DevelopmentNewsOnline: February 2015

Saturday, 28 February 2015

We’re Under Threat For Endorsing Buhari – Christian Group

A Christian group, Northern Christian Leaders Eagle Eyes Forum, which endorsed the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.), said the members now live under threat.

Specifically, the group on Friday raised the alarm that its leaders' lives were under serious threat following its endorsement of Buhari.

Addressing journalists in Kaduna, Chairman of the Forum, Pastor Aminchi Habu, simply described the tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan as a disappointment.

Habu said in 2011, the Christian community overwhelmingly voted for Jonathan but regretted that the President had failed the entire nation, adding that Jonathan's "poor performance" informed the body's decision to support Buhari.

The First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan yesterday stated that the Presidential Candidate for the All Progressive Congress, APC General Muhammad Buhari is too old and cannot offer Nigerians anything as she called on women in the country because to support her husband, President Goodluck Jonathan saying he has delivered on the promises he made to Nigerian women in 2011.

She spoke during the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Women Campaign Rally held in Makurdi, the state capital.

Banks may start mass sacking due to Naira fall

Indications emerged yesterday that banks in the country may consider retrenchment and other cost-cutting measures if nothing concrete is done to arrest the free fall of Naira due to Federal Government devaluation policy.

This is just as the exchange rate of naira to a dollar remained at N215 at the black market in Lagos.

Penultimate Wednesday, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced the closure of foreign windows in the country in order to save the nation's economy from collapse due to the Naira fall.

Cleric narrates how he poisoned client,chopped off his hands,head and private part

February 13 will not easily leave the minds of residents of Obele community in Oko-Agbola, Magbon area of Badagry, Lagos as they woke up to discover policemen at the site of a swimming pool around the area.

However, before their arrival, a crowd had gathered to watch the bloated headless body of a man in the river. At the approach of the policemen, the crowd disappeared into thin air for fear of possible arrest.

On closer observation , it was discovered that the headless man also had other parts of his body mutilated. For instance, his two breasts were slashed off, his two wrists chopped off and his chest region dissected, revealing a conspicuously deep hole. Not only that, his stomach was also discovered to have been sliced open with the intestines missing, as well as his manhood.

Before the arrival of the policemen, the crowd reportedly tried in vain to fathom the true identity of the headless man who was dumped in the river, stark naked. However, the nut has been cracked by operatives of the Homicide section of the State Criminal Investigations Department ,SCID, Panti, Yaba, following the arrest of a Muslim cleric , otherwise known as Alfa.

'They offered me a slave contract'- Keshi

Former Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi has described as "a slave contract" what was offered him to continue as Nigeria coach.

Keshi said he has received his new contract from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), but has been far from impressed what has been offered him.

"From the clauses I have seen so far, I don't know what words to use but the contract can be described as a 'slave contract'", he remarked probably in reference to clauses which make him answerable to several persons and committees. Further checks showed he has been offered a two-year contract effective from March 1, 2015 with him to meet several targets or else the deal is off.

He should reach the semifinal of the 2016 CHAN and also the last four of the next AFCON or the contract will be called off at "the absolute discretion" of his employers. He will also have to abide by a code of conduct. Keshi himself revealed that he will be paid five million Naira (less than $25,000), which was what he also received during his initial three-year contract, which ran out after last year's world Cup in Brazil.

Igbo man kills dad for trying to separate him from Hausa wife

A 32-year-old man, Chinedu Emmanuel Nnalue has been arrested by detectives of the criminal investigation department in the Anambra State police command for allegedly macheting his 59-year-old father, Nwafor Nnalue to death.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hosea Karma, who confirmed the development, disclosed that the suspect equally cut the deceased's hands and legs while mutilating the body.

He said the late Nwafor Nnalue was living in Damaturu, Yobe State with his family until they were forced to relocate to Anambra State as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency.

It was also learnt that the suspect, Chinedu was brought up in Yobe State before he travelled to South Africa and returned to join his family in the state where he eventually married an indigene.

Trouble, however, started after the entire family fled Yobe State and Chinelu's wife refused to move with her two children along with the Nnalues to Anambra.

His manhood is hurting me- Wife tells court

A Sharia Court, Samaru, Gusau, Zamfara State, during the week, experienced an unusual case as a housewife, Aisha Dannupawa, asked the court to dissolve her one-week marriage to her husband, Ali Maizinari, because she could not bear the size of his joystick.

When the case came up, the woman told the court that she married her husband after her first marriage failed.

The mother of three revealed that before she packed into her husband's house, as the tradition demanded, she was invited into his parents house.

She told the court that "when he came, we had sex but the experience was a nightmare. Instead of enjoying the sex, it turned out to be something else because his joystick was too big," she told the court.

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO) headed by Fani Kauoden has alleged that the All Progressives Congress vice presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo had sworn on oath to resign as vice president "in the unlikely event that the party wins the presidential election."

This, PDPPCO, said would pave the way for the national leader of APC, Bola Tinubu to become the vice president and subsequently become president in view of the perceived health status of the party's presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari.

Man snatches bag of faeces, lady’s pants

A 25 year-old man, Adekanmi Najim, got policemen attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, Lagos State Police Command laughing when he confessed that one of the bags he and his gang snatched a bag from a victim, thinking they had hit big money, turned out to contain faeces and a female adult pant.

