Eni Chief Under Investigation By Over Nigerian Oil Deal!

Four months after he took the helm at Italy's biggest listed company, Eni SpA chief Claudio Descalzi has been placed under investigation over alleged corruption relating to a big Nigerian oil deal. 

According to report, Milan prosecutors opened a probe earlier this year and have now widened the net to include Descalzi, in a case relating to a $1.09 billion acquisition of Nigeria's OPL-245 offshore oil block in 2011.

It was gathered that Eni confirmed Descalzi was being investigated after a report in Italian daily Corriere della Sera said he was being probed over the Nigeria deal.

The statement said "Eni is cooperating with the Milan prosecutor's office and is confident that the correctness of its actions will emerge during the course of the investigation,".

Descalzi could not immediately be reached for comment.

A long-standing executive at Eni and former head of its core exploration and production division, Descalzi took over in May from Paolo Scaroni, himself under investigation for alleged corruption in Algeria, although the company said in January it had found no evidence of illegal conduct by the group in relation to the north African country.

Eni said its Operations and Technology Officer Roberto Casula was also being probed. 

Court sources told Reuters on Thursday that Scaroni was also under investigation in the Nigerian case. However, Scaroni and Casula could not immediately be reached for comment.

Milan brokerage Akros noted Eni had been involved in a similar case in Nigeria in 2009, when it paid around $400 million to settle the dispute.

"We believe that the potential negative impact on Eni may be worth 500 million euros or around 1 percent of the current market capitalisation," it said in a note.

At 1436 GMT shares in Eni, Italy's biggest company by stock market value, were down about 2 percent, under-performing the European oil and gas sector stocks index, with traders citing concerns about the investigation.

IN DISPUTE

Ownership of the OPL 245 field has been in dispute for more than a decade.

Former Nigerian oil minister Dan Etete awarded the block in 1998 for $20 million to Malabu Oil and Gas, a company in which he was a leading shareholder. Malabu however only ever paid $2 million for the stake, in 1999.

The field was eventually sold on to Eni and Shell in 2011 for a total of $1.3 billion, including a signature bonus of around $207 million.

Malabu received around $1.09 billion from the sale, while the Nigerian government kept the rest, a British court document has shown.

Campaigners for greater transparency in political and business dealings, who asked Britain to look into the matter, allege Shell and Eni used the Nigerian government as a go-between to obscure the fact they were dealing with Etete.

Eni, the biggest foreign oil and gas producer in Africa, has always said it dealt exclusively with the government of Nigeria and Shell over the acquisition.

Elsewhere Ebeka Obi, a Nigerian intermediary for Etete, has brought a court case in Britain against Malabu for unpaid fees relating to what he says was his help in brokering the Shell-Eni deal.

A judicial source on Thursday said the London court had seized Malabu funds worth $83 million. This follows the seizure of $110 million from a Malabu account in Switzerland a few months ago, the source said.

Descalzi, who was head of the group's exploration and production (E&P) unit at the time of the Nigerian deal, was appointed chief executive of Eni in May.

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi came to office in February pledging to clean up Italian business and introduce ethics rules at publicly-controlled companies, aiming to eject directors found guilty of financial crimes.

But shareholders at many of Italy's big state-controlled companies, including Eni, threw out the proposals by voting against their inclusion in company bylaws.

OPL 245 could contain up to 9.23 billion barrels of crude oil, more than enough to keep China running for two and a half years.

Eni has operated in Nigeria since the early 1960s and the country accounted for around 8 percent of its total output last year. Chronic oil pipe sabotage in the country has recently affected the group's hydrocarbon production in the country. 

Barbaric- Three Elderly Italian Nuns Raped, Murdered in Burundi Convent!

Three elderly Italian nuns were sexually assaulted and murdered in twin attacks in their convent in the capital of Burundi, police said today as a hunt was launched for their killers.

Police initially reported that two nuns were stabbed to death yesterday afternoon. The killer then battered one of the two with a rock, before fleeing the convent.

Italian authorities named the first two killed as 83 year-old Olga Raschietti, and 75 year-old Lucia Pulici, both Roman Catholic nuns.

Hours later, another nun in the same convent was reportedly killed, her body beaten and head hacked off. Colleagues named her as Bernadette Boggia, aged 79.

