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The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, has redeployed the Police personnel attached to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.







The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, hinged the withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security aides on Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.



Statement reads, “In view of the recent defection by the Right Hon. Aminu Waziri Tanbuwal, CFR, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, from the People Democratic Party to the All Progressive Congress and having regard to the clear provision of section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the Nigeria Police Force, has redeployed its personnel attached to his office.”



Ojukwu could not be reached to comment on why the same treatment was not applied to Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, who defected from the Labour Party to the Peoples Democratic Party a few weeks ago.



The FPRO did not respond to calls to his phone and he has yet to respond to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.



Mr. Tambuwal, who had long identified with the APC, announced a formal defection Tuesday and promptly adjourned the House of Representatives to forestall any backlash from the ruling PDP.



The PDP called for his resignation.



On Wednesday, the speaker, a three-term member of the House, attended a mini-convention of the APC, arriving at the venue of the event in Abuja to a rapturous welcome.



He condemned his former party as being led by a cabal and vowed that his new party will “sweep” off the ruling party after 15 years in power.



A source close to the camp of the speaker said “the tumultuous welcome accorded the speaker at the convention and the overwhelming outpouring of goodwill from the general public is said to have rattled the presidency resulting in their frenzied reaction”.



“Early this morning, few minutes after midnight to be precise, top level security report informed the Speaker that orders have been given for the withdrawal of his security details,” the source, who declined to be named because he is not permitted to speak to the media, said.



The source said the speaker had been informed that the governing party, PDP, will file a legal challenge against him for retaining his seat Thursday.



“The ironic thing here is why not wait for the verdict before any action is taken?” the source said.

Mr. Tambuwal’s spokesperson, Imam Imam, could not be immediately reached for comments.



via nigerianeye

No fewer than 30 man -gang of robbers operated on motorbikes yesterday and stormed a first generation bank in Ifaki Ekiti in Ido-Osi Local Government area of the state and robbed the bank an undisclosed amount of money.







It may be recalled that bandits had operated successfully more than four different occasions in the bank in the last five years



The development led to the untimely closure of banks in Ado Ekiti and most parts of the state. The banks decided to close their operations for fear of being attacked by the robbers



It was gathered that the robbers had earlier attacked a police station located not too far from the bank



The bandits who were armed to the teeth had arrived the bank which is located in the middle of the town at about 10.30am and shot indiscriminately to scare away both customers and staffer of the bank.



They were said to have asked the accountant of the bank to open the vault of the bank but the police thwarted their effort

The timely arrival of the policemen to the scene saved the situation as they (robbers) abandoned their loots and their bikes and ran away to different directions.



via nigerianeye

Fifteen Generals have been retired from the Nigerian Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (NASEME) Auchi, Edo state.







Ten out of the 15 are Brigadier Generals while five are Major Generals. The Major Generals are Edem Ekwo, Thompson Oliomoghe, Richard duegbunam, Friday Airende and Abass Adekanye , while the Brigadier Generals includes Idi Adamu, Patrick Oviaghase, Samuel Ayo, Peter Aremu, Jacob Amao, Joshua Ibilaye, Ibrahim Alawode, Samuel Adesogan, Chukwuka Ani and Abel Okpeki.

Speaking at a pulling out parade held in honour of the retiring Generals in Auchi yesterday, the Corps Commander of NASEME, Major General S Labaran said that the retired officers served the country meritoriously.



“They have served the nation meritoriously and they deserve our respect. The Nigerian Army will always fulfil its commitment in the defence of our fatherland. Your services are well appreciated and I want to wish you well in your various future endeavours” he stated.



One of the retired Generals, Thompson Oliomoghe who spoke on behalf of others thanked the Nigerian Army for the opportunity to serve the nation.



via nigerianeye

A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, in Kaduna on Friday said the withdrawal of the security details of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, was a plot by the Federal Government to eliminate him(Speaker).



The former Minister, who accused President Goodluck Jonathan of masterminding the withdrawal of Tambuwal security aides, alleged that the Speaker was one of the targets of snipers being purportedly groomed by agents of the government.





Ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo had in his open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan last year alleged that agents of the Federal Government was grooming snipers that would target some prominent Nigerians.

