Donald Trump blasts CNN

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="618" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5AUZ_CA1Qm6GW33_8Gdvbqe9qfZneTdLo1bjMRbnj4aCMFJPT-pM9cwkicAz8wBp0PU9o3mY4fWGWYFCUVHucQl8rLunDcqSIKzVRb2lYqKZPlOaPUwjmvO-SOO75yezP5Ina2JRBwQUs/s400/trump-cnn.jpg" width="400" /></div> <br /> President Trump seems not to be relenting on his criticisms of America’s famous news channel CNN and this time around the U.S. president has carpeted the media outfit for a mistake in a recent report on Russia meddling, saying the cable TV network was “caught red handed” disseminating “fake news.”<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Trump through his twitter handle said: “CNN’S slogan is CNN, THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS.”<br /> <br /> “Everyone knows this is not true, that this could, in fact, be a fraud on the American Public. There are many outlets that are far more trusted than Fake News CNN. Their slogan should be CNN, THE LEAST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS!”<br /> <br /> The president’s tweet came one day after CNN reported that the president’s son Donald Jr. and others on the Trump presidential campaign received an email on Sept. 4, 2016, telling them in advance about the release of some yet-to-be published WikiLeaks documents.<br /> <br /> These included emails from the Democratic National Committee.<br /> <br /> However, the date was erroneous. The email was in actuality dated Sept. 14, one day after the WikiLeaks document dump.<br /> <br /> In a tweet Saturday, the president also criticized ABC News and reporter Brian Ross for a recent, incorrect story that Trump, as a candidate in the 2016 White House race, had illegally instructed campaign member Mike Flynn to make contact with Russia, in an apparent attempt to help defeat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.<br /> <br /> The stock market plunged, and Ross was suspended over the gaffe for four weeks.<br /> <br /> Trump appeared to suggest that CNN had intentionally put out an incorrect story.<br /> <br /> “Fake News CNN made a vicious and purposeful mistake yesterday,” Trump tweeted. “They were caught red handed, just like lonely Brian Ross at ABC News (who should be immediately fired for his ‘mistake’). Watch to see if @CNN fires those responsible, or was it just gross incompetence?”

Latest-News Donald Trump blasts CNN

President Trump seems not to be relenting on his criticisms of America’s famous news channel CNN and this time around the U.S. president h...

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PDP Convention: Dokpesi fumes over ‘Unity List’

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbn4cIMka8K0yVu2iQR9JKXW4iDtOYHH3uh1W0PMgnscCDXJ87yVsbcFHUz0nymJX57EyXpVDBU8fiTJ3jOr7rMXB3D8LOV4npDkX8VjPZ81UWxytQCHXvViKKhTtXfY-VRMffT95m6H5/s1600/DOKPESI-2.fw_.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="750" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbn4cIMka8K0yVu2iQR9JKXW4iDtOYHH3uh1W0PMgnscCDXJ87yVsbcFHUz0nymJX57EyXpVDBU8fiTJ3jOr7rMXB3D8LOV4npDkX8VjPZ81UWxytQCHXvViKKhTtXfY-VRMffT95m6H5/s400/DOKPESI-2.fw_.png" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> One of the aspirants to the office of the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, has faulted the national leadership of the party over the distribution of what is called ‘Unity List’ among the delegates at the convention venue.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The delegates were expected to use the list to determine who they would vote at the national convention of the party.<br /> <br /> Dokpesi’s name was missing on the list, which was described as the preferred candidates by the 11 governors elected on the platform of the party for various positions.<br /> <br /> Dokpesi described the process as a charade which he said might destroy the party.<br /> <br /> Dokpesi told journalists at the convention ground that the process of voting had been compromised following the distribution of the<br /> list.<br /> <br /> He explained that the 21 names of candidates contained in the list appeared on the ballot papers as number one and in the voting boots as number one.<br /> <br /> He said complaints were lodged to the Chairman of the PDP Electoral Committee, Dr. Gabriel Susuan, who he said confirmed that he had seen the list with some delegates.<br /> <br /> Dokpesi said it was unfortunate that a party which was just getting out of a major leadership crisis would be “involved in acts of impunity and election malpractice.”<br /> <br /> He, however, called on the party leadership to urgently rectify what he called an anomaly and a charade before it becomes another major challenge in the party, ahead 2019 general elections.

Latest-News PDP Convention: Dokpesi fumes over ‘Unity List’

One of the aspirants to the office of the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, has faulted the nationa...

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Former National Auditor locked out of PDP convention venue

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12AbE34xr0p24uSaLQ6F3d6eM1w4zw0SJJDw5DOK_8GzBIqrUBncXVCk76nI5UEGs9KkuPz2gBsnaLpfTqvkCyVhVPLvUxE6Wvaz7qaCgpdVGc0Bij8Jre4jWc_yWPpDeDTz_bQZnL9k7/s1600/Fatai+Adewole+Adeyanju.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="450" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12AbE34xr0p24uSaLQ6F3d6eM1w4zw0SJJDw5DOK_8GzBIqrUBncXVCk76nI5UEGs9KkuPz2gBsnaLpfTqvkCyVhVPLvUxE6Wvaz7qaCgpdVGc0Bij8Jre4jWc_yWPpDeDTz_bQZnL9k7/s400/Fatai+Adewole+Adeyanju.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> The immediate past National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Fatai Adewole Adeyanju, was prevented from accessing the Eagle Square venue of the party national convention on Saturday.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The party had earlier blocked him from contesting for the position of National Treasurer by rejecting his nomination papers over tax related problems.<br /> <br /> Adeyanju, who remained outside the venue hours into the proceedings, said the screening committee set up by the party for the convention deliberately schemed him out of the exercise.<br /> <br /> Speaking with journalists outside the convention venue, Adeyanju accused Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, of being responsible for his travail.<br /> <br /> According to him, the party’s screening committee had rejected his tax clearance certificate even though the document remained valid till December 2017.<br /> <br /> The party also said he has no voter card, even when he tendered his valid voter card before the committee.<br /> <br /> Displaying the original copy of his valid tax certificate and voter card before journalists, Adeyanju lamented that all efforts to make the screening committee see reason proved abortive.<br /> <br /> It is believed that Adeyanju was excluded from the exercise due to his roles in the 14- month leadership crisis that rocked the PDP under Ali Modu Sheriff.<br /> <br /> Adeyanju and the then National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo were on the side of Sheriff and they featured prominently in the various court cases against the Ahmed Makarfi -led National Caretaker Committee of the party.<br /> <br /> But responding to questions on his involvement with Sheriff, a distraught Adeyanju said it was wrong for the party leadership to victimize him based on his past roles in the PDP crisis.<br /> <br /> “When there are divisions in the leadership, people follow different groups or individuals. But when the crisis was resolved, we should all be allowed to join the winning group without victimization,” Adeyanju said.

Latest-News Former National Auditor locked out of PDP convention venue

The immediate past National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Fatai Adewole Adeyanju, was prevented from accessing th...

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Iraq declares war with ISIS over

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="670" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRn2rQIj0ZMo6ECdt4dMByR0MR7UKFrzzSw6-kiOaUcEq8_lBQCukt08c0y1c_fuQXwzmJLx77JCmneMUUUjDNG5e08SsOfgkkrAMV5L7YM3hOdeQxztdq4A25CsQMqXBrSYl-YvU-AVP/s400/isis+flag.jpg" width="400" /></div> <br /> <br /> Iraq has announced that its war against so-called Islamic State (ISIS) is over.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told a conference in Baghdad that Iraqi troops were now in complete control of the Iraqi-Syrian border.<br /> <br /> The border zone contained the last few areas ISIS held, following its loss of the town of Rawa in November, the BBC reports.<br /> <br /> The U.S state department welcomed the end of the “vile occupation” of ISIS in Iraq and said the fight against the group would continue.<br /> <br /> Iraq’s announcement comes two days after the Russian military declared it had accomplished its mission of defeating ISIS in neighbouring Syria.<br /> <br /> The jihadist group had seized large swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014, when it proclaimed a “caliphate” and imposed its rule over some 10 million people.<br /> <br /> But it suffered a series of defeats over the past two years, losing Iraq’s second city of Mosul this July and its de facto capital of Raqqa in northern Syria last month.

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Iraq has announced that its war against so-called Islamic State (ISIS) is over. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi told a conference in B...

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Governor Wike steals the show at PDP convention with unity list

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="600" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCWRmdFAxMuds5axDc2EOfv2CovkEQtYxa3J4qFQvt4-uKxqFDjEMu_b8KHs6ZIGeWKTuUkmfiIqLPJ4KTPXTu_atyoYTmc9JCjCgj1TqEImaUyjBmVKkBguirpCW77D52L_BfCnKjQ7w/s400/Chief-Nyesom-Wike.-Supervising-Minister-of-Educationjpg.jpg" width="400" /></div> <br /> The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, was the cynosure of all eyes at the Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The governor was the rallying point at the convention with a predetermined list of candidates for all the 21 positions in the party’s national executive committee.<br /> <br /> Dubbed the “unity list,” the one-page document, which was widely circulated at the convention venue long before voting commenced, contained the names of the favoured candidates for each position.<br /> <br /> Going by the list, Prince Uche Secondus (Rivers) was listed as the choice for national chairman while Elder Yemi Akinwonmi (Ogun) was penciled down as his deputy (South).<br /> <br /> A former senator, Gamawa Babawo Garba (Bauchi) was anointed as deputy national chairman (North).<br /> <br /> Another former senator, Umar Tsauri (Katsina) was listed as preferred candidate for the National Secretary.<br /> <br /> One Agbo Emmanuel (Benue) was slated for the position of Deputy National Secretary.<br /> <br /> Aribisala Adewale (Ekiti) was chosen as National Treasurer, while one Alhaji Wada Masu (Kano) was penned down as his deputy.<br /> <br /> For Financial Secretary, Abdullahi Husseini Maibasara (Niger) was the choice with Irona Alphonsus Gerald (Imo) as his deputy.<br /> <br /> A candidate from Abia, Col. Austin Akobundu (retd) was the favourite for National Organising Secretary, while Hasan Yakubu (Nasarawa) was tagged as his deputy.<br /> <br /> The position of National Publicity Secretary was to go to Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan (Kogi) while Diran Odeyemi (Osun) was to be voted his deputy.<br /> <br /> For the position of National Legal Adviser, Emmanuel Enoidem (Akwa Ibom) was the unanimous choice with Ahmed Bello Liman (Sokoto) listed as deputy.

Latest-News Governor Wike steals the show at PDP convention with unity list

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, was the cynosure of all eyes at the Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of the national convention of the P...

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Fulani herdsmen kill 10 in Kogi

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHIANxc52vEpyogDBCeU3_F0M6C98F9YViuw0SmR2o7chi6FkCtPQuCKQYZWxfZnfxc2JPJMJj1X51Bw9KvPCCGdIDh7CsNertIu-sS4b0EfeRRGxj2sXhzyXM4NaqEHHa1Z_mMAjrRGy/s1600/herdsmen+fulani.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="1600" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHIANxc52vEpyogDBCeU3_F0M6C98F9YViuw0SmR2o7chi6FkCtPQuCKQYZWxfZnfxc2JPJMJj1X51Bw9KvPCCGdIDh7CsNertIu-sS4b0EfeRRGxj2sXhzyXM4NaqEHHa1Z_mMAjrRGy/s640/herdsmen+fulani.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> At least 10 people were reportedly killed in Kogi on Friday by Fulani herdsmen who invaded two local government areas in the state.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Farmlands were also set on fire in the affected areas.<br /> <br /> The incident, according to eyewitnesses, took place in Omala and Yagba West local government areas of the state.<br /> <br /> An eyewitness said some Fulani herdsmen came into Ogabifo village near Agbenema community in Omala LGA on Friday with their cattle for grazing.<br /> <br /> “Fulani herdsmen stormed the farmland apparently for grazing and when the farm owner along with his family approached them, they attacked and chased them into the village where 10 people were killed,” the eyewitness said.<br /> <br /> It was gathered that after the invasion, the herdsmen returned to the farm, destroyed crops and ran away.

