NaijaCarryGo

The Special Adviser to Osun State governor on Environment, Mr. Bola Ilori has blamed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the heavy presence of DSS operatives in the state.

Over 5,000 operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) were said to have been deployed into the state in a bid to ensure a peaceful election, but the government of the state says the presence of the security operatives is a way to cause panic in the state.

“The deployment of security operatives to the state is normal if they are here to protect us. But, any arrest of any member of the APC in the state will be against the interest of democracy.”

He concluded that the development was an abuse of office by the federal government, while imploring the people of the state to remain calm.

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The Federal Government has begun a sensitization campaign for airport workers drawn from the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMIA), Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International (NAIA), Abuja, on the dangers of the deadly Ebola virus.

General Manager Communication, Aviation, Mr. Yakubu Datti, said in a statement that the awareness drive by the Port Health officials, became expedient because of the dangers posed by the virus and how to prevent the spread of the virus in the work place, home and the community.

According to him, the sensitization campaign was carried out to complement other measures already put in place by Port Health at the country’s international airports to prevent the presence and spread of the virus.

Fears that the deadly virus might have found its way into Nigeria came following the death of an infected Liberian in Lagos. Authorities however, had since moved to ensure the virus does not spread in the country.

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The Nigeria Governors Forum led by Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau state has called on the newly appointed Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba to be fearless in the discharge of his duties.

The Forum, in a statement released in Abuja and signed by the Secretary, Osaro Onaiwu, the governors urged the new Inspector General to consider the peculiar security challenges facing Nigeria and see it as an opportunity for him to write his name in history by leading a successful fight against the forces of darkness plaguing the nation.

The statement further thanked the men and women of the Nigeria Police Force for their patriotic sacrifices in the fight against criminal elements and called on them to support the new IG in his efforts.

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The discovery of a corpse of an indigene of Anambra State in Nkwelle Ezunaka, Oyi Council Area of the state has raised fears that the dreaded Ebola virus may have entered the state.

The corpse was said to have been brought in cargo into the town from Liberia and deposited in the morgue of one Apex hospital at the weekend by relatives of the deceased, who were said to be making arrangement for his burial ceremony.

In a move to forestall an outbreak, the Anambra state Government today (Thursday) sealed off the hospital and the mortuary and quarantined the workers and the in-patients on the suspicion that the corpse might be a victim of Ebola having been brought in a Cargo from Liberia, one of the countries in the West African sub-region prevalent with the Ebola virus.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Josephat Akabuike said in Awka that the hospital was shut down when an informant from the community who suspected that the corpse must have been a victim of Ebola disease in Liberia informed the state government that a corpse was brought into the community from the West African Country.

According to him, the informant was aware of the effects of the Ebola disease in Liberia and as a matter of fact was responding to the announcements the state government had been making since the disease became public knowledge.

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Sierra Leone leader Ernest Bai Koroma declared a state of emergency on Thursday and as the country struggled to contain the deadly Ebola epidemic.





The impoverished country, along with neighbouring Guinea and Liberia, is struggling to contain an epidemic that has infected 1,200 people and left 672 dead across the region since the start of the year.



“Extraordinary challenges require extraordinary measures. The Ebola virus disease poses an extraordinary challenge to our nation,” Koroma said in a televised address to the nation.



“Consequently… I hereby proclaim a state of public emergency to enable us to take a more robust approach to deal with the Ebola outbreak.”



Koroma said he had cancelled a trip to a summit of around 50 African leaders in Washington DC next week.



He announced however that he would travel to neighbouring Guinea for a regional summit on the crisis gathering the heads of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Ivory Coast.



Koroma announced a raft of measures as part of the state of emergency, including quarantining Ebola-hit areas and deploying security forces to protect medical workers.



He banned all public meetings not related to Ebola and cancelled foreign trips by ministers and other government officials, exempting only “absolutely essential engagements”.



The president said the measures would be in place initially for 60 to 90 days, and then be reassessed.



Sierra Leone, which has seen 224 deaths, was also preparing Thursday to bury Omar Khan, a “national hero” who saved the lives of more than 100 Ebola patients before succumbing to the tropical bug.



- ‘Very serious threat’ -



Fears that the outbreak could spread to other continents have been growing with European and Asian countries on alert.



Leading medical charity Doctors Without Borders warned the crisis would only get worse and said there was no overarching strategy to handle the world’s worst-ever outbreak of the disease.



Sierra Leone’s announcement comes a day after Liberia, which has seen 129 deaths, said it was shutting all schools and placing “non-essential” government workers on 30 days’ leave.



US Christian charity Samaritan’s Purse said it was temporarily withdrawing its non-essential staff from Liberia, citing regional “instability and ongoing security issues”.



Hong Kong announced quarantine measures for suspected cases, although one woman arriving from Africa with possible symptoms tested negative, while the EU said it was ready to deal with the threat.



The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has held talks with global health officials on potential measures to halt the spread of the disease.



In Britain, where one person has tested negative for the disease, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said it was regarded as “a very serious threat”.



The US Peace Corps announced Wednesday it was pulling hundreds of volunteers from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.



The European Union is equipped and ready to treat victims should the deadly virus be found in its 28 member states, an EU source said in Brussels.



- Medical staff ‘swamped’ -



In Hong Kong, a densely populated city previously scarred by disease outbreaks such as the 2003 SARS epidemic, health officials confirmed they would quarantine as a precautionary measure any visitors from Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia who showed fever symptoms.



One woman arriving in the southern Chinese city from Africa, who showed symptoms including fever and vomiting, has tested negative for Ebola.



Australia, which has already warned against travel to west Africa’s Ebola-hit countries, said it was well prepared in the unlikely event that the virus should reach its shores.



Meanwhile, Thai health authorities said they had ordered all hospitals to monitor patients for any symptoms, particularly nationals or foreign tourists who had been in the outbreak area.



A British doctor volunteering in Sierra Leone treating Ebola patients told Metro newspaper that medical staff were swamped.



“The main challenge here, though, is that the health authorities just don’t have the infrastructure to cope. They’re overwhelmed,” Benjamin Black said.



Togo-based pan-African airline ASKY, which serves 20 destinations, has halted all flights to and from Liberia and Sierra Leone following the death of a passenger from the virus.



The 40-year-old man, who travelled from Liberia, died in Lagos on Friday in Nigeria’s first confirmed death from Ebola.



The virus crossing borders for the first time by plane could lead to new flight restrictions aimed at containing outbreaks, the world aviation agency said.



Japan’s health ministry said it has sent out an alert to hospitals and health organisations to be on the lookout for people with signs of the virus.



“In addition to the ordinary measures we already have in place, including thermographies to check on travellers’ body temperatures (at the airport), the government is drawing attention to the concerned authorities,” a ministry spokesman said.



AFP



via nigerianeye

The Nigerian Navy has apprehended 11 Indian nationals, three Ghanaians and two Nigerians in connection with oil theft in Bayelsa State.





The 15 suspects were allegedly arrested by the operatives of the Forward Operating Base of the Central Naval Command while attempting to lift substances suspected to be crude oil from an offshore loading terminal in Brass area of the state.



The vessels to be used to carry out the illicit business were said to have come from Ghana.



Commanding Officer, FOB, Formoso, Egwema, Brass, Capt. Noel Madugu, told our correspondent that the suspects, during the time of arrest, had no permit to lift oil.



Madugu said as of the time of intercepting the vessels and arrest of the suspects, they had yet to carry out the operation.



He said they were arrested while waiting for vessels from the creeks of Bayelsa to be used to load the products for onward movement to a yet-to-be-ascertained destination.



Madugu said, “Our operatives arrested 11 Indian nationals, three Ghanaians and two Nigerians as they were waiting for vessels from the creeks.



