CNN investigates why Buhari dump $182M Halliburton Bribe Scandal

NIGERIA President, Muhammadu Buhari surely meant well for the Nigerian people. His integrity, discipline and avowed commitment to fight, name and shame corruption had never been in doubt since Nigerians have high hopes in his administration to ‘fight corruption among the elites’, in a bid to free Nigeria’s economy from Kleptomaniac.
As it is a fad that “when you fight corruption, surely corruption will fight back,” aptly captures the trending conspiracy of few Nigerian Army Generals (retired) and former Heads-of-State who allegedly prompts Buhari to ‘let-off’ his earlier, intentional investigation of $182million Halliburton bribe scandal, so he may continually ‘govern Nigeria in peace’.
CNN iReport gathered that few weeks before Buhari made his maiden visit to United States, words reached him that few retired Army Generals who were erstwhile Heads-of-State were allegedly not happy with the planned moves by the no-nonsense disciplinarian to re-open the Halliburton scandal, with the sole intention to expose, disgrace and prosecute some of culpable generals and other highly-placed Nigerians whose hands may have been ‘soiled’ by the cookie-jar of corruption in Bonny Island Liquefied Natural Gas Project.
As such, after General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), a former Nigeria’s Head of State received a phone call from from General Olusegun Obasanjo, also a former Nigeria’s president where he brought the attention of IBB to the fact that they way Buhari was going about corruption-fight, he would eventually probe the majority of past administration, including IBB era.
This position was echoed by another Nigerian Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar; which prompted a conspiracy theory to ‘place Buhari in order’. Abdusalami had visited IBB in his Minna Castle in Niger State, there it was concluded that IBB should stylishly pass-on their position to Buhari to halt his earlier, intentioned probe of his predecessors.
In a press statement issued by IBB through his media adviser, Prince Kassim Afegbua, it reportedly reads: “On General Buhari, it is not in IBB’s tradition to take up issues with his colleague former president. But, for the purpose of the record, we are conversant with General Buhari’s so-called holier-than-thou-attitude. He is a one-time minister of petroleum and we have good records of his tenure.
Secondly, he also presided over Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) which records we also have. We challenge him to come out in clean hands in those two portfolios he headed. Or, we will help him to expose his records of performance during those periods. Those who live in glass houses do not throw stones. General Buhari should be properly guided.”
CNN iReport gathered when intelligence report reached Buhari on the position of these retired Army Generals and former Heads of State, and bearing in mind how mean they can fully engage him in ‘dirty-fight’ which may ridicule him in the eyes of Nigerians and expose his stewardship then as Minister of Petroleum in 1976 that led to the mysterious disappearance of a whooping US $2.8 Billion from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC account in Midlands Bank, United Kingdom allegedly under his watchful-eyes, Buhari quickly made a detour and issued a press statement through Femi Adesina, his Special Adviser, Media & Publicity claiming the investigation of Buhari administration would only be limited to his predecessor, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GEJ, the man who honorably handed peacefully to Buhari on May 28, 2015 at Eagle Square so Nigeria may remain united as an indivisible nation.
For the records, Buhari was appointed Minister of Petroleum in 1976 under the Murtala/Obasanjo administration. Not much is known about any scandals that occured during his tenure as Minister, but there are rumors of the mysterious disappearance of US$2.8 Billion from the NNPC account in Midlands Bank in the United Kingdom, during Buhari’s stewardship. Now that IBB has threatened to expose him, it lends a certain credibility to the rumors indicting Buhari of grand graft.
As if Jonathan knew that this would happen. In the last days of his administration as president in Aso Rock villa on May 27, 2015 during Federal Executive Council valedictory session witnessed by big-wigs of Peoples Democratic Party, he said “Some people are even calling for the probe of the government, but I think in Nigeria, there are a lot of many things that will be probed, very many things, even debts owed by states and debts owed by this country from 1960 up to this time. They say it is Jonathan’s administration that owes these debts,” Jonathan said.
“I believe that anybody that is coming for probe must also ensure that this probe is extended beyond the Jonathan administration. Otherwise, to me, it will be witch-hunt. If we are very sincere, it is not only the Jonathan administration that should be probed.”
CNNiReport investigation showed that Jonathan administration may have been singled-out as ‘corrupt government’ due to the fact that he was a minority-leader from Niger-Delta and obviously not a military, but a civilian leader. There are feelers from some Nigerians that this probe may not have happened if Jonathan had been a retired Army General.
For Folu Adewope, an undergraduate of University of Texas Arlington, UTA, her words: “This is obviously a witch-hunt, charade and selective humiliation with ethnic coloration under corruption-guise. I strongly believe this investigation would not have happened if Jonathan had hailed from the North and had been a retired Army General.
Why can’t Buhari open the Halliburton scandal, and openly prosecute Obasanjo, Abdusalami, Atiku Abubakar, a former Nigeria’s Vice president and every other corrupt Nigerians named in the scandal. As Nigerians, we are interested in this case.”
Recently on his Facebook wall-page, Femi said: “It would be a distraction for the President to begin digging into all former administrations, but for a proper take -off of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, there is need to look into the immediate past government (GEJ). We are interested in investigating Jonathan’s government to recover stolen funds”.
International Community watch in Disbelief:
As at the time of going to the press, members of International Community, particularly the United States government is shocked that Buhari ought not to leave any stone unturned in fighting corruption no matter whose ox is gored.
The Halliburton bribery scandal is seen by members of international community as a litmus test for Buhari to prove his desire effectively to combat corruption among the elites in Nigeria.

