Thursday, 8 May 2014
THREATE: LASU students threaten govt over high fees
LAGOS—STUDENTS of Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo,
yesterday threatened violent protest should Governor
Babatunde Fashola of the state fail to reduce the
institution’s tuition fees from N348, 750 to N65, 500.
At a briefing, the students’ union President, Nurudeen Yusuf,
flanked by other leaders of the students, said the union had
in its proposal to Governor Fashola on April 27, proposed
N65, 500 and N46, 500 to be paid by new and returning
students respectively.
He insisted that the students were ready to engage the
government and management in a showdown, if their
demands were not met promptly.
OMG!!!!!Husband remanded for killing wife over bush meat
JALINGO — A 30-year-old man, Ambrose Anthony,
yesterday appeared before a Jalingo chief magistrates’
court for allegedly killing his wife, Helen, after a
disagreement over bush meat.
The accused from Yorro area in Taraba State was charged
with culpable homicide in line with Section 221 of the Penal
Code.
Prosecutor Mela Joseph said the incident occurred on April
7.
Joseph told the court that the accused hit his wife’s
abdomen with firewood over her alleged failure to account
for the bush meat he bought from a village market.
He said the injuries sustained by Helen led to her death
while on admission at the General Hospital, Zing.
He pleaded with the court to adjourn the case to enable the
police conclude investigation on the case.
No plea was taken.
The magistrate, Victoria Barnabas, adjourned the case till
May 20 and remanded the accused in prison custody.
DIVORCE:Mother of 2 seeks divorce over frequent beatings
OKUTA (KWARA)—A mother of two, Jemilat Duro, in Okuta,
Kwara State, has sought the dissolution of her six year-old
marriage to her husband, Mohammed Duro, over frequent
beatings.
The plaintiff, yesterday, pleaded with an Okuta Area Court to
separate the union that produced two children.
In his reaction, Duro urged the court not to grant the relief
sought by the plaintiff, saying: “I still love my wife and I do
not want to divorce her.”
In his ruling, the presiding judge, Malam Ahmed Yahaya,
adjourned the case till May 15 for reconciliation between
the two parties.
DAVIDO ON IT AGAIN: ‘Aye’ most watched video on YouTube
Malala: abducted Nigerian girls are my sisters
DISCOVERY:Egypt discovers tomb of Pharaonic-foreign minister
The tomb of a Pharaonic official, whose role was similar to
that of a foreign minister, has been found in Egypt,
Antiquities Minister, Mohammed Ibrahim said on Thursday.
The tomb, discovered by Cairo University’s archaeologists
in the Saqqara archaeological zone south of the Giza
pyramids, belonged to a man called Paser.
Paser was head of the Army Archives and Royal Messenger
to foreign countries, the ministry said.
It includes painted scenes of the afterlife of the deceased,
showing his funeral, the tribunal of the underworld presided
over by the god Osiris and the goddess of the west
welcoming the deceased.
The tomb is thought to date to ancient Egypt’s 20th
Dynasty, which reigned in the 12th and 11th centuries BC.
(dpa/NAN)
Schoolgirls abduction: Northern Governors’ Forum welcomes U.S. offer of military assistance
The Northern Governors’ Forum on Wednesday welcomed
the U.S. government’s offer of military assistance to
Nigeria to help locate and rescue the over 200 schoolgirls
abducted in Chibok, Borno.
The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Niger, Dr
Babangida Aliyu, expressed the forum’s position at a
meeting on Wednesday night in Abuja between some select
Northern governors and the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) Administrator Rajah Shah.
The visiting top U.S. envoy hosted the governors at the
residence of the Mission Director of USAID in Nigeria,
Michael Harvey, in Maitama, Abuja.
Aliyu told the U.S. official that the April 14 abduction
happened in a part of the country “where up till today we
still beg parents to bring their children to school”.
‘`For the abduction to happen in a school environment
means that if we do not do anything, we will be taken fifty
years back, because many parents would be discouraged to
send their children to school.
“So we welcome the participation and assistance of the
American government to ensure that we are able to get this
children back alive and for us to have more secure
environment.’’
The forum’s chairman thanked USAID for concentrating
many of its programmes in the north, especially in the
health sector and girl-child education.
He said the meeting was a follow-up to the meeting held in
March in Washington D.C. between U.S. officials and the
governors, which centered on security issues and
development of the region.
“People should understand that when we talk about
security, it is not normally about the bullet and the guns;
security is about the welfare of people,” Aliyu said.
Earlier, Shah expressed deep sympathy for the families of
the kidnapped girls and reiterated President Barrack
Obama’s commitment to help find the missing girls.
Boko Haram, through its leader Abubakar Shekau, had
claimed responsibility for taking the girls.
According to the Nigeria police, 53 of the girls have
managed to escape from the captors while 223 of them are
still missing.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James
Entwistle, had later told reporters that he held discussions
earlier on Wednesday afternoon with some Nigeria security
officials on what the “U.S. team might look like”.
“Obviously I cannot share out those details but we are in
the process of putting together a team that we think will
respond to what your security officials had told me you
need,’’ he said.
The ambassador said the team would be in Nigeria shortly
and did not provide further details on the composition of the
inter-agency team offered by the U.S. government.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Governors
Umaru Tanko Al-mukara (Nasarawa), Idris Wada (Kogi),
Mukhtar Yero (Kaduna) , Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and
Acting governor of Taraba Garba Umar attended the
meeting.
Others are the Deputy Governors of Jigawa, Kano and
Benue, Ahmed Gumel, Dr Umar Ganduje and Stephen
Lawani, respectively as well as the Secretary to the Zamfara
State Government, Tijani Kaura.