“During the time of arrest, the suspects could not provide permits authorising them to load from Agbara platform of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company’s terminal in Brass. Their vessels came from Ghana.”



The commander said the suspects would be handed over to the relevant prosecuting agency after preliminary investigation.



He reiterated that oil criminals had no hiding place in the waterways, urging those involved in the illicit activities to desist from them in their own interest.



via nigerianeye

A middle aged businessman, Emmanuel Onu, has been abducted in Aba, Abia State, by gunmen believed to be kidnappers.







This is even as a manager of a new generation commercial bank in the city escaped being kidnapped.



It was gathered that the gunmen had at about 11p.m. on the day of the incident climbed the perimeter fence of No. 123 Port Harcourt Road/Ikoro Street, Aba and broke into the apartment of Emmanuel Onu.



It was further learnt that after firing some shots, perhaps to scare people within the neighbourhood, the hoodlums reportedly abducted the man and took him to their hide-out in his Passat Volkswagen car.



At about the same period last week, the Ariaria branch manager of one of the new generation banks narrowly escaped being kidnapped by gunmen.



There was conflicting information about the incident.



While one account had it that the bank manager, whose name could not be immediately ascertained, was shot and wounded by the armed men, another had it that the banker jumped down from the balcony of a storey building as he tried to escape from the hoodlums and broke his leg in the process.



He was said to have been admitted at a private hospital in the city where he is currently receiving treatment from the injury he sustained.



via nigerianeye

The annual recess embarked upon by Senators and members of the House of Representatives penultimate Thursday have paralysed activities at the National Assembly situated in the Three Arms Zone of Abuja.





Legislative aides, and some civil servants have abandoned their offices while the long queue of vistors at the main entrance and the crowd which usually gathered within the lobby of the complex, had disappeared.



The development had created a serious lull in activities as offices of the lawmakers remained shut while the few workers who usually turn up for duties resume late and close early.



Our correspondent observed that banks and other privately owned businesses within the complex had been experiencing very low patronage.



A visit to the Car Parks also revealed that sanity had been fully restored in the car park as fewer vehicles were in the premises thereby preventing commotion that usually occur due to the inadequate parking spaces.



Some of the workers who spoke with our correspondent on conditions of anonymity described the the current situation at the Assembly complex as a normal occurrence during the annual long recess.



One of them who works as a committee clerk said some management staff from the position of directors and above usually plan their annual leave to coincide with the long recess so that they will not be absence whenever the lawmakers are in session.



He said, “What you are seeing is not strange. You cannot find many people around whenever the Senators and their counterparts in the House of Representatives are on recess. You know an average lawmakers have about four personal aides and just one civil servant as secretary.



“What that means is that only one civil servant will be resuming regularly to the office of a senator for instance, which usually have about six or seven staff, working there on regular basis.”



Acting Director of Information Services, Mr. Ishaku Dibal, told our correspondent in his office that all the civil servants have been reporting daily at their various duty posts as they were not affected by the lawmakers’ recess.



via nigerianeye

The Federal Government, Wednesday, took steps to douse anxiety over the possibility that Boko Haram insurgents are using the abducted Chibok girls as female suicide bombers.



Female bombers have carried out series of attacks on Kano city in the last five days, fuelling fears that those involved could be some of the girls being held by the terrorists.





Also, former education minister, and co-coordinator of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign, Professor Oby Ezekwesili, has expressed fears that the abducted Chibok girls may be indoctrinated or coerced into being used as suicide bombers.



A screengrab taken on May 12, 2014, from a video of Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram obtained by AFP shows girls, wearing the full-length hijab and praying in an undisclosed rural location. Boko Haram released a new video on claiming to show the missing Nigerian schoolgirls, alleging they had converted to Islam and would not be released until all militant prisoners were freed. A total of 276 girls were abducted on April 14 from the northeastern town of Chibok, in Borno state, which has a sizeable Christian community. Some 223 are still missing.



She said on her twitter page recently: “It feels like eternity since April 14 when our girls lost their freedom. How can we move on like that? This new trend and pattern of female suicide bombers surely should particularly worry us. Female suicide bombers are again and again becoming the trend and our Chibok girls are still in the enemy’s den.



“It worries me stiff. Are we thinking? Our Chibok girls really need to be rescued from the clutches of evil. We must all not stop praying and demanding that the Federal Government acts for results. We have no apology for being agitated. We have nothing to defend for crying out for their rescue.”

However, Co-ordinator of National Information Centre, Mike Omeri, during a routine security briefing, alongside representatives of security forces in Abuja, vehemently denied the insinuation.



“The use of Chibok girls by Boko Haram is actually not true,” Omeri sharply responded to a question asked by a journalist at the briefing.



Also, Omeri confirmed the arrest of a minor female suicide bomber in Katsina State by security forces.



He said three Boko Haram suspects were arrested,Tuesday, July 29, 2014, at about 10p.m. along Zaria Road, Tudun Wada area of Funtua metropolis.

The suspects, according to him, include a male, Iliya Dahiru, and two females, Zainab Musa, 18, and Hadiza Musa, 10.



“The three suspects were arrested in a Honda CRV car. When they were directed to disembark for security checks, 10 year-old Hadiza was discovered to have been strapped with an explosive belt and immediately, Iliya and Zainab attempted to escape with the car, but were later blocked by other concerned Nigerians, and subsequently arrested. The Police successfully unstrapped the explosives.



“It is on this note that we appeal to parents to consciously observe and watch their children’s activities to prevent them from participating in unwholesome activities, particularly acts of terrorism,” he said.



via nigerianeye

The Police in Lagos have arrested a man, Raphael Effiong (28), who allegedly stabbed his girlfriend to death during a fracas in a hotel located in Alapere, Ketu area of Lagos on Tuesday.







But the deceased’s family alleged that the lover boy lured her to the hotel and attempted to chop off her breasts and fingers, apparently for ritual purpose.



It was gathered that Effiong and his lover, Gift Sunday (26) checked into a room in the hotel located at 10, Yusuf Eleran Street, Ketu, Tuesday evening.



Next day, staff of the hotel were said to have been taken aback by shouts from the room following which the hotel workers forced the door open, only to find the deceased in a pool of her blood.



Efforts to save her life failed as she reportedly died in a private hospital located on Elebiju Street, also in Ketu, Lagos.



Her remains, as gathered, were deposited at the Ikorodu General Hospital mortuary.



A relative of the deceased, who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, said: “What we heard was that on reaching the hotel, the suspect ordered for drinks. As our daughter was sipping hers, he brought out a pair of scissors and started cutting one of her breasts.



“She was screaming at that point. Not done, he cut one of her fingers and attempted to gag her so he could finish his satanic mission.



“Her scream alerted people who came to her rescue. We were told she gave this version while she was being rushed to the hospital.



“We were also told the boyfriend attempted to escape but was apprehended by the hotel staff before the arrival of policemen from Alapere.



“Her death has plunged everyone into sorrow. All we want is for the police to find out why Raphael killed our daughter.”



However, when the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, was contacted, she said: “Yes, we have that case. But that is not what happened. What happened was that a man stabbed his girlfriend with scissors inside a hotel room in Alapere during a fight. The lady later died while the suspect has been arrested and is currently in our custody.”



via nigerianeye

Israel said on Thursday it would not pull troops from Gaza until they finish destroying a network of cross-border tunnels, despite sharp United Nations criticism over the civilian death toll.





Speaking at the start of a special cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not accept any ceasefire that did not allow troops to continue destroying tunnels used by militants for attacking Israel.



“Until now, we have destroyed dozens of terror tunnels and we are determined to finish this mission — with or without a ceasefire,” he said at the start of a special cabinet meeting.



