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The often quoted but ignored biblical maxim “ what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul ” came to bear fully at the sleepy Ezigbo village, in  Ihiala Local Government, Anambra State, suddenly one dark saturday morning. It was an unusual day; a day of reckoning--and sadly, judgement day.   The occasion was the burial of one of their “heroic” sons, Izuchukwu F. Ezimoha, a.k.a Izu-Ugaji,  literally interpreted to mean, "the lion"-someone with a large heart,  one of three Nigerians executed by the Indonesian Government for drug trafficking. For him, death did not come swiftly; there were warnings, but the lucre of the illicit drug trade would close his e Together with his fellow convicts, they met their grim fate shortly after midnight on July 25 by firing squad, while 10 others slated for the same fate got a last minute reprieve.   When his remains were brought home,  sympathizers  could not hold back their e...

That Nigeria may indeed be passing through economic morass can no longer be contested; the fact that they are self contrived by thoughtless political leaders is even worse.  The impudence and barbaric mentality that accompanied these invidious acts are better imagined.  Now the backlash is even scarier. Take a look at this: in the last one year, 20 Shipping firms are reported to have exited Nigeria!  The Shipping lines are Mitsui O.S.K line; Nippon Yusen Kasha, Evergreen line, Messina line, Hapag-Iloyd, Gold Star line (GSC), etc. From Jorn Madsen of Maersk supply line, he had this to say: “ We are facing unprecedented market condition and regrettably we have to further adjust our crew pool ”, meaning that retrenchment must follow!  As if a making a prophetic declaration, 3000 workers have, from available Dockworkers Union records, in Apapa, have been laid off by shipping companies owing to “ lack of financing and poor import policies of Federal Government”. ...

The report came like a bolt: N2.3 billion compensation fund meant for dualization of Section IV of East West road in the Delta region was allegedly diverted by Ex-Minister, Godsday Orubebe and three others!  The money was meant to be released to Messrs Gitto Construzioni for “further release” to “appointed Consultants” for disbursement to unnamed “beneficiaries” which Messrs Gitto Construzioni Generali Nig. Ltd failed to do.  One Joseph Gande, an official of the Federal Ministry of Works was supposed to have monitored the disbursement – something he also failed to do!  As a result, that road remains uncompleted till this day.  At an Abuja based High Court, only a case marked in charge sheet CR/265/2016 the only reminder of such a grievous crime!  Several billions poured into this same East-West road have also gone the same way with no punitive measure taken. Now the Federal Government, through the Special Social Intervention Scheme is planning to disbur...

  With the revelation that there is nothing to show for the nearly $40 billion invested in the Niger Delta over the last few years by Minister of State, Petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu,  It is time for Nigerians to forget that region! Nothing can be more painful than this empty payback masterminded by the community and regional leaders, including militants, who are adept at destruction of vital national monuments, pipelines, bunkering, illegal refining, and of course kidnapping of both expatriates and prominent men and women1 Add robbery, intimidation and thuggery and you have a picture of the carcass left over!  The rest of Nigeria has never had it so bad.  “ Just because oil is located in that region, therefore, the rest of us who are not Niger Deltans cannot sleep anymore ” exclaimed an artisan Sylvester Odion. Hardly any opportunity passes without their “leaders” capitalizing on it to “milk” the Federal Government dry.  Till this day, you hear of political ...

The time to probe this cesspool of corruption is now!  The Niger Delta Development Commission was created in the year 2000 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo via an Act of the National Assembly to facilitate the rapid, even and sustainable development of the Niger Delta into a region that is “economically prosperous, socially stable, economically regenerative and politically peaceful”; unfortunately, the Commission – Sixteen years after – has only managed to produce a cauldron ravaged by environmental disasters, oil spill, degradation, poverty, dilapidated infrastructures and sickness.  Above all, it has left in its wake amongst others youth restiveness, kidnapping and militancy; the Niger Delta Development Commission has been hijacked by evil men, community and warring factional leaders not to mention politicians.  As a result, the Commission is now more of a conduit to siphon billions of naira earmarked for regional development.  It is this parochial altitude...

With the hurricane wind of corruption sweeping across Nigeria, it is time to shed our gentleman’s toga and deal squarely with the menace. This is the only way to prevent the canker worm from eating deeper; otherwise, the entity called Nigeria may soon be history.  Take the case of the N23.29b poll bribery for example.  The story was that the former Petroleum Minister, Allison Diezieni Madueke, obviously acting under the instructions of Ex-President Jonathan – although no one would mention it – had bribed Electoral Officials from INEC to deliver her mentor in the ill-fated 2015 Presidential Poll.  Then roll over to the staggering revelation from Honorable Abdulmumin, the suspended, House Appropriation Committee Chairman.  According to him, N10, 000 billion had been shared over the last one year under the guise of “ administrative running cost ”.  These shadowy men are still in office and even presiding over official matters!  This is the extent the countr...

