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Guardian Online: Saturday, January 6, 2001

American peace corps return to Nigeria

By Francis Obinor, Foreign Affairs Reporter

AMERICAN Peace Corps which maintained a heavy presence in Nigeria in the 60s reportedly returned to the country on Tuesday following an agreement between the Federal Government and the United States.

But Ms Nicole Theriot, an Assistant Information Officer, Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy to Nigeria, denied the report, saying it was untrue.

According to her, the team that came into the country in December last year, was only here to assess the feasibility of such programme. It was gathered then that peace corps officials had been meeting with officials of the Nigerian government, the U.S. Mission and non-governmental communities involved in the socio-economic development of the country, to determine the "exact opportunites for collaboration and service."

Speaking on Wednesday, Dr. Daniel Omoweh and Dr. Ogabu Oche, research fellows at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, said the citizens should not make further comments on the issue, but should be patient and watch how things would work out.

Oche said what Nigerians should be concerned about was the overall benefit of the exercise and further improvement it would have on the Nigerian military, because "what matters actually is the quantity of things brought in to improve the army."

Oche, however, said both parties would need to exchange ideas since nothing is neally new to the Nigerian troops in peace keeping operations.

Out-going U.S. President Bill Clinton during his visit to Nigeria on August, last year, announced that the peace corps would reestablish its partnership with Nigeria as soon as possible to help with education, health and information technology.

The Nigerian intelligensia had criticised the presence of skilled American youths in the country, contending that their real business was espionage, even though the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme was patterned after the American peace corps.

The Federal Government so far, has refused to be party to the American-sponsored African Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI) and even without a defence pact, agreed to the retraining scheme of the Nigerian military, in which U.S. promised $10 million grant.

Since the inception of President Obasanjo Administration, there has been a gradual closing-in of joint efforts between the two countries.

For instance, Nigeria and U.S. resumed direct air links in December last year, following a break in relations engendered by human rights violations by Gen. Sani Abacha Administration, epitomised in the notorious hanging of minority rights activist and writer Ken Saro-Wiwa and his eight Ogoni kinsmen

Guardian Online: Saturday, January 6, 2001

Police arrest seven over murder of NUPENG chief

From Isa Abdulsalami(Jos), Dayo Rogers and Odita Sunday (Lagos)

SEVEN armed robbers who allegedly killed the Rivers State chapter of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) Chairman, Malam Isa Mohammed in Jos, Plateau state, on Christmas eve have been arrested by the police.

The police commissioner, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, who said the late unionist was murdered in cold blood at his residence narrated the gruesome killing thus: "But unfortunately at about 2230 hours (10.30 p.m.) of December 25, 2000, being the Sallah day, a gang of armed bandits numbering about 10 whose ages range from 19-22 years stormed his house.

"He and his two wives were robbed of unspecified sums of money after using clubs and pestle on the head of the unionist until he became unconscious.

The victim, Abubakar said, later died 24 hours while receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital. The leader of the armed robbers, Daniel Biu, he disclosed, had been arrested together with five others.

"The victim arrived Jos from Port Harcourt on Christmas eve to celebrate Sallah with his family in Jos.

Beside, the Police Command has vowed to make the state uncomfortable for hoarders of petroleum products to operate. It said anyone found to be aiding and abetting sale of fuel in black market no matter how highly placed would be arrested and prosecuted.

Abubakar told journalists yesterday that his primary responsibility is to the people of the state.

He said: "I am not responsible to any individual in the state no matter how highly placed. Nobody in this country has the prerogative of maintaining law and order than the police."

Abubakar disclosed the formation of two teams to check the activities of black market operators in line with the Federal Government directive that filling stations found selling fuel above the pump price should have their licences seized and their employees sanctioned.

The commissioner said the government's directive will be followed to the letter, adding that the two monitoring committees will be constituted as soon as possible.

Relatedly, police in Lagos yesterday arrested a man for attempting to snatch a Peugeot 505 Taxi cab at the Orile, Iganmu.

The suspect identified as Adeniyi was said to have attacked the driver with a locally made pistol.

Lagos Police spokesman Mr. Victor Chilaka who said the suspect is now under the custody of the Orile Police Division pending conclusion of investigation.

He noted that the pistol has been retrieved from the suspect and kept with the police.

Meanwhile, the police have recovered two vehicles allegedly snatched by robbers.

The two vehicles are Mercedez Benz 200 with registration number AA 30 JJA and another Mercedez Benz with registration number DV 559 KJA.

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Guardian Online: Saturday, January 6, 2001

Lagos crisis: Tribunal summons security's commander over arms

By Mustapha Ogunsakin and Regina Akpabio, Lagos

THE tribunal of inquiry probing civil disturbances in Lagos State, yesterday summoned the Commander of the 9th Battalion, Nigerian Army, Ikeja Cantonment, Gen. Z.M. Zundi, to appear before it next week, just as Chief of Staff, Lagos State Alhaji Layi Mohammed, has dismissed allegations that Governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu is a member of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC).

Mohammed, however, warned Lagosians about the state Abbatoir and Garage at Agege which he described as a potential hot spot and "a state within a state".

The army commander was summoned in his capacity as the commander of the Joint Army-Police team in charge of security in Lagos State, following a testimony by a witness, Alhaji Mohammed that the state received a report that some people were amassing arms at the abbatoir.

According to Mohammed, immediately the report was received, the Governor Tinubu directed the commander to conduct a search of the abbatoir to detect the arms dump.

"After the search, the commander reported back to the state security council that no weapons were found except bows and arrows that were used by the Hausa majority to direct their cows," the chief of staff stated.

Mohammed said he was disappointed that the joint patrol team could not discover the arms because it was common knowledge that dangerous weapons, such as guns of different sizes, were usually used during riots in the state.

He said: "It is a known fact that different groups freely used arms during riots, whether the Oodua Peoples' Congress (OPC) or the Hausa people. They must be keeping those arms somewhere and, somehow, the police could not find them.

"Gradually, these arms would build up until we have an uncontrollable situation".

The Chief of Staff lamented that the last military administration in the state had put the present government in a "tight spot" by signing a contract with one Alhaji Crema (he could not remember the name of his company) to control the abbatoir.

