4 Die, as Helicopter Plunges into Lagoon

By Jimoh Babatunde, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Lawani Mikairu, Bose Adelaja, Daniel Eteghe & Richard Udofia

LAGOS—A helicopter belonging to Bristow Helicopters with 12 people on board, yesterday, crashed into the Lagoon near the Oworonsoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

According to an eyewitness, the aircraft, marked 5NBGD  was said to be coming from one of the oil rigs in the Escravos area of Delta  State and was said to be heading to Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja when it went down around 3.p.m.

According to reports, three of those on board were confirmed dead, while six others, who were rescued, were moved to the nearby Gbagada General Hospital and a private hospital.

The crash occurred at the back of Oworonsoki Police Station after a loud bang was heard from the helicopter. The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, its Lagos State counterpart, LASEMA, and policemen were said to have embarked on rescue operations immediately after the crash.

Above, a Bristow helicopter. TOP & RIGHT: Rescue operations, recovered items and part of the helicopter that crashed into the lagoon at Oworonsoki, Lagos, yesterday. Photos: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor and Lamidi Bamidele,

According to the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Oworonshoki, Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP Chijioke Nduka, who led officers to the scene to rescue victims, there was a loud sound from the aircraft before the crash. He said more officers including the Area Commander, Ikeja Command, were at the scene assisting operatives of NEMA in the rescue operations.

To make rescue operations easier, routes to the site of the crash were cordoned off.

Director of Fire Services, Lagos State, Mr, Rasaq Fadipe and Public Relations Officer of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Mr. Kehinde Adebayo, confirmed the incident when contacted.

According to Fadipe, the number of casualties could not be ascertained at press time but rescue operation was still on-going.

“We are on ground, the fire has been put out while further rescue operation is still on-going. We will give details later,” Fadipe said.

Adebayo, in his comment said, LASEMA upon receipt of distress call raced to the scene and immediately commenced rescue operation.

According to him: “Three bodies were recovered from the debris of the crash while two that were also rescued were rushed to hospital for prompt medical attention.

The immediate or remote cause(s) of the crash, at press time could not be ascertained but it was gathered that the chopper  went down, as smoke was seen trailing it before if finally came crashing.

How it happened — Witness

Rescue operations, however, continued at the site of the crash as local fishermen were being joined by NEMA officials combing the lagoon for the remaining bodies.

The bodies of the dead three were conveyed by an ambulance of State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit with Lagos number SMK 303BK at about 6.15pm.

A resident who witnessed the plunging of the chopper into the lagoon said the pilot did well to prevent land casualties as the chopper almost landed on a church close to the Oworonsoki Police Station on Atanda Street.

Alfa Rasaq Bolaji, an eye witness said he was inside when children on the street, who saw the way the chopper was wobbling in the sky started shouting.

“It was their shout that brought me out only for the chopper to crash into the sea. I believe most of the dead were killed by the blades of the chopper as those who were rescued had cuts from the blades on their bodies”.

LASEMA confirmed that four bodies, all male, have been recovered so far, while six victims were rescued. Four of the rescued victims were said to be in stable condition and responding to treatment at Ggbagada General Hospital while two others are receiving treatment at a private hospital in Oworonsoki.

Rescue team, including local divers, at press time were still in search of two persons, but it was gathered that the possibility of recovering the victims alive was slim because of the number of hours spent underwater.

It was gathered that the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, immediately ordered that the survivors be given adequate medical treatment as the state government will pay all medical bills incurred in the process.

Attempts to speak with survivors was thwarted by medical staff and security operatives because they were said to be in a state of shock.

Names of six survivors

The suvivors were named as Solomon Ude, Joshua Emekema, Chukwudi Onah, Dolu Epiejura, Ononode Ojeite and Iniala Opaimi

The incident led to a heavy traffic gridlock on the Third Mainland Bridge. Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, however, diverted traffic to other link bridges, Carter and Eko bridges to ease off the attendant gridlock on Third Mainland Bridge which was cordoned off to make rescue operations easier.

