France secured first place ahead of Denmark in Group C on Tuesday following a 0-0 draw in Moscow that could set up a heavyweight World Cup clash with Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the last 16.

Didier Deschamps’ side dominated possession but struggled to create any clear-cut chances against a determined Denmark, who will likely meet Croatia for a place in the quarter-finals.

France have scored just three times in three games in Russia, including a penalty and an own goal, and it was another disjointed display from one of the title favourites.

They will discover their opponents in the next round later on Tuesday, with Argentina needing to beat Nigeria in Saint Petersburg to stand a chance of qualifying.

Deschamps rested captain Hugo Lloris and Paul Pogba, with the Manchester United midfielder a booking away from suspension, while KylianMbappe was also left out among six changes.

Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, 33, made his first appearance at a major tournament, having been an unused substitute at the last three European Championships and the 2010 World Cup.

After much debate about the video assistant referee (VAR) following further controversy on Monday, it was inevitable any penalty area tussles would prompt strong appeals at the Luzhniki Stadium.

There have already been 20 penalties given at this World Cup, a tournament record before the group stage has even concluded.

Denmark’s Martin Braithwaite laid an early claim after going down under pressure from PresnelKimpembe, although there appeared minimal contact at best.

France had a penalty shout of their own when Henrik Dalsgaard slid in on Lucas Hernandez, with Kasper Schmeichel tipping behind Olivier Giroud’s looping follow-up effort.

Committed play from Thomas Delaney saw him release Andreas Cornelius down the left flank but Christian Eriksen was unable to apply a finishing touch as Mandanda and Hernandez combined to clear.

Antoine Griezmann then shot tamely at Schmeichel from 20 yards, the Atletico Madrid forward’s biggest contribution coming just before the break when he sparked a threatening counter that drew a cynical foul from Mathias Jorgensen.

A bystander for long periods, Mandanda was nearly caught out by a speculative Eriksen free-kick as he spilled before pouncing on the rebound just ahead of Cornelius.

A miscued clearance from Djibril Sidibe soon presented Eriksen with another chance, the Tottenham star dragging wide of the target on this occasion.

Peter Dada, Akure

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has called on the governors of the South-West not to provide land for the proposed cattle ranches in their respective states.

The group said any state governor who granted permission for a ranch for the Fulani herdsmen would face the wrath of the people of Yorubaland.

This was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting of the association held at the residence of its leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure, the Ondo State capital on Tuesday. The communiqué was read by the Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. Yinka Odumakin.

The Afenifere noted that rearing of cattle was a private business and the government should not use public fund to establish ranches for the herdsmen.

The communiqué read in part, “The meeting rejects the idea of public funded ranches which is an imperialist agenda of creating Federal Cattle Territories across Nigeria. We insist that cattle rearing is a private business and the government has no business getting involved if there was no sinister motive. No inch of Yorubaland will be available for such and no governor should cede any land for such.”

On the recent killings in Plateau State, the socio-political organisation accused President Muhammadu Buhari of insensitivity over the development, saying the comment of the President on the matter was an indication that he supported the dastardly act allegedly carried out by some Fulani herdsmen.

The group said, “Three months ago, we did say that the President is afflicted by conflict of interests as the grand patron of Miyetti Allah and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is the affliction that has seen him now functioning as a Miiyetti Allah’s godfather at a time he should be presidential. We asked him and we are calling on him to make a choice between the two.”

While calling on Nigerians to be prayerful on the state of insecurity in the country, Afenifere charged the people to join hands together to vote out President Buhari in the 2019 presidential election.

It said, “There is no land where the blood of the innocent is being shed daily like Nigeria that can make progress in any area of human endeavour. Enough is enough!”

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Oladapo Ashiru

Professor of Anatomy/Consultant Reproductive Endocrinologist

dapo.ashiru@medicalartcenter.com 0700 MARTCENTER

Recently, Sheryl Vanderpool of the World Health Organisation circulated a paper to the 15th-member FIGO working committee on Reproductive Toxins with a special request that we spread the information contained therein widely. I, therefore, wish to use this article to highlight the points raised in the paper titled, ‘Toxic Truth: Lead and Fertility by Karen Clay,’ Heinz College Carnegie Mellon University and her group from the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge USA – Working Paper 24607 http://www.nber.org/papers/w24607, May 2018.

Here is an excerpt from the paper: Using U.S county-level data on lead in the air for 1978-1988 and lead in topsoil in the 2000s, this paper examines the impact of lead exposure on a critical human function with societal implications – fertility. To provide causal estimates of the effect of lead on fertility, we use two sets of instruments: (i) the interaction of the timing of implementation of Clean Air Act regulations and the 1944 Interstate Highway System Plan for the panel data and (ii) the 1944 Interstate Highway System Plan for the cross-sectional data. We found that reductions in the airborne lead between 1978 and 1988 increased fertility rates and that higher lead in topsoil decreased fertility rates in the 2000s. The latter finding is particularly instructive, because it suggests that lead may continue to impair fertility today, both in the United States and in other countries that have significant amounts of lead in topsoil.

We in Nigeria must find this to be alarming. One cannot overemphasise the detrimental role that toxins play not only in the development of certain ailments like cancers and pulmonary pathologies but also on our reproductive health. Current experience in clinical practice amplifies this hazard, and it is particularly worrisome because there is no robust programme in our country that deals with the estimation or control of the various toxins released into the environment.

Environmental toxins come in various forms like fumes from automobile and generator exhaust, diesel engines, industrial waste, etc. As a result, there is substantial cross-sectional variation in the lead in topsoil. Lead in topsoil is re-suspended in a number of contexts, including dry or windy seasons, during construction, and when it is tracked into houses in the form of dust. For both airborne lead and lead in topsoil, exposure occurs through inhalation and consumption. Consumption occurs when food or drink comes in contact with dust or if food is grown in lead-contaminated soil. In 2010, the World Health Organisation stated that for the general population, “the largest contribution to the daily intake of lead is derived from the ingestion of food, dirt, and dust.” (WHO 2010).

Fertility is important at both the individual and societal levels, where it has implications for economic activity. Thus, factors that adversely affect fertility are of significant policy concern. Animal studies and epidemiological research on workers with high occupational exposure have shown that lead can adversely affect both male and female reproductive systems, whether these effects extend to fertility in the broader population, where exposure levels are lower, and the magnitude of any causal effects are open questions.

According to Clay et al. who used  the U.S. county-level data on lead in the air for 1978-1988 and lead in topsoil in the 2000s for analysis, there is causal evidence on the effects of lead exposure on the general fertility rate.