“After the discovery of the two nuns who were brutally killed... the decapitated body of the third nun was found,” Deputy Director General of Police Godefroid Bizimana told AFP.

According to the diocese of Parma in Italy, they were killed during a botched burglary attempt.

But Burundi’s Police said the motive of the killing was not clear, pointing out that no money was taken.

Father Mario Pulicini, an Italian Catholic Priest working in the same Parish, said after the first two nuns were killed, Boggia had called him in the middle of the night reporting she had heard a noise in the convent.

“The body of Sister Bernadette was found lying in a pool of blood, her head decapitated, and her face bore signs of beating,” he told AFP in shock.

“The perpetrators had abused her, as they had violated the other two sisters earlier.”

Burundian Vice-President Prosper Bazombanza said the government was “appalled by such barbarity”, and promised police would do all they could to arrest the killers.

“No one can understand how a third sister was killed late at night... Burundi’s government promises to shed light on this matter as quickly as possible,” he added.

Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini condemned the attacks.

“Once again we are witnessing the sacrifice of people who, in total commitment, have spent their lives to relieve the suffering still on the African continent,” she said.

The suspected killer in the first attack was seen fleeing the convent with a knife in his hand, said Damien Baseka, a local government administrator in Bujumbura.

Police sources suggested the third nun was killed by an accomplice who had hidden in the convent.

Police spokesman Colonel Helmegilde Harimenshi said three men were being questioned.

In 2011, a Croatian nun and an Italian charity worker were killed in an apparent botched robbery in northern Burundi.

The small nation in Africa’s Great Lakes region emerged in 2006 from 13 years of brutal civil war and its political climate remains fractious ahead of presidential polls due in June 2015.

Culled

Lagos Warns Against Stigmatisation of Survivors and Contacts!

Lagos State Commissioner for Health: Dr. Jide Idris

Lagos State Government on Tuesday warned residents against stigmatizing survivors of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) or those placed under surveillance .

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris gave the warning while briefing newsmen on the efforts of the government to contain the virus.

He said the government had received complaints of stigmatization from some of those who had been treated of the virus, as well as from contacts under surveillance.

Idris explained that the complaints ranged from eviction from accommodation,sack and suspension from work.

The Commissioner said that two survivors who had been disengaged by their employers had petitioned the state government ,seeking redress.

He warned that the state government would take legal actions against those culpable of the practice, even as he said it was doing its best to re-integrate Ebola survivors into the society.

"The social problem being faced by discharged cases has been reported severally. This ranges from stigmatization, eviction from their accommodation, being asked to stay away from work and termination of employment.

"We've had cases of employers just terminating the employment of their staff who were just mere contacts, not even suspected cases.

" We believe this is unfair and we feel this impedes on their fundamental human rights.

"One thing I want to emphasize again is that the Ministry of Justice will take the matter up. Anybody, whether a discharged patient or a contact followed up, who feels stigmatized, can petition the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General of Lagos State and they would take that matter up on their behalf because it is not fair and it is not right". he said.

Idris said stigmatization of survivors and contacts undermined the fight against the disease, and it has discouraged those with suspected symptoms from coming out for help.

He appealed to residents of the state to join efforts with the government to ensure that all cases and contacts that had been given a clean bill of health were reintegrated into the society

The commissioner said a total of 366 contacts had been traced since July 22, explaining that only 19 of these contacts were yet to conclude the 21-day surveillance.

On the First Consultants Hospital, where the first case was recorded, the commissioner revealed that the facility had been decontaminated and also certified to reopen for business.

He said, "We urge those who use the First Consultants Hospital to support them; it remains a flagship medical centre. They have been given a clean bill of health..

Adding that the state government was doing its best to contain the spread of the virus, and stressed that the disease would be defeated faster through collective efforts.

He urged residents not create panic about the disease but take the right precautions against it.

Listing some of the precautions, the Dr. Idris advised against unprotected contacts with corpses, monkeys, bats and other things traced to the Ebola Virus.

Source: Vanguard News

Another Nigerian Ebola Positive!

Minister of Health Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu has confirmed that Nigeria has recorded one more case of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), .

