SOLDIERS ARREST 17 SUSPECTED MILITANTS IN OKU IBOKU

By Patrick Antia

 

Nigerians soldiers stationed at Ayadeghe in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, have apprehended 17 suspected militants from Ikot Offiong in Cross River State.

The soldiers were said to have also recovered many sophisticated arms and ammunition from the suspects.

Our correspondent learnt that the arrest and recovery of the weapons followed a raid on militants' hideouts, along the bank of the river in the disputed area.

The suspected militants, said to be aged between 26 and 40 years are alleged to be responsible for incessant raid on the coastal community of Oku Iboku, whom they have been locked in an age long boundary dispute.

A resident of Ayadeghe, Mr. Okon Edet, told our correspondent that the suspected militants were later conveyed in military trucks, escorted by heavily armed soldiers over the bridge towards Calabar.

Items said to have been recovered from them include many 2 grenade launchers, 36 guns including Kalashinkov rifles, pump actions, double barrel guns and two big ghana must go bag, filled with different calibres of ammunition and assorted charms.

Due to the sophisticated arms cache, many now suspect them to be hired militants from Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers State.

Assistant Director, Public Relations Brigade 2, Nigeria Army, Mr. Umar Shuaib, when contacted, said he would get back to our correspondent.

NO RESTRICTION OF MOVEMENT DURING ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION

His Excellency, Gov. Udom Emmanuel has approved that while the monthly environmental sanitation exercise goes on tomorrow Saturday April 29, 2017, there will be no restriction of movement.

This is to allow students all over Akwa Ibom state participate fully in the scheduled nationwide mock JAMB examination.


Signed
Charles Udoh
Hon. Commissioner
Information & Strategy

Revealed: How Akan Okon plotted Speaker Luke's impeachment ...Fights dirty to dislodge Representative

Onofiok Luke

By Joseph Atainyang

Akan Okon

Fresh facts have emerged of how a serving commissioner in Akwa Ibom State executive council, Mr. Akan Okon, who is in charge of Housing and Special Duties, made fruitless efforts to facilitate the impeachment of the Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon.(Barr) Onofiok Luke.

An impeccable source made the revelations recently stating that the former Finance Commissioner had some weeks back coordinated a meeting in his house with seven members of the Sixth Assembly persuading them and suggesting antics by which Barr. Luke could be thrown out.
The source who dropped the hint only on confidential ground, maintained that Okon had wanted to plot out the speaker so as to gain relative control of the house as well as map out plans to pursue with ease, his ambition of seeking the Governorship seat by next election.

The source stated that Okon was frustrated when his contact point, the seven members who attended the meeting, were unable to recruit more legislators into the fold as funds which he allegedly made available were thrown back by other members, including Idongesit Ituen of Itu and eight others who openly expressed their solidarity with the Speaker, saying they were solidly behind Mr Luke whom they viewed as being the best thing to have happened to the Sixth Assembly.



It could be recalled that the rumours of the Speaker's impeachment saga had been a familiar chorus some weeks back.

Similarly, Mr. Okon was said to be bent on plucking off the Speaker as he (Okon) reportedly went further to preach his gospel of Luke's removal by stretching towards engaging in negotiations with eight other members of the house who outrightly turned him down leaving him completely ashamed.

The members include: Dr. Usoro Akpanusoh of Esit Eket/Ibeno, Elder Friday Iwok of Abak, Hon. Otobong Akpan of Ukanafun, Rt. Hon. Mfon Ekong of Nsit Ibom and Rt. Hon. Udo Kierian Akpan of Oruk Anam. Others are the Deputy Speaker, Princess Felicia Bassey of Okobo State Constituency, David Lawrence of Eket and Nse Ntuen of Essien Udim.

Meanwhile, the same Special Duties Commissioner has been fingered in the current media war against the lawmaker who represents the Itu State Constituency, Hon. Idongesit Ituen.

However, a call sent to the said Commissioner to make response, in line with the allegations, was hung up within 35 seconds as he (Okon) told this reporter not to call him again.

ADVERTORIAL

                                                           COMMUNIQUE

                                                       ITU MANDATE GROUP

RE- You are a pathological and congenital traitor, liar and blackmailer - constituents blast Idy Ituen:"

Our attention has been drawn to a piece of poorly scripted thrash of blackmail, with the above title, peddled by some paid agents on social and print media, against our illustrous son and dynamic legislator; Prince Idongesit Ituen.