Latest-News Fulani herdsmen kill 10 in Kogi

At least 10 people were reportedly killed in Kogi on Friday by Fulani herdsmen who invaded two local government areas in the state. Fa...

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How Libyan man shot me – Deportee

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRis2LVeZOV-tDmE_JCebAeWL329mettXzALNc-wRxYa7KqFacgEfdg2igRKKIivlMSaaMyqy8g3wuGJi_ac-_0kV4iwlqiWu3UlE3cwpguuOIsN6SoX0p6IEj82oIgD5d6pzH20Ta4Ss/s1600/Libya-returnee.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRis2LVeZOV-tDmE_JCebAeWL329mettXzALNc-wRxYa7KqFacgEfdg2igRKKIivlMSaaMyqy8g3wuGJi_ac-_0kV4iwlqiWu3UlE3cwpguuOIsN6SoX0p6IEj82oIgD5d6pzH20Ta4Ss/s320/Libya-returnee.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> A 25-year-old man, Amos Oghogho, has narrated his traumatic experience in Libya and how an Arab in the country, shot him in the arm.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Oghogho, who hails from Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, was among the 275 returnees received by the Edo State Task Force against Human Trafficking on Wednesday.<br /> <br /> He told Southern City News that he had in June, left the shores of Nigeria to Libya, through the hot Sahara Desert, in search of a better life.<br /> <br /> Oghogho stated that he was arrested by a policeman in Tripoli and kept in a cell for three months.<br /> <br /> He explained that he was filled with joy when he learnt that some Nigerian diplomats arrived at a returnees’ camp on November 12 to arrange the repatriation of Nigerians stranded in the North African country.<br /> <br /> “On that fateful day, I saw our (Nigerian) ambassador and was very happy and wanted to register. I did not eat that day because I was excited. But one of the Arabs saw me going to the line and ordered me to go back,” Oghogho added.<br /> <br /> The 25-year-old returnee, however, noted that his happiness turned into a tragedy when another armed man shot him in the arm, in an attempt to enforce the instruction.<br /> <br /> Oghogho explained, “I informed him (armed Libyan) that I was a Nigerian and wanted to get registered. As I was going, another man wanted to use his gun to hit my hand but fired a bullet into my arm. I did not know his intention.<br /> <br /> “I was shocked when the bullet hit me. I cried and fainted; the blood on the ground was so much. The next thing I knew was that I found myself in a hospital. The International Organisation for Migration did the surgery for me there in Tripoli.”<br /> <br /> The returnee also described his stay in Libya as a sad experience, saying, “I was in Sabah for six months. I used to wash cars there. But I had to leave for Tripoli due to the activities of kidnappers in the area. But I was caught on a street by the police and was taken to prison.<br /> <br /> “In the prison, our food was drugged. The condition was very bad. I did not take my bath for three months. They told us that we would be deported, not knowing that they were just telling us stories.<br /> <br />  “They used us for business; they used to take us to different farms to work. We ate once a day. We were fed something that looked like macaroni.”<br /> <br /> While expressing appreciation for being brought back to home, he appealed to the state government to assist him with his medical treatment.<br /> <br /> Oghogho said, “I am very happy to be home. But since I left the hospital, I have not received any medication. I appeal to the state government to assist me because I cannot sleep at night.”</div>

Latest-News How Libyan man shot me – Deportee

A 25-year-old man, Amos Oghogho, has narrated his traumatic experience in Libya and how an Arab in the country, shot him in the arm. Og...

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Chelsea stunned as Moyes earns first West Ham win

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgirKZpNj1pHqtg1jfVSipEnr3Av1SZIRKSsUHjwVFmPStCaj773vkBuKYg1XqodSvVHGXXYZrL_rpgovDO19H8_WjYW4BxrSlF77L_O8CJBKXadkQo1Hk2uMKtlFHJj14PH-GcWaZelFo/s1600/wh+1-0+ch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgirKZpNj1pHqtg1jfVSipEnr3Av1SZIRKSsUHjwVFmPStCaj773vkBuKYg1XqodSvVHGXXYZrL_rpgovDO19H8_WjYW4BxrSlF77L_O8CJBKXadkQo1Hk2uMKtlFHJj14PH-GcWaZelFo/s400/wh+1-0+ch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /> Marko Arnautovic struck the winner as West Ham beat Chelsea 1-0 at the London Stadium to record their first Premier League win since September.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> West Ham got off to a fine start, opening the scoring inside six minutes through Arnautovic, who played a one-two with Manuel Lanzini on the edge of the box before curling an excellent strike into the bottom corner.<br /> <br /> Chelsea spent much of the rest of the first half searching for an equaliser and came closest just before the half-hour mark, with N'Golo Kante bringing out a save from Adrian with a strike from distance, before the West Ham keeper pulled off another stop to deny Davide Zappacosta a few moments later.<br /> <br /> The visitors, who threw on Pedro Rodriguez for Tiemoue Bakayokot at half-time, went close again through Zappacosta near the hour-mark, but his effort bent just wide of the target.<br /> <br /> Chelsea continued to pile on the pressure as the game wore on, with Alvaro Morata and Eden Hazard firing wide in the closing stages, but West Ham were able to hold on for the three points.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Credit: ESPN</div>

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Marko Arnautovic struck the winner as West Ham beat Chelsea 1-0 at the London Stadium to record their first Premier League win since Sept...

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PDP convention: We will fight corruption – Aliyu

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBFw50oL1uMc2OC9va500OgFzzp53E-DT-1-jLHbp1h9mEd625rRzzZxehVhuvXFAcsW5S8yIkNQGftsR_PfsJtn4g1j1SKudhUmZn8q98pnh60kIVX2c8jbGDSKKQpDDuw4RGKi8Qmk/s1600/pdp-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfBFw50oL1uMc2OC9va500OgFzzp53E-DT-1-jLHbp1h9mEd625rRzzZxehVhuvXFAcsW5S8yIkNQGftsR_PfsJtn4g1j1SKudhUmZn8q98pnh60kIVX2c8jbGDSKKQpDDuw4RGKi8Qmk/s320/pdp-logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> A former Governor of Niger, Babangida Aliyu, says the party will fight corruption, to reduce poverty in the country.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> He made this known in a goodwill message at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention in Abuja on Saturday.<br /> <br /> Aliyu, who spoke on behalf of former PDP governors, said come 2019, the party would ensure that agriculture was given the kind of subsidy required.<br /> <br /> “We will ensure that agriculture becomes commercialised and mechanised. Naira has depreciated. Importing any food in Nigeria will be a waste because you will not make any profit.<br /> <br /> “Our importers are not importing food and therefore we must understand that it was not a deliberate plan; it was a plan by devaluation.”<br /> <br /> Aliyu commended the National Caretaker Committee Chairman Ahmed Makarfi for holding forth during the party’s trying moments.<br /> <br /> “We will live more united, stronger and ready to take over in 2019, PDP governors have done beautifully well and there is no alternative to the PDP,” he said.<br /> <br /></div>

Latest-News PDP convention: We will fight corruption – Aliyu

A former Governor of Niger, Babangida Aliyu, says the party will fight corruption, to reduce poverty in the country. He made this known...

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Gunmen abduct Sen. Shehu Sani’s aide in Kaduna

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsFEd89S0NMvdcx2nBijgfeGykuSw7Y9QJNtB-kAG7eH31pbmNnwvxyzMx957YTQMEjGeq2CBINXGYszfgHb3fRL0D0hACVvBWlJTmxNuwlPgVF8tkdpj6DPMuvqRKdMTrTbtuk83aQQ/s1600/gunman.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxsFEd89S0NMvdcx2nBijgfeGykuSw7Y9QJNtB-kAG7eH31pbmNnwvxyzMx957YTQMEjGeq2CBINXGYszfgHb3fRL0D0hACVvBWlJTmxNuwlPgVF8tkdpj6DPMuvqRKdMTrTbtuk83aQQ/s320/gunman.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> An aide to Sen. Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna) on Youth Matters, Mr Bashir Ahmad,  has been kidnapped.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Sani, who made the announcement on his Facebook post, said Ahmad, 45, was kidnapped by some gunmen in Tudun Wada Area of Kaduna South, Kaduna State on Dec. 8.<br /> <br /> He said the victim had some weeks ago reported to the police that some unknown gunmen had visited his residence in search of him.<br /> <br /> “I received the news of the abduction of one of my youth leader and brother in the person of Mallam Bashir Ahmad by masked Gunmen in Tudun Wada Area of Kaduna South.<br /> <br /> “Eye witness narrated that the masked Gunmen molested Mallam Bashir Ahmad before whisking him away to an unknown destination.<br /> <br /> “Some weeks ago, Mallam Bashir raised alarm and reported to the Police when he was told by neigbours that some armed mask men came looking for him when he was not at home,’’ he said.<br /> <br /> The lawmaker said, relevant security agencies had been alerted on the incidence.<br /> <br /> According to him, efforts will be put in place to secure his freedom.<br /> <br /> Sani assured Ahmad’s family and friends that he and other well-wishers would continue to remember him in their prayers, and that they would stand solidly by him until he returned home.<br /> <br /></div>

Latest-News Gunmen abduct Sen. Shehu Sani’s aide in Kaduna

An aide to Sen. Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna) on Youth Matters, Mr Bashir Ahmad,  has been kidnapped. Sani, who made the announcement on his ...