NCAA confirms crash

Reacting to the accident, the regulatory agency, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, said contrary to earlier reports that there were four people on board the crashed helicopter, the actual number of people on board the chopper was 12, including the crew.

According to Mr Fan Ndubuoke, General Manager, Public Affairs, NCAA, “A Bristow Helicopter with registration number 5N – BDG – 760540 from one of the nation’s oil rigs crashed at Oworonsoki in Lagos this evening.

“The helicopter scheduled to arrive Lagos 3.35 pm had 12 souls on board including the crew. However, the number of casualties is yet to be determined.”

Officials of the Accident Investigation Bureau was heard by Vanguard asking the Bristow Helicopters  safety officer to get all information about the chopper and the pilot ready for them.

The Bristow official said they have them ready for the aviation industry investigators.

AIB commences investigations

Spokesman of the Accident Investigation Bureau, Mr Tunji Oketunbi has also confirmed that the bureau has commenced investigation into the crash. In a text message to Vanguard, yesterday, Mr Oketunbi said: “Investigation has commenced with AIB Commissioner, Dr Felix Abali leading the team. 12 souls were believed to be on board. There were casualties and survivors. It was Britow’s helicopter on approach to land in Lagos”.

Mood at Bristow Helicopters at Lagos airport

The mood at the  headquarters of Bristow Helicopters at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos was that of bereavement as most of the staff of the company were talking about the crash, as they made their way home after the close of work.

Efforts made by Vanguard to get information from the Managing Director of the airline, Captain Akin Oni, proved abortive. However, the Public Relations Consultant to the company, Mr. Cornelius Onuoha, told Vanguard that he was busy preparing a press statement which was not ready at press time.

Crashed caused by neglect of tradition – Monarch

The Traditional ruler of Oworonsoki, Oba Basiru Oloruntoyin Saliu, who spoke to Vanguard in a telephone conversation said as soon as the incident occurred, he deployed all his chiefs and princes to the scene to assist in the rescue operation.

Oba Basiru also lamented total collapse of traditional rites in the area, saying this may be responsible for yesterday’s incident. “The government no longer pays attention to traditional rites which is necessary to prevent such occurrences. For instance, how many times have we appeased the goddess this year?

“An occurrence like this may be caused by the goddess because no human being can depict the depth of the lagoon; but if the goddess is appeased, she would have prevented such occurrence.”

Staff of Indigo Drill Nig. Ltd on board

Meanwhile, a report on the crash by LASWAwater guard confirmed that the passengers on board the crashed helicopter were staff of Indigo Drill Nigeria Limited an offshore drilling company.

The report was issued by the Managing Director of LASWAwater guard, Mr Yinka Marinho.

The latest crash is coming barely four years after the airline’s helicopter crashed in Port Harcourt. It will be recalled that a Bristow Helicopter with registration 5N-BMM  crashed at Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA) on July 14, 2011.

The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) had said that investigation carried out on the crash revealed that the two pilots in the cockpit were captains and were paired despite the fact that the airline has no pairing policy.

About the crashed helicopter

Investigation revealed that the aircraft said to be Sikorsky S-76 and Sikorsky S-92, were among the brands of helicopters in the fleet of Bristow.  According to one of the Pilots of the airline, the ill-fated plane might have been an either of the models.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/

Chasing fair skin, Ivorians ignore whitening cream ban

Abidjan (AFP) - At just 26, Fatou's skin is marbled from layer on layer of whitening cream. Some even call her a "salamander" woman after the little reptile with light spots and translucent skin.

But nothing can stop the hairdresser in Ivory Coast's commercial capital Abidjan from using the skin-lightening cream in her quest for a paler complexion.

"I love light skin," Fatou said. "I can't stop."

Many Ivorian women -- as well as more and more men -- are using creams with dangerous chemicals for depigmentation, despite government attempts to stop the practice.

In late April, Ivory Coast banned whitening creams because of the negative health effects associated with them, ranging from white spots and acne to cancer.

If applied liberally, the cosmetics can also cause high blood pressure and diabetes, according to Professor Elidje Ekra, a dermatologist at Abidjan's Treichville university hospital.