"How can someone control an investment that costs the state over N800 million, without the state having any control of its activities? That man has turned the abattoir into a private empire. He had deformed the intention of government on structures by building unapproved structures and rents it out to all shades of people.

"Besides, the place now serves as residence to armed robbers and armed groups," he added.

Asked by a counsel what the state government was doing to correct the situation, Alhaji Mohammed answered: "From the time we assumed office, we knew that something had to be done. The state attempted to take control only to be sued to court by Alhaji Crema. An Ikeja High Court at the end gave judgment against the state. The matter is currently before the appeal court.

"Also, the State House of Assembly recently promulgated a law that the abattoir should operate between 7.00 a.m. and 6.00 p.m., but I don't think the law is being obeyed."

He further stated that most clashes in the state had been motivated by personal gains rather than group interest.

Citing the OPC as an example, he said that average Hausa man did not know the difference between an OPC member and another Yoruba man who was not a member, adding that in most cases ethnicity was used as a cover to cause trouble.

Alabi Mohammed warned that unless the Federal Government allowed states to have their own police, it might be difficult to control crises in the states.

"How can you bring a man from Sokoto or Calabar to police Lagos State. How do you expect him to have allegiance to the state he does not know its terrain, its people, and its language?" he queried.

Mohammed called for the convening of a Sovereign National Conference to discuss the relationship between the different components of the country.

He said: "Six years ago, Lagos as the most populous state, has 12 local governments, as against Kano's 30.

"Kano was later divided into two, to include Jigawa, and between them today they have more than 70 local governments, compared to 20 in Lagos. It has a multiplier effect since Kano and Jigawa will have four times representation in the National Assembly than Lagos.

"They will have more revenue allocation to them than Lagos. Even right now 80 per cent of the Divisional Police Officers (DPO) in Lagos are of Northern extraction, while the number of commissioners of police that hail from Katsina State alone is more that those from southern Nigeria."

On the allegation that Governor Tinubu was a member of OPC, Mohammed told the tribunal it could not have been so since the governor had on several occasions been attacked by the group.

According to Mohammed, the governor had been a victim of OPC on three occasions

Guardian Online: Friday, December 29, 2000

U.S. Exim bank offers N130b aid to Nigerian firms

By Malachy Ezema

A FURTHER opening of the United States market to Nigeria and increased goodwill are underway, going by the activities of the outgoing President Bill Clinton-led administration and the commitment already shown by the incoming government of George W. Bush.

During President Clinton's visit to Nigeria this year, he had advocated a mutually beneficial trade relations which would boost the two nations' economies.

Specifically, a U.S. agency that assists in financing the export of the country's goods and services to developing markets, Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank has just offered another credit facility worth over N13.2 billion ($120 million) to Nigeria's private sector.

The facility which was designed after officials of the bank concluded another round of talks with a cross section of Nigerian businesses shortly before the holidays, is to complement an initial N11 billion ($100 million) earlier approved after a similar visit in September.

Sources close to the bank's delegation which included Miss Maureen Scurry, the development officer for Africa, disclosed that the new facility is a separate arrangement with Nigeria which did not form part of its usual budget for sub-Saharan Africa.

The Ex-Im Bank officials selected 15 Nigerian companies for the take-off of the new deal after holding discussions with officials of 12 Nigerian banks, a firm of chartered accountants, a law firm and a firm of business information, and credit consultants, CMC international.

They also met with officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Abuja to intimate them of the modalities adopted for the scheme, the source said.

The 15 companies were selected after the officials had read their credit reports, due diligence reports, and payment habit reports provided by a consultant to Ex-Im Bank on such reports in Nigeria.

The companies were also said to have been picked to test-run the new facility which was specifically designed for the Nigerian market before other qualified bodies could be given access to the funds.

Ex-Im Bank provides guarantees of up to 85 per cent for Nigerian businesses wishing to import goods from the U.S., for a minimum of $20 million while the buyer provides cash payment covering the remaining 15 per cent.

The aim of the scheme is to increase the U.S. presence in the big Nigerian market which it lost during the 16 years of military rule, said the source.

However, observers believe the US plan will be a direct challenge to South East Asian countries whose goods and services currently hold sway in the Nigerian market.

According to them, the odds against the U.S. stems from the rising value of the dollar in the international market which could make the goods more expensive and therefore less attractive to the Nigerian consumers.

Earlier in September, the Ex-Im Bank officials had visited Nigeria and organised seminars in Lagos and Abuja for local businessmen "to promote increased trade relations between Nigeria and the United States."

Ex-Im Bank is an independent U.S. government agency that assists in financing the export of US goods and services to developing markets around the world through export credit insurance, loan guarantees and direct loans.

In August, it signed Masters Guarantee Arrangements with four Nigerian banks for the scheme. The number of banks has already risen to 12.

It approved about $600 million for US exports to sub-Saharan Africa last year.

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Guardian Online: Friday, December 29, 2000

Atiku, Mantu get titles in Anambra

From Chu Collins, Onitsha

NIGERIANS mostly politicians will converge tomorrow at Nteje, headquarters of Oyi Local Council of Anambra State for the conferment of chieftaincy titles on Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and the Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu.

The event is part of the activities to mark the silver jubilee of Ofala of Igwe S.A.C. Nnaemeka Abogu I of Nteje.

It is expected to cement the nation's unity and especially, as the event would be a meeting point for federal legislators and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

Dignitaries expected at the ceremony include the Minister of Health, Dr. Tim Menakaya, the former Senate President, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, who incidentally are from the area, Governor Chimwoke Mbadinuju and other South-East governors.

Igwe Nnaemeka is the longest serving traditional ruler in the Omambala region comprising Oyi and Ayamelum, Anambra-East and Anambra-West.

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Guardian Online: Friday, December 29, 2000

Police declare six missing

By Sunday Odita and Dayo Rogers

SIX persons have been abducted from their homes in Ikorodu, on the outskirts of Lagos by armed men suspected to be members of a militant group.

The kidnap at about 6 a.m. last Wednesday followed the killing of one Tunji Oriyikun by armed robbers at Shagari Estate at Iyana-Ipaja and the elimination of two suspected hoodlums by the police at Iyana-Oworo, Bariga, Lagos.