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PDP Convention: Ladoja withdraws from Chairmanship race

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South-west PDP leaders adopt Adeniran as consensus candidate

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PDP Chairmanship: Gbenga Daniel steps down

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National Convention: PDP a beautiful bride coveted by discerning politicians – Makarfi

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Crowd overpowers security personnel at PDP convention

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PHOTOS & VIDEO: Gov Yahaya Bello opens his new mansion (no, don’t talk about unpaid salaries)

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‘I stopped Obasanjo from becoming Mugabe’, ‘I’m not promising $1 = N1’ — 10 highlights of Atiku’s letter to IGoDye

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Passengers Stranded At Kano International Airport Due To Bad Weather

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_HMKH_EE-AWmZ9oJfzk4SyfXqpPUSvrF-SSjDfpbiiAsD-6CJF4CX8qXycRiBfBDVHbbdop6DXrD4UdpQFI3487xwGzAuV3j9xxAciW0e7X4bcFA53dQtbBhzRlh8oSn_SVHTVyQ9YQ/s1600/Kano+International+Airport.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH_HMKH_EE-AWmZ9oJfzk4SyfXqpPUSvrF-SSjDfpbiiAsD-6CJF4CX8qXycRiBfBDVHbbdop6DXrD4UdpQFI3487xwGzAuV3j9xxAciW0e7X4bcFA53dQtbBhzRlh8oSn_SVHTVyQ9YQ/s320/Kano+International+Airport.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> Passengers were left stranded for the second day on Saturday at the Aminu Kano Airport, as poor weather conditions forced airline operators to cancel scheduled flights in and out of the city.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Newsmen report that the affected routes were the Abuja and Lagos-bound flights mainly operated by Azman, Arik and Med-View.<br /> <br /> Airline operators announced the flight cancellations following weather advisory from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.<br /> <br /> Mr Wale Dauda, a passenger who was booked to travel on Azman airline, lamented that the airline didn’t send any text message or email informing passengers on the situation on ground.<br /> <br /> “My flight with Azman was for noon on Friday to Lagos, it was later rescheduled from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., later on, was rescheduled to 10 p.m., As you can see I am still here this morning waiting.<br /> <br /> “Even when other airlines cancelled their flight, Azman kept giving passengers hope that the weather is being monitored and it would get better.<br /> <br /> “They made us sleep at the airport, except for passengers who voluntarily requested for their luggage and left.<br /> <br /> “There should be a policy guiding the Airlines in situations like this, to compensate the passenger not just leaving them stranded,“ Dauda said.<br /> <br /> Mrs Ruth Ogala, a Medview passenger to Lagos said that since Thursday, Kano has been experiencing bad weather condition stating that just a flight came into Kano on that day at night.<br /> <br /> She said that passengers should have been notified early enough to enable them use other means of transportation to their destination.<br /> <br /> According to her, passengers from Lagos and Abuja to Kano were also stranded because flight couldn’t come in and out of Kano making it difficult for so many Nigerians.<br /> <br /> Another Azman airline passenger, Joel Abraham decried the poor service rendered by the airline stating that the way the situation was handled led to passenger sleeping at the airport.<br /> <br /> He said that inspite of the cancellation announcement made by Arik and Medview, Azman kept giving passengers hope that the flight would leave Kano even at midnight.<br /> <br /> “Other airline operators announced their flight cancellations following weather advisory from the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency but Azman did not cancel their flight.<br /> <br /> “They kept on selling tickets even at night, giving passengers hope that even at midnight they can still fly, which led to passengers sleeping at the airport.<br /> <br /> “They have not sent text messages to passengers informing them of the cancellation till now, the government need to come in to set a standard for these operators,” he said.<br /> <br /> Abraham,however said that standards should be set by government for airline operators in Nigeria for better service delivery.<br /> <br /> An official of Azman airline, who did not want his name mentioned, said they were unable to send out messages on the flight cancellations due to bad network.<br /> <br /> The official said that the airline did not announce the cancellation of flight because they were hopeful that the weather condition will get clearer and they can still fly.<br /> <br /> He said that passengers would likely experience delays in flight or cancellation this December due to bad weather conditions .<br /> <br /></div>

Latest-News Passengers Stranded At Kano International Airport Due To Bad Weather

Passengers were left stranded for the second day on Saturday at the Aminu Kano Airport, as poor weather conditions forced airline operator...

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Atiku Abubakar Arrives Eagle Square For PDP Convention

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPotJ9veYmLKfpYsnWf7uITa-2rorDvN1I_vCXy42r3fOKVhy128To5HNQAMF4HRnSl0w2yZC-vansZstVnm9NjyDlaQbigYBDQVVX8COhfbiYYONAbga_Bocdk-ltUPO7dOCY9tcHQ-c/s1600/aa3.png" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPotJ9veYmLKfpYsnWf7uITa-2rorDvN1I_vCXy42r3fOKVhy128To5HNQAMF4HRnSl0w2yZC-vansZstVnm9NjyDlaQbigYBDQVVX8COhfbiYYONAbga_Bocdk-ltUPO7dOCY9tcHQ-c/s320/aa3.png" width="320" /></a></div> Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has arrived Eagle Square, venue of the 2017 Elective National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> No fewer than 2, 000 members of the PDP, arrived the venue of the party’s national convention.<br /> <br /> Party loyalist were seen beating drums and singing various songs in support of for the party.<br /> <br /> Cars and buses mounted with big loudspeakers, played loud songs in support of candidates.<br /> <br /> As at 10.15 a.m, no fewer than 2,000 delegates from some states were yet to be seated the public square which has a total of 5,106-sitting capacity.<br /> <br /> The convention which is aimed at electing a new leadership for the party, had over 2800 delegates drawn across the country.<br /> <br /> The public square, situated on a land measuring about five hectares, was fully draped with PDP colours of red, white, green and adorned with posters of aspirants of various positions to be contested during the exercise.<br /> <br /> Security personnel drawn from various agencies in the country were positioned in strategic location ensuring law and order in and around the public square.<br /> <br /> All the voting units, entry and exits points of the square were manned by a police officers, preventing non accredited members from entering the square while others were walking through the crowed.<br /> <br /> The National Emergency Management Agency, other emergency response team and care-givers were also positioned in the square.</div>

Latest-News Atiku Abubakar Arrives Eagle Square For PDP Convention

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has arrived Eagle Square, venue of the 2017 Elective National Convention of the Peoples Democ...

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PDP convention: Drama as security operatives bar Olisa Metuh from VIP section

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Jimi Agbaje pulls out of PDP race

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I will work with whoever emerges as the national chairman – Jimi Agbaje

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XZiK7cm24hYam5V1nQll5Gt7_G3pJnZiZ5B-lcldQ76pxbmuPj5vvpcDEedhVRWqel4hRXlwkguXv0cyUCVeHuOpS5fSn0Q6TU7xNg9sLzfRNAoxlDMCXZbzXRq8BWJK-ZnzKgTUJvI/s1600/Jimi+Agbaje.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6XZiK7cm24hYam5V1nQll5Gt7_G3pJnZiZ5B-lcldQ76pxbmuPj5vvpcDEedhVRWqel4hRXlwkguXv0cyUCVeHuOpS5fSn0Q6TU7xNg9sLzfRNAoxlDMCXZbzXRq8BWJK-ZnzKgTUJvI/s320/Jimi+Agbaje.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> A former Lagos State governorship Candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, said he was willing to cooperate with anyone who emerged as the chairman of the party.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Agbaje said this after withdrawing from the PDP Chairmanship race, according to him, his decision to step down was to enable the South West to produce the chairman of the party.<br /> <br /> “Our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party, has, from inception, adopted certain principles, which have evenly balanced offices amongst the country’s geo-political zones.  In line with such and other parameters, I have, at different fora, expressed my strong belief that the next National Chairman should come from the South-West.<br /> <br /> “I am however convinced that with seven out of all nine aspirants coming from the South-West, this multiplicity of contenders will work to the detriment of our zone when it comes to voting.<br /> “Delegates’ votes split seven ways will not produce a chairman from the South-West. It therefore becomes necessary to prune our number down to no more than two.<br /> <br /> “With less than 24 hours to the convention, I have painfully decided to withdraw from the race hoping that others will join me in bringing down the number such that the South-West can have a fighting chance of clinching the National Chairmanship of the PDP.”</div>

Latest-News I will work with whoever emerges as the national chairman – Jimi Agbaje

A former Lagos State governorship Candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, said he was willing to cooperate with anyone who emerged as the chairman of ...

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Buhari reveals why PDP must not return to power in 2019

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Atiku speaks about buying govt properties while he was VP

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PHOTOS: PDP Convention: Atiku, Makarfi arrive, as delegates prepare to begin voting

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VIDEO: FRSC reacts to viral video of personnel fighting with passenger

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PDP Convention: Tight security around Eagles square as delegates arrive

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Fake Buhari’s Chief of Staff ’s Aide Remanded In Prison Over N.1 B Fraud

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkawCNF7OKdlp6445qEQO3xojCyQgLK5MyGpwvnV98MGIxH-698jyfNMgsUKVJhTiSm3fj38xfE2qpdfEouRAgRiZ58ApfSw7FWo6wEy2372SZDhgLWxhZD_tzvrxy3ErWiwoPYXdgq5w/s1600/Jail+sentence.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkawCNF7OKdlp6445qEQO3xojCyQgLK5MyGpwvnV98MGIxH-698jyfNMgsUKVJhTiSm3fj38xfE2qpdfEouRAgRiZ58ApfSw7FWo6wEy2372SZDhgLWxhZD_tzvrxy3ErWiwoPYXdgq5w/s320/Jail+sentence.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> A failed House of Representatives aspirant, Eno Ekapong Ofem, was on Friday arraigned before Justice Valentine B. Ashi of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court Apo, Abuja for impersonating a staff in the office of the Chief of Staff to the President.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Ofem, who claimed to be the special adviser to the Chief of Staff to the President, reportedly fleeced many persons to the tune of N100 million, promising them top political appointments in the Presidency before nemesis caught up with him.<br /> <br /> The suspect, who failed to clinch the House of Representatives seat in 2015, was dragged before the court to account for his crime by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, which slammed him with a six-count charge bordering on fraud and obtaining money under false pretence.<br /> <br /> His arrest and arraignment followed petitions filed by victims of his atrocities to the ICPC, which immediately swung into action to get him apprehended before he could swindle more Nigerians.<br /> <br /> According to ICPC, Mr. Ofem had been presenting himself to his unsuspecting victims as a Special Adviser to the Chief of Staff to the President, a claim that he used to defraud citizens to the tune of N100 million on the pretext that he would get them ministerial, board and other appointments.<br /> <br /> The monies had been deposited into his bank account on various dates from June 2016.<br /> <br /> The charges brought against the defendant indicated that his actions contravened Sections 324 and 322 of the Penal Code Act and Cap 352 Vol. 4 LFN 2004.<br /> <br /> The accused, who pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him, applied for bail through his lawyer, Mr. Edidion Osungurua, but was denied by the court. ICPC prosecution team, led by Mr. Elijah Akaakohol, did not oppose the application but asked for stringent conditions to be attached to the bail.<br /> <br /> But in his ruling, Justice Ashi, denied him bail and ordered his remand in Prison custody until 16th January 2018 when the bail application would be heard.</div>

Latest-News Fake Buhari’s Chief of Staff ’s Aide Remanded In Prison Over N.1 B Fraud

A failed House of Representatives aspirant, Eno Ekapong Ofem, was on Friday arraigned before Justice Valentine B. Ashi of the Federal Capi...

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Nigerian boxer faces deportation in the UK

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRt4xFVnACE6R9o1Zmzh_2_4IHwIAYY05qTGr3xq5FUdNRobDAZft0Vpi72H59pvYT53arhB8_N5u3pOUokAKPLS1Nda_Wn93HnQypsmEwrGyyBcO6UvLD7QqJdprWZ0-Yq-H6BgJJir0/s1600/boxing+gloves.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRt4xFVnACE6R9o1Zmzh_2_4IHwIAYY05qTGr3xq5FUdNRobDAZft0Vpi72H59pvYT53arhB8_N5u3pOUokAKPLS1Nda_Wn93HnQypsmEwrGyyBcO6UvLD7QqJdprWZ0-Yq-H6BgJJir0/s320/boxing+gloves.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> A young Nigerian boxer based in the United Kingdom, Bilal Fawaz, is set to be deported back to his country.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The pugilist, who had represented England six times in major competitions, including in a fight against Nigeria, was detained at the Tinsley House Immigration Centre at Gatwick Airport in West Sussex on Nov 29, according to Daily Mail UK.<br /> <br /> The 29-year-old, who was taken to the UK illegally by an uncle when he was 14, was the 2012 ABA light-middleweight champion.<br /> <br /> The boxer, popularly known as Kelvin and married to an English woman, initially took up boxing to survive, but he soon became famous as a result of his talents.<br /> <br /> His application to remain in the UK has been rejected by the Home Office, which also declared his marriage to the Briton void.<br /> <br /> Fawaz said: “I’m allowed to box for England but I’m not allowed to stay in England.<br /> <br /> “I’ve spent over half of my life here – I went to school here, I lived here, I’ve boxed for England six times and never lost.<br /> <br /> “I am a national champion – in 2014, I even boxed for England against Nigeria, the country they want to deport me to.”<br /> <br /> He claims his mother is dead and he has no idea where his father is.</div>

Latest-News Nigerian boxer faces deportation in the UK

A young Nigerian boxer based in the United Kingdom, Bilal Fawaz, is set to be deported back to his country. The pugilist, who had repre...