The banned products include creams containing mercury, certain steroids, vitamin A, or with hydroquinone levels above two percent.

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A large billboard advertises skin-lightening products in Abidjan, Ivory Coast (AFP Photo/Sia Kambou)

Hydroquinone is often used in black and white photography and is banned as a skin-lightening ingredient in Europe as it is considered a potential carcinogen.

The dangers don't seem to deter consumers, though.

- 'Women who shine in the night' -

While no official statistics are available, "tchatchos" -- or those with lightened skin, often recognisable by their darker knuckles and elbows -- are omnipresent in Abidjan.

Businesses continue to sell the whitening products, because they know people will continue to buy them despite the risks.

"We know that our lightening products are dangerous," an executive for an Ivorian cosmetic company said, adding that a ban would be counterproductive.

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While no official statistics are available, 'tchatchos' - or those with lightened skin, ofte …

"It would push consumers to make their own products, which would be even worse.

"At least we know the composition."

Some women say that it's societal pressure -- particularly from men -- that forces them to lighten their skin.

"It's men that push women to become lighter," said Marie-Grace Amani, who has been whitening her skin for the past four years.

Ivory Coast's Health Minister Raymonde Goudou Coffie agrees.

Ivorian men "love women who shine in the night", she told AFP.

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A woman, who uses skin whitening cosmetics, poses poses for a photo in Abidjan, Ivory Coast (AFP Pho …

"They bring light and glow in the bedroom."

- Measure still an 'empty shell' -

Three months after the new law was introduced -- which could entail a fine of 50,000 to 350,000 CFA francs (76 to 534 euros / US$83 to $585) for violators -- salons are still advertising their lightening products.

Whitening soaps with names like "Glow and White" and "Body White" leave little doubt as to their intended use.

"After raising awareness, we will move to the next phase of removing products from the market," Coffie said.

A national evaluation and marketing authorisation committee has been set up to ensure implementation of the measures, but one of the biggest fights could be against cultural beauty standards.

Lightened faces continue to proliferate on billboards in Abidjan, with the featured models flaunting fair skin.

Ekra says that while it's a great initiative, the text is still an "empty shell".

"We see women on national television who use the corrosive products," said Ekra.

"Do those that enforce the measure even respect it?"

If people want to lighten their skin, experts say they'll always find a way to do it.

"We tell people it's not good for their health, but if they find something good there... we cannot forbid someone to do what they wish," said Paul Aristide Kadia, who sells the products.

The practice is not only present in Ivory Coast, but widespread elsewhere in Africa, as well as in large parts of Asia.

In nearby Senegal, people mobilised against skin lightening in 2013, but failed to get a ban on products.

We live like rats, yet Nigerians want us to be their friends –Policemen

He was drenched with sweat by the time he wriggled himself through the narrow entrance of his room into the passageway. Looking very depressed and drowsy that Thursday afternoon, he dragged himself along the hole-ridden passage and collapsed into the rickety sofa beside the staircase that leads to the upper floors in one of the buildings in the barracks.

With frustration written all over his face, Emma Uden (not real names), a sergeant in the police, kept muttering to himself, but dosed off few minutes later. Apparently disturbed by the music blaring in his neighbourhood, Uden could not but open his eyes feebly and intermittently.

His pain was obvious to anyone who came across him, but the reason for his frustration was largely
unknown. However, as Uden would later tell PUNCH in a conversation he grudgingly consented to, since the apartment allotted to him in the barracks collapsed in June last year, he and his family had been living in the kitchen of one of the dilapidated buildings in Pedro police barracks, Somolu, Lagos. That was his main frustration.

“It was the only alternative we had at that time,” he said, as he unbuttoned his shirt to enjoy some fresh air.

Since he and his family were constrained to live in a room (kitchen), he said life had become one of bitterness and frustration. To escape the intense heat of the day and the constant constraint of space that his family of six could never live comfortably with, Uden had been used to sitting outside anytime he was home.

