Russia decries ‘new Cold War’ as East-West tensions cloud talks

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjBuNQABlwU3iFpLDlOeMzkn85uOW1EzseLM8g05BKpJCtuPu-2xeUFIYD5jhlBiQ3T9a060LtwcSHfhg9gaDiv6JzKtfQxB72AewTcrndR4_3b0a1V9JOXcF7gD7R-yDQx4isc1jS_U/s1600/cold+war+usa+ussr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjBuNQABlwU3iFpLDlOeMzkn85uOW1EzseLM8g05BKpJCtuPu-2xeUFIYD5jhlBiQ3T9a060LtwcSHfhg9gaDiv6JzKtfQxB72AewTcrndR4_3b0a1V9JOXcF7gD7R-yDQx4isc1jS_U/s640/cold+war+usa+ussr.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> The world has plunged into a “new Cold War”, the Russian premier said Saturday, as East-West tensions over Syria and Ukraine dominated a gathering of world leaders in Germany. US Secretary of State John Kerry told the Munich Security Conference that Russia must stop targeting moderate rebels in Syria and pull its troops out of Ukraine.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a>“To date, the vast majority of Russia’s attacks (in Syria) have been against legitimate opposition groups,” Kerry told the audience.<br /> <br /> “To adhere to the agreement it made, Russia’s targeting must change,” he said, referring to the international deal forged on Friday, in which foreign ministers agreed to seek a “cessation of hostilities” in Syria within a week. “This is the moment. This is a hinge point. Decisions made in the coming days and weeks, and a few months could end the war in Syria<br /> <br />  –- or could define a very difficult set of choices for the future.” He spoke shortly after Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the world had “slid into a new period of Cold War.” “Almost every day we are accused of making new horrible threats either against NATO as a whole, against Europe or against the US or other countries,” Medvedev said.<br /> <br /> – ‘This is your aggression’ –<br /> <br /> A panel of eastern European leaders were eager to add to the criticism of Russia’s assertive foreign policy. “Every single day, Russian troops, Russian weapons, Russian ammunition penetrate into my country,” said Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko. He addressed Russia’s president, who was not present, saying: “Mr (Vladimir) Putin, this is not a civil war in Ukraine, this is your aggression.<br /> <br /> This is not a civil war in Crimea, this is your soldiers who occupied my country.” Kerry emphasised that sanctions on Russia would remain in place until it implements all aspects of the Ukraine peace agreement reached in Belarus’ capital Minsk last year.<br /> <br /> “Russia has a simple choice: fully implement Minsk or continue to face economically damaging sanctions,” he said. An emotional Poroshenko also warned that “pro-Russian parties” were undermining Europe from within with an alternative set of values. “Isolationism, intolerance, disrespect of human rights, religious fanatics, homophobia<br /> <br />  — this alternative Europe has a leader. His name is Mr Putin.” By contrast, Medvedev had earlier criticised the expansion of NATO and EU influence deep into formerly Soviet-ruled eastern Europe, which Russia still sees as its sphere of influence. “European politicians thought that creating a so-called belt of friends at Europe’s side, on the outskirts of the EU, could be a guarantee of security, and what’s the result?” he said. “Not a belt of friends but a belt of exclusion.” But he also struck a more positive note, saying:<br /> <br />  “Our positions differ, but they do not differ as much as 40 years ago when a wall was standing in Europe.”<br /> <br />  – ‘Coercion and intimidation’ –<br /> <br /> NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg also addressed the forum, vowing to combine a firm stance against Russia with more dialogue. “We have seen a more assertive Russia, a Russia which is destabilising the European security order,” he said. “NATO does not seek confrontation and we don’t want a new Cold War. At the same time our response has to be firm.” NATO is “undertaking the biggest reinforcement to our collective defence in decades, to send a powerful signal to deter any aggression or intimidation,” Stoltenberg added.<br /> <br /> “Not to wage war, but to prevent war.” Earlier this week, Stoltenberg announced that plans had been approved for an increased NATO presence in eastern Europe — which sources said would involve between 3,000 and 6,000 troops rotating through the region. “Russia’s rhetoric, posture and exercises of its nuclear forces are aimed at intimidating its neighbours, undermining trust and stability in Europe,” Stoltenberg said in Munich. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hit back, criticising the “fashion for Russophobia in some capitals” and the “failure of NATO and the EU to fully cooperate with Russia”

Latest-News Russia decries ‘new Cold War’ as East-West tensions cloud talks

The world has plunged into a “new Cold War”, the Russian premier said Saturday, as East-West tensions over Syria and Ukraine dominated a ...

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Bayelsa, Police disagree on allegation of baby selling

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNg934T9BxZupquT553UCRKRPpoDJY5Y8PizyVcvMCs0rU7NERHfIXF76TyPJ6KpG_3YQcco92TNfWe_5IVVF6x-fep8wwsFvnE30FpCsvMdqZaIrRUskDOvntVn1RQTrqEdk2GopIHY/s1600/police-logo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZNg934T9BxZupquT553UCRKRPpoDJY5Y8PizyVcvMCs0rU7NERHfIXF76TyPJ6KpG_3YQcco92TNfWe_5IVVF6x-fep8wwsFvnE30FpCsvMdqZaIrRUskDOvntVn1RQTrqEdk2GopIHY/s400/police-logo1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> The Ministry of Health, Bayelsa State, and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Saturday, said it was not true that a Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Sawyer Wisdom, sold a baby girl delivered in the Survival Hospital located at Igbogene, Yenagoa, at N200,000.<br /> <br /> The ministry and FIDA said contrary to the claims of the police that the baby was nowhere to be found, the newborn was being catered for at the Gloryland Children Home, a motherless babies’ facility owned by the state government.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The police earlier said they arrested a doctor and a nurse at Survival Hospital, over an alleged plot to sell a newborn baby to a willing buyer at N200,000.<br /> <br /> Speaking in a press conference in Yenagoa, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ayibatonye Owei, said it became important for all the stakeholders in the baby-selling saga to clarify the issues to avoid dragging the ministry in the mud.<br /> <br /> Owei said there was no arrangement ab initio between the mother of the baby, Nwachukwu Nnenna and Sawyer, who is the owner of the hospital, to sell the baby.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> He explained that Nwachukwu came to the hospital demanding to terminate her seven-month-old pregnancy citing financial constraints.<br /> <br /> He said Sawyer discouraged her from carrying out the abortion, but opted to cater for and manage her condition until March 2 when she was delivered of a life baby girl.<br /> <br /> Owei explained that upon delivery, the mother and her baby were fed by the hospital and was later handed over to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development because Nwachukwu said she could not take care of her.<br /> <br /> He said all the documentation for the transfer of the baby was properly done with the consent of the woman and that the newborn was later sent by the ministry to the government-owned motherless babies’ home.<br /> <br /> He said the police and other stakeholders went to the child care home to see the baby adding that the reports in the public domain about the matter were not correct.<br /> <br /> “It is disheartening that the police created an impression that the baby was missing. It is also wrong to say that a doctor, who is a permanent secretary in our ministry connived to sell the baby.<br /> <br /> “The baby is not missing. The baby is in the motherless baby home and there was no attempt whatsoever from the beginning to sell her,” he said.<br /> <br /> Also absolving himself of wrongdoing, Sawyer, said before he contacted the ministry to take the baby, the woman signed an undertaking to that effect.<br /> <br /> “The patient signed an undertaking to transfer the baby to the government since she could not care for the baby,” he said.<br /> <br /> Speaking on the matter, the Chairman of FIDA, Dise Ogbise-Erhisere and the Permanent Secretary, Women Affairs, Mrs. Ebiere Igodoh-Adeh corroborated the position of the ministry and Sawyer.<br /> <br /> They said the baby was not sold but was being properly cared for by the government at the motherless babies’ home.<br /> <br /> FIDA boss thanked the ministries of health and women affairs for opting to care for the helpless child.

Latest-News Bayelsa, Police disagree on allegation of baby selling

The Ministry of Health, Bayelsa State, and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Saturday, said it was not true that a Per...

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Medical doctor remanded in prison over N32m fraud

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxx5QDt4o89bQgS7mT83dRUbcMIqEJ2-b9Yy5dAkP53zATPvZ3oOp6KWR_iOSCv_IbKAiIhOIke-vT7yBviUGRpErWgqWxUtJWd60qNkzvMao54aMftRM-gFxDq-mUqINaW4iRz1ixBLU/s1600/law+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxx5QDt4o89bQgS7mT83dRUbcMIqEJ2-b9Yy5dAkP53zATPvZ3oOp6KWR_iOSCv_IbKAiIhOIke-vT7yBviUGRpErWgqWxUtJWd60qNkzvMao54aMftRM-gFxDq-mUqINaW4iRz1ixBLU/s400/law+8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> An Ogwashi-Uku Magistrate Court in Delta State on Thursday remanded a 47-year-old medical doctor (name withheld) and another in prison custody for allegedly defrauding the Hospital Management Board Corporative Society the sum of N32m.<br /> <br /> The presiding magistrate of the court, Mrs. Ann Okonkwo Okanume, who remanded the accused persons in Ogwashi-Uku prisons, said that the two suspects had been facing a three-count of conspiracy, fraud, aiding and abetting, even though they pleaded not guilty to the charges.<br /> <br /> Okanume ordered that the two suspects be remanded in Ogwashi-Uku prisons considering the overwhelming evidence against them while their case file be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.<br /> <br /> Mrs. Okanume therefore adjourned the case till Friday 26th, 2016, for mention.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> It was gathered that the two suspects were brought to court for allegedly collecting the sum of N32m from the HMB Corporative Society on false pretence of securing 10 acres of land in Issele-Azagba, Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state for members of the cooperative society.<br /> <br /> The accused medical doctor attached to Warri Central Hospital, sources said, allegedly hoodwinked members of the society that the 10 acres of land were ready, whereas while it was being inspected and shared to members, they were chased away by the real owners of the land.<br /> <br /> It was further gathered that all efforts to retrieve the N32 million from the suspects proved abortive, even as the intervention of the Management of HMB did not move the suspects to refund the money.<br /> <br /> The senior management employee on the board, who did not want his name in the print, confirmed that the suspects were taken to court by members of the cooperative society after exhausting all avenues for settlement.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, rats and mosquitoes have allegedly sacked patients at the Delta State owned Bomadi General Hospital.<br /> <br /> While the workers and patients have continued to raise the alarm over the poor health care facilities, the hospital has been infested with mosquitoes and deadly rats that might pose the danger of the spread of Lassa fever-carrier pests.<br /> <br /> A human right activist, Mr. Edward Opukiri, said, “My wife was admitted into the hospital due to ill health. When I visited her, my experiences for the two days l spent with her were pathetic.<br /> <br /> “There was no light, no water around the hospital premises. When the rechargeable lamp goes off, rats come in large numbers and spread everywhere. There are so many rats in the hospital, including mosquitoes. These might cause Lassa fever if not prevented.”<br /> <br /> Investigation revealed that the hospital morgue is an eyesore while deceased persons were dried in the sun outside the mortuary.<br /> <br /> In most cases, those who visit the hospital, according to sources, perceive offensive odour everywhere in the premises.<br /> <br /> However, efforts to speak with the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Azinge, proved abortive as he retorted, “How did you get my number? Who gave you my number? I cannot speak with you now because I don’t know who gave you my number in the first place.”<br /> <br /> Sources said that the state government had expressed its determination to renovate the hospital to a modern standard.

