Ijaw Youths Killed Four Lagos Policemen, Escape With Corpses

Estelle says: When will all this violence stop? Killing people for doing their job and not even having mercy on what you can never create. This is sad.

Tragedy struck on Monday on Ishawo Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State, after some Ijaw youths, suspected to be pipeline vandals, opened fire on policemen in the area, killing four.

PUNCH Metro learnt that while three of the deceased were attached to the Owutu Police Division, one was from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

Residents said the Ijaw youths took away the corpses of three of their victims.

Our correspondent observed during a visit to the area that there was apprehension in the community, while there were still bloodstains at the scene of the shooting.

A resident, who asked not to be named, said he started hearing gunshots on Sunday.

He told our correspondent petrol was generally referred to as ‘water’, or ‘pure water’.

He said, “We started hearing gunshots in the evening of Sunday. But it was between 3am and 4am on Monday that the gunshots intensified.

“We did not know what transpired between the ‘pure water’ sellers and the police, who have a patrol team by the roadside, until we woke up to see blood and later learnt that some policemen had been killed.”

Another member of the community explained that the killing was due to a disagreement between the policemen and the suspected vandals.

He said the vandals had paid the policemen some money after they intercepted four tankers of fuel in the community, but the SARS officers later came to make a separate demand.

“After the policemen from Owutu had been settled, SARS operatives came and said they had not been given their own share.

“The vandals asked them to meet their colleagues who had already been paid. They told the SARS men that they were not making much money from the business and that their demand was excessive.

“The SARS officers became angry and seized the tankers.”

PUNCH Metro learnt from a police source that the vandals left the trucks and returned to their commander in the creek.

The source said the commander, one OC, was the one coordinating the vandals in the creek.

The source said, “After SARS officials took over their trucks, they threatened to take them to their station if their demands were not met. The vandals went to mobilise themselves and returned with their boss, OC.

“OC then ordered them to open fire on the policemen and that was how three of them died.”

The source identified the deceased cops attached to the Owutu division as Inspector Yerima and Corporal Adakuro, adding that one Sergeant Endurance was rescued from the scene and taken to the Ikorodu General Hospital, from where he was referred to the Lagos Island General Hospital.

He said the station immediately received a call from two other officers, who escaped unhurt, warning of the possibility of an attack on the station.

A source told PUNCH Metro that one of the slain cops, Adakuro, was of Ijaw descent, and knew many of the vandals.

It was learnt that the police corporal had called the bluff of the vandals, which aggravated the matter.

His handset, which had the phone numbers of the vandals, was said to have been taken away after the incident.

It was gathered that the Divisional Police Officer of the Owutu station had reported the case at the command headquarters.

The two policemen, who escaped unhurt, were also asked to report at the command.

A senior police source said, “The DPO reported to the CP this morning (Monday). The community has always been peaceful, but the SARS men came to cause trouble. And now, some of our men are unaccounted for.”

The General Secretary of Igbo-Olomu Central Working Committee, Obatungashe Adebayo, blamed the government for the rising insecurity in the community.

Adebayo, who stated that 60 litres of petrol was being sold for N2,500 and 30

litres for N1,500 in the community, said the government had refused to address the problem of the Ijaw militants in the area.

He said, “The question is how did they manage to get this sophisticated weapons? We don’t have peace in this community, because at times, we could just be hearing continuous gunshots, as if we are in a war zone. Successive governments have ignored our cries.”

When PUNCH Metro entered the palace of the traditional ruler, whose house was adjacent to the scene of the incident, he was said to be unavailable.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Patricia Amadin, had yet to respond to enquiry on the matter as of the time of filing this report.

However, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, declined to state the number of policemen killed.

“I don’t have the information that four cops were killed.

“But we will soon issue something which the PPRO will release to the press. It is not good to speculate,” he said.

Man Jailed For Setting Pregnant Lover Ablaze

An Egor Magistrates’ Court in Benin, Edo State, on Monday sentenced one Lucky Esonahae to five years imprisonment for setting his pregnant lover ablaze.

The 37-year-old bar operator was arraigned on one count bordering on causing bodily harm.

The charge read, “That you, Lucky Esonahae, on July 6, 2015, at Uwelu Quartres, Benin, in the Egor Magisterial District, did cause grievous harm to one Stella Isaac, by setting her on fire with kerosene, which cause her bodily harm and, thereby, committed an offence punishable under Section 355(B) of the Criminal Code Cap 48, Vol. II, Law of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, 1976, as applicable to Edo State.”

The prosecuting officer, Sergeant Ganiyu Yahya, told the court that the incident occurred at Uwelu Quartres in Benin, and was reported by the victim, Stella Isaac, on July 6, the same day it occurred.

Yahya said Esonahae had poured kerosene on the head of the woman, who was said to be seven months pregnant, lit a match and set her on fire.

He said that the victim was later rescued by one of her sons and her neighbours, who forced the door of her room open, as she had been locked in.

He said the victim, who was later rushed to the Central Hospital, where she received treatment sustained burns on her hands and forehead.

The police prosecutor also told the court that Esonahae had earlier accused the pregnant woman of infidelity for allegedly returning at about 6pm from her ante-natal care and had threatened to kill her, before she ran to her sister’s residence.

The accused pleaded guilty to the offence and begged for leniency.

But the presiding magistrate, Igho Braimoh, said the court would not be lenient, adding, “for a 37-year-old man to set a lover on fire leaves much to be desired.”

She, therefore, sentenced him to five years in prison with hard labour.

Source:Punch News

Ex-Nigeria NSA, Sambo Dasuki, To Be Arraigned Tuesday Over Alleged Firearm Offences

Nigeria’s immediate past National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, has been formally charged with illegal possession of firearms.

Charges filed by Nigeria’s Director of Public Prosecutions,  Mohammed Diri, indicate that Mr. Dasuki would appear in an Abuja court on Tuesday to face charges including unlawful possession of several assault rifles and ammunition.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt the former NSA would be arraigned before a vacation judge since Nigerian courts are currently on vacation.

The charges would be read to him, and he would be allowed to take his plea. The case will then be assigned to another judge once the courts reopens.

A source close to Mr. Dasuki said the former NSA would most likely plead not guilty to the charges, following which his lawyers would move an oral application for bail.

Mr. Dasuki, appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan, to coordinate Nigeria’s security agencies in the heat of the country’s war against Boko Haram insurgents, has had a rough time since he was removed last month.

Shortly after he was fired, he was placed under house arrest while his home, in the heart of the city, was searched by Nigeria’s secret police, the State Security Service,  in a standoff that lasted several hours.

Ondo Police Beat 50-Year-Old Widow To Death In Akure

Unrepentant police officers in Ondo State have allegedly killed Aderonke Eze, a widow who owns a “mini beer parlor joint” close to her residence in Akure.

Mrs. Ronke Eze, a widow killed by unrepentant policemen in Ondo StateMrs. Eze, who lived at No. 1, Akinyemi Street, off Ijoka road, Sijuwade close in Akure, was slain with a gun butt by police officers from the Ala unit of the Oda Divisional Police Station of the Ondo State Command.

SaharaReporters gathered that the late widow was killed on Sunday evening by the officers.

After her death, the policemen dumped the remains of the deceased widow, who left behind three little children, at the general hospital’s morgue in Akure.

It was learnt that the killer police officers, seven in number, stormed the streets around 6: 45 PM on Sunday in a Hilux van with a register plate number NPF 4236 B from the Oda Divisional Station.

Witnesses told SaharaReporters’ correspondent that the policemen were carrying out an illegal house check with an aggressive search of all residential apartments on the street.

A sergeant simply identified as “Officer Fabunmi” led the policemen.