Hoping that respite could eventually come his way if he opened up to Saturday PUNCH, Uden wasted no time in leading their correspondent to his room where he lives with his wife and their four children. He opened the door and lowered his head as he made to enter, to avoid being bruised on the head by the doorframe. As he opened the curtain for Punch to enter, the odour, which seemed like a mixture of wet rug and accumulated sweat, that oozed out of the stuffy room was disturbing and could make anybody puke.

The room was like a store reserved for unused household items. The only window in the room appeared dysfunctional while the base of the wall that was visible was seriously dampened, and the ceiling riddled with signs of serious dilapidation. Expectedly, Uden, whose four children had occupied the only bed in the room, appeared discomfited by the state of the place he called home as he continually scratched his head to look for the right words.

Even though he is not alone in such a tortuous situation in the premises, he said he had resorted to coming home just to sleep, unless he was off duty. This, he said, was to avail his family some space in the room and that sometimes he would rather stay in his office or volunteer to go on patrol, all in a bid to stay away from home. They don’t even live alone in the house, occasionally, the family live with big rats that find their way out of the broken septic tank located close to the kitchen into the room.

He said:

 “When we were still living in the room and parlour before our building collapsed last year, we were managing because of the small space, not to talk of now that we have just one room, which used to be a kitchen. It’s like living in a cave. That is the lot of most of us.

“Can you imagine that? We live in a kitchen, and you want policemen to be your friends while you all live in your comfortable mansions. You expect us to carry rifle and risk our lives to protect people. Haba!”

His passionate expression of grief was second to none, even though he said he had concluded arrangements to leave the barracks for a room and parlour accommodation he secured somewhere in Bariga area of Lagos.

He added:

 “If nobody takes care of us, we will take care of ourselves, because apart from the space issue, we (residents of this barracks) queue to use toilet and bathroom, because the ones available are not adequate. So we queue to bathe every morning. Here, three-room and parlour flats share one toilet and bathroom. For me and my family who live in an abandoned kitchen, we pair with another flat. So, we join the queue every morning.

Don’t forget that we are all adults with families. I feel ashamed that I go through this every morning. Tell those people in government what you saw here. Let them know we are suffering. Even when we get to the office, we either sit under the tree or stand in the sun.”

http://www.punchng.com/

Oil Money: Buhari Starts Probe Of Jonathan's Government

It has been revealed that the former government of Goodluck Jonathan is to face a complete investigation in the nearest future.

The National Economic Council’s ad-hoc committee on the crude oil proceeds management, led by the Edo state governor Adams Oshiomhole, is set to hire two international forensic audit firms to obtain details of the allocation of the revenue accrued into the federation account, Vanguard reports.

The committee head disclosed this on Thursday, August 6, in Abuja, adding that the period under investigation will be from January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2015.

Oshiomhole further told journalists that some agencies involved in revenue generation had already been invited to brief the body, which includes Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe and Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom.

Oshiomhole vowed to ensure a thorough and professional approach to the investigation.

“We held our first primary session today here with some of the revenue generating agencies that are supposed to remit funds to the federation account. We had a successful session with Customs, NPA, NEITI, SEC, FIRS, and quite a number of others and next week we will also hear from CBN, Ministry of Finance, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

“For the remaining ones, we agree we are going to meet on Thursday next week, NNPC, NPDC, DPR, NIMASA and other remaining agencies. We have started the work, with the idea to hear them out, what they have been doing, with particular emphasis on revenue accruing from these organizations and whether or not these have been remitted to the Federation Account for judicious distribution.

“We realised that this is a task and given our mandate, even if we were professional accountants because we are sitting governors, we would not have the time to do a forensic audit which this assignment entails.

“Therefore, we have agreed in line with our mandate to appoint two reputable international audit firms to carry out a thorough forensic audit, not only of NNPC, which is more of excess crude, but other monies that accrued to the Federation Accounts. We have other revenues like bonuses, royalties, taxes, VAT that flow into the Federation Account.

