Television Nigerian

President Muhammadu Buhari has reassured international investors that their investments in Nigeria are safe.

Buhari gave the assurance at the ongoing Nigeria International Petroleum Summit (NIPS) in Abuja, on Monday.

The summit which is the 3rd edition has as its theme: “Widening the Integration Circle: Technology, Knowledge, Sustainability Partnership’’.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Mr Boss Mustapha, he said that Nigeria as an oil producing nation remained ready and accessible for legitimate investment from all interested countries, individuals and partners.

“Let me assure foreign delegates that their investments are well secured in Nigeria and a high return on investment is always guaranteed.

“It cannot get better anywhere,” he said

He added that towards achieving the realisation of a safe and secure investment environment, his administration had taken steps to reposition the oil and gas sector.

The steps, he said include improving the business environment and driving investments in the upstream, midstream and downstream, reviewed and gazette policies and regulations to enhance operations in the sector.

Other steps are to enhance accelerated revolution by developing infrastructure for multi domestic utilisation of LPG and CNG, commence the process of commercialising gas flare.

The rest are to increase gas to power and improve Niger Delta security through capacity building and economic empowerment, enforcing transparency and efficiency in the sector by building capacity, enabling the use of IT and automation and entrenching performance management.

The president noted that increasing refineries production capacity, improving stakeholders management, international relations and bi-lateral coordination and Carry out extensive work for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) was also among the steps.

The steps he added would open up the oil and gas sector to competitiveness.

In his remarks, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Chief Timipre Sylva said the Summit was one of those initiatives approved three years ago and had garnered global acceptability within a short period.

He said that the attendance from the African continent and other countries of the world in the first and second editions attested to the fact that the 3rd edition would definitely raise the bar.

According to him, over 45 countries are expected to be represented at the summit.

He thanked the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for its support to the Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and helping it to take its place in the global energy space.

“Since this administration came on board, you have demonstrated through personal example and conduct that whenever there is a will, there will always be a way.

“This is reflected in the enthronement of discipline, transparency and efficiency in the overall management of the oil and gas sector.

“This has also propelled your appointees to toe the line of probity and accountability by ensuring that your agenda, especially for the oil and gas sector is achieved,’’ he said.

He commended all delegates and participants, adding that NIPS remained a Pan African summit that must be sustained.

He noted that NIPS was designed as a meeting point in the oil and gas industry to introduce and harness new technologies and ideas.

This, he said would lead to development of new strategies that would attract and enhance inflow of foreign investments while improving success rates of indigenous business engagements.

“The Ministry of Petroleum Resources under the leadership of Mr President has the mandate to initiate policies for the oil and gas sector and supervise the implementation of approved policies.

“This, the Ministry had relentlessly pursued since this administration came on board.

“It is gratifying to note that the 1st and 2nd Editions of NIPS have already attracted a lot of goodwill to Nigeria as Africa’s foremost investment destination in the energy sector.

“This 3rd Edition of NIPS will live up to expectation as a truly world class event and promises to take Nigeria and Africa as a whole to the next level in oil and gas business,” he said.

He urged participants to come up with ideas that would help drive the sector in Nigeria and Africa at large.

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By Toby Prince

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, swore that all children kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists would be set free during his regime.

He spoke at a breakfast dialogue on ‘‘Stop the War on Children Affected by Armed Conflicts, Dividend of Silencing the Guns’’, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, held on the margins of the ongoing 33rd African Union Summit.

Nigeria, Uganda, Norway, the AU Commission and Save the Children sponsored the dialogue.

Buhari said, ”A number of schoolgirls from Chibok and Dapchi earlier abducted by Boko Haram have regained their freedom.

”We commend the gallant efforts of the Multi-National Joint Task Force and the partners in supporting the reintegration of the girls.

”Let me categorically reassure you of the steadfast commitment of the Government of Nigeria to ensure the freedom of all kidnapped children from the shackles of Boko Haram.

”We will not relent until every child, boy, or girl, every Nigerian adult in custody of Boko Haram, is freed.”

Among the children being held is Leah Sharibu, the Dapchi schoolgirl denied freedom on account of refusing to denounce Christianity.

The insurgents eventually went away with 219 of them. Over a number of years, 107 of the Chibok girls regained freedom but till date, 112 are missing.

A State House statement on Monday said Buhari urged African countries and stakeholders on the continent to strengthen the protection of children from the six grave violations during armed conflict.

He noted that the six grave violations were killing and maiming of children; recruitment or use of children as soldiers; sexual violence against children; abduction of children; attacks against schools or hospitals; and denial of humanitarian access for children.