Prof Ade Adefuye, Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S., also
attended the meeting which went into closed-door by 9.00
p.m. (NAN)
Wednesday, 7 May 2014
UNILAG Undergraduate At War With NIPOST Over Missing Diamond Ring And Blackberry Z10
Written by Harry Talkx
Last-ditch diplomacy as Ukraine fighting spreads
(AFP) – Western powers on Wednesday launched a
desperate last-gasp drive for a diplomatic solution to stop
Ukraine sliding into civil war, as fighting spread closer to
the Russian border.
The head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation
in Europe, Swiss President Didier Burkhalter, was to meet
Russian leader Vladimir Putin after Moscow quashed a
German-led plan for new peace talks.
And Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague held talks in
Kiev, as the Western-backed government there stepped up
its military offensive to seize back a string of eastern towns
and cities under the control of pro-Russian gunmen.
On the ground, local media reported that Ukrainian security
forces had “liberated” the town hall in the port city of
Mariupol near the Russian border.
Explosions and gunfire were also heard overnight in the
flashpoint eastern town of Slavyansk, an AFP reporter there
said, as the military advanced on rebel-held positions in the
centre of what has become a hotbed of separatist activity.
Authorities there claim to have killed more than 30 rebels in
a relentless assault on the city. But they have also lost at
least nine personnel and three helicopter gunships in the
battle with well-armed separatists.
The Russian flag that used to fly over the town hall has been
taken down and rebels said they could either stay in the
barricaded building they have held for several weeks or
abandon it as the situation demands.
Nearly 90 people have died in less than a week in military
operations or clashes between pro-Russians and
supporters of Ukrainian unity, leading French President
Francois Hollande to warn of “chaos and the risk of civil
war”.
Germany too has said it fears an all-out military conflict, as
Putin weighs whether to launch an invasion with the
estimated 40,000 troops he has stationed on the border.
- ‘Bogus’ referendum looms -
With relations between Moscow and the West plumbing
depths not seen since the end of the Cold War, the United
States and Russia continued to trade barbs as the clock
ticked towards an independence referendum planned in
eastern Ukraine on May 11.
US Secretary of State John Kerry dismissed the vote as
“bogus” and drew parallels with a referendum in Crimea that
was annexed by Russia in March.
“This is really the Crimea playbook all over again, and no
civilised nation is going to recognise the results of such a
bogus effort,” Kerry told reporters.
“We flatly reject this illegal effort to further divide Ukraine.”
The West accuses Russia of stoking tension to destabilise
the former Soviet republic ahead of planned presidential
elections on May 25 — which Moscow says would be
“absurd” to hold amid the current unrest.
Both Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of “fascism”
amid fears of fresh violence on Friday when the two
countries prepare to mark the Soviet victory in World War II.
Putin will oversee a display of Russia military might in the
iconic Red Square while celebrations will be more muted in
Kiev amid fears of pro-Russian “provocation”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as
saying on Wednesday that “Europe has been turning a blind
eye to how fascism has been gaining new supporters”.
He demanded a full investigation into the deaths of 42
people in the southern city of Odessa on Friday, most of
them pro-Russian militants who died in a horrific building
fire as they traded petrol bombs with pro-Kiev
demonstrators.
“What happened in Odessa on May 2 is pure fascism,” said
Lavrov.
OSCE chief Burkhalter has urged a ceasefire on the ground
to allow elections to take place as diplomats scramble to
resuscitate a peace deal clinched last month that called for
armed groups to abandon their positions in the east.
Speaking after a meeting with around 30 European foreign
ministers in Vienna on Tuesday, Lavrov said a second
peace meeting would be a waste of time without also
including the separatists.
- Sectoral sanctions -
The West has warned Moscow it will step up sanctions on
Russia’s recession-threatened economy if it continue to
sow chaos in its western neighbour.
US President Barack Obama has warned the sanctions will
be broadened to include whole sections of Russia’s
economic activity.
US sanctions against Moscow over the escalating unrest
have taken a toll on the Russian economy, Daniel Glaser,
the US Treasury assistant secretary for terrorist financing,
told a hearing in Congress.
The limited sanctions so far in place have stimulated a
heavy capital flight from Russia, hobbled a bank close to
Putin and taken economic growth to near zero, he said.
Woman, daughter arraigned for abduction in Benin
BENIN— A woman, Magdalene Ohenhen, 47, and her
daughter, Grace, 23, have been arraigned by the Police in
Edo State magistrate’s court for allegedly abducting a 19-
year-old girl, one Miss Precious Ogiefa.
The duo are being charged for conspiracy to commit felony
and unlawful abduction and if convicted, they are liable to
seven years imprisonment.
Police prosecutor, Sylvester Omor, an Assistant
Superintendent of Police, ASP, told the court that the
accused conspired to commit the felony on March 22, at
Noghahase Str., off First East Circular road, Benin where
they abducted Miss Precious Ogiefa.
According to the prosecutor, the accused capitalized on the
girl’s health challenges to abduct her contrary to the
provisions of sections 516 and 361 of the Criminal Code.
He said it was the victim’s father, Mr. Paul Ogiefa, who
lodged a report with the police, accused the suspects of
abducting his daughter.
When the charges were read to them, they pleaded not
guilty and Chief Magistrate Mike Osayi admitted them to
bail in the sum of N300,000 each with one surety each in
like sum.
He adjourned the case till May 15, 2014 for hearing.
…2 for impersonation
In another development, two persons, Faruke Usman, 25 and
Shehu Abubakar, 23, have been arraigned before an Oredo
Magistrates Court for alleged impersonation.
Police prosecutor, Mr. Sylvester Omor, told the court that on
April 14, 2014, the accused presented themselves as Army
officers before the public in Benin-City and fought with a
police officer, Ahonle Igein, thereby committing an offence
contrary to sections 109 and 351 of the Criminal Code.