Najim was arrested at Oshodi.

Aside from Najim, the other gang members were simply identified as Sunday and Taye.

Najim said Sunday and Taye introduced him to robbery.

Najim noted that it was during the last operation of the gang that they snatched a woman's bag containing baby's diaper filled with faeces.

Najim said: "In our last operation before we were arrested, we snatched a woman's bag. We thought the bag was filled with money and other valuables, so we decided to close early that day and went home to share our loot. We were shocked to find baby poo and the woman's pant inside the bag."

The gang's waterloo started after the members went to have a nice time at Mushin and decided to go for an operation at the Oshodi area at night.

A group of people numbering many thousands took to the streets of Cameroon to march in support of troops fighting terror, extremist group, Boko-Haram.

1.8 million PVCs yet to be collected in Lagos – INEC

Mr. Akin Orebiyi, Resident Electoral Commissioner for Lagos state, has said that1.8 million Lagos state residents have not collected their Permanent Voters card. Mr Orebiyi said this while on a visit to the Lagos state governor at the Lagos house Ikeja, yesterday Friday February 27th.

Explosion rocks GSM market, Potiskum, many feared dead

An explosion has rocked the Potiskun GSM market, Yobe state killing many and leaving several others injured today.

Some survivors suspected that a woman suicide bomber detonated the explosive, killing herself and others at the busy market.

Mr Toyin Gbadegesin, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, confirmed the attack to NAN.

"Yes, there was a bomb attack at the Potiskum GSM market and our men have moved to the scene for rescue operation and to get details of the incident.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan believes his government's achievements have been rundown by bad publicity mostly due to the insurgency. In an interview with THISDAY newspapers, the president had the following to say;

"I feel that what has brought this government down with both Nigerians and non-Nigerians, is the issue of Boko Haram. One thing is that terrorism is all over the world, but they believe that we did not handle it the way we were supposed to handle it. Probably at the beginning, we and I mean myself and the team, we underrated the capacity of the Boko Haram. Capacity not in terms of what they have in Nigeria, but their international linkages, we underrated that and thought that we were dealing with some local elements that we could overrun.

Many of the security chiefs had made statements that later on you people took them up on. That shows they underestimated their capacity. We've now realised that the handshake had gone above the elbow and so we have to move fully and that's why we are running round to get the right military equipments we need.

Some members of the Boko Haram terrorists drowned in the Lake Chad as they fled the heavy bombardment by Nigerian Air force, a military official said on today.

A spokesman for the military, Major General Chris Olukolade, in a statement, confirmed the incident.

He said that the insurgents had buried land mines in over 1,500 spots on the routes leading to the town.

Olukolade said all the landmines were skillfully cleared one after the other.

"The mining of the grounds could not save the terrorists from the aggressive move of advancing troops.

"A large number of terrorists have drowned in the Lake Chad as they fled the heavy bombardment by Nigerian Air force heralding the advance of Nigerian troops on mission to flush them out of Baga.

"Not even the strategy of over 1,500 spots with landmines on the routes leading to the town could save the terrorists from the aggressive move of advancing troops," he said.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has said that the hope of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to seize power in Nigeria, using Major General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd) will be dashed saying; "Buhari will never be Nigeria president again."

The governor also challenged Buhari to swear by the Holy Quran that he did not visit hospital in the United Kingdom last week.

Speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the governor said; "I wish they can see spiritually what I am talking about that Buhari, despite the hullabaloo will never be president. I predicted my return as Ekiti State Governor and I am saying it again that Buhari will never rule Nigeria again.

President Goodluck Jonathan on yesterday said that he was quoted out of context in the statement he made concerning running another term.

The president said this when he had an interactive session with Islamic Clerics from South West region at the State House, Marina, Lagos.

"I need to clarifiy this otherwise I do not need to talk about it. This matter continues to come up."

He said those who have been playing the tape where it was shown that he had pledged to run only a single term had not been sincere.

The President said that what happened was that late President Umaru Yar'Adua came out with political reforms when he, Jonathan was the Vice president.

Jonathan said that he was the chairman of the interparty group of the committee set up by late Yar'adua to agree on the president's proposal for a single tenure.

Riding on motorcycle can cause kidney disorder, impotence- Expert

In this part of the world where our transportation system leaves much to be desired, motorcycles, commonly called okada, are a necessary evil. This is not unconnected with the fact that they are a quick means of transport, they are efficient in mitigating traffic jams which most cities are renowned for, they get to areas which are ordinarily unmotorable and they are available throughout day and night hours. Since their introduction into the country and use for commercial purposes, they have continued to increase exponentially and based on this, the cases of motorcycle accidents have equally skyrocketed.

As former president Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday tore his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) membership card, President Goodluck Jonathan has said that he is not ready to join issues with him over his latter's

Jonathan, who granted an interview to a team of Tribune editors, in Lagos, on Thursday, said that senior citizens must always remember the need to keep Nigeria united even when they have cause to disagree politically.

The president used the occasion of his first interview with a Nigerian media outfit to clear the air on a number of issues, including security, the sanctity of the March 28 and April 11 election dates, expected return of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls and fight against corruption.

He said he was confident of winning the rescheduled elections as none of the other candidates had any plan for the country that could rival his.