Good news from Lagos: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is working – and real hard!  Our correspondents were in Lagos on a 3-day working visit and beheld the magnificent transformation of the coastal City.  A trip round the bustling City from 8pm – 12pm penultimate week showed the City bubbling with bright street lights.  “You could feel the friendly nature was back and there is now a feeling of homeliness”, observed our correspondent. Victoria Island had become spectacular with gigantic infrastructures sprouting up from Kuramo Beach to 1004 Estates.  But the real attraction is the Eko Atlantic City which to our surprise has claimed a large swathe of the bar beach!  The City revealed in massive eye popping skyscrapers and you thought this was Dubai.  “This is one Governor that has got it right”, said Udo Mahmoud, an Estate Surveyor.

The nearly three years old shopping mall called Shoprite located opposite the Apo Resettlement district on the way to the ever busy Apo Mechanic village in Abuja, is fast becoming a huge embarrassment to motorists.  The place is now jam packed with motorists and shoppers who throng the outlet daily. The traffic gridlock caused by this tight spot is no longer funny especially with the Authorities looking the other way.  When the shopping mall was established three years ago, there was not much traffic; but as more and more Estates sprang up so did the population and traffic increase. “You could have wondered why the Authorities concerned closed their eyes to this development”, said an angry shopper whose vehicle was caught in the mayhem. Knowing the reputation of Nigerians not to respect traffic regulations especially in circumstances like this, the Shoprite junction has now been turned into a nightmare for returning workers. Residents even question the rationale for set...

Consider this: between 2009 and 2015, a report by a Ministerial Technical Audit Committee on Contracts Awarded by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs shows that of #700 billion spent on 427 contracts only a measly 8 percent impact has been achieved. The rest of the money? Down the drain! The report reveals that 18 percent of the contracts were stalled, with only 12 percent completed. The report indicates that 70 percent remain under construction! The report claims that the much anticipated intervention to address the yearnings and needs of the region, as clearly captured in the mandate of the Niger Delta Affairs Ministry has clearly been derailed. The oil producing states are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers States, and between them, they struggle for juicy positions. From studies, the contracts which were supposed to fix vital infrastructures such as canalization, electricity, shoreline, skills acquisition centers and water projects have simply not met t...

A trip to Kogi -the Confluence -State is bound to expose a shocking fact: the bane of Poor leadership. And the consequences are right there: bad roads, degraded environment, dinghy infrastructures, and even – no water!  Not that the State is cash strapped; it has always been a beneficiary of one Government intervention or the other such as what they call bale out funds and such other emergency interventions.  But sadly, from the days of Alhaji Idris Mohammed, his namesake, Idris Wada and now this apparent youthful Governor, the State has been riddled with bad leadership.  “The first step they take when elected is to introduce self help measures”, said a fellow who has been a victim of their poor leadership. He angrily said they are taken aback by the actions of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, current Governor who had already blown N4 billion on ostentatious lifestyle after only 4 months in office.  “They drive exotic jeeps on dilapidated roads”, said Aliu Ozigis, another...

They all walked in from their different abodes; some from Port Harcourt, Abuja, Calabar, and Ibadan; together with their colleagues resident in Lagos, they eventually converged at the Kofo Abayomi, Air Force Officers Mess, Friday, August 19, 2016 for the first of the series of planned reunion meetings, thirty-two years after they left school at the University of Lagos, Mass Communication Department, Akoka, Yaba. It was all glitz, fanfare as the old boys and girls emerged from 4pm at the Victoria Island elitist Joint; it was outpouring of excitement as they met, hu gged  each other, shouting pleasantries.  The ladies Yinka, Jumoke, Rita, Onoye, Mope, all clad in resplendent attires while the men wore simple outfits.They simply overwhelmed with joy. Chairman of the group, Olorogun Fred Okhwahwa set the ball rolling with opening prayers in the presence of big boys like Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin, a.k.a Oloriewe, Maj. Gen. Gbenga Jejeola, Oil Chief Ben Ziregbe, Zoo Specialists...

Travelling to Lagos by road from Abuja, has not always been an interesting spectacle because the roads have always been wrought with hidden dangers; but after several declarations by Government officials that the roads have been fixed and now safe to travel, who wouldn’t believe? But as it turned out on Friday, August 18, 2016, those statements were nothing but hoax; the stark reality on ground contrasted sharply with all the radio and television advertorials on the subject. The immediate conclusion was that the interest and safety of Nigerians was not really a priority to them, otherwise why should’nt they tell Nigerians the truth?   “I found out that it was a mistake to believe all what I heard or read in the newspapers, and this is really bad”, said Mr. S.A. Ahmed.   Mr. Ahmed who had a meeting scheduled for 6pm in Lagos and had left Abuja at 5am on that fateful day soon became trapped along the way and the trip was almost grounded,  save for his determination and...