“So I will not accept any (truce) proposal that does not allow the IDF (army) to complete this work for the security of Israel’s citizens.”



His remarks came after the army confirmed mobilising another 16,000 additional reservists, hiking the total number called up to 86,000. Israel does not say how many troops are currently engaged in the fighting inside the Gaza Strip.



And Washington said it had agreed to restock Israel’s dwindling supplies of ammunition, despite increasing international concern over the death toll in Gaza, where more than 1,374 people have been killed in 24 days of violence.



UN figures indicate two-thirds of the victims were civilians. Of that civilian dead, nearly half were women and children.



Following the shelling of a UN school in northern Gaza on Wednesday which killed 16, UN human rights chief Navi Pillay slammed Israel for its attacks on homes, schools and hospitals, accusing it of “deliberate defiance” of international law.



“None of this appears to me to be accidental,” she told reporters.



“There appears to be deliberate defiance of obligations that international law imposes on Israel.”



The shelling of the school also drew sharp condemnation from UN chief Ban Ki-moon, who described it as “reprehensible”, as well as from Washington.



But the Israeli army suggested the deaths may have been the result of a misfired Palestinian rocket.



“What happened is still not clear at this stage,” military spokesman General Moti Almoz told army radio.



“It is not clear if the school was hit by fire from IDF soldiers or from Hamas terrorists,” he said.



- Tunnel vision -



Despite rising international calls for a halt to the bloodshed, the Israeli security cabinet decided Wednesday to press on with the operation in Gaza just hours after troops had made a significant advance into the narrow enclave.



The Israeli offensive began on July 8 with the aim of ending militant rocket fire, but expanded on July 17 with a ground operation aimed at destroying a sophisticated network of tunnels leading under the border, which Israel has vowed to dismantle.



Major General Sami Turgeman, head of the army’s southern command, said Wednesday that the army was “just days” away from completing its mission to destroy the tunnels.



Cabinet ministers were being briefed on the progress of the operation in their first meeting since the ground assault began.



“Israel is trapped on the outskirts of Gaza without an exit strategy and without any ceasefire on the horizon,” wrote defence correspondent Alex Fishman in the top-selling Yediot Aharonot.



“Within a few days, Israel is going to have to decide either to push ahead with full force or to pull the troops out.”



Despite a heavy death toll in Gaza on Wednesday when 111 Palestinians were killed, including 17 who died in a strike on a crowded market place and another 16 at the UN school, Washington said it had restocked the army’s ammunition supplies.



The Pentagon confirmed it had granted an Israeli request for ammunition, including some from a stockpile stored by the US military on the ground in Israel for emergency use by the Jewish state.



Rights group Amnesty International had urged Washington to halt arms supplies to Israel.



- 15 hurt in UN school -



Meanwhile, there was no letup in bloodshed with at least 10 Palestinians killed on Thursday, among them two women, raising the overall Palestinian toll to 1,374, medics said.



And another 15 people sheltering in the UN school in Jabaliya refugee camp that was struck on Wednesday were wounded when Israeli warplanes attacked a mosque next door, medics said.



In Israel, 56 soldiers have died and Hamas rocket fire has killed three civilians, two Israelis and a Thai national.



Despite the loss of life, there appeared to be little Israeli appetite for a truce, with a senior official telling Haaretz newspaper that a ceasefire was not even close.



Nevertheless, an Israeli delegation travelled to Cairo late Wednesday to discuss a possible ceasefire with Egyptian officials, an official at the airport told AFP.



Cairo, a key mediator in previous truce negotiations between Israel and Hamas, was also expected to host a Palestinian delegation later this week.



AFP



via nigerianeye

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration “scores first in the area of impunity”.

It also berated the present administration for its notoriety in acts of impunity.

The opposition party made these observations as part of its analysis of the ongoing impeachment saga playing out in Nasarawa State.

In a press statement issued in Abuja on Thursday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC lampooned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members of Nasarawa House of Assembly for demanding the dissolution of the seven-member panel inaugurated by the state’s Chief Judge to probe the allegations leveled against Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.

The party described the action of the PDP-dominated Nasarawa assembly as unreasonable and unconstitutional, arguing that for the first time in the history of the nation’s democracy, the legislature was seeking to disband the investigative panel it directed the Chief Judge to set up.

It said that the demand by the lawmakers showed that they either had poor understanding of the constitution or they were blinded by their desperation to impeach Gov. Al-Makura.

“Either way, they have boxed themselves into a tight corner. Holding an illegal sitting in Abuja with a fake mace is as ridiculous as the demand by the lawmakers for the dissolution of the panel set up by the Chief Judge”, the party said.

”Section 188 (5) of the Constitution is clear: ‘Within seven days of the passing of a motion under the foregoing provisions of this section, the Chief Judge of the state shall, at the request of the speaker of the house of assembly, appoint a panel of seven persons who in his opinion are of unquestionable integrity, not being members of any public service, legislative house or political party, to investigate the allegation as provided in this section’.

“It is important to point out to the desperate lawmakers that the key words in that section is that the chief judge must appoint persons who in his opinion are of unquestionable integrity. At this juncture, it is neither the opinion of the speaker nor that of the legislators that counts; it is the opinion of the chief judge.

“Therefore, neither the speaker, the lawmakers nor the chief judge can dissolve the panel at this stage, and none of them can stop the impeachment process. Once the chief judge has appointed the panel under Section 188 (5), he becomes ‘functus officio’, that is he has no further powers on the matter. This is the situation of things at present and the lawmakers can only await the report of the panel”, the APC spokesman said.

APC said it was not surprised with the unwarranted and illegal call for the dissolution of the panel by the PDP members of the Nasarawa legislature, because that call fell within the realm of the runaway impunity for which the PDP and the Jonathan administration have become infamous.

“What the house is suffering from now is called boomerang. Against sound advice, it went ahead to initiate the impeachment process. Well, it must now follow it to its logical conclusion. The chief judge cannot be made to dissolve the seven-man panel because he simply lacks the power to so do”, APC added.

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The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old woman, Ese Oghenevwe, and her church priest, Austin Eduviere, following a report that the former’s two sons died after consuming a liquid substance given to her by the priest.

According to a press release issued on Wednesday evening, the Police at Abraka received information that the woman had killed her two children, Prayer Clement, nine months old, and Wisdom Clement, 2, by giving them a liquid substance to drink.

“Based on the information, detectives arrested the said Oghenevwe. The suspect revealed that the liquid substance was given to her by Eduviere of Triumphant World International Church Abraka for healing purposes as the Apostle claimed he had prayed over it”, the police release by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu said.

According to the police spokesperson, the apostle disclosed that the said liquid substance was a mixture of water and salt which he sells to people at N1,850 for healing of various ailments after praying for them.

Meanwhile, the police said they arrested a carjacker and recovered a stolen vehicle on Wednesday.

The press release said, “Police patrol team from Abraka Division while on stop and search duty at Police station junction Abraka intercepted a Toyota Camry car, number plate, LSD 264 AC with two occupants.

“Immediately the vehicle stopped one of the suspects alighted and took to his heels while the other, later identified as one Akpos Omote ‘m’ was arrested. The suspect has confessed that they snatched the car from one Mrs. Jane Esegbe at Udu, in Udu LGA in Delta state.

“The said Toyota Camry has been recovered to the station, while efforts are on to apprehend the fleeing suspect”.

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Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, on Wednesday charged public servants in state-owned agencies to collaborate with their various units to render quality services to people of the state.

He gave the directive when he inaugurated four boards under the state ministries of environment, education and tourism in Benin City, with a charge to collaborate with Management of the agencies for optimum result.