Tambuwal

Speaking to newsmen after picking his expression of interest and nomination forms as an All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant in Kaduna on Friday, the former minister claimed that the Speaker was one of the targets of the killer squad.



“That was why the Inspector-General of Police, on the order of Jonathan(president), withdrew the Speaker security aides,” he added.



Warning that no harm must befall the Speaker, the former minister noted that it was irresponsible on the part of the Inspector-General of Police and the Federal Government to have withdrawn the Speaker’s security details.



The APC chief explained that the withdrawal was done deliberately so as to pave the way for the “killer squad” to eliminate the Speaker for defecting to the APC.



According to el-Rufai, the removal of the Speaker’s security is part of the continuation of the Jonathan-led government’s penchant for impunity.



The former Minister, however, reminded the Jonathan government that impunity had limitations, saying that the Nigeria government should learn from Burkina Faso when the people were fed up with the government.



El-Rufai said, “The withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security aides is on the order of the President Goodluck Jonathan. The IG doesn’t act that way. The president ordered the IG to order the removal. Its just the continuation of the Jonathanian impunity.



“This people have no respect for the law. They have no respect for rules. They think they are in power to abuse their control of coercive instruments of power and we should warn them that impunity has limits. If anything happens to Tambuwal(Speaker), the whole world would hold them responsible.



” He(Speaker) was on the list of those to be taken out by snipers. So, if anything happens to him, we know that it was done intentionally so that this will succeed.



“They should look across Burkina Faso and see what is happening when a government overstays its welcome or engages in wanton impunity. They should learn from history. I think it is very irresponsible on the part of IG and the government to do that.”



He also warned the police and other security agents to desist from being partisan in the run-up to 2015 general elections, saying Nigerians were fed up with the current government of the Peoples Democratic Party.



via nigerianeye

Dr Doyin Okupe, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, said on Friday that President Goodluck Jonathan, remains the most performing president the country has had since independence.



Okupe said this at the Public Affairs Forum held in Abuja.







The four-day forum was organised under the auspices of Okupe’s office to highlight the achievements of the Jonathan-led administration.



Okupe said that although previous Nigerian leaders performed well within the circumstances they found themselves, none of them achieved half of what President Jonathan have achieved in four years.



The presidential aide described as “nonsense” claims that the Transformation Agenda of the President existed only in the media.



“It is nonsense to say that the Transformation Agenda of Jonathan existed in the television. We have not spoken about what he has done. We are going to overwhelm Nigerians during the campaign.”

He said it was regrettable that not much had been done to sell the good performance of the Jonathan`s administration to Nigerians.



Okupe, however, held that past Nigerian leaders contributed immensely to the development of the country to their best abilities as each of them recorded his own achievement.



He said that the Jonathan-led Federal Government would showcase its achievements to Nigerians during the presidential campaign for 2015.



This, he said, would convince the people that Jonathan remains the best option for the country in the years to come.



He, however, advised Nigerians to shun the antics of the opposition, saying that in spite of their criticism, they had not told Nigerians what they would offer, if given the opportunity to govern.

“This election will be a ‘no contest’ affair. We are telling the world what Jonathan has done. We will not stop until well beyond February. 2015,” he said.



Also speaking, the Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar, presented the ministry’s achievements in the last four years during the event with the theme “Jonathan`s administration: Four impactful years”.

He said the resuscitation and modernisation of the Nigerian Railway system had reached an advance stage.



The minister highlighted various stages of work on new and existing rail lines in different parts of the country, many of which, he said, would be completed by the end of the year.



He stated that the Jonathan-led administration had repositioned the Nigerian port system in line with global best practices.



The administration, he said, had also increased the use of inland waterways and enhanced maritime safety and security.



The minister said that the administration had also improved the inter-model coordination of the Nigerian transport system and enhanced private sector participation in transportation in the country.



“These achievements have certainly impacted positively on the actualisation of the Transformation Agenda of Mr. President to the overall benefit of the Nigerian economy and the citizens,” he said. (NAN)



via nigerianeye

The Independent National Electoral Commission says it will soon apply sanctions for non-compliance with its timetable for the 2015 general elections.



The commission’s Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said this in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Friday.







He advised people, politicians and political parties to adhere strictly to the timetable.



Jega said, “The time table has long been issued and it is on our website.



