REVEALED: THE US ARMY IS DEVELOPING THE ULTIMATE 'BIG GUN'

On March 19, U.S. Marine Corps staff sergeant Louis Cardin, a field artilleryman assigned to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, died during an attack on Fire Base Bell outside of Makhmur, Iraq. Coincidentally, the U.S. Army is hard at work developing a farther-firing howitzer that could help keep artillery troops out of range of enemy forces.

The Army is cooking up a suite of improvements could double the range of the existing M-777 howitzer. Right now the 155-millimeter gun, in service with the Army and Marines, can lob shells at targets up to 18 miles away.

The M-777ER version the Army is working on “will be able to reach out and hit targets … before the targets can reach them,” David Bound, the lead engineer on the project at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, told Army reporters. Troops “won’t have to worry about coming into a situation where they are under fire before they can return fire.”

The modifications add fewer than 1,000 pounds of extra weight onto the older howitzers. The updates include improvements that will help gunners fire more accurately plus a mechanism to automatically load rounds into the gun.

The biggest change is the addition of new barrel that’s six feet longer. The longer M-777ER should be able to hit enemy forces more than 43 miles away. And with more powerful propellant charges and rocket-assisted shells, crews might be able to increase that range even more in the near future.

While the changes to the M-777 might sound simple, the new gun’s extra length actually complicates its employment. Unlike older towed howitzers that hitch up to cargo trucks with their stabilizing legs, the lightweight M-777 has its tow loop right at the end of its barrel. Folded up for travel, the new version will still be more than 35 feet long.

In combat, troops could end up taking the guns off-road, up hills and over uneven terrain. With six more feet between the truck and the howitzer’s own two wheels, there’s greater potential for the barrel to flex if it isn’t sturdy enough to withstand the shock.

A bent barrel would throw off where the shells fall. A broken barrel might simply explode.

So, the project’s biggest challenge might be just convincing soldiers and Marines that the guns work. “The visual prejudice we are up against is that it looks like it may tip over with all that extra cannon,” Bound noted.

With help from engineers at Benet Labs, the Army plans to run “mobility” demonstrations to prove that the gun and its new features are ready for combat. The ground combat branch also plans to install the longer barrel on the new M-109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzer.

PLANE DRIVES THROUGH CITY

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It’s not every day you’re stuck behind an plane in downtown traffic.

But this aircraft was spotted weaving in and out of cars in the streets of the Chinese city of Xi’an.

Luckily for motorists, the wings of the plane were removed in order for the craft to make it down narrow roads. Well, more narrow than a runway, anyway.

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The sight of the 30m (100ft) long jet in midday traffic caused drivers and pedestrians to pause and take pictures.

The 30-tonne aeroplane was on its way to a local aviation school, where it will be used to train flight attendants.

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The aircraft, which has been decommissioned, was bought from a local domestic airline by the school.

It took several minutes for the plane to be transported by a lorry through the streets, and pictures were posted on social media.

One web user who photographed the plane wrote: “I hear you have traffic jams in big cities – ours are quite different.”

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TRUMP DROPS PLEDGE TO BACK REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE OTHER THAN HIMSELF

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican front-runner Donald Trump on Tuesday abandoned a pledge to support a party presidential nominee other than himself, a sign of increasing friction with chief rival Ted Cruz.

"No, I don't anymore," Trump replied, when asked at a CNN town hall event whether he still supported a pledge he made last year to support whoever is the Republican nominee for the Nov. 8 election.

Trump's signing of a loyalty pledge last September was important in helping him gain credibility within the Republican National Committee. The pledge was also signed by all his rivals for the presidential nomination.

His aboutface came as he tries to fend off a challenge from Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas who is running second to the New York billionaire in the race for the 1,237 delegates needed to win the nomination.

Trump and Cruz were enmeshed in a fight last week involving their wives, with a Cruz SuperPAC publishing a provocative photo of Trump's former model wife, Melania, and Trump retaliating by tweeting an unflattering photo of Cruz's wife, Heidi.

Cruz, asked earlier at the CNN town hall whether he also would honor the pledge to support the nominee if it was not himself, declined to give a straight answer.

"Let me tell you my solution to that," Cruz said. "Donald is not going to be the GOP nominee. We're going to beat him."