Blood from the late Mrs. Eze, who was killed by Ondo State police, stains the entrance of her apartment

Several residents told SaharaReporters that the policemen are in the habit of raiding the street and making arrests of young boys suspected to be smoking marijuana, or “Indian hemp.” The raid was to identify their specific houses in the neighborhood.

A close neighbor and eyewitness, Ibrahim Adegunle, told SaharaReporters’ correspondent on Monday that the rampaging officers, upon invading the three-bedroom flat of Mrs. Eze, ordered the occupants out of the passage of the building.

Mr. Adegunle, an electrician, said the mission of the policemen could not be immediately ascertained as they quickly embarked on a “house check” without any warrant.

“Even the woman was not at that home when they [the policemen] stormed the building. She went for a ceremony in the second street but fortunately, she arrived and met us arguing with the policemen.

Mrs. Eze was not around at the beginning of the raid but arrived while her neighbors were arguing with the police.

“During the process of the argument, she demanded to know what exactly was going on and she was told that some people in the street are selling contraband items, mostly marijuana, to the youths in the street,” Mr. Adegunle said. He said that Mrs. Eze contested that since she doesn’t engage in any contraband business but merely owns a mini-bear parlor, she should not be subjected to the search, but an impatient police officer shouted on her and hit her in the head.

“The woman made several [moves in] resistance but she was again beaten and wounded with [the] gun butt while she fell on the floor of the passage, lying unconscious, and stopped breathing,” Mr Adegunle continued. “The officers immediately fled the street in their van and refused to make any arrest, sensing they [had] killed the woman.”

Following the sad incident the residents and sympathizers in the community on Monday took to the streets of the neighborhood of  “Sijuwade Quarters” and protested the killings of the 50-year-old woman.

Another resident who asked to remain anonymous said during the protest that illegal arrests were carried out by the policemen in the evening of every weekend.

“They will just enter the street and start arresting our young boys,” the resident said. “Many of them would be [accused] of being in possession of Indian hemp. Before you know it, they would be asking us to pay N10,000 before we could bail them.”

“This is not the first nor second time, but I do hope it would be their last time because the whole world must here this sad news," a furious resident said.

Meanwhile, Ondo State police are claiming the late woman was harboring young men who deal and smoke marijuana.

Police spokesperson Oluwole Ogodo told SaharaReporters during a phone call that the officers “didn’t killed the woman” but were trying to carry out the arrest of a notorious marijuana dealer on the street.

Source: Sahara reporters

Why Power Supply Has Been on the Increase

The Ministry of Power has said  that no single case of gas pipeline vandalism has been recorded since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office three months ago.

The Ministry's Permanent Se‎cretary, ‎Godknows Igali, made this disclosure to newsmen at the Presidential Villa, Abuja in response to questions on what had been responsible for the recent improvement in electricity supply across the country.

Igali recalled that vandalism of gas pipelines was recurrent in the last days and months of the previous administration, and reached its peak on May 26th when gas-generated electricity was completely grounded.

He said things however improved since then as the current administration had redoubled efforts at engaging communities where the pipelines pass through to allow peace to reign, a move he said, had resulted in increased gas supplies and improved power supply nationwide currently at 4,600 megawatts.

Congregation Chases Lagos Pastor From Pulpit

Hell was let loose yesterday, Sunday, August 30, at the United Methodist Church, in the Oshodi area of Lagos.
The Punch reports that members of the church rejected their pastor and chased him away for allegedly impregnating his housemaid who is also a member of his church.

According to report, the pastor, Barkuma Andrew, was stopped from leading the church seven months ago when the housemaid, Grace, had complications after aborting the pregnancy. The pastor lives with his wife, children, wife’s cousin, Favour, and Grace in a three-bedroom flat inside the church premises.

It was reported that the members had pleaded with the Central Conference of the church in Taraba State to help look into the alleged incident. However, when the district did not do anything about it, the congregation sought the service of another pastor three weeks ago. The congregation got to church at about 10am yesterday for Sunday service only to see that Andrew and some “unknown” people had commenced the service.

This sprouted the anger of the members of the church as they chased pastor Andrew and his folks out of the church. Men from the Makinde police division, including the DPO, were said to have intervened after the incident was reported at the station. A member of the church and a former secretary to Andrew, Moses Sherima, said that the pastor sent his wife to her village when he impregnated Grace. He said:

“My room is opposite pastor’s apartment and I was his secretary. When he started dating that girl (Grace), I called his wife’s cousin, Favour, on the matter. She said Grace used to tell her whenever the pastor had sex with her. At a point, I had to move upstairs when I could no longer bear it. The day that abortion happened, I was sleeping inside my room when I heard Grace screaming. I rushed there and saw blood coming out from her private parts. When the wife came back from one of her numerous journeys, he told her to send Favour away.”

Another church member, John Komboroh, said the church was embarrassed by Andrew’s conduct, adding that they were tired of his leadership. He said:

“The petition of adultery against the pastor had been sent to the bishop at the Central Conference. He came here, but did not do anything about it. That was why we wrote to the main body, the Southern Conference to give us another pastor. His (Andrew’s) action is an embarrassment to us. We don’t want him again.”

The new pastor of the church, Reverend James Sunday, said:

“We were about to start our service this morning when we met the old pastor and some unknown people already holding the service. I calmed down my people to avoid chaos.”

Another resident and a female member, who identified herself only as Blessing, said the pastor had once made sexual advances to her.

“My husband is not always at home. The pastor would call me in the night and asked if I had slept. One day he entered my room and gave me a soft slap on my back. I had only the wrapper on me. I was surprised and told my neighbours.”

When contacted on the telephone around 1pm on Sunday, Andrew said he was in a meeting and promised to get back to The Punch on the incident. He told The Punch Metro that he was still at the meeting when he was called back around 5pm.

Police Kills Seven During Pro-Biafra Rally

According to some reports from Anambra state, three people were fatally shot dead on the spot and 30 others got bullet wounds when the police and Nigerian navy opened fire to disperse the crowd of the pro-Biafra marchers in Onitsha on Sunday

… ended with a bloodbath

More than twenty people were critically wounded and by this Monday morning there were seven people dead as a result of shooting at the demonstrators.

Critically wounded person gets treatment.

The death toll hasn’t been verified officially yet, but the reports claim that those people were hit with stray bullets.

Another victim of the police and military shooting in Anambra state.

The crowd gathered under the aegis of the Indigenous People of Biafra which issued official statement condemning the shooting at the unarmed people.

Pro-Biafra marchers were peaceful and unarmed, reports claim.

It claims that over 30 people got shot and 7 people were confirmed dead on Monday while 20 more were critically wounded.

“How come our security men find it so easy to kill peaceful IPOB members but won’t lift a finger against the deadly Boko Haram? These brothers were peaceful in their engagement, they weren’t radical or causing any harm according to eye witnesses, they weren’t armed, so why shoot at them?” was said in the IPOB statement.

The agitation for the actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra has been on for some time now. The Republic of Biafra came about when a secessionist state situated in south-eastern of Nigeria tried to break away from Nigeria but were stopped. Biafra was inhabited mostly by the Igbo people and was in existence from 30th May 1967 to 15th January 1970.

The Movement for the Actualization of State of Biafra (MASSOB) is yet to give up the fight to secede from Nigeria. The group have even established a radio station, called Radio Biafra somewhere in Europe.

Liverpool FC Signs Nigerian Taiwo Awoniyi

Liverpool FC has secured a deal with Nigerian Taiwo Awoniyi after signs of interest were also shown by AS Monaco and FC Porto, according to The Daily Mail.

The 18-year-old striker’s initial fee will be about £800,000, but with add-ons it could rise to a £3 million value.