Telemundo loses actress

Telemundo/Second Chance actress Lorena Rojas is dead. The 44 year-old beautiful and fantastic actress passed away on Monday at her Miami home after succumbing to liver cancer.

She's popular for her role in Telenovela series and Second Chance.

Rojas was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 but recovered and suffered a relapse in her bones in 2012.

The Edo State Government led by Adams Oshiomhole has said that it has uncovered plots by anti-democratic forces to unleash a reign of terror on the state.

These plots which includes high-profile killings ahead of the March 28 and April 11 general elections he said he aimed at putting fear in the minds of the teeming supporters of All Progressives Congress and also to make the state ungovernable for the Governor.

"The new evil agenda is akin to the one unleashed in 2012 ahead of the governorship election in which the Principal Private Secretary to the Comrade Governor, Olaitan Oyerinde, was brutally murdered.

Controversy trails death of final year LASU student killed by DHL truck

Family says DHL is denying ownership of truck

Family discovers deceased has a love child

DHL insists they are in touch with family

His dream of becoming a top military officer and serve his country was what made Stanislus Ipogah leave Kaduna after trying to join the military without success for three years to gain admission into the Lagos State University, LASU with the intention of going back to try again after graduation.

The 29 year old opted to study Computer Science, a profession he has a lot of passion in. When it became clear that his efforts were not in vein as he had progressed to his final year and was preparing to write his final examination, an ill-fated truck carrying DHL Global Forwarding symbol with registration number KJA 998XA driven by Mr Adegboyejo Festus knocked him down killing him and his dreams.

US health authorities yesterday announced the discovery of a new deadly virus believed to be responsible for the death of a previously healthy man in Kansas last year.

The virus named "Bourbon" after the county where the victim lived is part of a group of viruses known as thogotovirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.

It is the first time a virus from the family has caused a human fatality in the United States, and only the eighth known case of a thogotovirus causing symptoms in people, the CDC said.

Save us from these hoodlums, Ojuwoye traders appeal to Fashola

Ojuwoye market

Traders at the bustling Ojuwoye market, Mushin are calling on Governor Babatunde Fashola to come to their rescue, as they allege harassment and extortion in the hands of street urchins and hoodlums. Medinat Kanabe reports.

Ojuwoye Market, Mushin is under siege, and the traders are at their wits end and crying out for help. The traders are calling on the government of Governor Babatunde Fashola to come to their rescue and save them from the claws of street urchins and hoodlums who have been disturbing the peace of the market, extorting money from them and generally making life unbearable for them for over 12 years.

As it is, remaining peacefully in their shops without being disturbed now means paying huge fines to hoodlums on a regular basis. According to the traders and market leaders, they have done all in their power to stop the boys but they just seem unstoppable.

With unsolicited SMS messages announcing employment opportunities flying around and colourfully designed as well as cheap fliers being trust in people's faces at every junction or street corner, Medinat Kanabe, who got curious took a trip into the jealously guarded world of recruitment agencies. You'd be amazed at what she found out.

With the growing rate of unemployment in Nigeria and the frustration that comes with it, many unemployed graduates will do anything to get a job, even if it takes paying through their noses to certain people who claim to be in the position to help them get the jobs.

Three gay men marry, becomes first same sex marriage with three partners

For the first time since same sex marriage was legalized in Thailand, three gay men decided to marry as one union, according to wedding photos uploaded to the Internet.The three men, identified only as Joke, Bell, and Art, uploaded their wedding photos on the Internet, and they went viral on Facebook and Twitter. Most social media users who saw the images congratulated them and also reshared the photos.
In one of the photos taken before the wedding, the three men announced that their traditional wedding ceremony will take place at midnight on Sunday, but they did not say where the party will be held.

US Intelligence report indicates that racism will keep ISIS operating in Northern Africa from teaming up with Boko Haram in Nigeria. Report below...
Long before ISIS militants beheaded Christians on a Libyan beach last week, Nigeria's Boko Haram was carrying out similar atrocities 1,500 miles to the south. Now that ISIS is operating in northern Africa, will the Syria-based organization join forces with the continent's largest Islamist terror group? Maybe not, say U.S. intelligence officials, and they suggest one obstacle is racism.
The Arab world is incredibly racist," explained a U.S. intelligence official. "They don't see black Africans as equivalent to them."

PDP Chieftain caught with over 500 PVCs in Benin City

There was a bloody clash between All Progressives congress(APC) and Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Edo State on Tuesday, following the discovery of 500 permanent voter cards (PVCs) at the residence of a chieftain of the PDP.

Trouble started when the PDP stalwart was caught trying to use someone’s ATM card to make withdrawal at one of the new generation banks and was arrested by security operatives who later handed him over to the police.

National Assembly approves life pension for president, his vice, others

The National Assembly, yesterday, completed the amendment of the 1999 Constitution where life pension for anybody who has held office as President or Vice President, Senate President or Deputy Senate President, Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives was approved.
But beneficiaries of this gesture must be occupants who successfully concluded their terms in office without removal or impeachment.
The amended constitution, which was presented as motion, to the floor of the Senate by the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, for onward transmission to the president for assent, also made it mandatory for the president to appear once a year before the joint sitting of the National Assembly to deliver an address in respect of the state of the nation.