“I will advise people, particularly politicians and political parties to adhere strictly to that timetable.



“The times when campaign will begin, when primaries will be conducted, when candidates will be nominated.



“That is very important because non compliance with the election timetable may also contribute to election offences.”



Jega also stressed the need to sanction anybody or political parties that violate the Electoral Act or guidelines issued by the commission.



He said, “The Electoral Act is clear of what constitutes campaign, there are challenges, of course.



“Recently, we have worked very closely with political parties.



“Now we have issued guidelines which clearly define what campaign is and which has identified what constitutes an offence in the process of campaigning.



“With these guidelines, we hope now that there will be no ambiguity, and therefore sanctions should apply.”



NAN



via nigerianeye

South African National Prosecuting Authority on Friday in Johannesburg, said that a suspect in the killing of the captain of South Africa’s national soccer team, Senzo Meyiwa, has been arrested.







Nathi Mncube, the authority’s Spokesman said the suspect, Zanokuhle Mbatha, had appeared in the Boksburg Magistrates’ Court east of Johannesburg.



He said the case was postponed until Nov.11.



via nigerianeye

A Chief Armourer with the Kaduna State Police Command, Nambol Audu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was found dead in the early hours of Friday in police custody, according to police authorities.







The chief amourer was arrested on Monday for allegedly stealing firearms and attempted selling them to criminals.




He was reported to have shot himself on the chest while in detention at about 5am on Friday morning.



The command did not, however, explain how the detained police officer found the gun with which he shot himself in custody.



Confirming the incident, the State Commissioner of Police, Umar Shehu, said preliminary investigation revealed that the late officer killed himself, dismissing suggestions that Audu might have been murdered while in detention.



According to the commissioner, full investigation into the incident had commenced.



The late Audu and two others were on Monday arrested as they drove into the police armoury at night, where they loaded firearms into a private vehicle.



But parading the suspects before journalists on Tuesday, the commissioner said police officers on guard suspected foul play and stopped the vehicle from leaving the premises.



It was gathered that upon interrogation, the commissioner said the State Armament Officer could not give satisfactory account of his action, which led to his arrest and the two other occupants of the vehicle – one Zingkur Joseph of Trade Centre, Jos and Samuel Adamu of Kuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.



via nigerianeye

Guy Scott, the first white person to rule Zambia since independence from Britain in 1964, said though his skin was white, his blood was black.





He told journalists on Friday in Lusaka that `I may be white from the outside, but my blood is black.’’



He said he would not give interviews for the time being because the media kept referring to him as a white president.



Scott, the 70-year-old economist and former agriculture minister who served as President Michael Sata’s Deputy, became the head of state on Wednesday after Sata died in London on Tuesday.



However, he cannot seek the presidency in the elections due in 90 days’ time because of his Scottish parentage.



The constitution stipulates that the president of Zambia must be a Zambian with both parents born in the country.



NAN



via nigerianeye

Top Nigerian rapper M.I, recently shared his thought about his highly anticipated album, The Chairman.



The album has been said to feature the likes of Olamide, Phyno, and Patoraking, among others.







The Jos-born rapper recently took to his Instagram page to express his state of mind concerning the release of his album. He puts it this way: “They will critique me.. They will try to denounce my achievements and impact. But no one can say I didn’t try!!! I set out to do it and I did.”



via nigerianeye

Burkina Faso’s army chief Navere Honore Traore said he was taking power on Friday as head of state after President Blaise Compaore announced his resignation.



“In line with constitutional measures, and given the power vacuum … I will assume as of today my responsibilities as head of state,” said Traore in a statement.







France’s Hollande welcomes Burkina Faso leader’s resignation.



France’s President Francois Hollande on Friday welcomed the resignation of his Burkina Faso counterpart and called for calm and restraint amid unrest in the former French colony.



“France welcomes the resignation of the president of Burkina Faso which allows for a way out of the crisis,” Hollande’s office said in a statement.



Hollande expressed his “solidarity” with the victims of the recent unrest wracking

Burkina Faso and called for “calm and restraint from everyone involved.”



“France recalls its attachment to the Constitution and therefore to the quick holding of democratic elections,” added Hollande.



Burkina Faso’s embattled President Blaise Compaore announced earlier Friday he was stepping down to make way for elections following a violent uprising against his 27-year rule.