The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the
two-count charge and were granted bail in the sum of
N50,000 with a surety in like sum.
Female worker stabs colleague to death in Aba
ABA— A female worker identified as Miss Chiamaka Osondu,
30, who works in a local custard manufacturing factory in
Aba has been arrested by Policemen from Ndiegoro
Division for allegedly stabbing her colleague, Miss Chizoba
Nwachukwu, 22, to death with a knife.
According to reports, the factory located at 18, Adimora
Street in Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State
was deserted by other workers shortly after the incident
when it became clear that their colleague was dead.
It was gathered that the Chiamaka had been absenct from
work for two weeks and within the period of her absence,
the deceased was making use of a plastic rubber that
belongs to her colleague which the suspect didn’t like on
resumption.
A source who didn’t want to be mentioned for fear of being
victimized said: “On Monday, when Chiamaka resumed
work unannounced, she met Chizoba using her plastic
rubber to mix custard. She confronted her.
It was while they were exchanging words that Chizoba hit
her with something on her cheek and in retaliation,
Chiamaka stabbed her on the neck with a sharp object
which resulted to bleeding and her death.”
It was gathered that the victim fled the scene after she
noticed that her colleague was gasping for breath. She was
said to have died before help could come her way.
Contacted, Geoffrey Ogbonna, Abia State Police Public
Relations Officer, said he was yet to be informed of the
incident.
Suspected kidnapper set ablaze in Lagos
LAGOS — A woman accused of an attempt to kidnap three
primary school pupils in Ekoro area of Abule-Egba, Lagos
was yesterday set ablaze by an angry mob.
The incident occurred barely 24 hours after two primary
school pupils were rescued from a suspected kidnapper at
Ile-epo area of Egbe.
Report said the three pupils, two males and a female, whose
ages were put between seven and 10 years, were on their
way to school at about 7 a.m when the unnamed woman
accosted them on a pretense that she was taking them to
school.
But a female hawker said to have suspected her moves
reportedly alerted bystanders along Ekoro Road who
challenged the woman.
Eye witnesses said the woman claimed the children were
hers, but the names she called them differed from those the
children gave.
Eye witnesses further said the direction the woman was
taking the children to was not that of the school the children
attend.
According to an eye witness, who gave his name as
Chionye, “All the responses she gave were contrary to that
given by the pupils.
“When asked of the name of the school, she had to strain
her eyes to see if she could read it from the badge on the
children’s school uniform. When we asked the pupils if they
knew her, they shook their heads.
“It was at that point that a man from the crowd that had
gathered round her said the woman parked her car
somewhere around the direction she was taking the
children.
“Not satisfied with her explanation, the mob was said to
have descended on her, in the process of which she was set
ablaze before the arrival of policemen.
The incident reportedly caused a hitch in the free flow of
traffic.
Effort to get the reaction of the Lagos State Police Public
Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, failed as she could not be
reached on phone.
Meanwhile, effort by another woman to kidnap two primary
school pupils, Monday, at Ile-epo area of Egbe was foiled by
passers-by.
Report said the woman had succeeded in abducting the
children and took them under the bridge and was making
calls to some unknown person that she had found some
‘goods’ when she was apprehended.
Passers-by among whom was one Colonel Adeniran,
reportedly kept the woman hostage before the arrival of
policemen from Ejigbo division.
Sources at the division said investigation was ongoing.
The arrest brings to fore, five cases of foiled kidnap attempt
in two weeks.
Man docked over theft of N45m house document
LAGOS—A 64-year-old man, Adio Adeboye, who allegedly
stole original title house document worth N45 million was,
yesterday, charged before an Ikeja magistrate’s court.
The defendant, who was arraigned before Magistrate
Abimbola Komolafe, is facing a two-count charge of
conspiracy and stealing, preferred against him by the
police.
The prosecutor, ASP Eranus Nnamonu, told the court that
Adeboye and others at large conspired to commit the
offence sometimes in August 2012 at 25, Onipede Street,
Lawanson area of Lagos.
He said the stolen house document belonged to one Alhaji
Oseni.
Earlier the defendant had pleaded not guilty to the charges
against him and Magistrate Komolafe granted him bail in the
sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum.
She adjourned the matter till July 17, 2014.
Police recover rifles from dustbin in Kano
KANO —The Police Command in Kano State said yesterday
that it had recovered two rifles from a dustbin in Kano
metropolis.
ASP Magaji Majia, the command’s spokesman, said this in
a statement in Kano.
He said the recovered weapons included one K2 and one G3
rifles, adding that the feat was achieved following a tip-off.
“The command is particularly happy with the piece of
information given which led to the recovery of two rifles
concealed in a dustbin,” Majia said.
He called on residents to continue to give valuable
information to law enforcement agencies in order to
maintain peace and order.
Prophet TB Joshua Delivers Notorious Drug Baron
Father jailed 6 yrs for killing his 9-month-old sick son with herbicide
BAUCHI — The Bauchi State High Court Number 10 presided
by Justice Abdulkadir Hussein Suleiman has sentenced a
father to six years in prison for administering chemical
herbicide to his 9-month-old child.
Counsel to the state Ministry of Justice, Mr Sha’awanatu
Yusuf, earlier told the court that on June 6, 2013, the
convict, Shitu Adamu of Zakshi village in Toro Local
Government Area poisoned his nine-month-old biological
son by administering herbicide chemical on him and as a
result, the son died on the spot.
He said the act was culpable homicide punishable with
death contrary to section 221 of the penal code.
In his evidence, the Police prosecutor, Sgt. Caiphas Adamu,
told the court that the accused, who is a father of two,
confessed to have committed the crime during
investigation.