The iron fisted grip on Nigeria by the Quartet of   Obasanjo, T.Y. Danjuma, Abdulsalam and  Babangida has been strongly condemned by Civil Rights Campaigner, Mr. Chris Ogbonna.   The Rights Campaigner is particularly incensed that for the past 50 years, they have simply refused to let go, holding the nation to ransom. “These are soldier adventurers who have been manipulators of our collective destinies since the first coup in 1966”, Mr. Ogbonna declared.  Speaking further, he said 50 years after, they are still telling Nigerians what to do when they had ample opportunities to turn the tide.  “We are particularly disturbed that Obasanjo is boasting that he and three others brought Buhari to save Nigeria”, he said, when in actual fact their children are being systematically groomed to take over. He then wondered: “To save Nigeria from what? Corruption, nepotism, tribalism or unemployment?” Mr. Ogbonna queried why would Nigerians not be angry, when p...

The grisly attack occurred on the night of Monday 21 st , August, 2016.   Of all places, it took place at the Abdu Gusau Polytechnic in Talata Mafara.   The ExposeNews gathered that one of the victims was alleged to have blasphemed Prophet Mohammed, which prompted some people believed to be students of the Polytechnic, to descend on him, killing him in the process. They went on to slaughter everyone found in the house where he resided and burnt down the structure!   Reports say at least eight persons were killed in the process.   Meanwhile, early this year, a woman was beheaded in Kano over the same issue and only a few weeks ago, another female preacher was brutally killed by suspected radicals with Islamist bent. Though, Moslem clerics have continued to condemn the dastardly acts, very little or nothing has been done.   And there is no guarantee that anything will be done in the near future. The Police have tried and President Buhari has only just announced...

Add caption A political activist, Mallam Yakubu Rilwan, President of Niger Youths Vanguard has called for the abrogation of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings, calling it a “Jamboree”.  “I do not see what they have done or are doing; it is an avenue for display of fashion, grammar and pure waste of time”, he declared. Mallam Yakubu regretted that the weekly ritual has been turned into a carnival of sorts where members indulge in deception, and high sounding noting.  “If upon all the dress rehearsals displayed, and we still have persistent blackouts, no direct expressway to Lagos from Abuja, and the common Lokoja-Okene-Okpella popular road remain uncompleted, I think they should just call it quits”, he stressed. For years, Nigerians look up to the weekly Council Meetings with great expectations for effective decisions to improve on  their lives; but regrettably, as The ExposeNews found out, that wish, has become a pipe dream. ‘They hold th...

Signs that all may not be well with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign machinery is in the air.  The reason, as The ExposeNews found out is not  far-fetched : acute shortage of cash!  The ExposeNews correspondents traveled from Okpella to Auchi, through Uromi, Ekpoma, Iruekpen, Ehor, Benin-City, Ovia, right down to Okada town, and consistent were the billboards of the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidates Godwin Obaseki and Honorable Phillip Shuaibu.  Apparently, the conclusion boiled down to lack of money.  Otherwise, the PDP, a showy body of money bags can’t afford to restrict splash of money on campaign billboards. Our Correspondents gathered that while Comrade Oshiomole is believed to be utilizing power of State funds to deliver his  proteges , the PDP is finding it difficult to raise the much needed cash to prosecute the campaign. This may well spell trouble for them at the September 10, polls.  But it remains to b...

The cold news from the Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Wednesday, August 17, 2016, was that the much disputed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Convention scheduled to elect new officers to lead the party for the next four years was aborted; the reason was that Police had sealed off the premises, apparently in obedience to a court order from Federal High Court Abuja, delivered by Justice Okon Abang, early Tuesday morning. The convention was subsequently postponed to next year by convention chairman, Governor Nyeson Wike. He said the action was to allow the party to settle all court disputes. Well said. But with this development, questions are bound to be asked: first is whether this is not payback time for the oligarchic party for the disastrous sixteen years past? Or better still, a clear writing on the wall for them to reform or go burst? Whichever way, the sealing does not portend well for the PDP and democracy. If anything, this is a moment for sober reflections. N...

The cold news from the Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Wednesday, August 17, 2016, was that the much disputed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Convention scheduled to elect new officers to lead the party for the next four years was aborted; the reason was that Police had sealed off the premises, apparently in obedience to a court order from Federal High Court Abuja, delivered by Justice Okon Abang, early Tuesday morning. The convention was subsequently postponed to next year by convention chairman, Governor Nyeson Wike. He said the action was to allow the party to settle all court disputes. Well said. But with this development, questions are bound to be asked: first is whether this is not payback time for the oligarchic party for the disastrous sixteen years past? Or better still, a clear writing on the wall for them to reform or go burst? Whichever way, the sealing does not portend well for the PDP and democracy. If anything, this is a moment for sober reflections....

