Diepreye Alamieyeseigha Dies Of Cardiac Arrest!

Former Bayelsa state Governor, Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter  Alamieyeseigha , 62, died of cardiac arrest at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital on Saturday, October 10, few weeks to his 63rd birthday on November 16th.

It was reported that Bayelsa state deputy governor,  Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John-Jonah (rtd) after his visit to Alamiyeseigha on his sick bed at the hospital in Port Harcourt, concluded arrangement for an Air Ambulance to fly Chief Alamieyeseigha for further treatment oversea when he gave up the ghost on Saturday. 

Born Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha on November 16 1952, in Amassoma, Ogboin North Local Government Area of Bayelsa state, Diepreye attended Bishop Dimeari Grammar School in Yenegoa, (now Bayelsa state capital city). 

In 1974, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha joined the Nigerian Defence Academy as a Cadet Officer, after which he joined the Nigerian Air Force, where he served in the department of Logistics and Supply. Before retiring from the air force in 1992 as a Squadron Leader, Alamieyeseigha held various air force positions in Enugu, Markurdi, Kaduna and Ikeja.

On leaving the Nigerian Air Force he became the Sole Administrator of Pabod Supplies Port Harcourt. He later became Head of Budget, Planning, Research and Development of the National Fertiliser Company (NAFCON).

Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was elected as governor of Bayelsa State in May 1999 under the platform of ruling People's Democratic Party, (PDP), and re-elected in 2003.

May his soul, Rest In Peace.

Diezani Can Account For Her Stewardship - Family Cries Out!

Following reports making the rounds on foreign/ Nigerian media and private blog sites on the arrest and money laundry charges brought against Nigeria's ex-Petroleum minister, Diezani Alison Madueke, in London, by the U.K National Crime Agency, the Madueke and Agama families released a statement asking the public to go cool on the ex-minister, instead pray for her speedy recovery from cancer, so that she can face the allegation and give account of her stewardship.

The statement below:

"THE TRUTH VERSUS THE MEDIA HYSTERIA AGAINST THE MADUEKE FAMILY"

1.   In this era of cyber terrorism, decency dictates that one should response to false and defamatory allegations with silence. But there is a limit to how much any reasonable person can bear the tactics of these cyber terrorists. We all know that what makes a lie fly is the little truth contained therein. This happens to be the weapon used by most online news media to feed their weird obsession with defaming highly placed people.

2.   The Madueke family is appalled at the ongoing media frenzy against Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke by a section of the mass media following an invitation to her by the British authorities last Friday for reasons which have yet to be disclosed. For the avoidance of doubt, the family would like to state categorically that it has no issues with any persons from the family being invited anywhere in the world to answer questions about their private or official conduct. The Madueke family believes in law and order, honour and due process.

3.   However, it is clear that here is  a deliberate and vicious campaign to demonise members of the Madueke family, with all manner of frivolous allegations. For example, an online news media gleefully published that Mr. Ugonna Madueke “owns at least three properties in the United States.” It even called the properties “POSH” and went on to state the addresses. THEY LIED.

4.   Mr. Ugonna Madueke has NO PROPERTY ANY WHERE in the United States and has NEVER OWNED ONE. The USA is a country which runs on transparency, accountability and technology. A little honest effort by the online news media would have provided in a few minutes the true ownership of the properties at issue.

5.   For historical accuracy, the Madueke family avers without any fear of contradiction that 11711 Scooter Lane (a three bedroom town house) in Fairfax, Virginia, was acquired by the Madueke family in 1997 when Ugonna was only 10 years old. Ugonna’s siblings lived in this property while attending George Mason University in Virginia, USA. Records available to the appropriate authorities in the United States can also show that 13116 Silver Maple Court in Bowie, Maryland, USA belongs to an uncle of the Madueke siblings and was purchased in 1995 when Ugonna was only 8 years old. As a student of the University of Maryland in 2002, Ugonna stayed with his uncle at the said address. All of this was before Mrs. Diezani was appointed to government office. No Madueke or a distant relation has anything to do with the ownership of No. 4227 Summit Manor Court in Virginia.

6.   It is evident that what the online news media did was to turn on an internet search engine and maliciously reported that every property where Ugonna Madueke has ever lived in the United States or used as his address must belong to him. The description of the properties as POSH was the icing on the propaganda cake. This is not only unprofessional, as it offends the tenets of journalism, it is clearly not in resonance with good conscience.

