Navy reiterates zero tolerance to economic sabotage, says allegation of aiding oil theft speculative

 

 

The Nigeria Navy (NN) has dispelled rumours that its officers and ratings aid and abet crude oil theft and invasion of herders.

  In a statement by naval image-maker, Commodore Suleman Dahun, navy insisted that it was highly committed to zero tolerance to economic sabotage and indiscipline among officers and rank-and-file in their bid to secure Nigeria’s ocean.

 According to Commodore Dahun, “The attention of the Nigerian Navy has been drawn to a news report in some newspapers captioned ‘How Nigerian Navy Aids Crude Oil Theft, Herders’ Invasion’. While the report is largely speculative, lacking in facts and substance and one-sided, the Nigerian Navy notes the attempt to substantiate and legitimise the allegations contained therein by quoting an unnamed official of an organisation called Domestic Refineries Owners Association of Nigeria, who made grave allegations of complicity against Nigerian Navy personnel. “Thus, as a responsible Service, the Nigerian Navy intends to invite members of the purported organisation to assist in identifying the NN personnel who receive bribes to facilitate the alleged unpatriotic acts of economic sabotage.

  “In this respect, the Naval Headquarters wishes to further reiterate its position on zero tolerance for economic sabotage, isolated cases of personnel complicity in illegal acts as well as its resolve to fight all forms of criminal activities in the nation's maritime domain.

  “Accordingly, the Nigerian Navy encourages anyone with useful information regarding criminals operating in the Nigeria’s maritime environment or those aiding and abetting them, to please oblige the Service such information. The information so received and the informants are assured of utmost confidentiality in handling.

  “The Nigerian Navy wishes to enjoin our media partners to endeavour to verify the information sourced from other stakeholders in the maritime industry with the Naval   Headquarters especially those that pertain to maritime security.

  “While thanking the general public for its continuous support and cooperation, the Nigerian Navy assures of its commitment to the general security and economic prosperity of the nation”.

 

Navy denies allegation of aiding oil thieves, economic sabotage

 

 

By Patience Ogbo

 

 Nigeria Navy has dispelled rumours that its officers and ratings aid and abet crude oil theft and invasion of herders.

  In a statement by naval image-maker, Commodore Suleman Dahun, navy insisted that it was highly committed to zero tolerance to economic sabotage and indiscipline among officers and rank-and-file in their bid to secure Nigeria’s ocean.

 According to Commodore Dahun, “The attention of the Nigerian Navy has been drawn to a news report in some newspapers captioned ‘How Nigerian Navy Aids Crude Oil Theft, Herders’ Invasion’. While the report is largely speculative, lacking in facts and substance and one-sided, the Nigerian Navy notes the attempt to substantiate and legitimise the allegations contained therein by quoting an unnamed official of an organisation called Domestic Refineries Owners Association of Nigeria, who made grave allegations of complicity against Nigerian Navy personnel. “Thus, as a responsible Service, the Nigerian Navy intends to invite members of the purported organisation to assist in identifying the NN personnel who receive bribes to facilitate the alleged unpatriotic acts of economic sabotage.

  “In this respect, the Naval Headquarters wishes to further reiterate its position on zero tolerance for economic sabotage, isolated cases of personnel complicity in illegal acts as well as its resolve to fight all forms of criminal activities in the nation's maritime domain.

  “Accordingly, the Nigerian Navy encourages anyone with useful information regarding criminals operating in the Nigeria’s maritime environment or those aiding and abetting them, to please oblige the Service such information. The information so received and the informants are assured of utmost confidentiality in handling.

  “The Nigerian Navy wishes to enjoin our media partners to endeavour to verify the information sourced from other stakeholders in the maritime industry with the Naval   Headquarters especially those that pertain to maritime security.

  “While thanking the general public for its continuous support and cooperation, the Nigerian Navy assures of its commitment to the general security and economic prosperity of the nation”.

 

How :Kidnapped Punch Correspondent was freed.

Victor Nnodim a Correspondent with Punch Newspaper who was kidnapped last Thursday has been freed. His colleague Simon Ejimbi confirmed his  release.

He said "Nnodim has been freed. I just got off the phone with his wife and I was able to speak with him briefly. Thank God"

According to sources, a ransom was  paid for his release but family members are not willing to speak in that regards. 

Nnodim was kidnapped on Thursday night kidnapped in his residence in the Arab area in Kubwa Abuja.

According to his wife Oluchi, fierce looking gunmen stormed their apartment after they successfully shot into the air and scaled the brick fence surrounding the house.

She added that her husband was working on his laptop when the gunmen entered their apartment. She added that following the gunshots, her husband had asked her to take the children into the inner room. 

" They asked for money but my husband said he didn't have any on him so they ordered him to follow them. The gun men also kidnapped two of our neighbour's sons". 

Police sources said a manhunt has began to secure the release of Mr. Nnodim and the two young men. 

Nnodim began his career in journalism at the defunct 234next newspaper where he reported the Aviation beat before moving to the Punch Newspaper. 

CISLAC partners journalists to push Legislation on

 

CISLAC partners journalists to push  Legislation on Protection of Civilians 

By Patience Ogbo

Journalists covering the Defence and Crime beats have been urged to project dangers civilians face during military operations across the country. 

