Kogi People Are Begging Me to Return as Governor – Prince Audu

Former Kogi State governor, Prince Abubakar Audu, has reiterated his commitment to develop the state amidst calls for his return as governor in next year’s governorship election in the state.

He expressed his willingness to heed to the calls for him to contest the governorship election in an interview in Abuja, weekend.

“This time the electorates said it is time we bring Audu back. If one is a regular visitor to Kogi at the Koton Karfe Bridge, he will see a billboard where the masses are crying, saying: ‘Where is Audu?’ So as far, as I am concerned, it is the first step to bring me back and convincing me to come back.”

5 held over kidnap in Kogi

A Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, has remanded five persons  in prison custody for allegedly kidnapping one Paulina Audu.

The accused persons, Ibrahim Sunday, Idowu Idah, Karimu Ganiyu, Jamiu Isah, and Isah Ibrahimo, were charged with criminal conspiracy and kidnapping, offences that are contrary to Sections 97(1) of the Penal Code and Section 3 of the Kogi State Kidnapping, Thuggery and Other Related Offences (Prohibition) Law, 2010.
The prosecuting counsel, Mohammed Abaji, said the five accused persons and others now at large committed the offence on February 26.
He said the accused, armed with guns and other dangerous weapons, kidnapped Paulina from Okene and that they took her to a farm belonging to Isah Ibrahimo (5th accused person).
Abaji said the suspect demanded a N20 million ransom for their victim’s release, but that they were paid N1 million. He opposed the suspects bail application. In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Alhassan Hussain ordered that the five accused persons be remanded at the Federal Prisons, Koton-Karfe and adjourned the case to May 25.

Prince Abubakar Audu returns to court April 15 over N11 billion fraud

Justice A.O Adeniyi of a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed Wednesday April 15 for further hearing in the on going trial of a former governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu. 

Audu and one Alfa Ibn Mustapha, a former Director General of the Directorate of Rural Development, Kogi State, are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC for offences bordering on criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N10, 965,837,040 (Ten billion, Nine Hundred and Sixty five Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Seven Thousand, Forty Naira) by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

On Thursday, April 2, 2015 when the case came up for hearing, Jabaru Olatunji, a prosecution witness told the court that several documents on the award of contracts to major contractors between 2000 and 2003 during Audu’s tenure as governor, were forged.  

Olatunji, a staff of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, who is also the eighth prosecution witness, Pw8, while being led in evidence by counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, told the court that he was part of a joint task force involving five security agencies that investigated the petition against Audu, alleging that he used his office to siphon Kogi State government funds. He said his team visited Kogi State in the course of the investigation.

When asked about their findings during the said visit, Olatunji told the court that, at the office of the Accountant General of the State, they met one Dr. Shuaibu who made available documents detailing all the allocations to the State Government from May 2000 to April 2003.

Gov Wada's Aide resigns amidst death threats and anti-party allegations

Gov Idris Wada and Mallam Abdul Adama

Following allegations of anti-party activities and death threats received over his open display of support for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the March 28 polls, Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor on PPP and Chairman of Kogi State Football Clubs, Kogi United FC and Confluence Queens, Mallam Abdul Adama has tendered his resignation.

Appointed in September 2013 by the Executive Governor of Kogi state, Capt Idris Wada as Special Adviser on Private-Public-Partnerships, Mallam Adama was also saddled with the responsibility of administering the states's  football teams in view of his experience with the ABS FC of Ilorin.

Adama said the decision to leave the club-sides, which are close to his heart, was difficult as he enjoyed a good working relationship throughout his stay adding that he would remain grateful for the chance to serve and contribute to the development of sports in Kogi State.

Les enfants africains sensibilisent le monde sur les effets du climat

Par Hubert Didier Madafime

« We, the children of Africa » (Nous,  ) est un appel qui va résonner dans le ciel africain en juin 2015, lors du sommet  de l’Union africaine. Le même écho sera entendu à Paris six mois plus tard, au cours des négociations sur le climat. Il s’agit bien d’une manière spéciale pour les enfants du continent africain d’interpeller les décideurs, à travers le monde, sur les dangers imminents et presque irréversibles que les changements climatiques font peser sur leurs conditions de vie. C’est un concept développé par  l’ANEJ, African Network Environmental Journalist, le Réseau Africain des Journalistes pour l’Environnement qui entend ainsi attirer l’attention de la planète pour un meilleur accord à la COP 21.  

54 enfants de 12 à 15 ans, garçons et filles, habillé chacun dans sa tenue nationale, représentant les  54  pays  d’Afrique,  viendront  délivrer  devant  les  Chefs  d’Etats  Africains  début  juin  2015  en Afrique  du Sud, au cours du sommet ordinaire de l’Union africaine, un discours-message destiné à la COP 21 de Paris.  Identifiés  parmi  les  enfants  des  réfugiés  climatiques  et  de  peuples  indigènes,  les enfants viendraient de contrées particulièrement affectées par les changements climatiques. Par exemple les enfants Touaregs des régions désertiques ou les jeunes Fulanis de la RCA ou du Nord Nigeria (filles victimes entres autres de Boko Haram) ou encore les jeunes filles de Somalie, des tribus de pêcheurs du Golfe d’Aden. Sans oublier bien sûr les enfants des zones forestières du Bassin du Congo.

Tackling the “Perfect Storm” in Africa for a Sustainable and Resilient Future

By Sidi Moctar El-Cheiguer

Source: Tackling the “Perfect Storm” in Africa for a sustainable and resilient future | Climate Reporters

By Sidi Moctar El-Cheiguer

Source: Tackling the “Perfect Storm” in Africa for a sustainable and resilient future | Climate Reporters

Naoko Ishii, GEF CEO

By Sidi Moctar El-Cheiguer

Last week in Cairo, African Environment Ministers convened to discuss African’s Climate Change Challenge. On March 6 they agreed on a final declaration officially called “Cairo Declaration on Managing Africa’s Natural Capital for Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication.” Recognizing the nexus between land productivity, food security and poverty eradication in Africa, they agreed to increase productivity in the use of natural resources in enhancing economic and social benefits for poverty reduction, job creation and sustainable development.  

The GEF CEO Naoko Ishii joined this high level meeting to present the GEF’s Integrated Approach Pilot program on Fostering Sustainability and Resilience for Food Security in Sub Saharan Africa. With a growing population that will demand major increases in food production, the African continent is faced with increasing pressure on already fragile and stressed lands, and increase vulnerability of millions of smallholder farmers. 

“In a sense Africa is facing a perfect storm with food deficit, climate change impacts and rapid population growth”, Ishii said. “The key is to help small holders manage their natural capital in a sustainable manner—the land, soil, water, vegetation and genetic resources that are vital for continued and increased agricultural productivity.”