A source at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has linked former Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State and a once convicted top member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bode George, with receiving N100 million each from the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (ret.).Bode George and Peter odiliThe EFCC source told SaharaReporters that the largess to the two PDP officials was diverted from funds meant for the purchase of arms in order to better equip the Nigerian military in its campaign against Islamist terror group, Boko Haram. 
Instead, the N200 million paid to the two PDP stalwarts was designed to ensure the re-election of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who lost the presidential election held on March 28th, 2015.
A panel appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari is currently investigating the reported theft of more than $2 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the name of purchasing arms. Mr. Dasuki, who was arrested yesterday, initially claimed he stole no funds, adding that Mr. Jonathan approved all his expenses related to arms deals. However, his position changed after he was confronted with the statement written by his former director of finance, Shuaibu Salisu who had squealed on all those involved in the scam to investigators.
Nigerian law enforcement agents have so far arrested twenty-one persons in relation to the arms purchase scandal. Those under detention or arrest include former senior staff of the office of the National Security Adviser, a former state governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, and the owner of African Independent Television (AIT) network, Raymond Dokpesi. All the arrested suspected are being interrogated in connection with money laundering. 
Yesterday, the former NSA, Mr. Dasuki, joined the other suspects at the offices of the EFCC. Agents of the Department of State Services (DSS) handed Mr. Dasuki over to EFCC operatives who have begun questioning him on how he allegedly diverted funds meant for arms purchase into Mr. Jonathan’s re-election campaign.
 
An EFCC investigator told SaharaReporters that some of the detained suspects were now providing useful information after almost all of them initially exhibited resistance. 
AIT proprietor, Mr. Dokpesi, openly admitted that he received funds from the NSA to run publicity for the Jonathan and PDP campaigns. An official of the EFCC told SaharaReporters that it was “unbelievable for the NSA [National Security Adviser] to be the person allocating money for political campaigns.” 
Mr. Bafarawa, whose detention was approved by a court order, has stated that he received N4.6 billion from Mr. Dasuki for “spiritual purposes.” Our EFCC source said their agents were still questioning the former governor to explain what was meant by “spiritual purposes.” 
Our source revealed that Mr. Odili and Mr. George “may soon be invited to explain why they received N100 million each from funds budgeted for arms purchase.” 
Those still in EFCC detention as of last night are as follows: Shuaibu Salisu, Abba MT Usman, Sagir Attahiru, Evegny Kundaev, Aminu Baba Kusa, Salisu Usman Garu, Bashir Yuguda, and Attahiru Bafarawa. Mr. Dokpesi was released last night after meeting bail conditions.
The case of Bode George is instructive, at a thanksgiving service held by him after his release from prison in 2011 in Lagos a Lagosian priest delivering a sermon entitled, ‘A minister and a witness,’ Venerable Tayo Aduloju  had this to say according to Punch newspaper: “If you are involved in any shady deal; if you are found anywhere elections are rigged; and partake in any form of manipulation, it means you have not learnt anything from your experience. Real power belongs to God. It does not belong to PDP. It does not belong to any president.
“As from today, you are expected to represent Christ. You are an ambassador of Christ. Never again will the name of God be soiled through you.”
Mr. Aduloju also charged politicians to shun thuggery, rigging, and avarice so as to return the country on the path of decency.
He said, “Shun thuggery. Shun violence. Shun greed. Shun rigging and whatever that can cause trouble.”

 Mr. George later denounced this priest at a press conference.
09:45
President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed that the war with Boko Haram has left over 10,000 Nigerians dead and more than 2 million people displaced.  
President Muhammadu Buhari In Malta For CHOGM 2015World Press
The President made these remarks Friday night while attending a banquet for Queen Elizabeth II during the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta. 
President Buhari’s remarks were relayed to members of the press by the President’s Special Advisor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina. According to Mr. Adesina, President Buhari called for the creation of a Commonwealth Committee which would assist Nigeria and other nations impacted by the “scourge” of international terrorism.  
This committee, President Buhari explained, would meet with developing nations battling terrorism.  After conferring with these nations, the committee would formulate a grand political strategy to combat terrorism. The President voiced his hopes that such a committee be created prior to the 2016 CHOGM.  

