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As far as fire sales go, yesterday's announcement of the preferred bidders for Nigeria's electricity generating infrastructure was a good one, which will when completed, give the country's power generation over to some citizens who are already very powerful people. Potentially, the power industry is very lucrative, so the more cynical amongst us would say that this is a classic case of the rich getting richer.

But the rich also cry as Al-Hassan Garba is showing. Three of his sisters are being held under "pathetic" conditions in Saudi Arabia. The three being among 400 Nigerian females who flew to Jeddah for the Hajj and kind of forgot to take their male companions with them, a condition that is very clearly stated among the requirements for any woman wishing to visit the Gulf Kingdom. The House has directed the National Hajj Commission to ensure that the female pilgrims are allowed to perform the Hajj, so expect a plane load of male companions to jet out of Abuja shortly.

Speaking of plane-loads, the Lagos police yesterday announced the seizure of a massive haul of arms and ammunition. Lagos Police head honcho, Umar Manko claims that this is the biggest cache of arms ever seized in the history of the state. Items recovered include AK47s, GPMGs, RPGs and dynamites. Enough to take out one of our smaller neighbours it would appear, and, in a country where weapons possession is not exactly legal, the haul was seized from three men, who given their age of 23, should be participating in the NYSC!

Granted that our economy is in the doldrums as the saying goes, but whether that is a justification for robbery is another matter. In any event, the three young men should all things being equal, get their day in court. Not like a robber in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital, who made it a point of duty to make an effort to access his victim's place through the roof. A naked wire later, and he is resting in peace.

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Still on the theme of robbery, Kudirat Omotara yesterday told a court that her bricklayer husband of ten years, Kazeem, moonlights as a robber. His main victim, her shop.
Still unsure as to whether the 2012 Budget has been fully implemented, both chambers of the National Assembly will take their seats and listen to the President present the 2013 Budget in just over a week's time, this is right after the senators have warned people like the government mouthpiece to stop "ridiculing them".
NEMA has told the people living in flood prone areas in Anambra, Bayelsa and Kogi states to prepare for some of the Kogi treatment. More than 7000 people have been displaced in Kogi, and some avoidable had it not been for statements such as, "why should I move out of my father's land".

IMOH, Patrick E.
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