According to police reports, the kidnappers came in a bus to 3 Agoiwoye Street, Owotu area of Ikorodu where the six victims live.

They were said to be in bed when the gang struck by forcefully opening their doors.

Police further claimed that the assailants ransacked the homes of their victims, removed valuables and forced Messrs Demola, Kamoru, Fatai Yemi and two others into their bus and sped off.

Their whereabout could not be ascertained as at yesterday while police have stepped efforts to unmask those behind the abduction.

The two armed robbers killed at Iyana-Oworo had attempted to escape in a Toyota Hiace bus when they ran into a patrol team of the Rapid Response Squad

They were trailed by the police to the Oworo foot bridge where a gun duel ensued culminating in the killing of the murder.

Besides the Toyota bus, one locally made pistol and four catridges were recovered from the gang.

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Guardian Online: Friday, December 29, 2000

Nigeria's overseas warehouse underway

From Jane Ezereonwu, Abuja

AS part of efforts to improve the economic base of the country and encourage export of Nigerian products, warehouses abroad for Nigerian products are to be opened.

This is part of the market opportunities offered by the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) to encourage export of Nigerian products to the United States.

Disclosing this in Abuja yesterday at the inauguration ceremony of the board of parasatals of the Ministry of Commerce, the Minister, Mustapha Bello, stated that the warehouses would attract goods from what he described as Export Production Villages (EPV).

The inauguration ceremony covered three of the seven parastatals under the ministry: Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone (OOGFZA) and the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex management.

Also in his inaugural address, Bello stressed that the boards were coming on board to aid in the growth of commerce in the country.

"Your boards are being inaugurated principally to promote development in the commerce sector and ensure effective contribution of your various parastatals to the growth and development of the sector," Bello said.

Stressing that the role of the boards were merely supervisory, the minister added that they should help save government's resources.

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Guardian Online: Friday, December 29, 2000

Police may transfer Ochefu's case to Abuja

From Emmanuel Onwubiko, Abuja

INVESTIGATIONS into the assassination of former Governor of old East Central State, Anthony Ochefu, may be transferred soon from the police command in Makurdi to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja.

This is coming against the backdrop of a recent request in that connection by family members to the office of the Inspector General of the Police Mr Musiliu Smith.

In the said letter of request signed by the son of the late governor, the family alleged that they had uncovered plans by the zonal command in Makurdi to release the suspects before the end of this year.

Ochefu was gunned down at the Texaco Petrol Station in Oturkpo, Benue State on November 25, last year. The police arrested seven suspects in connection with the killing.

Ediga alleged in his letter to the Inspector General of Police that the seven suspects who made confessional statements to the police in Otukpo were transferred to the zonal Headquarters in Makurdi for further interrogation but alleged police authorities in Makurdi had attempted to cover up the offence.

Besdes, the seven suspects were alleged to have implicated a popular traditional ruler in the murder.According to Ediga, the confessions were properly video taped and documented by the police divisional headquarters in Oturkpo.

The statement read in part: ''Last July, we had asked the Inspector General of the Police to transfer this case to the Federal Investigation Bureau. We have not heard from the police authorities. We are appealing to President Obasanjo to assist us so that justice would be done.

However, the force spokesman, Mr Haz Iwendi, said that police could transfer the case to the force CID as early as possible. Though he was not too sure whether the family had formally written the office of the Inspector General of Police.

In a related case, Iwendi, an assistant commissioner of police told The Guardian yesterday that police in Abuja had clues to those of involved in the murder recently of a popular Lagos-based politician, Mr Chief Layi Balogun.

Though Iwendi did not disclose the identity of the killers, he promised to make the information available before the end of the week.

He added that police officers around the country have been sufficiently mobilised to check the rising wave of armed robbery even as he lamented that more number of police officers were killed this year by armed bandits.

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Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 09:31:44 -0000

From: nigeriang@yahoo.com

Subject: Year 2000: A harvest of violent deaths... Murder, assasination, and robbery

AS far as Nigeria is concerned, the year 2000 can be remembered for many things that happened, either for the good or ill of the country. But the most outstanding was the bad harvest of disaster and violence that swept through the country, taking a disturbingly high toll of

death in the process. Conservative estimate put the death toll for the year at 500,000. But as the poet, T.N.C. Nwosu would say,"Harvest is no blessing when death is the crop". Nigeria

therefore, it will seem has no reason to celebrate. From East to West, North to South, it was certainly a year Nigeria counted many losses in terms of lives lost through robbery, murder, assassination, ethnic clashes and oil (petrol) fire explosion. Indeed, it was a year

of deaths.

BY this weekend, the year 2000 would have come to an end. Indeed, it is one year in which so many things happened in quick successions and left a completely appalled world flustered. There were earth- shaking breakthroughs as there were mind-blowing revelations and upsets. And expectedly, despite the debate which endured as to whether it is the beginning of a new millennium or not, it proved stunningly a year in which events moved in spasmodic intensity.

While the civilized world moved closer and closer to what now increasingly is being referred to as the `technological haven', Nigeria, the world most populous black nation steeped deeper and

deeper into corruption and remained largely underdeveloped. It groveled in self- pity, and this engendered further debates over her leadership status in the continent. Not only has the battering of the economy which started during the military era continued unabated, but some of the brightest personalities who worked tirelessly towards re-engineering the economy through the corporate world were moored down in their prime. The year appropriately can be dubbed a year of deaths.

Robbery, murder and assassination took the centre stage in the year. Since a thin line exist between them, it became difficult defining which is which, thus, situating the spate of killings which was perpetrated in the year was made the more difficult.

Though the compilation of the First Information Report (FIR) of the Police has not been able to give clearer clue as to the exact number of deaths caused by robbery, murder and assassinations, it has however, offered a frightening picture of increasing number of killings in the last 12 months. The ones that readily come to mind are the killing of three chief executives early last month by robbers who have continued to go rampage.

Those killed were the former Managing Director of Equatorial Trust Bank, Mr. Deepak Mehta, Mr. Tunji Ogunkomi, who was the Managing Director of Cornerstone Assurance PLC and the former General Manager (commercial/ corporate) of SCOA, Mr. Andy Iyamah. Until his death,

Mr. Iyamah was saddled with the responsibility for supervision of the Tenders Department as well as overseeing multi- bi-lateral / government type contract arrangements where he made an annual sales turnover of over N3 billion for the SCOA group.