He said his nine-month-old son was sick and his wife, who
was four-month pregnant, took him to hospital.
The Police prosecutor said his wife gave her husband a list
of prescription, but he complained that he had no money at
that time, so he administered a chemical herbicide on his
son, thinking that it will cure the sickness, unfortunately the
boy died.
The prosecutor said the accused attributed his action to
poverty and unemployment and regretted his action in his
confessional statement.
In her evidence, wife of the accused, Lantana Shitu, said she
went to fetch water in a pond and when she came back, she
saw that her son was vomiting and later died.
She said: “I did not know what happened until three days
later when our village head called my husband concerning
the issue and he confessed that he was the one that
poisoned his son with herbicide.”
In his judgment, the presiding judge, Justice Abdulkadir
Suleiman, said he considered the accused’s plea for
leniency made on his behalf by his counsel.
According to Justice Suleiman, “I have also taken into
account that the convict is the first offender and appears to
be remorseful throughout the trial. I hereby sentence him to
six years imprisonment commencing from June 24, 2013,
the day he was remanded in prison custody.”
Hunter mistakes man for antelope, shoots him dead in Ogun
ABEOKUTA — A 40-year-old hunter, Oguntola Joel, was
yesterday arraigned before an Abeokuta magistrate’s court
sitting in Isabo for allegedly shooting dead one Obasi John
while pursuing an antelope in the bush.
The prosecutor, Inspector Augustine Ozimini, told the court
that Joel committed the murder on March 28, in a farm at
Orile-Ilugun, Abeokuta while on hunting expedition.
He said that the offence was contrary to section 316(1) of
the criminal code laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.
But the accused denied that he deliberately killed the man,
saying he went to his farm to hunt as usual on the fateful
day when he saw an antelope and shot towards the
direction of the animal, but surprisingly, he heard the groan
of a human being.
According to him, I went to the police station to report the
matter and I later took the man to hospital for treatment
but he died the following day.
“I did not shoot him intentionally, I was running after an
antelope not a human being,” he said.
The magistrate, Emmanuel Adekunte, who did not take the
plea of the accused due to the nature of the charge,
remanded the accused in prison custody and adjourned
the case till July 11, 2014, pending the advice of the
Director Public Prosecution, DPP.
Ogun police arrest 11 land grabbers with rifles, charms
ABEOKUTA — The Ogun State Police Command said,
yesterday, that it had arrested 11 land grabbers with
weapons and charms while allegedly launching attacks on
residents of Idi- Agbon, in Ilogbo-Ota in Ado Odo Ota Local
Government Area of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa
Adejobi, in a statement said the suspects were arrested
Saturday at about 6pm by men of anti-robbery team
attached to Ota Area Command
According to Adejobi, two AK-47 rifles, three pump action
guns, 38 rounds of AK-47 rifle ammunition , 48 live
cartridges, some offensive weapons and assorted charms
were recovered from the suspects at the scene.
“Those arrested, who came from neighbouring states,
include Wasiu Musa,33; Nasiru Olanrewaju, 28; Segun
Iseotan, 25; Friday Onakpise, 24; Owolabi Shobayo, 32;
Nurudeen Akanni, 21; Damilola Oluwole, 32; Segun Tehela,
33; Ajibola Adekunle, 33; Ademola Adenuga,30 and
Olakunle Sholeye, 32.
“The activities of land grabbers or so-called Ajagungbales
have been a concern to all and sundry in Ogun State
particularly the police because of the terror they unleash on
innocent people of the state and the sophisticated weapons
they possess.
“The command will not in anyway tolerate any act of terror
or hooliganism or vandalism in any form that is capable of
causing mayhem, threats or fears in the minds of the good
people of the state.
“The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP
Ikemefuna Okoye, has directed the Assistant Commissioner
of Police in charge of Department of Criminal Investigation,
Eleweran, Abeokuta to carry out a thorough investigation on
the case and those found culpable be charged to court
accordingly.
“The command, therefore, appeals to the general public to
always inform the police or other security agencies around
them of the criminal activities of these miscreants called
Ajagungbales for necessary action and proper investigation
as the command will not leave any stone unturned to get
Ogun State rid of them.”
Boko Haram misleads Army, kills 300 in fresh Borno attack
At least 300 people were confirmed dead on Monday when
Boko Haram gunmen in armoured vehicles stormed
Gamborou Ngala town in Borno state.
According source the security forces earlier deployed to
area, moved to the Lake Chad axis when they received
intelligence report that some gunmen were sighted with
abducted schoolgirls moving to the area.
The insurgents targetted a local market and fired sporadic
shots into the crowd before proceeding into the town to
wreak more havoc.
Gamborou, which is situated along Nigeria-Cameroon
border is the administrative headquatres of Ngala local
government of the state, about 200km from Maiduguri, the
capital city.
Senator Ahmed Zannah, who is from the area confirmed the
killings, said the invaders spent 12 hours wreaking havoc
on defenceless civilians.
He said several other persons were also injured in the
attack, while almost all the houses and shops in the town
were burnt down.
Senator zannah, who spoke in a BBC Hausa report
monitored in Maiduguri yesterday said many people were
wounded, while surviving victims rendered homeless as
thousands of houses and shops were burnt by the
rampaging gunmen.
He pointed out that the attackers were armed with
dangerous weapons comprising of Armored Personnel
Carries , (APC), Improvised Explosive Devices, (IEDs), petrol
bombs, assault rifles and Rocket Propelled Launchers
(RPGs).
“The attackers stormed the communities in the night when
residents were still sleeping, setting ablaze houses, shops
and residents who tried to escaped from
the fire, were shot ” Shehu said.
He added also that “ About 300 persons were confirmed
dead after the incident,
with several others injured. Almost all the houses in the
communities were destroyed by the hoodlums who threw
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at the
buidings.