“We are taking a holistic review of the entire process, looking at all the agencies that make contribution of funds to the federation account. We are convinced that by appointing audit firms, we will allow professionals to carry out this exercise, so that it will be free of any political colouration and also we will ensure the outcome of the investigation will.

“We have learned, we have listened and asked questions. I think we all have a clear picture of what is happening in those organizations before now. Some have information to supply and we have drawn attention to those areas, they are willing to oblige. We believe in the end, we will be able to not just establish what had happened over the period but much more important, going forward with the changes the President has promised the country.

“It is not going to be business as usual. He started on a clean slate and everybody knows the new rules of the game and in particular as the laws apply to the various institutions are implemented in full. So I think we started very well. We are very confident that we are going to come out with something that is going to be of immense benefits to the Nigerian people… 

“Some reports were produced by PWC but in that report the PWC expressed their frustration and pointed to the fact that they were not able to access all the information they needed and that what they were able to produce was to the extent of information that was made available to them.

“Audit can only be credible as much as information that was made available to auditors. The good news now is that with President Buhari, all the books will be open, no agency has any protection. Any agency that refuses to open the books then is ready to go on confrontation with the authority.

“The forensic audit will act on the whole truth and nothing but the truth so that all stakeholders will have basis to formulate good policies and that Nigeria will never find itself in this circle where huge sums of money are allegedly diverted and unaccounted for. Audit has become a way of life for all public institutions.”

Speaking about the five-year term to be covered, Oshiomhole noted that should there be need to track details preceding the said period, the committee would not limit the time frame.

“We can’t impose a time frame on them but will engage them and by Thursday we will be able to make it public. We need to listen to them and agreed with them on how much time will be okay for them. We are all in a hurry to ensure that the right thing is done. The emphasis is not on time but doing thorough job.

“By next week we will meet with the big ones and we will then be able to tell you the audit firms that we have appointed. They are firms I am sure Nigerians will have confidence in.

“At the end of the audit we will hear them out and reconcile them with what the laws says and arrive at a position. Given the volume of work and complicated nature of issues, we agreed we need professionals to carry out the audit. It is only the professionals that can handle it. It is not good to compromise.”

It should be noted that Governor Oshiomhole’s claims have been widely publicised recently. The first loud statement was made earlier in July when the politician insisted that one of Jonathan’s ministers had stolen $6billion oil money, which he said was revealed to President Muhammadu Buhari by US officials.

In another development an anonymous source from the president’s entourage said that the US had given Buhari a list containing the specific names of oil thieves.

Naij.com 

EFCC launches massive manhunt for sacked Nigerian official over $2.1 million cash seized at Lagos airport

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has finalized plans to declare former Executive Director of National Health Insurance Scheme,  Olufemi Thomas, over a $2.1 million (about N413million) suspected money laundering case.

A source at the commission said the EFCC has been on the trail of the former NHIS boss for weeks after a Bureau De Change operator, Ibiteye Bamidele, named him as the owner of a $2,198,900 cash, recovered from him by men of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

Mr. Bamidele was arrested on July 3 at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, by officials of the NDLEA.

He was then handed over to the EFCC on July 8, for further investigation.

After Mr. Bamidele named the health insurance boss as the owner of the money, all efforts by the anti-graft agency to locate Mr. Thomas has been futile.

EFCC operatives, our source said, have combed every address associated with the suspect, including his known addresses in Lagos and Abuja.

Efforts were also made to locate him at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Lagos but that was also not successful.

The spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the intensive search for Mr. Thomas, and the plan to declare him wanted.

He also urged anyone with information on the whereabouts of Mr. Thomas to contact the commission or the nearest police station.

Mr. Thomas was sacked as CEO of the NHIS on April 28, 2015 by then President Goodluck Jonathan and replaced by Olufemi Akingbade.

The real reason for his sudden removal remained unknown.

The NDLEA had intercepted Mr. Bamidele, the Bureau De Change operator, while he was carrying US$2,198,900 at the domestic wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos.

The suspect, 46, was apprehended on his way to Abuja, the NDLEA said.

