties in the polls.

Nigerians Must Support Anti-Corruption War –Kashamu

SENATOR Buruji Kashamu is a household name in Nigeria. Cur­rently, he is the lawmaker rep­resenting Ogun East Senatorial District at the National Assem­bly and Vice-Chairman, Senate Committee on State and Local Government Administration. At an interactive session with some journalists, he spoke on a wide range of issues, including the ongoing anti-corruption cam­paign of the Federal Govern­ment, among others. Excerpts:
What are your views on the na­tion’s state of affairs?

Pipeline Bombings: Nigerian Military Declare War On Militants, Comb Creeks

Tompolo writes Buhari, accuses APC chieftain of masterminding attacks

COMMANDER of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Ma­jor General Okunola, who led his troop to inspect one of the blown up pipelines at Egwa II community in Warri South West, has said the Army will hold commu­nity leaders in whose domain such bombing took place re­sponsible for any act of sabo­tage in their area.  He said that the Federal Government would do all it can to bring the saboteurs of national assets to book as they were already closing in on the criminals. Okunola said henceforth, security agencies would en­force extant law banning the use of outboard engines with 200 HP and above.

At $29 Per Barrel: Oil Markets Tumble As Iran Begins Production

Global oil prices are in for a tumble this week after Iran said it was ready to add half a million barrels a day to crude exports after international sanctions were lifted this weekend.
The prospect of Iran flooding the market with more crude had already dented prices last week, pushing Brent crude below $30 a barrel, to $29.20 by yesterday.
Iran’s return to the international oil market may worsen the global oil glut as the country looks to ramp up its crude oil exports with estimated 500,000 barrels per day.
Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, hailed a “glorious victory” as his country relished reconnecting to the global economy following the formal announcement, late on Saturday, that sanctions were ending thanks to moves by Tehran to scale back its nuclear programme.