Hollande had said earlier he was “sure” Compaore would take the “right decision” to bring calm to the country.



Known in colonial times as Upper Volta, the landlocked country became independent from France in 1960 and its name was changed to Burkina Faso (“the land of upright men”) in 1984.



EU says Burkina Faso people must decide own future



The EU called Friday for the people of Burkina Faso to have the final say in who governs the west African country, as President Blaise Compaore stepped down after mass protests.



The 28-nation bloc said it was ready to help with elections, which Compaore said in his resignation statement should be held within 90 days.



“The European Union believes that it is up to the people of Burkina Faso to decide their own future. Any solution must be the result of a broad consensus and respect the constitution,” a spokesman for the bloc’s diplomatic service said in a statement.



The EU was “working with all actors on the ground to find a solution” and consulting with international partners over the crisis, triggered by an uprising after Compaore tried to extend his 27 years in power.



“We are ready to work with the people of Burkina Faso to ensure a return to normality, including the organisation of elections,” it said.



via nigerianeye

Stephen Keshi has been re-appointed as coach of African champions Nigeria after he was sacked earlier this month, in the latest twist in a long-running battle for control of the country’s football federation.







The head of the federation’s technical committee, Felix Anyansi-Agwu, said his body had “decided to accept” a proposal re-instating Keshi as Super Eagles coach for Nigeria’s next Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo and South Africa in November.



via nigerianeye

A former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Nasiru El Rufai, on Friday obtained the All Progressives Congress nomination forms to contest for the 2015 governor election in Kaduna State, with an assurance that his aspiration was not out of desperation.







He told officials of the party and supporters at the APC State Secretariat in Kaduna that he was ready to offer credible leadership if given the chance.



According to him, he is not in the contest to enrich himself or witch hunt anybody but to bring about the required transformation in the state.

The former minister, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, called for unity among party members and assured the people of his support to whoever emerged as the party’s flag bearer.



El-Rufai said the state needed salvation from long years of misrule and assured that the APC would offer credible and people-oriented leadership.

Earlier, the state’s Chairman of APC, Mr. Bala Bantex, said the party’s leadership would be fair and just to all contestants.



He appealed to the party supporters to conduct themselves with decorum and unite to ensure victory for the party in the 2015 general election.



via nigerianeye

The Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, has said that passenger train service from Lagos to Abuja would come on stream by 2015.







According to the minister, the train journey from Lagos to Abuja and vice versa, would take only three hours, adding that the express train would stop over at only three stations before destination.

Umar, who stated this in Abuja on Friday while giving account of stewardship by his ministry in the last three years, said the train service would be competing favourably with air transport service.

Stressing the importance of functional transportation system, the minister said: “The role of transportation in the socio-economic and political development of any nation cannot be over-emphasised as developments in all other sectors of the economy depend on the efficient performance of the transport system.



“Generally, the fundament goal of the transport sub section under the transformation agenda is to develop an adequate, safe, environmentally sound, efficient and affordable, integrated transport system within the framework of a progressive and competitive national and international market economy.”



Umar further stated that the rehabilitation over 90 percent of existing narrow gauge lines throughout the country was ongoing, being the first segment of the 25-year railway strategic vision.



The minister said intra and intercity train services had since been restored in Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Offa, Minna, Ibadan and others, adding that rail system targeted about five million passengers in 2014.



He listed companies patronising train cargo system for their products to include the Flour Mills, Lafarge Cement, Inland Container Limited, Eastern Line Contractors, NRC and Connectrail Limited.



via nigerianeye

An Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court on Friday sentenced a landlord, Iyabo Adakeja, (47), to three years imprisonment for removing a tenant’s roofing sheet without his consent to forcefully cause him to vacate his apartment.







The Magistrate, Taiwo Ajibade, gave the verdict in the judgment.



NAN reports that the Police Prosecutor, Mr David Erima, told the court that the accused committed the offence on March 13, 2013 at about 3:00 p.m. at No 38, Ekute Street, Ado-Ekiti.



On the said date, the accused, unlawfully and forcefully, ejected her tenant, Sunday Agbaje and also threatened his life.