Beginning in the 1920s, the lead was used as an anti-knock compound in gasoline and was emitted with other particulates from tailpipes. Airborne lead fell rapidly during 1978-1988, in part because of regulatory requirements governing lead in gasoline in the Clean Air Act. Lead in topsoil is the result of naturally occurring lead and long-term deposition of lead from a variety of anthropogenic sources including lead smelting, industrial activity, agricultural activity, electricity generation, lead in paint, and gasoline emissions. In Nigeria, the situation also exists, perhaps to a greater degree. It is, therefore, a necessity for us to know more about the danger that lead can pose to personal health and potentially to generations yet unborn, as well as common routes of everyday exposure.

Lead in the Human Body

Lead primarily enters the body from breathing in dust or chemicals that contain lead or by ingesting food or liquids that contain lead. Once lead reaches the lungs, it goes quickly to other parts of the body via the bloodstream. When the lead reaches the stomach, some of it is further absorbed into the bloodstream and the remainder is excreted. Once in the blood, lead travels to the soft tissues and organs such as the liver, kidneys, lungs, brain, spleen, muscles, and heart. After several weeks, most of the lead moves into the bones and teeth. The half-life of lead in blood is approximately 30 days. Once it is taken in and distributed to organs, the lead that is not stored in bones leaves the body via urine or feces. The primary method for determining lead exposure is a measurement of blood lead levels.

Although the public discussion has focused on the effects of lead in children, adults are also adversely affected by lead. The focus on young children has been driven by the effects of lead on neurological development, which has implications for IQ, educational outcomes, and behavioral outcomes.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC 2017), The National Toxicology Program (NTP 2012), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP 2016), there is sufficient evidence to state that there are adverse health effects in children and adults at blood lead levels (BLLs) <5 micrograms per deciliter (μg/dL).  Adults can experience a variety of adverse health effects including decreased renal function, high blood pressure, hypertension, and infertility.

Vectors of Exposure

Lead exposure occurs through a number of channels including air, water, food, paint, and soil. Airborne emissions are driven by industrial activities, coal-fired power plants, and on-road vehicles and small aircraft. Emissions from on-road vehicles were by far the largest source of lead emissions through 1996 but reached zero in 2002.  Lead has not yet been banned in aviation gas (non-road engines) used for small aircraft. In 2011 it was the largest source of airborne lead emissions.

…to be continued

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The decision by government to share this money to the poor and the vulnerable has its own immediate benefits. But in the long run, it will not solve the problem of poverty.  This is for the simple reason that if you are distributing the funds to Nigerians, especially the poor who constitute about 70 per cent of our population, the question is: what are the beneficiaries going to use such funds for? The immediate benefits they can derive from the funds will be consumptive in nature. By this I mean the beneficiaries will spend the money to buy consumables such as food, clothing and allied products. I feel the funds should be used to create jobs through skill acquisition programmes. The poor could be incorporated into such programmes. This, I believe, will be the best way to ensure that beneficiaries enjoy regular incomes on a sustainable basis.

That would be better than embarking on a one-off distribution of money. Will the distribution be made annually or monthly? On the other hand, if the Federal Government will take a bill to the National Assembly saying that every recovered looted fund will annually be distributed among the poor and that it would be a consistent source of income, like a social welfare scheme to a  certain category of  vulnerable Nigerians it would be better. But in a developing society like ours, what the people actually need is a set of skills that will make them productive for their own benefit as well as that of society.

If a Nigerian is supposed to get N100,000, for instance, and the government puts the funds together, it can set up skills acquisition centres in the 774 local government areas in the country and then, the poor can be incorporated. An amount could later be given to beneficiaries to get the tools so that they can become self reliant. But with things like these create lot of room for corruption as experience in Nigeria has shown over the years. We will still have cases of corruption and abuse like we’ve heard about the SURE-P. Such issues come up largely due to the fact that beneficiaries don’t get their funds directly. There should be a committee to manage such funds; they should be tied to a ministry that has the responsibility to oversee social development. •Arodoye Nosakhare (Public Sector Economist, University of Benin) 

It is certainly not. You don’t solve a huge problem such as the skills and infrastructure gaps by simply throwing money at people. As it is often said, give a man fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. This applies to the situation we have at hand. If the Federal Government is serious about reducing poverty through job creation, it must take the issue of technical and vocational education seriously. This money that has been recovered would have been put to better use in this area. Government should have used a bulk of the money to build and equip at least one skills acquisition centre in each of the six geo-political zones of the country. Qualified personnel who will be properly remunerated should be engaged to handle these centres. These centres must also be properly supervised by relevant agencies of government. That way, Nigerians will get value for money and the people so trained will be useful to themselves and the society at large. But this idea of sharing money to people without a deliberate effort to improve their lives in the long run will be counterproductive. There is nothing wrong with government using part of the money to revamp our technical schools spread all over the country; most of them are in a terrible shape. This can change for the better where there is a political will.     •Prof. Tunde Fatunde (Department of French Studies, Lagos State University, Ojo)

The Abacha loot should be shared among the three tiers of government. This is the position of the constitution. Indeed, the Federal Government of Nigeria is supposed to run a zero-net account where all revenues come in and are constitutionally distributed to all tiers of government. The loot, if treated as revenue, is supposed to be deposited in the Federation Account and divided among all tiers of government for development purposes.

The other option is for all the tiers of government to come together and decide what to do with the money. They can appoint an administrator to help them achieve that aim. If this happens, it means that the three tiers of government are involved. It would also mean that they have received equitable compensation from the money which originally belonged to them before it was diverted; it is like returning a lost but found item to the owner.

Whichever option is taken must be within the provisions of the constitution. It does not matter what the parties do with their portion of the recovered loot.

My advice, however, is to request government at all levels to come together and do a meaningful revenue yielding project with the money, using a sort of fund manager or as equity participation in a private sector driven projects. It must be a private sector driven project because government has no business going into business. Successive governments have shown a lack of capacity to successfully run a profitable business venture. • Mr Sunday Babalola (Ex-Kwara State PDP governorship aspirant)

The so called plan to pay the recovered Abacha loot to poor and vulnerable Nigerians is deceitful. The President is deceiving us with this plan but we all know that this is a ploy to either embezzle the money out rightly or to use same to rig the 2019 presidential election.  The 2019 election is close and corrupt politicians will do anything to remain in power; we cannot be fooled by this plan. It is deceitful and we reject it.