While the former Managing Director of Equatorial Trust Bank, Mr. Deepak Mehta was killed at Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos, Iyamah an engineer of note and accomplished sales person was killed in his Ikeja G.R.A. home in Lagos. The late Tunji Ogunkomi died in an attempt to flee the

scene of the robbery incident, which claimed Mehta's life. Alhaji Al' Hassan Alasa, an Executive Director of Standard Trust bank (STB) was similarly gunned down on his way from Ibadan in October.

Early this month, former presidential aspirant of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the Third Republic and renowned architect, Chief Layi Balogun was brutally murdered in his Lagos residence by gunmen suspected to be hired assassins. The assassins were said to have trailed the politician from the airport to his residence and eliminated him.

But to imagine that these deaths have only been restricted to the `big and mighty' is to believe a lie, even the young have not been spared. Take 19 year old Harnet Toritseju Ireyefoju for instance. She was brutally stabbed to death early last month. From all indications, the Police in Koko, Delta State venue of the crime is doing nothing to bring the suspects to book and Harnet's family has continued to cry out for justice.

These deaths came just as a whooping sum of N4.8 billion is allocated to the Police by the Federal Government in the 2001 budget to help curb the increasing cases of robbery and general insecurity in the country.

In the wake of Balogun's death, Mr. Mike Okiro, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police continued to maintain the position that the state was under- policed and ill equipped, noting that his Command could not do much under the present situation.

But Mr. Victor Chilaka, Police Public Relations Officer for Lagos State offers an insight on this.

According to him, there is no spate of killings, the only incident was that of Layi Balogun. Said he: "Informed sources are pointing accusing fingers at many angles but our men are still working on these possibilities. However, we're working on assassination theory."

Continuing, Chilaka, who is an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, clarifies: "In the case of murder, there is intention to kill without any motive. In assassination, there is intention to kill for

a particular motive. In the case of robbery, chances are that nobody may be shot or wounded. The hoodlum may only go for property and nobody may be wounded. In most cases, they have no intention to kill or hurt. But let me tell you that assassination is very seldom. It could occur once or twice in a year. Robbery is a phenomenon."

Notwithstanding this elaborate and incisive explanation, not many Nigerians are wont to agree with the policeman's prognosis, as many of them have one bad tale to tell in the last 12 months.

However, a retired Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ebenizer Towuru sees it differently. In his assessment, democracy is a contributory factor.

"I think it is because of the democracy that we are now practicing. The reason is that people are anxious to get to top positions at all costs. And they are capitalising on the freedom that democracy offers to perpetrate criminal acts that will hasten the realization of their dreams. So things are no longer done the normal way. Another thing is that when people are in positions, they brag about these positions and connections to higher authorities, your enemies will like to

eliminate you."

For Mike Okiro, the Police has not failed in its role. According to him, those making such statements and accusing the Police should go further by stating the reasons for such accusations.

"I believe that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is tailored after the British and American police. Now, tell me, wasn't President Kennedy assassinated in America? Wasn't Indira Gandhi assassinated in India ? Wasn't an Israeli Prime Minister assassinated ? Wasn't Pope John Paul

11 shot ? Did those incidents translate to an indictment of their countries' police for non- performance ?", he asked.

Sharing similar sentiment that the Police has not failed in its responsibility , Towuru stated that: "The Police have not failed in anyway. What has happened is that there are some powerful interests behind these murders or assassinations. And when you start to investigate, they send their agents to warn you to steer clear off the case."

Given the present scenario, observers are of the view that the Obasanjo administration is not really serious about tackling crime in the country. They hinge their argument on the premise that while the Ministry of Police Affairs holds the purse, the Force which is supposed to be involved in real crime prevention goes cap in hand begging for funds.

But, there is no gainsaying that adequate funding of the Force will not only ensure safety for Nigerians and security of their property, but President's Obasanjo trips abroad to woo investors would be an exercise in futility if the `bad boys' are not swept off our streets.

Guardian Online: Friday, December 29, 2000

Reagan's health worsens, says Thatcher

IN yet another instance of life's sundry ironies, former United States President, Ronald Wilson Reagan, who, in a memorable display of the fighting spirit broke an alleged death-in-office jinx of American president installed at a 20-year interval, is still laid prostrate by a neurological ailment ññ Alzheimer's disease.

After several years of grappling with the brain disease, during which he ceased to appear in public, Reagan is reported to have lost the ability to recognise people ññ not even his long-time pal and political ally, Margaret Thatcher, former British Prime Minister.

"Ronnie wouldn't know me now if I went to see him. He has not been recognising people for quite a long time," Thatcher, who extolled the "special relationship" between Britain and the United States when she and Reagan were in power in the 1980s, told the Daily Telegraph.

Thatcher, dubbed the "Iron Lady" when she backed Reagan in trying to end communism during the Cold War, said the former U.S. president had been truly courageous in facing up to the disease and raising public awareness about it.

"Reagan's condition had been very hard for his wife, Nancy," she said. "I think she is being absolutely marvellous.

"She has a lot of friends in California, and that's what enables you to stand up: that you have friends who know and understand and who are ready to give a hand or help raise money for more research into (Alzheimer's)."

Reagan, 89, U.S. President from 1981 to 89 has been suffering from Alzheimer's for several years and no longer appears in public.

Reagan was shot in the chest by one John W. Hinchley about two and a half months after his inauguration as president of the United States.

The incident fuelled, belief in an alleged jinx of death in office of American presidents elected into office after a 20-year interval.

Reagan however survived a two-hour operation to remove the bullet from his left lung.

John F. Kennedy was killed by an assassin's bullet, 20 years earlier.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive and as yet incurable disease of the brain which causes premature senility. Its symptoms include loss of memory, changes in personality, impaired language and motor skills, loss of control of bodily functions and unresponsiveness.

Guardian Online: Wednesday, December 27, 2000

U.S, Britain join efforts to modernise Nigeria Police

By Oma Djebah

TO stem the rising crime wave in the country and reposition the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to effectively perform its duties, the Federal Government, the United States and the British governments have fashioned out a programme to modernise and reform the police.