Entering into Nigeria is so cheap for illegal immigrant, a suspected illegal immigrant from the Niger Republic, Shuaib Kaneda, have said. He claims many illegal immigrants usually entered Nigeria by paying between N300 and N500 to unidentified persons.
Shuaib added that he had spent eight years in Nigeria, but could not acquire valid documents before he was arrested by officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command.
The 34-year-old was among 82 illegal immigrants paraded on Wednesday at the command’s office in Alagbon, Lagos.
The suspects were said to have been arrested at different parts of the Lagos Island area after an intelligence report.
Shuaib was arrested along with a relative, Idris, who had spent barely one year in the country when he was caught.

During the fracas that broke out at the APC governorship rally in Okrika Rivers state yesterday Feb. 17th, a Channels TV Senior correspondent Charles Eruka was stabbed in the neck by some hoodlums. Narrating what happened in an interview with Channels TV, Eruka said the hoodlums stabbed him while he was struggling to keep his phone which they wanted to take from him.

Court fixes Feb 22 to hear ‎fresh suit to stop Jonathan

Justice ‎Ishaq Bello of an Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama, Tuesday, fixed February 22 to commence hearing on a fresh suit challenging the eligibility of President Goodluck Jonathan to seek for a re-election on March 28.

The court earlier directed the service of the Originating Summons on President Jonathan to enable him to respond to the legal action which was instituted against him by four plaintiffs, Prof. Tunde Samuel, Dr. Junaidu Mohammed, Mr. Rasak Adeogun and Yahaya Ezeemoo Ndu.

‎The president was served through substituted means, to wit; by publication of the court processes in a national newspaper.

The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Attahiru Jega, has told the Nigerian federal lawmakers that he cannot guarantee the 2015 general elections will hold on rescheduled dates in March and April.

At a meeting with Senators today, Mr. Jega said he could not commit himself to the "sanctity" of March 28 and April 11 – dates for the rescheduled Nigeria's general elections.

He said the electoral commission could not guarantee aspects of the poll that are beyond its control.

Mr. Jega met with the lawmakers to review the decision to postpone the polls from February.

Under the Nigerian law, a further six-week extension of the elections is possible, a prospect opposed by many Nigerians, the main opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, and the international community.

Six Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members of the House of Representatives on Tuesday defected to other political parties.

The Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, announced the defection of the members during the House's plenary in Abuja.

The defected members were Tobias Okwuru and Peter Ali, both from Ebonyi, to Labour Party, and Chinenye Ike from Abia, to All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA).

Others are Micah Umoh and Robinson Uwak, both from Akwa Ibom, who defected to Accord Party to All Progressives Alliance (APC), respectively, and Ibrahim Garba from Jigawa, who defected to APC.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports with the latest defections, APC now has 181 members, the highest number of lawmakers in the House. It is followed by PDP with 156 members and other political parties, 23 members.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has introduced new guidelines for the treatment and management of dormant account balances by deposit-taking financial institutions.

Part of the objectives of the policy, according to the CBN, is to ensure that dormant account funds are identified and channelled through appropriate institutions to make them more productive to the economy and eliminate the possibility of banks converting dormant account balances to income.

The bank, in a circular released signed by its Director, Financial Policy and Regulation Department, Mr. Kevin Amugo, on Tuesday, stated that the absence of clear guidelines for the management of dormant accounts had resulted in the disproportionate treatment of such account balances by deposit-taking financial institutions.

This, it noted, was generating concern among bank account holders, regulators and other stakeholders.

It said representations received by the CBN from stakeholders on the subject highlighted the need for the bank to develop a regulatory framework for the management of dormant accounts for the benefit of the banking system and the Nigerian economy.

Three university graduates, who are among suspected armed robbers arrested by the Lagos State Police Command, have said that in order to survive, they robbed and snatched vehicles in different parts of the country.

The graduate suspects are 31-year-old Titus Johana, Jacob Ali, 28, and Richard Augustine, 30.

Other suspected robbers are Manven Bali, 40; Cheikube Emeka, 32, and Ejike Chukwuemeka, 37, who also confessed to have snatched a CRV belonging to an employee of Channels Television, Mrs. Adeola Adediran, stolen on January 17, in the Isheri area of Ogun State.

The police also arrested one Nura Mohammed, 33, said to be an alleged receiver of stolen vehicles.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the suspects were apprehended by operatives of the state Special Anti-Robbery Squad on February 2, while two locally-made double-barrel guns, four live cartridges and four stolen cars were also recovered from them.

Yesterday Borno State experienced two suicide attacks killing at least 38 people.

The first attack was reportedly carried out by three assailants in a motorised rickshaw detonated explosives at a checkpoint at Yamarkumi village, four kilometres from the town of Biu, at about 1:00pm.

The suicide attack killed 36 people and injured 20, a source at the Biu General Hospital told AFP, requesting anonymity.

"Most of the victims were child vendors and beggars that usually crowd the checkpoint to sell wares and beg for alms," the source added.

Some four hours later, in Potiskum, a bomber blew himself up inside Al-Amir restaurant.

The restaurant manager and a steward were killed, while 13 staff and customers were seriously injured, a police officer and nurse at the Potiskum General Hospital said.

Nigeria's Ambassador to the United States, Ade Adefuye, on has faulted an editorial published by the New York Times on the postponement of the general elections in Nigeria.