Culled from CNN

Gas Pipeline bombing: We are closing in on perpetrators – JTF Commander

The military, yesterday, invaded some Ijaw communities in Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, with gunboats in search of militants, who carried out a three-day bombing of crude oil and gas pipelines in the state, from last Thursday.

This came as ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, wrote President Muhammadu Buhari, alleging that top members of his party, All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bayelsa and Delta states were responsible for the ongoing vandalization of crude oil and gas pipelines in the creeks of Delta state.

Meanwhile, Joint Task Force Commander of Operation Pulo Shield in the Niger Delta, Major General Alani Okunola, said, yesterday, that the task force was closing in on those blowing up oil pipelines belonging the Nigeria Gas Company, Chevron Nigeria Limited and Nigeria National Petroleum Company, NNPC. He vowed that JTF would fish them out.

Confirming the invasion of the military, the chairman of Okpelama, an Ijaw town in Gbaramatu kingdom, Mr. Moses Yabrade, said that soldiers stormed his community in the midnight of Saturday, breaking houses but stressed that he did not know what they came for.

Following the blockade by soldiers, who reportedly warned leaders of some of the communities to produce the militants vandalizing pipelines in several parts of the state, more riverside dwellers are fleeing their communities because of an unsubstantiated report that the soldiers said they would return tomorrow.

Scene of the pipeline bombings

A community leader told Vanguard: “The soldiers said they would come back and nobody wants to wait for their visit knowing what happened when they bombarded our communities in 2009.”

We’re closing in on perpetrators —JTF Commander
JTF commander, Major General Okunola, who led his troop to inspect one of the blown up pipelines at Egwa II community in Warri South West, said the army would hold community leaders in whose domain such bombing took place responsible for any act of sabotage in their area.

He said that the Federal Government would do all it can to bring the saboteurs of the national assets to book as they were already closing in on the criminals.

Okunola said that henceforth, security agencies would enforce the extant law banning the use of outboard engines with 200 HP and above.

He said the Federal government would not condone any act of sabotage in the country, noting that it would deal ruthlessly with those behind the dastardly act.

The commander described the act as not only criminal but also capable of undermining the national security.

He pleaded with government officials and community leaders to give JTF and other security agencies in the region useful information that would lead to arrest of the perpetrators for prosecution.

According to him, “it was blown up three days ago. We are going to fish out those responsible.
“It was a massive sabotage and critical to national assets. There is no way we will fold our hands and allow the perpetrators to get away with it.
“We do not have our men deployed in the area that is why they have the opportunity to do it.”

The JTF commander said it was sad for anyone to put the nation in jeopardy by blowing up its national assets.

He assured Niger Delta residents of JTF’s determination to wipe out all acts of illegalities in the region.

Tompolo writes Buhari
Meanwhile, ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, last night, sent an open message to President Buhari, alleging that top members of the APC in Bayelsa and Delta states were responsible for the ongoing vandalization of crude oil and gas pipelines in the creeks of Delta State.

The ex-militant leader in his letter to Buhari, said the leader of APC in Bayelsa State and a few young men from Warri South West local government area of Delta State were bent on linking him to the vandalization of oil facilities in the Niger Delta region, “whereas they are the ones carrying out the act to smear my name.”

According to him, “they are doing this in connivance with an agent of Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC who is also a member of APC because I refused to buy property from him.”

His words: “The crux of this letter is to let you know them and to say that they are mischievous, desperate, and therefore, do not share the same vision and mission with you, as well as do not believe in good governance.”

Tompolo also said an APC member in the state approached him shortly after he (Tompolo) met with President Buhari, requesting to plead on his behalf to be appointed as Special Adviser, SA and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, but he refused.