GOP is the acronym for Grand Old Party, a nickname for the Republican Party.

Trump said he could do without Cruz's support.

"I watched him tonight and I watched how tormented he was when you asked him that question," Trump told CNN moderator Anderson Cooper. "I don't want to have him be tormented. Let me just tell you I don’t want his support, I don't need his support. I don't want him to be uncomfortable."

Trump also said he recognized that several of those who have dropped out of the race might harbor ill feelings towards him, mentioning former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and U.S. Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.

Walker endorsed Cruz earlier on Tuesday, with Wisconsin's primary vote coming up on April 5.

"I drove him out of the race," Trump said of Walker, who abandoned his presidential bid last autumn. "I drove Jeb Bush out of the race, I drove Rand Paul out of the race. I understand why they don't like me."

A third Republican presidential candidate, Ohio Governor John Kasich, was also tentative about honoring the pledge. He told the town hall he had been "disturbed by some of the things I’ve seen" during the campaign, adding, "I want to see how this finishes out."

FUEL QUEUES TO DISAPPEAR APRIL 7 - KACHIKWU

Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu has said that the long queues in the country's filing stations would disappear on 7th April.

Kachikwu who is also the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) disclosed this when he appeared before the Senate committee on Petroleum (Downstream) over the fuel scarcity ravaging the country.

"By 6th or 7th April, the long queues in filing stations would disappear, "he said.

He apologized to Nigerians over his statement that the scarcity will linger till May.

1,000 NEW ENTREPRENEURS JOIN $100M TEEP

In furtherance of its desire to create young entrepreneurs for the development of the continent, the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) has announces the selection of 1,000 entrepreneurs for the second round of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP).

Launched in 2015, TEEP is the largest African philanthropic initiative devoted to entrepreneurship and represents a 10-year, $100 million commitment, to identify and empower 10,000 African entrepreneurs, create a million jobs and add $10 billion in revenues to Africa’s economy.

Over 45,000 entrepreneurs from 54 African countries applied, more than doubling the number of applications received in 2015.  Successful candidates represent diverse industries, led by agriculture, ICT and fashion. The highest numbers of applicants came from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and Cameroon. All five regions – North, East, Southern, Central and West Africa are represented.

Founder, Tony Elumelu, CON, commented: “In TEEP’s first year we spent over $8 million of our $100 million commitment – with $5 million going directly to entrepreneurs as seed capital — and the results have far exceeded our expectations. We have funded entrepreneurs, established networks and helped extraordinary people take control of their destinies”.

“The 2016 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs will become a generation of newly empowered African business owners, who are the clearest evidence yet, that indigenous business growth will drive Africa’s economic and social transformation”, he added

Over the next nine months, the 2016 cohort will receive the intensive online training, networking and mentoring that provide a tool kit for success and sustainability. They will also participate in the three-day Elumelu Entrepreneurship Forum later in the year, the largest annual gathering of African entrepreneurial talent.

Parminder Vir OBE, CEO of the foundation, said: “We saw phenomenal success with the first cycle of TEEP – the success stories of the TEEP 2015 alumni are a testament to the transformative power of the programme we have built. Through TEEP, we are proving to the next generation of entrepreneurs that their ideas can change their communities, their countries and their continent.”

- See more at: http://independentnig.com/2016/03/1000-new-entrepreneurs-join-100m-teep/#sthash.dm9t4VYK.dpuf

ELECTRICITY GENERATION INCHES UP TO 2,905 MEGA WATTS

Eko Electricity Distribution Company

. Consumers groan under incessant outages
The nation’s power situation, yesterday, received a slight uplift as power generation inched up to 2,905 Mega Watts (MW), from about 2,600MW recorded on Monday.

 investigations showed that the slight rise was recorded increased due to gas supply to some power plants which were hitherto faced supply challenges in recent times.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) generation details yesterday showed that the national grid now has about 2,905MW energy against the estimated 80,000MW required to meet national demand.

The breakdown of the generation, according to the Nigeria Electricity System Operator indicated that Ikeja Disco received 435.86MW; Abuja, 334.16MW; Eko, 319.63MW; Benin, 261.51MW; Enugu 261.51MW; Ibadan 377.74MW; Jos, 159.81MW; Kano 232.46MW; Kaduna, 232.46MW; Port Harcourt, 188.87MW; Yola, 101.70MW.