He is also a member of Nigeria’s U23 national team, and previously played for Imperial Academy out of Ijebu Ode.

He told Liverpoolfc.com: “This is the biggest club in the world and I’m privileged to be here.”

Due to work permit technicalities, Mr. Awoniyi was immediately sent out for a first year on loan to 2 Bundesliga side FSV Frankfurt in Germany.

Mutilated Body Of Kidnapped Man Found In Ebonyi

The body of a man identified as Christian Isha from Ndubia village, Igbeagu Community in Izzi local government area of Ebonyi State, who was kidnapped a week ago by unknown gunmen, was found with his private part mutilated and face skinned in a swamp in Igbeagbu community in Ebonyi state yesterday August 29th.

According to reports, Christian who is said to be in his 40s had gone out to buy some things for his family when he was whisked away inside a hilux bus and taken to an unknown destination.

A relative of the deceased who spoke on how he was found said

    ‘One of us went to his farm. While in the farm, he said he perceived bad odour and that the odour was so offensive that no one could stand it. So, when the man was searching for the source of the odour, he saw the dead body of our brother who have been missing for the past one week,” he said

Widow of the deceased, Isha Ada described her husband as a peaceful man and wondered why he was killed in such a manner.

    ‘I never believed my husband could be killed in this manner because he doesn’t look for anyone’s trouble. And those who killed him will never know peace in life. He was good to me, caring and tolerant. Today I have lost a companion, a loving man and a true husband,” she said

The Ebonyi police command has launched a full scaled investigation into the matter.

Man arrested on suspicion of murder after woman dies following attack in Newton Heath (MANCHESTER)

A 38-year-old woman has died after she was attacked in the early hours of this morning.

Police and paramedics were called to an address on Culcheth Lane, Newton Heath, at 12.45am, to reports a woman had been assaulted.

The woman was found suffering from serious head injuries.

Paramedics attempted to revive the woman at the scene, but she died a short time later.

A 48-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody for questioning.

Police say the woman has not yet been formally identified and a post mortem will be carried out in due course.
A 48-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault and remains in custody for questioning.

Police say the woman has not yet been formally identified and a post mortem examination will be carried out in due course.

Source: Manchestereveningnews

Mourinho Refuses To Buy His Way Out Of Trouble

Estelle says: I hope he knows what he is doing o, because I'm a Chelsea fan and I don't like loosing o.

Jose Mourinho has no plans to spend big in the final few days of the transfer window in a bid to end champions Chelsea’s early season Premier League malaise.

Chelsea’s shock 2-1 loss at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday left Mourinho’s men a significant eight points behind leaders Manchester City just four games into the current campaign.

Those four league matches have now yielded two defeats, including a 3-0 reverse at City, compared to just three losses in the whole of last season’s league programme.

Asked whether he would be splashing the cash on Everton’s John Stones and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, two big-money targets both linked to Chelsea, Mourinho said: “I hope not. I don’t like that.

“I gave my club the report of the season projection on April 24,” the Chelsea manager explained. “I don’t think it’s now, on the 29th or 30th August to say ‘I want this and that or I want to try this and that’. We have to gel.

“The reality is that we have had a bad start,” Portuguese boss Mourinho added. “Four points is a very bad start.

“To perform collectively you need individual performances. The amount of chances means you are playing, means you are producing something. It’s not enough.”

Chelsea were left reeling as fellow London club Palace secured their first win at Stamford Bridge since 1982 and inflicted just Mourinho’s second defeat in 100 home league matches as the Blues’ manager.

Bacary Sako opened the scoring in the second half before substitute Radamel Falcao looked to have earned Chelsea at least a point when he headed home.

Mourinho ordered his players to stop celebrating and to try and win the game. But within two minutes, Joel Ward struck to win the match for the visitors.

Nevertheless, Mourinho said there was plenty of time for his side to re-ignite their title challenge.

“We have eight points less than the leader and seven, six ,and five from the others. In another league I would say ‘game over’.

“In the Premier League I don’t say ‘game over’ because last season we have seven points to the second team and in one month we lost the seven points.

“On January 1 we were on the same points as the second (team). This is the Premier League and I think it’s getting more difficult.”

Meanwhile, delighted Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew said: “We kept creating chances and that’s very difficult to do here.

“It was a stadium expecting Chelsea to win. My team is better than last year, as we have better technical players,” Pardew added.

“Sako has been a real boost for us and we wouldn’t have won the last two games without him. He threatens the goal from a wide moment.

“If (England manager) Roy Hodgson gets a tape of this game he will be impressed what Jason Puncheon did against a world-class midfield.

“It’s difficult to overcome a Chelsea team and their manager here. You could nick a win or park the bus here to try to do that. But we didn’t do that.”

Source:Vanguard

38 Virgins Killed In Bus Crash On Their Way To King Of Swaziland's Wife Choosing Ceremony

Estelle says: When will this indirect female slavery end in Africa, taking more than fifty young girls to an old man who already has enough women is just appalling. Can the nation bring back the girls alive?. May the innocent souls rest in peace and fast healing to the ones alive.

A road accident in Swaziland has killed 38 girls and seriously injured 20 others who were on their way to a traditional ceremony where King Mswati III can choose a new wife, pro-democracy activists reported.
The accident happened on Friday night when their open truck smashed into a car on the road between the tiny kingdom's two main cities, Mbabane and Manzini, en route to the traditional Reed Dance.

"A total of 38 young girls have been pronounced dead, with more than 20 others seriously injured," Swaziland Solidarity Network spokesman Lucky Lukhele said.

The Swaziland Solidarity Network campaigns for democracy in the landlocked kingdom within South Africa.
"The girls were in an open truck which hit a sedan car stopped on the road," Mr Lukhele said.

The Reed Dance, due to be held on Monday, is a beauty pageant that attracts tens of thousands of young virgins who dance before the polygamist king, who can select one of them as a new wife.
Mswati, Africa's last absolute monarch, chose his 14th wife at the celebration in 2013.
King Mswati said the girls' deaths were a "tragedy in the nation".

    "I would like to assure the parents who have lost their loved ones that the nation will support them through and through," the monarch, speaking on the sidelines of a trade fair in Manzini, said.

    "Also those in hospitals, should the need arise for further treatment they will be taken to other hospitals to ensure no further loss of life."

Police confirmed there had been "fatalities" but declined to specify the toll, with police spokesman Khulekani Mamba saying: "We won't be giving out any information because the maidens were on royal duty, so there are certain protocols to be followed before such information can be divulged to the public."

Local media gave varying tolls, with government newspaper The Observer reporting hundreds of injuries and the Swazi News saying seven people had been killed, six of them girls.

News of the accident has not been broadcast on public television and journalists were blocked from photographing the crash scene, a local journalist said.

Mswati III has ruled Swaziland as an absolute monarch since his father's death in 1982.

Say What?! Mikel Obi Reportedly Secretly Fathered Two Children With Two Different Women

Estelle says: I hope this isn't true o. Apparently, Chelsea football player Mikel Obi fathered two kids with different women and he is famously with his girlfriend Olga. Na wa for men o, una no dey rest?

From UK mirror:
Chelsea footballer John Obi Mikel has secretly fathered two children with different women, it has emerged today. The 28-year-old midfielder is dad to a four-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter after short relationships with the women.

    The Nigerian international player, whose side lost 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace yesterday, makes sure he provides for his two children. He is understood to have bought a £500,000 house in 2013 in the Home Counties for his son and mum and is keen to play a part in the boy's life.
    A source told The Sun: "John also agreed to give her tens of thousands a year in upkeep and, I think, agreed to give her a new car every three to five years."

    Mikel also financially supports his daughter, who was born after the couple met at a London nightclub in 2013.