“Preliminary investigation conducted by the Assets and Financial Investigation Directorate of the NDLEA revealed that Ibiteye’s action is in contravention of the money laundering prohibition act 2011 as amended,” the anti-narcotics agency said in the statement by Mitchell Ofoyeju, its spokesperson.

“He alleged that the money belongs to one Dr. Martins Olufemi Thomas, a medical practitioner in Lagos. Investigation conducted by the Agency did not link the money to proceeds of narcotics.

“However, a country having insurgency challenge cannot afford to ignore suspicious movement of large amount of money.”

In his statement to the NDLEA, before he was handed over to the EFCC, Mr. Ibiteye said that he is a Bureau De Change operator.

“I used to work for Ebi Bureau De Change at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja before I established my company with the name ND&C Global Investment Limited which is yet to be fully registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC),” he said.

“One of my clients, Dr. Martins Olufemi Thomas gave me the said amount to take to Abuja. I was arrested by NDLEA officers while checking in the money at MM2 on my way to Abuja.”

Ahmadu Giade, NDLEA Chairman, then handed over the suspect and the cash to the EFCC for further action.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/

Ezekwesili and Nigeria’s heroes and heroines

Nigeria is not the sort of place to try to be anyone’s hero. It is a great thing to go out of your way to help people; to stand for those in need of justice; to be there when the needy come calling; to be the voice of the downtrodden; to break the chains of injustice and all those things heroes do but whatever you do, in Nigeria, never let anyone place you on a pedestal where they dress you up as a hero because of two major things; this country has a history of misappropriating hero-ship.

Oftentimes, we end up naming the wrong person a hero or heroine; so if you get placed on that pedestal, you are likely to be lining up with mostly men and women who did some really bad things all the while but found the grace to do just one good thing, or just one cosmetically good thing. Then they get called heroes by thirsty human-idol worshippers. The other side of it is that, most of those who will call you a hero only place you in a box where you are limited in terms of your scope of national engagement.

I’ll break that down. More often than not, genuine activists are seen as some sort of heroes. But more often than not, Nigerians often say something like, “but he is an activist, so why is he joining government?” It is one of the underlying paradoxes of our society; that people curse and blame most of those in power for being bad, wicked and corrupt but are first to discourage those even they agree are good people from joining government. Mallam Nasir el-Rufai will by 2019 have transformed Kaduna State into a haven of investment and a desirable place to live in, but he had some people you would expect to know better accusing him of even daring to run as governor, after all, “you are an activist.” I doubt any other anomaly could be more shocking.

So then, before you are termed a hero or “good person,” decide whether to wear the toga depending on whether you’d be joining government some day. If you’d be joining government, refuse to wear that heroes’ apparel. Stay being good and serving people in your private capacity, they will come looking to dress you up as their hero, just make sure to turn their dress down. Let each refusal to be their hero be louder than the last time, before you go by the way of Julius Caesar.

This is why one was impressed and excited to see Oby Ezekwesili recognised by TIME as one of the most influential people of 2014. The recognition, like the early ones received by the late heroic Dr. Stella Adadevoh, had to come from abroad even when known rogues and election riggers were being “honoured” by the Federal Government. The TIME magazine recognition was not an award for her Oby, it was a genuine recognition of the Bring Back Our Girls movement all over the world, especially the resilient Abuja end of the movement. The Chibok girls have been in captivity for almost 500 days now and their advocates have been standing up for them and being their voice for almost just as long. That their recognition came from abroad should not be shocking to anyone alive today as it would not be to the audience that already heard Jesus Christ say, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.”

Ezekwesili, to me, represents the cover image of Nigeria’s uncelebrated heroes and heroines. She is that person you want your son or daughter to have a chat with and be guaranteed that the young person would better understand the essence of life. She is not the one to just advise and wish you well as you depart through the door, she is the type to help you open the doors to your dreams; she will make the calls, she will call the meetings, she will guide and guard, pray and stand, she will drop a seed out of her own humble income and she will continue to help push you and your dream until she sees you both flying.