Notwithstanding the upward swing in generation level, electricity consumers across the country have continued to lament poor services by the distribution companies.

Some consumers in Ikotun; Ijegun road, Abaranje; Toyin Davies, Ejigbo; Iba Town, Ojo; Igando, Ayobo, Okota and Isolo areas of Lagos lamented an average of one hour supply in four days, while they alleged illegal extortions by the electricity officials.

A consumer on Makinde Street, Ijegun, Mrs. Betty Ajayi, berated the poor electricity supply in the area, claiming that they only pay estimated bills for energy not enjoyed.

“In fact, we suffered in darkness for about three weeks after which we were later planned for load shedding. It is very sad and unfortunate, that a country with abundant natural gas will always suffer in darkness due to lack of gas supply,” she said.

Another customer in Sam Sonibare street in Surulere, Tunde Sodeinde, who also lamented the incessant outages, said he pays an average of N13,000 for a mini flat monthly, while he is currently facing tough hurdles to secure a prepaid meter.

The Federal Government had earlier unveiled plans to add 1,200MW power to the national grid through nuclear power project.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said the move was part of the government’s efforts towards diversifying its energy mix beyond the traditional sources of gas, oil and hydro to include nuclear and other renewable sources like solar, biomass and wind.

He said: “You must begin to break down the seeming complex issues around nuclear power into simple terms and language that our people can understand, we must try to demystify issues around nuclear power in Nigeria”.

EAGLES FAIL TO DEFEAT THE PHARAOHS

No way… Egypt’s defender Hamada Tolba seems to tell Super Eagles striker, Ahmed  Musa, when they met last Friday in Kaduna. The Super Eagles have crashed out of Gabon 2017 AFCON. Photo Gowon Akpodonor

They had all the support, both morale and financial, going for the second leg of the Gabon 2017 African Nations Cup qualifier against Egypt in Aleixandre. They promised Nigerians that they would not allow the Pharaohs stop the country from appearing in the 2017 AFCON. But all the boasts amounted to nothing yesterday, as the Eagles put every foot wrong, conceded a second half goal to give the Egyptians a passage to Gabon.

The Pharaohs failed to appear in the last three editions of the Nations Cup in 2012, 2013 and 2015, just as the Super Eagles missed the last edition in Equatorial Guinea, where they were the defending champions.

Egypt now have an unassailable seven points with a round of matches to be played in June.

Nigeria have two points and even if they trounced Tanzania in September, they will not be at Gabon 2017.

Teenager Radwan Sobhi grabbed the all-important goal for the Pharaohs in the 65th minute when his toed effort from just inside the box trickled past goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi.

Despite Super Eagles’ galaxy of foreign stars, they never really stretched the Egyptians backline.

The Pharaohs created the better chances in the first half, but Nigeria also had their moments during a goalless first half at a packed Borg El-Arab Stadium in Alexandria.

Nigeria played with a lot of confidence and dictated the tempo of the game for a good period of the first 45 minutes.

Egypt created two early openings – Hegazy headed narrowly past the Nigeria goal after five minutes and almost immediately, skipper Al-Said fired with a left foot from inside the box.

Al-Said then delivered a low cross from the left in the 29th minute, but Mohamed Salah was not close to make contact.

In the closing minutes of the first half, Nigeria goalkeeper Akpeyi pulled off two big saves from Ibrahim Salah and again skipper Al-Said.

In the seventh minute, Umar Aminu dashed into the Egyptian goal area but his shot was firmly held by the goalkeeper.

Odion Ighalo had a half chance when he controlled the ball inside the box, but he shot wide in the 15th minute.

To some Nigerians back home, the Eagles lost yesterday’s game from the bench. After the fantastic display by Simon Moses in Kaduna last Friday, many were looking forward to seeing him in coach Samson Siasia’s starting list yesterday.

Again, the changes made by Siasia in the second half left many to wonder if he was really a material for the senior national team.