Latest-News Medical doctor remanded in prison over N32m fraud

An Ogwashi-Uku Magistrate Court in Delta State on Thursday remanded a 47-year-old medical doctor (name withheld) and another in prison cu...

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From bread seller to top model: How a photobomb created a star

Latest-News From bread seller to top model: How a photobomb created a star

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REVEALED: Possible locations of Chibok girls identified by the Nigerian Air Force

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzLO0FD9UuTcRGK4DMNp2CN2y-VeCGMvNK1qUYoIjOteKgg5T1TJcXMr5xTHwX7vlxXPvwFCdYkP8w_V5jbdip1FiAbbGIWYkuLXfjPBkLb86vGX8CJPC72iteZ2d_f7jBlooOE97fq0/s1600/chibok+girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzLO0FD9UuTcRGK4DMNp2CN2y-VeCGMvNK1qUYoIjOteKgg5T1TJcXMr5xTHwX7vlxXPvwFCdYkP8w_V5jbdip1FiAbbGIWYkuLXfjPBkLb86vGX8CJPC72iteZ2d_f7jBlooOE97fq0/s640/chibok+girls.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <b>Possible locations of the abducted Chibok school girls may have been identified by the Nigerian Air Force ,according to indications last night.</b><br /> <br /> The Director of Public Relations of the Air Force, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, told <i>Channels Television</i> that the force has therefore abstained from attacking the identified areas to avoid hitting the girls.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The latest aerial bombardment of Sambisa forest,Famuyiwa said, had been aimed at the logistics base of the Boko Haram sect and not areas where the Chibok girls could be located.<br /> <br /> He said:“We have no fears that the girls are not there because hat particular location has been under surveillance for quite a while and we suspected maybe it’s a kind of ammunition depot or maybe a workshop that they are using as their logistics place.<br /> <br /> “Once you take off the logistics base, of course you gradually weaken the resolve of the enemy to be able to prosecute any campaign.”<br /> <br /> Group Captain Famuyiwa said the military is deploying the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to maximum use in its battle with Boko Haram because it is cheaper to run and reduces lives.<br /> <br /> The UAVs,he said : “have the capability to be airborne for up to eleven hours and they are quite cheap to maintain. So, we have been able to employ the UAV to a great extent to carry out reconnaissance and surveillance basically for intelligence gathering on the activities of the Boko Haram.”<br /> <br /> He said that the UAVs have also helped the Air Force to understand the terrorists’ pattern of movement and “how to be able to counter them should they want to strike or spring any surprise”.<br /> <br /> The girls were abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School,Chibok,Borno State.<br /> <br /> Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo said last week that the girls may never be found again.

Latest-News REVEALED: Possible locations of Chibok girls identified by the Nigerian Air Force

Possible locations of the abducted Chibok school girls may have been identified by the Nigerian Air Force ,according to indications last ...

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5 Reasons Why Nigerian Girls LOVE Valentines Day

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGy2PxwulUDHYODtIRIZrflLqbu1PVLD1oQo4lDs9S3CMLsyiQ21NzDEQqGxuCtNX0wx84casIrB_chijGMi3PgH2GkVNgbQ7caqGvJPTHaAvqTJJrtBVKDc8GFgOtN4BJEG9pMELOJZY/s1600/black-couple+dinner.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGy2PxwulUDHYODtIRIZrflLqbu1PVLD1oQo4lDs9S3CMLsyiQ21NzDEQqGxuCtNX0wx84casIrB_chijGMi3PgH2GkVNgbQ7caqGvJPTHaAvqTJJrtBVKDc8GFgOtN4BJEG9pMELOJZY/s400/black-couple+dinner.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> A lot of Nigerian men will simply groan at the mention of Valentine’s Day and may never figure out why women make so much fuss off the day.<br /> <br /> The fact that they have to buy most of the presents, pay for the dinners and be on their best behaviors makes it even worse for them to understand why Valentines Day exists at all.<br /> <br /> Well, just so you don’t become boo-less out of sheer ignorance as to why your woman loves Valentines day,<br /> <br /> Below are 5 reasons why a Nigerian girl simply can’t wait for the day to finally come…<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-oBEi64NdVF10SxkckuCm24HHH7PVX8IEw7iTtieA0NdtWknddQGFo1nd55LZYmjpxAEU3_nVpeRGXcO5It6dhh9tDO0ECyX-QtySMWdz43dVExtB41nOFB5TCai9ygWqJUlFjyAIsA/s1600/attention+love.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-oBEi64NdVF10SxkckuCm24HHH7PVX8IEw7iTtieA0NdtWknddQGFo1nd55LZYmjpxAEU3_nVpeRGXcO5It6dhh9tDO0ECyX-QtySMWdz43dVExtB41nOFB5TCai9ygWqJUlFjyAIsA/s400/attention+love.png" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> <b>Gifts:</b> Most Nigerian women are probably somewhere carefully counting down to the amazing presents they will get from their man (or men as the case may be), because in Nigeria, everybody knows men are traditionally expected to buy the presents why the women are meant to simply look beautiful and accept the presents.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQb76FE5bvTClKCA8X6-1D4GEmURIEblhFpWujLWRpj0nEfXt3SY4wcKX0Ba7NkfYD0nCtzs8fgf9NNufZwXoC6DAPXRMou4M1YUtWDdUayeWoJoXC85qT6BEtB9XFp_DVxSp92LNe1A/s1600/proposal+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQb76FE5bvTClKCA8X6-1D4GEmURIEblhFpWujLWRpj0nEfXt3SY4wcKX0Ba7NkfYD0nCtzs8fgf9NNufZwXoC6DAPXRMou4M1YUtWDdUayeWoJoXC85qT6BEtB9XFp_DVxSp92LNe1A/s400/proposal+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <b>Proposals:</b> If the man in her life does not pop the question on her last birthday, at Christmas, then the best bet is he might just ask her to marry him on Valentines day. So which single girl doesn’t want that?<br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6svq3BMPxEa3xpdJfEfcPuQ6mHQ4R0YiqTk46YwAlRd49awsIA8HpoyerY67cbYuv4xHmQ-p6MstzeSNKJxZSL6fJFfWnzj1Hz9Q0uqVX_Dq8XgJC50j5SevHLgbuVXW9MXTvKPsIPOI/s1600/reinvent+black-couple-in-bed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6svq3BMPxEa3xpdJfEfcPuQ6mHQ4R0YiqTk46YwAlRd49awsIA8HpoyerY67cbYuv4xHmQ-p6MstzeSNKJxZSL6fJFfWnzj1Hz9Q0uqVX_Dq8XgJC50j5SevHLgbuVXW9MXTvKPsIPOI/s400/reinvent+black-couple-in-bed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <b>Reinvent the crush:</b> People nowadays are just too busy earning a living to have time for romance. Valentines day is the perfect day for these ones to revamp their love life. Men are extra romantic on this day, and this is something every woman loves.<br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6YtdkQS15RImsJhHgNBaSYRQwSpMVF3mY-UoCk6K3w8AAwdyZADfC9exGNZ5hzRBI1A-JCC_VzGELpb1ia_90pDhfw-VsBvZBwRZDCZwcMv-Av80NVbdgGgwTHbOBNQ_vpvHNGTWZgY/s1600/showoff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6YtdkQS15RImsJhHgNBaSYRQwSpMVF3mY-UoCk6K3w8AAwdyZADfC9exGNZ5hzRBI1A-JCC_VzGELpb1ia_90pDhfw-VsBvZBwRZDCZwcMv-Av80NVbdgGgwTHbOBNQ_vpvHNGTWZgY/s400/showoff.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <b>Showoff:</b> Showing off things like presents, a visit to a special place etc. on social media is common practice nowadays. So, one reason a Nigerian girl loves val day is because it gives her the opportunity to display what you got her or where you took her on social media either to intimidate her friends, make them jealous or give them the impression that she has a perfect man.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0If8oyoHRLcU2XCxAChWvkPaWzHBQqJmUNcC5IPVNLg-kG7lN9pImqGQ_XnOY7GkN4gCv9mSGA2okkk6SuJqw534wD6U0gulwnWUoj7of58CB89Veobr1SK3jyU5l0-e1r5v_I1ET2o/s400/gifts.jpg" width="400" /></div> <b>The Attention they get: </b>Whether women admit it or not, Valentines Day is the day women rate how much their men really appreciate and care for them. It is also a day women know their position in their man’s life. So if your boo has his own boo, that is the day to find out.

Latest-News 5 Reasons Why Nigerian Girls LOVE Valentines Day

A lot of Nigerian men will simply groan at the mention of Valentine’s Day and may never figure out why women make so much fuss off the d...

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Cameroon soldiers kill 27 Boko Haram fighters across border

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NV8oWTi7GaGjRzDQJjrzT9yW-0ZbzXFFdR1uE0zQHxKUsVbYpM8QLDgxJ_UFvzgtnpr_QdSaDgiTf4xAhy6XZttHtIVQZhdj6rTF_zyEjBkgXx8BVgQt82jbnAIwnsxsdE9mDBhJyXg/s1600/cameroon-forces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9NV8oWTi7GaGjRzDQJjrzT9yW-0ZbzXFFdR1uE0zQHxKUsVbYpM8QLDgxJ_UFvzgtnpr_QdSaDgiTf4xAhy6XZttHtIVQZhdj6rTF_zyEjBkgXx8BVgQt82jbnAIwnsxsdE9mDBhJyXg/s400/cameroon-forces.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> Cameroon soldiers killed at least 27 Boko Haram fighters after launching a cross-border operation in Goshi, Nigeria that also resulted in the death of one soldier, a senior military official said.<br /> <br /> Captain Yari Emmanuel, the head of Cameroon’s Rapid Intervention Battalion, was also killed and at least six other soldiers were injured in the operation early Thursday.<br /> <br /> The terror sect had launched a series of attacks in Cameroon earlier this week, said Kodji. Ashigashiya straddles the border of northern Cameroon and Nigeria.<br /> <br /> “At least 27 Boko Haram fighters were killed in Thursday morning’s operation,” said Gen. Jacob Kodji, commander of Cameroon troops in the area. The soldiers remain on the battle front there, he said.<br /> <br /> Regional forces from Cameroon and Nigeria have since December 2015 been launching raids on Boko Haram strongholds along their borders, especially around Ashigashiya.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The militants began attacks across borders in 2014 and stepped them up early last year on neighbouring Cameroon and other countries that have supported the Nigerian military’s effort to crush Boko Haram.<br /> <br /> The newspaper, L’Oeil du Sahel, reported separately that Yari, the head of the elite unit of Cameroonian soldiers helping lead the military campaign against Boko Haram died in a battle with the militants along the border with Nigeria.<br /> <br /> Army spokesman Colonel Didier Badjeck didn’t answer multiple phone calls seeking comment.

Latest-News Cameroon soldiers kill 27 Boko Haram fighters across border

Cameroon soldiers killed at least 27 Boko Haram fighters after launching a cross-border operation in Goshi, Nigeria that also resulted in...

