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Oyetunji Abioye and Simon Ejembi Experts in the Nigerian aviation industry have warned that security must be improved at the country’s airports to forestall terrorist attacks and security breaches. One of the experts, a former Assistant Secretary General of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, Alhaji Muhammed Tukur, said there are obvious vulnerabilities in the nation’s aviation industry. Tukur, who noted that the United Nation had described Boko Haram as one of the deadliest terror groups in the world, said the lapses in the aviation security system must be fixed immediately. He said, “We have requirements by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the United Nations agency that regulates the global aviation industry, which Nigeria must meet. The current state of the nation’s airport calls for concern. It is beyond what most people are thinking; Nigeria is a major country in the world and it is time for us to take our airport security very serious.

NAN The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, on Wednesday called on senior police officers to monitor strictly the use of firearms and ammunition by officers under them. The Force Police Public Relations Officer, ACP Olabisi Kolawole, disclosed the IG’s order in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos. Kolawole said the order was sequel to some alleged killings by drunken and trigger-happy policemen in different parts of the country. He said Arase expressed sadness over the unlawful killings and restated the need for Assistant Inspectors-General, Commissioners and Area Commanders of various commands and units to monitor strictly the usage of firearms. According to him, police personnel are supposed to account for arms and ammunition signed out to him or her to the supervisor. “No policeman is allowed to dispense any bullet without accounting for it to the supervising officer. “No police man is allowed to kill unlawfull

 John Ameh, Abuja The House of Representatives has called for information from the Central Bank of Nigeria on the interests accruable to the country’s foreign bank accounts in the last four years. It also asked the apex bank to provide information on the criteria for selecting managers of foreign reserve accounts of the federation “to ensure transparency and to report annually on the performance and continued compliance of the managers with any set guidelines issued by the CBN.” The House Committee on Finance was directed to conduct a full investigation into the matter and produce a report. Mr. Abdussamad Dasuki, who moved a motion to draw the attention of his colleagues to the issue, observed that there was no evidence that the apex bank “monetised into the naira”, the interests accruable from such accounts to be utilised by the federation. The House is concerned that accruals to the federation from foreign reserve accounts have not been openly declared by

Eniola Akinkuotu The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, says Nigeria lost about $1bn (N197bn) every month under former President Goodluck Jonathan. Sanusi, who is a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, said this during a programme titled ‘How a cancer of corruption steals Nigerian oil, weapons and lives’, which aired on The PBS NewsHour, an American daily evening television show. The former CBN governor said many shady deals took place under the immediate past Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is being investigated in the United Kingdom. The monarch said, “In Nigeria, there is no accountability at all and that is why I think Nigeria’s corruption is worse than corruption in most parts of the world. It is the worst type of corruption. It’s stealing. “Frankly, I think a billion dollars under Jonathan a month was about what we were losing.” Sanusi alleged that during Alison-Madueke’s tenure as petroleum minister, people paid as low as

  Sunday Aborisade The Senate on Tuesday amended the 2015 Supplementary Appropriation Act to enable the Executive arm of government to implement the N557bn capital expenditure component in the budget till March next year. The amendment was perfected at plenary shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2016 budget estimates to the joint session of the National Assembly. Senate President, Bukola Saraki, explained that the essence of the amendment was to allow the executive arm of government to execute some capital projects during the dry season pending the approval of the 2016 Appropriation Bill. Saraki assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would ensure thorough screening of the 2016 budget estimates presented by Buhari. The Senate president, who stated this shortly before Buhari presented the 2016 Appropriation Bill to the joint session of the National Assembly, also urged the executive to respect the judgement of the lawmakers in the

Stanley Opara Zenith Ethical Fund, Zenith Income Fund and Zenith Equity Fund, which are collectively called Zenith Funds, have assured investors of a better business result next year. The funds, which are managed by Zenith Capital Limited, pool the resources of various unit holders together for onward investment and deliver returns to the unit holders. The Zenith Equity Fund is substantially invested in equities; the Zenith Income Fund is invested in Fixed Income securities while the Zenith Ethical Fund is invested entirely in equities. A director of the company, Mr. Jubril Enakele, who spoke on behalf of the acting Managing Director of Zenith Capital, Mr. Kenneth Brai, assured existing and potential investors of a better business performance next year given the firm’s projections. He said unit holders should expect the best from the company going forward, adding, “It has been a challenging year. But we are striving to deliver optimum returns for custom

The decision by Senate President Bukola Saraki to ignore protests by his key allies against the clearance ministerial nominees may not lead to a reprieve from his ongoing trial by the Code of Conduct Tribunal. Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the Saraki camp worked for the clearance of the nominees with the hope that his decision to confirm all the nominees, especially former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, would at least endear him to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress and President Muhammadu Buhari. However, multiple party sources informed SUNDAY PUNCH that the Senate President’s travails are far from over. A leading party member privy to these happenings noted that while the party felt a sense of relief that the threat to stop Amaechi was neutralised, it would not interfere with Saraki’s ongoing trial at the CCT. He explained that even if the party was in a position to intervene, it would not, because doing so wo

The Federal Government, through the Code of Conduct Bureau, on Monday arraigned a former Minister of Niger Delta, Mr. Godsday Orubebe, on four counts of false assets declaration and bribery.   Godsday Orubebe Orubebe, who was arraigned before the Justice Danladi Umar-led Code of Conduct Tribunal, pleaded not guilty to the four counts preferred against him. Justice Umar expressed disappointment at the failure of the prosecution to present its witnesses immediately after the arraignment on Monday. He adjourned till November 26 ‎with warning to the prosecution to come with all their witnesses on the next hearing date. Orubebe in counts one and two was accused of failure to declare his assets at Plot 2722 Kyamu and Plot 2059 in Asokoro District both in Abuja on assumption of office as minister on September 26, 2007. In count three, he was accused of accepting N50m bribe from one Pastor Jonathan Alota, on September 19, 2012 for award of contract in favor of his (A

A Medview Airline aircraft en route to Abuja on Thursday morning made an air return some minutes after take-off from the Murtala Muhammed Airport II, Lagos.   A Medview airline plane A source told the News Agency of Nigeria that the aircraft developed a pressurization problem which affected the cooling system while flying at about 8,000 feet. The source said there was no panic as the pilot properly briefed the passengers and landed safely. According to the source, another aircraft was made available immediately and the passengers were flown to Abuja. Acting General Manager, Public Relations, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Sam Adurogboye, confirmed the incident and told NAN that the air return was a precautionary measure to prevent any untoward occurrence. Adurogboye said the pilot acted according to Standard and Recommended Practices, adding that such incidences should not be sensationalized. “The pilot must have observed something which necessitate

The All Progressives Congress member representing Bauchi Central in the Senate, Senator Isa Misau, said on Sunday that the Senate would continue to support ‎its President, Senator Bukola Saraki, in his current trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.   Senator Bukola Saraki in Court facing charges of corruption Sahara Reporters Media Misau, in a statement in Abuja, explained that members of the Eighth Senate were convinced that the  injustice being perpetrated against him at the CCT was because of his emergence against the wishes of some APC chiefs. Misau said  it is obvious that the case against Saraki on the Declaration of Assets was being manipulated. He also  alleged that the trial was a script, written based on mischief and ill-will,  being acted in all the courts before whom the matter had been taken. The senator said, “The impression I am getting is that some people are playing God, believing that they can determine the fate of Saraki and they are using ‎t