Some were of the view that mother luck worked against Siasia in the Super Eagles. In his first stint with the Super Eagles in 2012, Siasia needed just a win against Guinea in Abuja to book a passage to Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. The Eagles were three minutes away from the ticket before the Guineans equalized to knock Nigeria out of the race. It happened again last Friday in Kaduna.

NIMET WARNS OF MORE HOT DAYS, WARM NIGHTS, HEAT WAVES

• Experts predict epidemic of malaria, typhoid fever, others • ‘How to cope with intense heat’

With the global average air temperature of the earth hitting 1°C hotter than at the beginning of the 20th century, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has warned Nigerians to brace for more hot days, warm night and heat waves.

A statement by the Head of Public Relations Unit, Eva Azinge noted that with the long residence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the current warming would continue beyond 2100 even when the emission of greenhouse gases is reduced.

The statement noted: “We must therefore prepare for a future with more hot days, warm nights and heat waves because of past and present emissions. This preparation will require smart adaptation strategies and engaging in climate resilient practices to cope with the damage that has been done.”

Also, a leading consultant in Public Health and Disaster Management, Dr. Priscilla Ibekwe, has, however, proffered some tips to enable people to cope with the scorching heats in parts of the country.

She said “The weather is unbearably hot. Excessive heat can have harmful effect on our health. It can lead to dehydration-due to excessive loss of water, among others. It can lead to heat exhaustion, heat stroke. It can also lead to death.

“The evidence about the risks to health from heat waves is extensive and consistent from around the world.

‘‘Excessive exposure to high temperatures can kill. During the summer heat wave in Northern France in August 2003, unprecedentedly high day- and night-time temperatures for a period of three weeks resulted in 15,000 excess deaths. The vast majority of these were among older people. In England that year, there were over 2,000 excess deaths over the 10-day heat wave period which lasted from 4 to 13 August 2003, compared to the previous five years over the same period.”

She regretted that Nigeria had not paid much attention to the adverse effects of heat on the health of its people.

Her words: “In the past few years, episodes of heat wave have been reported in different parts of the world, including India, African countries. It is assumed that since we are in the tropics, we are used to hot weather. Regrettably, some people die because of the excess heat but we do not know how many people have died, or had heat strokes because we do not seem to collect, collate and publish data on excess deaths during the heat wave.

“I strongly believe that one death from heat wave, is a death too many. It can be a death of a relative or friend. Governments, public and private sectors, communities and individuals, have a role to play, to reduce the risk of ill-health and death from heat waves.”

She also noted how global warming was partly contributing to the high temperatures. She urged relevant government agencies to develop a heat wave plan and disseminate it widely.

She encouraged people to eat well-balanced, light and regular meals. “Drink plenty of clean water, even if you do not feel thirsty. Your body needs water to keep cool. Reduce the intake of caffeinated or alcoholic beverages because they dehydrate the body. Seek medical advice if you or a family member has a medical condition. If you notice any change in your health, please seek medical advice immediately.”

She listed danger symptoms to watch out for in hot weather to include feeling faint and dizzy, shortness of breath, vomiting or increasing confusion.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has called for a stronger response by governments, aid organisations and the private sector to address the devastating impact the El Niño climate event is having on the food security, livelihoods, nutrition and health of millions of people around the world.

The appeal came at a meeting organised in Rome by four United Nations (UN) agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Participants, including representatives from governments, non-governmental organisations and other UN agencies, took stock of the growing impacts of the current El Niño, which is considered as one of the strongest in history.

They noted that more than $2.4 billion (N480 billion) is needed for the current El Niño emergency and recovery-responses and currently there is a $1.5 billion (N300 billion) gap in funding.

According to a joint statement released yesterday by the FAO, El Niño-related impacts have been felt across the globe since mid 2015.

I WON’T RESIGN, SAYS KACHIKWU

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Ibe Kachikwu, said on Tuesday in Abuja that he would not resign as he still had a lot of work to do.

The minister said this as part of his closing remarks while briefing the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) on the lingering scarcity of petroleum products across the country.

The News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) reports that different groups including the South South APC, NANS and some Civil Society Organisations have called for the minister’s resignation.

Kachikwu said: “All those planning to come to Abuja for a protest should save their fuel, I am not going to resign, I have a lot of work to do.’’