Why can’t the Federal Government use the money to develop agriculture or invest in the transport sector which will have positive impact on every Nigerian? I disagree with their so called plan to pay the money to the poor. What criteria will they use to determine the poorest people? They want to start paying the money to some people so that they can manipulate them to gain undue political advantage before the next election. This is ungodly! Is that how much they love the poor?

The loot can also be shared to all the states and the state governors can decide how best to apply it to solve the most pressing needs of their people. However, there should be a way of ensuring proper supervision to prevent a situation where money recovered is lost again to another set of greedy public officials and their cronies.

So many states still owe salaries. And we know artisans and other category of citizens in most of these states depend on the regular payment of salaries to keep their business running.  If this fund is paid to states, it will definitely have positive impact on the economy. But this direct payment into the accounts of party members is bad and should not be allowed.

Who are the masses they want to pay this money to? The money should be paid like a bailout to states and each state will determine how best to use the money. But they should make it public and people in each state should be given the opportunity to monitor how these funds are spent. •Mr Tosin Odeyemi (Chairman, Restoration Party of Nigeria)

I think we need to rethink some of our interventionist approaches to poverty reduction. It is good to give money to the poor and the vulnerable, but is this sustainable? I think it should be tied to some form of productive activity so that beneficiaries will be given the necessary skills to survive without depending on handouts from government. The Federal Government also has to undertake a review of its strategies in the area of dealing with the issue of poverty. We may need to ask why previous efforts failed.

This will help us to develop new strategies to get better results. I will love to see a situation where beneficiaries will be in a position to take others out of poverty by showing them the way after they must have benefitted from this gesture from government. • Auwual Musa (Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre)

Compiled by: Success Nwogu, Femi Makinde, and Alexander Okere

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Economics textbooks define a legal tender as a medium of payment recognised by a legal system to be valid for meeting financial obligations. Paper currency and coins are common forms of legal tender across countries.

In 1999, American economist and winner of the 1976 Nobel Prize in Economics, Prof. Milton Friedman, predicted that the Internet would become one of the major forces for reducing the role of government and the media.

After almost four decades of Friedman’s forecast, the one thing that is remaining, but seem to be locking around the horizon is a reliable and globally acceptable electronic cash.

Bitcoin and other crypto-currencies are attempting to fill Friedman’s void. But can it be regarded as money? Since its introduction in January 2009, the currency has expanded by 1,624,036 per cent, measured against the U.S. dollar rising from $0.04 to $7,638.62 on June 2, 2018. This growth is phenomenal, thus making Bitcoin the highest performing currency in the world when compared with other popular currencies over the last few years. For instance, during this same period, the price of gold (in U.S. dollars) climbed by 6.4 per cent and the value of the dollar against the Eurozone currency, the Euro, declined by 9.7 per cent.

To serve as money, Bitcoin must satisfy the key attributes of a legal tender. It must be acceptable as a medium of exchange, serve as unit of account and a store of value. How far has it fulfilled each of these criteria?

One of the vital roles of money is in its attribute as a medium of exchange to facilitate transactions. According to Coinmap.org, 11,291 businesses accepted Bitcoin for payment of products and services at the end of 2017. Despite acceptance rates growing by 38 per cent annually, less than one in 700 businesses in the United States of America accepted Bitcoin as a unit of payment at the end of 2017. Data on the acceptance of gold to purchase goods and services were not available, but 100 per cent of U.S. businesses are legally required to accept the dollar for payment for goods and services.

In more conservative markets, such as Africa, Bitcoin remains far less popular as a medium of exchange.

Some apex financial authorities and Central Banks have issued regulatory disclaimers against Bitcoin. For instance, The Central Bank of Nigeria has again cautioned Nigerians to be wary of investments in crypto-currency as they are virtual currencies that are not legal tender in Nigeria. It further warned that investing in crypto-currencies is a fundamental “own risk” as investors in mediums, such as Bitcoin, Ripples, Monero, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Onecoin, and NairaEx are not protected by law or any regulation in the country.

In 2017 against the Euro, Bitcoin varied by 71.3 per cent from its average, the dollar varied by 7.3 per cent from its average and gold deviated by only 0.1 per cent from its average. Since the beginning of this year against the Euro, Bitcoin plummeted by 50.2 per cent, the dollar sank by 3.2 per cent and gold rose by 2.6 per cent. Evidently, Bitcoin, from 2009 to 2018, stands as very shaky and not yet a reliable store-of-value.

The most important function of money is arguably as a unit of account, the common measure that people use to set prices or record debts. Across the world, people continue to maintain an overwhelmingly incentive to use their national currency-or a claim on the national currency such a bank deposit-for all ordinary transactions, including retailers price goods and services, calculating profits or losses, employee wages and salaries, payment of taxes, levies, utilities and real assets.

Bitcoin is yet and very unlikely to challenge national currencies like the US dollar for these purposes over the near to medium term. It has many great qualities as money because it is durable, easily divisible, easy to move from one place to another, relatively scarce and enjoys growing measure of acceptability. Still, the core functions of money as a store of value, medium of exchange and unit of account are yet to be fulfilled by the crypto-currency. In addition, the fact that fiat currency reigns supreme across the world represents a huge obstacle to the mass adoption of any crypto currency.

Thus, Bitcoin, for now, stands more as a “poker chip” than money. However, the resilience and rapid acceptance of Bitcoin for payment is enhancing its wide-spread use as money in the years ahead but this is not likely in 2018 through to 2021.

Dr. Vincent Nwani, a business analyst, sent this piece from Lagos

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CITING the menace of organised smuggling to the revival of its domestic rice programme, Nigeria is about to shut its land borders with its West African neighbours. Not surprisingly, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, declared that the imminent closure was aimed at protecting the production of rice by local farmers. Nigeria has witnessed a mini-revolution in domestic rice production in the past two years, but the revival faces a massive threat from cross-border smuggling.

In truth, this rare success story is under a heavy attack by the countries that surround Nigeria. Although this country’s imports are down because of several measures put in place, its neighbours’ rice imports have tripled. Benin Republic, which used to import 400,000 metric tonnes annually, has seen its rice imports climb to 1.2 million MT. Other countries like Cameroon and Niger also flood their coasts with rice from Thailand.

These countries are manipulating the West African Free Trade Protocol, which allows ECOWAS countries to move goods and services at preferential tariff rates. With our porous borders, weak immigration and compromised customs control, most of the rice from Asia ends up in Nigeria through the back door. This kills the local efforts to sustain production.