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Tears flow as court sends 16 ABUAD students to prison

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz69-7NztWV8Px_UDUzLBDJPw7XWBrAS191HdfIXq7Cu5d9c8ZEJVpWC7Pt80y3xvVdREZ33uKwHVaFPE456r8TMoWAT9M3xwgYzVjytl5VNOGMqwqvChy2EGxZUCNrq5BbdV1dQUpfjs/s1600/abuad-e1454956621323+afe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz69-7NztWV8Px_UDUzLBDJPw7XWBrAS191HdfIXq7Cu5d9c8ZEJVpWC7Pt80y3xvVdREZ33uKwHVaFPE456r8TMoWAT9M3xwgYzVjytl5VNOGMqwqvChy2EGxZUCNrq5BbdV1dQUpfjs/s400/abuad-e1454956621323+afe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Years flowed freely inside the Ekiti State Judiciary premises on Friday as a Chief Magistrate’s Court remanded 16 students of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Ado Ekiti in prison custody for their roles in the mayhem that rocked the institution last Sunday.<br /> <br /> They are being prosecuted for attempted robbery, arson and burglary allegedly committed during the riot that occurred on the campus of the private university.<br /> <br /> They were accused of attempting to rob a branch of Wema Bank located inside the campus, setting houses of ABUAD security staff members ablaze and burglary of a boutique belonging to the wife of the university’s founder, Mrs. Modupe Babalola.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Parents of the remanded students broke down and wept profusely as their children were being marched into a Toyota pick-up van belonging to the state command of the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS) heading for the Federal Prisons, Ado Ekiti.<br /> <br /> The affected students are to remain in prison custody pending an advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).<br /> <br /> The mother of the only female student among the accused persons amid sobs asserted the innocence of her daughter who was said to be in her final year at the university.<br /> <br /> A distraught mother of one of the embattled students lamented saying: “I have been fasting and praying, why is my child implicated in this case? I have struggled to give him the best education, I didn’t know this is where it would take him. My child is innocent oh!”<br /> <br /> Reprieve, however came the way of six of the accused persons as Chief Magistrate Adesoji Adegboye, dropped charges against them for the same offences consequent upon an application by the police prosecutor, Samson Osobu.<br /> <br /> The six were among those earlier granted N300,000 bail on a six-count charge of rioting, possession of firearms and malicious damage.<br /> <br /> Chief Magistrate Adegboye adjourned the case to Tuesday next week for further hearing calling on the Ministry of Justice to speed up legal advice in order to dispose of the matter as soon as possible.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, the alumni association of the university has condemned the riot that rocked the institution leading to destruction of property worth millions of naira.<br /> <br /> The association warned against misinformation on the social media denying that no student was shot, raped or died during the protest.<br /> <br /> The body praised the university’s founder, Aare Afe Babalola, for resisting the temptation to close down the university as a result of the crisis.<br /> <br /> Addressing a briefing on the campus on Thursday, President of ABUAD Alumni Association, Tope Sobajo, called on all stakeholders to join hands with the authorities to get to the root of the crisis.<br /> <br /> She urged parents, students and members of the public to desist from making “spurious, inflammatory and unsubstantiated claims” urging anybody needing any clarifications to contact the authorities and the police.

Latest-News Tears flow as court sends 16 ABUAD students to prison

Years flowed freely inside the Ekiti State Judiciary premises on Friday as a Chief Magistrate’s Court remanded 16 students of Afe Babalol...

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Nigeria establishes IDP centre in Lagos

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDJ_FIPJR0RTNPL-3YQB3X0dtyhQZcjXbbm-ouisNJieonm1Nl8bQqkFv0cUkcWRgJoahn2s0bDC-DZeTQN4o4Nf3g4eWeF6yrGjJoUnCqcGVjq07ji2mkKifRubS8xNLxJ9pyouu964/s1600/IDPs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwDJ_FIPJR0RTNPL-3YQB3X0dtyhQZcjXbbm-ouisNJieonm1Nl8bQqkFv0cUkcWRgJoahn2s0bDC-DZeTQN4o4Nf3g4eWeF6yrGjJoUnCqcGVjq07ji2mkKifRubS8xNLxJ9pyouu964/s400/IDPs.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> The Federal Government has established migrants and internally displaced persons re-integration centre in the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State.<br /> <br /> The centre which was commissioned last week by Hajiya Hadiza Sani Kangiwa,the Honourable Federal Commissioner , National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, was established in conjunction with Web of Hearts, a non-governmental organization based in Lagos State.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Highlighting the importance of the centre, Hajiya Kangiwa said: “This centre is to serve as a component of the Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programme.<br /> <br /> We have set it up in collaboration with Web of Hearts with whom we have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to serve as a transit centre where returnee migrants would be provided with counselling services, mentorship, family reunification, skill acquisition, training, temporary accommodation and much more.”<br /> <br /> The executive director of Web Heart, Bose Aggrey expressed optimism that the centre would encourage a lot of Nigerians stranded abroad to return home.

Latest-News Nigeria establishes IDP centre in Lagos

The Federal Government has established migrants and internally displaced persons re-integration centre in the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos S...

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DEAR MEN: 8 Sexy Valentine’s Day Gifts For Your Woman

<br /> So she says she doesn’t care about Valentine’s Day? Regardless, don’t show up empty handed.<br /> Well, well, gentlemen, it’s that time of year where your choice in gift means everything. Okay, maybe not everything. But no matter how much she claims not to care, you should not, under any circumstances, go halfheartedly into Valentine’s Day. It’s all or nothing, you guys.<br /> <br /> First and foremost: Avoid the flowers and chocolates. You don’t want to be that guy. You want to display some individuality. You want to show her that you really know her. And if you can do all of that and get her something you can enjoy and indulge in too? Well, that would be a homerun. This day should be about the two of you—together. So double your pleasure with these Valentine’s Day gifts for her…that you’ll love too.<br /> <br /> <br /> 1. Dance class. Two left feet? Don’t sweat it. If you can let yourself go enough to be silly, slightly embarrassed and carefree, both you and she can truly enjoy a dance class together. Try something of the Latin persuasion—like body-grinding Salsa—and you’ll both be burning up inside if you’re stumbling to get the steps right.<br /> <br /> 2. Cooking class for couples. You love to eat. She loves to eat. It’s a shared pleasure! And unless you’re a professional, everyone can benefit from some culinary education. Find a local class that offers lessons for two, and get your hands dirty together. Then practice your culinary skills at home; Preparing meals and eating them together can be a very sensual act. Tantalizing her tongue and lips with deliciousness is practically foreplay. When it comes time for dessert, that’s when you can get really creative—and make it a doubly happy ending (wink, wink).<br /> <br /> 3. Fantasy dress-up kit. If you and your gal are no strangers to lingerie, then it might be time to take it step further with a kit of fantasies. What’s her fantasy? Perhaps you and she have wanted to play doctor and nurse, or French maid and big, bad, demanding boss. I mean, we all have dreamed up those scenarios at some point, haven’t we? All this gift takes is a trip to a costume store to pick up the essential pieces that will make the dress-up kit for her a winning gift of pure er*ticism.<br /> <br /> 4. A hotel room for the night. Nothing says romance like getting away for the night. New surroundings are a delight on all the senses: the feel of the 500-thread count sheets, the sounds of the city below (or the absence of sound in the woods outside), and the sight of excitement in her eyes when she sees that you’ve done the room up right for the special day. Go ahead and cover the bed in rose petals—go full-cliché! Making love on a bed of roses is so bucket list-worthy.<br /> <br /> 5. Sexy ‘Truth or Dare’. An evening of dirty games, if taken nice and slow, is a deliriously wonderful way to get you both in the mood. Without getting too explicit, because you want to leave the really dirty stuff for after the game, brainstorm a series of truths and dares for you and your partner to answer and act out. Between the verbal communication and the naughty behavior, the intimacy will be so intense that you’ll have to do everything in your power not to explode.<br /> <br /> 6. A love letter. Women like romance; It’s simple math. If you really want to make her swoon, then come clean about just how much she means to you. In compiling a letter of words, a CD of songs that remind you of her, or a photo book that documents your relationship, a “letter” of love, in any form, will not only score you points, but will touch her in ways you never knew possible. It’s a great tangible record of your love that you both can revisit over time. Go ahead, express yourself: It’s good for the soul.<br /> <br /> 7. Massage kit. A massage at a spa? Great. A massage in the comfort and privacy of your own home? Homerun. This is definitely a gift that she won’t forget very soon. With the right oils—like this intense assortment—candles for mood lighting, and the perfect soundtrack, you won’t just be working on her kinks and pain, but you’ll also be setting yourself up for some serious, how do we say, reciprocation of appreciation…I’m talking about getting a massage of your own. Get your mind out of the gutter!<br /> <br /> 8. Concert tickets. Music lovers, take heed: Concert tickets are a thoughtful, romantic Valentine’s Day gift! Take her to see her favorite band—or any other performance she’s had her eye on. It’ll be a moment to share and remember, and that’s what Valentine’s Day is about, after all.

Latest-News DEAR MEN: 8 Sexy Valentine’s Day Gifts For Your Woman

So she says she doesn’t care about Valentine’s Day? Regardless, don’t show up empty handed. Well, well, gentlemen, it’s that time of year ...

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8 Perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts for Your Man

<br /> <br /> Gifting something special to your guy on Valentine’s Day can be a little tricky. Guys are usually not so forthcoming or particular about what they want as gifts. But that does not mean they don’t love them. So what to get for them? Well, let us make your task easy by telling you about the gifts your guy secretly desires.<br /> <br /> Chocolates, roses or soft toys are a complete no-no; they only prove that you have not put too much thought into what to gift him. If you want to give him the perfect gift, get something which is really thoughtful. Here are few ideas for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your guy.<br /> <br /> 1. Sports memorabilia<br /> Is your boyfriend a sports freak? We know when it comes to guys you might feel this question should not be asked, but we still want you to think hard and answer. We want you to recollect what sport he actually likes and what teams or players are his favourites<br /> <br /> <br /> 2. You can gift him the sports memorabilia of his favourite team. His favourite team’s jersey or an autograph of his favourite player will definitely make him go over the moon. You can easily find sports memorabilia from various auction sites. So, start bidding in advance. If this is out of your reach, then you can gift him match tickets or an annual subscription to his favourite sports magazine. If nothing else works, it is easy to find a jersey or jacket with his favourite player’s number on it.<br /> <br /> 3. Perfume<br /> Guys love to be pampered just like girls. This is something we know they would never accept! So, gift him a high-end perfume that he has been lusting after for ages. Try to figure out his taste, the perfume notes he prefers, look for his favourite brand and make your choice accordingly.<br /> If you don’t like his choice of perfume then you gift him something that you think will make him smell good. Ask a buddy of his to tag along, so that he can help you make a good choice.<br /> <br /> 4. Gadgets<br /> Guys love gadgets and they secretly desire for them always. You don’t need to break your bank account by gifting your boyfriend a high priced gadget; you can give him something quirky and fun. A water-based alarm clock, a USB drive in the shape of his favourite super hero or a new set of stylish noise-cancelling headphones will definitely make him happy. You can also get some colourful Bluetooth speakers, to add a colourful spark to his room.<br /> <br /> 5. Fun things<br /> Try for things that are a little different and fun. Colourful shot glasses with crazy captions, stylish bottle openers and even stoppers, a Kamasutra card set, a Swiss knife, darts game or a poker chip set are some of the fun things which will make your guy’s face light up with delight. Well, such a gift would also show your man, what a “cool” girlfriend you are!<br /> <br /> 6. Chocolates<br /> By chocolates we don’t mean those gifts packs that are available in supermarkets. Your chocolates need to be a little hatke. After all, they are for the most hatke person in your life! Premium dark chocolates stuffed with paan, chilly or saunf can really tingle his taste buds. If your guy is not too adventurous with his food, you can gift the traditional chocolates with praline and nuts filling.<br /> <br /> 7. Dig into his likes<br /> This one depends on how well you really know your man. Think about what he likes, it can be something completely nerdy or totally luxurious. If comics are all that your man talks about, get hold of a vintage comic to surprise him this V-day. If he is obsessed with a music band or a movie character (does Rocky or Family Guy ring a bell?), gift him a graffiti tee with his favourite picture or a quote. And, if your sweetheart is into music, gift him a guitar or a set of drums or limited edition vinyl records that he has been saving up for.<br /> If your man is obsessed with his work, this is a perfect opportunity for you to get him a luxurious pen, which would remind him of you even when he is at work. High-end pens like Mont Blanc and Pierre Cardin can make any guy swoon. And, fountain pens are really fashionable and are symbolic of good taste and sophistication.<br /> <br /> 8. Homemade goodies<br /> If you really cannot afford to gift your guy something expensive, then whip up something for him at home. Show him that you can be a domestic goddess by making some chocolate chip cookies. Put them in a tin and write a cute note for him. You can also create personalised gift cards for him with ‘gifts’ such as giving him the TV remote for an hour, breakfast in bed, not making annoying noises when his favourite match is on, giving him a kiss whenever he demands and so on. He can redeem these gift cards whenever he likes and you can surprise him all through the year.<br /> <br /> This Valentine’s Day is going to be a pleasant surprise for your guy, we are sure. What have you decided to gift him? Share your ideas with us in the comments section below.<br /> <i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Source: bollywoodshaadis.com</span></i>