The inaugurated boards include the Waste Management Board, headed by Mrs. Elizabeth Ighodaro; Technical and Vocational Education Board, led by Lady Tina Agbara; while the Tourism Board and Environmental Committee are chaired by Mrs. Jane Osagie and Comrade Murktar Yusuf Osagie respectively.

The governor called for synergy between the management and the board to achieve optimum results because the role of the latter was different from the role of the former.

“Management has responsibilities for day-to-day running under the guidelines that are formulated by the boards.

“In some cases, there are some enabling laws that set up these bodies and of course, whatever you want to do must be done in conformity with the provisions of the law”, the governor said.

Oshiomhole described the management team as seasoned professionals with responsibilities, special skills and knowledge to manage and ensure that the organization achieved its objectives.

He recalled that there had been friction in the past between members of both the management and board of state agencies in the course of their duties, adding that such tensions were “completely unnecessary”.

Oshiomhole said, “So I trust that you will all realise that regardless of your level, all of us here including myself are all working for the same principal, who are the people of Edo State.

“We are all accountable to the Edo People.

“In discharging your duties, ensure that you are adding value to the quality of life of Edo people because that is the bottom line.

“Of course you know that our Party is founded on the principles of popular participation.

“Other people may boast of their capacity to manipulate elections, we boast of our capacity to deliver on our mandate, deliver on public welfare and infrastructure”.

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Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has warned the political class against militarization of Nigerian politics.

The governor, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Environment, Mr. Bola Ilori, at a press briefing in Osogbo, on Wednesday, said that deploying troops for election duties was a violation of the constitution and a gross abuse of office.

Ilori said that it had become so ridiculous that soldiers were now being deployed to mediate in land disputes.

According to the special adviser, the frequent deployment of military personnel in purely civil matters could work against the advancement of democracy.

He said, “If you use the military to hijack power, you should expect that the military would not sit back and watch you enjoy what you did not work for. They may strike and that will be too bad for our nation.

“The Nigerian political class is giving ideas to the military that they can hijack power with the way some people are using them to hijack power. The political class has gone to the extent of inviting soldiers in land dispute”, Ilori said in apparent reference to the incident between the Lagos State Government and Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musliu Obanikoro, who brought in soldiers to stop work on a government project.

While expressing the confidence that Aregbesola would win the August 9 governorship election, Ilori said the governor had performed very well and the people of the state were ready to vote him in for another four years.

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The Rivers State Po­lice Command has reiterated its resolve to put an end to kidnapping in the state as it launches a “Stop kidnap­ping” campaign on Friday (tomorrow).

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tunde Ogun­sakin, disclosed this yesterday while briefing journalists in Port Harcourt.

Ogunsakin said the com­mand had reduced the rate of abduction in the state, adding that the number of rescued victims had been overwhelming. He, however, expressed sadness at reported cases of kidnap, stressing that the crime must be nipped in the bud.

“The number of arrest we made and the number of vic­tims we have even rescued were overwhelming. Kid­napping is too bad, we don’t want a situation where any­body would be kidnapped. That is why we want to sen­sitise the people that kidnap­ping should stop.

“We want to ensure that kidnapping is stopped in Rivers State. We are not happy with all these cases of kidnap. People should be able to do their work freely without any hindrance”, he said.

The police boss also ad­vised members of the pub­lic to be wary of those they employ as house helps, citing a particular incident where a house­boy arranged for the abduc­tion of his boss. He said after rescuing the victim and the boy’s account was examined, millions of naira were found.

He advised: “Before you employ a houseboy, check the background very well”, adding that most kidnap cas­es were successful because of insider information.

Ogunsakin said the command had put security mechanisms in place, including the provi­sion of a dedicated telephone number to police stations in the state.

He explained that the dedi­cated number was to ensure that distress calls were re­sponded to promptly by the police, before the criminals would leave the scene.

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Chibok indigenes resident in the nation’s capital have denied knowledge of a N100 million presidential largesse allegedly given to a delegation of Chibok community from Borno State, when they visited President Goodluck Jonathan recently at the presidential villa, Abuja.

The Chibok indigenes, under the banner of Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA), Instead, claimed that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties, Prof. Dan Adebiyi after the visit with the president, visited the hotel where they were accommodated and presented a token of N100,000 each to the escaped girls on behalf of the Presidency.

Out of the 122 parents that visited, KADA explained that Prof Adebiyi gave 61 parents N200,000 each and another 51 parents N100,000 each, while the remaining 10 parents were told that the money was finished.

According to KADA, they did not receive any cash amount from the presidency, neither did Prof. Adebiyi, who had been coordinating the visit on the side of the president, give them notice before sharing the largesse.

The association expressed regrets that the approach of sharing formula adopted by the presidency has brought reproach and dishonour to their community in the eyes of the general public, which has supported them since the abduction of the 200 girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok.

Speaking at a press brief, organised by the leadership of KADA and read by its spokesperson, Dauda Iliya said that the money causing the controversy back in Chibok was not the money given by the presidency, but the N1 million that was given to the parents by the member representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Biye Gumtha.

His words, “It is noteworthy that our primary goal is the safe return of the girls that are still in captivity. It is sad that we are losing sight of this to the allegation of sharing money. We therefore want the world to understand that we, KADA stands by our earlier position and did not demand, receive or handle any finances throughout the process of the visit.

“On the night of the 22^nd July, 2014 at about midnight, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties who had been co-ordinating the visit of the side of the Presidency, visited the hotel and told the 51 escaped girls who came that the President sent them a token of N100,000 each and accordingly gave them the said sum without prior discussion with any KADA official or any other person in the community.

“He equally gave the sum of N200,000 each to 61 parents out of the 122 parents that came on the visit. 51 parents were given N100,000 each on the basis that the money given to him was not enough to go round at N200,000. The remaining 10 parents were not given any amount of money.

“As for the money given to some parents back home in Chibok, it was the sum of N1,000,000.00 given to them by the Hon. Member of the House of Reps. Representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency, which is the source of the alleged N7,000.00 given to parents in Chibok that were not part of the visit.

“While we acknowledge that any well intended support for our suffering population which has lost its means of livelihood since the events of April 14 and subsequent attacks could be welcome, however the approach that the Presidency adopted has brought reproach and dishonour to our community in the eyes of the public that has supported us since the abduction of our daughters.

“We hereby state categorically that no amount of money whatsoever was given to KADA leadership to share among the parents and escaped girls or for whatsoever reason and therefore the allegation is completely baseless, false and malicious.

“We clearly spelt out to the Presidency through the office of the Chief of Staff that we shall not be involved with any financial transaction whatsoever, including payment of transportation from Chibok to Yola, flight by air from Yola to Abuja, hotel accommodation and feeding in Abuja, and intra-city transportation while in Abuja.

“When the Presidency requested us to invite parents and escaped Chibok girls against 22^nd July, 2014, we accepted the responsibility on the condition that we shall facilitate by way of contacting and mobilizing the parents and escaped girls thereby playing the sole role of facilitators”.

Meanwhile, PREMIUM TIMES has been informed by the president’s spokesman, Reuben Abati, that his principal had no hand in the disbursement of cash gifts to the visitors.

“The president did not give approval for money to be distributed to anybody”, Abati insisted, adding that “The president’s commitment is to get the girls safely back. This is not an occasion for blackmail. This is unknown to the president”.

In response to a question of whether it was possible for the president to host the distraught parents and the girls without giving them gifts, Mr. Abati said the president does not have to give gifts to visitors.

“If people are guests of the president, it is standard routine that the government will take care of logistics…” but he (president) did not give the directive that people should be bribed, he added.

On the next line of action following the controversy, Mr. Abati said “If the office of the president is being dragged into this, you can be sure it will be investigated”.

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Just when you thought you had seen it all with smartphones, Innjo one of the biggest smartphone brands in the world launched their latest gadget the “Innjo i1s” on Jumia.