    A friend of the daughter's mum added: "John has provided for her and the girl.
    "She seems to have come into money since having the baby and is keeping a low profile."
    Mikel is now dating Russian businesswoman Olga Diyachenko and has posted pics of the pair together on social media.

    In an interview in Nigeria last year. he revealed: "I've been dating seriously for two years now. I'm in love. I've found love."

    A spokesman for the footballer told The Sun: "This is an entirely private matter.
    "John provides for and cares for his children and will continue to do so. He asks that their privacy is respected."

"Obasanjo Is A Liar, Economic Illiterate" Wole Soyinka

The Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has said that he has no respect for Obasanjo, who he described as an indescribable liar.

Soyinka carpeted the former president on Friday night when he was responding to questions during a programme tagged: ‘An evening with Wole Soyinka’, organised by Globacom.

Asked to respond to Obasanjo’s assessment of him in the former president’s book titled ‘My Watch’, where he notes that Soyinka is good at hunting and wines but a political illiterate, Soyinka said that he was hardly bothered because he believed that Obasanjo was a liar.

Soyinka said, “Obasanjo is entitled to his opinion. But the question is: ‘Who respects the opinion of a liar?’

I can spend the whole night proving that he is a liar. Obasanjo was once described by an economist, the late Prof Ojetunji Aboyade, as an economic illiterate. They nearly ‘went into blow’ that night. It was Prof. Mabogunje who separated them.

“So, if an economic illiterate calls somebody a political illiterate, no problem at all.

“In ‘ My Watch’, Obasanjo told the first lie when he said he deplored lies. Anybody who said he never plotted to have an unconstitutional third term in office, even as a writer, I need a word to describe him.”

The former President and the Nobel laureate have been in a running battle taking swipes at each other over a lingering issue between them. Obasanjo had once stated that Soyinka once vowed that the differences between the two of them would not be resolved on earth.

Obasanjo had also in his book, My Watch, and at public events described Soyinka as an expert in wine matters than in political analysis.

He had said, “For Wole, no one can be good, nor can anything be spot-on politically except that which emanates from him or is ordained by him. His friends and loved ones will always be right and correct, no matter what they do or fail to do. He is surely a better wine connoisseur and a more successful aparo (guinea fowl) hunter than a political critic.

“Wole Soyinka is a gifted man. I have always acknowledged that but he is a bad politician and I have also always said that. That is my own point of view. He may agree with it, he may not agree with it. For instance, I know that if I want somebody to give me the best wine, one of the people I will go to is Wole Soyinka and I know he has a taste for good wine and I said that in the book.”

However, last year December, shortly after the book went public, Soyinka had, in a piece titled, ‘Watch and Pray, Watch and Prey’, vehemently protested such a description (of him), calling Obasanjo ‘’an expert liar, who lies to boost his ego.’’

But in an interview granted a private television station, Channels, on a programme tagged, ‘Book Club’, Obasanjo, while holding on to his words, said what he wrote about Soyinka was purely his view, adding that Soyinka did not have to agree with him.

Many feared dead in Nigeria Air Force aircraft crash

A yet unknown number of people are feared dead in a deadly crash involving an aircraft belonging to the Nigerian Air Force on Saturday.

A military insider said the aircraft took off at the Nigeria Air Force base in Kaduna and crashed into the nearby Ribadu cantonment shortly after take-off.

All passengers and crew are feared dead.

Some reports said there were three passengers and four crew members on board but that could not be immediately confirmed.

The aircraft, officials said, was on a training flight and was heading to Abuja before it crashed.

The cause of the crash remained unclear, but officials say they are suspecting engine failure.

The spokesperson for the Nigerian Air Force, Dele Alonge, confirmed the incident.

NAF spokesperson, Dele Alonge, told PREMIUM TIMES that while the number of passengers and pilot on board are yet to be ascertained, there were no survivors.

Mr. Alonge in a statement said the aircraft, with call sign NAF030, crashed into a house at Ribadu Cantonment, Kaduna.

“Though no casualty was recorded on ground, there were no survivors among the passengers onboard the aircraft,” Mr. Alonge, an air commodore, said.

He said the aircraft was Abuja bound and had taken off at about 6:45am from the Kaduna Military Airfield before the mishap.

“Bodies of the passengers have been recovered and fire fighters are already at the crash site to curtail fire from spreading to other buildings within the vicinity,” the spokesperson said.

Also, the Chief of the Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, an air marshal has aborted his official trip to Port Harcourt, Mr. Alonge said in the statement.

Mr. Abubakar is now set to visit the site of the crash and families of the deceased personnel in company of the Air Officer Commanding, Training Command, Alikali Mamu, an air vice marshal.

In addition, Mr. Abubakar has set up an investigation panel headed by an Air Vice Marshal to unravel the cause of the accident with immediate effect.

Estelle says: Don't they check the engines before take off?

Source: Premium Times

Presidency attacks PDP, says Jonathan’s economic achievements fake

The presidency has advised the Peoples Democratic Party “to stop its pathetic efforts to play down President Muhammadu Buhari’s achievements in his first 100 days in office and bury its head in shame for subjecting Nigeria to the worst economic plunder through corruption in its recent history”.

Reacting to a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, that the economy has been going down under the APC administration, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said Nigerian economy “was gasping for breath under the egregiously corrupt PDP administration, and that the country was witnessing an acceleration of poverty which united Nigerians for change”.

According Mr. Shehu, “the excruciating hardships experienced by Nigerians under the PDP misrule was unprecedented, it is ridiculous to for any sane government to artificially rebase the economy and claim to transform Nigeria into the largest economy in Africa as the PDP administration did”.

He said the former ruling party was artificially manipulating statistics to create the illusion of impressive economic performance record.

According to the presidential spokesperson, one falsehood built on another cannot stand, adding that if the PDP’s claim of economic successes in terms of GDP, employment generation, poverty alleviation and others were genuine, Nigerians wouldn’t have voted the party out of power.

Mr. Shehu wondered which contented electorate would have voted a performing party out of office.

He explained that if the former ruling party was doing so well, the opposition parties would have found it difficult to defeat a popular ruling party.

Mr. Shehu said that the PDP assumed performance was nothing more than window dressing, and a detachment from reality.

The Presidential spokesman said no economy can grow with corruption, an area in which the
PDP administration demonstrated more competence.

The presidency said criticism for its own sake is not the hallmark of credible opposition.

According to Mr. Shehu, “Nigerians no longer face exploitation at filling stations because the government is taking punitive measures against marketers that punish poor Nigerians.

He noted that queues had disappeared at filling stations, adding that the naira is also enjoying favourable exchange rate”.

The media aide said the Buhari administration had successfully blocked leakages and other avenues for corruption, practices which he said the previous PDP administration lacked the will or the desire to stop.

As a result of the measures to block leakages, he said the Buhari administration has frustrated the efforts by corrupt elements to divert public funds to private pockets.

Mr. Shehu said once the trial of corrupt officials formally begins, “the PDP might no longer have the moral legs to stand on, let alone talk down on Nigerians with fake claims of economic miracles under its most incompetent and grossly purposeless and sleazy administration”.

Lists Of Fake Employers In Nigeria.

employers/recruitment agencies in Nigeria. Beware!
This is just for your awareness so you don't risk your life, waste the little you have and travel all the way from say Calabar to Lagos for aptitude test/interview for non-existent job positions.