This admonition was given during a one day training programme organised by the Civil Society Advocacy Group, CISLAC focusing on the issue of Protection of Civilians, (PoC) and Civilian Harm Mitigation.

CISLAC Program Manager, Mr. Salaudeen Hashim said "PoC is new in the whole of Africa and if Nigeria begins to legislate and begin to design in-house mechanism that works, it will help develop Civilian Harm Mitigation infrastructure. And because we are pushing for a legislation, it becomes imperative to engage with the media, so that they can actually take this forward as a medium to begin to influence decision makers"

He  urged the media to put PoC in the front burners   in their news reportage .

“ The media has a whole lot to play in terms of influencing and advocating for a legislation on Protection of Civilians and that is why we believe in using different of their own contacts to push this conversation going forward. We can not ignore the successes the media has recorded over the years.”

“Post-independent Nigeria, the media has been very strategic and has come thus far, and I think that is not arguable and I think they’ve indeed provided a whole lot of contribution in terms or national development. PoC is new, so if Nigeria goes on to put that policy framework in place, it becomes the first in the whole of Africa to do so. And I think that those within the regime and corridors of power will want their name to go down well in history.”

 

 

How Punch Correspondent was kidnapped in Abuja. 

Okechukwu Nnodim a Punch Correspondent was on Thursday night kidnapped in the Arab area in Kubwa Abuja.

According to his wife Oluchi, fierce looking gunmen stormed their apartment after they successfully shot into the air and scaled the brick fence surrounding the house.

She added that her husband was working on his laptop when the gunmen entered their apartment. She added that following the gunshots, her husband had asked her to take the children into the inner room. 

" They asked for money but my husband said he didn't have any on him so they ordered him to follow them. The gun men also kidnapped two of our neighbour's sons". 

Police sources said a manhunt has began to secure the release of Mr. Nnodim and the two young men. 

Nnodim began his career in journalism at the defunct 234next newspaper where he reported the Aviation beat before moving to the Punch Newspaper. 

Teenage Girl Wants her surname changed after her father allegedly raped her

 

Girl wants her surname changed after father allegedly raped her. 

A 19 year old secondary school girl, Linda not real name said she  has been living with the trauma of rape experience she allegedly suffered in the hands of her father one Mr.  Akanni 

Linda who said her father raped her in 2019  added that  his threat that she would die if she exposed the crime further compounded the trauma and pain she suffered.

Following the rape, Linda is appealing to her mother to change her surname failure which she might commit suicide.

Narrating how her father allegedly raped her, Linda 19  said. 

"Sometimes in 2019, I went to stay with  my aunty, my father's sister one Mrs Modinat Akanni in Ilogbo Ifo Ogun.My father came to see his sister. There was a day he called me  into the room and immediately I got inside, he shut the door behind and pushed me. The room is in a deserted area and he used his hands to cover my mouth. He said I should not shout. Even if I shouted, nobody would have heard me. He pulled my dressed and went on to rape me. He told me that when he was done, that I should not tell anyone or else, I would die. I kept the rape to myself but I couldn't bear it any more. So I spoke up and my mother got to know. I want government to punish him for what he did to me. I want him to be jailed but my fear is that if he goes to jail, who will pay for my university education? I want government to punish him but he should be made to pay for my university education" 

Mrs Ayinde Rasheedat , mother of Linda said she brought the matter to her attention of her estranged  husband but he denied it. He said "I am  married to Mr Akanni Nurudeen an Artisan and Building contractor who  lives at Elebute, Iya Na Ilogbo Ifo local government Ogun state. We have been married for more than twenty years and the marriage is blessed with two children but our second child a boy died . We both move to Oke Aro area, suddenly my husband became irresponsible and fornicates with other people and neighbors wife,and continued to maltreat me and my daughter all the family and relatives efforts resulted to nothing and he persisted in devilish acts.

Then I have to move on with my life. I relocated to another area with my daughter, after six to ten years I introduced my daughter to her father, since he is not fulfilling  his  responsibility towards  her. 

But something terrible happened on 28th December 2019. When Mr Akanni Nurudeen  her father forcefully raped our daughter and threatened her to keep the secret or die miserably at his sister's house in Ilogbo Ifo Ogun state .I got to know this when my daughter asked  me to allow her change her surname and she became  kind of sluggish  in the house, she narrated the rape  to my sister Mrs Lateefat and she told me about it.  "

The alleged rape was reported to a human rights activist Mr. Agbodemu Musbau Ishola who  condemned the act and vowed to ensure justice is served.  He said " This is unbelievable. How can a father do this to his own child and still went on to threaten her with death? Thank God she spoke up and exposed the rape. I call on other women and girls to speak up against rape. This girl has tried to commit suicide twice since the incident if she does not get justice. We will report the matter to human rights group and the necessary action and support will be given to her"

When contacted, Mr. Akanni denied the allegation. " I never raped my daughter. This is the handiwork of my estranged wife. As I am speaking with you, I am paralysed. I was involved in a ghastly accident in November 2020  That accident had paralysed me. The allegation is false and I am hearing it from you for the first time"