The Nigerian market is the biggest market in Africa with 125million mobile phone user and a good proportion of the Market 30% using smartphones. In the past year, we have seen major players step up to the big brands. Tecno and Solo have mapped out the market well with new innovations on latest gadgets.

Innjoo is one of the newest smartphone players joining the smartphone market offering Nigerian’s top-notch gadgets at the most affordable price. The Innjoo i1s is the latest from Innjo being unveiled in Nigeria it is powered by Android Operating system with some of the latest gadget function in high definition. The Innjo i1s is the Internet DNA smartphone working with Android 4.4 Kit Kat OS, a sleek design, 5megapixel camera and fast Internet speed with increased inbuilt storage space of 8gb to accommodate all the phone usage.

“It is all about Innovation and giving Nigerians the best value for their money with gadgets. This what Jumia aims to do with the partnership with Innjoo bringing the Middle East smartphone brand to Nigeria” stated Jeremy Doutte Managing Director Jumia Nigeria

The New Innjoo i1s is available in Nigeria and exclusive to Jumia.com.ng. Customers can get this great smartphone at the best price in Nigeria with Free Data plan for browsing with MTN and delivery anywhere in Nigeria.

Click here to buy the revolutionary smartphone

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A former Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) has the solution to Nigeria’s political development and stability.

He, therefore, urged Nigerians to think carefully of the party they will cast their votes for in next year’s general elections.

Abdullahi, who publicly declared his membership of the APC yesterday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, said the opposition party is the only party that holds the key to Nigeria’s political future.

The former minister told reporters that he had become a card-carrying member of the APC and was now involved in partisan politics.

He urged Nigerian professionals, who desire a positive change in the affairs of the nation, to join the party.

The former minister said he discovered when he was in office as a commissioner in Kwara State and a minister at the federal level that professionals, especially journalists with commitment, can make changes happen when they are called upon to serve.

On the state of the nation, Abdullahi, a tested journalist said: “The question you should ask yourself is whether or not you are better off today than you were six years ago; whether or not the education your children receive today is better than what they six years ago and whether or not the health services available to you today are better than what was obtainable six years ago.

“So, if you conclude that they are better, then there is no need for you to change. But if, like many of us, you face the reality that they are not, then you will understand why we say that we need a change.

“I have served at the state and national levels and I am convinced now that I should be more involved in contributing to solving problems, not just writing about them (problems). That is why I am now a full member of the APC.

“Yes, I used to see myself as a technocrat. It was strategic because I needed to have an environment to perform the job I was given without necessarily becoming political or promoting myself. That’s because whether as a commissioner or minister, I was only there by the recommendation of my bosses. I needed to do the work assigned to me without failing.

“However, I also discovered that much as that gave me the opportunity to perform, the truth is that it became a limitation in some ways. This is because when the decisions are to be made, which would affect the people, technocrats are not allowed to be in such gatherings. They are only called upon to implement the decisions and, even in doing that, they have to be careful because it may affect the fortunes of the politician”.

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Outgoing Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has signed into law a bill creating additional council areas from the existing 16 local governments in the state.

At the signing of the bill yesterday, Fayemi also denied allegations in some quarters that his government created the new councils as a trap for the incoming Peoples Democratic Party-led administration of Mr. Ayo Fayose.

This is just as the matter of the newly created councils is being contested at an Ado Ekiti High Court by the PDP in the state.

According to Fayemi, he created the new councils in fulfilment of his administration’s electioneering promises to the people.

He added that his government would bridge all noticeable gaps in the policy for its expeditious and smooth take off before the expiration of his tenure on October 15, 2014.

He noted that the Assets’ Sharing Committee of the House had visited the affected local governments, adding that the reports are already before him.

“This is a promise fulfilled, following the yearnings of the people. These yearnings predated my coming into government in 2010. The first executive governor of this state, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, attempted this policy before the end of his tenure but never came to pass. Despite this, our people never stopped requesting for additional local governments for rapid development and for political independence. With this policy, we are not just making history but we are part of history. We have written our names in the book of history for taking this bold step. And I will do everything within the constitution for effective functioning of these councils before this administration comes to an end”, he said.

He added: “Soon, we will appoint transitional political functionaries that would begin the process of the existence of these councils for rapid development at the grassroots where the bulk of our people live”.

He dismissed PDP’s claim that the policy was a flagrant breach of the 1999 constitution, stressing that all extant constitutional provisions were complied with in arriving at the conclusion of the exercise.

Earlier, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adewale Omirin, said the legislature decided to key into the policy because of the enormous role the local government system plays in the lives of rural dwellers and overall development of the society.

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Survivors of the carbon monoxide inhalation incident at a prayer vigil in Aba, Abia State, during the weekend have recounted their experiences.

The survivors are now recuperating at the Austin Graces and Goodness and Mercy Hospital on Okigwe Road, Aba.

Fifteen of the 16 people, who had gone for the prayers on Eziukwu Road on Friday, were found unconscious on Saturday, while one person died in the incident.

Uchechukwu Sylvester, one of the affected persons, narrated his experience in an interview from his hospital bed.

“It was Friday night and we went for tarry night at Eziukwu road. I can tell you that we started the prayers by 10 p.m.

“Within some hours, I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what kind of spirit that visited us; what we noticed was that some of us were falling to the ground.

“At a point, our coordinator took the microphone and rounded off the prayers after which he himself fell down to the ground.

“That was all I knew until I saw myself in this hospital on Sunday being fed by one of my brothers with rice,” he said.

He praised God for bringing them back to life.

Another victim, Mary Nwankwo, who suffered ear blockage in the incident, said she was getting better.

“My ear is opening little by little now. I thank God for saving us. I thank God for keeping us alive. May God who did it be praised”, she said.

Giving his own account of what happened, Kalu Ogbonnaya, a fashion designer, said that they were praising God during the prayer meeting and all of a sudden, one of them fell flat and did not move his body.

Soon, another person fell to the ground and others followed one by one but they never knew what was happening to them.

He, however, said that they suspected it was the Holy Spirit moving in their midst.

He said he soon became weak and fell down and wanted to vomit but could not, adding that that was all he knew until he woke up in the hospital the following day.

Mr. Ogbonnaya thanked God for saving their lives from perishing at an all-night prayer meeting.

(NAN)

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The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, on Wednesday in Abuja said international terror organisations use female suicide bombers in attacks because they are less suspicious.

Mr. Mba, who was answering questions at the National Information Centre, said the use of females in suicide attacks is not new.

“Established international terror organisations use female suicide bombers, the major reason is because women generally raise fewer suspicion, particularly when there are security layers.

“If you have been following the trend of terrorism worldwide, you will understand that the use of a female suicide bomber is not new.

“But, it is a new trend in our own part of the world”, he said.

The force spokesperson, however, said a new counter-terrorism strategy was being developed to address the new trend in the country.

“We are developing counter-terrorism strategies to deal with that.

“By our rules of engagement and by our culture too, male security operatives generally are not allowed to search females.

“You will see increase in female security personnel on roads and in other places where stop and search exercises are being carried out.

“Nigerians should be prepared to see more female police officers, bomb disposal experts, DSS operatives and soldiers in combat operations’’, he said.

Mr. Mba appealed to parents and Local Government authorities across the country to support efforts to stamp out street hawking by young girls, particularly among minors.

(NAN)

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The First Lady, Dame (Dr) Patience Jonathan, has denied reports in a section of the media that she is related to one Christopher Awai, who reportedly drowned under suspicious circumstances at the swimming pool of an Abuja hotel.

Mrs Jonathan, in a statement yesterday by her spokesperson, Ayo Adewuyi, also denied that a woman mentioned in media reports as having petitioned the police on the death of Awai, is also not her younger sister.