O'neal Incorporated
marvysammy@gmail.com - No 1, Babatunde str, off Ogunlana Drive, Surulere, Lagos
ONEAL claim to be a multifaceted consulting firm with expertise in human resources management, healthcare management and management. However, they are a MLM and GNLD company out to collect money from you to supply you health products with promise of financial reward. The real O'Neal Inc is a foreign company into construction with address at http://www.onealinc.com/

Globaldrill Bay Oil & Gas Limited
globaldrillbay@gmail.com, info@globaldrillbayoil.com - Kristina Jade Learning Centre, No. 70B, Olorunlogbon Street, Off Alade Lawal Street, Anthony Village. Lagos State.

They claim to be an Oil & Gas servicing company with focus on energy, training , job placement, commodity brokerage. They are after scamming you of your money for non existent jobs and trainings.

Virtual Human Resources Limited
tejumolavhr@yahoo.com - 5,Akpomuje, Okoto, Oshodi Lagos
VHR is claim to be a leader In personnel outsourcing services management. We build long-term relationships with our clients and deliver tailored and sustainable solutions to their Financial/Health challenges. The recruit for MLM and GNLD companies or individuals who are after extorting money from you. Website address is at http://www.virtualhumanresources.net/

Zeolite Plus
07031666139 - 6,Akinremi str., Anifowose, Ikeja
Zeolite Plus claims to be a multi-national company based in lagos, majoring into:Human Resources Development And Business Management,Branding/Packaging,Sales/Marketing ,Procurement Services And General. However they recruit mainly for GNLD and MLM companies or individuals

Mantledox Logistics
Please run from anything that bears this name.

Precious Metal International Network (PMIN) Limited
admin@pmicoins.com - 269a - 279 Barking Road Plaistow, London E13 8EQ UK
PMIN Limited claim to have a product called PMICollectibles set to connect Africa to the world by facilitating the distribution of wide varieties of modern precious coins through Direct Sales and that the PMICoins will be distributed by individuals who chose to trade with the company as independent dealers in developing a powerful network that makes it easier for many to benefit. Each collectible coin bought will be helping in creating business for the nation through our diverse social action projects. They are after your money and will ask you to pay. Please avoid them.

Esther Breakthrough
Big time scam

MPG Resources
Scam

Beyond Stardom Nigeria Limited
Ile - Ile Bus Stop , Opposite SkyeBank Plc, Ketu, 505 Ikorodu Rd, Lagos
0805 356 7259

These guys are very sophisticated scammers who readily invite unsuspecting job seekers for cheap aptitude tests allowing for everybody to pass and afterwards demand a non refundable fee of N2500 before recommendation letters will be dished out to people to non-employing or totally non-existent companies with wrong addresses. I still see desperate people going there to write tests and waste their time and money and I shake my head.

Watch out and don't get fooled!!!

BetaAge Consult
Another big scam

Grace Land Global Resources
cv.graceland@outlook.com - Block A, Mainland Avenue, Lagos.
They claim to be into importation and exportation of cosmetics.

Hibrah Nigeria
hr.recruitment044@outlook.com - Starlink house, suit 202, 8/10 Salamotu Eniola strt, Ilasa Lagos
They claim to be a consulting company, but are multi level marketing company.

Clinton Fund (CF)
hr@clinton-fund.org -
They claim to be a Washington, D.C.-based international development firm providing specialized short- and long-term technical assistance. The real organisation is The Clinton Foundation with web address (https://www.clintonfoundation.org/)

Hyena Ltd
hr.recruitment044@outlook.com - Starlink house, suit 202, 8/10 Salamotu Eniola strt, Ilasa Lagos
They claim to be a wholly owned Nigerian firm with offices in Lagos that offer an array of business and management consulting services to private and public companies and other organizations. However, from our investigations they are a GNLD company (Multilevel marketing).

Virginland Careers
Virginland1careers@gmail.com - Lagos
They are fake recruitment agency that claim to recruit for non-existent companies.

Marigold Mobile Kitchens
info.marigoldkitchen@gmail.com - 73, Akerele Street Surulere Lagos
Marigold Mobile Kitchens claim to be a is a privately owned and operated corporation established in 2010 to provide mobile food service and logistics equipment in Nigeria. William Consult who claim to recruit for them states the company has it’s headquarters in Nasarawa State and provides full service project management in temporary food service solutions attracting clients from around the country. However, Marigold Mobile Kitchens doesn't exist from our investigations, the real company is Marigold Kitchens based in Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States

Sub Saharan Africa Climate Fund
hr@ssacf.org - Sub Saharan Africa Climate Fund (SSACF), 5-16 Dering Street, Mayfair, London, W1S 5AR
They claim to be working to ensure a healthy, productive Africa and a planet for everyone. However, they will demand as condition for employment Psychometric testing - International Certified Psychometric and Situational Judgement Test (CPSJT) and will refer you to other fake agencies like Maxmax HR Consultants (www.maxmaxhr.com), - Grill HR Consultants (www.grillhr.net), Dopra International (www.dopra.net), - Tumda Online Certification (tumda.net), - Dario HR (www.dario.com), - QicHr Consultants (www.qichr.com) (Most are based in East Africa - Kenya). These agencies will demand between $90 USD and $150 USD for online test and will usually ask you to pay through western Union, United Bank of Africa AfriCash, Moneygram, Eco Bank Rapid Transfer - Cash to Cash. Beware do not fall a victim.

Minerva Oil & Gas Refining Company
human.resource@minervaoilandgas.com - Phase 1 | L22 Permit | Port Campbell | VIC | 3000 | Australia, Phase 11 Annex | 192 Brumbys Road | Port Campbell | VIC | 3269

They claim to have exploration, development, production and marketing activities in more than a dozen countries around the globe, with a significant position in the deep water Gulf of Mexico, Nigeria, onshore US, Canada and Australia. They are out to defraud people, they will ask you to pay fees for relocation, immigration etc. Please beware

CEO Resource Nigeria Limited
jobs@jakophite.com - 203, Favour Street Opposite Oando Fill Station, Agege Pen Cinema Bus Stop, Old Abeokuta Motor Road,Lagos
They claim to a recruiting firm. They ask job seekers, when invited for interview, to pay certain amount of money to join them. Please beware.

Ingnitlyte Limited Company
ignitehr@yahoo.com - Suite 201, Philez Plaza, 2 Osolo way, 7/8 Bus Stop, Off Murtala Intl Airport road, Beside Keystone Bank, Lagos State
They claim to a business development consulting firm. Their mission is to be the best customer service provider in the world, while unvailing great mystery behind man’s inability to live optimally in the area of wealth and health. They are into GNLD and MLM marketing of of drugs and health products. Beware, they will ask for money to introduce you into their Multi level marketing scheme. www.ignilyte.com

Health Stream Alliance
healthenlist@gmail.com - Toyin Street, Ikeja
They are a health management and development outfit. They are into GNLD/ Multilevel marketing looking for candidates to swindle to sell drugs.

Starline Consult Nigeria Ltd
starlineconsult2@yahoo.com - Obigbo Road, Aba Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
They are into GNLD/ Multilevel marketing looking for candidates to swindle to sell drugs.

Crystalite Care Ventures
crystalitecareventurecruitment@gmail.com - Ibadan Road, Ibadan South-West, Oyo, Nigeria.
They claim to be a company in collaboration with world health organization,ASSAP,and other multi national companies.However, they are into GNLD/ Multilevel marketing looking for candidates to swindle to sell drugs.

Medpro Global Resources
bluepalms04@gmail.com - 161 Ikorodu rd beside Lanre Shittu motors Onipanu B/S, Lagos
They are into GNLD/ Multilevel marketing looking for candidates to swindle to sell drugs.

Boss Resources
frecohr@gmail.com - 90,Awolowo way,Opp MAN House,Ikeja
They claim to be a multinational Company with substantial investments in Nigeria, South Africa and Ghana. They are into GNLD/ Multilevel marketing looking for candidates to swindle.