He spoke on Tuesday through a statement. He said:"I was shocked and disappointed to read your editorial of Feb.16 titled 'Nigeria Miserable Choices' because it distorted and omitted important facts," he said in a statement on Tuesday.

The publication had in its editorial said the main reason Nigeria's elections were postponed was to frustrate Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress.

Mr. Adefuye explained that the decision to postpone the election was made by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and not by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Jonathan may likely win election- Ex US Ambassador

Former United States’ ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell has said that President Goodluck Jonathan may likely winner of the March 28 polls despite the strength of the opposition.
Campbell made this declaration in a new report published and released by the US’ Council on Foreign Relations.
The report titled Nigeria’s 2015 Presidential Election: Contingency Planning Memorandum Update,’ read “The APC is stronger than its predecessors (Action Congress of Nigeria and Congress for Progressives Change) and reflects a splintering of the political classes.
“The government’s inability to defeat Boko Haram, the economic hardships brought on by falling oil prices, and a growing public perception that the Jonathan administration is weak has fuelled support for the All Progressives Congress. Though the APC’s voter base is in the North, it enjoys support all over the country, unlike the opposition in 2011.

Lagos mainland experienced an unusual gridlock on today as motorcycle and tricycle riders from across the country under the aegis of the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (NACTOMORAS) gathered in Lagos to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term in office.
The association declared that it remained the largest employer of labour in the country with nine million members.
National President of the association, Alhaji Muhammad Hassan, made this declaration during an open-air crusade in support of President Jonathan in the forthcoming presidential poll now scheduled to hold on March 28, 2015, attended by thousands of members from the 36 states of the Federation, including the FCT, Abuja.

Corper drowns in beach on Valentine's day

When he woke up on Valentine's day, what was in the mind of Victor Daniels, a 2014 batch C corps member was to spend the valentine with friends in the Ibeno Beach, Akwa
Ibom state.

A female suicide bomber on Sunday attacked a motor park in Damaturu, Yobe state, North East Nigeria killing herself and eight others.
According to Police who confirmed the incident, the bomber disguised as a passenger.
Witness Adamu Muhammad said he heard a loud blast and the people at the Damaturu's central motor park "descended into panic."
He said there were many casualties, though he did not know how many. The Nigerian military was not immediately available for comment. No one claimed the attack, which bore the hallmarks of Islamist insurgent group Boko Haram.

BREAKING: Obasanjo disowns PDP, tears membership card in public

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as shown in different television stations has finally dumped the People's Democratic Party, PDP for the APC tearing his membership card in public.

INEC promises to announce election results within 48 hours

Hajia Amina Zakari, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner, has reiterated the commission’s determination to announce the presidential and governorship elections within 48 hours after voting.
She spoke on Saturday in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi, during a public sensitisation and practical demonstration of accreditation and election processes.
Zakari said that the demonstration was to enable the commission to make amendments in areas of difficulty.
According to her, the demonstration will also enable electoral officers to be familiar with the process of accreditation and smooth election.

How businessman escaped kidnappers den

Enugu-born businessman, Chief Emeka Omii, has told the heart-rending story of his miraculous survival after kidnappers shot him several times in the mouth, thigh and neck, for attempting to escape from where he was being held.
Notwithstanding the fact that his body bears the ugly signs of his encounter with the merchants of death, Omii is exceedingly happy, and understandably so, to be alive to tell his story.
To start with, Omii was stripped naked by the gang that abducted and threatened to waste him if he did not give them N50 million. To prove that it was not an empty threat, the kidnappers beat him black and blue; they blindfolded him, tied his hands and legs and left in the bush. But determined to live, Omii made brave efforts to escape from where he was being held, but was caught again by the kidnappers, who shot then him on the thigh, neck and mouth.
Omii, who is based in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of Abia State, revealed that the encounter with the dare devil kidnappers happened at Aro Ngwa, Abia State, where he had gone to pay workers harvesting palm fruits for him.

Borno declares today public holiday for Buhari

The Borno State Government on Sunday declared Monday, February 16, as a work-free-day ahead of the visit of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, to the state.
Ahmed Jidda, the Secretary to the State Government, announced this in a statement in Maiduguri.
Mr. Jidda said that the gesture was to enable residents of the state receive Mr. Buhari during his campaign rally.

Woman leaves children alone abroad to attend wedding in Nigeria

A mother left her two children at home without food or heat while she went on a three-week trip abroad.
The youngsters one aged 10 and 13, were left to fend for themselves while their mother attended a family wedding in Nigeria.
It is understood they had continued to go to school while she was away but when officers visited the home, they found the house was in an unkempt condition while the children had no food or heating.
The mother, who lives in Salford in Greater Manchester, has since been arrested on suspicion of child neglect and her children were taken into care.
Police said she had left the family home on January 28 to fly out to the wedding and had intended to stay out of the country until next week.

A former Minister of Aviation and spokesperson of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has stated that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has intensified his attacks on president Goodluck Jonathan because he has strong fears that Mr. Jonathan will win next month’s presidential election.
Mr. Fani-Kayode made the assertion Sunday at a press conference in Abuja.
Mr. Obasanjo had on Saturday accused Mr. Jonathan of working towards a controversial poll and possibly, exit from office, the same way former Ivorian president, Laurent Gbagbo, did in his country.
In his earlier reaction, the president accused Mr. Obasanjo of harbouring an ambition of heading an interim government after instigating a constitutional crisis in the country
Speaking on Saturday, Mr. Fani-Kayode, who was also a spokesperson to Mr. Obasanjo while the latter was in office, said Mr. Obasanjo’s allegations are “serious and grave”.
He described the comments made by the former president as reckless.