How soldiers invaded Okpelama —Yabrade
Okpelama community chair, Mr. Yabrade, who spoke on phone, described the midnight invasion of the community by the army as uncalled for and unwarranted.

Giving details of the incident that lasted over two hours, Yabrade stated that the soldiers stormed the community in a commando-like manner at about 10.45 pm, making the panic-struck residents to run into the bush for safety.

“Though they left at about 2.00 am, the way and manner the military personnel stormed the community in the middle of the night reminds us of the military era.

“As a community without skeletons in the closet, we are shocked with the activities of the army because we are in a sane country that ought to practice the rule of law, hence we expected the military to partner with the community even if they were working on intelligence report.

“Our community is not part of those recently rocked by pipeline explosions. As I speak with you, we have not been able to account for the whereabouts of three children, who fled into the bush while the incident lasted.”

Information gathered from the locals showed that the soldiers stormed the community in three gunboats and two 200-horse powerboats.
Vanguard learned that the soldiers returned to the community in the early hours of Sunday, but stayed for some minutes with their gunboats at the waterfront before zooming off.

Yabrade said the community has become as ghost town, with the villagers fleeing the town, yesterday, after the military invasion.

A security source, however, told Vanguard, “There is information that some of the boys sponsored to carry out the attacks are from Okpelama, which is why soldiers went to the community in search of them.

Soldiers take control

Findings by Vanguard showed that soldiers seemed to be in control since they mounted siege on Saturday.
Our source hinted: “Their presence has served as a control because the militants did not strike since Saturday when they saw them patrolling the creeks. On Sunday (yesterday), they were everywhere in the creeks and they came to Oporoza where a pipeline was bombed behind the community and asked Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, to come and effect repairs, while they provided cover.

“As I am speaking with you, soldiers are there in Oporoza area, saying they will not leave until Chevron comes to effect repairs. Soldiers from Koko Command also went to the Benin River, which is in Olero where gas pipeline was burning on Saturday night. But by the time we got there yesterday, the fire was off,” he added.

A top Itsekiri youth leader said, “We have visited some of our communities to tell the people to be very observant and report any strange face to security agents.”

Groups call for halt to military invasion

The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, which on Sunday condemned the attack on oil facilities in some parts of the state, has called for a halt to the military siege to five Ijaw communities of Ikpokpo, Saghara, Opuedebubo, Okpeleama and Tebujo, all in Gbaramatu Kingdom.

Three other Ijaw groups: Ijaw People Development Initiative, IPDI, National Association of Izon-Ebe Law Students, NALS and Niger Delta Youths for Positive Change, NDYPC, also condemned the latest attacks on oil installations by yet to be identified militants

The Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade, FHRACC, in a statement by its national president, Alaowei Cleric, however, cautioned the federal government to handle the face-off between it and Tompolo with care.

Jonathan becomes first African leader to bag Martin Luther King’s awards

Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was Thursday (January 14th) honoured by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. He was awarded with the Presidential Award in recognition of his leadership in advancing human rights, social justice and the fight for universal freedom.
The SCLC, founded by the late American Civil Right leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, in January 1957 is currently led by Dr. Charles Steele Jr.
The event is part of the activities leading up to the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day on Monday, January 18th, 2016.

Jonathan and Naomi King

Former President Jonathan is the first African leader to be so honored. Dr. Jonathan also received Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s sister, Naomi King during the event.
Before his remarks at the event, Dr. Jonathan met privately with the president of the SCLC.
The president of the SCLC, Dr. Charles Steele Jr proposed to work with the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation to advance the cause of peace around the world and to bridge the gap between people of color in the Diaspora and Africa.
Former President Jonathan responded that his vision is to help stabilize and promote democracy and peace in Africa. He went on to say that without peace you can not have economic progress.

Jonathan becomes first African leader to bag Martin Luther King’s awards

Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was Thursday (January 14th) honoured by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. He was awarded with the Presidential Award in recognition of his leadership in advancing human rights, social justice and the fight for universal freedom.
The SCLC, founded by the late American Civil Right leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, in January 1957 is currently led by Dr. Charles Steele Jr.
The event is part of the activities leading up to the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day on Monday, January 18th, 2016.

Jonathan and Naomi King

Former President Jonathan is the first African leader to be so honored. Dr. Jonathan also received Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s sister, Naomi King during the event.
Before his remarks at the event, Dr. Jonathan met privately with the president of the SCLC.
The president of the SCLC, Dr. Charles Steele Jr proposed to work with the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation to advance the cause of peace around the world and to bridge the gap between people of color in the Diaspora and Africa.
Former President Jonathan responded that his vision is to help stabilize and promote democracy and peace in Africa. He went on to say that without peace you can not have economic progress.