“We also wish to state without any iota of equivocation that Madam Esther Ebiere Gbonkumor who was mentioned in the news reports as the immediate younger sister of the first lady is not in any way related to Dame (Dr) Patience Faka Jonathan.

“It’s an unfounded rumour which the first lady knows nothing about and we’ll like the public and well-meaning Nigerians to note for the purpose of accurate record and common good”, the statement said.

It would be recalled that Awai died during a party recently organised by Ijaw students of the University of Abuja.

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Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, yesterday, declared the seat of the member representing Etsako West Constituency I, Mr. Abdulrazak Momoh, vacant for defecting to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), from All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Speaker, Mr. Uyi Igbe, during plenary of the APC lawmakers at the Old Assembly complex in Government House, Benin, said the lawmaker’s defection did not follow due process.

According to him, section 109 (1g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, empowers the Speaker to declare the seat of a lawmaker, upon defection to another party from the party he was elected, vacant.

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill the vacant position within 90 days.

The 14 APC legislators loyal to Igbe have been at loggerheads with the nine PDP legislators out of which six were suspended for alleged misconduct.

Mr. Momoh, however, described the action as laughable, saying the move was to truncate the legal action instituted against APC legislators for allegedly forging his signature.

According to him, the Speaker once said in the media that he (Momoh) was not suspended because of a pending legal action he instituted against the House, adding “and the court restrained them from suspending and declaring my seat vacant. It is already a known fact that they do not obey court orders.

“What they have done in Government House is null and void because the Government House is not the designated place for legislative activities.

“To start with, there is a subsisting court order stopping the House from declaring seats vacant, suspending and stopping the remunerations of the defected lawmakers.

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Leadership of the Chibok community group, Kibaku Area Development Association, Abuja Chapter, has denied that it received the alleged N100 million incentive from the Presidency on account of the missing Chibok girls.

The group, in a statement by its spokesperson, Dauda Ilya, described the claim as “false, malicious and unfounded.”

The group explained that it only offered, as a community association that represented the Chibok people in Abuja, to facilitate the visit of parents of the abducted girls and 51 of the 57 that escaped.

It added that it helped make that visit possible despite their misgivings that it was a poor substitute to their expectation that Mr. President should have visited Chibok even before the visit of their people for a tragedy that is now 107 days old.

The group further explained the role of the association in facilitating the visit, sating it spelt out its responsibilities in facilitating the meeting of the Chibok girls and parents with President Jonathan and that there was never a point it demanded any financial compensation.

“When the Presidency requested us to invite parents and escaped Chibok girls against 22nd July, 2014, we accepted the responsibility on the condition that we shall facilitate by way of contacting and mobilising the parents and escaped girls, thereby playing the sole role of facilitators,” the group said.

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The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock has reiterated that the British Government’s offer of assistance to Nigeria in the rescue of the abducted Chibok girls does not involve deploying troops in Nigeria to assume any combat roles.

“What we are doing is bringing in some form of expertise, particularly in training and advisory roles and not combat roles,” he said.

Pocock stated this while speaking to newsmen, yesterday, on board HMS Iron Duke, a Royal Navy Warship on a working visit to Nigeria.

According to him, combat roles specifically is Nigeria’s responsibility.

“We are not bringing troops in any combat role. What the Prime Minister, David Cameron said six weeks ago in London is that we recognise the difficulties that Nigeria is facing with security at the moment. And that was in response to the invitation by President Jonathan for assistance. That is specifically Nigeria’s responsibility. We are not bringing troops to Nigeria. We are not doing what the French did in Mali; it’s a different scenario entirely,” he said.

Speaking on the HMS Iron Duke’s visit to Nigeria, Commanding Officer of the ship, Tom Tredary said it was inspired by the need for the Nigerian Navy and the British Navy to share information and experience in order to boost maritime security within the Gulf of Guinea and especially within the West African coast.

“Maritime security is a problem that affects all nations. So it’s important that security is given the required attention in order to reduce illegal activities at sea. It requires concerted efforts by all navies to do that. We think that we can share experiences we have had in combating piracy in the Indian Ocean and Somalia. This will help the Nigeria Navy to refine the techniques that they already use to try and bring a great deal of law and order in the Gulf of Guinea. We think that there is a lot that we can learn from each other because Nigerian Navy has a better understanding of activities around these waters and we have a great understanding of activities patrolling the Gulf of Guinea, so we can share experiences,” said Tredary.

HMS Iron Duke is Type 23 ‘Duke’ Class Frigate normally based in Portsmouth, UK. It is currently away on a six month operational deployment visiting a number of partner nations including Nigeria as well as ensuring security in the South Atlantic.

Whilst deployed, crew of Iron Duke will conduct a two‑day training for some officers of the Nigerian Navy, and in the process share knowledge and experience, all in a bid to aid development and promote security and stability in the waters off West Africa.

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The new Minister of National Planning Commission (NPC), Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, has expressed determination to work hard towards providing the Federal Government with accurate data on Boko Haram, Ebola Virus disease within and outside the country to actualise its ongoing transformation agenda.

Sulaiman made the pledge during the official handing and taking over ceremony at the National Planning Commission, yesterday, in Abuja.

“I am from the academia, I know what it means to research, monitor and do surveillance, and this we will do to get the best out of us.

“We have to work hard to get accurate data not just on infrastructure and policy making, but also on Boko Haram and Ebola Virus within and outside Nigeria.

“We will do all we can to get accurate data on all these so that Nigeria can move forward. Where Nigeria is lacking, I will mobilise resources to bridge the gap. With the support of staff of NPC we will ensure we achieve accurate data for Nigeria within the time we have in office,” he said.

Speaking further, the minister said: “As the new minister of NPC, my predecessor had done so much, I don’t think we are lacking in the area of human resources and capacity. What we will do is to put all hands on deck to improve on what my predecessor had done.”

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Men of the Delta State Police Command have arrested a man, said to be a pastor, and a woman, for allegedly killing two children with a deadly substance sold by the pastor for N1,850.

In a press release, the Command spokesperson, DSP Celestina Kalu, said the suspects are in custody helping the police with relevant information.

“On July 25, at about 4.00 am, the Police at Abraka Police Station received information that a woman, Ese Oghenevwe (25), of Urhuoka quarters, Abraka had killed her two sons namely, Prayer Clement (9 months) and Wisdom Clement (2 years) by giving them a liquid substance to drink.

“Based on the information, detectives arrested the said Ese Oghenevwe. The suspect revealed that the substance was given to her by one Apostle Austin Eduviere of Triumphant World International Church, Abraka for healing purposes as the Apostle claimed he had prayed over it.

“Meanwhile, the said Apostle Austine Eduviere has also been arrested and he is helping the Police in their investigation. The suspect disclosed that the said substance was a mixture of water and salt which he sold to people for N1,850.00 for healing of various sicknesses after praying for them,” the statement read.

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Maryam Usman on Wednesday won the women’s +75 kg gold to take Team Nigeria to the top of the weightlifting medals table at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

Maryam Usman in action

via nigerianeye

A top official at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba, Lagos, has said that one of the people who helped the 40-year-old Liberian, Patrick Sawyer, on the Monrovia-Lome and Lome-Lagos flight may have been infected with the virus.







The reliable source, who is also on the team of experts monitoring the testing and surveillance of persons who have had contact with the late Liberian victim in Lagos, told our correspondent on Wednesday, that although they had yet to confirm, the person was showing feverish symptoms similar to that of Ebola virus.



He said, “We are still investigating and monitoring those who had first contact with Sawyer. One of the people who helped him off the plane is showing signs of fever, a symptom of Ebola. We have isolated them and we are carrying out various tests to establish if it is Ebola or not.”