Latest-News 8 Perfect Valentine’s Day Gifts for Your Man

Gifting something special to your guy on Valentine’s Day can be a little tricky. Guys are usually not so forthcoming or particular about w...

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Pope Francis, Russian patriarch kiss at historic meeting

<br /> <br /> <br /> Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill kissed each other and sat down Friday for the first meeting between heads of the Eastern and Western churches in nearly a thousand years.<br /> <br /> The 79-year-old Francis, in white robes and a skullcap, and Kirill, 69, in black robes and a white headdress, exchanged kisses and embraced before sitting down smiling for the historic meeting at Havana airport.<br /> <br /> “At last we meet. We are brothers,” said the pope as they met. “Clearly this meeting is God’s will.”<br /> <br /> The Argentine pontiff is looking to heal a nearly 1,000-year-old rift in Christianity that dates back to a 1054 schism which helped shape modern Europe and the Middle East.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Francis stepped off a plane in the sunshine and shook hands with Cuban President Raul Castro on the tarmac at Jose Marti Airport before heading into the private meeting with Kirill.<br /> <br /> The white-bearded Orthodox leader was also greeted by the 84-year-old Castro after arriving on Thursday.

Latest-News Pope Francis, Russian patriarch kiss at historic meeting

Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill kissed each other and sat down Friday for the first meeting between heads of the Easte...

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Fire guts SURE-P office in Abuja

<br /> <br /> The Office of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme was on Friday gutted by fire.<br /> <br /> The office located on Emeka Anyaoku Road in Area 11, Abuja, is a two-storey building that served as one of the Abuja offices of the agency.<br /> <br /> It was gathered that the fire started on the second floor of the building and extended to the roof when people of the area mobilised water tanker to put out the fire.<br /> <br /> The cause of the fire had yet to be known as of the time of filing this report.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> When contacted, the Spokesperson, Federal Fire Service, Elechi Collins, said the agency had no record of any fire incident at SURE-P.<br /> <br /> Since the assumption of office of the current administration, the office had not been functional as it used to during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.<br /> <br /> A former official of the agency told our correspondent that the paucity of funds was a major factor for the non-functionality of the office.<br /> <br /> There are insinuations that the office may have been set on fire in order to cover up some transactions that might not have gone through due process.<br /> <br /> SURE-P was set up in January 2012 following the controversy that trailed the partial removal of fuel subsidy.<br /> <br /> The government had in a bid to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians following the removal of fuel subsidy said the savings from the removal would be efficiently managed in the area of safety nets.<br /> <br /> In order to maximise the oil wealth of Nigeria, the country saw the emergence of a fiscal formula for the sharing of the national petroleum products subsidy savings.<br /> <br /> A total sum of N180bn was allocated yearly to the fund leading to a total sum of N720bn between January 2012 and December 2015.<br /> <br /> The Centre for Social Justice had in a report raised the alarm that the fund was not transparently managed.

Latest-News Fire guts SURE-P office in Abuja

The Office of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme was on Friday gutted by fire. The office located on Emeka Anyaoku Road ...

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Protest rocks Sapele over alleged killings, kidnappings

<br /> <br /> Protest over alleged killings and kidnapping of persons on Thursday rocked Sapele community in Delta State when youths numbering over 5,000 took to various streets in the area to press home their anger.<br /> <br /> The protesting youths, reports said, blamed the increasing spate of killings and kidnapping on white ladder cult group, especially for numerous cases of murders, arson and kidnapping since 2009 in Sapele.<br /> <br /> Armed with placards: “A cry to the Nigeria Police to come to our aid, we reject cultism, killings and kidnapping in Sapele, politicians please stop covering the criminals”. The protesters led by Ejiro Kelvin however called on the state government to bring to book those perpetuating evils in Sapele and its environs.<br /> <br /> While accusing politicians within Sapele of being behind the cultists who allegedly worked for them during elections, the protesters said the present situation in Sapele and its environs portended bad omen as residents presently sleep with their two eyes open.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> They said, “Cultists are everywhere in Sapele, they attack innocent persons with bottles, guns and they have killed many innocent persons, we want the state government and the police including other security agencies to come to our aid because at night, they carry out evils on innocent persons”.

Latest-News Protest rocks Sapele over alleged killings, kidnappings

Protest over alleged killings and kidnapping of persons on Thursday rocked Sapele community in Delta State when youths numbering over 5,00...

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Lassa fever: Nigeria gets $290,000 equipment from AfDB

<br /> <br /> The Federal Government has received a donation of health equipment worth $290,000 from the African Development Bank as a support for the fight against Lassa fever and other health challenges in the country.<br /> <br /> The equipment, which includes two ambulances, 30 Bajaj motorcycles, 34 safety boxes and among others, were procured by the World Health Organisation with funding from AfDB.<br /> <br /> A statement issued on Friday by the Director (Media and Public Relations) in the Ministry of Health, Mrs. Boade Akinola, said the Country Director of WHO, Dr. Rui Gama Vaz, presented the equipment to the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, in Abuja.<br /> <br /> She said the equipment was initially to curtail the spread of Ebola epidemic but that since Nigeria had succeeded in curtailing Ebola, it could be used to address other epidemic.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Also speaking, the Country Director of AfDB, Ousmane Dore, commended the Federal Government for the way and manner it handled the Ebola virus epidemic.<br /> <br /> “On behalf of the AfDB President, we would like to express to you our sincere commendation for the way in which the Nigerian Government was able to arrest the spread of the Ebola disease for which the Bank had earmarked some resources,” he said.<br /> <br /> Dore said the quick response by the Nigeria government gave the international community assurances that the political will and determination of the government in the fight against Ebola was serious.<br /> <br /> Receiving the equipment, Adewole said that the equipment would help Nigeria to prepare against any eventuality that may occur.<br /> <br /> He said, “We thank you very sincerely and we need more, this is just the beginning the whole world must be prepared for eventualities as global warming is bringing quite a number of challenges in the health sector, yesterday was Lassa, day before yesterday was Ebola, today and tomorrow is Zika virus and we don’t know what would happen tomorrow and thereafter.<br /> <br /> “The most important thing is that we must be prepare at all time, this would help us to stay prepared and we still look forward to support our laboratories facilities and build the human system that would make the country ready for any epidemic.”

Latest-News Lassa fever: Nigeria gets $290,000 equipment from AfDB

The Federal Government has received a donation of health equipment worth $290,000 from the African Development Bank as a support for the f...

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Four killed in Boko Haram invasion of Borno village

<br /> <br /> Four persons were killed in Boko Haram invasion of Borno village, the Chairman of Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ahmed Satomi told our correspondent on phone.<br /> <br /> Satomi, who spoke with newsmen on Friday, said the attack was on a village, Shuwari in Konduga local government area of Borno State.<br /> <br /> He said during the attack on Thursday night, the hoodlums stormed Shuwari village in Konduga LGA, killing four civilians, looted and carted away food items as well as burnt down the village.<br /> <br /> He said that some lucky villagers were able to flee to nearby Dalori Internally Displaced Persons camp and Maiduguri for safety.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> He said “We have gone to the village on Friday in the morning to evacuate the victims; four people were killed, they looted and carted away the food items after they set the whole village ablaze.”<br /> <br /> Shuwari is about 13 miles away from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.<br /> <br /> The Boko Haram insurgents have continued to intensify attacks on the troubled Borno State killing hundreds of civilians and properties worth millions of Naira lost.

Latest-News Four killed in Boko Haram invasion of Borno village

Four persons were killed in Boko Haram invasion of Borno village, the Chairman of Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ahmed Satom...

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I didn’t say Kashamu should be jailed —Ben Bruce AUTHORGbenro Adeoye

<br /> <br /> Senator Ben Bruce, who is representing Bayelsa East constituency in Bayelsa State, on Friday denied saying that a fellow senator, Buruji Kashamu, should have been jailed.<br /> <br /> A tweet on Bruce’s Twitter handle, which seemed to be reacting to a report shared by his colleague on his own handle, said, “See my colleague (in the) senate who is supposed to be in jail talking.”<br /> <br /> Kashamu had earlier shared a newspaper link to a report titled: “Germany to support Nigeria on anti-terrorism, corruption.”<br /> <br /> However, about four hours later, Bruce denied the tweet that supposedly said Kashamu should have been jailed, saying, “This tweet was just brought to my knowledge and the screenshot says it all. The account in question is an impersonator.”<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Kashamu is wanted in the United States for alleged drug-related offences.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, Bruce has called on the Federal Government to learn from the United Arab Emirates by giving youths ministerial appointments.<br /> <br /> Bruce, in a tweet on Friday, said, “Nigerian leaders love travelling to Dubai. Let them learn from Dubai that youths are leaders of today, not tomorrow.”<br /> <br /> In another tweet, Bruce said, “We can make all our ministers of state youths and make senior citizens the senior ministers.”<br /> <br /> President of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, had during the week, approved a new cabinet for his government, which includes 22-year-old Shamma Al Mazrui as the Minister of State for Youth Affairs.<br /> <br /> Al Nahyan’s new government includes eight new ministers, five of whom are women, while the average age of the new ministers is 38 years.

Latest-News I didn’t say Kashamu should be jailed —Ben Bruce AUTHORGbenro Adeoye

Senator Ben Bruce, who is representing Bayelsa East constituency in Bayelsa State, on Friday denied saying that a fellow senator, Buruji K...