Besides, the country loses revenue because duties are not paid on smuggled goods. Therefore, the Muhammadu Buhari administration is right to clamp the land borders shut, even if temporarily, to protect Nigeria’s interest. It is an extreme diplomatic move, but it sends a clear message to our neighbours. However, it is not the first time. At the height of cross-border banditry in 2003, the then Olusegun Obasanjo administration shut the border with Benin Republic. The closure had an instant impact: cross border crime reduced and has not attained that scary level since the border was reopened.

Indeed, rice is regarded as a staple in Nigeria. In spite of this, the country abandoned rice farming, perhaps because it was flush with cheap petrodollars. Profligately, it depended heavily for decades on imported rice to feed its population. Nigeria imported rice in 2015 at $1.65bn, the Federal Government said. This is not sustainable. From Thailand alone, Nigeria imported 664,131 metric tonnes of rice in the one year to September 2016. In 2008, the government had unwisely released N80bn from the Natural Resources Development Fund to import 500,000MT of rice. This money, ploughed into a domestic cultivation programme, would have transformed rice farming in Nigeria.

With economic recession underlined by high cost of foreign exchange to procure imports, the government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria, launched the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, which channelled N100bn soft loans to rice farmers. In 2015, the CBN included rice among the 43 prohibited items not eligible for foreign exchange at a concessionary rate. A 60 per cent import duty was also placed on the item.

These sweeping measures revived domestic production. By September 2017, rice import from Thailand had declined sharply by 90 per cent to 20,000MT. From five million rice farmers in 2015, the number climbed to 11 million in 2017, the Rice Processors Association of Nigeria stated. Production has climbed to seven million MT from four million MT.

Apart from cross-border smuggling, salient questions, however, remain in the drive to be self-dependent and ban rice import completely by 2020. The Nigeria Customs Service, as currently constituted, lacks the mettle to contain the activities of smugglers. The borders – which cannot even be closed indefinitely – are also porous. Thirdly, the government is too weak and distracted to prosecute effectively smugglers.

As cars, prohibited items like processed food and frozen poultry are being smuggled heavily into Nigeria. Customs headed by Hameed Ali, have looked helpless as refined petroleum products, which Nigeria imports at a damaging cost to its economy, are smuggled across the border. In addition, arms and ammunition flow into Nigeria through this negligence. The United Nations has said that 350 million out of the 500 million small and light weapons circulating in West Africa are in Nigeria. The NCS is only able to seize a fraction, as it did in 2017 on three separate occasions. This fuels banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, Fulani herdsmen massacres and the Boko Haram insurgency. Zamfara State is under siege from local and trans-border bandits.

Insecurity is exacerbated by the laxity of the dysfunctional Nigeria Immigration Service. The government approved only 84 official border points of entry into Nigeria. Puzzlingly, there were 1,499 illegal border routes as of 2013, the then Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, said. Criminals and insurgents, therefore, easily infiltrate the country, causing mayhem. Therefore, closing the land borders alone is not an integrated solution to the menace of rice smuggling.

In simple terms, the Federal Government needs radical initiatives to save the situation. This is what India and Pakistan do at their joint borders, which is about 3,300 kilometres long. Out of this, nearly 2,000 kilometres is floodlit. Troops from both sides patrol their side of the borders with intense scrutiny owing to fears of Islamist terrorism. Unlike Nigeria, these governments give no excuse to their citizens.

For that reason, the closure of the land borders should be accompanied by an overhaul of the Customs, in which officers have to work with high-end technology. The current system of chasing smugglers in the hinterland is inescapably obsolete. Detection ought to occur at the borders; those caught should be prosecuted swiftly. Government should set a target for the NCS to drastically reduce smuggling.

To protect the 100,000 miles of the American coastline, the US Coast Guard employs over 56,000 officers to operate a multi-mission, interoperable fleet of 243 Cutters, 201 fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, and over 1,600 boats. Immediately, the NIS has to be restructured for efficient service delivery. Its capacity should be enhanced, with air surveillance established to monitor remote illegal border crossings.

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Maureen Ihua-Maduenyi

Honda has unveiled its all-new 2019 Honda City, which it describes as the advanced stunning star compact sedan that exceeds its class with best-in-class space and fuel economy.

 The Head, Sales and Marketing, Honda Western Africa Limited, Remi Adams, at the unveiling, says the new arrival builds on its predecessor’s exceptional safety, excellent dynamics, high fuel efficiency, cool design, comfortable spaces, advanced technology and practical equipment.

“The new City comes with low-gravity, wide stance and trend-setting styling with outstanding spaces. Totally upgraded to be a four-door sedan with the best value to catch consumers’ attention and open new horizons for the urban sedan,” he says.

According to Adams, considering the Honda philosophy of ‘Man maximum, machine minimum’, the 2019 new City retains the agility of the 1.5L even as the up-class concept was adopted to create a super-sized interior approaching that of medium sedans.

Exterior

Honda says the 2019 City boasts of a completely restyled front fascia with the new honeycomb grille giving it a bold and aggressive look, while the external styling embraces a new design philosophy of “Low center of gravity, wide stance” for a sportier and more innovative look.

It adds that sleek lines on both sides of the body lend a unique look to the new Honda City, as the new LED daytime running lights adds luxury and class that immediately catches attention.

“In addition to the front exterior changes, the rear bumper now redesigned to give a premium feel. The rear taillights enhance the visibility and stance of the new City, making its contour distinct from the crowd. Other exterior features include chrome front grille, halogen headlights, power door mirrors and shark fin antenna. The new exterior finishing enhances the new model’s sense of agility and streamlined aesthetics,” Adams says.

Interior

The all-new City, according to the manufacturer, delivers cleverly generated interior space that exceeds its class by further evolving Honda’s “man maximum, machine minimum” concept, which aims at maximising the space available for people and minimising the space required for mechanical components.

According to Adams, while maintaining compact dimensions and realising longer wheelbase, efficient use of space has been made for both driver and occupants to create a spacious interior cabin with widest front seat space and rear seat space beyond its class.

He says the artistry in the 2019 City creates thoughtful interiors, with a new interior colour of black, adding that the 2019 City contains a grand cabin space, extensive legroom, rear air conditioner ducts and an ergonomically designed cockpit that will delight all users.

The all-new City measures 4,455 millimetre in length, he adds, about 20mm more than the outgoing model; 1,695 mm in width same as outgoing model; 1,485 mm in height, 10 mm more than the outgoing model; and 2,600 mm as the wheelbase, extended by an additional 50 mm over outgoing model.