Cartoon shows three prominent figures in Nigeria discussing crucial issues

High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi The Chairman of Daar Communications Plc High Chief Raymond Aleogho Dokpesi is the clear favorite to clinch the coveted position of the PDP National Chairman. The very experienced and vastly popular media mogul is not expected to confront stiff opposition. Opinion Poll hastily conducted show that if the PDP is to deviate from the annoying “imposition” practice- of the past, the coast is clear for the Daar Communication boss.   Chief Raymond has cut a niche for himself; a bridge builder as well as a detribalized national icon, he showed early in his private career that he is a man of all people. From Agenegbode in Edo State, the 64 year old communications guru would bring with him his huge   wealth of experience to bear on the decadence brought upon the PDP—a factor that costs them the loss of political power at the center. Another cheerful factor noticeable on Chief Dokpesi is his large heart, unlike past leaders in the PDP who displaced ...

A symbol of Justice More than anything else, lawyers are daggers drawn over the conflicting court pronouncements on the National Convention holding in Port Harcourt, Wednesday, August 17, 2016. If anything else the pronouncements portray a Judiciary in disarray. For one, Justice Okon Abang sitting at the Federal High Court in Abuja, early Monday morning ordered the stoppage of the convention apparently giving vent to the prayers brought before it by the embattled factional PDP Chairman, Alhaji   Modu Ali Sheriff.   Political watchers say that judgment was delivered without consideration for national interest or security of the nation. The judgment carried the impression that Justice Okon Abang     was merely being selfish. “He could have considered the outcome on national security and the safety of lives and property”, said Malam Isa Abu a staff of an Abuja based private company. But from Port Harcourt came another judgment on the morning of Tuesday, Augu...

The magnificent edifice housing the Federal Secretariat, Abuja. That Nigeria is under the jack boot of corruption is no longer in doubt. The mystery now is that it has continued unabated. This deadly scourge has eaten so deep into our national physique that only a decisive action can pull the nation from what a bystander called a “burning fiery furnace”! While one leader after the other has continued to treat the monster with almost laughable measures, the brains behind the orgies are not relenting, instead dealing Nigeria a crushing blow. No small opportunity passes without a scandal or someone, most often a trusted leader—turning an ‘official position” into a cash cow—if for nothing else but for the fun of it. You wouldn’t want to draw a similarity with the biblical “Sodom and Gomorra”, but that is exactly what we may be having on our hands. The figures keep escalating and the sheer scale of the theft recorded is unbelievable. No sector is spared and if you are wondering why t...

Nigerian Army Headquarters in Abuja The last has not been heard from the $15 bn arms deals. The latest is that the Presidential Committee on Audit of Defense Equipment Procurement (CADEP) has traced about N2 billion meant for the purchase of vehicles for the Nigerian Army, to the accounts of five children of former Army Chief between 2011 an 2013! Both companies used in the transactions—Chok Ventures Ltd and Integrated Equipment Services Ltd share the same registered office and had one name as common controlling shareholder and signatory to the accounts. And the big surprise? The committee found no credible  evidence of delivery of those vehicles! What a shame! Just how would the country prosper!

That Alhaji Abba Kyari, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief Of Staff is fast becoming very influential is stating the obvious. Reports reaching the Expose News is that as it was  in the dark days of late General Sani Abacha, when Alhaji Aminu Saleh held sway, calling the shots at will, so it is now with  Alhaji Abba Kyari whose name has emerged as the unofficial head of the new Aso Rock power brokers or better still, cabal. Alhaji Abba Kyari After barely one year in office, Abba Kyari has become so powerful that whenever the President travels, he automatically becomes the “acting President”. This position now affords him the opportunity to play the role of a robust kingmaker who decides who gets what, when and how, at all times.  This formidable cabal is believed to be responsible for the so many one-sided “parochial” appointments of Buhari-an action which has not gone down well with a section of Nigerians. In this manner, many of Abba Kyari’s friends and associ...

Embattled PDP Factional Chairman Modu Ali Sheriff Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff has stressed that he remains the acting National Chairman, PDP and no one can remove him-unless on his own terms. Sheriff was on May 21, removed as national chairman at the party’s botched convention ground in Port Harcourt. The original plan was to install him for the next four years. Insiders who are in the know say that Sheriff’s insistence is predicated on the fact that he was sold a dummy by some Party leaders. The Expose News gathered that Sheriff was used to bail out the party from dire financial straits,  which he did easily as a result of his deep pockets; He was then promised the party ticket as chairman. “The man complied and was later tricked, that’s why he is fighting tooth and nail”, said an insider who is privy to all the underground moves.