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Why we affirmed Wike’s, Amosun’s elections –Supreme Court

<br /> <br /> The Supreme Court on Friday explained why it affirmed the election of Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party as the governor of Rivers State and that of Ibikunle Amosun of the All Progressives Congress as the governor of Ogun State.<br /> <br /> The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had affirmed the judgment of the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal which had ordered a rerun of the state governorship poll.<br /> <br /> Wike had appealed against the decision of the Court of Appeal and all the members of the apex court panel in their unanimous judgment delivered on January 27 overturned the decision of the Court of Appeal and affirmed his election.<br /> <br /> The apex court held that both the APC and its candidate in Rivers State in the April 11 poll, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, failed to prove their case of malpractices and non-compliance as required.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, held that while the results declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission “enjoy a presumption of irregularity,” the petitioners could only have proved their allegation of non-compliance with the conduct of the election by calling eyewitnesses from about 5,000 voting units in the state.<br /> <br /> The court reiterated that card reader was not a sufficient replacement for manual accreditation.<br /> <br /> The apex court was also of the view that Peterside and the APC failed to discharge the burden of prove placed on them having alleged misconduct, including violence, disenfranchisement and non-compliance.<br /> <br /> The court held that the tribunal denied Wike and his party the right to fair hearing by allowing a wrong panel to deliver ruling on an application they filed.<br /> <br /> Justice Kekere-Ekun also held that it was wrong for Justice Suleiman Ambrosa, the later chairman of the tribunal, to have gone ahead to deliver ruling on some interlocutory applications earlier heard and reserved for ruling by the former tribunal chairman, Muazu Pindig.<br /> <br /> Of the 11 issues considered in the appeal, Justice Kekere-Ekun resolved seven in favour of Wike and the PDP and four in favour of Peterside and APC who were listed as respondents in the appeal marked: SC/1002/2015.<br /> <br /> The issues resolved in favour of Peterside and APC were those related to preliminary issues of service and locus standi.<br /> <br /> Justice Kekere-Ekun noted that but for the fact that the case was election matter, the error committed by the tribunal had denied Wike and the PDP fair hearing.<br /> <br /> In resolving issues one and two, she noted that since the chairman who headed the panel that heard the application was transferred, it was wrong for his successor to have headed the panel that decided the application.<br /> <br /> On the issues six and seven relating to whether or not the petitioners proved their case before the tribunal with the evidence they led, Justice Kekere-Ekun faulted the tribunal’s conclusion and held that the petitioners failed to prove their case as required.<br /> <br /> She said, “It is not in dispute that the appellant was returned as the winner of the election with 1,029,102 votes. The pleadings of the 1st and 2nd respondents show that there is a serious allegation of non-accreditation, over voting and disenfranchisement, which in their view, constituted substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act.<br /> <br /> “The law is well settled that in order to prove over-voting, the petitioner must do the following: tender the voters’ register, tender the statement of results in appropriate forms, which would show the number of registered accredited voters and number of actual votes; relate each of the documents to the specific area of his case in respect of which the documents are tendered, and show that the figure representing the over-voting, if removed would result in victory for the petitioner.<br /> <br /> “Furthermore, where the ground for challenging the return of a candidate in an election is by reason of corrupt practices or non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, the petitioner must prove that the corrupt practice or non-compliance took place and that the corrupt practice or non-compliance substantially affected the result of the election.<br /> <br /> “It would therefore not be out of place to say that both the lower court and the tribunal placed considerable reliance on the testimony of PW49 (INEC official) and the card reader report and exhibits A301, B30, B31 in reaching the conclusion that the 1st and 2nd respondents had successfully proved the alleged discrepancy between the number of voters accredited in exhibit A9 (card reader report) and those reflected in exhibit A10 (Form EC8E series).<br /> <br /> “This court, in a number of recent decisions, has commended the introduction of the card reader in the 2015 elections by INEC. The court has noted however that its function is solely to authenticate the owner of a voter’s card and to prevent multiple voting by a voter and cannot replace the voter’s register or statement of results in appropriate forms.<br /> <br /> “INEC is to be commended for the innovation of card reader to bolster the transparency and accuracy of the accreditation process and maintain the democratic norm of ‘one man, one vote’ by preventing multi-voting by a voter. Nevertheless, Section 49 (1) and (4) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), which provide manual accreditation of voters is extant and remains a vital part of the Electoral law<br /> <br /> “In order to prove non-compliance and/ or over-voting, the 1st and 2nd respondents were bound to rely on the voters’ registers in respect of all the affected local governments. The voters’ registers tendered were in respect of only 11 out of 23 local government areas. They were tendered from the Bar as exhibits A271 – A281. No attempt was made to link them with exhibit A9.<br /> <br /> “I am of the view and I do hold that the tribunal and the lower court were unduly swayed by the INEC directives on the use of the card readers. As held by this court, the INEC directives, guidelines and manual cannot be elevated above the provisions of the Electoral Act so as to eliminate manual accreditation of voters.<br /> <br /> “This will remain so until INEC takes steps to have the necessary amendments made to bring the usage of the card reader within the ambit of the substantive Electoral Act.<br /> <br /> In resolving issues 10 and 11, Justice Kerere-Ekun held that the petitioners (1st and 2nd respondents in the appeal) failed to prove their case to warrant the voiding of the election.<br /> <br /> She held, “The law is trite that the result declared by INEC enjoys a presumption of regularity. In other words, they are prima facie correct. The onus is on the petitioner to prove the contrary. Where a petitioner complains of non-compliance with the provisions of the Act, he has onerous task, for he must prove it polling unit by polling unit, ward by ward and the standard of proof is on the balance of probabilities.<br /> <br /> “He must show figures that the adverse party was credited with as a result of the non-compliance e.g forms Form EC8A, election materials not signed/stamped by the presiding officers. It is only then that the respondents are to lead evidence in rebuttal.”<br /> <br /> She said in order to prove their allegation of non-compliance, “it was necessary for the petitioners to call witnesses from all the affected polling units to give first hand testimony of what transpired. Out of the 56 witnesses called by the 1st and 2nd respondents, 18 were wards collation agents, who received information from polling agents in the various units. Their evidence was not tied to any of the exhibits tendered.”<br /> <br /> Justice Kekere-Ekun said, “Some of the witnesses (PW19, PW20, PW24 and 35) who were local government collation agents for the 2nd respondents gave sweeping testimony covering four local government areas (Obio Apkpor, Asari toro, Tai and Ikwere) on non-use of card readers, hijacking of materials, illegal thumb-printing of ballot papers, etc.<br /> <br /> “The polling agents from the affected wards were not called to testify. Voter’s registers were tendered in respect of only 11 of 23 local government areas and were not demonstrated before the tribunal. Disenfranchised voters from all the affected polling units ought to have been called to testify.<br /> <br /> “For the evidence of disruption, violence and corrupt practices to warrant the nullification of the entire election in Rivers State, the 1st and 2nd respondents had to first prove the non-compliance: polling unit by polling unit, ward by ward. They must also establish that the non-compliance was substantial and affected the result of the election.<br /> <br /> “Notwithstanding the resolution of issues 3, 4, 5 and 9 against the appellant, I hold that the appellant has shown sufficient reason for this court to interfere with the concurrent findings of the tribunal and the court below.<br /> <br /> “It is for these reasons that I allow this appeal on January 27, 2016. The judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, delivered on December 16, 2015 which affirmed the judgment of the Rivers State governorship election tribunal delivered on October 10, 2015 was accordingly set aside.”<br /> <br /> Justice Kumai Aka’ahs, giving the reasons for the apex court’s decision in the lead judgment with respect to Ogun State governorship election, held that the appeal against Amosun’s election filed by the PDP candidate, Adegboyega Isiaka, lacked merit.<br /> <br /> Isiaka and the PDP had challenged the conduct of the election in nine local government areas of Ogun State, namely, Ifo, Abeokuta-North, Abeokuta South, Odeda, Ewekoro, Obafemi-Owode, Ado/Odo/Ota, Sagamu and Remo- North.<br /> <br /> The appellants had urged the tribunal to nullify the election on the grounds that “it was marred by malpractices such as rigging, snatching of ballot boxes, thuggery, violence, declaration of false results, falsification of results, importation of thugs from a foreign location, stuffing of ballot boxes with ballot papers, misuse of card readers and permanent voter cards.”<br /> <br /> The tribunal had dismissed the appeal on the basis that no credible evidence was adduced to prove the allegations.<br /> <br /> The petitioners subsequently appealed to the Court of Appeal, which also upheld the verdict of the tribunal.<br /> <br /> They further appealed to the Supreme Court which in its abridged judgment delivered on January 27, 2016, dismissed the appeal.<br /> <br /> Justice Aka’ahs held that the appeal was bound to fail on the account of inconsistencies in the report of inspection of electoral materials tendered by the star witness of the appellants (Isiaka and the PDP) and the inadmissibility of the said document.<br /> <br /> He also held that to prove the improper conduct of the election in nine local government areas which had 1,672 polling units, the appellants only called nine witnesses out whom only two were eyewitnesses to what transpired in only about 12 polling units.<br /> <br /> He held, “Using this evidence extracted from PW9 as a standard to ascertain the weight to attach to Exhibit P4275, the court below held that the evidence of PW9 and exhibit P4275 were worthless.<br /> <br /> “One startling aspect of this case is that none of the people such as party agents or polling officers who participated in the conduct of the election in all the places where the election was conducted testified in respect of all the documents used by PW9 and his colleagues in arriving at their report.<br /> <br /> Only PW1 and PW7 gave evidence with respect of what they observed during the election and they were the only eyewitnesses whose testimonies were limited to the 12 polling units out of the 1,672 polling units spread across the nine local governments of the state where the election was questioned.<br /> <br /> “Giving the nature of evidence adduced by PW9, there is no way where it can be said that the case of the appellant was made out in respect of the nine local government areas in contention.<br /> <br /> “Since nobody who was a direct participant in the election gave evidence linking the mass of documents used by PW9 in preparing his report.<br /> <br /> “The court below was therefore right when it held relying on Oke vs Mimiko that all the evidence put forward in Exhibit P4275 are nothing but a bundle of primary and secondary hearsay.<br /> <br /> “Even if PW1 to PW7 succeeded in establishing that the governorship election conducted by the 3rd and 4th respondents in Ogun State on April 11, 2015 was characterised by non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, the evidence affected only 12 polling units out of 1,672 polling units that were being contested.<br /> <br /> “That is not sufficient to nullify the election and the return of the first respondent as duly elected governor of Ogun State because Section 139(1) of the Electoral Act provides that an election shall not liable to be invalidated by reason of non-compliance with the provisions of this Act, if it appears to the election tribunal or court that the election was conducted substantially with the principles of this Act and that the non-compliance did not affect substantially the results of the election.”

Latest-News Why we affirmed Wike’s, Amosun’s elections –Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday explained why it affirmed the election of Nyesom Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party as the governor of River...