According to him, he did not accept to be minister of petroleum in order to create scarcity.

The minister assured that he would work hard to find lasting solutions to the problems in the industry.

Kachikwu said that he was pained as much as many Nigerians were that the country still suffered petroleum scarcity in spite of being one of the largest producers of crude oil in the world.

NNPC UNVEILS STRATEGIES TO END CURRENT FUEL SCARCITY IN NEXT FEW DAYS

• Seeks to make Nigeria net exporter Senate c’ttee summons Kachikwu

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja and Ejiofor Alike in Lagos

Apparently miffed by the controversy generated by the declaration of the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, that the current petrol shortages could last up to two months, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has unveiled strategies to end the scarcity within the next few days.

The corporation has also reassured Nigerians that it was on top of the petroleum products supply and distribution situation, and remained committed to eliminating this endemic issue once and for all within the next few days.

NNPC’s Group General Manager in charge of Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Garba Deen Muhammed, said in a statement last night that in the medium term, the corporation was working on sustainable strategies to permanently address the issues and challenges facing the midstream and downstream sectors.

According to him, the overarching objective is to make Nigeria a net exporter of Petroleum products as was the case in the 1970s.

“Our commitment to ramp up our local refining capacity and availability remains unwaivered with the ongoing rehabilitation works targeted at running all Refineries at a minimum 70 per cent capacity utilisation within the next eight to nine months.

This is in addition to our initiative of increasing the combined capacity of the domestic refineries through co-locating smaller but cost efficient modular refineries within the existing refineries premises within a time frame of 12-24 months,” Muhammed explained.

He further stated that as a result of the challenges that major oil marketers faced in contributing their supply quota due to constraint in accessing foreign exchange and outstanding subsidy obligations, the corporation was burdened with the obligation to guarantee almost 100 per cent in the national supply.

Muhammed noted that since the domestic crude oil supply of 445,000 barrels per day could only guarantee about 50 per cent of the 45 million litres national requirement for petrol, NNPC had secured presidential approval to take additional crude oil volume to guarantee national supply of petrol.

To curb storage and logistics challenges, he said the corporation was working on a joint partnership with technically and financially capable investors to ensure that petroleum products transportation and storage facilities were efficiently operated on an open-access common-carrier user-tariff basis.

“Some of these depots will be nominated as strategic reserves while we take possession of a strategic reserve vessel in the next three months. Tangible results will be delivered within the next three – six months.

Changes usually take time, effort and a lot of focus. We understand the plight of Nigerians and the impact on the overall economy.

We genuinely empathize with the attendant sufferings and wish to reassure that we are focused and committed to bring an end to this situation within the next few days and we kindly call on all Nigerians to partner with us on this journey to allowing the whole process of change come into fruition,” he explained.

Muhammed further explained that the current administration inherited a huge catalog of issues and problems in the downstream sector not limited to arrears of subsidy payments to oil marketers, corruption and inefficiencies in the supply and distribution chain, incessant vandalism of pipelines, and refineries poor performance.

According to him, a combination of these issues resulted in most oil majors completely pulling out from the importation business and NNPC assuming a near 100 per cent importation obligation without the necessary logistics put in place.

He said in line with the change agenda of this administration, NNPC had initiated and made progress on various key solutions to providing a lasting end to most of the issues.

One of the issues that had been successfully addressed, according to him was the unpaid arrears arising from the subsidy regime had necessitated most oil marketers to stop all forms of involvement in petroleum products imports.

“Thankfully, with the firm support of Mr. President and the National Assembly, we greatly reduced this debt burden and since January 1, 2016 we have been able to eliminate subsidy payments by managing prices at current levels through price modulation. This has resulted to savings of over N100billion monthly for the nation,” he added.

He also added that the nationwide petroleum supply and distribution had been ramped up to all states to ensure product availability in the country, stressing that the current supply to states was in excess of the normal consumption especially in the five major consuming cities.

Muhammed also stated that monitoring had been intensified to ensure full compliance with approved prices.
According to the NNPC spokesman, violations of approved prices and hoarding of petroleum products attracted the following penalties:

“Level 1: Giving out of petroleum products free to the public. Level 2: Sealing off fuel stations found to be hoarding petroleum products and payment of a fine. Level 3: Withdrawal of Marketer’s licence,” he explained.