President Buhari called upon the most developed members of the Commonwealth to aid the less developed members in the areas of economic development, corruption, terrorism, and security. 
09:30
Former President Goodluck Jonathan today commissioned a yet to be finished flyover in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State, all in an effort to bolster the political fortunes of Governor Seriake Dickson who is in a tough battle for reelection. 
PHOTONEWS: Dickson Commissions Uncompleted Bridge
An engineer in the state told a correspondent of SaharaReporters that the bridge “has major defects, including visible cracks at its joints.” The flyover is being constructed by construction giant Julius Berger. None of the construction company’s officials were present at the official commissioning.
Governor Dickson has touted the flyover as first of its kind in Bayelsa State, but opposition politicians in the state and several residents have criticized the bridge as a conduit pipe to siphon off millions of naira. One critic said the “the flyover has no economic value to the state.”
One resident of Yenagoa described the bridge as a “monkey bridge,” a term used for a makeshift bridge constructed in riverine communities during flood seasons.
Former President Jonathan lauded the project, declaring that it would boost the landscape of his home state, Bayelsa. However, a Yenagoa-based engineer alleged that officials of Governor Dickson’s administration discouraged the former president when he expressed an interest in walking across part of the flyover bridge. “They did not want him to see the major cracks in the bridge. That’s why Governor Dickson prevented him when he opted to walk on the flyover,” said the engineer, a state employee. 
He added that he believed the former president would not have agreed to be part of the bogus commissioning of an uncompleted and defective bridge if he had known about the state of the bridge. The engineer also stated the absence of Julius Berger officials was telling, as the construction company was not eager to be part of a ruse that a bridge still under construction was ready for commissioning. 

09:07
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has “received several documents from the World Bank totalling over 700 pages on information on the spending of recovered assets stolen by the late General Abacha, with some of the documents suggesting that Abacha loot was spent on roads, electricity, education, health and water.”Sani Abacha
This information was disclosed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni in a statement dated 29 November 2015.
The organisation said, “SERAP can confirm that last week we received several documents from Ann May of the Access to Information Team of the World Bank following our Access to Information Request to the Bank.
We also received a letter dated 24 November 2015 from Mr Rachid Benmessaoud, Director of the World Bank in Africa.”
“In total, SERAP has received over 700 pages of documents, which we are now closely studying and scrutinising with a view to discovering whether the documents contain details that Nigerians would like to see and whether the information correspond to the facts on the ground. After this analysis, we will respond to the Bank and consider our options, including filing an appeal before the Bank’s Access to Information Appeals Board and taking other appropriate legal actions nationally and internationally to discover what exactly happened to Abacha recovered loot,” the organisation said.
The organisation said that “In the meantime our preliminary review of some of the documents and the letter from Mr Rachid Benmessaoud have revealed certain facts which raise more questions about what exactly happened to Abacha loot: First, that Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Minister of Finance in a letter dated 9 January 2005 explained to the Bank that around $500m (N65bn) of Abacha loot received from Switzerland was programmed into and spent in the 2004 and 2005 budgets on roads, electricity, education, water and health across all 6 geo-political zones of Nigeria.”
“Second, Mrs Iweala explained to the Bank that N18.60bn was spent on roads; N10.83bn spent on health; N7bn spent on education; N6.20bn spent on water; and N21.70bn spent on electricity. She also said that part of the funds were spent on new and ongoing investment projects. Mrs Iweala said that relevant federal ministries have the full details on the spending of repatriated Abacha loot. The Bank noted that there was no funds monitoring and tracking mechanism in place to trace the spending of Abacha loot,” the organisation also disclosed.
“Third, Mr Rachid Benmessaoud confirmed that the World Bank played a monitoring role in a return of assets by Switzerland but that the Bank is not currently involved in the monitoring of spending of Abacha loot that have been returned to Nigeria in recent years. He said that the Bank would be prepared to set up a mechanism to monitor the use of Abacha loot if the Nigerian government request the Bank’s assistance in this respect.”
“Given Mrs Okonjo-Iweala’s involvement in the spending of Abacha loot, SERAP calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently probe the role of the Ministry of Finance and relevant federal ministries at the time in the spending of Abacha loot particularly given the strong allegations of mismanagement that characterised the use of the funds,” the organisation said.
“Although Mrs Okonjo-Iweala said that Abacha loot was spent in the 2004 and 2005 budgets on roads, electricity, education, water and health across all 6 geo-political zones of Nigeria, there is no evidence of such projects as millions of Nigerians continue to travel on dead roads, while they continue to lack access to adequate electricity supply, water, health and quality education.Therefore, President Buhari can no longer continue to remain silent on this issue of public interest if Nigerians are to continue to trust him in his fight against corruption,” the organisation also said.
It would be recalled that in a letter dated 15 October 2015 and signed by Ann May of the Access to Information Team, the Bank said that “In response to your request under AI3982, we would like to inform you that we are still considering your request and need additional time to provide you with a more comprehensive response.”
The letter reads in part “In most cases, we will be able to respond within twenty (20) working days from receipt of a request for information. However, we may need additional time in special circumstances, for example, if the request is complex or voluminous or if it requires further review by or consultation with internal World Bank units, external parties, the Access to Information Committee, or the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors.” 
Earlier, SERAP had on 21 September 2015 sent an access to information request to Jim Yong Kim, President, World Bank Group urging him to “exercise the Bank’s prerogative to release documents relating to spending of recovered assets stolen by Late General Sani Abacha”.
The group also asked Mr Yong Kim to “disclose information about the Bank’s role in the implementation of any projects funded by the recovered assets and any other on-going repatriation initiatives on Nigeria with which the Bank is engaged.”