Buhari added, ”It is for this reason that the Nigerian government has severally condemned, and is combating frontally the dreadful activities of terrorist groups like Boko Haram and the so-called Islamic State.

”Of course, the severity of these grave violations varies from country to country.

”The incidence of a single violation of children rights in any country is an indelible dent on the African consciousness and is to be deplored and condemned,” he said.

He told AU leaders that they must continue to protect children, taking time to brief the session on efforts Nigeria had made so far to do so

”To stem the tide of out-of-school children, Nigeria embarked on an all-inclusive reconstruction of schools vandalised by the ravaging terrorist activities of Boko Haram, while returning children are rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.

”Our nomadic education policy is also being implemented to reduce the number of out-of-school children. We have also prioritised de-radicalisation and de-mobilisation of ex-combatant children of Boko Haram insurgents”, his media aide, Mr Garba Shehu, quoted him as saying.

Buhari made a call on the AU Peace and Security Council to spearhead the strategy to stop the war on children and adopt the Child Protection Architecture within the African Peace and Security Architecture and the Roadmap on Silencing the Guns.

He added, ”The call to action is now for accountability by all African States to the rights of the children caught up in wars.

”Let us stop the war on children. This is a wake-up call for us all to create the enabling environment for rooting out the impact of armed conflicts against our children across the continent”

By Toby Prince

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, on Monday chose to be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre instead of the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Adoke spoke through his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, on his arraignment at the Federal High Court, Abuja on fresh six-count charge bordering on money laundering.

The EFCC alleged that Adoke and co-defendant Aliyu Abubakar, in September 2013, made payments in naira and dollar which equivalent was about N900 million into Adoke’s accounts in violation of various provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

Adoke made his preference known when Mr Ozekhome argued his bail application after their pleas were taken.

Ozekhome said his client was brought to court by the EFCC from the Federal Medical Centre near Jabi, Abuja, where he had been admitted for treatment.

“We have deposed to the affidavit about his health conditions. The prosecution themselves brought him to court from the Federal Medical Centre near Jabib in Abuja, this morning,” he said.

“We also plead that he be taken to the Kuje Correction Centre, a euphemism for Kuje prison pending when he meets his bail conditions to avoid the mental psychological strictures he goes through in the custody of the EFCC.

“My lord we pray that he be granted bail in liberal and affordable terms and conditions so that he can take care of himself…”

Some well-meaning Nigerians, on Monday, stormed the Iranian Embassy in Abuja, calling for the country’s nationals to leave its shores.

Led by the Concerned Citizens for Defence of Nigeria, the protesters demanded the immediate expulsion of Iranians and their agent of darkness from Nigeria.

In a statement by Convener, Mrs Victoria Ameh, the Concerned Citizens said the rally is necessitated by Iran’s fresh attempt at causing havoc in Nigeria through their proxy, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN).

Formed about four decades ago, IMN advocates the creation of an Iranian-style Islamic state in Nigeria.

It was heavily influenced by the Iranian revolution, which saw Ayatollah Khomeini take power in 1979 after the overthrow of the US-allied Shah in a popular uprising.

The Concerned Citizens revealed that the Iranian government have pumped in millions of dollars in a bid to destabilize and overthrow the Nigerian government.

According to the group, “Iran would stop at nothing until they achieve their desire to see to the collapse of Nigeria, and this is what Nigerians in their numbers have come out to reject in its entirety.”

It further added that the latest move stems from the fact that Nigeria, just like many other countries didn’t take sides with it over the diplomatic row it had with the United States of America over the killing of one of its top military commander, Gen. Qasem Soleimani in Iraq.

The Concerned Citizens, therefore, warned that Nigeria’s integrity can’t be shaken, advising Iranian citizens and businesses to forthwith leave its shores.

Read full address below:

All Protocols observed.

“Nigerians say NO to the clandestine attempt by Iran to truncate our democracy.”

We, the members of the Concerned Citizens for the Defence of Nigeria, are gathered here today to send a strong message to the Iranian authorities in the light of the various revelations concerning how they have been plotting to see to the disintegration of Nigeria to suit their despicable purpose.

We are here, not because we do not have other engagements. But it is indeed a statement of fact that above all and in pursuit of our core mandate as an organization devoted to the defense of Nigeria from external sources through advocacies and civil means brings this strong message on behalf of the over 180 million Nigerians who do not have anywhere to call home but Nigeria to the Government of Iran.

The Government of Iran has indeed exhibited an act that is not only despicable, shameless, but of poor taste, because it has indeed begun a futile attempt at causing havoc in Nigeria through their proxy, the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN).