He said any government official found conniving/wanting would be sanctioned accordingly in line with public service guidelines and procedures.

Muhammed also encouraged the general public to report product hoarders and saboteurs of this administration’s change efforts, adding that they are wittingly fighting every bold change effort currently being put in place.

He also charged motorists and other fuel users to shun panic buying and undue return trips, stressing that this attitude emboldens marketers to hoard products.

“Supply constraints due to foreign exchange challenges are being resolved through collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria on innovative ways of closing the gaps in accessing foreign exchange. Similarly, as a result of credible leadership provided by the Minster of State, Petroleum Resources/Group Managing Director, NNPC, the major international upstream oil companies have indicated their willingness to support major oil marketing companies with some of the required foreign exchange.

We are vigorously pursuing an improved model for ‘crude oil for refined product’ exchange (the Direct Sale – Direct Purchase arrangement) which eliminates inefficiencies with an attendant cost saving for the nation of about $1 billion. This will guarantee sustainable product supply to the nation,” Muhammed explained.

Meanwhile, disturbed by the protracted fuel scarcity across the country, the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) yesterday summoned, Kachickwu, to appear before it today and explain why fuel scarcity has continued unabated.

The resolve to summon Kachikwu was the fallout of the committee’s oversight visit to major petrol stations in Abuja metropolis monday.

During the tour, the committee expressed concern over non-availability of petrol in many stations following lack of supply to Abuja from the Suleja depot of the NNPC.

According to the committee’s acting Chairman, Jibrin Barau, summoning Kachikwu had become imminent in view of the grave effects of the scarcity on the masses.

Barau disclosed that on-the-spot-assessment exercise carried out by the committee was spurred by the concern expressed by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, whom he said asked the committee to intervene and ensure that the crisis was promptly nipped in the bud.

Provoked by the seeming unpromising state of the scarcity, Barau described the situation as unacceptable.
“This situation is very bad and unacceptable; hence, the need for the minister to appear before us tomorrow (today) and unveil his plan on the way out of the chaos to us.

“Even if he doesn’t have any plan yet out of the lingering problem, the Senate President and the entire members of the committee are more than ready to rub minds with him for that needed purpose,” Barau said.
Also speaking on the development, a member of the committee and Senate Minority Whip, Philip Aduda, emphasised the need for the federal government to promptly bail Nigerians out of their current travails.

Aduda said Nigerians were not interested in the current decision of leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) to engage in name calling over the scarcity, noting that all they care about is the availability of fuel in all parts of the country.

“The government should look for petrol and ensure that it is given to the people. The current situation is unacceptable; we are Nigerians and it will be bad for us to continue remaining in queues.

“If the APC leaders like, let them blame themselves; that is their problem but the most important thing is for us to have fuel in Nigeria. That is what we are looking for and that is what we want. We want to see all these queues disappear,” he stated.

During the tour, independent marketers put the blame at the doorstep of NNPC, pointing out that the corporation had failed to make adequate supply available to petrol stations in all parts of the country.

One of the marketers at Forte Oil, Maitama, for instance, said whereas NNPC used to supply him between five and six tankers of fuel daily, the supply has now been reduced to three tankers daily.

On the other hand, Oando, Wuse Zone Four’s Manager, Isa Friday, said for a long while, he had not received any supply from NNPC depot in Suleja.

ABDUCTED COLONEL FOUND DEAD

• Army vows to fish out the perpetrators

The Nigerian Army has announced that Colonel Samaila Inusa who was kidnapped on Saturday night, March 26, 2016, was found dead at about 6.00pm on Tuesday.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman who confirmed this in a statement said that preliminary investigation revealed that most likely the late senior officer was killed the same day he was kidnapped by his abductors.

“This is because the body was found already decomposing around Ajyaita village off Eastern Bypass Kaduna, Kaduna State,” Usman noted.

He said that arrangements are in progress to move the body to 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna.

“May His soul rest in peace, Amen.

“We wish to state in unmistakeable terms that whoever is behind his abduction and murder would be fished out to face the full wrath of the law,” he assured.