My brother who was at the scene of the attack told me that
the actual number of the dead cannot be ascertained but at
least they are upto 300. In fact as we spoke he wept
following the high number of the dead bodies which littered
the market”, he declared.
According to him, the security forces earlier deployed to
area, moved to the Lake Chad axis when they received
intelligence report that some gunmen were sighted with
abducted schoolgirls moving to the area.
“Initially there were many security operatives in the town to
secure it from possible attacks. However upon receiving
information over the movements of insurgents with
kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls towards Lake Chad area,they
withdraw and moved further to confront the gunmen.
It was just an hour after their withdrawal that the terrorists
indaved the town, shooting everyone at sight and setting
buildings on fire. So far 200 vehicles and thousands of
houses, shops and an outfit of the Nigerian Customs
Service, (NCS) were all burnt”, he explained.
A local government official who declined identification also
confirmed the casualty figures.
“It is really a terrible situation, we had wanted to rush relief
materials to the area to provide temporary succor to the
victims. But we were prevailed upon by security agents to
shelve our plans on security reasons”.
The official appealed to the state and Federal Governmenst
to assist the area with resources towards rehabilitating the
victims.
Reps summon PPMC, MD over N10bn aircraft charter scandal
Either Jonathan goes to Sambisa forest or Shekau remains at Nyanya
BEYOND any thing we’ve ever seen in the past, Nigeria is
today under the siege of terrorist insurgents. We are a
besieged people. The yet unresolved abduction of nearly
250 school girls in Chibok earlier brought home loud hints
of this.
Last Thursday’s attack at Nyanya motor park confirms it
beyond any doubt. With this confirmation the terrorists have
placed two clear choices before President Goodluck
Jonathan: either he accepts their invitation to visit their
hideout in Sambisa forest or risk their permanent presence
at his doorstep in Abuja. This puts the President between a
rock and a hard place if he truly understands the import of
this open challenge to his authority and presidency.
But the choice is his- to respond to this ‘in-your-face’
challenge or go down in history as the worst politician yet
to take up the tenancy of Nigeria’s seat of power.
And if the President thinks he can continue to play the
ostrich, holed up in endless meetings inside the presidential
chamber when he is not on one of his interminable
campaign rallies for 2015, events in the last several days
during which Nigerians across the country and people in
different parts of the world have demanded through street
protests and the social network that the President stop
seating on his hand- the rising calls across the world that
he acts like the leader he is supposed to be, should tell him
that he’s been mistaken all the while he thought he could
drivel his way through the whole abduction fiasco in his
usual manner. Mr. Jonathan must, hopefully, be coming to
the sobering realization that there is more to being
president than flaunting the unimpressive credential of
being the fortuitous candidate of a ‘minority’ group or
gorging oneself on cassava bread.
Three weeks after Goodluck Jonathan sought to clear his
thoughts of the nightmare of the Nyanya bomb blast that
had claimed nearly 100 lives with even higher figures of the
injured; three weeks after he thought he could cut off scenes
of his dance macabre at a Kano campaign rally less than 24
hours after the Nyanya gory attack; indeed three weeks
after the outrage of Chibok, thunder once more struck at the
same place, when bombs shattered the fragile silence of
Nyanya motor park and prematurely sent more Nigerians to
their grave . This happened right under the nose of the
heavily-armed troops which Jonathan as Commander-in-
Chief had sent to secure Nyanya motor park!
We have read of the traffic gridlock created by these troops
in their efforts to keep Abuja safe from terrorist attack.
Nigerians have had first hand experience of travelling in the
direction of Nyanya and Abuja as a whole in the wake of the
terrorist attacks and have unpleasant tales to tell of it all.
The last thing they could have expected is another attack at
the same place that is yet a crime scene under Jonathan’s
ever watchful security personnel. But it happened,
incredible as it might sound, telling us that the terrorists are
set for a showdown with Goodluck Jonathan and the ruling
cohort that have become hostage of their own shadows in
the country’s capital.
While they spurned the direct invitation to Sambisa forest
that the Chibok abduction demanded, the terrorists have
decided to take the battle to the oligarchs of Abuja. They
know what cowardly blather is being spewed at Nigerians
by the braggarts in power and are no longer ready to keep
things on a low key.
Like Elijah and the Prophets of Baal, the terrorists have
issued an open challenge to Jonathan and the battle ground
is Nyanya, not Mount Carmel or any other place Jonathan
may choose to go. Jonathan and his men can not, must not
ignore this challenge.
They must either prove their presence in Nyanya and other
places where the insurgents have taken over or they would
have washed their hands off the safety and security of
Nigerians. I have recently asked in this space if Jonathan
can go to Sambisa forest.
It didn’t look like he was prepared to even though that was
an opportunity to let off his inhibitions about bringing down
fire on the terrorists. Even when Chibok mocked his Janus-
faced approach to fighting terror and made nonsense of his
pacifist rhetoric, Jonathan continued to prove to Nigerians
and the rest of the world that he is a politician incapable of
making hard choices, that he is only fit to attend meetings
where empty threats are issued.
Jonathan might not have given a damn about offering
excuses for the corruption in which his ministerial aides
swim; he may not see any thing worthwhile asking
questions of his footloose ministers who continue to pile up
hundreds of thousands of carbon footprints in extravagant
air travels; the President may surely not see any reason
why he should be expected to be firm against terrorism
when politicians from the region most affected by terror all
but invited it into their home and gave it a large room to
grow.
But he was the one Nigerians made their president, the one
millions through an electoral process, however flawed,
invested with the presidential authority to act on their
behalf. He it was who swore on oath to serve and protect
Nigerians. It is to him Nigerians now turn for answer to the
menace and curse of terrorism. He must do what he swore
to do. It is neither a favour nor something he could choose
to do or not without losing the basis of his present position.