The activities of the IMN in Nigeria are indeed one laced with tales of violence and affront to the constituted authorities in Nigeria with the active support of the Government of Iran. They have killed and maimed innocent people. They have constituted themselves into a parallel government, and they have indeed planned to establish their territory in Nigeria without recourse to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

As we all know, the activities of the IMN is fully sponsored by the Government of Iran from time immemorial. They have sponsored the violent activities of IMN against other peaceful practicing Muslims that do not share in their extremist ideology that has resulted in deaths and incapacitation.

One of the contemptible acts of the IMN was the attempted assassination of the Chief of Army Staff in Nigeria, where his entourage was ambushed on his way to an official function in Zaria-Nigeria. Also, the IMN has held violent protests in some parts of the country, especially the Federal Capital Territory-Abuja that led to the death of a senior police officer and many more deaths.

We know that the Government of Iran would stop at nothing until they achieve their desire to see to the collapse of Nigeria, and this is what Nigerians in their numbers have come out to reject in its entirety.

The Government of Iran should know that Nigerians are not fools. That we have been diplomatic in our conduct all the while is not a sign of weakness. But rather that of strength in our diversity for we are good people of a great nation.

We wish to state that despite their shenanigans, we have continued to respect Iran as a sovereign country. And we expect that such gestures should be reciprocated. But instead, they have chosen the path of dishonor to cause mayhem in Nigeria through their proxy, the IMN.

We believe that this new onslaught by the Government of Iran stems from the fact that Nigeria, just like many other countries refused to take sides with it over the diplomatic row it had with the United States of America over the killing of one of its top military commander, Gen. Qasem Soleimani in Iraq.

That Nigeria refused to back its atrocities in the international community is why the Government of Iran has vowed to take its pound of flesh with the renewed onslaught against Nigeria by infiltrating the country with mercenaries to destabilize the country manifest in the spate of kidnappings and other despicable activities that are threatening the peace and tranquility in Nigeria.

The Government of Iran is also the brain behind the violent protests across the country with the ultimate aim of causing economic and political unrest. They have set aside vast sums of monies in the regard as well as the deployment of sophisticated arms and ammunitions to the IMN group in Nigeria.

The Concerned Citizens for the Defense of Nigeria sees this act as an affront to the sovereignty of Nigeria, and this gathering is one amongst many civil means we intend to use to send a strong warning to the Government of Iran and their agents in Nigeria to desist from their evil ways or face the full wrath of Nigerians.

The Concerned Citizens for the Defense of Nigeria demands that should the Government of Iran not discontinue this violent campaign against Nigeria, and respect the sovereignty of Nigeria as a country, we shall be left with no choice than to take the bull by the horns in preserving the sovereignty of Nigeria from the enemies of our country.

We are demanding that the Government of Nigeria begin the process of identifying all the channels through which Iran has been promoting terrorism in Nigeria through its proxy, the IMN.

We are also demanding that the Nigerian government begin the process of identifying all the interests of Iran in Nigeria and consequently activating the relevant machinery towards expelling them from Nigeria as Nigerians are not fools that would sit and watch how another country would destroy our country.

This is necessary in the light of the fact that it has been established with facts that the mission of the Government of Iran is to see to the collapse of Nigeria so that their proxy, the IMN can successfully establish their caliphate.

The generality of Nigerians are united in this accord to see that Iranian officials and businesses leave Nigeria in the interest of peace as Nigeria is not a part and would never be an annex of Iran through which they can import their extremist ideology to the African continent.

The territorial integrity of Nigeria can be shaken. However, it can never be broken because we are a strong and united country. This much we want to pass across to the Government of Iran in faraway Tehran. Iran cannot truncate the nascent democracy in Nigeria under any condition. We say no to this, and we also reject it in its entirety. This is indeed the time for Iran to leave Nigeria.

We are resolute on this call because Nigeria is indeed for Nigerians and not for Iran. As such, we refuse to be susceptible to their whims and caprices. A word is indeed enough for the wise and discerning, for we shall not extend any form of respect for any country that does not respect the sovereignty of Nigeria. Nigerians say NO to the clandestine attempt by Iran to truncate our democracy.

By Sylvanus Okpe

The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, Monday, inaugurated the new division of the court in Kano, North-West Nigeria.

Kano State has been under the jurisdiction of the Appeal Court in Kaduna.

Justice Bulkachuwa, who is on a valedictory tour of the Appeal Court across the country, also inaugurated new divisions in Delta and Anambra States.