MILITARY REPELS BOKO HARAM, KILLS FIVE TERRORISTS IN BORNO

The troops of 155 Task Force Battalion of 29 Task Force Brigade while on clearance patrol along Banki junction on Monday encountered Boko Haram terrorists ambushed at Bolungu village. The terrorists were successfully repelled and cleared.

The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman in a statement Tuesday, said that the “troops killed all the three attackers, recovered one Fabrique Nationale rifle with registration number UE16A86257 and 1G3 rifle with registration number 10f995, and as well as 19 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition.

 

Similarly, Usman said some element of the unit stationed in Mayanti encountered two fleeing Boko Haram terrorists from the villages that was cleared on Monday. He confirmed that one was killed while trying to shoot the troops but the second suspect was apprehended.

He said the arrested suspected terrorists has been making very useful statements, and the troops also recovered five bicycles, bags of grains and other items.

In a related development, Usman said that the same unit yesterday, cleared more Boko Haram terrorists enclaves and hideouts in Gare village around Sambisa forest.

He noted that the troops during the operation, killed another terrorist who attacked a soldier with cutlass and arrested four other suspected Boko Haram terrorist group members.

“The troops also rescued 36 persons, comprising two men, nine women and 26 children and recovered two mobile telephone handset,” he stated.

POWER GENERATION DROPS FURTHER TO 2,035.20MW

Despite getting 66.53 per cent of the total amount of domestic gas supply for one year, Nigeria’s electricity generation has remained low.

Figures obtained on Friday (5.21pm) by our correspondent from the country’s power System Operator indicated that electricity generation had dropped further to 2,035.20MW.

This showed a drop of about 800MW from 2,841.9MW, which was given as of 12.42pm on Thursday by the SO.

Ironically, the latest data from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation showed that the percentage allocation of gas to power plants in Nigeria from February 2015 to the end of January this year was far higher than what was allocated to manufacturing sector.

The report stated that although the power plants received close to 70 per cent of the total domestic gas allocation, power generation in Nigeria had continued to hover around 3,000 megawatts to 3,500 megawatts. The Federal Government had early last year set a 2015 target of at least 6,000MW.

Although there had been series of complaints of gas pipelines rupturing by vandals, the latest figures from the NNPC’s group financial report showed specifically that gas-fired power plants got an average of 701.84 million standard cubic feet of gas per day or 66.53 per cent from February 2015 to January 2016, as against the 353.06mmscfd or 33.47 per cent gas that was supplied to industries.

Even as they admitted that gas supply to power had been high when compared with what industries got, they maintained that until the trend of vandalism in the power and oil/gas sectors reduced considerably or stopped, the issue of low electricity generation might persist.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, had during the first stakeholders meeting involving operators in the power and oil/gas sectors, said that he would ensure that there was adequate gas supply for electricity generation, but frowned at the level of pipeline vandalism.

Similarly, the Executive Director, Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, Mr. Sunday Oduntan, told our correspondent that the low electricity generation was not entirely the fault of power firms.

He noted, for instance, that the fall in electricity generation earlier in March this year was as a result of the industrial action by workers in the transmission arm of the power sector.

Oduntan said, “The recent fall in power generation to 2,800MW happened when workers were picketing Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company and the union mandated the transmission persnnel in Osogbo to go on strike.

“After they embarked on strike, there was nobody to wheel the energy from generation to distribution companies. And this led to high temperature in the generation companies and they were forced to shut down. That’s what happened during that period early this month.”

PDP BATTLES GHOST WORKERS, PAYS STAFF IN CASH

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has detected ghost workers on its payroll after ordering the workers to line up and collect their salaries in cash.

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party has detected ghost workers on its payroll after ordering the workers to line up and collect their salaries in cash.

Investigations by our correspondent showed that the precarious financial situation of the party forced its leadership to take the action.

It was gathered that the National Chairman of the party, Ali Modu Sheriff, was worried about the huge salary bill of the workers and decided to take action aiming at ascertaining the actual number of workers at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Sheriff was said to have inherited about N872m debt when he assumed office about a month ago.

Worried by this, Sheriff was said to have taken members of the National Workers Committee by surprise when on Thursday he directed the workers to get their salaries in cash.