Part of the programme is to convert the five-year development plan already initiated by the Ministry of Police Affairs into "a working document that will guide the modernisation and reformation of the NPF."

The Guardian learnt that to this end, several joint meetings have been held by representatives of the United States and the British governments, the Presidency, the Ministry of Police Affairs and the Police force.

Minister of Police Affairs Gen. David Jemibewon (rtd), in his speech on the occasion of the joint briefing by the USAID/Office of Transition Initiative (OTI) and the Department of International Development (DFID) of Britain, at the weekend in Abuja, to work on the five-year Development plan with officials of his ministry, the police and some non-governmental organisations (NGOS), hinted that the joint effort was threefold:

to convert the five-year development plan to a working document that will guide the modernisation and reformation of the NPF;

to deduce the budgetary implication of the plan for the purpose of prudent and meaningful budgeting over the next five years; and

provide a reference document that would facilitate coherent and well-coordinated contribution from some countries and agencies, ensure probity, and set a time frame for the various component activities thereof.

The minister also disclosed that to spur the public to complement police efforts in crime detection and prevention, it initiated a survey programme throughout the country.

According to Jemibewon, the questionnaires which were administered in all the 36 state governments and the 774 local councils in the country were "to appraise their knowledge of the police and their level of involvement in policing within their dormains."

Among the questions in the questionnaire were: How many policemen/women are in your state/LGA presently and how are they deployed? How many policemen/women do you think will adequately police your state/LGA? What is your suggested deployment of these policemen/women? What are the commonest crimes in your state/LGA? Advice us on how best we can reduce crime in your state/LGA. How can you contribute to the reduction of crime in your state/LGA? And what are your suggestions for a virile, effective and community-oriented police?

Said the minister, "the response has not been encouraging." He added: "Out of the 36 state governments, only 19 (52.7 per cent) have responded. The picture is worse with the local governments. Only 64 (8.2 per cent) out of the 774 councils have responded."

He, therefore, urged the public to join in the task of making Nigeria safe to live and invest in.

Guardian Online: Wednesday, December 27, 2000

Army receives military tools from U.S.

From Madu Onuorah, Abuja

CHRISTMAS gift in the form of military hardware and equipment came the way of the Nigerian Army from its United States (U.S.) counterpart at the weekend.

The delivery of the items came amid report of a meeting today of West African Army chiefs in Abuja, Nigeria's capital.

Among the hardware and equipment are uniforms and other organisational clothings, individual kits such as load bearing tools, kelvar helmet, poncho, canteens, entrenching kits, compasses and new AKM rifles.

Others are: 60mm (millimetre) mortars and M60 machine guns along with communications and first aid equipment.

Two battalions to share the items are also to get a number of light tactical trucks for moving troops and equipment, as well as water trailers, tanks and pump units.

The equipment and hardware were part of the $12.5 million allocated by the U.S. government for training and equipping five battalions of the Nigerian Army.

Each battalion was to be trained and equipped with $2.5 million each.

The training and equipping of the battalions is under the Operation Focus Relief aimed at preparing them (battalions) for possible deployment to UNAMSIL under the United Nations Chapter VII peace enforcement operations in Sierra Leone.

The two battalions that received the hardwares and equipment are the 26 Motorised Infantry Battalion based at Giginya Barracks in Sokoto and the 195th Infantry Battalion, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The three other battalions expected to benefit from the training and equipment programme include the 1st Infantry Battalion, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, 65 Infantry Battalion, Lagos and 73rd Infantry Battalion in Enugu, Enugu State. Their training programme is expected to begin early in the new year.

The military equipment and hardware were delivered to the two battalions at the end of a10-week intensive hands-on-field training with the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, U.S.

The purpose of the training, according to a statement from the U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section, "is the provision of training at the company level and fielding of critical equipment, donated by the U.S. for peace enforcement operations in Sierra Leone".

Meanwhile, West African Army chiefs will meet in Abuja today to discuss deploying troops and observers along Guinea's borders with Liberia and Sierra Leone, following bloody incursions by rebels there.

Mali's President and current chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Alpha Konare announced the meeting on Monday after talks with his Togolese counterpart Gnassingbe Eyadema.

ECOWAS agreed earlier in December to deploy troops and observers after attacks by rebels that have killed hundreds of people in Guinea, many of them civilians, since September.

Konare, on a shuttle that took him to Guinea and Liberia, said the Army chiefs would meet "to study concretely how to deploy observers and armed forces along the border between Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone".

Guinea accuses Liberia of sponsoring the raids through Sierra Leonean rebels, with whom it enjoys close ties, and Guinean dissidents.

Liberia in turn, alleges that Guinea is backing dissidents who have launched raids into the north of its territory.

Konare said all the countries concerned agreed with the deployment idea. "We would like to see this measure implemented very quickly," he added.

But a leading Guinean opposition politician predicted on Saturday that intervention by ECOWAS, which sent troops to end civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, would ultimately promote similar destruction in Guinea.

"ECOWAS is not the competent body to handle this problem, because most of their leaders would be biased in favour of one head of state or the other in the conflict," Jean Marif Dorf, a former presidential candidate, said.

From Guardian Online: Wednesday, December 27, 2000

Washington Post uncovers more unethical drug tests of Africans

THE Washington Post has made more damning discoveries on how foreign drugs firms, some of them based in the United States, have been using African, Latin Americans and other Third World citizens as guinea pigs in testing risky drugs.

The same paper has recently blown the lid on the administration of a drug, Trovan Floxacin, on Nigerian children in 1996, resulting in the death of 11 and the deformity of 200 others.

According to information posted on its website, the paper, stated that it had started a special series tagged "bodyhunters", which sought to show the international community, how a poorly regulated drug testing had turned human beings into medical guinea pigs in Africa and other parts of the Third World.

"It is dominated by private interests, and the system often betrays its promises to patients and consumers experiments involving risky drugs proceed with little independent oversight. Impoverished, poorly educated patients are sometimes tested without understanding that they are guinea pigs," the paper found out.

It also revealed that U.S. based drug companies were paying doctors to test thousands of "human subjects" in the Third World and eastern Europe, adding that companies used the tests to produce new products and new revenue streams.