Erima said that consequent upon the removal of the roof, heavy rain poured and damaged Agbeje’s property, including mattresses, camera, fridge, generator, DVD, clothes, television sets and other items, worth over N300, 000.



He said the offence was punishable under Section 401 of the Criminal Code; Cap C 16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2013.



Counsel to the accused, Mr Yemi Adebayo, urged the court to be lenient in the dispensation of justice to his client.



The magistrate, however, sentenced the accused to three years imprisonment or to pay an option of fine of N50, 000.



via nigerianeye

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal and his party, the All Progresives Congress, APC, on Friday dragged his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, the deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Inspector General of Police, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, before a federal high court in Abuja.







The Speaker who recently defected from the ruling party to the opposition wants the court to stop moves being made by the PDP to declare his seat vacant.



Tambuwal insists that he remains the Speaker of the House of Representatives until the expiration of his current term which is 5 June, 2015.



He wants the court to make an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from taking any steps whatsoever to abrogate, diminish or infringe on his rights and privileges as the Speaker of the House of Representatives before the expiration of his current tenure.



Further more, the embattled Speaker wants the court to restrain INEC from accepting any nomination of candidates or otherwise organizing or conducting a ‘bye election for the purpose of replacing him or taking over his seat as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.



He also asked the court to make an order of mandatory injunction compelling the defendants to restore his security details all rights, benefits and privileges appurtenant to members of and the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.



He averred that he was not elected Speaker of the House of Representatives by reason of his membership of the PDP and that his defection from the party was due to crisis in the party which led to the emergence of two factions.



via nigerianeye

Doctors at a hospital in the southern city of Hyderabad have reportedly performed a heart surgery on a foetus in a 25-year-old woman’s womb, local media reported on Friday.



The cardiac surgeon, Nageswara Rao, told reporters in Hyderabad that in a medical feat, the surgery was the first to be carried out in India.







The doctors at Care Hospital said that they had to perform the heart surgery on the foetus to correct a serious condition that has no cure once the baby is born.



“At 25-26 weeks, the left ventricle started deteriorating, getting damaged and shrinking.



“We realised this is going to be a serious condition where the left side of the heart will be too small and not useful and it won’t be possible to perform surgery after birth,” Rao told the media.



He added that they decided to go for the procedure called ‘foetal aortal volvotomy’.



(NAN)



via nigerianeye

The Federal Government has criticised 22 countries for stigmatizing Nigerians over the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak, which it said had been cared for, prompting the World Health Organisation to give the country a clean bill of health.







It said the continued stigmatizing of Nigerians was unacceptable and named the countries that had been discriminating against Nigerian nationals to include Bahrain; Côte d’Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Cuba, Gabon, China, Egypt and Hong Kong.



Others are Kuwait; Qatar; Sri Lanka; Turkey; Zambia; Mauritania; São Tomé & Principe; South Africa; United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Namibia, Seychelles and South Sudan.



Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Aminu Wali, who protested the incident, at a meeting with members of the Diplomatic Corps on Friday in Abuja, also cautioned Heads of Mission for making what he called inflammatory and reckless statements against the FG on matters of domestic policy.



According to him, such an act is “unacceptable interference in Nigeria’s domestic affairs, such envoys are advised to respect the sensitivity of Nigerians and the mood of the times.”



Wali said, “It is disappointing and troubling that in spite of the decisive measures taken by the Federal Government of Nigeria and the subsequent positive declaration by WHO, some countries have regrettably, chosen to flout the WHO rules on the (Ebola) virus by adopting deliberate policies of stigmatization and discrimination against Nigerians simply because we were unfortunately exposed to the virus.



“I will like to make it categorically clear that the continued discrimination and profiling of Nigeria is not acceptable to the government and people of Nigeria.”



The minister said it was intriguing that it took some time for the international community to acknowledge the valiant and effective measures taken by the government at all levels, to contain the spread of the Ebola virus.



Wali observed that the outbreak of epidemics like the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and the Avian Influenza, did not attract stigmatization against the affected countries.



Members of the Diplomatic Corps at the meeting, raised various issues of concern, ranging from the 2015 elections, to the Boko Haram insurgency, all of which the minister addressed, assuring them that the FG was working hard to contain the security challenge in the country.