The latest victim, according to the Minister, is a fiancé of a primary contact of the virus.

While one more Ebola victim was being confirmed, another was declared successfully managed and discharged from the hospital.

The discharged patient, who was treated in Port Harcourt, is a sister of the late doctor who attended to the contact that fled Lagos for the capital of Rivers State.

The Minister added that the total number of confirmed cases of Ebola in Nigeria now stood at 19, with seven deaths - five in Lagos and two in Port Harcourt, the River State Capital.

20 Police Officers Still Missing After Gwazo Attacks- IGP!

The acting Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, said that the Police officers still missing after the attack by the Boko Haram sect on Police Training School, Gwoza, Borno State, were fewer than 20.

After the insurgents had invaded and launched a massive attack in August, 35 police officers were declared missing from the school.

Acting Inspector-General of Police: Suleiman Abba

Abba, told journalists after a meeting with Vice President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa that some of the missing officers had been found, and vowed that his men would stop at nothing to ensure all the missing officers were traced and rescued.

He said, "Well, I must tell you that the turnout of those missing is still impressive because we have been able to trace some of the officers who have reported either back to their bases or their families. When you go through what they went through, the likelihood of you knowing what to do is not very tenable.

"There is a possibility that the decision of what to do may not be easily comprehensible. So some went back to their homes, but our concern is that once they are in safety we are satisfied, and the process of bringing them back to their units has already commence".

I'm Eager to Return To Battle - Adeboye Obasanjo!

Son of Nigeria's former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Lt. Col. Adeboye Obasanjo, who was wounded in a fire-fight between the military and Boko Haram terrorists in Bazza on Monday, has expressed eagerness to return to the battleground.

Lt. Col. Adeboye Obasanjo

Adeboye Obasanjo stated this when former vice president Atiku Abubakar paid him a visit at a government medical facility in Yola where he is receiving treatment.

The young Obasanjo, who was reportedly in high spirits despite his injuries, is an army engineer recently deployed from Jos to join in the battle against the insurgents. He was injured during a battle to repel the insurgents at Michika in Adamawa State.

A source at the hospital who spoke on condition of anonymity reportedly stated that Atiku was impressed when the colonel informed him that he was eager to get back on his feet and return to his duty post.

He added that the former vice president praised the gallant spirit of Obasanjo, prompting him to comment that the trait was from his former boss.

"He was even marching before me, even as he was recovering from gunshots," Atiku reportedly said, while wishing him speedy recovery.

Report says- ISIS Offering Advice to Boko Haram!

A British newspaper reports that what had been considered as mere symbolic links between the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria and Boko Haram in Nigeria may have developed into something more sinister; as ISIS may now be offering Boko Haram advice on strategy and tactics.

The report, which is allegedly contained on page 30 of a recent edition of The Independent published in London stated  that "Intelligence agencies are concerned that what were once symbolic links between Isis and Boko Haram have now developed into a practical relationship with the Islamic State offering advice on strategy and tactics."

According to the report, Boko Haram appears to have been emboldened by its recent gains and was "beginning to operate more like a conventional army in Borno and the neighbouring north-eastern states of Adamawa and Yobe".

Nigerian Military authorities contested the alleged gains by Boko Haram, saying counter-offensives have been launched to rout them.

Howbeit, The Independent report anchored by Cahal Milmo and Tom Witherow, quoted Nigeria Security Network, a coalition of security experts and academics, as saying "unless swift action is taken, Nigeria could be facing a rapid takeover of a large area of its territory reminiscent of Isis's lightning advances in Iraq."

According to the paper, "the nature of the threat was further underlined on Monday when a senior politician in Borno admitted that civil life in the state, home to three million people, has all but ground to a halt".

It recalled that the secretary to the Borno State government, Alhaji Baba Ahmad Jidda, had warned that, while at the moment most parts of Borno State were being occupied by Boko Haram insurgents, "government presence and administration was minimal or non-existent across

many parts of the state, with economic, commercial and social services totally subdued. Schools and clinics remain closed".

"Most settlements in the affected areas in the state have either been deserted or access to them is practically impossible. The threat to security of lives and property as a result of the criminal activities of the Boko Haram insurgents is everywhere," the SSG was quoted to have said.