The Kaduna State Court of Appeal division will by this development, cease to have jurisdiction over cases arising from the lower courts in Kano State.

This has been lauded by many Nigerians who see it as a positive development towards speedy and effective administration of justice

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By Sylvanus Okpe

Senate President Ahmad Lawan has expressed sadness over the death of the lawmaker representing Plateau South, Ignatius Longjan.

The chairman of the National Assembly also commiserated with the family of late Sen. Ignatius Longjan who died at a Turkish hospital in Abuja on Sunday.

Special Adviser on Media to Lawan, Ola Awoniyi, made this known in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

The Senate president also extended his condolences to the government and people of Plateau over the sad loss of the senator who represented Plateau South at the Senate before his death.

Lawan acknowledged the contributions of Longjan both at the state and national levels as former Chairman of the Board of Governors of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, Kuru.

He was also a former Chief of Staff at the Government House in Jos and Plateau Deputy Governor between 2011 and 2019.

Mr Lawan said that the Senate would miss Longjan who was Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism as well as the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The Senate President prayed God to grant those he left behind the fortitude to bear the great loss.

Similarly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) joined to mourn the late senator.

In a statement by Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, National Publicity Secretary, the ruling party “We extend our condolences to Senator Longjan’s immediate family, constituents, the National Assembly, the government and entire people of Plateau State. May the Almighty God grant all comfort during this time of grief and may the soul of Senator Longjan rest in peace.

” and implementation of policies that impact positively on the people. He was a loyal party man who championed party supremacy over personal interest in all party matters and decisions, as displayed in the emergence of the leadership of the current 9th National Assembly.”

By Bukola Olasanmi

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers, have abducted a batch A corps member, Samuel Adigun, and eight others near Idu village, along Abuja -Lokoja road.

The corps member is serving with Abaji area council secretariat, when he boarded a bus on his way from Abaji to Lokoja.

He was kidnapped along side other passengers. A resident of Idu village, who preferred anonymity, told our reporter on Monday that the incident happened last Thursday afternoon, after the gunmen wearing army uniforms with sophisticated weapons emerged from the bush.

He said the gunmen suddenly shot the tyres of the unmarked Toyota commuter bus, which he said forced the driver to stop, before the gunmen whisked away the corps member and eight other passengers. “I was actually inside the river by the bridge washing my motorcycle, when I heard a sound of gun shot and I quickly take cover. Until some few minutes later when the kidnappers emerged from the bush and whisked away passengers inside the bus,” he said. Meanwhile, a senior staff with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC ) who preferred anonymity, confirmed the abduction of the corps member, saying contact has since been established with kidnappers as negotiations were ongoing. “Even as I am not position to speak to the press about the incident, but a contact has since been established with kidnappers, which we are hoping that the victim would be set free either today or tomorrow, ” he said. When contacted, the spokesman of the Kogi state police command, CSP Williams Aya, promised to call our reporter back in 5 minutes, which he didn’t call back after waiting for 15 minutes

By Bukola Olasanmi

A Federal high court in Abuja has granted bail to Mohammed Adoke, former attorney general of the federation, on liberal terms.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had refused to release him after he fulfilled the terms of a previous bail he was granted.

The anti-graft agency had re-arraigned him for alleged money laundering but Binta Nyako, the presiding judge, granted him bail.

She held that she would rely on the bail conditions previously given by Abubakar Kutigi, judge of a federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Gwagwalada, where Adoke and six others were arraigned on 42 counts of alleged fraud.

Kutigi had granted Adoke bail with a bond of N50 million. He also ordered the former AGF to produce one surety who has a landed property in the FCT.

The surety must provide evidence of tax clearance for the last three years. The defendant was also ordered to submit his international passport to the court and to sign an undertaking to always attend trial.

In her ruling, Nyako said although the two cases were different, the courts are of the same jurisdiction. She ordered the EFCC to respect the order of the court.

She said: “I have no more conditions to add. I take the same conditions as the FCT high court.”

Nyako ordered the anti-graft commission to deposit the defendant’s passport which is in its custody before the high court in Gwagwalada.

Adoke and Aliyu Abubakar, a businessman, were arraigned on seven counts of alleged money laundering. Adoke was said to have received gratification to the tune of N300 million from Aliyu Abubakar in September 2013.

The duo pleaded not guilty to the allegations preferred against them.

Mike Ozekhome, Adoke’s counsel, had urged the court to grant bail to his client on liberal and favourable terms.

He prayed that his client should not be remanded in custody of the EFCC owing to the mental torturewhich he was subjected to.

The case has been adjourned till April 1 for commencement of trial