He explained that the government was doing everything possible to ensure that the forthcoming election is transparent and credible, and called for the support of the international communities to make the electoral process, a success.



via nigerianeye

The Economic Community of West African States, has warned against hijack of power through violent means in Burkina Faso, saying it will not recognize ascension to power through non-constitutional means.





The community called for calm following the violence that erupted in the country over moves by President Blaise Compaoré to add a further term to his 27 years in office.



Compaore had declared a state of emergency and dissolved the government on Thursday, but also offered negotiations with his adversaries after a day of fiery protests against his plans to elongate his tenure.



But a statement signed by the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS and Ghanaian President, John Mahama, emailed to our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday, said it was following with grave attention, the events unfolding in Burkina Faso and the tension around the process leading to the consideration of the draft bill on constitutional amendment.



It said that it had taken note of the decision by the government to withdraw the passing of the draft bill, and believed that it was geared towards preserving the stability and peace in the country.



The regional body reiterated the need for compliance with the principle of democracy and constitutional governance as stipulated in the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance.



It said, “ECOWAS calls on all the people to remain calm and law abiding, and the security forces to respect and act in accordance with the constitution of the Republic.



“It also calls on all the parties involved, notably the entire political class to embrace dialogue with a view to arriving at a political consensus that will lead to free, fair and credible election consistent with constitutional provisions.



“ECOWAS, in line with its principle, will not recognize any ascension to power through non-constitutional means.”







via nigerianeye

Two Malaysian teenage boys on Friday filed a negligence case against the state-owned Malaysia Airlines and the government over the disappearance of flight MH370, their lawyers said.





The case, which the minors filed through their mother, was the first legal action by relatives in relation to the incident.



It was brought before the Kuala Lumpur High Court by the two sons, aged 14 and 11, of businessman Jee Hang, one of the 239 people on board the airline that went missing on March 8 an hour after it took off from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport for China.



According to their lawyer, Gary Chong, the plaintiffs claimed that Malaysia Airlines was negligent and failed to take all due safety measures.



The complaint also stated that the government did not try to establish contact within reasonable time after MH370 disappeared from the radar.



They added that the immigration department failed in its duties by allowing passengers with fake identities onto the plane.



“We have spoken with the experts and we believe we have a strong case,” Chong told reporters.



Among the respondents in the case were Malaysia Airlines, the Director General of Civil Aviation, the Director General of the Immigration and the Chief of the Air Force.



According to the complaint, Jee was earning a monthly income of 16,865 ringgit a month (5,120 dollars) from an internet shop that he owned.



Report says the governments of Malaysia, Australia and China are continuing the search for MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean where it was believed to have crashed.



via nigerianeye

Restated Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has recalled Villareal striker, Ikechukwu Uche, to the squad ahead of next month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo and South Africa, Goal reports.



The coach, however, retained the team that prosecuted the October qualifiers against Sudan.





Full Squad:



Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille OSC, France); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel); Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United, Nigeria).



Defenders: Elderson Echiejile (Monaco FC, France); Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod FC, Israel); Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria); Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (Middlesbrough FC, England); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves, Nigeria).



Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Hope Akpan (Reading FC, England); Raheem Lawal (Eskisehirspor FC, Turkey); Omatsone Aluko (Hull City, England); Tony Edjomari (Nasarawa United, Nigeria).



Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); Osaguona Ighodaro (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria); Ikechukwu Uche (Villareal FC, Spain); Aaron Samuel (Guangzhou R&F, China); Sunday Emmanuel (SV Scholz Grodig, Austria); Babatunde Michael (Volyn Lutsk, Ukraine): Emem Eduok (Dolphins FC, Nigeria).



via nigerianeye

Plateau State Giverbor, Mr. Jonah Jang, has suspended the Vice Chancellor of the Plateau State University, Bokkos, recently rechristened Solomon Lar University, Prof. Danjuma Sheni







Our correspondent gathered that Sheni was suspended because of what the governor described as an “inappropriate behaviour.”



A statement from the office of the Secretary to the State Government on Thursday, did not however elaborate on what was termed an “inappropriate behaviour.



Our correspondent gathered that the action might be connected to the reappointment of the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof Dadi Davou.



The VC had been having a running battle with the Pro Chancellor, Ptof. Sam Ale, who is an in-law to the governor, over the utilisation of the university funds and alleged interference with university administration.