However, when contacted the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, denied that none of the people that had been isolated at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, was sick.



Adeshina said, “No one is sick. We are doing a routine surveillance at the centre now and I can tell you that no one is sick or showing symptoms. We are just monitoring them because we are going by the World Health Organisation’s guidelines of prevention, treatment and management.”



The Lagos State Government had on Monday said 59 people in the state came in contact with the 40-year-old Liberian who died of Ebola virus in the state on July 25.



The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said this figure consisted of 44 healthcare workers and 15 others at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.



They include 44 hospital contacts (38 healthcare workers and six laboratory staff) and 15 airport contacts.



The 15 airport contacts comprise three ECOWAS staff-driver, Liaison, and Protocol Officer, Nigerian Ambassador to Monrovia, two nursing staff and five airport passenger handlers.



Sawyer, arrived in Lagos via Lome on Asky Airline Flight KP50.



He was said to be on his way to Calabar, the Cross River State capital for the 8th ECOWAS Retreat of Heads of Offices as a senior ECOWAS official in Liberia.



The deceased was also reported to have been very ill on arrival at the airport in Lagos and was assisted by some airport and ECOWAS protocol staff to a private hospital in Obalende .



It was said that when he showed the symptom of Ebola virus, the hospital notified the state Ministry of Health which also notified the Federal Ministry of Health.



The patient was said to have died at about 6.50am on July 25.



The state Ministry of Health in collaboration with the National Centre for Disease Control of the Federal Ministry of Health, and WHO have established an isolation centre for persons believed to have had contact with Sawyer while entering the country.



The private health facility where Sawyer was admitted had been decontaminated to eliminate any possible infections, according to health officials.



Meanwhile, veterinary virologist, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, has warned Nigerians against unsupervised burial of persons who died of Ebola.



He said 40 per cent of cases in high risk countries were transmitted from victims` bodies, stressing that an Ebola corpse was deadlier than the patient.



via nigerianeye

A 35-year-old man, Yinka Offehin, is battling for his life at a private hospital in Lagos State after his scrotum was cut by the children of his landlady.





The Edo State indigene, who resides on Popoola Street, off Abaranje Road in the Ikotun area of Lagos, was said to have been attacked while sleeping in his room with his family members.



His wife, Bisi, who was with him when the incident happened, identified the assailants as Solomon and Damilola, the children of the landlady.



She said, “On Thursday morning, around 3am, while we were sleeping, we heard loud bangs on our door. We initially thought they were armed robbers because the house beside ours had recently been robbed.



“When they entered, we saw they were children of our landlady. They began destroying our electronics and other property.



“There were two of them. One held a knife in his hand. They took N800, 000. They descended on my husband and he also fought back. In that confusion, my husband shouted and we saw that one of the attackers had cut Yinka’s scrotum. I can’t say what they used to cut off my husband’s scrotum.”



She added that her husband, though in pain, was able to hold on to one of his attackers till dawn, while the other fled the scene.



Bisi said her husband could not be admitted at a general hospital because of the ongoing doctors’ strike, but was eventually taken to a private hospital in the area.



When our correspondent visited the victim at the hospital, he told newsmen the genesis of his problem was when he had a misunderstanding with his landlady and was asked to vacate his apartment.



“I was asked to leave the house immediately, but after the intervention of the traditional ruler of the community, I was asked to leave by the end of August.



“But that decision did not go down well with the children of my landlady and they continued to make trouble with me.



“I was already planning to leave their house and had even contacted an agent when they attacked me without any provocation. I want the government to fight for me,” he said.



A doctor in the hospital, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that his patient would need up to three months to recover.



He said, “We have stitched the area where the scrotum was torn. It may take up to three months before it will heal. He needs time to fully recover from the injury.”



A relative said the doctor told the family if the condition did not improve, a surgery may not be ruled out.



It was learnt that about N60, 000 had already been spent by the family.



The father of the suspects, a pastor, when contacted, declined comment.



He said, “I am sorry; I can’t speak with you on this matter. You know the matter is already with the police and those they accused of committing the offence are in the police cell. So, what do you want me to say? I was told they are taking the matter to court. Let’s leave everything to God.”



Our correspondent learnt that the case was reported at the Ikotun Police Division.



A source told our correspondent that a member of the suspects’ family had on the morning of the incident reported a case of armed attack on them by a tenant.



The wife of the victim, who met the relative at the station, reportedly expressed surprise, telling the officers the reverse was the case.



It was learnt that the relative was put behind the counter after the police saw the victim’s injuries.



The Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the incident.



She said, “It was around 3am, while the victim was sleeping in his room, that one Solomon Olowogbemi and Damilola Olayeye, the children of his landlady, came in and started fighting with him.



“In the process, they inflicted injury on him with an unknown object. The skin of his scrotum was partly cut off, thereby exposing one of his testicles. The two suspects have been arrested and detained and the victim taken to a hospital.”



Culled from Punch



via nigerianeye

An American missionary who has contracted the Ebola virus in Africa is fighting for her life, her son says.

Missionary Nancy Writebol, 60, remains in quarantine after contracting Ebola in Liberia, where she and her husband David have been working with aid group Serving in Mission. She is one of two Americans battling the deadly virus.

“She’s stable,” Mrs Writebol’s son Jeremy told the US Today show.

“As dad put it, she’s fighting through it, and continuing to express a few symptoms, but she’s able to move around on her own, and they’re getting lots of fluids into her. She’s working real hard to get through this.”

Meanwhile, volunteers are not being discouraged from working in Africa despite the deadly Ebola virus with many believing they should go where God needs them.

Husband David has not been diagnosed with Ebola, and has only been allowed to see his wife through a window since she was placed in isolation, said Jeremy.

American Dr Kent Brantly, 33, is being treated at a hospital in the Liberian capital, Monrovia, after also contracting Ebola.

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President Goodluck Jonathan has condemned today’s attack on Kano State Polytechnic and has therefore directed the Armed Forces, Police and other national security agencies to strengthen security around educational facilities in states prone to terrorist attacks.

The President also condemned the attacks on two mosques in Potiskum, Yobe State Tuesday.

“No amount of intimidation and violence would stampede the government into abandoning its goal of giving education a new lease of life and opening up access to all young Nigerians who wish to improve themselves,” said Jonathan in reaction to the suicide bombing of the Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies.

According to the president, “the callous attacks on soft targets fully affirm that the terrorists are nothing but bloodthirsty adherents of a warped and retrogressive ideology.

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The Kibaku Area Development Association (Chibok community), has explained that the Presidency shared N22.4m to the Chibok parents and the escaped girls that held a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan on July 22,2014, contrary to reports that N100m was doled out to the recipients.





The Chibok community leadership refuted allegations that it was given N100m to share to the parents and women, adding that it did not handle or receive any money from the Presidency.



The association in a press statement signed by its Spokesman, Dauda Ilya, in Abuja on Wednesday, said that 63 individuals comprising 51 escaped girls were given N100,000 each, 51 parents equally received N100,000 each and another 61 parents got N200,000 each.



The community stated that 10 parents out of the 122 that took part in the meeting with Jonathan did not receive any money.



It said, “On the night of July 22, 2014 at about midnight, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties who had been co-ordinating the visit on the side of the Presidency, visited the hotel and told the 51 escaped girls who came that the Presidency sent them a token of N100,000 each and accordingly gave them the said sum without prior discussion with any KADA official or any other person in the community.



“He equally gave the sum of N200,000 each to 61 parents out of the 122 parents that came on the visit. Fifty one parents were given N100,000 each on the basis that the money given to him was not enough to go round at N200,000. The remaining 10 parents were not given any amount of money.