Tragedy struck in Oremeji, Ibadan, Oyo State, recently when two middle-aged men died in the process of evacuating a “soak-away” pit.
The duo, Wasiu, a bricklayer and Solomon, a vulcanizer (surnames withheld) had been employed at No 12, Sobande Avenue, Oremeji, to evacuate a soak-away pit at the back of a two-storey building when the fatal accident occurred, they went into the pit and never came out.
When Daily Sun got to the scene of incident, residents who knew the two men had stormed the area, while some policemen were seen speaking to neighbours in the area. The lifeless bodies were also found laid on the floor by men of the Oyo State Fire Service, who had rushed to the area in the hope of rescuing the two victims.
The two who were allegedly hired by the landlord and tenants had resumed duty early in the morning when the incident occurred. It was gathered that the two had employed a pumping machine to suck out the first set of waste.

Clearing Agent who raped 7-year old girl blames wife

A clearing and forwarding agent who was arrested by the police for allegedly defiling a seven-year-old girl, Deborah in Afromedia area of Okokomaiko, Lagos has said that his wife bewitched him.
According to Crime Watch,The suspect, Uchenna aged 29, who is being detained at the Okoko police station, his wife Uchenna and the victim’s parents live in the same house on Surulere Street, Afromedia.Uchenna, who hails from Abia State said:
“If my wife has not kept the little girl under my care, the devil would not have pushed me to commit the dastardly act.
“My name is Uchenna, I am from Abia State, I am a clearing agent at Apapa Wharf. I woke up one morning, as I was about going to work, that was on January 28, 2015. My wife came in with the mother of the girl, the woman was telling my wife to help her look after the girl that she was going out. I told my wife that this is January, I don’t want trouble. I told her to send the girl back before I return from work.

Bricklayer kills neighbour over generator fumes

A 29-year-old bricklayer, Ibrahim Tijani, has hacked to death his neighbour, Bashorun Okanla, for complaining about fumes emanating from his generator.The incident happened in the Okun Ajah, Ogombo area of Lagos State.
Punch Metro learnt that the suspect, an indigene of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and the deceased lived in an uncompleted building.
On the fateful day, Tijani was said to have turned on his generator around 11am, while the fumes escaped into the room of the 57-year-old carpenter.
Okanla, who was married with kids, was said to have cautioned Tijani and later, an argument started between them.The argument was said to have degenerated into a fight and in the ensuing brawl, the suspect picked a cutlass from his room and cut the victim in the hand and leg.
He was rushed to a hospital in the area where he reportedly gave up the ghost.
A source, who pleaded anonymity, said the police from the Ogombo division recovered the cutlass used in committing the crime.

The police in Lokoja, Kogi State, have arrested a 50 year old commercial sex worker for allegedly killing one of her lovers, in a mysterious fire incident in Gadumo area, a surburb of the state. The long arm of the law caught up with her when Security operatives acting on a tip-off, got her from a completed government quarters which was built for 2012 flood victims by the Kogi State government after a four weeks man-hunt.
Thisday learnt that the woman was said to have confessed to roasting her lover to death.
The alleged prostitute, according to our investigation, confessed to have killed several men whom she claimed wanted to cling to her and make her their permanent mistress.

The United States Department of Defence has said there is no discussion with President Goodluck Jonathan to send US troops to assist the Nigerian military in fighting Boko Haram.
This was disclosed on Friday by the Pentagon Press Secretary, Rear Adm. John Kirby.
When asked under what circumstance the US would consider sending troops to Nigeria as requested by Jonathan, Kirby stated that the discussion between the US and the Nigerian government was about establishing a multinational task force.
“There is a discussion but it is of a multinational task force that the international community is working with certain African nations to establish. That is right now still in the discussion phase.
“I don’t have a timeline for that. But we believe that we support the discussion and dialogue toward establishing a multinational task force that can operate there to help improve partner capacity, to improve counter-terrorism capabilities. But these are discussions (that) are really just now starting,” the Pentagon’s spokesman said.

Boko Haram attacks Chad for the first time

For the first time since it started operations, Boko Haram militants, have launched an attack within Chad.

The assault took place in the wee hours of Friday, February 13, in a Chadian village and a military camp on the shores of Lake Chad.

According to residents and a security source, five people were killed in the attack.

Yemen on brink of civil war -UN

The UN special envoy to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, has warned that the country may be on the brink of civil war and accused all sides of contributing to the political and economic turmoil.

Yemen is slipping further into chaos as the Houthis, an armed Shia group from the north, consolidate their grip on power after seizing the capital in September and sidelining the central government.

Addressing the UN Security Council on Thursday, Benomar said: "Yemen is at a crossroad: Either the country will descend into civil war and disintegration" or a political transition will work.

Speaking from Yemen, Benomar said he is "in the middle of delicate negotiations" daily with parties involved.

The Step sister of late nollywood Actor Muna Obiekwe, Chinwe Obiekwe has opened up on why he didn't ask for help.