And then, the woman popularly called Oby will be there again letting you see nothing has been done. She will be the one to remind you that the praises and criticisms are not your business, that your business is the goal. This is not one sharing just a personal experience, this is me sharing the personal experiences of many young and not so young Nigerians that have had the privilege to meet and be blessed by Oby Ezekwesili. She has her imperfections and like most of those who stood against the impunity and maladministration of the last administration, she has been abused and demonised by those who would rather Nigeria continued to slide into the dark tunnels of a dark abyss, one without the hope-inducing light at its end. In those dark days, being with her alone was enough to bring life and light to the cause and resolve never let go of Nigeria. As she would not be celebrated in our country, it at least helps for one to write this, so the young ones can see that not everyone who was in government and who is in government is a bad person or a thief.

Yes, everyone who joins government in this part of the world is likely to be demonised but those who are not of the devil cannot have the insignia of evil successfully stamped on their heads.

Please do not miss the point as this is not a call for us to start decorating these men and women, known and unknown, who are helping to make ours a better society. I would not want us to decorate them heroes and heroines so they do not end up competing with heroes like Goodluck Jonathan who only had to make a call, concede an election he fairly and genuinely lost, to be called a hero by a crowd that had spent the better part of a year cursing and castigating the Ezekwesilis of this world for daring to bring the issue of the Chibok girls and other victims of terrorism to the fore.

Nigeria will change and this country will move forward. The time would come in this country when those who ought to honour them will honour our true heroes and heroines. They will not be honoured because of what they are able to donate at these award ceremonies that are more about giving plaques and trophies to the rich and powerful in exchange for money and privileges. They will be honoured because of the content of their character, because of the effects of their deeds and because by their works and ways, they inspire the rest of us to be better.

That time is here soon enough but before the dawn of that day, let it be said that some of us recognised and celebrated the men and women, known and unknown, who are helping to make ours a better society. Someone sees your sweat, your love and your help. It does not matter what the ignorant and depraved minds call you. In the hearts of those who value your sacrifices for others, your names will be enshrined forever. Make sure to celebrate someone you know belongs to this group today!

http://www.punchng.com/opinion/ezekwesili-and-nigerias-heroes-and-heroines/

Emeka Offor, Abike Dabiri’s firms, others owe banks N143.81bn

Nigerian Deposit Money Banks on Monday continued with the policy of naming and shaming their delinquent debtors with further publication of the names of firms and their directors whose loans have become non-performing for more than one year.

While nine banks published the names of the loans defaulters on Monday, four banks released the lists of their chronic debtors, owing a total of N143.81bn, on Tuesday.

The four banks are First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Access Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc and Unity Bank Plc.

The banks, which had published the list of their delinquent debtors on Monday were Zenith Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Heritage Bank Limited and Enterprise Bank Limited.

First Bank, which has its total amount of non-performing loans as N43.72bn, published 92 names of delinquent debtors.

The first five companies on the lender’s list owe a combined sum of N23bn. These are Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited, Starcomm Plc; BGL Securities Limited, where a former Minister of Finance and National Planning, Kalu Idika Kalu, is a director; Shield Petroleum Limited and Fargo Petroleum and Gas Limited.

Shield Petroleum, the number one on the list, owes N6.883bn; while Zurich International Service, the last on the list, owes N26.69m.

Unity Bank also released 260 names of delinquent debtors with a combined NPL figure of N45.52bn.

The list has the companies of some prominent Nigerians. These include Umar Mutallab’s DeanShanger Project Limited, N3.6bn; Senator Ayodele Arise and a former Minister of State for Works, Mr. Dayo Adeyeye’s International Payment Devices Limited, N81.9m; and Prince Adeyanju Olateru-Olagbegi’s Cupid Investment BDC, N90.1m.

Other prominent companies on the list are Ekiti Kete Mass Transit, which owes N991m; Fargo Petroleum and Gas Limited, N2.5bn; Ava Cement Limited, N.8bn; and Plywood Chemical and Accessories, N1.1bn.

Ava Cement topped Unity Bank’s debtors’ list with N9.8bn, while Malcolm Akpokodje owes the least with N20m.