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I never had cancer, Paul Play clears the air

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFny4QkIBGm2WBpSODnkKsnOC4a-6BE2FhWiXwSFcQ-748Jlp9pOec2VJH9pnq92km7Td3RWsBwcCMh-x3a9SjyVlP96wQzgYhJt3GTXxDLWcup-NSt6Gp0myflnSxL3CYVGHxZIVbfc/s1600/paul+play.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigFny4QkIBGm2WBpSODnkKsnOC4a-6BE2FhWiXwSFcQ-748Jlp9pOec2VJH9pnq92km7Td3RWsBwcCMh-x3a9SjyVlP96wQzgYhJt3GTXxDLWcup-NSt6Gp0myflnSxL3CYVGHxZIVbfc/s400/paul+play.jpg" /></a></div> Ever since Paul Play Dairo, son of late legendary juju singer, I.K Dairo, remixed his father’s hit song, Mo so rire, he has been able to worm his way into the hearts of many Nigerians.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> But then, some people felt the hit song which was released in 2010 was a fluke and the young man was flying on his father’s wings. However, the singer went ahead to release some other hit songs like You and Me, Forever, and Angel of my life. With these songs, he did not only prove that he was a chip off the old block but he also shut his critics up.<br /> <br /> Just when music pundits were closely watching his career with the hopes that he may surpass his father’s achievement, the singer disappeared from the entertainment scene for over five years.<br /> <br /> Within these years, different news about his whereabouts made rounds and the most popular was the news that the singer was diagnosed with cancer and was in South Africa for treatment.<br /> <br /> Saturday Beats caught up with the singer at the backstage of Africa International Music festival which held at the La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Ikegun Village, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.<br /> <br /> The singer told Saturday Beats that contrary to the widespread information, he never had cancer. He said, “Those who believe that I have been silent on the music scene because I had some health challenges might be right. Because of my health situation, I have been in and out of the country. I cannot do music with a poor health and that has been a major factor for me. When I was ill, I never thought that I would recover not to talk about doing music again. I had a major operation and had to go for a regular medical check-up every four to six months.<br /> <br /> “Although there were false reports that I had cancer, that was never the case as I was diagnosed with a tumour that grew on my kidney. The tumour was so big that it overwhelmed my kidney and rendered it useless to the point that they had to take it out.”<br /> <br /> He continued that he was not upset when the rumours went around town because those close to him knew better.<br /> <br /> “When I read that I had cancer, I did not feel bad because I knew the truth and so did the close friends and family members that rallied around me. How many people would I have had to explain the real situation to ? Those who wanted to know the truth asked and I told them. Cancer is more or less like a death sentence,” Paul Play said.<br /> <br /> Even though it seems to have become a trend for entertainers with ill health to come to the public to solicit for funds to treat themselves, Paul Play didn’t subscribe to that measure when he was ill. He told Saturday Beats how he was able to fund his treatment which ran into millions of naira.<br /> <br /> He said, “I was able to fund the operation because it happened at a time in my life when I was not broke so I was able to take care of myself. It was an extensive treatment and people like Dr. Mike Adenuga were there for me; I had friends who rallied around me so I did not have to go to the public to solicit for funds. It couldn’t have been that bad that I would not be able to take care of myself or have friends to take care of me when I have issues. However, I don’t chastise the people that do it because you have to stay alive.<br /> <br /> “The industry is full of assumptions and people believe that if a person is popular, he has the money to take care of himself. But if such situation arises, the person has to come out and say it is beyond him. Things are not like they used to be. Back then, some ailments cost about N15m to treat but now, a person may need to look for about N50m.”<br /> <br /> Speaking about his performance at the recently concluded Africa International Music festival, the singer applauded the initiative of Wanle Akinboboye. He said, “I thoroughly enjoyed my performance and time here. This is a beautiful initiative that would unite all African musicians. Music is a weapon to lubricate unity, togetherness, brotherhood and stoke the ember of collective reasoning, communal bonding, and interest. AIM festival made me feel vibes of Africa unity and its motherly conviviality through the beat and sonorous rhythm of good music which has no border.”<br /> <br /></div>

Latest-News I never had cancer, Paul Play clears the air

Ever since Paul Play Dairo, son of late legendary juju singer, I.K Dairo, remixed his father’s hit song, Mo so rire, he has been able to w...

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Terror attacks still likely in Abuja, others – US, UK

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwccup13Ru1Kwjxzwfhw-oPBz0qLGWiZR1gp7Di_fut5T-pOuBpxP6XNRay6FHLJvzsJAnXqcOiDMFsK_xi31tyyV2oeaRdNrJUkytH0U-uHPyN6SF_8wd3I8J4kQ6OlzFChihX6c75I/s1600/bomb.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXwccup13Ru1Kwjxzwfhw-oPBz0qLGWiZR1gp7Di_fut5T-pOuBpxP6XNRay6FHLJvzsJAnXqcOiDMFsK_xi31tyyV2oeaRdNrJUkytH0U-uHPyN6SF_8wd3I8J4kQ6OlzFChihX6c75I/s320/bomb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The United States and the United Kingdom have insisted that the risk of attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in the Federal Capital Territory and other states remains high throughout the festive season.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The two missions in their security advice cautioned their citizens against all but essential travels to Bauchi, Zamfara, Kano; Kaduna; Jigawa; Katsina, Adamawa, Bauchi,  Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, and Yobe states during the Yuletide.<br /> <br /> The two countries stated that the risk of terrorist attacks was still high in the run-up to and throughout the Christmas and New Year holiday period.<br /> <br /> “Terrorist groups have threatened to conduct bombings and attacks in the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) area during this period. You should avoid places where crowds gather, including religious gatherings and places of worship, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, transport hubs and camps for displaced people,” the UK mission said in the updated travel advisory on its website.<br /> <br /> The same security warning was also echoed by the US mission, which asked Americans to review their personal security plans and avoid the states listed in the travel advisory.<br /> <br /> The two countries had issued the security advice ahead of the December 1 Id el Maulud holiday, which passed without any eventualities. This had made some members of the public assume that the threat was over.<br /> <br /> However, the US Embassy Information Officer, Russell Brooks, said the warning would stand till the end of the year, adding that it was not limited to the last public holiday in the country.<br /> <br /> He referred one of our correspondents to the warning which says, “The US Mission remains concerned about potential attacks in the states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, and Yobe; travellers are urged to avoid those states through the end of the year.”<br /> <br /> “If you construed the warning as referring to last Friday’s holiday (December 1), you are mistaken,” Brooks stated.<br /> <br /> The British mission spokesman, Joe Abuku, also referred one of our correspondents to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s warning dated December 1, 2017, which was being updated daily to reflect the latest situation.<br /> <br /> The police had also on Friday said the plot by Boko Haram to bomb Abuja and other states was real. The FCT Commissioner of Police, Sadiq Bello, however, said the police would work with other security agencies to make sure that the threat was not actualised.<br /> <br /> It was gathered that the police had deployed undercover operatives in strategic locations in the FCT to foil any terrorist plot.<br /> <br /> Security sources stated that agencies were also stepping up intelligence gathering and surveillance of dark spots which suspected Boko Haram members might infiltrate to carry out their dastardly act.<br /> <br /> It was gathered that personnel were raiding vulnerable areas and carrying out arrests of miscreants and other hoodlums who could be used by the insurgents to carry out attacks to demonstrate that they are still a terror group to reckon with.<br /> <br /> Army places troops on alert<br /> <br /> There are strong indications that the Nigerian Army will deploy more troops in the major highways in the FCT, anytime from now to forestall any attack during the Yuletide.<br /> <br /> Although, the army has not officially made a statement, Saturday PUNCH learnt from sources that the army had placed its troops, particularly men and officers of the Guards Brigade, Abuja, on a high alert, to forestall any breach of security.<br /> <br /> This is just as the newly established Army War College, Abuja, on Friday graduated 33 pioneer officers from the institution, who were trained in “operational arts, campaign and strategic skills.”<br /> <br /> A military source told Saturday PUNCH that “very strong internal security measures” were being put in place.<br /> <br /> He said, “We cannot make any statement yet because the police have been speaking on the threat. But in any case, it is a synergy among all the security agencies.<br /> <br /> “The army knows its roles and it has placed its troops on an alert. The soldiers at the various checkpoints know what to look out for. We are leaving nothing to chance.<br /> <br /> “This is not the first time there will be such threats. For the army, it is a familiar terrain. We know how to deal with threats.”<br /> <br /> The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, who was the special guest at the Army War College graduation, dropped a hint about the threat, saying the “training came at the right time.”<br /> <br /> Olonisakin said, “You must justify the enormous resources that were deployed to give you such world-class training. The training is coming at the right time. You should apply the knowledge you have acquired from now till the end of your military career.<br /> <br /> “The importance of training in moulding, professionalising and discipline of officers has contributed significantly in degrading the Boko Haram terrorists’ capabilities. I urge you all to remain loyal to constituted authorities at all times.”<br /> <br /> The war college graduated 30 officers who were Lieutenant Colonels, Colonels, a Captain from Navy, a Wing Commander from the Air Force and an Assistant Commissioner of Police.<br /> <br /> The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, at the event, said the training was necessary to sharpen the officers’ basic strategic skills.</div>

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Buruji Kashamu rejects suspension, says he has right to vote at convention

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZYy7juZZNzTTRc5OVTED47tPuGXSD2KlWCf0gRXdWslt2im-TTJ1dOI0Ky2XnCP4kFrQUpDfP5nV4BdK5N-MY1bigUBe80OXQbuMyZVCcCSocPC3rvyqvMkRTOC8iwE95qT62XFL7so/s1600/buruji+kashamu.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcZYy7juZZNzTTRc5OVTED47tPuGXSD2KlWCf0gRXdWslt2im-TTJ1dOI0Ky2XnCP4kFrQUpDfP5nV4BdK5N-MY1bigUBe80OXQbuMyZVCcCSocPC3rvyqvMkRTOC8iwE95qT62XFL7so/s320/buruji+kashamu.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> The Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu, has rejected his suspension from the Peoples Democratic Party.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> He said his suspension in the early hours of Saturday by members of the National Caretaker Committee of the party was illegal.<br /> <br /> Buruji said he was neither accused of committing any crime not asked to come and defend himself before any committee.<br /> <br /> He, therefore, wondered why he would just be suspended by the party without following the rules.<br /> <br /> The National Caretaker Committee of the party led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi had announced Buruji’s suspension, which it said would last for one month.<br /> <br /> No reason was given for the decision of the party.<br /> <br /> But our correspondent gathered that the party took the decision following the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja,  which had on Wednesday, struck out a suit filed by Kashamu, to stop the party from taking any disciplinary action against him.<br /> <div><br /></div> </div>

Latest-News Buruji Kashamu rejects suspension, says he has right to vote at convention

