News

Missing N36m: JAMB To Arrest Swallowing Snake …As Senator Storms JAMB Hqtrs With Anti- Snake Venom

Published

7 years ago

February 14, 2018

Senator Shehu Sani has stormed the office of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) with snake charmers, just as the examination body promises to arrest and prosecute the “snake’’ that swallowed N36 million.
The senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, said the visit, was to get to the bottom of the issue surrounding the reported case of missing N36 million from the JAMB office in Makurdi, Benue State.
One Philomena Chieshe, a sales clerk in the JAMB office, Makurdi, told JAMB registrar and his team that “she could not account for N36 million she made in previous years before the abolition of scratch cards.
In the course of interrogation, Philomena denied the allegations that she stole the money but confessed that her housemaid connived with another JAMB staff to spiritually (through a snake) steal the money from the vault in the account office.
According to Sani, his visit to JAMB is in response to the story that a snake swallowed N36 million. Senator Shehu Sani wants IDPs fund looters to be sanctioned He lamented that it was of concern that such a huge sum of money was reported to have been swallowed by a snake.
“I believe that the contribution I can make is to bring snake charmers from my constituency to the JAMB office and to help them fish out the snake and weed out snakes from their premises.” Sani further said that if a snake could actually swallow N36 million, one day Nigerians may wake up to say that a snake had swallowed the country’s foreign reserve.
“Even if it is a spiritual matter, we believe that these people I brought, are some of the best snake charmers in the country and they will help in arresting both physical and spiritual snakes if there has been any in the JAMB office.” He explained that it was very clear the incident did not happen during the tenure of the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede.
“We are very proud of him. We believe he is someone who should continue to run this agency. “It is good for Nigerians to know this is what happened before he came into office. I believe the best thing we can do is to continue to support him.
“It is high time Nigerians knew that there may be other dirty things happening in other places but this place has exposed it for us. We know the truth and I’m very happy about that. Sani presented snake repellents and chemicals to the board.
Responding, the spokesperson for JAMB, Mr Fabian Benjamin explained that on assumption of duty, the present registrar discovered that there were loopholes in the sale of scratch cards. “We discovered a lot of loopholes.
The registrar thereafter introduced pin vending. “After introducing the pin vending, it was natural for him to call for an audit of the former use of scratch cards. “After taking stock, it was discovered that in some offices, they could not account for what they sold. “According to her, a snake swallowed the money.”
Benjamin further explained that in the spirit of transparency, inclusiveness and openness, the agency felt that Nigerians should know what was happening. He said Chieshe had been queried and has also appeared before a disciplinary committee.
“A report has been put together and sent to the Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu and as soon as that report is approved, she will be disciplined and handed over to the appropriate security agency for proper profiling.
He also told Sani of another incident in Nasarawa State, where a staff member claimed that the unsold cards he was bringing to Abuja got burnt when the car he was travelling in was involved in an accident. JAMB has vowed to arrest and prosecute the “mysterious snake” which allegedly took N36 million from its vault in Benue State.
“After taking stock, it was discovered that in some offices, they could not account for what they sold.
“Ms Philomena Chieshe was entrusted with a number of scratch cards which she sold, but N36m could not be accounted for.
“When asked, she actually said she sold them at the said amount, and kept the money in the public vault. According to her, a snake swallowed the money.”
Benjamin further explained that in the spirit of transparency, inclusiveness, and openness, the agency felt that Nigerians should know what was happening.
He said Chieshe had been queried and has also appeared before a disciplinary committee.
Meanwhile, the crisis between Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and his counterpart in Plateaus State, Simon Lalong seems to have taken a new dimension as Ortom warned him to stop interfering in Benue affairs.
“Please tell your boss when you see him to stop interfering with affairs in my state, let him mind his business in Plateau and I will mind my own business here,” Ortom told Lalomg representative in Makurdi.
Governor Ortom gave the warning early hours of yesterday at a stakeholders meeting with National Economic Council, NEC’s technical committee on herdsmen/ farmers crisis resolution led by Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi.
The meeting which commenced at the new banquet hall, Government House, Makurdi dragged to an early hour yesterday.
The governor in his remarks at the meeting told the audience that his deputy, Benson Abounu had met Lalong at a function outside the state recently where Lalomg said he still stand by his statement, warning governor Ortom to desist from the anti-open grazing law.
According to Ortom, ‘my deputy told me that he had a discussion with Lalong recently at a function, where he said that he had to apologize to me over his statement because of pressure on him, saying, he stands by his earlier statement.”
He also told people that he introduced this Kenya woman in this committee to me, whereas, this woman was introduced to me by Nasir El Rufai, not him.”
“Am the governor here (Benue), how can he say that he warned me, who is he to warn me, he can only advise me.”
It would be recalled that Governor Lalong at the peak of the herdsmen attacks on Benue State told newsmen in Abuja that he warned governor Ortom against the new law.
Chairman, state traditional council, HRM, Professor, James Ayatse who spoke at the meeting raised serious concern about the credibility of the committee since some of its members had taken a position on the crisis.
“I have a concern here, Governors of Plateau and Kaduna states; Lalong and El Rufai had made serious statements concerning the crisis how do we get justice?
“With pains, a delegation from Benue visited president Buhari and the only consolation he could give us was to say, in the name of God, accommodate your fellow countrymen, with this statement, how will my people get justice? This is my concern”
Other speakers who spoke at the meeting include; Catholic Bishop, Makudi diocese, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, former attorney general and minister of justice, Hon. Mike Aondoaka, SAN, a former commissioner in the state, Mrs Rebecca Akpedzan.
Others include; President General Mdzough U Tiv, Cheif Edward Ujege, Benard Hon, SAN, State chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Rev Akpen Negua and a second class traditional ruler, Chief Abomtse.
All condemned the lackluster attitude of federal government to the crisis and insisted that there was no going back on the new law, all saying, ‘this law has come to stay.’
The meeting was attended by prominent sons and daughters of the state from all walks of life; National Assembly members, traditional rulers, religious leaders, politicians and opinion moulders.
Ebonyi governor said that the committee was in the state to find ways to find a lasting solution to the herdsmen/farmers crises in the country noting that the views of stakeholders were necessary to assist the committee in its onerous tasks.

News

Shettima In Ethiopia For State Visit

Published

2 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.

Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.

Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”

During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.

The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.

In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.

News

RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers

Published

2 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.

This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.

The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.

The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.

Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.

The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.

He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.

According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.

At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.

He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.

Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.

According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.

At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.

He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.

Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.

He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.

However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.

At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.

He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.

Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.

Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.

In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.

At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.

Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.

Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.

John Bibor

News

Tinubu Orders Civil Service Personnel Audit, Skill Gap Analysis

Published

2 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.

The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.

“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.

Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.

He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.

“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.

President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.

He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.

“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.

“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.

Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.

Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.

She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.

Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.