Access Bank Plc published a list of 11 delinquent debtors, with a combined NPL figure of approximately N3.4bn.

Top on the list are Bioka Ventures Limited, which owes N1.15bn, while Derukas International Limited was last on the list with a debt of N56.3m.

Diamond Bank Plc has N47.17bn as its total NPLs, with companies belonging to prominent Nigerians owing sizeable amounts.

These include Sir Emeka Offor’s Global ScanSystem Limited, which the bank says owes N181m; a former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Diaspora, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa’s Thriller Eneavours, which owes N122m; and a former Delta State Commissioner for Sports Solomon Ogba’s Delta Mega Trend Limited, which owes N89m.

Aside the 13 banks which have published their debtor lists, other banks which will publish theirs this week are Ecobank Nigeria, First City Monument Bank Limited, Standard Chartered Bank, Keystone Bank Limited, United Bank for Africa Plc and Wema Bank Plc.

Investigations by our correspondents on Monday revealed that most of the banks had cut their list of delinquent debtors due to litigation with their customers over disputes arising from loan terms and last-minute renegotiations by some clients.

A top bank executive, who spoke to one of our correspondents under the condition of anonymity, said, “Some of the banks have to remove the list of some clients due to issues that border on litigation.

“Some names were removed at the last minute after the affected customers came to renegotiate with us. Some banks have had to cut the names on their debtors’ list by at least 50 per cent.”

Officials of banks, who spoke to our correspondents, linked the relatively high figure of the NPLs in some banks to inside connivance with customers, lingering margin loans and huge oil and gas-related loans.

According to them, customer relationship managers in some of the banks connived with the customers to obtain huge loans that eventually became bad.

They also said that long-standing margin loans in some banks were responsible for the high figure.

“A huge chunk of the loans are oil and gas related. The drop in oil prices has also worsened the situation for some oil and gas companies. They borrowed relatively large amounts of money, which later became bad loans,” an official of a tier-1 bank told our correspondent.

Meanwhile, the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria will publish the list of its debtors early next week if they fail to regularise the terms of their loans with the agency.

The spokesperson for AMCON, Mr. Kayode Lambo, who confirmed this on Monday, said companies which failed to regularise the terms of their loans with the agency would have their names published.

“As many companies who have not been servicing their loans will have their names published,” he added.

The names of firms belonging to prominent Nigerians who have not been servicing their loans may appear on the list.

In 2009, the Federal Government spent about N5tn to buy the NPLs from banks to save them from imminent collapse.

AMCON, the government agency created after the 2009 banking crisis, was the special purpose vehicle used to acquire the NPLs from the banking sector.

The Central Bank of Nigeria had on April 22, 2015 directed the banks, discount houses and AMCON to publish the list of delinquent debtors from August 1.

They are to publish the names in at least three national newspapers on a quarterly basis.

In line with the directive, the banks gave the chronic debtors a three-month grace period, which expired on July 31.

The Director, Banking Supervision, CBN, Mrs. ‘Tokunbo Martins, had in a circular dated April 22, 2015, said, “In order to ensure that the industry NPL ratio does not exceed the prudential limit of five per cent and to improve the credit culture in the banking industry, banks and discount houses are directed to observe prudent credit underwriting and monitoring standards.”

The debtors are those whose accounts have been classified as lost and include persons, entities, directors, subsidiaries and other related parties, according to the central bank.

The central bank had stated that delinquent debtors in the category described above would be blacklisted and “banned from participating in the Nigerian foreign exchange market and in the Nigerian government securities market.”

The PUNCH had on March 15, 2015 reported that the volume of the NPLs in the Nigerian banking industry was set to rise further on the back of the devaluation of the naira amid weak global crude oil prices.

Global rating agency, Fitch Ratings, had in February, after the second round of devaluation of the naira, predicted that the banks’ non-performing loans would rise above the CBN’s five per cent limit by the end of this year, but below 10 per cent.

http://www.punchng.com/news/emeka-offor-abike-dabiris-firms-others-owe-banks-n143-81bn/