This is his duty, his manifest destiny as the Nigerian
president.
President Jonathan must know that as president he carries
the fate of Nigeria in his hands. He has failed up to this
point to meet the expectations of the people. Like a
confused child he has blundered his way through many
fateful events. He must give up his childish ways and begin
to act like a true parent aware of his responsibility by his
children.
The power he has must be exercised in the service of
Nigerians as a matter of course. He cannot continue in the
same helpless manner he has so far maintained his
presidency like someone beholden to his aides, one who
looks up to them like a child looks up to his parent in
confusion.
The forbidden territories of the Goodluck Jonathan
presidency must be stormed. They must no longer stir fear
in him or make him weak at the knees. Among the previous
disasters of his presidency, Sambisa and Nyanya are
proving the most tricky and dangerous. They are the
immediate elephants in his room of dereliction. He must
either go to Sambisa forest today or cede Nyanya to
terrorists.
Tuesday, 6 May 2014
Jolie says Nigeria kidnappings ‘unthinkable cruelty’
TABOO!!! 65-Yr-Old Church Elder Rapes, Impregnates Own Daughter
A 65-year-old man narrowly escaped lynching over
the weekend in Imo state following accusations that
he impregnated his 17 year-old-daughter.
The man, an elder of a Pentecostal church was
besieged by angry youths of Kalabari Beach in Oguta
Local Government Area of Imo State, who dragged
him out of his home and beat him up until he was
rescued by a lawyer.
According to the youth, the man is responsible for his
daughter’s five-month-old pregnancy.
Vanguard reports that the pregnant girl is the man’s
first daughter whom he had with his second wife who
is late.
During an interview, the 65-yr-old confessed that he
forcefully started sleeping with his daughter about
five months back. Since then, he has has s*x with her
six times and he blames it all on the devil.
The victim said her father, a junior student of St
Michael’s Secondary School, Orsu-Obodo, said her
father had threatened to deal with her after raping her
the first time.
She also revealed that he had concluded plans to sell
her baby on delivery.
Lanre Nzeribe Blasts Monalisa Chinda: “She Is An Incompetent Liar”
Photos Of DonJazzy’s Cars Worth Over N200Million; See How Much They Each Cost
“I And Beverly Osu Now Live Under The Same Roof” – Bimp Of BBA Reveals
Singer Emma Nyra and her Manager Ubi Franklin In Secrete Love Affair!
Abuja Pastor Killed My Wife with ''Holy Water'' – Husband Cries
Pics: Stunning Actress Mercy Aigbe Caught in The Act!
GBEGE!!! Yvonne Okoro Disgraces Iyanya Over Yvonne Nelson
Boko Haram abducts 8 girls in another Borno attack
No fewer than 8 teenage girls between the ages of 12 to 15
have been abducted by suspected Boko Haram terrorists in
Warabe village of Gwoza Local government area of Borno
state.
The gunmen also carted away foodstuff and livestocks
belonging to the villagers before fleeing into the bush.
Gwoza is about 160 kilometres from Maiduguri the state
capital. The council had witnessed series of attacks by
terrorists in recent times.
A resident of Warabe village, Mallam Bello Umar in a
telephone chat confirmed the incident, pointing out that he
was a resident of the village before he ran and settled in
Gwoza following the increasing cases of Boko Haram
attacks in Warabe and other neighbouring villages in
Gwoza council area.
File: Abducted girls
” A group of terrorists invaded Warabe village on Sunday
night, abducted 8 of our teenage girls before carting away
with our foodstuffs and livestock.
“As I am talking to you know, I have ran to Gwoza council
headquarters, and even in Gwoza, we are restricted around
the council secretariat due to the fear of the terrorists. The
situation is so pathetic as almost all Gwoza people
including villagers who came for safety are only restricted
in a safer zone close to the council secretariat where there
is enough presence of security personnel”, Bello said.
Man dies in romp at Ebonyi varsity girls’ hostel
ABAKALIKI — A middle aged man (names withheld),
yesterday, died in Abakaliki while having marathon sex with
a female student of Ebonyi State University, EBSU,
Abakaliki.
The incident, it was gathered, happened at the girl’s hostel
room near the Presco campus of the university.
Sources at the hostel, where the incident occurred, said the
man died in the day time inside the room of the said female
student located at Goddy Ogbaga Avenue during a
marathon sex with her.
It was gathered that the lover-girl, after the incident, took
the body of the deceased to his car before she proceeded to
report the incident to the police. She was immediately
arrested and is currently helping the police in the
investigation of the incident.
A hostel resident, who did not want his name in print, told
Vanguard: “It threw the entire hostel residents into
confusion as everybody began to run helter-skelter to
evade police arrest. Some of the hostel residents have been
arrested by police.”
“I did not know what was happening until when police
stormed our hostel and began to arrest everybody on sight.
But from what I heard the man visited the girl and in the
process of making love, he died.
“I cannot say for sure if the man was a mere acquaintance
to the girl or not. All I can say for sure is that I have not
been seeing the man visiting the girl in the past.
“I don’t know the girl very well because our hostel is very
large. It is a three-storey building and many students are
living there. I do not know who is who except my friends.
So I don’t know the name of the girl, department or her level
in school.”
Police spokesman in the state, ASP Chris Anyanwu,
confirmed the incident but said he had not been fully briefed
on the incident.