In most instances, the rules and regulations were poorly enforced or ignored, while the experiments raised questions about corporate ethics and profits among other things, the investigation showed.

Also, it was found out that the approval of the host governments in granting the drug companies the nod to carry out such experiments seriously contravened laid down procedures, and ignored the inherent rights and subsequent danger to the patients.

It was alleged that Pfizer had developed a new antibiotic drug to fight Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis (CSM), which had not received the approval of the U.S. authorities for use, but was tested on some cerebro-spiral meningitis patients in Kano.

The minister of Health, Dr. Tim Menakaya, had constituted a committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the clinical trials of the drug in Kano in 1996, which allegedly led to the death of about 11 children and the deformation of 200 others. The Washington Post had, in an investigation, indicted Pfizer, a global drug firm, of unethical conduct, for not telling patients that they were being used as guinea pigs. The paper also said that while Pfizer claimed it had received the consent of the Federal Government to conduct the trials, it could not produce such consent.

Guardian Online: Wednesday, December 27, 2000

Police kill five robbers in Ondo, Lagos donates equipment

FOR an hour on Christmas eve, a robbery gang in Ondo state engaged the police in a gun duel but with the police superior fire power, five of the robbers were killed.

The robbers numbering about 10, The Guardian learnt stormed Aiyedun Quarters, Akure, the state capital, and ransacked some houses, wounding an undisclosed number of residents.

A resident claimed that the robbers were armed with dangerous weapons like matchets, axes, cutlasses, charms and guns. They allegedly shot indiscriminately into the air to scare the vigilance group from confronting them.

The police were however, alerted through a distress call, and they quickly took over the area in a battle of wits.

The cross-fire lasted for an hour with the underworld men putting up a strong resistance.

As the confrontation raged the police later gained an upper hand killing five robbers while others allegedly escaped into a nearby bush.

The slain robbers were taken to 'A' Division where they were displayed to the public.

Only last week, two robbers were killed by the police in Akure with two others confessing to be students of University of Ibadan (UI) and Ondo State Polytechnic, Owo.

But the Lagos State Government in its efforts to stem the scourge of armed robbery and other violent crimes at the weekend donated security and other sundry equipment worth several millions of naira to the state police command.

The equipment included several electric batons, long-range torch lights, car tyres and tubes, car batteries, raincoats and mattresses.

Others are IBM electric typewriters, Sharp photocopier machines, vacuum cleaners, Gestener duplicating machine, Honda generating set and complete system with UPS and printer back-up.

The donation of the equipment comes barely two weeks after Governor Bola Tinubu gave 20 Hilux Toyota jeeps to the Rapid Response Squad, the arm of the police charged with crime control.

In his speech on the occasion, Tinubu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Omotilewa Aro-Lambo said the donation of the equipment "is in furtherance of our determination to improve their (the state police command) crime fighting capabilities even when we are not compelled to do so as the police is a federal institution with their own yearly budgetary allocations."

This, according to the governor, stems from the government's realisation that the police force has remained grossly under-funded over the years.

While pleading with officers and men of the command to rededicate themselves to better performance by shunning all forms of indiscipline, Tinubu restated his call for state police.

He asserted that the nation could no longer shy away from the necessity of giving state governments the go-ahead to establish their own police to combat crime and maintain law and order in their areas of jurisdiction.

He said: "It is a matter for regret that as strident as our call for the establishment of a state police force, which is a necessary ingredient in a true federation has been, the Nigerian people are still reluctant to have a go at state police.

"We must as a people collectively agree that our country is too complex to be run as a central system. Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multi-cultural nation. It is, therefore, imperative that its success as a nation must be predicated on an unfettered devolution of authorities that would allow each level of administration to carry out its assignments without let or hindrance."

The Police Commissioner, Mr. Mike Okiro, commended the efforts of the administration in sustaining the war against criminals in the state end assured of his command's readiness to put the vehicles and equipment into efficient use.

Guardian Online: Wednesday, December 27, 2000

Robbers on rampage, two lynched, kill two policemen

By Ben Akparanta,

Sylvester Ebhodaghe (Lagos) and Psaro Yornamue (Owerri)

WHILE Christians and Moslems were keeping vigil to usher in Christmas and the Eid-el-Fitri, robbers went on rampage in Lagos, Zaria and Owerri.

Computer equipment and Internet facilities worth millions of naira belonging to former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Alhaji Umaru Dambo were lost to robbers at his residence in Zaria, Kaduna State on Chritmas/Eid-el-Fitri eve which left one securityman seriously injured.

The incidents came as Bayelsa State Deputy Governor Goodluck Jonathan commended the police for "effectively curtailing the crime wave in the state."

An eyewitness said the robbers who raided Dambo's residence were about 20. "They initially asked for the whereabouts of the former minister who was on lesser hajj to Saudi Arabia, before demanding money and other valuables from his wives".

Having failed to get enough money from the wives, they broke into the communications room of The Telex news magazine which was published by Dambo, and carried away the whole equipment.

In Lagos a policeman was killed and another wounded as a gang of eight cross-border thieves was smashed at the weekend. The robbers, using a commercial bus, had intercepted a convoy of luxury cars owned by Lister Engineering Limited, Ibadan.

Dressed as women, the robbers were carrying baskets on their heads. Their disguise tricked Sergeant Gakai Furi of the Oyo Sate Police Command who was escorting the convoy of two Lexus cars and a Toyota Prado jeep.

Having deceived the policeman, the robbers easily pulled out guns and shot him dead on the spot, took his K2 automatic rifle and a pump-action gun in one of the cars.

Thereafter, the gang, then in possession of the luxury cars, left the Western Avenue, Surulere scene of the robbery, to Ogba in the outskirts of Lagos, where again they intercepted Mr. Lucky Enuwa, shot him in the arm and head, and took his Mercedes Benz 320E Class at 7.30 a.m., less than 15 minutes after waylaying and killing one policeman at Surulere.

Their escapades triggered police distress signals and Mr. Fabian Ojiri, Assistant Commissioner of Police incharge of Area "G" Ogba, mobilised police and a military detachment for a chase.

Meanwhile, the robbers passing through Oshodi shot and wounded another policeman leaving a bloody trail of their violence to flee through border.