Global Oil Consult
globaloilconsultant@gmail.com - Toyin street Ikeja Lagos Nigeria
Global Oil Consult sometimes they answer Global Oil Consultant. They claim to be an oil and gas, upstream exploration consulting company but they are a multilevel marketing company. They lure unsuspecting candidates into parting with their money in order to join their scheme.

Home Places Consult
homeplacesconsult@gmail.com - Lagos State
They are a multilevel marketing company. They lure unsuspecting candidates into parting with their money in order to join their scheme.

Dahlia Consult
dahlia.consult110@gmail.com - Lagos State
They are a multilevel marketing company. They lure unsuspecting candidates into parting with their money in order to join their scheme.

New Star Metal International Limited
recruitment@nsmiglobal.com - 1-6 Alhaji Lateef Sulaimon Street (Behind AP Filling Station) Opposite Owode-Onirin Market Kosofe LGA Lagos State

They claim to be a private company categorized under Aluminum Smelting and Refining (Secondary) and located in Lagos State, Nigeria, However they are a multilevel marketing company also operating under the name NSMI Global Concept. They lure unsuspecting candidates into parting with their money in order to join their scheme.

NSMI Global Concept
recruitment@nsmiglobal.com - 1-6 Alhaji Lateef Sulaimon Street (Behind AP Filling Station) Opposite Owode-Onirin Market Kosofe LGA Lagos State

They claim to be an international company that deals in farm produce and other household necessities, However they are a multilevel marketing company. They lure unsuspecting candidates into parting with their money in order to join their scheme.

Vision Technologist Resources
visiontechnologistresources@gmail.com - Lagos
None existent and takes a name similar to another company abroad.

Mahama Business Consult
hr.mahamaconsult@gmail.com - surulere lagos
They claim to be a consulting firm that offer high quality services to provide the best outcomes for clients with a different approach. They are however a Fake recruitment agency.

Williams Consult
williamscaco@gmail.com - 73, Akerele Street Surulere Lagos
They claim to recruit for organizations that are either non existent or exists outside the country

Note: this list can’t be complete because they keep changing name and address everyday, so be very cautious.

Please save a friend and share.

Police kill bystander when New York undercover gun buy goes bad

 A police officer shooting at a fleeing suspect during an undercover gun buy that went wrong killed a 61-year-old bystander in the New York City suburb of Mount Vernon, police said on Saturday.

Two suspects were taken into custody during the investigation into the sale of illegal guns, the New York Police Department said in a statement. The undercover officer in the Bronx on Friday met a suspect who said he had guns for sale and directed the officer to drive to Mount Vernon. A second suspect got into the back seat of the officer's car, pointed a gun at his head and demanded money, the NYPD said.

After the officer gave him cash, the suspect attempted to flee and the officer tried to stop him. When the suspect pointed his gun, the officer fired several times at the suspect, striking him three times in the torso, police said.

A man standing behind the suspect was also hit in the torso. The bystander, identified as Felix Kumi, 61, of Mount Vernon, died early Saturday morning at Jacobi Hospital, police said.

One suspect, identified as Jeffrey Aristy, 28, of the Bronx, was arrested on gun and drug sale charges. The second suspect, identified only as a 37-year-old male, was also taken to Jacobi Hospital and also has charges pending.

Source: Reuter

Jackie Chan Is Coming To Nigeria.

Hong Kong actor, Jackie Chan, will visit Nigeria on September 4, 2015.

Mr. Chan, who is also a martial artist, film director, producer, stuntman, and singer, will be performing his mesmerizing skills while telling stories across cinemas in Nigeria.

He will be performing one of his finest works,”Dragon Blade” in which the likes of Golden Globe Winner (John Cusack), Academy Award Winner (Adrien Brody) featured.

The movie “Dragon Blade” is worth $65million dollar.

The movie tells the story of HuoAn (Jackie Chan) a Hun, serving as the captain of the Protection Squad Silk Road.

A Roman general named Lucius (John Cusack) flees to the East with his legion and Publius (Jozef Waite), heir of the ruling Roman Consul, to escape from the corrupt Emperor Tiberius (Adrien Brody), who plans to kill Publius and usurp the throne.

They met HuoAn at a frontier fort on the Silk Road, where they receive sanctuary.

Tiberius and his army, who pursued Lucius along the Silk Road, approached the fort with intention of killing Publius and ambitions of capturing and controlling the Silk Road. HuoAn decides to help Lucius, and goes to his allies to recruit an army to fight against Tiberius.

HuoAn arrives with reinforcements, and an epic battle like never seen before, begins.

Side attraction for those who will get to watch the movie is an authentic Dragon Blade poster autographed by Jackie Chan himself alongside other fantastic prizes for those who buy tickets.

Are you ready to meet Jackie Chan?

Nigerian Based Cameroonian Journalist Accused Of Spying For Boko Haram.

A Lagos-based Cameroonian journalist, Simon Ateba, has been arrested by Cameroonian authorities as he investigated the conditions of Nigerian refugees camped in the country’s far north.

The journalist, who managed to leave a messages on his Facebook page before he was locked up Friday, said he was arrested for venturing, without permission, into a refugee camp with 50,000 Nigerians.

He later told a colleague that the authorities were threatening to charge him for espionage – saying they suspect he was spying for the extremist Boko Haram sect.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Mr. Ateba received a grant from the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, Abuja, to investigate the ordeals and suffering of Nigerians who fled into Cameroon as their communities came under sustained attacks from the extremist Boko Haram sect.

Dayo Aiyetan, executive director of the centre, confirmed that his organisation is aware of Mr. Ateba’s travels and investigation.

“We are saddened that he is being incarcerated for doing his job, and we demand his immediate release,” Mr. Aiyetan told PREMIUM TIMES Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, Mr. Ateba on Saturday morning left more messages on his Facebook page detailing his ordeal in the hands of the Cameroonian authorities.

He said, “Was given my phone for five minutes to make some calls. Just spent my first night in Mokolo cell with two Nigerians who fled Boko Haram terrorist attacks between Gwoza and Maiduguri in a town or village called Sigesia. My first night in a cell in Cameroon far north was because I went to a refugee camp with about 50,000 Nigerians to do an independent reporting without they allowing me to do so.

“Having contacted the minister of communication, spoken to the governor, the army spokesman here and having gone to the UNHCR office in Maroua and spoken with officials there, I realised they will never allow me to see Nigerians living there. So I went anyway.

“Entered the camp and saw things for myself at Minawao camp, 12 kilometres in the bush from the main road and about 60 kilometres from Maroua where Boko Haram have struck three times. I spent the night with Abdulahi Amidou who fled and was accused of bringing foodstuff. He denied it.

“Living the best hotel in Maroua to sleep in a stinking cell with mosquitoes everywhere was shocking but Abdulahi and the rest told me their horrific stories. My flight should be 31 from Ndjamena but with me in a cell, that’s difficult to achieve.”

He added, “Still with my phone in my cell. Before I left, I was told I will need to meet the governor of the region who will grant me access to the camp with Nigerians. I met the governor. He said he doesn’t have power. That power rests with the minister of communication.

“I got in touch with the minister and the army spokesman, sent text messages and so on. Here you need to travel to Yaoundé 800 kilometres away to meet the minister when he’s ready to meet you. Then he will send you to meet the governor in person in Maroua 800 kilometres back. Then the governor will send you to see the mayor. Then the mayor will send you to the gendarmerie. Then the gendarmerie will send people with you to the camp. The minister will choose which Nigerian in the camp you will speak with. And generally the leader who will tell you “We are grateful to the Cameroonian government. We are just very well treated here”. So that’s the procedure.”