A management employee, who spoke with our correspondent on Sunday, said that they were surprised when they (the workers) were directed to assemble inside the National Executive Committee hall at the national secretariat.

“The chairman also joined everyone in the hall. And to the surprise of all, the business of the day was the payment of staff salaries, which was done department after department.

“One after the other, after individual’s physical verification of each file and identity, thereafter you are then paid your salary in cash.”

It was also gathered that personal staff of past national chairmen, majority of whom had defected to other political parties, were still being paid by the party.

“If this isn’t true, then someone is collecting their salaries without their knowledge. A proper external audit of the members of staff must be conducted. Then the party must investigate those who have been collecting the salaries of these ghost workers,” another source added.

With Florence Amagiya What have I done to deserve this kind of behaviour? Is Mary, my wife possessed? Don’t I satisfy her in bed the way a husband should? Why didn’t she tell me she is not happy or is it about her past? How could a woman derive pleasure out of sleeping with another woman? These were the thoughts running through my mind as I lay down in my hotel room that evening. Mary and I have been married for more than Ten years. To me, we were very close and shared everything. I knew the guy she dated before she met me. I was even told about her stunts in school and most times, I teased her about them, but I had no clue that Mary my wife is a lesbian or would you call her bisexual? It was on that fateful day; I had left the house to travel with my car, but had to come home unannounced because the vehicle had broken down on the way. I entered my house and everywhere was unusually quiet. So, I sauntered to surprise my wife obviously in our bedroom with the music blaring. I was transfixed by the sight of my wife in bed with another woman… making love. Our Stars have this to say Read On… No Way! Rykardo Agbor, Actor It is an abomination in the sight of God and in my eyes. In as much as she won’t like it if I with a guy in bed, l also won’t take it from her and I cannot forgive that. She has not only proven that l am nothing to her, but that I cannot satisfied her and that will kill the ego in me as a man. I will have nothing to do with such a woman again. Show you are… Ifeanyi Ekwem, Director I will be disappointed at her for not letting me into her secret as to handle it together. Stumbling into this truth without been prepared for it will make me feel so unhappy and might kill the man in me. But as we were getting set for marriage, we learnt it is a better and for worse situation. So, if she willing to change and go for counseling, then l will forgive and take her back. Forgive, but Obicrox, Artiste I will forgive my wife if l meet her in this kind of situation, but I won’t marry her any more. I won’t because she has killed the man and ego in me by doing what I caught her doing. If l do not leave her, l won’t be able to forget what she did and it will affect our relationship. So the best is to walk away. Straight to deliverance Francis Odega, Actor I will straight away call on my pastor and conduct deliverance on her because this is a clear case of demonic possession and only God can save her. As for forgiven her, l will because l love her.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/04/caught-my-wife-in-bed-with-another-womanshould-i-overlook/

POWER OUTAGE: SOLDIERS INVADE IBEDC OFFICE, TORTURE WORKER

Workers of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company say they have become fearful in their office after some soldiers attached to the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala Barracks, Abeokuta, Ogun State, allegedly beat up one of them over “poor power” supply.

They told our correspondent that the soldiers, numbering about six and led by one Major Musa, stormed the IBEDC substation – Olumo business hub, Rounder – on March 6 and met one of them, Salau Adekunle, on duty.

They were said to have descended on Adekunle, the substation’s distribution officer, with horse whips.

Our correspondent learnt that presently on the average, the barracks and environs got five hours supply daily, which falls short of the soldiers’ expectation.

The victim, whose back bore effects of the flogging, said he ended up in a hospital because of the beating.

He said, “I was on duty on that day around 12pm when the soldiers came into our office with horse whips. They told me to get up and without explanation, they started beating me. I had to go to the hospital for treatment. I informed our head office and it promised to do something about it.

“They had come earlier then to threaten us. We reported at our head office and the head of the barracks was petitioned. They complained that they did not get supply regularly, but it is not our fault. They said they would be the ones to determine the number of hours they want power. We told them it was not possible, but they didn’t want to listen.”

He said the unit officials had received threats from the barracks authorities, making them to be afraid whenever they were on duty. He stated that the barracks had power for between eight to 15 hours everyday until recently when power generation dropped nationwide.