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Wike suspends Rivers finance commissioner, accountant-general

<br /> <br /> The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate suspension of the State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Fred Kpakol and the Accountant-General, Mr. Abere Dagogo. The governor announced the indefinite suspension of Kpakol and Dagogo on Friday through his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu.<br /> <br /> Wike said in the two-paragraph statement that the suspension would take immediate effect.<br /> <br /> No reason was, however, given for the suspension of the finance commissioner and the accountant-general.<br /> <br /> The statement from the Government House, Port Harcourt, read, “Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has suspended the State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Fred Kpakol and the State Accountant-General, Sir Abere Dagogo. The suspension takes immediate effect.”<br /> <br /> Effort to get the reason behind the governor’s action proved futile as a Government House official, who does not want his name mentioned, said no reason had yet been given.<br /> <br /> Meanwhile , there are indications that Wike and the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, are still at war over the allegation that the latter used the sum of $150m belonging to the state to fund the All Progressives Congress.<br /> <br /> Wike had during a thanksgiving programme alleged that Amaechi used the said amount to sponsor APC’s election campaigns.<br /> <br /> Though Amaechi had challenged Wike to prove the $150m fraud allegation against him, the governor said on Friday that he had documents and files to prove his claim.<br /> <br /> Wike, who spoke through his Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, said he could not speculate on figures if he did not have the facts.<br /> <br /> He explained that those who stole from the state’s coffers would be prosecuted, adding that the court would decide what punitive measures would be handed down to them.<br /> <br /> He said, “We have raised a Judicial Panel of Enquiry and they asked how the resources of the state were managed. On the $150m that was used to sponsor APC elections, the governor does not speak in speculative terms.<br /> <br /> “When the governor and other government officials speak, we do so based on existing documents and files before us. He (Wike) has access to the files.<br /> <br /> “We have records of withdrawals made and we have records of monies spent. Some officials of the previous administration were signatories to these accounts. The truth is that when we talk about these figures, we don’t speculate.”<br /> <br /> But Amaechi said in a statement exclusively made available to Saturday PUNCH that since he was not guilty of the allegation, there was no way Wike would have documents and files of fraud against him.<br /> <br /> The statement, which came from the media office of the former governor, challenged Wike to produce any document or file that indicated that he funded APC with $150m.<br /> <br /> It said, “It’s a shame that Wike administration officials are still mouthing ‘we have documents, we have documents’, and when you challenge them to provide these documents, they will go silent for a while and then throw up in the media another fresh concocted tale of phantom billions of naira purportedly stolen by former governor Amaechi.<br /> <br /> “Since they are saying they have documents, tell them to show you the documents to prove their reckless, spurious claims that Amaechi took $150m of Rivers State money to fund the APC.” Amaechi argued that such amount of money could not have left the state coffers without a paper trail, even as he insisted that Wike should provide proof or keep quiet.<br /> <br /> He said, “Anything short of providing verifiable documentary evidence of the movement of the money from the Rivers State Government coffers to sponsor the APC is an assault on the sensibilities of Rivers people and Nigerians. This is not a joke. Governance is serious business.”

Latest-News Wike suspends Rivers finance commissioner, accountant-general

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has ordered the immediate suspension of the State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Fred Kpakol ...

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Bring it on....I’m not afraid of EFCC, ICPC probe – Fayose

<br /> <br /> Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has said that he is not afraid of being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.<br /> <br /> The governor also said he was not bothered by threats by some politicians in the state to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.<br /> <br /> Speaking during the foundation laying ceremony of the multi-billion naira Erekesan Market in Ado-Ekiti, Fayose said he would fulfill all his promises to the people of the state, adding that due process was being followed in the execution of his projects.<br /> <br /> He said, “I will concentrate on my work and would not be distracted by anybody making effort to discredit my government. I’m ready for any investigation from anybody; ICPC or EFCC, a man with good intentions fears no foe.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “I know that I have so many enemies and that is why I have been following due process in all my dealings. There are enemies for me when I sleep and when I wake up, so I have to be careful. I don’t want my enemies to latch on to technicalities to get at me.<br /> <br /> “Ekiti is the only state where people want to discredit any good thing you want to do. As a leader, you must be fearless as long as your agenda is for development. I’m assuring you that in spite of the harsh economic situation, I’ll fulfill my promises in the budget and I’ve got more for you. You aren’t seeing anything yet.”<br /> <br /> Fayose described the speculations going round that some PDP politicians were planning to dump the party as “mere rantings.”<br /> <br /> There was a rumour last week that a former Acting Governor, Tope Ademiluyi; ex-envoy to Republic of Congo, Princess Jolaade Onipede and over 30 aggrieved PDP stalwarts were planning to defect to the APC.<br /> <br /> Fayose said, “I am not scared by these defection threats. If you want to go, you better leave now. I always rely on the masses rather than politicians, because they don’t betray like politicians (do).<br /> <br /> “Politics is a game and we shall play it for them in 2018. When you make the people your pillar, you will never fail. I am confident that I will defeat them if election is held here 20 times, because I make the masses the pillar of support.”<br /> <br /> In a related development, Fayose has also described the controversies surrounding the 2016 Budget of the Federal Government as a confirmation that the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari were not prepared for governance.<br /> <br /> He said if a government could not prepare a budget, it should be concluded that its players never prepared for governance and such might not be able to achieve anything.<br /> <br /> He also described the padding of the budget with strange figures, which were being denied by ministers, as a clear intention to steal.<br /> <br /> He said, “What those who prepared the budget did was to steal in advance. It is clear advance fraud and be it civil servants, political appointees or consultants, those responsible for this national embarrassment must be fished out and prosecuted.”<br /> <br /> According to a statement issued on Friday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, the governor urged the President to end the embarrassment caused by the incident by formally withdrawing the 2016 Appropriation bill.<br /> <br /> The governor, however, commended the National Assembly for suspending the budget passage, adding that he was highly embarrassed to see a tweet by the BBC Africa about the issue.

Latest-News Bring it on....I’m not afraid of EFCC, ICPC probe – Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has said that he is not afraid of being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission...

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Pastor rapes teenager, blames it on the devil

<br /> <br /> The General Overseer of Agape Baptist Church, Pastor Oprite Amakiri, has been arrested and detained at the Rumuolumeni Police Division in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.<br /> <br /> The 50-year-old randy pastor confessed to how he deceived a member of his church and raped her 18-year-old sister before he was exposed and dragged to the police.<br /> <br /> Amakiri was said to have told about 200 members of his church that he had been battling waste pain for the past two years and stressed that God told him that a girl between the age of 12 and 18 years old would be needed to massage his waste for him to be healed.<br /> <br /> However, the gullible members of the church did not see anything wrong in the randy pastor’s ‘prophecy’ and one of them, the elder sister to the victim (names withheld) decided to make available her 18-year-old sister for the massage job.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The pastor (Amakiri) decided to visit the home of his victim’s sister to get massaged while the owner of the house (victim’s sister), who is a roadside trader, had gone to do her petty trading.<br /> <br /> It was learnt that the pastor raped the girl on three occasions and threatened to deal with her if she dared expose his deeds to anyone, including her elder sister.<br /> <br /> Not satisfied with the development, the victim (names withheld) slammed the door against the pastor on the fourth day and stopped him from gaining access into the room for another round of sex.<br /> <br /> Angered by the girl’s effrontery, the randy pastor put a call across to the elder sister of the victim and told her that the 18-year-old girl was trying to stop ‘God’s prophecy’, an action that forced the naïve victim’s sister to abandon her wares and rushed home with dissatisfaction.<br /> <br /> On getting to her house, the rape victim told her sister how she had been defiled on four occasions by the pastor. It was at that point that the trader raised the alarm and Pastor Amakiri was arrested.<br /> <br /> Speaking with newsmen, the errant pastor confessed to the crime and said nobody should blame it on the devil and that he (Amakiri) should take the blame because he actually planned and executed the rape of the teenager.<br /> <br /> “The elder sister to the girl I raped is a choir member of my church. It was after choir practice one Thursday that I informed the sister that I would like to visit her house for a serious discussion and she obliged me.<br /> <br /> “The following day, I paid her the visit and requested that she allow her younger sister (his victim), to massage my waist, that I had been having ache on it in the past two years and every treatment, drugs and injection had failed.<br /> <br /> “She then went and discussed with the younger sister, who accepted to help me. So, we had the first massage treatment that day while the elder sister was around and nothing happened between me and the little girl.<br /> <br /> “On Saturday, I called her to inform her that I was coming back for the treatment, I got there while she was about to leave for choir practice in the church. While the massage was going on, I had the (sexual) urge. So, I had carnal knowledge of the girl. I have successfully raped her three times,” Amakiri, whose church is located in Rumuolumeni, added.<br /> <br /> The cleric, whose wife is a health worker in Degem Locl Government Area of the state, explained that he could not tell his wife to massage him because she only came home from her work place once a week when she was off duty.<br /> <br /> Amakiri, who has four children, stated that it was during his fourth attempt at raping the girl that he met a brick wall and since then, he had not regained his freedom.<br /> <br /> He said, “It was the fourth time that she (victim) locked the gates against me. So, I had to call her sister on her cell phone and she rushed to the house from her shop and began to interrogate the girl on why she did not want to massage my waist again and she disclosed what has been happening between us.<br /> <br /> “I sincerely regret my actions. It is like the ground should open up and swallow me. Don’t blame the devil for what has happened, blame me because I was tempted and I did it,” he added.<br /> <br /> The victim, who simply gave her name as Goodness, told newsmen that she never knew the pastor that was respected so much by members of his church could think of having sexual intercourse with her.<br /> <br /> She said the pastor had warned her on each occasion he forcefully had carnal knowledge of her not to disclose what happened to anybody, including her elder sister.<br /> <br /> “I was in the house when the pastor came and asked me to massage his waist. On the first day, I massaged him, nothing happened between us. But on the second day, while I was massaging him, he began to touch my breast and raped me.<br /> <br /> “I tried to escape, but he held me and warned me never to tell anybody what he did to me. He has raped me three times,” the victim said, adding that she used vegetable oil to massage the pastor’s waist.<br /> <br /> Speaking on the matter, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, said the randy pastor had confessed to raping the girl on several occasions, adding that Amakiri would be charged to court at the end of an ongoing investigation into the matter.<br /> <br /> Mohammad told newsmen that the teenager would be taken to the hospital for a comprehensive medical check-up to ascertain that the pastor has not infected her with HIV or any other sexually transmitted diseases.<br /> <br /> He cautioned members of the public to beware of people, who might want to deceive and take undue advantage of them.

Latest-News Pastor rapes teenager, blames it on the devil

The General Overseer of Agape Baptist Church, Pastor Oprite Amakiri, has been arrested and detained at the Rumuolumeni Police Division in ...