Premium Times

Chris Brown Baby mama BF Is A Wanted Man

Chris Brown is blasting his baby mama for being a hypocrite -- while she claims it's not safe for Royalty to be around Chris ... her BF, and Royalty's wannabe stepdad, is wanted for forgery.

Chris started ripping Nia Guzman after a Houston TV station reported cops are searching for King Ba. He's accused of forging more than $5,000 worth of U.S. Treasury checks, and police released bank surveillance footage of him.

Chris immediately responded to the news ... saying on Instagram, "Funny how I work a legit job and love my daughter to the fullest and I'm in her life. Well, if it ain't the pot calling the kettle black."

Nia tried to distance herself from King Ba ... telling Chris that she's single and has moved away from Houston.

Nia wants to limit Chris to supervised visits with Royalty because she thinks he's irresponsible. But now Chris feels like he's got high ground in this battle. As he told Nia, "#goddontlikeugly"

Estelle says: This baby mamas are all about the money. What do you think.

Karrueche Says Enough Is Enough To Chris Brown's Bullying.

Estelle says: I don't Understand why Chris Brown and is cohorts can't understand that karrueche isn't for them anymore. Leave the girl alone and let her live her Life.
Don't see karrueche's friends threatening Chris Brown, whenever he is spotted with another Lady. Double standard!

According to TMZ:

Karrueche is done with Chris Brown's possessiveness and his henchman's violent threats ... and she's firing back.

    Chris' ex is responding to a threat made by a member of Chris' posse ... a threat directed at Marques Houston, who gave thumbs up to the pic she posted of her amazing body.

    The threat was in the form of a photo of 2 guns, with the caption, "Ni**as sho no how to disrespect, I don't care if they not still together."

    Karrueche thinks it's time for Chris, and any of his friends, to get over it -- "I'm bored and tried of this situation. I don't get it because I'm single."

    She adds, "I thought we have all matured and moved on. Especially since Chris has been seen with multiple women since the breakup. I don't want anything to do with any type of violence or negativity."

    Karrueche tells us she and Marques are just friends, nothing more. The two of them just finished filming a movie together. Chris has been radio silent since the threat was posted.

Funke Akindele Shared This Picture On Her Instagram Page.

Popular actress, Funke Akindele (aka Jenifa) is presently in the UK for her meet and greet birthday bash. She shared this picture on her instagram page. You like?

Pay Tuition Fee To Ex-militants, Buhari Directed CBN

President Muhammadu Buhari, has directed Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria  (CBN), Godwin Emefiele to ensure the outstanding tuition, stipends and allowances of all amnesty beneficiaries were paid without further delay.

This is as the European Union (EU) has strengthened its partnership with the  Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, under which the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) is domiciled, to seek ways of ensuring that the programmes meets up with its mandate.
This was confirmed in a statement yesterday by the Head of Communications, Amnesty Office, Mr. Daniel Alabra.

Following the directive, Alabra said,  the CBN has successfully credited the accounts of students in the following 10 institutions: Nilai University, Malaysia, universities of Strathclyde, Westminster and Dundee in UK, Liberty University, Virginia, USA, New York Institute of Technology, University of Arizona, Lynn University, USA, Edinburgh University, UK, and University of Essex.

He said that the process is ongoing and should be completed in a few days.

He also said that the Special Adviser and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd), expressed appreciation to President Buhari for offering to step in and resolve the logjam in the payment of the outstanding allowances.

The PAP coordinator said the President's directive is a further demonstration of his commitment to a peaceful Niger Delta and the empowerment of youths of the region through the PAP's vocational and educational training schemes.

The EU  also disclosed that it had expended $500million for the development of the Niger-Delta region in the past 10 years
The  delegation of the EU to Nigeria and Minister Counsellor/ Head of Co-operation, Mr. Brian O'Neil disclosed this when  he visited Boroh for continued collaboration with the Amnesty Office.

O'Neil promised to continue partnership with the Office to advance peace and progress in the region.

He said that Niger-Delta stability was very important to the overall development of the country, as Nigeria cannot afford to have another crisis brewing in the oil producing region.

"For the success of Amnesty programme which maintains stability in the Niger Delta, we agree with you that the programme needs to be sustained in order to maintain peace in the Niger Delta. Nigeria is already grappling with enough security challenges that it can't afford to have another one in the Niger Delta. A lot of help is needed in the region."

The Head of EU Delegation however clarified that their cooperation with Nigeria was not limited to the Niger-Delta region alone but all 36 states and six geo-political zones of the country with special focus on Boko Haram-ravaged North-east.

"We actually have programmes in the 36 states of Nigeria with different areas of impact. We have also shifted focus to the North-eastern region. But for the insurgency, in the past, we have done various programmes in the North like polio eradication", O'Neil noted.

On a national level, he said, they had also assisted in the electoral issue, donating about $50 million for the last general elections, and also worked in the area of corruption and migration.

Also speaking, Boro said that the Office had resolved with the CBN challenges in the  payment of tuition and allowances of the ex-Niger Delta militants, particularly of the delegates studying in foreign institutions.

He said that together with the Apex bank, the payment backlog and debts owed to the beneficiaries which was delayed "as a result of the bottle neck caused by the TSA has been resolved".

Boroh assured that the process to clear the backlog of stipends was ongoing as he was determined to offset all outstanding payments to all former agitators and beneficiaries in the programme.

He said: "Following the completion of the in-house verification of claims, the Special Adviser has since signed and approved the payment of all outstanding tuition and allowances of the 3,074 beneficiaries in onshore and offshore educational institutions.

"Already, the tuition of 1,620 of the beneficiaries in Nigerian institutions have been paid just as they have all received their in-training allowances for May and June 2015."

Similarly, he added,  the approval and documentation process for their 1,454 counterparts in offshore institutions have also been completed and sent to the CBN, which handles the foreign exchange transaction process, and "has been resolved".

At the moment, he disclosed,  the CBN in conjunction with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation is processing the required cash backing to effect the necessary foreign exchange transaction for the offshore delegates. This, he noted, is in accordance with the strict implementation of the new directive on the Single Treasury Account (TSA).

I Was also A Victim Of Sexual Harassment In UNILAG

Estelle says: This is almost like a norm in almost all Government owned universities in Nigeria. This Lectures think, they are the God of your life as long as you remain in the school. Here is what Mrs Olabisi Deji Folutile told Punch newspaper

I am a product of the University of Lagos and proudly so too. I feel good when I introduce myself as an ex-Akokite.   I naturally align myself with anyone working for the progress of my alma mater and resist anything that could tarnish its image. That was why I joined other great Akokites to resist the unpopular decision of   former President Goodluck Jonathan to rename the university.   And I’m glad we succeeded.

For me, securing admission to the ‘flagship’ of Nigerian universities was no mean feat. I did not only burn the midnight oil, I tried ‘burning’ some in daylight just to get in. My cousin who was a UNILAG student then   had told me that the university was very competitive. He said   I needed a minimum of nine points in my Advanced Level result to qualify for admission. God’s grace coupled with my hard work helped. I got 11 points. So I had a smooth cruise to   my dream university.

However, whatever fond memories I have of my alma mater now are sometimes marred by the ugly incident of sexual harassment I was forced to endure on campus. Of course it is always good to bury our painful pasts in the ocean of forgetfulness, because that is where they actually belong, I sometimes struggle to do so. I feel a gush of disgust whenever I hear about cases of rape or attempted rape on any campus in the country. So you can imagine how saddened I was when I read reports of a teenager raped while seeking admission to UNILAG.

To think that an innocent teenager could be defiled within the walls of a university community is sickening. And seeing that all that the university could do in this case was to simply disown the lecturer alleged to have perpetrated the heinous act is shocking. Shortly after the university’s denial of any deal with the rape suspect, another lady, now married, accused the same lecturer of attempting to rape her.