Powertrain

 Adams says the all-new City is powered by an improved 1.5L four cylinder SOHC i-VTEC petrol engine designed to offer the best balance of engine performance and fuel economy, and designed to deliver outstanding fuel economy at a maximum power of 118 horsepower at 6,600 rpm followed by a maximum torque of 145 N-m at 4,600 rpm while the engine is supported with the new generation Continuous Variable Transmission with a fuel consumption of 20KM per litre.

Safety

“The 2019 City’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering body enhances self-protection while mitigating damage to other vehicles in the event of a collision, hereby enhancing occupant protection,” Adams explains.

“Other safety features include Anti-Lock Brake system, which ensures you have full steering control to avoid the danger ahead; dual front airbags that provides protection to occupants in case of an accident; three positions at the rear seat for adequate positioning of baby car seat; and front active headrest with pretension seatbelts,” he adds.

According to Honda, with every enhancement, the City outdoes itself and improves on its offering.

“Now it returns to stun on every level, rule the road with style and make heads turn. With the new 2019 Honda City, we offer users comfort that exceeds its class, and fuel economy that makes exploring the City economical,” the manufacturer says.

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Theophilus Onojeghen, Warri

A former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Tuesday, countered President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance on the restructuring of the country, saying there was no alternative to restructuring if Nigeria must make progress.

Atiku stated that he remained resolute in his support for the restructuring of the country, positing that there was “too much power” in the hands of the Federal Government, a situation he said had made governance in the country less competitive particularly among the states.

President Buhari had on Monday told a delegation of Urhobo Traditional Rulers and Urhobo Progress Union,  who visited him in Abuja, that the calls for the restructuring of the country was parochial and laced with self-interests, hence discussions and arguments on the matter failed to capture his attention.

But the former VP disagreed with Buhari, saying that the country must be restructured for Nigeria to rapidly move forward.

Atiku spoke in Asaba, the Delta State Capital, during his consultative visit to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state on his presidential ambition ahead of the 2019 general elections.

He stated that he had been in the forefront of the calls for the restructuring of the country since 2004 while still serving as VP because restructuring would bring out the best among the federating units and lead to economic development across the board.

The PDP presidential aspirant also called on the Federal Government to review the current security architecture to meet the emerging security threats in the country, adding that he would always support any cause that would move the country forward.

Atiku, who also vowed to tackle unemployment in the country when he becomes President, noted that he was in the presidential race because of his burning desire to ensure that Nigeria made progress and was united irrespective of its religious and ethnic diversity.

He decried the situation where security agencies didn’t take orders from the state governors, saying “as an individual, I don’t think this is true federalism, we must restructure the security architecture.”

He said, “I will have a very small Federal Government with powers and resources devolved to the states to manage the affairs while they pay taxes to the Federal Government. With this, each zone can survive on its own without leaning on oil money.

“I’ll create jobs; you must liberalise the economy, support the private sector, create incentives to make the private sector boom and open up the economy to foreign direct investments. The security architecture of the country must be reviewed and decentralised to meet modern-day security challenges.”

He, however, thanked the people of the Niger Delta region, particularly Okowa, for the return of peace which in turn had led to increase in oil production, appealing that the peace in the area should be sustained.

Also speaking in a similar vein, Okowa stressed that restructuring would help to resolve the myriad of challenges currently confronting the country.

“I strongly believe that the way out of the challenges of the country is to have stronger states, stronger federating units,” he stated.

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…defies security personnel

Adelani Adepegba, Abuja

A former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, on Tuesday, embarked on a lone protest to the Presidential Villa, Abuja over the killings of over 100 people in Barkin-Ladi and Riyom in Plateau State by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Supported by a few members of the #BringBackOurGirls coalition, Ezekwesili walked from the Eagle Square to the first gate of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where she was stopped by armed security operatives.

Over 20 policemen, 15 soldiers and a number of Department of State Services’ operatives in three vehicles blocked the access road to Aso Villa and prevented the lone protester from taking her message to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The security operatives also attempted to confiscate handsets and television cameras for recording the lone protester.

The Channels Television crew had to flee the spot to avoid the wrath of the operatives who were very hostile and aggressive.

Following the intervention of a senior DSS operative, Ezekwesili was allowed to read her address at the Villa gate as visitors who were driving into the complex gawked at her.

The operatives also grudgingly permitted her to tie her banner to the gate.

She warned the security personnel against removing the banner, noting that she wanted the President to read the inscriptions, which read, “#End the killings; #End the blood flow; Help, Where are the killers?”

In her 18-point demand, the BBOG co-coordinator decried the alleged ambivalence of the President to the killings, saying that he had failed to show empathy for the victims of the bloodshed.

She asked the President to address the killings across the country and to “stop normalising endless blood flow of our innocent children now; it is an aberration.”

The activist further said, “Mr President, share the credible strategy and solutions of your administration to the daily killings of Nigerians; reveal the identities of all the perpetrators of all the killings that have happened under your administration in Plateau, Benue, Taraba, Kaduna, Zamfara, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Kogi and other states.”

Ezekwesili also admonished the government to “end the incompetence of the security agencies and to stop rewarding their leadership,” noting that about 1,196 Nigerians had died in the past five and a half months.

“End your loyalty to your service chiefs and head of security because of their loyalty to your person. It is a breach of the oath you swore to place Nigeria above your personal interest; it is simply an abuse of office,” she stated.

The former minister cautioned Buhari against further making statements endorsing the killers’ justification of their crime as a retaliatory act for stolen cows.

“Mr President, your bias in handling the killings and abductions of a certain segment of Nigerians is all too obvious and unbecoming of a leader of a diverse nation like Nigeria; all Nigerian lives matter,” the lone protester added.

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1. Harry, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, 0806935:

It is very shameful thing that here in Rivers State, traditional rulers fail to understand that they are the custodians of the customs and traditions of the people.

Instead of massaging the egos of the Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi and Governor Nyesom Wike, they should call the duo to order. These two leaders are clueless in many areas and they know next to nothing about how to deal with the challenges facing the state.

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Anonymous, Abuja, 08060747:

Pay a visit to any of the General hospitals in the country and you will see for yourself  the pathetic condition in which Nigerians are being treated in their own country.

I have hear stories of how patients on admission are placed on drip on the corridors of the hospitals.

Sometimes they are made to lie on worn-out mattresses. Such patients are left at the mercy of the elements and disease-carrying parasites like mosquitoes that feast on them.

A lot of people are dying as a result of this. It shows that the health sector is in dire need of attention from the Federal Government.