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NCC to sanction telecom operators who defraud Nigerians through drop calls

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFk9D-OCTNAw5Q4zaxwBn1Qq0qyrVr70hgvecanzN6867m_5IyWKq4ywkyaECXo-Da74pSeis8cHBOjDHO33bD6v7HihGClbyxk2bypxXZitSpg_RxBGhu9xpa6U4sb3Q8pMfpnJUUKY8/s1600/windows+phone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFk9D-OCTNAw5Q4zaxwBn1Qq0qyrVr70hgvecanzN6867m_5IyWKq4ywkyaECXo-Da74pSeis8cHBOjDHO33bD6v7HihGClbyxk2bypxXZitSpg_RxBGhu9xpa6U4sb3Q8pMfpnJUUKY8/s400/windows+phone.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <br /> Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commissions (NCC), on Friday, said the Commission would sanction telecommunication operators who defrauded Nigerians through dropped-calls. Danbatta said this during a meeting with newsmen from the North West, North Central and FCT in Kano, where he presented the commission’s eight-point agenda.<br /> <br /> According to him, dropped-call rate is the fraction of the telephone calls which due to technical reasons, are cut off before the speaking parties finish their conversation. This, he said, were being used by some telecom providers to deduct money from phone users as the fraction was usually measured as a percentage of all calls. He said that the Commission had put in place mechanisms to ensure regulatory excellence and operational efficiency to maintain commitment to transparency.<br /> <br /> Danbatta explained that part of the measures was for NCC to monitor calls, adding that any call that was not a dropped-call and was charged would be detected and the telecom provider sanctioned. He added that “there is a limit to which a call can be dropped. “We have put in place parametres to monitor what is happening, especially as regards drop calls, this will locate the operator to ensure that they maintain standards. “When these parametres are analysed, we will be able to detect the drop calls from service providers and the operator’s attention will be drawn to enable it to address the problem.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> “If we do not notice any sign of improvement on dropped call rates, then we will sanction erring operators.’’ The NCC boss said operators should know that they were being monitored by NCC and that the day of reckoning when their activities would be made public was around the corner. Danbatta, however, assured the public that the issue of monitoring the cognitive performance indicators was key to NCC, adding that consumers’ right would be protected.<br /> <br />  He said erring operators would be identified and necessary regulatory action would be taken in order to improve the quality of service to Nigerians. He urged Nigerians to utilise the Commission’s 622 call number to send their complaints for the purpose of resolving them. He reiterated the Commission’s resolve to continue to promote and empower consumers from unfair practices through the availability of information and education required to make informed choices in the use of ICT services.<br /> <br /> Danbatta further said that the Commission was working on ways to improve data access in the country, even though the facility to support the project was not adequate yet. “We are working on plans to improve data access in Nigeria and it is captured in the eight-point agenda of the Commission’’. This, he said, would ensure that at least services were available, accessible and affordable to consumers. He expressed the hope that access to the Internet would be free in Nigeria in the nearest future.

Latest-News NCC to sanction telecom operators who defraud Nigerians through drop calls

Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commissions (NCC), on Friday, said the Commission would sancti...

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Security fears for Boko Haram displaced after bombings

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjptrkGnRL9Ex6n8jEHla5PxOXJk3EhDgXCTABiRgpgulyKMZ11icmlZSqKybJhrMlezY0L4HWohAK0iSlUV6Mw8MmotuhfTWxAAaZIW6RcQkxI-Vd7wPAeetoRQeUF_MB9niRSApQXOPM/s1600/boko+haram+burns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjptrkGnRL9Ex6n8jEHla5PxOXJk3EhDgXCTABiRgpgulyKMZ11icmlZSqKybJhrMlezY0L4HWohAK0iSlUV6Mw8MmotuhfTWxAAaZIW6RcQkxI-Vd7wPAeetoRQeUF_MB9niRSApQXOPM/s400/boko+haram+burns.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Suicide bombings that killed 58 at a camp for those who fled Boko Haram have raised doubts about the true extent of Nigeria’s grip on security in the troubled northeast and its policy of returning the displaced.<br /> <br /> President Muhammadu Buhari and his government have said many of the estimated two million internally displaced people (IDPs) can begin to return, as the military now has the upper hand. But Tuesday’s attack on Dikwa, some 90 kilometres (55 miles) from the Borno state capital Maiduguri, has called into question whether it is safe to go back — or even stay put. Last month, suicide bombers tried but failed to get into one of the largest camps near Maiduguri after an attack nearby that killed 85.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a>Yan St-Pierre, of the Modern Security Consulting Group, said such attacks had become a growing trend since November last year. “These were mostly assaults but by bombing a camp, they can instill more terror and complicate matters even more for the refugees and the government,” he told AFP. – ‘Significant’ fighting – Attention switched to the return of the IDPs in December when Buhari, who had promised a swift end to the insurgency, said the Islamists had been “technically” defeated. The state government in Borno<br /> <br /> — the worst affected by the violence —<br /> <br /> has said it intended to return some 50,000 of the nearly 150,000 people sheltered in camps in and around Maiduguri this month. But travel outside Maiduguri is not advised without military escort and one Borno senator last week claimed the Islamists still controlled half of the local government areas in the state. The government denied the claim.<br /> <br /> Security analyst Fulan Nasrullah described the return policy as “premature and very ill-thought out…<br /> <br /> based on a flawed perception of the situation.. (by) politicians in Abuja”. “The state is still facing fighting of a significant manner in many places,” he added. IDPs in Maiduguri have told AFP they were reluctant to return home because of the continued presence of Boko Haram as well as a chronic lack of food, shelter and infrastructure. The situation has echoes of 2013, when a state of emergency in three northeast states saw Boko Haram forced into the remote countryside.<br /> <br /> The overstretched and under-funded military were unable — and often unwilling — to secure the bush and Boko Haram returned stronger in 2014, capturing swathes of territory. Nigeria’s defence minister, Mansur Dan Ali, on Thursday said the police and civil defence corps were expected to “hold ground in the freed areas” of the northeast.<br /> <br /> “This will enable the troops to concentrate in advancing into more areas of operation without being distracted by the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the liberated areas,” he added.<br /> <br /> But Nasrullah said the police were “not trained to fight wars” and after at least 17,000 deaths in nearly seven years, civilians could again pay a heavy price. “The Nigerian Police Force cannot sensibly be expected to use its lighter weapons and its inadequate training to hold off the insurgents when they attack,” he added.<br /> <br /> – Regional force –<br /> <br /> One possible solution to improve security could be the use of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), comprising soldiers from Nigeria and its neighbours Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin. But despite an intended deployment date of November 2014, later revised to July 30 last year, the 8,700 troops in the new African Union-backed, Nigeria-led force are still not yet operational. Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon fought in an ad hoc coalition early last year but with little apparent coordination and visible tensions. St-Pierre said “issues of prestige, power and sovereignty” were holding up the deployment:<br /> <br />  “Who is allowed to do what and when? Who gets to claim credit for the success? “And more importantly, just how deep into Nigerian territory are MNJTF troops allowed to go?” Until a common strategy and operational structure was developed, the force remained “a joint operation on paper only”, he added. Nasrullah suggested the stumbling block was the neighbours’ view of Boko Haram as “a Nigerian problem”, despite multiple cross-border attacks and its alliance to the Islamic State group.<br /> <br /> “The Nigeriens and the Cameroonians want Boko Haram to be pushed back into Nigeria. Beyond that, they have no interest in defeating Boko Haram,” he said. Africa security analyst Ryan Cummings argued recent pledges at the African Union of $250 million (221 million euros) to fight Boko Haram with little mention of the MNJTF “may suggest the initiative is dead in the water”.

Latest-News Security fears for Boko Haram displaced after bombings

Suicide bombings that killed 58 at a camp for those who fled Boko Haram have raised doubts about the true extent of Nigeria’s grip on sec...

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Mother of three vomits cocaine at Abuja airport

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJUO9CTFK3k1mJ_Fh0fMq23tMbM7Zdt8fYfLZJF5P6CWentVv1vRgZZY8L_lMLnRqtfhZzPGZ-0iYPjUeA8oAKBW2v7BF9ISCTz6UESpatewQe142aKgJKD42fORMisyQ24Golerhmy0/s1600/drugs+cocaine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoJUO9CTFK3k1mJ_Fh0fMq23tMbM7Zdt8fYfLZJF5P6CWentVv1vRgZZY8L_lMLnRqtfhZzPGZ-0iYPjUeA8oAKBW2v7BF9ISCTz6UESpatewQe142aKgJKD42fORMisyQ24Golerhmy0/s320/drugs+cocaine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <br /> Saidat Hassan, 48, and mother of three children, on Friday, allegedly vomited 15 wraps of white powdery substances that tested positive for cocaine at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. This is contained in a statement by Ofoyeju Mitchell, Head, Public Affairs of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> According to the statement, the incident took place at the Central Screening Section of the Departure Hall during screening of passengers on Egypt Airline flight to Jedda, Saudi Arabia en-route Cairo. It said she was apprehended by officers of NDLEA who discovered that she had ingested 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 904 grammes. Mr Hamisu Lawan, Commander, NDLEA Abuja Airport, was quoted as saying that efforts were made to protect her from any harm resulting from drug ingestion.<br /> <br /> “As soon as we discovered that the wraps she vomited tested positive for cocaine, we took measures to ensure her safety by preventing any harm that may result from drug ingestion. “While under observation, she excreted sixty-five (65) similar wraps. In all, she ingested 80 wraps of cocaine weighing 904 grammes; her case is under investigation.” Retred Col. Mohammad Abdallah, the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, who expressed satisfaction with the arrest, said her action negated every principle of good parenting. “This is gross ineptitude on the part of a mother saddled with the responsibility of nurturing her children into future leaders. “I am glad that she did not die from drug ingestion to face trial.<br /> <br /> “Besides escaping the risk of swallowing cocaine, this arrest also saved her because drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia is punishable by death. “She will soon be charged to court because the law must run its full course. I expect the general public to learn lessons from this case that drug trafficking leads to pain, ignominy and untimely death. “My approach to drug control is both pragmatic and scientific.<br /> <br /> Every action taken must be based on best global principles; while lessons learnt will influence our implementation strategies in our day to day operations. “The agency will continue to sensitise members of the public by presenting facts and figures of drug trafficking as well as the larger picture of its ruin and devastation”, Hamisu said. The statement also said Hassan, a native of Idiroko, Ogun State, who resides in Lagos Island, claimed to be a business woman dealing in clothing materials.<br /> <br /> According to her, “I am a business woman and I sell women clothes at Balogun market. I used to buy my goods from Ghana. I was introduced into the drug business by a friend and business partner. “The drug was brought from Abidjan, Ivory Coast and we were to share the proceeds equally. “Until my arrest, I never knew that the cocaine I ingested would have led to my death in Saudi Arabia. I thank God for keeping me alive.”<br /> <br /> NAN recalls that a female drug trafficker, Ifeoma Daniel, who hails from Abia State, vomited wraps of cocaine at the departure hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Ikeja, Lagos in 2007. She later died as a result of cocaine bust. Daniel, aged 29, was said to have died after one of the wraps of drugs she ingested burst while preparing to board an Ethiopian airline heading for Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She had ingested 79 wraps of substances that tested positive for cocaine with a weight of 1.32 kilogrammes.

Latest-News Mother of three vomits cocaine at Abuja airport

Saidat Hassan, 48, and mother of three children, on Friday, allegedly vomited 15 wraps of white powdery substances that tested positive fo...