The request was “pursuant to the World Bank’s Access to Information Policy (The Policy), approved by the Board on June 30 205.  SERAP notes that one of the Policy’s guiding principles is to maximize access to information. There is also clear public interest in Nigerians knowing about the Bank’s supervisory role and specifically its involvement in the implementation of projects on which repatriated funds were spent.”  
08:54
 In an interview with the News Agency for Nigeria (NAN) Mr. Baritor Kpagih, the Bayelsa State Resident Commissioner for the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), announced that INEC will be deploying 8,000 ad-hoc staff during the gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa State.
INEC Officials Prepare Materials Ahead Of Bayelsa State Elections360 Nob
It will be recalled that on Friday SaharaReporters detailed the acrimonious debate between Governor Seriake Dickson and Mr. Timipre Sylva both of whom are candidates for the Bayelsa State governorship.  Mr. Kpagih informed NAN that the ad-hoc staff members received their training at Local Government Area (LGA) headquarters across the State.
He noted that the 8,000 ad-hoc staff would be complemented by several permanent staff members as well.  One of the trainees Mrs. Chinelo Okoafor, a young woman who was a National Youth Service Corps member, informed NAN that, “we [INEC] are going to ensure the most credible and acceptable election.”  
The Bayelsa State gubernatorial elections are scheduled for December 5th.

13:12
A Nigerian Court of Appeal sitting in Makurdi, Benue state has nullified the election of former Senate President David Mark in a ruling delivered by Justice Olabisi Ige.David Mark

The court ruled on six grounds of appeal brought against a lower tribunal ruling which earlier upheld Mark’s election last month. In ruling on the  appeal brought by Daniel Onjeh, the South Benue Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Justice Ige ruled that the election of Mr. Mark was fraught with so many irregularities that it failed all tests of “freeness and fairness”.
 
In particular, the court noted that Mr. Mark’s election results had been pre-written on March 28 before proper collation and announcement was made on March 30. The appeal panel ruled that a fresh election be conducted in 90 days in the senatorial zone.





Source: Sahara Reporters
13:05
Men of Nigerian Naval Base in Yenagoa on Thursday rescued a female kidnap victim abandoned by her abductors in the creeks of Southern Ijaw in Bayelsa.
 
Commodore Yakuku Wanbai, Commander of Nigerian Navy Base in Yenagoa, who confirmed the development, said that the kidnappers struck at about 2 am  in Angiama-Gbene on Thursday.
 
“My men on patrol in the waterways got a distress call, and the gunboat headed to the scene of the incident where the kidnappers whose speedboat had developed a fault abandoned the victim and fled on sighting the patrol boat.
 
“My men rescued the woman and brought her to the base and in line with the existing interagency cooperation we are handing the woman over to the Police for preliminary investigations and reuniting her with the family,”  Wanbai said.
 
Narrating her ordeal, Mrs. Tokoni TrustGod said kidnappers numbering 5 and armed with gun and machete had invaded her residence at Angiama Gbene in the early hours of Thursday and abducted her.
 
“They broke into the house and asked me if I was Professor Millionaire Ambowei’s sister and I told them that I wasn’t, they said that I was lying and took me away to the water side where they put me in a speedboat.
 
“When we got to Olagbene their boat had a fault and ran out of fuel when they saw an oncoming boat they fled into the bush and the people in the boat took me and hid me in the neighboring community.
 
“Shortly afterward the kidnappers who had fixed their boat came to the place I was kept and shot severally threatening to kill the people if I was not produced, so they brought me out and left for the waterside.
 
“We boarded the kidnappers’ boat again and heard the sound of the Navy gunboat, it was at this point that the kidnappers abandoned their boat, and when the Navy people came I cried out to them that I was the one held hostage.
 
“They took me in their boat and brought me to Yenagoa,” TrustGod said.
 
TrustGod said that Professor Millionaire Ambowei was her husband’s brother who is based in Port Harcourt.
 
The Yenagoa Naval Base Commander, Wanbai handed over the freed victim to Mr James Ejure, a CSP from the Criminal Investigation Department, and Mr Richard Ogwuche of the Anti-Kidnap Squad of Bayelsa Police Command.
 