But using the newly-acquired Prado jeeps, the joint police/army patrol was able to keep pace and eventually sighted the robbers' convoy at Orodu village.

Okiro, who called a Christmas day press conference to parade the suspects before reporters, said they had confessed to being among 150 armed thieves in the Republic of Benin who raid Nigeria for posh cars. Several members of the Beniniose gang are believed to have fled with bullet wounds.

Besides, a berretta pistol and a pump-action rifle, which police also recovered from the Beniniose gang, six different types of guns were retrieved from hoodlums last Sunday and on Christmas day.

Both days were rife with armed robbery activities but in most cases the hoodlums either lost their lives or were arrested by the police.

"I want to use this opportunity to assure Lagosians that the Lagos Police Command is alive to its duty to protect lives and property.

"The command has observed the modus operandi of organised crime and international armed banditry and has adequate machinery to curtail it," Okiro added.

In Owerri, two youths who attempted to steal bags in a luxury bus that arrived from Lagos on Monday were lynched by an irate mob at 7 a.m.

They had gone into the bus at the premises of ABC Transport Company, pretending to be passengers. But when challenged after the bag's owner raised an alarm, they failed to produce their tickets and admitted that they were thieves.

The robbers' pleas for mercy fell on deaf ears as two tyres were placed on them before they were doused with petrol for the lynching.

Receiving the new Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Uram, at the weekend in Yenagoa, Jonathan expressed joy that the issue of sea piracy, armed robbery and youths' restiveness had waned.

He attributed the present situation to the "maturity and professionalism" exhibited by Umar's predecessor, Alhaji Dika Bwala.

He noted that although the former commissioner was confronted with the Odi crisis at the early stage of his tenure, he was able to solve the problem because of his commitment to duty and understanding of the terrain

NIGER NEWS DEC> 22, 2000

Guardian Online: Thursday, December 21, 2000

Eddy Nawgu's centre, is criminals' densays elder brother

From Uzoma Nzeagwu (Awka) and Chu Collins (Onitsha)

JUSTICE Frank Nwizu Commission of Inquiry sitting in Awka, Anambra State capital, probing the death of Eddy Okeke, popularly called Eddy Nawgu has heard from a key witness, Mr. John Okeke, that Anioma Healing Centre owned by the 'prophet" was a hideout for robbers and criminals.

The witness, who is the elder brother to Eddy Nawgu, also told the commission that the late "prophet" had ignored his advice against harbouring robbers and men of questionable character at the centre.

Another witness, Mr. Chijioke Nwankwo, in an interview with The Guardian, said revelations at the panel had vindicated his testimony regarding the assassination of his father, Igwe Nwankwo, in January this year.

According to Chijioke, he provided the police with documented evidence concerning the killing of his father, including the names of the masterminds of the assassination.

He said part of the information were on tape, where he gave a "chronological report of meetings, venues and times, including cash payments, by whom, to whom and what for."

Chijioke further claimed to have information regarding where the hit squad keeps their arms, where they had mass grave, owner of the vehicle used in the assassination of his father.

He urged the police to utilise the information including the names he had given them about the suspects connected to his father's murder.

Chijioke noted that constant change of police commissioners was not enough, adding that subordinate officers including the deputies, needed a "sweeping change" as was approved by the Inspector-General of Police.

Answering questions on instances when he had given advice to Eddy Nawgu, Okeke stated that he spent four years at the centre before he fell out with the late prophet and then retired to his father's compound.

The witness recounted how he heard gun shots around 5 a.m. on November 4. "The doors were shattered with bullets. "As I opened the door to know what was happening, there were many people armed with cutlasses outside. Surprisingly, one of the attackers raised his cutlass threatening to kill me, and I raised my two hands up. I realised they were Bakassi Boys. They arrested me and my father, with our hands tied behind. We were not beaten."

According to the witness, he was bundled into a vehicle with his father, Nwoye Okeke, and driven to Onitsha where they met their late brother who was also under arrest.

He stated that they were interrogated and sent back to their cell.

"Eddy recounted to me how he was questioned. Then I told him that I had earlier warned him about harbouring bad people, and now he can see the result.''

"I accused him of being responsible for my plight in the cell. Then, both of us exchanged words and had hot argument in the cell. When it was my turn for interrogation, I narrated the same thing I testified here today."

Bandits rob guests of N10m in Lagos hotel

By Odita Sunday and Dayo Rogers

IT was all tales of woe by lodgers in a hotel at Oshodi, Lagos where robbers raided and carted away about N10 million. The incident took place last week.

A police report also disclosed the murder of a housewife by hoodlums at Mile 2 on Monday simply identified as Mrs. Peace Johnson. she was said to be travelling home for the yuletide in company of her husband, Johnson Akpan when the robbers attacked them.

In the hotel raid, official of the State House Clinic, Dodan Barracks, Lagos was attacked while a London-based businessman allegedly lost $560 and N2,500 to the bandits.

Seven other victims allegedly lost huge sums of money which police sources did not disclose but put the total amount at N10 million.

So far, no arrest has been made but a senior police officer disclosed that the manhunt for the hoodlums had been stepped up.

Mrs. Johnson from Akwa-Ibom State was allegedly killed by the robbers at Mile 2 Bridge.

The police said the incident was reported by her husband at about 11 p.m on Monday night.

According to police spokesman Mr. Victor Chilaka (ASP), the body has been taken to the mortuary for autopsy, while the police in Satellite Division have hastened up investigations into the incident.