It is ridiculous that at a time when universities across the world are thinking of better ways to handle cases of sexual harassment, the best UNILAG could do to protect its own students is to engage in unnecessary defence almost to the point of stupidity.

In my time, there were no official channels of reporting erring lecturers. All I could do was to ask some people to appeal to my lecturer to leave me alone. Unfortunately, some of the people I asked to help me told me to give my lecturer what he wanted. It was that bad.

Though I was not raped, I was seriously harassed if you consider what constitutes sexual harassment in universities in other climes. For example, in Harvard, any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive, that it interferes with or limits a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from the university’s education or work programme or activities is defined as sexual harassment. My supervisor refused to guide me through writing my final year project because I did not allow him to sleep with me. Imagine that.

UNILAG was setting up a panel to investigate a case that it had technically denied existed. To help the university in facing reality for the sake of others who are probably suffering in silence, I would like the authorities to know that I was a regular student when I was sexually harassed on its campus. My lecturer   then   was a full-time lecturer. And despite being desperate for help, I couldn’t get any.

There is no point playing the ostrich in this matter. UNILAG cannot afford to bury its head in the sand. Sexual harassment is not peculiar to Nigerian universities. It is a well established phenomenon. It happens even in well-established universities all over the world. A recent survey by the Telegraph in the UK found that one in three female undergraduates has some experience of sexual assault while on campus.

Also, a survey of 2,126 students of Cambridge University by the Women’s campaign last year found that more than three quarters of the students had experienced harassment while 30 per cent said they had been sexually assaulted. At Egerton University in Kenya, at least two female students are said to drop out of school yearly due to the problem of sexual harassment.

The only difference between universities in the developed ones and the ones in Africa is that while they are taking pragmatic steps to solve the problem, African universities are pretending as if it does not exist. But the earlier the students are protected, the better for everyone.

Both Harvard and Cambridge have well documented   policies on sexual harassment. They consider it a serious offence. Everybody is well-protected – both the lecturers and the students.   Apart from their well- articulated policies, they also provide counselling services for traumatised victims. In spite of these provisions, their students are still complaining and they are asking for better policies. They think what the universities are using as working documents should be reviewed in conformity with the latest dynamics of the problem. To them, the policies are 10 years out-of-date.

Nigerian universities should emulate their counterparts in the developed world by formulating policies and procedures for responding to cases of sexual harassment. They should establish formal channels of communication where students can report cases of harassment.

Students should know where to go for help when they are harassed by randy lecturers. They should have access to names, emails and phone numbers of people that could be contacted when in trouble. Victims should also be assured of being protected and that they will not be victimised.

Nigerian universities should understand that those who engage in acts of sexual harassment are not likely to stop unless they are challenged. If the lecturers know that their jobs would be on the line if caught, they will exercise some caution. But as long as they think the system is there to protect them, they will continue to perpetrate this heinous crime against women.

Sources: Punch newspaper

Can Fashola Really Go To Jail? Etcetera writes for Punch

As controversial as his write ups are always perceived to be, I still find myself reading his columns.

The APC is now being haunted by the saying, “When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back at you.” If it knew, it wouldn’t have accused Goodluck Jonathan of running a very corrupt government. Most times, we forget to listen to the voice of reason that says, “Look in the mirror, brother. You might just be talking about yourself.” It is now clear that the APC focused on the speck in Jonathan’s eye and ignored the log in their own eyes.” Who would have thought that just few weeks into a new regime in Lagos State, Fashola would be engulfed with the following accusations – Drilling of just two bore holes with N139m, remodelling and equipping of the official residence of the state’s Chief Judge at N510m, reconstructing of a car park with N640m, spending N300m to relocate cables, N175m to replace the railings of a pedestrian bridge, N220m on the facility management of the Lagos State University College of Medicine, N619m on surface repair of a road, N1.2bn on the construction of an unidentified multi-storey building, N1.6bn on the construction of a 48-bedroom hotel.

These things don’t seem like what a person as intelligent as the former governor would do; especially for those of us who regard him as one of the very few bright spots of our democracy. In fact, I am still of the belief that in the annals of corrupt governors in Nigeria, his place remains to be seen. But the question here is, can the Lagos State government come out with such weighty accusations without having evidence to back them up?

It was in the papers that “some in the former governor’s circle” are worried he might face charges. If that happens and if he is found guilty and if it results in conviction and if he ends up in prison-yes, four ifs-then considering his achievements in Lagos State, all other former governors from other states (especially the eastern states) should have long since been in jail awaiting his company. But yet again, does any governor go to jail in Nigeria?

Over drinks at a bar around Omole Estate, Ikeja last Monday, a friend who works in one of the ministries at Alausa laughed as he finished off his beer.

“Everything’s messed up, and nobody goes to jail,” he said. “Etcetera, that’s your whole article right there. Hell, you don’t even have to write anything more. Just write that.”

I put down my phone. “Just that?”

“That’s right,” he said, signalling to the waitress for the cheque. “Everything’s messed up, and nobody goes to jail. You can end the piece right there.”

Sounds funny but sincerely, “Nobody goes to jail” should be the mantra of our democracy, one that has seen virtually almost every public office holder embroiled in obscene criminal scandals — and nobody went to jail. Nobody, that is, except Alamieyeseigha, and that was probably because of the attention he brought on the nation as a result of his dress sense from the UK. And the Federal Government has apologised for the mistake by granting him full pardon.

If Fashola is found guilty of these allegations, he should face the music. That’s the way the system is supposed to work. But a veritable mountain of evidence indicates that when it comes to government officials, the justice system not only buckles at punishing criminals, it has actually evolved into a highly effective mechanism for protecting them. This institutional reality has absolutely nothing to do with politics or ideology — it takes place no matter who’s in office or which party is in power. To understand how the machinery functions, you have to look back, at least, at Obasanjo’s time in Aso Rock, as case after case of financial malfeasance was pursued too slowly or not at all. Indeed, the shocking pattern of no enforcement with regard to corrupt public officials is so deeply ingrained in our democracy that it raises a profound and difficult question about the very nature of our society: whether we have created a class of people whose misdeeds are no longer perceived as crimes, almost no matter what those misdeeds are. The Justice Department has evolved into a bizarre species of social surgeon serving this untouchable class.

I personally believe nobody should be above the law, that's why laws are made but apparently not in Nigeria. What do you think?
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'I Was Never Arrested For Money Laundering' Said Mrs Amosun

The wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, has debunked a rumour that she had been arrested and detained in London over money laundering to the tune of $300,000.

She debunked the allegation while fielding questions from journalists on Friday shortly after she donated some milk supplement and food items to pregnant women and nursing mothers at the State General Hospital, Ijaye, Abeokuta.

The social media had been awash with the allegation for some days and the arrest had been responsible for her long absence from public functions.

But Mrs. Amosun said she was neither arrested nor detained in London, adding that herself and her husband would never get themselves involved in such an odious adventure.

She said, “I never did anything of that nature. But as you can see me to the glory of God, it is not my portion; it shall never be my portion and I believe that you know Governor Ibikunle Amosun, I am sure you know he will never be involved in anything that is associated with money laundering or anything negative.

“So, as you said, it is a rumour and it shall remain so. It did not happen, it has not happened and it shall not happen.”

While donating the items, she said the supplement for the pregnant mothers, Frisomum, were given to all first ladies across the country by the President’s wife, Hajia Aisha Buhari, for onward distribution to the expectant mothers.

She said Hajia Buhari remained committed to the breastfeeding of babies by nursing mothers.

I hope you're saying the truth o.hmmm