N10bn jet scandal: Reps stall hearing on Alison-Madueke’s suit
ABUJA— Failure of the House of Representatives to honour
the summons issued against it by the Federal High Court in
Abuja, yesterday, stalled hearing on the suit by the Minister
of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Trial judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed had, on April 29,
directed the lower House to appear before him yesterday to
explain the origin of the restraining order it said stopped its
Public Accounts Committee, PAC, from investigating
allegation that the Minister spent N10 billion on chartered
private jets.
Members of the committee, led by its Chairman, Solomon
Olamilekan, had at a press conference held on April 28, said
they were served with a restraining order from the court,
stopping further investigation into the allegation against the
Minister.
They accused the judiciary of attempting to usurp their
oversight function, saying they would suspend the
investigation to study the said restraining order with a view
to responding accordingly.
Minister, NNPC, court deny order
However, the Minister and the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation, NNPC, who are the plaintiffs in the matter, had
since denied serving any restraining order on the House,
even as the court also denied issuing such order.
Consequently, Justice Mohammed, on the last adjourned
date, summoned the House to “come and clear the air” on
whether it was actually restrained from going ahead with
the probe.
At the resumed sitting yesterday, though the National
Assembly, which was joined as the 1st respondent in the
suit, was represented by its lawyer Mr. Yakubu Mikyau
(SAN), no lawyer appeared for the House of
Representatives.
However, both Mikyau and Madueke’s lawyer, Mr. Etigwe
Uwa (SAN), told the court that they earlier received a call
from Mr. A. B. Mammud (SAN), who said he had been
briefed by the Speaker of the House but was yet to receive
copies of the relevant court processes.
Though Madueke’s lawyer urged the court to take decisive
action against the House for “disrespecting the direct orders
of this court,” Mikyau, pleaded with the court for a short
adjournment on behalf of the House.
‘House must appear in court’
In a short ruling, Justice Mohammed insisted that the House
must appear before him to explain where it got the said
restraining order from.
“Is it not in everybody’s interest to know what document
the 2nd defendant relied upon to make a press statement
that it was stopped by this court?” the judge queried.
“In the interest of justice, I will excuse the absence of the
2nd defendant in court today, believing that as a
responsible arm of government the 2nd defen-dant will
appear on the next adjourn date,” he added.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to May 26, even as
the court directed that fresh hearing notice be served on the
House.
The suit
In the suit, the plaintiffs are praying the court for an order of
interim injunction restraining the defendants, whether by
themselves, their members, committees or agents from
summoning or directing them to appear before any
committee, particularly the PAC, which was set up by the
House to conduct the investigation.
They are also seeking an order of the court stopping the
committee from asking any official of the ministry or the
NNPC to produce any papers, notes or other documents or
give any evidence in line with a letter from the House dated
March 26, pending the hearing and determination of the
motion on notice.
More so, the plaintiffs are urging the court to issue an order
of interim injunction restraining the defendants from issuing
a warrant to compel the Minister’s attendance, or the
attendance of any official of the ministry or NNPC with
regard to the investigation and to also in the alternative,
make an order of status quo, directing the parties to
maintain the current position with regard to the
investigation, as of the date of filing of the suit.
Omisore threatens to sue Aregbesola for calling him ex-convict
Human parts dealer issues price list in Lagos…says skull sells for N20,000
Charly Boy plans concert for late father, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa
Abuja – Maverick entertainer Charly Boy, (real name
Charles Oputa), on Monday said prominent musicians,
Dbanj and Terry G would perform at a concert to mark the
death of his father, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa.
Oputa, the former Justice of the Supreme Court (JSC), died
Sunday afternoon at the National Hospital in Abuja at the
age of 96 after recovering from a brief illness.
Charly Boy, who spoke at his residence on Monday in
Abuja, said his father lived a fulfilled life “so there is a great
need to celebrate him’’.
He urged Nigerians not to sympathise with him rather “they
should join in celebrating a life well lived’’.
“My father was a good and great man, though we did not
start off well because in the beginning he always felt I was
too rascal.
“ I did not obey orders and I got tired of his rules,
regulations and restrictions so it was important that I go my
own way.
“I thank God I did that because at long last since the past
25 years; I won the kind of respect I deserved from the man
who thought that the direction I took was a wrong move.’’
“For the past 25 years, we bonded and I am proud to have
had a father like him.
Charly boy said that his father brought him up on a strong
`overdose’ of morals, values, principles and how to be
contented and be at peace with oneself.
“I will continue to apply these virtues to my life.’’
Mr Mike Okiro, a retired IGP, one of the sympathisers at the
Oputa’s residence, described the late justice as a rare
nugget.
Okiro said that his death was a big loss to the family, the
judiciary and the country.
He said that late Oputa was a legend, especially in the
judiciary, who was recognised internationally and would be
missed greatly.
“He was a great man and he lived a very good life worthy of
emulation,’’ he said.
A musician, Daniel Wilson, who also condoled with the
family, described the late Oputa as a rare gem that lived a
great.
He said his memory would live on. (NAN)
Prosecution tenders Cynthia’s naked pictures found in defendant’s laptop
LAGOS — The prosecution in the trial of Cynthia Osokogu’s
alleged murderers, yesterday, presented before a Lagos
High Court in Igbosere, a laptop containing naked pictures
of the deceased.
Among the pictures presented, Cynthia’s body was seen
cellotaped. In another one, her international passport was
placed on her chest and another picture was a close-up
shot of her private part.
The four defendants are Okwumo Nwabufo, 33; Olisaeloka
Ezike, 23; Orji Osita, 33 and Ezike Nonso, 25.
Led-in-evidence by Lagos State Attorney General, Mr. Ade
Ipaye, the prosecution’s witness (PW2), Sgt. John Babalola,
told the court that the said pictures were sent by the 1st
defendant (Nwabufo) from his Blackberry phone to his
laptop.