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Man ‘pregnant’, hospitalised after sex with men

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibN5itWwiB72l6Y2rtF-djEfJK3FO4Dcxk3k86eIV6nxhcdoF6SpAPPHIkDl4toUrjo-Zs2OGnQqFYLz-0P0Rzqdw3r49-D9RwVKYDZbU-qhO8XbbCg8bP2YlGrKJyQLWbEMqWWZUPPLs/s1600/pregnant-man.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibN5itWwiB72l6Y2rtF-djEfJK3FO4Dcxk3k86eIV6nxhcdoF6SpAPPHIkDl4toUrjo-Zs2OGnQqFYLz-0P0Rzqdw3r49-D9RwVKYDZbU-qhO8XbbCg8bP2YlGrKJyQLWbEMqWWZUPPLs/s400/pregnant-man.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> A 52-year-old had to be hospitalised after he kept insisting he was pregnant with a child in Kozhikode, India.<br /> <br /> The unemployed father of two children, who has a postgraduate degree, cited abnormal sensations in his abdomen and believed that he was carrying a child.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> He refused to believe that men do not get pregnant and claimed that he could feel the baby moving inside, insisting on bed rest and skipped labour-intensive work.<br /> <br /> According to Indian Times, his worried brother took him to a hospital after he developed nausea and curbed his food intake. The man admitted that he “conceived” after he’s had sex with men.<br /> <br /> Dr P N Suresh Kumar, who headed a team of doctors at KMCT, after several tests concluded that the patient was nursing a delusion which in itself is an unusual case. His brother told mystified doctors that the strange delusion started around six months ago.<br /> <br /> <br /> Kumar said delusion is a fixed abnormal belief about something.<br /> <br /> “We never came across this sort of case before. He was an active homosexual in his adolescent years which may have contributed to his beliefs.<br /> <br /> “But, his homosexuality did not affect his marriage.Usually , we see couvade syndrome in some dads-to-be who show certain symptoms of pregnancy (like nausea, weight gain or sleep problems) when their partners get pregnant,” he said.<br /> <br /> Interestingly, the doctors couldn’t detect any gender identity disorders, gender dysphoria, hallucinations, depression or anxiety during treatment and the various test results showed that he was normal, the report said.<br /> <br /> This delusion had however been cured due to the medical intervention. After a series of counselling sessions, he stopped indulging in homosexual activities. Now, the patient is recovering and we are measuring his progress during periodic check-ups, Kumar said.

Latest-News Man ‘pregnant’, hospitalised after sex with men

A 52-year-old had to be hospitalised after he kept insisting he was pregnant with a child in Kozhikode, India. The unemployed father of ...

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Saraki’s CCT trial begins March 10

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVh05N2JvH_vsIx3j7HXkIKCLWKXmds73NWa5hObmxLyvrC6Lw6tvw5mjK6fIwPFHnpWnDxwn54Wa_hN8D5-mJzBqMPUViV410P7FKBYYu3rPDS9gKPm5f3hymKDNEJBpUCspaTggfBE/s1600/saraki+cct.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjVh05N2JvH_vsIx3j7HXkIKCLWKXmds73NWa5hObmxLyvrC6Lw6tvw5mjK6fIwPFHnpWnDxwn54Wa_hN8D5-mJzBqMPUViV410P7FKBYYu3rPDS9gKPm5f3hymKDNEJBpUCspaTggfBE/s400/saraki+cct.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> Trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on 13 counts of false assets declaration is to resume March 10 before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.<br /> <br /> Our correspondent confirmed that the CCT ‎issued hearing notices and served same on parties to the case on Friday.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> This followed a letter written on behalf of the Federal Government by the lead prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), intimating the tribunal of the recent judgment of the Supreme Court validating the ‎trial.<br /> <br /> It was learnt that Jacobs sent the letter with a copy of the Supreme Court’s judgment attached to it to the Danladi Umar-led CCT on Monday.<br /> <br /> The Head, Press and Public Relations of the CCT, Mr. Ibraheem Al-hassan, confirmed to our correspondent that the tribunal issued and served hearing notices on the parties on Friday.<br /> <br /> “We have issued and served the hearing notice today,” Alhassan said.<br /> <br />

Latest-News Saraki’s CCT trial begins March 10

Trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, on 13 counts of false assets declaration is to resume March 10 before the Code of Conduc...

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Three robbers, one cop killed during bank robbery

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfdQTOJwH_yEeLWcbSmFX1u7aovWzf9zx8M-tsoZ-B1jbupbiYc1Tz9FlYo8RIg_tmtzEpNPccIG7YD_VoLTjLV2lfpqxfdaBUQewrL9ztgC1vjqFcJUmA-ZotwVcAs25LeUkDB6VJlI/s1600/police-logo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfdQTOJwH_yEeLWcbSmFX1u7aovWzf9zx8M-tsoZ-B1jbupbiYc1Tz9FlYo8RIg_tmtzEpNPccIG7YD_VoLTjLV2lfpqxfdaBUQewrL9ztgC1vjqFcJUmA-ZotwVcAs25LeUkDB6VJlI/s400/police-logo1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> Armed robbers invaded some banks in Ikirun, the headquarters of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun State in the evening today, making away undisclosed sums of money.<br /> <br /> It was gathered that the robbers gained entry into the banks by blowing up the entrance.<br /> <br /> Some residents said three banks were raided while some said the robbers attacked two banks during the operation.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The robbers were said to have detonated some of the explosives close to the banks to scare away residents in order to allow them to operate freely.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The banks in Ikirun are: First Bank Plc; Skye Bank Plc; Union Bank and a community bank.<br /> <br /> Sources in the town claimed the three commercial banks there were raided, but the claim could not be confirmed as of the time of filing this report.<br /> <br /> One of the residents who identified himself as Bola said, “The three banks were attacked and there are many casualties on the site of the robbery, the police and the residents.”<br /> <br /> The robbers didn’t make a clean getaway, however, as the police responded promptly to the distress call from the town and prevented the robbers from escaping with their loots.<br /> <br /> It was gathered that the police team deployed in the town barricaded all the roads to the town and engaged the robbers in a gun duel which lasted for over 30 minutes.<br /> <br /> Three members of the gang were shot dead by the police team while one was injured and another one was arrested, witnesses said.<br /> <br /> One of the policemen was said to have been killed by the robbers before they abandoned the vehicles they brought for the operation and fled.<br /> <br /> A police source, who confirmed the development, told our correspondent that two robbers were killed while one was wounded and another one was arrested. He also said a policeman was shot dead during the shootout.<br /> <br /> The police source added that two pistols were recovered from the hoodlums as well as the money stolen by the armed robbers.<br /> <br /> The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Kola Sodipo, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent through the phone, said some of the robbers were killed.<br /> <br /> He said, “I cannot give you any figure now but there are casualties. We are still in Ikirun now, we are combing the bushes; we don’t want any of them to escape.<br /> <br /> “We have demobilised their vehicle and we are combing everywhere to arrest those injured and the fleeing members of the gang.”<br /> <br /> The CP urged members of the public to inform the police of presence of any strange face sighted in their area.

Latest-News Three robbers, one cop killed during bank robbery

Armed robbers invaded some banks in Ikirun, the headquarters of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun State in the evening today, making ...

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FIFA ex-secretary Valcke banned for 12 years

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgueBUcy6l5yhFStGsX19DYM0YiblL1oOZnPMpJE0vCST_9X4dTT3x2lJmxN29iqmE_OVek4bGwttPfBINiahGJqlxawhC_2sirRTLYJVmN8dohP3C5RDQgFXslIsFc9OjoscYU6MIGLEE/s1600/jerome-valcke_2160011b+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgueBUcy6l5yhFStGsX19DYM0YiblL1oOZnPMpJE0vCST_9X4dTT3x2lJmxN29iqmE_OVek4bGwttPfBINiahGJqlxawhC_2sirRTLYJVmN8dohP3C5RDQgFXslIsFc9OjoscYU6MIGLEE/s640/jerome-valcke_2160011b+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> Football’s world governing body, FIFA has banned its former secretary-general, Jerome Valcke from all football-related activities for 12 years.<br /> <br /> FIFA’s independent ethics committee also fined the 55-year-old 100,000 Swiss francs (£70,800) after it investigated allegations of misconduct relating to sales of World Cup tickets, the BBC reports.<br /> <br /> During the inquiry, other acts of potential misconduct arose concerning travel expenses and regulations.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Valcke’s lawyer said his client had done “absolutely nothing wrong.”<br /> <br /> The lawyer’s statement said: “With today’s decision, the FIFA ethics committee has shown that it is not a credible, independent or objective decision-making body.<br /> <br /> “In reaching an entirely unsupported, unjust and politically motivated decision, it wholly ignored the uncontroverted and exculpatory evidence that had been presented to it.<br /> <br /> “Mr. Valcke is confident that when all the facts come out, it will be clear that he did absolutely nothing wrong in carrying out his duties for the good of FIFA and the sport.”<br /> <br /> In September last year Valcke was put on leave and released from his duties until further notice after FIFA had “been made aware of a series of allegations” involving him.<br /> <br /> His dismissal was confirmed in January and FIFA recommended he be banned from football for nine years.

Latest-News FIFA ex-secretary Valcke banned for 12 years

Football’s world governing body, FIFA has banned its former secretary-general, Jerome Valcke from all football-related activities for 12 ...

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Why we sanctioned Wike’s election – Supreme Court

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtnnQzUs3p8tzm2Md_u80FzzIE9vmihftCqHFe3cZI-FlBnoFF90IuIMWpG1_pIxLn7GZjIBTiCivWrYSDug6mN2CyHWmf30JmTdYu6Vy2PqKw2BIUBYKTK_1rWWEO-1aYku3ulKt1_U/s1600/wike1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtnnQzUs3p8tzm2Md_u80FzzIE9vmihftCqHFe3cZI-FlBnoFF90IuIMWpG1_pIxLn7GZjIBTiCivWrYSDug6mN2CyHWmf30JmTdYu6Vy2PqKw2BIUBYKTK_1rWWEO-1aYku3ulKt1_U/s400/wike1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> The Supreme Court on Friday gave reasons for its January 27 judgment upholding the election of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.<br /> <br /> The apex court said the decision was informed by its findings that the petitioners at the tribunal – the candidate of the All progressives Congress (APC) in the election, Dakuku Peterside and his party – failed to prove their case of malpractices and non-compliance as required.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> A seven-man panel of the court, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, held that the election petitions tribunal and Court of Appeal, which earlier voided the election, were wrong to have based their decisions on the petitioners claim that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials’ failed to adhere to the commission’s manual, guidelines and directives on the exclusive use of the card reader for accreditation and the hearsay evidence presented by the petitioners.<br /> <br /> The court reiterated its position that card reader was not a sufficient replacement for manual accreditation. It further held non-compliance with INEC’s manual and guidelines by its officials in the conduct of election was not a sufficient ground to void the election.<br /> <br /> The apex court also believed that Peterside and his party failed to discharge the burden of proof placed on them having listed alleged misconduct including violence, disenfranchisement and non-compliance with election guidelines.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> The court held that the tribunal denied Wike and his party, the right to fair hearing by allowing a wrong panel to deliver ruling on an application they filed, challenging the competence of the petition.<br /> <br /> Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, while giving reasons for the position she took in the lead judgment, held that it was wrong for Justice Suleiman Ambrosa, the later chairman of the tribunal, to have chaired the panel that delivered the ruling on the application by Wike and PDP when he was not the chairman when the application was argued.<br /> <br /> Of the 11 issues considered in the appeal, Justice Kekere-Ekun resolved seven in favour of Wike and the PDP and four in favour of Peterside and APC who were listed as respondents in the appeal marked: SC/1002/2015.<br /> <br /> The issues resolved in favour of Peterside and APC were those related to preliminary issues of service and locus standi.

Latest-News Why we sanctioned Wike’s election – Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday gave reasons for its January 27 judgment upholding the election of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike. The a...

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