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There is no morality in PDP anymore – Bode George

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfpvTFr9SaVUmEhq632FkZlLc7SIiXFTBMfSHuFzoAwEl6FEn0jPbLWcPaFCsQOCH0vBAKXRkODRd-3Krrryjy092oyP5ZGJT7NBM-vXCXBGZIEvS61ylmHxisK0JMGOddHEaxb1ogiY/s1600/bode-george.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHfpvTFr9SaVUmEhq632FkZlLc7SIiXFTBMfSHuFzoAwEl6FEn0jPbLWcPaFCsQOCH0vBAKXRkODRd-3Krrryjy092oyP5ZGJT7NBM-vXCXBGZIEvS61ylmHxisK0JMGOddHEaxb1ogiY/s320/bode-george.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> One of the leading Chairmanship candidate for December 9 PDP national convention has withdrawn from the race citing so many irregularities.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> In a statement made available to newsmen, Bode George said “It appears the PDP is now bent on self destruction. It has obviously allowed money moguls to dictate its thematic largeness.”<br /> <br /> “I hereby withdraw from this brazen fraud and absolutely preconceived, monetized, mercantilist convention.”<br /> <br /> Read the statement in full<br /> <br /> Since the ancient days when the Yoruba people began their historical challenges on the plains and the hills of Ile-Ife, we have always been defined by our instinctive integrity, our methodical industry, our consistent loyalty and our steadfastness in protecting and defending the truth.<br /> It is in all these characterization that I have personally lived my life. It is in all these summative portraits that I have pursued my personal and political engagements, strengthened in the resolve that truth, sincerity of purpose, fearlessness, equity, ethical balance are the basic ingredients of a purposeful life.<br /> <br /> I have gone through many travails in my life. I have climbed the highest hills. and I have been through the lowest valleys. But in all, I have been guided by the holiest of heart’s affection, the genuine and the utmost surrender to the will of the Lord.<br /> But I have never been afraid of a good fight.<br /> I have never disengaged from a meaningful challenge. I have always committed myself to any struggle with absolute dedication and unflinching, resolute vision.<br /> <br /> It is in this spirit and clarity of selfless engagement that I decided to run for the National Chairmanship position of our great party. I did not enter the contest for any personal benefits. I did not throw myself into the fray because of some pecuniary benefits.<br /> <br /> I have come to serve. I have come to offer myself because I believe in the greater glory of our party and in the growth and development of our nation. I have served continuously for 10 years in various high level positions in our party administration, including the second highest echelon of Deputy National Chairman.<br /> <br /> With all sense of humility, I can say that I know the workings and all the administrative processes and the tools of making our party work.<br /> <br /> That shattering and very divisive crises of the last two years have made our party very vulnerable, weak and basically tottering on the edges of the cliff.<br /> <br /> Less than one year before the next general election, our party must now elect new managers to direct our affairs. The foremost of these new managers is the position of the National Chairman.<br /> In this highly challenging scenario, the party naturally needs an experienced, trusted, proven, reliable and astute administrator who can guide our party to the land of redemption and the land of triumphant rebound.<br /> <br /> It is in this vein that I have offered my humble service to lead our party.<br /> But more importantly, I have entered the contest on the fundamental predication of the micro zoning principle as laid down by our founding fathers.<br /> <br /> The zoning principle, which was publicly reinforced last year in Port Harcourt, had specifically and rightly affirmed the South-West as the zone to produce the National Chairman. This binding proclamation was based on equity, fairness and natural balance that hold any organisation together.<br /> But this old, legitimate and morally sound micro zoning principle has now been trashed, dumped in the waste bin, flung into the gutter by very little men who have compromised the pivotal moral anchor of civilised engagement for temporary selfish gains.<br /> <br /> Everywhere you look, the Yoruba people are now being brazenly insulted. The very traditional fiber of our founding fathers are now being trampled upon, debased and soiled by external forces and mercenary traitors within.<br /> <br /> It appears the PDP is now bent on self destruction. It has obviously allowed money moguls to dictate its thematic largeness. The party has lost its soul. It has lost its principled beginning and the predications of righteousness. It has traded the finer principles of democratic guidance and equity for the squalid, dirty and shameful resort to mercenary agenda where nothing matters save the putrid, oafish gains of the moment.<br /> <br /> I cannot be part of this screaming aberration. And as the Atona of Yoruba land, I do not expect any well meaning, well disciplined, forthright, sincere Omoluabi of Yoruba land to continue with this deceit and shameful theater.<br /> <br /> The Peoples Democratic Party has now mangled and distorted its soul and spirit. There is no morality here anymore. There is no sanity or any sense of enlightened civility.<br /> <br /> As a result of these observed aberrations wherein the position of the National Chairman has been apparently sold and auctioned to the highest bidder, I, as an Omoluabi and as an authentic Atona of Yorubaland, will not partake in this charade.<br /> <br /> I, hereby, withdraw from this brazen fraud and absolutely preconceived, monetized, mercantilist convention.<br /> <br /> The Yoruba people have been openly maligned. The Yoruba have been savaged, tormented, treated with contempt, scurried, scoffed at, humiliated and denigrated by little men whose sun will soon set.<br /> As a Yoruba patriot and the pathfinder of Yoruba land, I will stand by our people, I will stay with them thick or thin, I will fight for their good cause without compromising any ethics.<br /> <br /> The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike must as a matter of priority and ethical importance tender unreserved apology to the people of Yoruba land for his unguarded utterances on national television this morning. It was a show of shame.<br /> <br /> I thank you all for listening.</div>

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IBB ‘backs’ Atiku’s presidential bid

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1024" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuaur7q5rg4EqazbjA_sotFOk1FFtCwVZ27BmOdGGnfXUEH3g8Eg_W-ZQxkAmP7aT7sDNlUiBO8Z_742Wp355ohSz4RMByceD9fA5oMonZ4Y23Z8xO-PHLQB6HFWF5EdlOUGPX4mAcwaIy/s400/ibb+atiku.jpg" width="400" /></div> <br /> A former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, on Friday declared his support for Atiku Abubakar, as the former vice president intensifies consultations for a presidential run in 2019.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Mr. Babangida, Nigeria’s leader from 1985-1993, said media reports that he advised Mr. Abubakar not to run for election during a closed-door meeting Thursday was ‘laughable’ because it was ‘sponsored’.<br /> <br /> “Anybody who has sponsored such report was just being unfair”. Babangida and Abubakar, Kassim Afegbua, a spokesperson for the former military leader, told newsmen Friday evening.<br /> <br /> Mr. Afegbua said no one knew the outcome of the meeting because it was held behind closed-doors amongst the two leaders.<br /> <br /> The comments came a day after the two leaders met at the hilltop residence of Mr. Babangida in Minna, the Niger State capital, around noon Thursday.<br /> <br /> Media accounts of the meeting said Mr. Abubakar angrily left his host because he was advised not to run against President Muhammadu Buhari.<br /> <br /> The reports further speculated that the unfriendly face Mr. Abubakar allegedly wore indicated that he was rejected by Mr. Babangida.<br /> <br /> “The report is very, very untrue,” Mr. Afegbua said. “When I read the report, I was laughing. Because it is far from what they both discussed.”<br /> <br /> “Number one, IBB will not discourage anyone from seeking office. IBB will encourage anyone to seek election,” the spokesperson added.<br /> <br /> Mr. Afegbua said the relationship between his principal and his host remains cordial, warning reporters to stop playing politics with people’s relationship.<br /> <br /> “They had a very useful political discussion. IBB also has a good relationship with Atiku. It’s not good to play politics with the relationship of people.”<br /> <br /> Similarly, Paul Ibe, a spokesperson for Mr. Abubakar said since the meeting was held by only the two leaders, it would be difficult for anyone to know the details.<br /> <br /> “Except those who were carrying these fake speculations were flying on the wall, there’s no way anyone would have known what happened,” Mr. Ibe said. “The report is a figment of the imagination of people.”<br /> <br /> Mr. Ibe said the two leaders have been friends for a long time, and the outcome of their meeting was positive.<br /> <br /> “Both leaders have enjoyed a mutual relationship for many years and what I gathered was that the meeting was very, very fruitful,” he added.<br /> <br /> On Sunday, Mr. Abubakar returned to the PDP for the third time since 2007 when he left the party after serving eight years on its platform as a vice-president.<br /> <br /> The move came a little over a week after he resigned from the All Progressives Congress.<br /> <br /> He is expected to slug it out with President Buhari in 2019, if the incumbent’s recent signals of a possible re-election bid take hold.

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I rejected offer from friends to break out of prison in commando style — Obasanjo