Ejure, who commended the Navy for the feat, pledged that the Police will conduct discrete investigations with a view to apprehending the hoodlums.
00:53


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00:47
The South African government has threatened a jail term for Chris Oyakhilome if his church, Christ Embassy, fails to release its financial records, the South African-based News24 is reporting.Pastor Chris and Anita Oyakhilome
The Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities said several religious leaders in the country could be jailed if they fail to comply with the demands of the commission.
The commission said it was investigating the commercialization of religion and abuse of people’s beliefs and had summoned several churches to appear before it with their ordination certificate, registration certificate, bank statements, and annual financial statements from 2012.
Thoko Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said the commission had been forced to take a legal route because some of the church leaders had failed to comply with her commission’s directive.
“Some of these religious leaders will face prison if they do not comply and we have been clear about our course of action,” Mkhwanazi-Xaluva told News24.
“Some religious leaders have also threatened the commission, which is leading us towards the legal route.”
Mr. Oyakhilome, the founder of Christ Embassy, had indicated he would take a legal action to stop the commission from forcing it to open his books, according to Ms. Mkhwanazi-Xaluva.
Christ Embassy had earlier sought an extension of time to enable it review its financial records.
Ms. Mkhwanazi-Xaluva said they were also considering filing charges of intimidation against religious leaders who had publicly threatened the commission.
She wondered why some pastors would take money from their followers and, yet, refuse to provide their financial records.
“These people take money from people,” she said.
“What are they doing with that money? We want to know. We will not back down.
“‎If he (Mr. Oyakhilome) intends on that route, we are ready‎. He will have ‎to face the same fate as the others who refuse to hand over their financial records.”
While most of the old traditional churches – including the Catholic church,‎ the Methodist church, the Presbyterian Church, and the Lutheran Church – had requested an extension of time; a lot of the new breed churches had threatened court action.
Earlier this month, a South African pastor, Paseka Motsoeneng, ‎told the commission he would rather go to jail than hand over his financial records.
Mr. Motsoeneng (popularly known as Mboro), the head of Incredible Happenings Church, is known in the country for his healings and miracles.
“Now the headlines will be saying ‎Mboro has R10 million in his account…. I have enemies. Now they will know my strength and weakness… I want to protect myself, my church and my ministry so I have to look and consult thoroughly with my lawyers,” he said.

“For my belief, I will be glad to go to jail. Even now, I can be taken there.”
00:40
 Naij.com entertainment editor Henry Igwe analyses how super producer became a media and marketing mogul as well as a great nurturer of talent.   
Tiwa Savage and Don Jazzy in the studio.
Don Jazzy has achieved a lot for himself as a music producer, record label boss and brand ambassador. What are the special aspects that stand him out?
Since the transition to Mavins Records Don Jazzy has handled affairs well, created opportunities where there were none and with names previously unknown and made something off the new crop of guys with him.
Recall that the Mo’Hits imprint was dissolved in 2012, following irreconcilable differences between key partners of the label Don Jazzy and Dbanj, which led to the formation of Mavin Records.
As it is, Jazzy has managed achieving a feat previously unseen in the Nigerian music industry.

Before now, he succeeded at the helms of affairs at Mo’Hits as he steered the label’s vessel to multiple awards and sold out shows throughout the continent and overseas.
Presently, he is the head honcho at Mavins Records and it’s been interesting watching him piloting the label to pole position.
It took the new hands ( ) a little while to get on top of things as expected, but eventually the sparks of brilliance came to bear.
The dynamics of fusing a previous music team comprising of SID, Tiwa Savage and D’Prince with a new, untested class in Korede, Di’ja and Reekado and making something tangible off the evolution is what sticks out Mr. Jazzy. And this is what makes his possibly a feat previously unseen in the Nigerian pop culture.
And if he goes on at this rate history will be fair to him, as we have in our analyses of his music empire, and laud him even beyond what we can say here.
What are the interesting aspects that makes him so successful? A number of them.
First, it is interesting how the producer occasionally steps aside for members of his team to shine.
Secondly, it is golden how he pushes materials from his boys and concerns himself with helping them cut sizeable portions of mainstream renown.
Thirdly, and above all, it is impressive and trendsetting how much he interfaces with the teeming fans and critics alike on social media. This is a major plus in the fast-paced era we live in today, an era where records are broken every other day like Beyonce showed with her fifth album, Beyonce,  releasing it with no prior announcement, and how much Adele is currently achieving with her single Hello.
For a man who is easily the creative focal point in all of his music endeavours thus far, it is laudable.

And as Don Jazzy celebrated his 33rd birthday today November, 26, he could hold his head high as one whose music business model is exemplary for Nigerians to take a cue from.
00:39
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