“As for the money given to some parents back home in Chibok, it was the sum of N1m given to them by the member of the House of Reps representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency which is the source of the alleged N7,000.00 given to parents in Chibok that were not part of the visit.”



The association said it was disturbed and disgusted by media reports that its leadership received money from the Presidency, describing the claim as “false, malicious and unfounded.”



The KADA stated that it had spelt out to the Presidency through the office of the Chief of Staff that it would not be involved with any financial transaction whatsoever, including payment of transportation from Chibok to Yola, flight by air from Yola to Abuja, hotel accommodation and feeding in Abuja, as well as the intra-city transportation of the parents and girls while in Abuja.



It said, ” Our primary priority has and remains the rescue of our abducted 219 daughters. Our Association has been at the forefront of calling for decisive measures to secure their release.



“We took the moral high ground as a Community Association that represents the Chibok people in Abuja to facilitate the recent visit of parents of our abducted daughters and 51 of the 57 that escaped.



“We helped make that visit possible despite our misgivings that it was a poor substitute to our expectation that Mr. President should have visited Chibok even before the visit of our people for a tragedy that is now 107 days old.”



The Chibok community said while it welcomed any well intended support for the suffering population of Chibok town who had lost their means of livelihood since the April 14 abduction of over 200 schoolgirls, “the approach the Presidency has adopted has brought reproach and dishonor to our community in the eyes of the public that has supported us since the abduction of our daughters.”



via nigerianeye

Presidency tells EzekwesiliThe presidency has urged Nigerians to desist from spreading false stories capable of compounding the woes of the parents of the abducted Chibok girls.





The presidency made this statement following accusations by leaders of the BringBackOurGirls campaign that the parents of the abducted girls were given N100m during their visit to the Aso Villa.



The Special Assistant to President Jonathan on New Media, Reno Omokri via his twitter handle @renoomokri, noted that, “Chibok parents are hurting. We must all comfort them as we await rescue of our daughters. Let’s not compound their sorrow with false stories”.



It will be recalled that former Minister of Education and a leader of the BringBackOurGirls campaign, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili condemned the presidency for allegedly doling out money to the parents of the abducted Chibok girls during a visit to the Aso Villa.



via nigerianeye

Some parts of Potiskum town of Yobe State in North East Nigeria boiled on Tuesday night as no fewer than 17 worshippers were killed by suspected insurgents, who launched attacks on two separate mosques in the town.





The mosques were located at the Kalli Alkali area, around the Emir of Fika’s Palace, and the Sakafa Mosque close to the Potiskum central market.



Our correspondent gathered that the worshippers were targeted in the two separate attacks during the evening prayer at about 7:30pm.



Sympathisers, who besieged the two mosques immediately after the attacks, were said to be horrified by the mutilated bodies of some of the victims as they littered the mosque premises.



Residents also besieged the Potiskum General Hospital to identify those affected as well as commiserate with them.



Although hospital authority declined comments, our correspondent learnt that 17 bodies were brought from the scenes of the two attacks while 35 others, affected by the blasts, were currently receiving treatment at the Potiskum hospital.



Some of the victims, were as of press time, being referred to other hospitals.



One of those involved in the rescue operations, Bala Afuwa of Isma Medical Initiatives, confirmed that 17 people died in the attack while 35 were currently on admission.



“We were involved in the rescue operation from the beginning up to this time and I can confirm to you that 17 people were killed in the separate blasts while 35 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.



Many of those on admission will be referred to either Nguru or neighbouring Azare for treatment,” he said in Hausa.



The Emir of Fika and chairman Yobe State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Mohammadu Idris, who also visited the scene of the two blasts, condemned the attacks, describing it as callous and inhuman.



He called on the people to be vigilant at all times in the fight against terrorism.



Earlier on Monday, suspected Boko Haram members had sacked a military base in the Birni Yadi area of the state before killing no fewer than eight people.



The terrorists reportedly blew off a bridge linking Damaturu, the state capital, through Birni Yadi with Borno and Adamawa states.



via nigerianeye

The Police in Delta State have arrested a 25-year-old woman, Ese Oghenevwe, and her church priest, Austin Eduviere following a report that her two sons died after consuming a liquid substance the priest gave to her.





According to a police press release issued on Wednesday evening, the Police at Abraka received information that the women had killed her two children, Prayer Clement, nine months old, and Wisdom Clement, 2, by giving them a liquid substance to drink.



“Based on the information, detectives arrested the said Oghenevwe. The suspect revealed that the liquid substance was given to her by Eduviere of Triumphant World International Church Abraka for healing purposes as the Apostle claimed he had prayed over it,” the police release by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu said.



Kalu said the apostle disclosed that the said liquid substance was a mixture of water and salt which he sells to people at N1,850 for healing of various sicknesses after praying for them.



The police also said they arrested a carjacker and recovered a stolen vehicle on Wednesday. The police release said, “Police patrol team from Abraka Division while on stop and search duty at Police station junction Abraka intercepted a Toyota Camry car, number plate, LSD 264 AC with two occupants.



“Immediately the vehicle stopped one of the suspects alighted and took to his heels while the other, later identified as one Akpos Omote ‘m’ was arrested. The suspect has confessed that they snatched the car from one Mrs. Jane Esegbe at Udu, in Udu LGA in Delta state.



“The said Toyota Camry has been recovered to the station, while efforts are on to apprehend the fleeing suspect.”



via nigerianeye

President Goodluck Jonathan has directed the Armed Forces, Police and other national security agencies to strengthen security around educational facilities in states prone to terrorist attacks.







The President also condemned the attacks on two mosques in Potiskum, Yobe State Tuesday.



Reacting to the suicide bombing of the Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies today, President Jonathan said “no amount of intimidation and violence would stampede the government into abandoning its goal of giving education a new lease of life and opening up access to all young Nigerians who wish to improve themselves”.



According to the president, “the callous attacks on soft targets fully affirm that the terrorists are nothing but bloodthirsty adherents of a warped and retrogressive ideology.



“President Jonathan condemns the repeated targeting of worshippers, and innocent students who are the nation’s future by depraved terrorists.



“No amount of intimidation and violence would stampede the government into abandoning its goal of giving education a new lease of life and opening up access to all young Nigerians who wish to improve themselves.



“President Jonathan has therefore directed the Armed Forces, Police and other national security agencies to further enhance security around educational facilities in states prone to terrorist attacks”.



via nigerianeye

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has said it has been distributing food items and kerosene to residents of the state for years, especially during festive periods, before it began its campaign for the forthcoming governorship election.





The Publicity Secretary of Osun PDP, Mr. Bola Ajao, told our correspondent that the party has been distributing several tonnes of rice, litres of kerosene, to show that it cares for the people, and denied insinuations that the party was using such items to induce voters.



He said, “This is Africa, in Africa we are known for being our brother’s keepers. So, what we are doing, distributing rice and kerosene, is to show that we care for the people of Osun State.



“We didn’t start doing it because of election, we have been giving rice to people especially during festivities because we know that we have in our society people who might not be able to easily afford these things. This is also not the first time we are distributing kerosene.”



Ajao said in spite of the criticisms of the practice, which has been termed ‘stomach infrastructure,’ they would continue to distribute such items to those in need.



“We will continue giving out things even after the election, and this is to show you that it is not about the election. We are only doing this to show the kind of party we are; a party that cares for the masses. As a matter of fact more batches of rice and kerosene will come before the election,” he said.



Our correspondent observed that hundreds of 50kg bags of rice, thousands of about five kilograms packs of rice as well as several cartoons of vegetable oil all branded were stock piled at the PDP secretariat in Osogbo awaiting distribution.



The party has also engaged in distributing other branded gifts such as shirts, face caps, hats, umbrellas, hand fans during its campaign rallies.



via nigerianeye