She told Nollywood Inside during his burial that, "Muna was sick from last year October. It wasn't a normal Kidney failure. It was a high BP that prompted the failure, so he did not give us time to do the kidney transplant because his two kidneys failed. Assuming it was a normal kidney failure, it would have been one kidney. My uncles were planning to come back to Nigeria and operate on him/do the transplant but he died on Sunday.

"Through out the one year he was sick, we were going for the dialysis. My uncles in Lagos were taking him for the dialysis."

The National Deputy Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has alleged that the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Director-General of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, are plotting to destabilise the nation and derail the 2015 general elections. Secondus stated this at the grand finale of the PDP governorship rally at Obio Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State. He said, "The plan to cause chaos by the APC was hatched because the APC knew very well that the PDP would win the 2015 general elections." Speaking on how APC allegedly plans to execute the agenda, Secondus said, "It (APC) plans to recruit a private army, which would include the dreaded Boko Haram sect with a view to using them to rig the elections, mainly in the North Eastern part of the country."

News Headlines for Feb 13

Punch

Security men invade APC director's home

Mu'azu says PDP has confidence in Jega

Election: NLC delegates trade punches, destroy ballot boxes

CBN under pressure to devalue naira again

Tinubu, Saraki, Amaechi's phones have been bugged —APC

Female bomber attacks Biu market, kills five

My men'll arrest unruly govs during election —Mbu

Defection: Niger gov orders deputy out of council meeting

Soldiers ready to testify to rigging in Ekiti —Fayemi

Court hears T.B. Joshua's objection to coroner's inquest

N'East: EU demands security to monitor elections

FG rejects calls for interim national govt

APC asks INEC to arrest PVC buyers

APC, PDP clash at police peace parley

You can't sack Jega, group replies Jonathan

Ideye delighted with scoring form

Grant to stay with Ghana

Colombians slam Van Gaal over Falcao

Nigeria back to 42nd in FIFA ranking

Nigeria risks missing 2017 AFCON – Adepoju, Lawal

Telephony: Govt to connect 1.6 million rural dwellers

Passengers pay 65% of airfares as fuel surcharge

FMBN lifts ban on estate development loan

Kebbi deputy governor may defect to APC

There are believes that Kebbi State Deputy Governor Ibrahim K. Aliyu, one of the pioneer members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will dump the party for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).

Daily Trust has reliably gathered yesterday in Birnin Kebbi that Aliyu had a secret meeting on Sunday night with Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko at the latter's personal residence in Sokoto.

Wamakko was said to have convinced him to defect to the APC.

"We were in Sokoto on Sunday and had a meeting with Gov. Wamakko at his personal residence and the deputy governor has accepted to join the APC," a source who was at the meeting confirmed to our correspondent.

The source also confirmed that the news of the deputy governor's move to decamp to the APC has already forced the ruling PDP and its governorship campaign team to start mounting pressure on Aliyu's kinsmen and the Emir of Yauri to intervene in the matter.

Already, some senior political aides to Aliyu have defected and started working for the APC in the state.

Election: Jonathan says no plans to remove Jega

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday refuted reports in the media suggesting that he was planning to send the INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega on terminal leave with a view to retire him before the 2015 general polls rescheduled to begging March 28.
“I appointed the INEC chairman and all the resident electoral commissioners but I also have the constitutional powers to remove butwill not do so. I have not told anyone, I intend to remove Jega”, he stated.
The president also assured Nigerians that he was ready to leave office on May 29 this year if he loses the presidential contest to the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking at a presidential media chat aired live on national television and radio yesterday evening, Jonathan who restated his earlier stance that the May 29 hand over date remained sacrosanct said the country will not go to war if he or anybody does not win the 2015 polls.
Noting that if he did not believe in abilities of Jega, he would not have appointed him, the president said: “I want all Nigerians to know that INEC will conduct elections and a government will be inaugurated on May 29”.

Nigerian central bank chief pleads for calm as naira tumbles * "Don't panic," central bank governor tells markets * Governor rules out free float of currency * CBN burning through $110 mln a day * Devaluation pressure growing, despite looming election (Adds analyst, stock market)

LAGOS, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Nigeria's central bank chief said on Thursday there was "no need to panic" about a slide in the currency, after figures showed the bank had been burning through more than $110 million a day in a vain attempt to defend it.
The naira has crashed through the key level of 200 to the dollar this week in a rout sparked by weak oil prices and escalating tension over the postponement of a presidential election in Africa's biggest economy.
However, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele said it was "appropriately priced" despite a nearly 25 percent slump against the dollar in the last three months, and investors should stay calm.
"We are not in the best of times but there's no need to panic," he told CNBC Africa in an interview. He ruled out an emergency Monetary Policy Committee meeting, and said floating the currency was not an option.
In the latest update on its reserves, the CBN said its stockpile of dollars had dropped to $33.4 billion as of Feb. 10, a decline of $1 billion in nine trading sessions since Jan. 28.
Dealers noted further intervention during chaotic trading on Wednesday and Thursday. On both days, leading banks triggered an agreed 'circuit-breaker' to halt electronic trading because of the pace of the naira's fall.