7.   The online news media also reported that Ugonna and his cousins registered a company by name Hadley Petroleum Solutions Limited which they have been using to deal in Nigerian crude oil sales. As young men bubbling with enthusiasm and fantasy, they registered a company but after two years of no jobs, the company folded up. The company never had a bank account, let alone being a trader of Nigeria’s crude oil. They lied.

8.   The online news media took its campaign to the in-laws of the Maduekes. It claimed that Mrs. Beatrice Agama, the 81 year old mother of Mrs. Diezani Madueke, owns a house in the United Kingdom. A LIE! Mrs. Agama has no house or property in the United Kingdom. She has been staying in a rented two-bedroom flat from where she is receiving medical attention for a broken femur. Her son, Timi Agama who has been living in the UK for decades, used to have a house in the UK long before his sister was appointed to government and he sold it long ago. Since then, he has no house in the UK. Archbishop Doye Agama of the Apostolic Pastoral Congress in Manchester, who is in his 60s, is a successful professional and consultant well known amongst his peers, but he does not own Unit 8 Quebec Building in Manchester which the online newspaper ascribed to him.

9.   As though to outdo the sensational allegations in the online publication, the mainstream media in Nigeria has been alleging that Mrs. Diezani attempted to purchase a property on Hyde Park Street in London for a whooping amount which embarrassingly ranges from 12.5 million sterling pounds to 13 billion sterling pounds. This claim is utterly false and laughable, for  the amounts mentioned are only in the imagination of the reporters. This property is quite popular. It belongs to a well-known eminently successful Nigerian entrepreneur who would also find this allegation embarrassing as the intention to sell the property has neither been contemplated nor disclosed to any person.

10. It is worthy to note that despite all the frenzy over Mrs. Diezani Madueke, not even one reporter or journalist has tried to contact the family to verify any of the rumors they have published with reckless abandon. This may be because they know the stories are false but it feeds the mood of the moment. Hence, the silence from Diezani all along. It is worth emphasising that Mrs Alison-Madueke was never arrested or detained and her passport was never seized. She was merely invited, and she honoured it promptly.

11. The Madueke family, like most other families, have their own challenges. For instance, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has been receiving treatment for cancer in the UK which started while she was in office. The health crisis has unfortunately exacerbated in recent times. She completed months of chemotherapy just last week and she is scheduled to undergo surgery next week in London. The family has been bearing this challenge with prayers and as much grace and fortitude as possible; and would plead with all reasonable Nigerians to pray for her recovery so that she can face this allegation and give account of her stewardship. Yes, she can—and very well, too.

12. The Madueke and Agama families would want the decent public to know that neither Ugonna nor Somze or Abiye or anyone related to the two families was picked up or arrested or invited for questioning by anybody whatsoever. Ugonna’s father (the Rear Admiral) has been in Lagos and working in his office. The lies about his having travelled with a team of lawyers should please stop. The Madueke family has taken a decision on how to appropriately deal with those who are on a mission to soil their hard earned family name.

Signed for and on behalf of the Madueke and Agama families.

Barrister Oscar M. Onwudiwe.

Legal Attorney".

It will be recalled that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on 2nd October 2015 reported Mrs Madueke's London arrest incident with the caption: "Nigeria's xe-oil minister 'arrested' in London".

Other major international media organizations that equally reported the arrest incident include: 

Aljazeera: "Nigeria ex-oil minister Alison-Madueke 'arrested in UK"

Reuters: "Nigeria's ex-oil minister Alison-Madueke arrested in London - sources".

International Business Times: "Diezani Alison-Madueke: Ex Nigeria oil minister sees £27,000 seized and held until April 2016".

One Dead, Three Injured During Shooting At Northern Arizona University!

One person has been reported dead and three others injured during a shooting at about 1:20am on Friday, October 9, at the parking lot outside Mountainview Hall dormitory, located northeast side of the Flagstgaff campus, of Northern Arizona University.

The suspected shooter is in custody, while residents in Mountain View Hall has been asked to stay indoors.

Ebola Scare In CTH - Medical Advisory Committee Allay Fears!

The Medical Advisory Committee of the Calabar Teaching Hospital, has called for calm among members of the public, following the recent quarantine of about 15 people including nine nurses, one doctor, four health workers and one patient, at the accident and emergency ward of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital on Wednesday, October 7th, after an Ebola Virus Disease scare in the hospital. 

The ebola scare in the University Teaching Hospital resulted from the death of a patient, who was said to have manifested Ebola symptoms, the hospital authorities however said the patient might have died of any Haemorrhagic fever.

Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Queeneth Kalu, said the blood sample of the patient had been sent for testing while identified contacts had been quarantined.  Dr. Kalu added that the National Centre for Disease Control, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Cross River State Government and the Department of State Services had been informed of the development. 

Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Edet Ikpi, while allying fears that there was no cause for panic, said all necessary precautions as prescribed by the World Health Organisation had been taken to forestall any eventuality.

In the U.K,  Pauline Cafferkey, the 39-year-old Scottish nurse who contacted the Ebola virus in 2014, while in Sierra-Leone, West Africa is currently receiving treatment in the  isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital - London, where she spent weeks getting treatment for the ebola virsu earlier in 2015.

Authorities say Cafferkey recently showed sign of the Ebola virus, which is believed to be a left over from the original infection she had in 2014, and not thought to be infectious. 

British Millionaire Crashes Supercar Into Crowed!

Not fewer than 26 people were injured after a British millionaire, Paul Bailey, crashed his supercar into a crowd at a charity motor show in Hal Farrug - Malta. 

Bailey was driving his £750k Porsche 918 Spyder supercar when he veered  out of control and rammed into spectators at the Paqpaqli event. The 55 year-old was seen moments later, exiting the supercar, covered in blood.

Information revealed that five of the injured are in a critical condition, a six-year-old girl was said to be among the most seriously injured. While the driver, and eight other people, were treated for fractures or cuts at a local hospital.

England Shoppers To Pay 5p For Plastic Bags!

Shoppers at all big stores in England will from Monday, October 5th, need to pay 5p for every bag provided at the tills, as it's hoped most consumers will bring their own bags along when going shopping.

In 2014, over 7.6 billion plastic bags were handed out by major supermarkets alone - the equivalent of 140 per person.

The U.K government  has faced criticism from environmental campaigners, who say it is wrong that smaller shops have been exempted from the policy. This is because only retailers that employ more than 250 full-time workers will need to begin charging their customers, and paper bags can continue to be handed out for free.

Diezani, Alamieyeseigha And The NCA!

It is no longer news that Nigeria's former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, was on Friday, 2nd October, arrested in London, over allegations of corruption and money laundering. Soon after her arrest, Diezani's home in Asokoro, Abuja was raided and sealed by the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission's anti-corruption agents. Mrs. Alison-Madueke and four colleagues who were arrested with her, were granted “conditional bail” later that day. 

Mrs. Madueke’s travel documents and those of the four others were however seized, as part of the bail conditions, which barred them from travelling outside the United kingdom, pending the conclusion of investigation and their arraignment in court. 

The United Kingdom National Crime Agency explained that investigation into allegations of corruption against the former Petroleum Resources Minister and the four other people arrested had been on since 2013.

Diezani Alison-Madueke in April 2010, became the first woman to serve as Nigeria's Petroleum Resources Minister, a position she occupied until May 2015, when Muhammadu Buhai's administration was sworn in. On November 27, 2014, Allison- Madueke was elected at the 166th Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)  meeting in Vienna, the first female President of OPEC. 

Mrs. Alison-Madueke who is believed to be worth billions of Naira, has been subjected to the Nigerian Senate probe on the allegation that as Transport Minister, she had paid a the sum of $263 million (30.9 billion naira) to contractors between 26 and 31 December 2007. She was also accused of being responsible for missing $20 billion dollars, alleged transfer of 1.2 billion naira into the private account of a toll company without due process, and alleged to have spent billions of Nigerian dollars inappropriately on private jets. 

There are however, positive achievements believed to have been attained during Mrs. Alison-Madueke tenures in the numerous positions she occupied. Chief among them is her contribution to world’s economic stability, by enhance energy security in the Gulf of Guinea, through global advocates which focused on ending energy poverty in developing countries.

In the same vain, United Kingdom revealed in a recent interview that it has not given up on its efforts to extradite a former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, back to Britain to face trial on money laundering charges. 

Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was elected Governor of Bayelsa State in May 1999, and re-elected in 2003 under the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). In September, 2005,  Alamieyeseigha was detained in London on charges of money laundering. 

At the time of his arrest, the London Metropolitan Police found about £1m in cash in his London home, a total of £1.8m ($3.2m) in cash and bank accounts, and real estate in London worth an alleged £10 million. 

Rumored to have  disguising himself as a woman, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha jumped bail in December 2005, a claim Alamieyeseigha refutes.