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Taiwo  Ola,  7 Ikotun Road,  Isheri-Oshun, Lagos State, 070598:

I am appealing to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State to help us to rehabilitate the road that connects Isheri-Oshun Roundabout to Iso-Pako. This road, which also links Isheri-Oshun with Ikotun, was built 35 years ago and it is no longer passable

The road is in a very bad shape at the moment. Its poor condition has almost paralysed economic activity in the area.

We are begging Ambode to come to our aid.

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Romanus Ndehigwo, Idiroko, Ogun State, 080579074:

If Dapchi girl, Leah Sharibu, is not freed and the mass killings and bombing by Fulani herdsmen and the Boko Haram does not stop within three months to the 2019 general elections, President Muhammadu  Buhari should ,as a matter of fact, forget about seeking re-election.

If his government fails to put an end to the orgy of violence, it means that the security of the innocent and peace-loving citizens of this country is beyond him. There are no two ways about that. If the President can do something positive to unite all Nigerians, irrespective of tribe or religion, and stop all agitations across the country,  I will not only vote for him, I will also campaign for him in my own little way.

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Adebanjo S., OGD Estate, Ijebu-Ode, 08036708:

It is no news that the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has been having one issue or the other to contend with. Charges of financial impropriety were levied against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after he left office as governor of Kwara State.

Not too long ago, the Code of Conduct Bureau indicted him for lapses in the declaration of his assets. Also, he has been linked with alleged sponsorship of acts of brigandage and political thuggery in Kwara State by the main actors in the sad Offa bank robbery incident.

 Much as we do know that the law requires facts and not suppositions, and that an accused person is presumed innocent until he is guilty,it is more honourable not to be indicted than to be indicted and proved innocent..

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• President not doing enough to end killings – Reps
• IG removes Plateau CP
• FG has failed, says CDHR

John Ameh, Olusola Fabiyi, Olalekan Adetayo, Friday Olokor, Adelani Adepegba, Alex Okere, Godwin Isenyo and Gibson Achonu

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday faulted those who accused him of being silent on killings being carried out by suspected herdsmen in parts of the country.

He said there was injustice in such aspersions.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President spoke during an interactive session with stakeholders in Jos, Plateau State, over the recent attacks that left scores of people dead.

Buhari said people were blaming him for not talking to the herdsmen probably because he looked like them.

He appealed to Nigerians to avoid inflammatory utterances that could endanger peace or promote conflicts.

The President said, “Whatever is being given to the media, we have to be very responsible about it.

‘‘Take for instance the situation in Benue. The Benue subsistence farmer knows that the Nigerian cattle herder that he knows doesn’t carry nothing more than a stick, occasionally sometimes something to cut grass to feed his cattle.

‘‘But the present herder, I am told, carries AK47 and people are even blaming me for not talking to them because maybe (they say) I look like one of them.

‘‘There is some injustice in these aspersions.”

Buhari directed security chiefs in the country to remain vigilant and ensure the protection of lives and property.

He also urged traditional and community leaders to complement government efforts by persuading their constituencies to tolerate one another for peace and unity in the country.

The President added, “I will continue to pressurise members of the law enforcement agencies directly under me by the constitution as the Commander-in Chief.

“About eight days ago, we had five hours security meeting of the service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police.

‘‘What happened here in Jos is very bad. The question of leadership, from your household to whatever you are, is justice. The bottom line is justice.

‘‘That is why wherever I go, I will always appeal to the leadership of the communities and the law enforcement agencies, to always have control over their constituencies.”

Buhari, who was accompanied to the meeting by Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and his counterparts from Kebbi and Niger, condoled with the affected families, the government and people of the state, and wished those injured a speedy recovery.

Others in his entourage were the ministers of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali; Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazzau; and Information and Culture, Lai Muhammed.

Also with Buhari was the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

The major stakeholders in attendance were senior government officials, National and State House of Assembly members, traditional rulers, leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Ja’amatu Nasril Islam in Plateau State.

The President’s visit came less than 24 hours after a similar visit by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) who met with the stakeholders.

Earlier in his remarks, Lalong blamed parties in the conflict in the state for reneging on their agreement to maintain peace, leading to the recent upsurge in violence, after nearly three years of calm and normalcy in the state.

“We are concerned as a state that the sophisticated weapons used in these attacks, from the evidence on the ground and the narrations of victims, are not those conventional to our environment for self-defence but reflective of a terrorist invasion.

‘‘It, therefore, demands a justified response like that which was undertaken to address the Boko Haram insurgency,” he said.

The governor also requested that given the number of villages completely ravaged in the violence, the Federal Government should establish an Emergency Special Intervention Fund to help reconstruct the destroyed communities.

Killings, senseless, barbaric, says NLC

Meanwhile, the killings attracted more condemnations on Tuesday with the Nigeria Labour Congress saying that the government must design a framework for peace to end the bloodshed.

The congress said it was disturbed by the range of targets, the duration of the attacks and the scope of casualties and destruction.

The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said in a statement in Abuja that the statistics were numbing, describing the incident as senseless and barbaric.

He added that it threatened to shatter once and for all the bonds of brotherhood and peaceful co-existence.

According to him, the security agencies, though stretched, must be seen to do more to restore the confidence of the civil populace.

“If the emerging allegations are true that the attacks went on unchecked for hours, then something needs to be done about the reaction time of our internal security operations in the state.

“Beyond this, the Federal Government and Plateau State Government in consultation with the parties to this bloody conflict should design a framework for an enduring peace,” Wabba insisted.

He called on the governments to quickly move to rebuild the devastated communities and restore shattered lives while admonishing the victims against reprisals, stressing that it could not bring the much needed peace in the state.

Speaking in the same vein, the Nigerian Baptist Convention, FCT chapter, and the Christian Association of Nigeria, North-Central geopolitical zone, condemned in strong terms, the killings.

FG has failed, says CDHR

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights said the killing was a sign that the Federal Government had failed.

The CDHR in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Henry Ekine, decried the state of insecurity in the country.

According to him, the right to life is guaranteed under Section 33 of Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amendment, as well as under the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Article 4); the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (6) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Articles 3).

The CDHR said, “The state has the primary responsibility to ensure the security and welfare of the people, as provided under section 14 (2) (b) of Chapter II of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amendment.

“Such mass killing was apparently akin to genocide and indicative of a failing state. The government has indeed failed in its core responsibility to protect lives and property of citizens at all times and in all parts of the country.”

Atiku condemns killings

Also a former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, and a former Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, condemned the killings.

The two chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party made the condemnation in separate interviews with journalists after their interaction with the Forum of  PDP Former State House of Assemblies Presiding Officials in Abuja on Tuesday.