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has intercepted and seized various security identification items from non-Nigerians including Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs).
The Public Relations Officer of the NIS, Chukwuemeka Obua, in a statement yesterday in Abuja said the Comptroller General, David Parradang, “announced the seizure of some voter’s and national identity cards from some foreigners in a renewed crackdown on irregular migrants across the country ahead of the forthcoming general elections.”
The statement indicates that among the seized items said to be in the custody of the service are 191 PVCs, 57 temporary voter’s cards, 367 old national identity cards, 68 new national identity cards and 11 old temporary identity card slips.

President Goodluck Jonathan has said that the nation will not go to war over the elections, assuring Nigerians that he is committed to ensuring that the elections will be free, fair and credible.
The President made the statement at a presidential media chat held on Wednesday.
He decried the high level of mudslinging politicians have adopted in their campaigns and expressed optimism that the elections would be peaceful.
President Jonathan further stressed that the shift in the date of the election was not about him but about the need to hold a credible election in the nation, emphasising that he was not consulted on the election postponement.
“We will have a peaceful election. I am confident that the military and other security agencies will provide needed security during the elections. Nigeria will not go to war over elections.”
During the chat, the President gave assurance that the over 200 girls abducted from a Government Secondary School in Chibok would be rescued.
“The Case Of Chibok Girls”

A deadly explosion from a bomb that went off in a crowded market in Biu, the largest town in Southern Borno state, has killed many, witnesses said.
The witnesses said injured persons and corpses were being evacuated to hospital at the time of this report.
Today is market day in Biu, about 185km away from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
It is the first major attack on the town in a long time.
A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force helping to evacuate injured ‎persons said many people were killed in the attack.

Punch

10 power firms get N39.5bn loan from CBN

CIBN, Accion MfB collaborate for growth

Power supply drops to 2,869MW

FEC approves eight bills for transport sector

Hostage crisis threatens Japan's Middle East energy deal

Skill gap exists in power sector

Standard & Poor's downgrades Nigeria's economy to negative watch

MoneyGram in aggressive Africa expansion

Greece to rewrite bailout deal

Making organisational changes less frightening

10 ways to spend less on Valentine's Day

Jet fuel business hits 900 million litres 'CITA

Further devaluation of naira inevitable 'Rewane

Flipboard magazines complementing personal computers

HSBC to question tax chief at MPs hearing

Bank of Agriculture gets acting MD

Obasanjo endorses Buhari‎

Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria's former president, has publicly expressed support for the electioneering campaign of Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking at the launch of My Watch in Nairobi, Kenya on Tuesday, Obasanjo, who served his two terms as president under the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), condemned the postponement of the election.

"The circumstances [Buhari] will be working under if he wins the election are different from the one he worked under before, where he was both the executive and the legislature — he knows that," he said.

"He's smart enough. He's educated enough. He's experienced enough. Why shouldn't I support him?"

It is the first time that the ex President has publicly spoken of his support for Buhari. He recently said that he would only speak out on his leaning after the election has been conducted.

The Cable

Teenage girl bathes boyfriend with acid for cheating on her

A 16-year- old, Maureen (surname withheld) in Emede Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State at the weekend, allegedly bathed her boyfriend with acid for cheating on her in the last three months of their relationship.

Reports said the girl, now in the police net in the community, upon interrogation by the police confessed to the crime, saying that her boyfriend violated the oath they took together.

It was reliably gathered that the victim was caught while making love to another girl right in a hotel within the community, a situation, when the suspect was informed about it, raced to the hotel where she attacked him with acid water.

Last week, Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe was the subject of many hilarious jokes over his embarrassing fall .In the viral photos, most of his aides appeared to just stand by while he tripped.

New eports claim 27 of his aides have now been suspended for subjecting the president to ridicule

According to TimesLive,Mugabe's security guards received suspension letters over the incident last Friday. Sources said up to 27 members of the presidential security and advance team have been suspended. Officials said an investigation was launched on the night that Mugabe fell.

Nigeria's National Security Adviser, Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, says all known Boko Haram camps in Nigeria will be taken out within the six weeks so the country can have a safe election.

Dasuki said this while responding to a question from AFP on the gains of the postponement of the 2015 general elections by INEC

"All known Boko Haram camps will be taken out, they won't be there. They will be dismantled" he said.

The Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Jimi Agbaje and All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Akin Ambode signed the plede at the official residence of the United States Consul-General in Lagos, Jeffrey Hawkins, in the presence of the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, James F. Entwistle, as well as Nigerian religious leaders.
Other signatories to the document include Archbishop Alfred Adewale Martins, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Imam Abdulrahman Ahmad, National Missioner of Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Pastor Paul Adefarasin, Senior Pastor and prelate of House on the Rock, and Sheikh Abdurrahman Adangba, National Missioner of Fatil-ul-Qareeb Islamic Society.

Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a national leader of Nigeria’s main opposition party, All Progressives Congress has stated that the general elections were postponed because President Goodluck Jonathan was afraid he was going lose if the election had held.

The former governor of Lagos state noted that the general elections were announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega but the words were those of Jonathan.

In a statement issued on Monday, he said “What happened Saturday was actually not a postponement due to security or logistical reasons. What happened was the by-product of overt political interference undermining the independence of the election management body, INEC.

The elections were postponed not because they could safely be held. They were postponed because one man, President Jonathan, feared that an election held on February 14 would for him become an election lost. While the mouth was Jega, the words were Jonathan.

Saturday, 28 February 2015

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