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiowGj9L5fb7_DTGrRA8Mf2qKtTxMKwsjQRRz8ENn9-AFZW_Quq7KsQVN79LVa8cXvlDVRx_NwaYqvX7MuhG29Gk2MxCnamxdUldKMS1ZUiCbQQLqV8X-zpOR4BFF0djgVu5gGyknPnu3cG/s400/obj+new.jpg" width="400" /></div> <br /> <br /> Friends of former President Olusegun Obasanjo once toyed with the idea of storming the Yola Prisons with commandoes for the purpose of liberating him from incarceration during the Sani Abacha years, it was revealed yesterday.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> They were however talked out of the plot by Obasanjo himself.<br /> <br /> “I said no, if you do that, I will not leave the prison,” he said at an event in Abuja to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the death of General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, Obasanjo’s deputy when he was military head of state from 1976 to 1979.<br /> <br /> The duo were arrested in 1995 in connection with a phantom coup by the Abacha Administration.<br /> <br /> They were subsequently sentenced to death before the sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.<br /> <br /> Yar’Adua died in the Abakaliki Prison in 1997, Abacha a year later, and following the emergence of General Abdulsalami Abubakar as Head of State,Obasanjo was released from prison.<br /> <br /> He went on to become civilian president in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003.<br /> <br /> Going down memory lane on how he and Yar’Adua were arrested, tried and sentenced over the alleged coup plot, Obasanjo said: “When Shehu was first arrested, I was out in South Africa, and I rushed back home and asked the man who arrested him, and the man who arrested him said to me that he did not know that Shehu had been arrested.<br /> <br /> “I said, ‘Mr. Head of State, say that to the marines.’ There is no way the number two man in this country at one time will be arrested without the knowledge of the current number one man. Soon after, Shehu was released, but only for a few weeks.<br /> <br /> “When he was arrested a second time, I was arrested along with him and kept in separate locations. But after the verdict was given about what would happen to us, we met in Kirikiri. I believe that was his mistake because that was the last time we actually stayed together.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> “We had about three nights and we were able to speak and work together even at the Kirikiri Maximum prison. Even in prison, we strategised together. Unfortunately, our strategy did not work.”<br /> <br /> Continuing, Obasanjo said: “When Shehu died in prison, my international friends decided that they would use the commando plan to get me out of prison, and they actually did make the plan, got the money and wanted to get a helicopter to get me out of Yola prison and take me to Cameroon.<br /> <br /> “They sent a message to me and I told them if you do, I will not get out of prison, and that was when they dropped the idea of using commando effort to get me out of prison.<br /> <br /> “That would have defeated what we stood for. We stood for Nigeria and we stood to face whatever consequences standing for Nigeria would cost us.<br /> <br /> “It cost Shehu Yar’adua his life. Those of us who believe in what Shehu stood for and are still alive, the only thing we can do is to allow the struggle to continue, because we are not at the end of the struggle yet.”<br /> <br /> He described Yar’Adua as the best deputy he could ever dream of.<br /> <br /> His words: “I could not have had a better deputy than Shehu Yar’adua. When I was military Head of State, we had quite a number of exciting and serious times together that we shared.<br /> <br /> “One day, I had cold and the doctor came to see me, and I said to him, ‘supposed this cold decides to take my life and I slump, what will you do?’ He said, ‘I will try first aid and I will do all I need to do to revive you.’<br /> <br /> I said, ‘If you try that and it doesn’t work, what will you do?’<br /> <br /> He said, ‘ I will call the Chief of Staff.’<br /> <br /> “Just then, Shehu came in and I said: ‘Shehu, listen to what we were talking about’, and I relayed to him the discussion and told him, ‘Now that you have come in, I am here on the ground, what will you do?’<br /> <br /> He said, ‘I have no problem with that. I will kick you with my military boot and say get up, this is your job!’<br /> <br /> “We had such interesting times together. We also had difficult times together.<br /> <br /> “We had to put our heads together and discuss how we could handle the issue of transition, how to implement our own programmers and how to move Nigeria forward.<br /> <br /> “We succeeded in doing what I believed was the right thing for the country at that time and putting in place a democratically elected government.<br /> <br /> “A few years after that, Shehu came to me in the farm and said he wanted to set up a grassroots party. He said from his study, he had discovered that Nigeria had never really had a truly grassroots party, not even NEPU.<br /> <br /> “I asked him if there was anything he wanted us to do while in government that we did not do and he said no. I said then, I pray that this grassroots party that you want to build will succeed.<br /> <br /> “I asked him, ‘Do you want to use this grassroots party to get into power?’<br /> <br /> “He said, ‘Not really. But if it turns out to be the case, will you ask me not to?’<br /> <br /> “I told him not really, but I will be very glad if it turns out to be the case.<br /> <br /> “Many members of that party have remained loyal to the cause he set out to build; his ideals and what he stood for both when he was alive and when he departed.”<br /> <br /> Obasanjo said Yar’adua lived a life of service, saying, “Those of us who knew Shehu very well, knew the type of man he was, the type of live he lived, his commitment to his family, to his religion, to his nation and his friends.<br /> <br /> “When you asked the question, what is life, I think Shehu Yar’adua’s life typifies the answer to that question.<br /> <br /> “He lived his life and gave us eloquent answers about what life is, and that is also evident from what we have seen here today. Twenty years after he passed on, we are here with his memory still green and fresh in all of us.”<br /> <br /> Former Vice President and one of Yar’Adua’s closest political associates, Atiku Abubakar, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Shehu Yar’adua Foundation, was conspicuously missing at the event. His wife, Titi, was however present.<br /> <br /> President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone eulogised the late Tafidan Katsina for his selfless service to the country, while one of his colleagues in the army, General Paul Tarfa, explained that the coup that toppled Yakubu Gowon was staged principally against the junta and not aimed at Gowon.<br /> <br /> Dignitaries at the event include former Minister of Finance, Mallam Adamu Ciroma; former Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Waziri; former Governors Donald Duke of Cross Rivers and Peter Obi of Anambra; Mrs Titilayo Ajanaku; Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole; Gen. Paul Tarfa, among others.

Latest-News I rejected offer from friends to break out of prison in commando style — Obasanjo

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Robbers attack bullion van in Delta, cart away millions of Naira

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="1186" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMEFFG0Kpp0Yzef6sAgIhyphenhyphenBYH00qUxzZler-zQUY5vdOPJPAXmhnwkzyCU1wPSQpkXzYE79sPGPeru_4ZLr7lVaKLO8IZgiVLB4tqL_qvPBhbbPJNkyokUoWBIfMvE-jJS52ToHWFNktsd/s640/robbery.jpg" width="640" /></div> <br /> There was pandemonium yesterday in parts of Asaba, the Delta State capital after bandits attacked a bullion van and made away with millions of naira.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> It was gathered that the bullion van belongs to a first generation bank in Anambra State. Sounds of gunshots echoed during the operation forcing motorists and passers-by to scamper for safety. The development which made motorists to abandon vehicles in the middle of the Benin-Asaba dual carriageway resulted in traffic gridlock.<br /> <br /> It was learnt that the policemen escorting the bullion van engaged the robbers in a shootout, but were overpowered by the superior firepower of the robbers. An eyewitness who pleaded anonymity said the siren blaring bullion van was ambushed by a gang of robbers in a convoy of three vehicles which included a grey Sienna van. “The police escorts numbering eight subsequently fled the scene of the incident,” the eyewitness said. Another eyewitness said: “The hoodlums came in about three cars and intercepted the bullion van at the junction. They started shooting and innocent people took to their heels to avoid being victims of stray bullets.<br /> <br /> “Even vehicles on the expressway were making detour as a result of the attack. The officers attached to the van responded but I think the hoodlums had superior fire arms because the officers soon disappeared, giving the bandits an unfettered access to the cash stocked in the bullion van.” Delta police image maker, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, who confirmed the incident said “internal connivance” cannot be ruled out, lamenting that some commercial banks were still in the habit of conveying money without using bullet-proof vans despite repeated warnings by the police command.<br /> <br /> He said the van was coming from Onitsha and heading towards Agbor, adding that the bullion van had made stops at Awka, and Onitsha in Anambra State. His words: “I suspect internal connivance. This is in spite of the warning issued by the state command for commercial banks to convey money following approved guidelines.<br /> <br /> The bullion van is not bullet proof. It is a configured bullion van” Continuing, he said: “Who informed the hoodlums that they were carrying cash through that route? It is quite unfortunate that banks are still using configured bullion vans without bullet proof, subjecting their personnel and escort officers to unnecessary risk. “As we speak now, investigation is on, but I cannot tell you how much cash the bullion van was carrying before the attack. What I can assure is that the command will put necessary measures in place to bring whoever was involved directly or indirectly to justice.” Aniamaka also confirmed that no life was lost and no injury was sustained during the shootout.

Latest-News Robbers attack bullion van in Delta, cart away millions of Naira

There was pandemonium yesterday in parts of Asaba, the Delta State capital after bandits attacked a bullion van and made away with millio...

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Declare armed Fulani herdsmen as terrorist, group tells Buhari

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6yFHRyrAymMjsoWjnsszXxOfRxbwe9UXjTreevmP_Sh5NTBJurpCiXyFsbfbE38JLGsrDA2mFC7dEGIulbluzJej6KiOSkUG2RW08xvFht1uNMLkMxfG8ckC9wI4b4bPYeej2Zyim4WT/s1600/herdsmen+fulani.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="741" data-original-width="1600" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW6yFHRyrAymMjsoWjnsszXxOfRxbwe9UXjTreevmP_Sh5NTBJurpCiXyFsbfbE38JLGsrDA2mFC7dEGIulbluzJej6KiOSkUG2RW08xvFht1uNMLkMxfG8ckC9wI4b4bPYeej2Zyim4WT/s640/herdsmen+fulani.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <b>Adamawa United Forum has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare armed Fulani herdsmen as a terrorist group.</b><br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The organisation, which is an umbrella body for ethnic nationalities in Adamawa State, made the call while reacting to the recent killings of innocent people by suspected Fulani herdsmen in some communities in the state.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Chairman of the group, Musa Jekeko, while addressing journalists on Friday in Yola, the capital, urged Buhari to quickly intervene and stop the killings.<br /> <br /> They demanded the removal of the Minister of Interior, Lt. -Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazzau, for his failure to arrest the situation.<br /> <br /> The group said, “The Nigerian Government, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, ought to have removed Dambazzau and replaced him with someone else, who will properly coordinate internal security in the country.<br /> <br /> “We find it increasingly difficult to comprehend the position of the government on the Fulani militancy. Why would Danbazzau, who had implied that Fulani aggression on our people was civil, turn round to allow military air strikes on our people?<br /> <br /> “The increased Fulani militia operations, under the guise of being herdsmen, especially under the leadership of this administration, raise some fundamental questions on the sincerity of its preparedness to stamp out terrorism.”<br /> <br /> Meanwhile, the youth wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Plateau State has called on the governor, Simon Lalong, to immediately sign the Anti-Open Grazing Bill into law or forget about receiving any votes from them in the 2019 election.<br /> <br /> President of the body known as YOWICAN, Daniel Kadzai, in a statement said they would continue to resist all groups opposed to the implementation of the bill in the state.<br /> <br /> While reacting to unsavoury comments allegedly credited to the Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Plateau State chapter, Nura Abdullah, to resist the passage of the bill, Kadzai said they would do their best to ensure the implementation of the law.<br /> <br /> He said, “If Governor Simon Lalong fails to sign the Anti-Open Grazing Bill into law, he should forget about second term in 2019; that will be the end of his political career in Plateau State as we will mobilise the youth against him.<br /> <br /> “His duty as governor is to protect his people against intimidation, harassment and killings by any group or individuals.<br /> <br /> “Fulani people cannot claim to be indigenes of a state as a group of people without one constituency or ward. You can be an indigene as an individual or family but not what MACBAN is claiming to be.<br /> <br /> “You cannot come to my house and dictate to me how I should carry out activities in my domain. If Fulani are members of the Plateau State House of Assembly, they should vote against the bill. At the end of the day, the majority will decide with their votes because this is democracy.”

Latest-News Declare armed Fulani herdsmen as terrorist, group tells Buhari

Adamawa United Forum has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to declare armed Fulani herdsmen as a terrorist group. The organisation, whic...

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I’m the best player in history of football – Ronaldo

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="700" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDLCdNZDchMEj1e9IUuFHQyErt2Iaw_FAm12XMY_kPSvtkUFVLKQracO3VTeOS38MSqL3Q0GLHhp5KsZHHfG0_usHFBPqvzhazHBV-DOEIEsBOsONhQGCzgBJmqdV_vZplhX_cbX5uP8v/s640/Ballon+d%25E2%2580%2599Or+winner+ronaldo.jpg" width="640" /></div> <br /> <br /> Cristiano Ronaldo says he is the “best player in history” after winning his fifth Ballon d’Or on Thursday, Skysports reports.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The Real Madrid forward scooped the award, which is organised by magazine France Football, for the fifth time to tie level with Lionel Messi’s tally.<br /> <br /> Ronaldo, who helped his side win the Champions League and La Liga last season, also won the best male player prize at the 2017 Best FIFA Football Awards in October, and believes he is now the greatest to have played the game.<br /> <br /> “I’m the best player in history, in the good moments and the bad ones,” he told France Football.<br /> <br /> “I respect everyone’s preferences, but I’ve never seen anyone better than me. I have always thought about that. No footballer can do the things I can. There’s no player more complete than me.<br /> <br /> “I play well with both feet. I’m quick, powerful and good with the head. I score goals and I make assists. There are guys who prefer Neymar or (Lionel) Messi. But I tell you: there’s no-one more complete than me.<br /> <br /> “No one has won as many individual trophies as me. And I’m not speaking just of the Ballon d’Or. That says something, doesn’t it? It’s not just a result of the work I do in the gym, like some people think. It’s the sum of many things.<br /> <br /> “Legends like Floyd Mayweather and LeBron James don’t get to their perfect level by chance. Many factors coincide. To be at the top and to stay there, you have to have more talent than the others.”<br /> <br /> Ronaldo admitted he was “sad and angry” when Messi scooped the Ballon d’Or on four consecutive occasions from 2009 to 2012, and said he had no interest in going to ceremonies to accept second place.<br /> <br /> “I won the Ballon d’Or before Messi, then he overtook me and won four in a row. I’m not going to hide from you that I was sad and angry,” he said.<br /> <br /> “I went to the award ceremonies and I never won. At one point, I was even demotivated. I had no desire to go. To be there for the photo didn’t interest me.<br /> <br /> “Then, little by little, thanks to those close to me, I told myself that in life there is a beginning and an end. And in football what counts is the finish, not the start. I was patient. And I won four other Ballons d’Or.”