++++++++++ALL NEWS ABOVE FROM: "GUARDIAN ONLINE"++++++++++++

ALLERGED BRIBERY & CORRUPTION BY THE NIGERIAN PASSPORT COMMISIONER IN LONDON.

email to: naijaunited-subscribe@egroups.com

There are 2 messages in this issue. Topics in this digest:

1. Fw: [edo-community] Bribery at Nigeria Commission On New Passport

From: "Orevaoghene C. Obaro" <impexma@online.no>

2. Re: Fw: [edo-community] Bribery at Nigeria Commission On New Passport

From: "James Akintola" <jakintol@hackney.gov.uk>

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Message: 1

Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 12:41:54 +0100

From: "Orevaoghene C. Obaro" <impexma@online.no>

Subject: Fw: [edo-community] Bribery at Nigeria Commission On New Passport

----- Original Message -----

From: Kola Fabiyi <fabiyi@britannica.com>

To: <naijanet@egroups.com>; <yoruba_net@egroups.com>; <net-nigeria@egroups.com>; <edo-community@egroups.com>

Message Sent & Received: Friday, December 29, 2000 11:54 AM

To:PatNsionu@Juno.com, PatiNsionu@theglobe.com, Nsionup@USA.Net

Subject: [edo-community] Bribery at Nigeria Commission On New Passport

Bribery at Nigeria Commission before collecting new passport

By Ayo Joseph (EMAIL)(via nigeriaworld.com)

Tuesday, December 26, 2000

I have been reading your news services for sometime now and it is a great blessing for those of us that are on economic or political exile in U.K.

Due to this, I am using this medium to cry to President Obasanjo to help us in London. It is a nightmare for us to collect a new passport at Nigerian High commission in London after the ten years expiring period of the first one. Nigeria corruption and bribery tradition and culture have been imported to London. We have to bribe the staff working in the passport and visa office with amount of £500 before we can collecting a new passport. The staff see it as a right. In fact to see a senior staff, the man at the door will ask you to put £20 in the envelope. He is the security man there.

A lot of people have just been recently granted rigth to stay in U.K by the U.K government after many 10 to 15 years, our passport have expired and we cannot travel to see our family because we refused to bribe with £500, they adivsed us to collect travel certificate if we cannot afford to bribe them.

Most of the time, they do give excuse that there is no passport booklets, but this is a lie from the pit of hell, we know people who have bribe them and collect their new passports we do not want to mention their names so that they will not send hire killers to kill these people. People have to secure loan from the banks to pay these money. The Nigerian high commision staff are shame to Nigeria and the Government of the country. While the government is working hard to fight corruption, they are negating the effort of the government, please they should send the anti corruption crusade to Nigerian Commission passport and visa office.

Many of us are cleaners, security and cab drivers, it is not easy to get £500 in UK please help us, we want to come home and visit our relatives who have not seen us for many years. Remove these shameful people from London. President Obasanjo please help us. We want to come home to help our families. They should make new passport available for us without briberying them.

Thank you

God bless Nigeria,

God bless Obasanjo,

God bless Nigeriaworld.com

Get your Free Email at http://www.britannica.com

Welcome to the Edo Community in Cyberspace.

"And tho' we are not now that strength which in old days moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are; one equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will, to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield." - Ulysses

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Message: 2

Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 12:33:23 -0000

From: "James Akintola" <jakintol@hackney.gov.uk>

Subject: Re: Fw: [edo-community] Bribery at Nigeria Commission On New Passport

Compliments of the season to you all. I think it wise when criticising a govt parastatal of any inefficiency to try as much as possible to give a true represenstation of the facts. I always tend to disregard comments that come from people that usually say they do not want to mention names. Your claim of hired assasins coming after you is baseless when you are residing here and let me tell you that the processes involved in such a devilish move is not as easy as people claim.

Yes it an unbearable long time to process new passports, but I think your claim of bribery, if true at all, is over exagerated. We should go after the inefficient system of the Nigerian High Commission in processing passports and profer solutions to their problems rather than insunuate acts of bribery and corruption that could not be substantiated at all.

I can guarantee you that the present High Commissioner will deal ruthlessly with any staff found to be corrupt while discharging his/her duly paid for services. I do not care about whom the Commissioner his, but I have been watching closely the slow but steady progress made at the embassy.

So my brother feel free to present the details of the corrupt officers to the Commissioner who can be reached on 020 7839 1244 x 245 or 246, then you can be seen to do justice. It always a retrogrresive act when we ciculate baseless rumour(s).

Take care.

----------

> From: Orevaoghene C. Obaro <impexma@online.no>

> To: naijaunited@egroups.com

> Subject: [naija] Fw: [edo-community] Bribery at Nigeria Commission On New

Passport

> Date: 29 December 2000 11:41

>

>

----- Original Message -----

From: Kola Fabiyi <fabiyi@britannica.com>

To: <naijanet@egroups.com>; <yoruba_net@egroups.com>;

net-nigeria@egroups.com>; <edo-community@egroups.com>

Sent: Friday, December 29, 2000 11:54 AM

Subject: [edo-community] Bribery at Nigeria Commission On New Passport

Bribery at Nigeria Commission before collecting new passport

By Ayo Joseph (EMAIL)(via nigeriaworld.com)

Tuesday, December 26, 2000

I have been reading your news services for sometime now and it is a

great blessing for those of us that are on economic or political

exile in U.K.

Due to this, I am using this medium to cry to President Obasanjo to

help us in London. It is a nightmare for us to collect a new passport

at Nigerian High commission in London after the ten years expiring

period of the first one. Nigeria corruption and bribery tradition and

culture have been imported to London. We have to bribe the staff

working in the passport and visa office with amount of £500 before we

can collecting a new passport. The staff see it as a right. In fact

to see a senior staff, the man at the door will ask you to put £20 in

the envelope. He is the security man there.

A lot of people have just been recently granted rigth to stay in U.K

by the U.K government after many 10 to 15 years, our passport have

expired and we cannot travel to see our family because we refused to

bribe with £500, they adivsed us to collect travel certificate if we

cannot afford to bribe them.

Most of the time, they do give excuse that there is no passport

booklets, but this is a lie from the pit of hell, we know people who

have bribe them and collect their new passports we do not want to

mention their names so that they will not send hire killers to kill

these people. People have to secure loan from the banks to pay these

money. The Nigerian high commision staff are shame to Nigeria and the

Government of the country. While the government is working hard to

fight corruption, they are negating the effort of the government,

please they should send the anti corruption crusade to Nigerian

Commission passport and visa office.

Many of us are cleaners, security and cab drivers, it is not easy to

get £500 in UK please help us, we want to come home and visit our

relatives who have not seen us for many years. Remove these shameful

people from London. President Obasanjo please help us. We want to

come home to help our families. They should make new passport

available for us without briberying them.

Thank you

God bless Nigeria,

God bless Obasanjo,

God bless Nigeriaworld.com

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