Ordinarily, we would have ignored this unprofessional and dishonest campaign of calumny, for all that it is - a cheap attempt at tar brushing, but for the purpose of setting the record straight and preventing the deception of the gullible, we wish to state as follows;

1. That we are not ignorant of the fact that, the failed attempt by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Housing; Mr. Akan Okon to impose one Mr. Victor Edem Akpan on Itu as the Chapter Youth Council Chairman, is the remote and immediate cause of the sudden attacks on Prince Idongesit Ituen.

2. That, Mr Akan Okon is trying to hide behind his thumb, as we are in the know, that, he is the mastermind, sponsor and blackmailer in chief of Prince idongesit Ituen and, is using his foot soldiers to engage in this campaign of calumny.
 
3. That Mr. Mr. Akan Okon who is dissipating so much energy setting up structures for his dream governorship project should rather focus on performing on his current job as Commissioner and Contributing to actualizing the vision of His Excellency Governor Udom Emmanuel, as the Governorship will only rotate to Uyo Senatorial district, come 2023.
 
4. That Prince Idongesit Ituen is performing creditably well in effectively representing Itu in the State legislature and we hereby pass a vote of confidence in his leadership. 

5. That we congratulate Prince Idongesit Ituen on the constituency road maintenance roject, and for sponsoring the Akwa Ibom State Road Traffic Management Bill, which just passed the second reading and the Successful conclusion of the Akwa Ibom Community Shield (the biggest football competition in the state), which was sponsored by him, and many other achievements which we will celebrate in another outing.

6. That whereas, IMG hereby pledge total support for Governor Udom Emmanuel and pledge to re-elect him for a second term in office, come 2023, we hereby wish to advise Mr. Akan Okon to desist forthwith from sponsoring attacks on our respected lawmaker or we shall resist hs failed antics.

7. Finally, we wish to congratulate the new chairman of Itu Chapter of the Youth Council, Comrade Idongesit Bassey Tom and assure him of the unflinching support of all Itu people


Signed: 


      Comrade Unyimeobong Essien                                                          Effiong Davies
                Chairman                                                                                      Secretary

The Untold Story of Akan Okon's Attack on Itu Lawmaker *Shelve your Governorship ambition till 2023, Itu youths to Akan Okon

Akan Okon

By Emmanuel Offiong

The last has not been heard on the latest crisis brewing in Itu Local Government Area following  the aftermath of the failed attempt by the Commissioner for Special Duties and Housing; Mr. Akan Okon, to impose his crony, one Victor Edem Akpan alias vikolo, as the Youth Council Chairman of Itu Chapter of the Akwa Ibom State Youth Council.

Trouble started when the Member representing Itu state Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Prince Idongesit Ituen drew the attention of Governor Udom Emmanuel to the fact  that, the youths of Itu were not comfortable with the choice of the said Victor Akpan as the chairman of the Itu Chapter of the youth council.

Governor Emmanuel, our government house source revealed - instructed Mr. Akan Okon, who unilaterally handpicked Mr. Victor Akpan from Prince Idongesit Ituen's ward 8, to go back and consult with Prince Ituen and other stakeholders and resolve the controversy.

Our Source who pleaded anonymity disclosed that, Prince Ituen insisted that Victor Akpan is not a popular choice and he was therefore rejected, leading to the emergence of the more popular Comrade Idongesit Bassey Tom, from the same ward 8, in Itu Local Government Area. This twist did not go down well with Mr. Akan Okon, who in his disappointment with Governor Udom Emmanuel mobilized his proxies and sponsored  media attacks on Prince Ituen, with some hirelings going online to blast Prince Idongesit Ituen a fraudster, blackmailer and calling him all manner of names.

Reacting to an online news item titled,"you are a pathological and congenital traitor, liar and blackmailer - constituent blasts Idongesit Ituen." A youth activist from Itu, Comrade Unyimeobong Essien dismissed the report as a failed attempt to malign the integrity or tarnish the reputation of the Itu born lawmaker. Mr. Essien told our reporter that it was clear even to the blind that Mr. Akan Okon and his disgruntled cohorts who are desperate to build political structure for his pet governorship project, deployed some cheap blackmailers to spread damaging lies against the highly respected and principled Itu lawmaker.

Other sources also confided in our reporter that, Mr. Victor Akpan lost out because, Itu people see him as a cursed fellow. One Etim Bassey revealed that that every one from Afaha Ube Itam (the village where Victor Akpan hails from, in Itu) are aware that his late father who was a nitive doctor cursed and disowned him until his death because of his rebellious and criminal tendencies. Mr. Bassey also disclosed that, he was previously arrested and remanded for gun-running and during that period, he lost 2 of his children and said such person with a dark background should not lead the youths of Itu.