Latest-News I’m the best player in history of football – Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo says he is the “best player in history” after winning his fifth Ballon d’Or on Thursday, Skysports reports. The Rea...

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Bode George accuses Governor Wike of abusing Yoruba people

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="612" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1n4nHgG7ZAy7YGr2xSJ-9NGd5Yp50j3AFvFJeUGPrkAPQOUiqbfvGNQ8Z1GeUy0wwAwdbeYsWJmdZn0DWT7T8UlqpPXnU0PhGTKhjrvgfNRFza77NliUlfTkvwx_xKucS3lLnGxgogZi/s640/bode-george.jpg" width="640" /></div> <b><br /></b><b><br /></b><b>One of the nine contenders for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairmanship seat Chief Bode George has withdrawn from the race.</b><br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Bode George, who is a member of PDP Board of Trustees, made this announcement during a conference in Abuja on Friday he said the South West is already cheated with the entrants of aspirants from the South-South.<br /> <br /> He stands with the micro-zoning principal of the party, which has been jettisoned George also said that, Nyesom Wike, the Governor of Rivers State abused the Yoruba people on a national Television when he said the South West has never contributed anything meaningful to the success of the PDP.<br /> <br /> He said Governor Wike must tender an unreserved apology to the Yoruba people for his unguarded utterances against the Yoruba race. I listened to my younger brother and I see it as an insult. I consider it as an insult.<br /> <br /> Read full speech below<br /> <br /> <blockquote>“I entered the contest on the micro-zoning principle, which has been thrashed by little men who have compromised. It appears the PDP is bent on self-destruction. I can’t be part of this. The chairmanship position has been sold to the highest bidder,” George stated while a briefing newsmen at his campaign office in Abuja. “I entere<br /> <br /> d the race due to the micro zoning arrangement. This micro zoning has been trashed, dumped on the dust bin for personal reason. It appears that PDP is bent on self destruction.<br /> <br /> It has lost its soul. “I cannot be part of this criminal allegation. The PDP is now mangled. “I hereby withdraw from the fraud. As a Yoruba patriot, I will stand for our people. “Governor Wike must tender an unreserved apology to the Yoruba people for his unguarded utterances against the Yoruba race.<br /> <br /> I listened to my younger brother and I see it as an insult. I consider it as an insult. “I Olabode George did not step down for anybody. My measure of experience is too heavy. What I am stepping down for is the process. The issue of micro zoning has been destroyed. Every position is micro zoned.<br /> <br /> I am withdrawing purely on principle. You can know the way the party use to bubble and we see it as a brotherly union. “From what happened before I thought we could manage it but it is obvious that they system has been bastardized,”</blockquote>

Latest-News Bode George accuses Governor Wike of abusing Yoruba people

One of the nine contenders for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairmanship seat Chief Bode George has withdrawn from the race. Bode ...

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Gwarzo’s suspension: It’s all blackmail - Adeosun

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="618" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji8-CANREmLBpSlH0bTRGbxlX_AM7IcN_XGRvdY6mb27rNaR3mUWEaH9_l3k9rveW75vFB7Nhy3pB8uu9syNA5mBRPQURQXxbiVktMws1G_REel8GbIorwP5RzYwelv_cpZmPTq5pNA4PR/s640/kemi-adeosun-3+finance.png" width="640" /></div> <br /> Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, yesterday accused the suspended Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, of blackmailing her over his suspension. She vowed to resist the alleged blackmail.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> But sources close to Gwarzo faulted the minister, citing the timing of the suspension, orchestrated meetings on Oando at the instance of the minister, eyewitnesses and earlier communication from Gwarzo to Adeosun.<br /> <br /> Adeosun spoke to reporters in Abuja in response to media reports, suggesting that Gwarzo’s suspension was on account of “his refusal to stop the forensic audit of Oando Plc”.<br /> <br /> According to her, it was the threat of blackmail that strengthened her resolve to suspend Gwarzo and allow the administrative panel of inquiry to proceed with its probe.<br /> <br /> She said Gwarzo personally delivered the memo, using the SEC staff seconded to the office of the minister, in breach of normal procedures for the receipt of mail, noting that the copy of the memo in her possession was delivered with a message that any action against Gwarzo would result in same being leaked to the press.<br /> <br /> “ Gwarzo’s suspension is in line with the Public Service Rules (PSRs) to allow for an unhindered investigation of serious allegations of financial impropriety against him. Some of the allegations with documented evidence include the awards of contracts to companies related to him and members of his family. Based on the evidence from that further work and creditable reports that documents were being unlawfully removed from the SEC, as well as consultations with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the decision was taken to suspend Gwarzo,” Adeosun said.<br /> <br /> She dismissed as false, the insinuation that she issued an “instruction to discontinue with the Oando case,” saying “ this can be corroborated by the other parties at that meeting and by subsequent events”.<br /> <br /> According to her, Gwarzo was queried on November 3, 2017, and he responded on the 7th and based on that response, she asked for more investigations to be done because he gave some responses to some issues that were unsatisfactory, so they asked for further investigation to get certain facts from the CAC and banks based on the evidence.<br /> <br /> “It became clear that we would need to conduct an API and therefore the laws of the Public Service say he has to be suspended. Now his responses to the query of the 3rd were raised with him on Monday where he was asked to clarify matters. He was reminded that he said this, but we have evidence to another effect and it became very clear from the inadequacies of his response that he would be suspended,” Adeosun said.<br /> <br /> She was emphatic she never directed Gwarzo to stop his investigation into Oando.<br /> <br /> “In fact, as I have said earlier on in my statement in October when the original suspension of Oando took place, we had a group meeting with the leadership of the SEC, not just Mr. Gwarzo, but all of his team, and they presented very clear evidence that Oando had a case to answer, and we were satisfied with that and we made our position clear,” Adeosun said.<br /> <br /> She said the suspension would not in any way impact negatively on investors’ confidence in the capital market, assuring that shareholders have nothing to fear.<br /> <br /> “I earned my living all my life from the capital market until I entered the public service. I was a capital market operator. The capital market runs on confidence and transparency. It’s a very important market. The SEC is not an individual. It is an institution and a very important one which must be upheld,” Adeosun said.<br /> <br /> Gwarzo had claimed in a letter that the minister directed him to suspend the announced forensic audit of Oando and to settle the Oando issue without due investigation. Similar claims were reiterated by sources in the know of the undercurrents of meetings between the minister and Gwarzo and Oando and other parties prior to the suspension.<br /> <br /> They raised four posers for the minister: the petition was submitted in January 2017, some 10 months before Gwarzo’s insistence on the forensic audit of Oando; what delayed the minister from acting since then? At the meeting claimed by Gwarzo were two other senior officials of the Ministry of Finance, Permanent Secretary and Director of Legal Services; will they testify on oath? Between January 2017 and October, the minister did not raise the issue of the petition with Gwarzo, and when an online medium unearthed the petition again, Gwarzo, on the second day, wrote to the minister, providing explanations on the allegations. Does the minister have the power to suspend Gwarzo given extant rules and the fact that the investigating agencies- the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC)-had not established a prima facie case of criminal conduct against Gwarzo?<br /> <br /> In a letter titled “Investigation of Oando Plc”, Gwarzo had indicated that the minister was interfering in the Oando’s investigation and wanted the announced forensic audit to be suspended.<br /> <br /> In the letter, Gwarzo wrote that: “Pursuant to our meeting on the above subject held on Monday, November 27, 2017, I am compelled to advise you ma, on the implication of the verbal directive issued to me in which you stated that the SEC should discontinue the forensic audit on Oando Plc and hold a tripartite meeting with legal officers of the commission, Oando Plc and the Federal Ministry of Finance with the purpose of coming up with penalties which would be issued to top officials of Oando Plc in their personal capacities for payment.<br /> <br /> “Honourable Minister, it is important to stress that an action such as that proposed above would definitely put to question the independence and integrity of the commission, while also completely eroding the confidence of both local and international investors in the Nigerian capital market.<br /> <br /> “Furthermore, as you may be aware, the activities around the investigation of Oando Plc are being closely monitored by the local and global investment communities and they eagerly expect the outcome of the exercise.<br /> <br /> “It is, therefore, not in the best interest of our recovering economy that the forensic audit is not seen to be conducted in an independent and transparent manner proposed by the commission.<br /> <br /> “It would interest you to note ma, that the commission has in the last three years embarked on firm enforcement actions against some so-called ‘top capital market stakeholders’ in the Nigerian capital market.<br /> <br /> “Remarkably, these actions have sent strong signals to the entire capital market community and have led to an 87 per cent reduction of infractions in the market within the period.<br /> <br /> “One major infraction alleged against Oando Plc is financial mismanagement. Honourable Minister, given that the consequent effect of such allegation is being borne by the over 274,000 shareholders of Oando, it is only proper that a process which would reveal the status of this allegation to ascertain its veracity or otherwise be embarked upon in a transparent manner.<br /> <br /> “This, in my opinion, would put to rest the question of how the shareholders’ funds of the company have been managed by the persons appointed to do so for the shareholders<br /> <br /> “The commission, therefore, as the apex regulator of the Nigerian capital market, has the responsibility to ensure that a thorough, independent and transparent process is put in place to unravel the true financial status of the company.<br /> <br /> “Honourable Minister ma, may I restate that it is in the best interest of the Nigerian capital market and our recovering economy for the forensic audit of Oando Plc to be carried out, as reneging on same at this time would result in the following: Ridicule the regulators and project it to the global investment community as inefficient and lacking of integrity; completely erode investors’ confidence in the market; send the wrong signal to all market participants both locally and globally; discourage foreign investors from investing in our jurisdiction; and portray the absence of independence of the regulators.<br /> <br /> “The commission in Section 13 (cc) of the Investments and Securities Act 2007 is mandated to advise the Honourable Minister of Finance on all matters relating to the securities industry.<br /> <br /> “Thus, this advice proffered is as a result of our obligation to properly guide you on the best approach to take on capital market issues and it is strongly our recommendation that it should be adopted. “Honourable Minister, my request to seek for a written directive is not in any way meant to disrespect your person, but stems from the basis that every decision or direc tive of the board to the management of the commission is always documented to enable ease of implementing such directive.<br /> <br /> “Given your current capacity as the board of the commission, it is only proper that you be guided on the necessary procedure to adopt.”<br /> <br /> With the denials, claims and counterclaims, many stakeholders have called for dispassionate investigation of the circumstances surrounding the suspension of Gwarzo.<br /> <br /> The House of Representatives, which directed the Minister of Finance to reinstate Gwarzo, has mandated its Committee on Capital Market and Institutions to carry out an independent investigation. A motion to that effect was unanimously adopted after it was put to a voice vote by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.<br /> <br /> The decision of the House followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by Diri Duoye (PDP, Bayelsa) who alleged that the conflict between the Minister of Finance and Gwarzo over the Oando forensic audit and corruption allegations were major factors in the events that led to the suspension.<br /> <br /> According to him, there were allegations of interference by the Ministry of Finance in the discharge of the SEC’s responsibilities, with the Oando forensic audit matter being largely responsible for the DG’s suspension.<br /> <br /> He noted that the intervention by the House would put the matter into proper perspective and contribute to amicable resolution of the conflict in order to protect the image of the SEC in the interest of both local and foreign investors.<br /> <br /> In his contribution, Toby Okechukwu (PDP, Enugu) said a thorough investigation was necessary in order to forestall the ugly past experience that led to the stock market crisis in the past.<br /> <br /> “Nigerians should know why the DG was sacked. A total panel of inquiry is needed in SEC,” Okechukwu said.<br /> <br /> In his remarks, Sani Kaita (APC, Katsina) said the SEC was a very sensitive and important organisation to Nigeria and the international community and the House should be involved in the investigation of the issues.