Atiku, a PDP presidential aspirant, who described the killings as unfortunate, stressed the need to adopt measures including community dialogue to address the lingering crisis.

He said, “I just listened to a former deputy speaker, a lady for that matter, and she made two points; hard and soft powers in resolving the crisis. I like that idea.

“It is not every security breach you can you use hard power on. You need to establish dialogue between the leadership of various communities that lived together over the years.”

On his part, Turaki, another PDP presidential aspirant condemned the killings saying every single life that was lost had the potential to do a lot for Nigeria.

He attributed the killings to the failure of the APC-led Federal Government and failure among various security agencies.

“If you recall, few months ago the National Security Agency had appeared before the Senate and disclosed that the greatest problem that the Nigeria security agencies have today is that the agencies work at cross purposes. There is no cooperation, there is no synergy.

“If critical security agencies are not sharing information or working together then how do you expect them to come up with tight security architecture that will safeguard the lives and property of Nigeria? And that is what is happening.’’

He commiserated with the people and government of Plateau over the loss of lives.

Buhari not doing enough to end killings – Reps

Also, the House of Representatives said President Buhari must take immediate steps to halt the killings by herdsmen in the country.

It noted that the country could not afford to continue to lose its citizens as if human lives no longer matter.

The Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, told The PUNCH in Abuja that to contain the killings, the President and the government should think harder about the appropriate measures to bringing a lasting solution.

Gbajabiamila added, “The President and the government will continue to do all they can to arrest these killings and surely more needs to be done.

“It is absolutely difficult to understand why human life should be so cheap.

“Christians are being killed; Muslims are being killed. What is important is that they are human beings and the killings must stop.

“This is a strange phenomenon in Nigeria. Perhaps, it requires government to think outside the box and do something extra-ordinary.

“It requires an urgent and surgical fix.”

PFN tells Buhari to stop killings, warns against reprisal

On its part, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria commiserated with the families of the bereaved and urged Nigerians to refrain from reprisals to enable the government to perform its constitutional responsibilities.

The National President of the PFN, Rev. Felix Omobude, in a statement on Tuesday, lamented that the lives of Nigerians had been cheapened by mindless criminals who swooped on unsuspecting residents and killed them without restrictions.

He, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to live up to his responsibility of ensuring the safety of lives and property, adding that “any government that cannot protect its people does not deserve to remain in office.”

The cleric stated, “President Muhammadu Buhari should immediately bring the mindless killings going on in the country to a halt because Nigerian lives, whether Christians or Moslems, are very important.  The perpetrators of these dastardly acts must be fished out and punished appropriately.”

Omobude added, “Never in the history of Nigeria have the lives of Nigerians been so cheap. Today, people in any guise can kill with impunity and get away with it.

“Hundreds of people are being slaughtered at regular intervals and the criminal elements seem not to be brought to justice. There is the need for our government and security forces to be proactive instead of reactionary.

The President had after a closed-door meeting with government officials, security agencies and traditional leaders in Plateau State said he was committed to the protection of lives and property and would not run away from the responsibilities for which he was elected in 2015.

The President appealed to the people to bury their differences and work together for the peace of the state.

IG removes Plateau CP

However, Idris has removed the Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Undie Adie.

The removal of Adie followed the killing of more than 100 people by herdsmen in three local government areas of the state on Sunday.

The spokesperson for the Plateau State Police Command, Matthias Tyopev, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, in a statement on Tuesday, stated that a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, had replaced Adie.

Tyopev stated, “Today, 26th June, 2018, a new commissioner of police, Bala Ciroma, has assumed duty as the Commissioner of Police, Plateau State command.”

He also said the IGP had directed Adie to report to the force headquarters in Abuja.

The new commissioner, who is from Yobe State, was previously a deputy commissioner of police, criminal investigation and intelligence department, at the force headquarters in Abuja.

Osinbajo confirms arrests of suspects

Also on Tuesday, Osinbajo confirmed that some persons had been arrested in connection with the killings.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande,  the Vice-President disclosed this during a meeting he had in the state on Monday with the leaders and representatives of communities related to the conflicts.

Osinbajo did not however disclose the number of the suspects arrested.

APC govs to visit Plateau on Friday

The Imo State Governor and Chairman, Progressives Governors’ Forum, Rochas Okorocha, has indicated that the APC governors will visit Plateau State on Friday.

The governor disclosed this on Tuesday at the Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport on arrival from Abuja after the national convention of the party.

According to him, while on the visit, the governors will assess the situation and interact with the governor of the state.

He said, “I, with the rest of the governors of APC, condemn in its entirety these unwarranted killings of innocent souls, and shedding of blood. We have called them insurgents. We’ve called them Boko Haram, we have called them all kinds of baptismal names and because the situation is not properly defined, most people hide under the cloak of religion of Christianity or Islam to create harm.”

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Oladimeji Ramon

The Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), says the Federal Government is open to collaboration with the arbitration community in the country as part of strategies to attract more Foreign Direct Investments.

According to the Vice-President, the existence of a strong and effective dispute resolution mechanism, such as arbitration, is crucial for encouraging investors, both local and foreign.

He noted that beyond pure economic fundamentals, investors, whether domestic or foreign, always want to be assured that there is a credible judicial system in place where disputes arising in the course of transactions would be easily and effectively resolved.

The Vice-President said this last week while addressing participants at the 3rd International Chamber of Commerce Africa Regional Arbitration Conference, which held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, in Lagos.

He was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole.

“If we have a strong legal framework for arbitration, including judicial reform, there will be increased FDI as a country and as a region.

“…Nigeria is fast becoming a leading seat of arbitration and the settlement of investment disputes,  a synergy between government and the arbitration community can achieve a lot more,” Osinbajo said.

He noted that as part of efforts to encourage arbitration in the country, the Senate, in February, passed into law the Arbitration and Concilliation Act Cap A18 LFN (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2018.

He, however, shared in the concern raised by the ICC in its 2014 Statistical Report that despite the availability of competent arbitrators in sub-Saharan Africa, many multinationals operating in the region still export their business disputes abroad for resolution.

While charging the arbitration community to do all it can to reverse the trend, Osinbajo said the the Federal Government, through its Presidential Enabling Business Enviroment Council, was ready to give them all the necessary support.

The Chairman of ICC Nigeria, Mr Babatunde Savage, in his welcome remarks, encouraged arbitrators in Nigeria to improve on their skills for the country to gain recognition as “a destination for arbitration.”

“We need to ensure that the expertise is there and the centres are well-equiped. The government has to be seen to be encouraging arbitration,” Savage said.