“After we discovered the picture, ACP Dan Okoro, the Area
Commander, asked that additional statements be made
based on picture. The statement was signed by the 1st
defendant. When the 1st defendant was arrested, he
confessed that he knew what he did and that everything was
over. The 1st defendant sent the picture to his laptop
through his Blackberry phone. The 1st defendant operated
the Blackberry phone to show us (police) the chain used in
tying the deceased. The owner of the phone is the 1st
defendant,”Babalola said.
According to the PW2, on August 20, 2012, the 1st
defendant was arrested and his statement was taken.
Based on his confessional statement, PW2 told the court
that he and his team followed the 1st defendant to his home
in Festac and recovered the said laptop, phones and various
network SIM cards.
Babalola added: “On that same date, the 1st defendant was
asked to open the laptop, which he carried by himself to the
Area Commander’s office, and he was asked to open the
said laptop. I and one ASP Marian were there and we saw
the picture of the deceased lying down and her international
passport on her chest.”
Another prosecution’s witness (PW1), Insp. Joseph Edo,
during cross-examination, maintained that from his
investigation, he discovered that the 4th defendant (Nonso)
received stolen phones from the 1st and 2nd defendants on
three occasions.
“The 4th defendant took me to Ladipo market where he
stole somebody’s receipt which he used in selling the
deceased’s phone to somebody in Port Harcourt and the
person was arrested. He bought the phone for N30,000 and
sold for N40,000. He also knows that his elder brother does
not deal on phone. He confessed that he gave the locked
phone to a phone repairer who flashed it for him,” Edo
stated.
The witness informed the court that there was another
investigation against the defendants, in two hotels (Chelsea
Suit and Penny Hotel), where they were alleged to have
carried out similar act.
Monday, 5 May 2014
How A ‘Prophet’ R@ped A Woman In Order To ‘Heal’ Her Stomach Problem!
CAN Releases Names Of Kidnapped Schoolgirls
Residents desert communities over cult clashes, killings
PORT HARCOURT— CULTISTS have taken over Aminigboko
and Owerewere communities in Abua-Odua Local
Government Area of Rivers State while most residents have
fled the communities.
A group, Niger Delta Youths for Positive Attitudes Change
and Progress, has expressed worry over the situation.
According to president of the group, Mr. Enisuo Emmanuel,
residents had fled the communities because of incessant
clashes between rival cult groups in the communities.
He said that the situation had extended to Amnioko,
Egonhan, Emesu, Obrowna and Okobor communities, in the
Abua-Odua council.
Enisuo, who appealed to the warring youths to sheathe their
swords, said several lives had been lost to the cult clashes.
He noted that the warring cult groups had taken over
several parts of the communities, laying claim to them as
their conquered territories.
He enjoined the youths to take advantage of the various
empowerment and training programmes being organised by
the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for youths
in the region to develop their capacity and quit cultism.
He urged security operatives, the state and Federal
Governments to take urgent steps to end the killings in the
area.
Oputa, one of the finest jurists on Nigeria’s Bench —Femi Falana
Justice Chukwudifu Oputa was one of the finest jurists to
adorn the bench in Nigeria. Unlike these days when
appointment to the Supreme Court is by promotion from the
Court of Appeal, Justice Oputa was elevated from the High
Court to the apex Court. Like many of his colleagues of the
era, Justice Oputa contributed immensely to the golden era
of the nation’s Judiciary. Through his judgments the jurist
displayed deep knowledge of procedural and substantive
law. He commanded the respect and admiration of judges
and lawyers.
Owing to his prodigious grounding in philosophy he was
referred to by his learned brethren as the Socrates of the
Supreme Court. His commitment to social justice was
unparalleled. At a time in the 1980s the jurist allied with
Justice Kayode Eso and Justice Andrew Obaseki to form a
trinity of judicial activists who mobilised the Supreme Court
to dispense justice to all classes of people even if the
heavens would fall
Upon his retirement from the bench, Justice Oputa
continued to render useful service to his fatherland and
humanity. His most celebrated assignment was the
chairmanship of the Human Rights Violations Commission
otherwise called the “Oputa Panel”. In a bid to cover up the
brutal violations of the fundamental rights of Nigerians by
the former military dictators, the Olusegun Obasanjo
administration refused to release the report of the Oputa
Panel.
The greatest tribute that can be paid to Justice Oputa is for
the Federal Government to release the Report of the Oputa
Panel and proceed to implement the recommendations of
the panel. For the legal profession, Justice Oputa should be
celebrated for his incorruptibility and consistent defence of
human rights, rule of law and democracy.
Strike: Federal health workers issue 15-day ultimatum
LAGOS — The Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, has
threatened to embark on nationwide strike if Federal
Government fails to implement a mutual agreement on
workers welfare and condition of service.
In a letter released yesterday, JOHESU said there was no
going back on the strike threat, except the government
released appropriate circulars to give effect to all the
negotiated issues which includes reconstitution of boards
of health institutions, staff promotion from levels 14 to 15
on the consolidated health salary scale for directors, and
review of retirement age from 60 to 65 years.
Failure to meet this demand will resort to total withdrawal
of services starting from May 19, 2014, the group warned.
The letter entitled: “Notice of 15 Days Final Ultimatum”
addressed to the Federal Ministry of Health, FMOH, JOHESU
listed their demands to include: Non-skipping of
consolidated health salary skill, CONHESS,10, National
Health Bill, Presidential committee report on harmony in the
health sector and promotion of health professionals from
CONHESS 14 to 15.
Other demands are consultancy and specialist allowance,
call shift and other professional allowances,
implementation of 2008 Job Evaluation Committee report,
re-constitution of Boards of management of teaching and
other tertiary hospitals and appointment of ministers of
health.
Suspected ritualist nabbed with three siblings in Lagos
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