Latest-News Gwarzo’s suspension: It’s all blackmail - Adeosun

Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, yesterday accused the suspended Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), ...

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2019: INEC fixes presidential, National Assembly elections for Feb 16

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="650" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxe2MuaQGAJ1N6x2_Xs6IcKmvL9iMJa9U17zX2v8C1l8L_auW3kVcVf3jyh6FcvX55T6MDvmyp7kwY35P-ZhsZhtOK1lfDGNgcWIyCiarOwnxkRRebDh2qHiJ5Xk2qi15XosOOXsYpgic/s640/BALLOT+CARD+READER+ELECTION.jpg" width="640" /></div> <br /> The 2019 presidential election is only 423 days away,the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced yesterday.<br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Nigerians,according to the time table released by the commission,are expected to elect the president on February 16,2019.<br /> <br /> Also scheduled for the same day is the election into the Senate and the House of Representatives.<br /> <br /> News of the election dates was broken by INEC chairman,Professor Mahmood Yakubu, at an induction retreat for Resident Electoral Commissioners in Uyo,Akwa Ibom State.<br /> <br /> The governorship, state assembly and area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory will follow on March 2, 2019, Yakubu said.<br /> <br /> The implementation of the 2019 Election Project Plan is to begin on January 1, 2018.<br /> <br /> He said an additional 3,630,529 voters were registered in the recent continuous registration.<br /> <br /> ”This is an important development in our efforts to ensure that electoral services offered to Nigerians are better, more frequent and easier to access than ever before,” he said.<br /> <br /> This exercise will continue until 60 days to the 2019 general elections, as a provided by the Electoral Act.

Latest-News 2019: INEC fixes presidential, National Assembly elections for Feb 16

The 2019 presidential election is only 423 days away,the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced yesterday. Nigeria...

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Before we #EndSARS

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="448" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKB8vw83_5s56o3HJMxCPzSepCbfHVuqSw-xWJjHOXfCuvA4MyF78u6RtJS5GHXmUbykSp6CxHxfEsiawcW4gUibQJCBWvO07lD1Pl0cY_nGSbJFet94J3Lp5IIqe6W0m8_YBfK7gF87f/s640/sars.jpg" width="640" /></div> <br /> By Jude Ndukwe<br /> <br /> There has been an ongoing campaign by some Nigerians calling for the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, a unit in the Nigeria Police Force. This call is being ignited by a plethora of complaints against men and officers of the special unit. Such complaints range from torture, its use by some powerful citizens to settle their scores against lesser mortals, unprovoked brutalization of innocent citizens, summary execution of suspects etc.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> No doubt, these allegations against men of the SARS have been confirmed by some victims, it would be totally inexpedient and counter-productive to call for the total scrapping of the anti-robbery squad. What the campaigners should be doing is to call for a holistic reform of the Nigeria Police Force and suggest other means through which we can have a friendlier and more effective police.<br /> <br /> This is because scrapping SARS, if there is any need to do so, will amount to nothing but treating the symptoms of a rapacious and malignant cancer while the causative agents are allowed to thrive. In such a situation, the cancer patient might experience some relief in the short term, but the cancer would surely reappear and even become more difficult to manage.<br /> <br /> There is nothing that the SARS is being accused of today that the parent police body is not guilty of. There is an equally plethora of complaints against the police force, and their brutish and crude nature of policing still stares us in the face. In this circumstance, calling for the abrogation of SARS can also mean calling for the abrogation of our entire police force.<br /> <br /> The case of “Apo 6” is still fresh in our memories. That, to say the least, is the height of police brutality. There is no way SARS which is a creation of the police can be expected to be different from its parent body. To call for the end of SARS without reforming the police would only be an exercise in futility. SARS is only a variant of the body it represents, only a part of the policing problem we have had to contend with in this part of this world.<br /> <br /> The flip side of the issue is that SARS has also become a nightmare to armed robbers. Unfortunately, the way armed robbers seem to dread SARS is the same way ordinary citizens seem to dread them. And this is not supposed to be so. The proper narrative should be that while robbers dread SARS, the feeling of confidence and safety should envelope the ordinary citizen when they encounter men of SARS.<br /> <br /> <br /> This is what advocates of #EndSARS should be agitating for: a more effective and friendlier SARS. It is possible!<br /> <br /> We cannot cut off our nose to spite our face. To end SARS, we must first of all end armed robbery! As long as there is still armed robbery in our society, we shall continue to have a need for SARS!<br /> <br /> However, the police hierarchy must do everything they need to do to save its badly battered image from perdition. They must as a matter of urgency reform not only the SARS but also the entire police force. They must be reformed to the extent that their presence should evoke nothing but a sense of pride and confidence rather than disdain in the ordinary citizen.<br /> <br /> Starting with SARS, those factors which make them feel like gods who have the unbridled rights to torture, brutalise and decimate human lives with reckless abandon must be removed. The word “Special” in SARS must be changed to read something like “Swift”, Swift Anti-Robbery Squad”. The “special” in their name seems to be getting into their heads and making them feel indeed special beyond the fight against armed robbery. They must learn that there is nothing more special about them beyond the mutual respect that is supposed to exist between them and the ordinary citizen.<br /> <br /> They seem to have taken this “Special” beyond the ordinary to the mundane. A situation where men of the SARS flagrantly abuse basic dressing codes in the name of wearing mufti shows that they believe they are above the norms of policing. It is disheartening to see men of the SARS in leather slippers menacingly wielding horsewhips, machetes, AK47s and barking out orders, threats and abuses at everyone and at no one in particular in areas that are otherwise cool and calm and no report of any incident.<br /> <br /> There is nothing “special” about SARS. They are just members of a police unit carved out for the main purpose of tackling armed robbery. That is all!<br /> <br /> This impunity with which they also operate has been taken a notch higher from the reports gathered from victims, and this stems from their psyche of feeling special. There is this general belief that once anyone is taken into the custody of SARS, the chance of that person being tortured, brutalized or even executed is high. Even petty thieves and common street urchins have had a bitter dose of such ill treatments.<br /> <br /> It is also believed that the SARS makes itself an easily available tool in the hands of politicians and highly placed members of the society to settle political scores or personal differences. This ought not to be so.<br /> <br /> The men and officers need to be properly kitted. There is nothing that shows them different from criminals except the bullet proof vest they wear which has the label of SARS.<br /> <br /> As it is today, SARS is a necessary unit of the police force despite all of its shortcomings. Rather than scrap it, we must take necessary and urgent steps to reform it to be at par with its counterparts in other parts of the world and to serve the people rather than trample upon them. When this is done, we would have #EndedSARS but not without creating a #NewSARS that would be the pride of all Nigerians.<br /> <br /> #Don’tEndSARS, #ReformSARS!

Latest-News Before we #EndSARS

By Jude Ndukwe There has been an ongoing campaign by some Nigerians calling for the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, a...

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Eagle Square ready for PDP convention

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="500" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4TD1SRbGdEPPixSTQ59q7WlXgKsTORjAMceMxougpJ4LCeT86VPvGWGD8W_xEzi8LuYEi_avTkVvro67l5vMLSeB0MOuDYPysy2fhhwPsZHQQYgd5WZ48wNfeUsbNuVuq6XNR8kw_heTE/s400/PDP-CONVENTION.jpg" width="400" /></div> <br /> <br /> Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of Saturday National Convention of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was on Friday adorned with posters of aspirants of various positions to be contested during the exercise.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the public square, situated on a land measuring about five hectares, was fully draped with PDP colours of red, white, green.<br /> <br /> As at 6.45 p.m., Public Address System engineers and their television stations counterparts were busy installing and testing their equipment at strategic locations to ensure effective courage of the event.<br /> <br /> Security personnel have already been deployed to the venue and they were seen at different position in the 5,106-sitting capacity venue.<br /> <br /> Some officials of the organising committee of the convention were seen conducting last minute inspection of the venue.<br /> <br /> Some persons who refused to identify themselves took positions in a spot at the venue in a manner suggesting that they are likely to spend the night there ahead of the convention.<br /> <br /> The persons brandished PDP membership cards but were suspected to have come from outside Abuja and may not be delegates.

Latest-News Eagle Square ready for PDP convention

Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of Saturday National Convention of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was on Friday adorned with posters of a...

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BREAKING: Gaza rocket hits Israeli town

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="665" height="332" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-QiAsHWjPO-fQfum9LNkmQNERhpizzbKY183Kt-w-gGsnYl3UyOZC4iHVaRtI7l_i1Q4kOoYLZEoxnAjotewibv-OL3osVtK31Wm44cZRRu9raA6xVkk0WoiahCVHJC5kDs66HtZwtfUU/s640/rocket.png" width="640" /></div> <br /> A rocket fired from the Palestinian Gaza Strip enclave hit the southern Israel town of Sderot on Friday night, the Israeli army said, but refused to comment on possible casualties.<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> It was Friday’s third rocket attack and the second night of rocket fire since US President Donald Trump’s statement on Wednesday recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.<br /> <br /> AFP

Latest-News BREAKING: Gaza rocket hits Israeli town

A rocket fired from the Palestinian Gaza Strip enclave hit the southern Israel town of Sderot on Friday night, the Israeli army said, but ...

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PDP Convention: I have no preferred candidate – Jonathan

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="650" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlPopnwbcaCPLJaTEIlwpkTb0XSA1BPE0lUFAJKLj2Hi_53Wcm2TDrqgrzu4LjxIr_oiPizeoZIbJE09YsaQicYdx4rm9aDNQaanaMt0ch5OQm-_dsEDtEZxkD6WlgKn3R-JmG4YoFTuL/s400/jonathan+smile+wave.jpg" width="400" /></div> <br /> Former President Goodluck Jonathan said that he had no preferred candidate for any of the elective positions in the Saturday National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).<br /> <br /> <a name='more' id="more"></a><br /> <br /> Jonathan disclosed this in a felicitation message issued by his Media Office on Friday in Abuja.<br /> <br /> The former president said he was prepared to work with all those that would emerge as new leaders in the interest of the party and nation.<br /> <br /> Jonathan said that the clarification was important contrary to speculations and permutations by some interest groups.<br /> <br /> “Dr Jonathan has never discussed or plotted with others against the ambition of any of the candidates, as is being falsely reported by those who are bent on spreading negative stories against the immediate past president.<br /> <br /> “The former President is therefore optimistic that the convention will produce a positive outcome that will help the PDP consolidate its position as the party with the best democratic ideals in the country,” he said.<br /> <br /> He expressed optimism that the convention would produce positive outcomes which would help “the<br /> party regain its pride of place in the affairs of the nation”.

Latest-News PDP Convention: I have no preferred candidate – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan said that he had no preferred candidate for any of the elective positions in the Saturday National Con...

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