Similarly, the Chairman of the ICCN Commission on Arbitration and ADR, Prof. Gabriel Olawoyin (SAN), said, “Each country on the African continent must be prepared to create an enabling enviroment for the sustainability of dispute resolution mechanism by way of arbitration.”

The conference attracted many indigenous and foreign arbitration enthusiasts, including the President, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Mr Alexis Mourre.

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    ’Femi Asu

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria has said its forthcoming annual lecture will extend efforts to address the country’s economic development challenges.

The CIBN said in a statement that its 2018 Annual Lecture, with the theme: ‘Of Banks and Bankers: Finance and the challenge of economic development in Nigeria’, will hold on June 28 in Lagos.

It said the lecture would be delivered by Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, a professor of Practice in International Business and Public Policy at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and founder of Sogato Strategies LLC.

According to the statement, Mr Kyari Bukar, the chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group and former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Central Securities Clearing System Limited will chair the occasion.

It said the programme would highlight the regulatory and institutional measures taken by major stakeholders in the nation’s financial services sector towards minimising the challenges in the country’s financial economy, the effectiveness of such measures and the steps required to close existing gaps between Nigerian banks and bankers.

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Deji Lambo

A labourer, Achibong Koko, has been arrested by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly defiling a five-year-old girl.

It was gathered that detectives arrested the suspect on Sunday, June 24, 2018, at his residence on Dansa Street, Abule-Oshun.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, said a medical test that was conducted on the victim showed her hymen was broken.

He said, “Information was received by the Divisional Police Officer, Onireke division, that a five-year-old girl had been defiled. A team of detectives was mobilised to the area, where the suspect, Achibong Koko, was arrested.

“According to the mother of the victim, the daughter left her room while she was asleep. She added that the girl was  violated while she slept. However, she noticed that the daughter was not walking properly, so she questioned her. The girl revealed that the suspect took advantage of her.

“The victim was taken to a hospital where a doctor carried out an examination. The examination report revealed that the hymen of the victim had been ruptured as a result of the defilement.”

The mother of the victim, Umoru Hajara, alleged that the suspect took her daughter from her side.

She said, “I never knew she was no longer beside me. My aunt, who observed the way my daughter was walking, woke me up. When I saw her as well, I was forced to check her. I pulled down her pants and saw sperms on her body. I asked her who did it and she pointed to a particular room.  When we got there, we didn’t meet anyone.

“I went to report to the leader of my area, Alhaji Bello. But unknown to us, the suspect was in his friend’s room. Both of them were called out, and they asked my daughter who violated her. She pointed at him.”

Koko, an indigene of Akwa-Ibom State, denied the allegation.

He said, “I did not do anything to the girl. I did not even see the girl that afternoon. I was sleeping in my neighbour’s house around 3pm when I heard a noise outside. My friend told me that people were looking for us outside.

“They said the small girl had been defiled and that when they asked her who did it, she pointed at my room.

“The girl pointed at me at home and in the station that I did it; I don’t know why. Maybe because we stay in the same compound.”

The CP said the case had been transferred to the gender unit of the command for proper investigation, adding that the suspect would be charged to court.

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’Femi Asu

The Transmission Company of Nigeria Branch of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies has said there is no dispute between it and the management of the TCN.

The SSAEAC, TCN Branch, said in a statement that its attention had been drawn to the declaration by the national body, SSAEAC, of a dispute with the TCN management on June 24, 2018 in Lagos.

It said, “We, the members of SSAEAC at the Transmission Company of Nigeria, are compelled to state our position to clear the air on the true position of things at our work place to the unsuspecting public.

“The genesis of this so-called dispute started when our managing director’s interim tenure ended sometime in January 2018. The SSAEAC, TCN Branch, wrote a letter of appreciation to our then interim managing director based on popular demand by members of our association in TCN.”

According to the statement, which was made available by the President, SSAEAC, TCN Branch, Mr. Dairo Abidemi, the national body wrote what was at variance with the letter without consulting with the branch.

It said, “This provoked the national body who insisted that the TCN branch must apologise. We did not believe this was correct as the letter of appreciation written earlier by the TCN branch was actually the true position of things on ground in TCN.

“Currently, promotion is ongoing as some staff members were interviewed on the June 20, 2018. Others are awaiting promotion interview invitation letters in batches.”

The branch said the TCN management told the association two weeks ago that it was at the Salaries and Wages Commission to seek salaries review and was asked to work out modalities.

It added, “They seek our understanding in this regard as they said they could not unilaterally increase salaries without approval from the Salaries and Wages Commission.

“The composition of the National Executive Council that declared dispute with our management is questionable as majority of the members are from distribution and generation companies, including Mr. Chris Okonkwo who recently crossed over from a Disco to TCN at the twilight of privatisation.”

The branch said prior to the declaration, it wrote to the national body for the resolution of the issues that were threatening industrial peace in the workplace.

It said, “We wrote to the TUC National and copied the Federal Ministry of Labour, the TCN management and the TUC FCT Council. Our national body chose to ignore our plea for peaceful resolution.

“As SSAEAC is an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress, we took a step further to meet the TUC’s national president general on the June 19, 2018. He promised to intervene and instructed the secretary general to act and invite both parties in two weeks’ time for settlement. And now, this notice of labour dispute to the TCN management is declared by SSAEAC National led by Mr. Chris Okonkwo.

“We view this action and several other actions of SSAEAC National as deliberate and calculated to cause disaffection in our work place which contravenes our constitution.”

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Idris Adesina

Former Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba has said bad officiating led to Nigeria’s ouster from the 2018 World Cup.

Nigeria lost 2-1 to Argentina on Tuesday to finish third in Group D and crash out of the competition. Lionel Messi and Marcos Rojo scored for the two-time champions while Victor Moses scored for the Super Eagles from the spot.

Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir failed to award a penalty to the Eagles after Rojo had headed the ball onto his hand in the penalty area under a challenge from Odion Ighalo.

The referee consulted VAR after the insistence of Eagles captain Mikel Obi but ruled that the defender committed no wrong in the act.

Former Chelsea striker Drogba, who was a guest analyst on BBC One, said the referee favoured Argentina unjustly with the decision not to award the second penalty.

He said, “I think it’s a bad decision from the referee not to give Nigeria a second penalty. It’s the defender’s mistake – he didn’t read the ball well. It’s difficult to give the penalty because it would take Argentina out of the competition.”

Tuesday’s loss was the Eagles’ fifth to Argentina at the World Cup.

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