Every attempt to get the Itu born lawmaker speak to us on the issue, could not materialized as the person who picked his call said he was busy attending a meetings and committee functions, Prince Ituen is the Chairman House Committee on works and Transport.

Meanwhile, a Socio political group Itu Mandate Group (IMG) has slammed Mr. Akan Okon, fingering him as the big masquerade behind the serial blackmail unleashed on Idongesit Ituen. In a rejoinder signed by the President of the group, lambasted Akan Okon to desist from his subversive tactics and focus on his job as a commissioner or risk being resisted by the good people of Itu.

IMG pledged their total support to Governor Udom Emmanuel, until 2023 and while pledging to re-elect him in 2019, advised Akan Okon to suspend his subtle campaign for Governorship until 2023, when it will be the turn of Uyo Senatorial District to produce the governor.

The IMG However passed a vote of confidence on Prince Idongesit Ituen and charged him to ignore the antics of disgruntled people and continue representing Itu people effectively. The group congratulated Prince Idongesit Ituen on the  Constituency road maintenance project, and for sponsoring the Akwa Ibom State Road Traffic Management Bill, which just passed the second reading and the Successful conclusion of the Akwa Ibom Community Shield (the biggest football competition in the state), which was sponsored by him, and many other achievements which we will celebrate in another outing.

CBN re-introduces charges on cash deposits, withdrawals Culled from: The Citizen Ng

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Thursday announced the re-introduction of bank charges on certain categories of cash deposits and withdrawals. This came about three years after the apex bank stopped the charges. In a circular to all Deposit Money Banks posted on its website, the regulator said the decision to reintroduce the charges on cash deposits was part of the review of charges on deposits and withdrawals under the cashless policy. It said the decision was taken at the Bankers’ Committee meeting, which held in Abuja two weeks ago.

The circular, signed by the Director, Banking and Payments System Department, CBN, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, stated that the committee decided that the cashless policy should be extended to the remaining 30 states of the federation. It also directed that with effect from April 1, 2017, banks in the states where the cashless policy was already operating, Lagos, Ogun, Anambra, Abia, Kano, Rivers and the Federal Capital Territory, would begin to impose charges on deposits and withdrawals above N500,000.

Banks will from that date begin to charge individuals 1.5 per cent and two per cent for deposits and withdrawals between N500,000 and N1m. According to the circular, individuals depositing or withdrawing between N1m and N5m will be charged two per cent and three per cent, respectively.

For amounts above N5m, banks will charge such individuals three per cent and 7.5 per cent for deposits and withdrawals, respectively. With regard to corporate customers, the CBN stated that deposits and withdrawals under N3m would not attract any charge, but that such customers depositing or withdrawing between N3m and N10m would be charged two per cent and five per cent, respectively.

Also for deposits and withdrawals between N10m and N40m, customers will be charged three per cent and 7.5 per cent, respectively. Deposits or withdrawals above N40m by corporate customers will attract a charge of five per cent and 10 per cent, respectively. According to the CBN, the new policy on charges will be implemented in selected states on May 1 and August 1, this year; while the total implementation will be concluded on October 1.

The regulator noted that the committee agreed that income generated from the processing fees above the allowable cash limits would be shared between it and the banks in the ratio of 40:60. However, the CBN said that existing exemptions to the policy such as revenue generating agencies of the federal, state and local governments (for lodgements) will be sustained. Also exempt from the processing fees are embassies, diplomatic missions, multilateral and aid agencies. The CBN directed lenders to train their employees to enlighten customers on the new policy.

Revealed: Why Musa Handed Over To Mikel

(R-L)Newly-appointed captain of the Super Eagles of Nigeria, Mikel Obi, coach Samson Siasia and Ahmed Musa, during the press conference earlier today.

Facts have emerged on the real reason behind the recent change of baton in the Super Eagles leadership. On Thursday, March 24, the media was awash with reports that erstwhile captain, Ahmed Musa (appointed by former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh) handed over the armband to John Obi Mikel.

Reactions had since trailed the act carried out by Musa, one of the more experienced players in the squad, as Nigerians hailed him as the most humble member of the team. Checks have however, revealed that newly-appointed coach of the team, Samson Siasia had met with both players on Wednesday evening, explaining that he wants the captain to be the longest-serving player in the squad (which Mikel Obi fitted in more than any other player), hence the change of baton.

According to Colin Udoh, a respected sports journalist and member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) marketing team, the decision to make Musa captain had been known to both players prior to the meeting where Mikel was officially announced to the media.