The matter came to a head when a group of teachers in the university petitioned anti-graft bodies, alleging shady contract deals in the school.



Matters worsened when the governor, as the Visitor to the university, ordered the reappointment of Davou, an action said to have violated the university laws.



Davou, who was on sabbatical with the university, was appointed the DVC for a term of two and half years.



On the expiration of his appointment, the governor, as the Visitor, had reappointed Davou without the consent of the Senate, prompting some members of the Senate to file an action against Davou’s reappointment.



The new development, some lecturers alleged, was the second time Jang was interfering in the administration of the institution.



On September 7, 2007, few months after his election, the governor had ordered the suspension of academic activities in the school, sacking the then pioneer Vice Chancellor, Prof. John Wade, and sending over 500 students to the streets.



However Wade was reinstated and the school reopened after a three-year long legal tussle.



via nigerianeye

Following the resignation of five members of his cabinet, Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State on Friday named supervisory commissioners to replace those that quit the state executive council two weeks ago.







The state’s Commissioner for Information, Danladi Ndayebo who disclosed this at the post Executive Council meeting press briefing, said he now supervises the Ministry of Environment, Parks, Gardens and Forest Resources.



According to him, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Prof. Muhammed Kuta Yahaya will supervise the Ministry of Tertiary Education.



The Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr. Joshua Bawa is to take over the Science and Technology ministry.



The Commissioner for Youth Development, Alhaji Abubakar Garba Mohammed, will oversee the portfolio of the Commissioner of Sports, while the Commissioner of Health and Hospital Services, Hajiya Hadiza Abdullahi coordinate activities in the Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development.



via nigerianeye

An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on Friday remanded a motorcyclist, Lukman Bakare, 29, at Ikoyi Prison over the murder of Cpl. Joseph Ebosele,35.





Bakare, who resides at 20, Olajumoke St., Owode, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area in Ogun, is facing a charge of murder. The Magistrate, Mr M.O. Tanimola, ordered that the accused be in custody pending legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs).



The prosecutor, Sgt. Cousin Adams, told the court that the offence was committed on Oct.11 at 11p.m. in Meiran area of Lagos. Adams added that the policemen on patrol apprehended the cyclist at midnight when he could not give satisfactory answers. They confiscated his motorcycle “He escaped on the way to the station. Following this development, the team leader of the policemen ordered the (now) deceased officer to ride the seized motorcycle to the station. “The accused saw the deceased while riding the motorcycle to the station and hit him on the head with iron.



“The other policemen on patrol took him to a hospital where he was confirmed dead”, Adams said. The prosecutor said the corpse was deposited at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) mortuary for autopsy. He said that the offence contravened Section 221 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 221 provides that a person guilty of murder shall be sentenced to death. The magistrate adjourned the case to Dec.3 for mention. (NAN)



via nigerianeye

Reports reaching NigerianEYE suggest that a multiple bomb explosion this morning rocked the Gombe Line Motor Park in Gombe, the Gombe state capital, killing at least 30 people





According to the police and an eye witnesses the explosions were reported to have occurred around 9:30 am Friday leaving many dead.



The Three bombs which were said to be concealed in bags went off during Friday morning rush hour, the latest in a series of attacks targeting commuters blamed on Boko Haram, police and witnesses said.



“We had explosions at the Gombe line motor park…As for the death toll, we are still working on that,” said area police chief Abdullahi Kudu.



An employee of the state-run bus park, Lawanti Aliyu, and other witnesses said three men left bags packed with explosives among the buses which went off at 9:00 am (0800 GMT).



Both the state’s police spokesperson, Fwaje Atajiri, and the Commissioner, Kudu Nma, did not answer or return calls made to them.



More Details later…..



via nigerianeye

The rescue of the 219 girls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State by insurgents of the Islamist Boko Haram group must take priority over every other activity, Bringbackourgirls campaigner, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili has said.





Speaking ahead of the 200th day today, of the abduction of the school girls, Mrs. Ezekwesili expressed sorrow over the continued abduction of the girls who she said, should not be allowed to abide a day longer in the captivity of the insurgents.



She rebuffed a direct response to the spate of political activities connected to the forthcoming elections saying tersely that every other thing was insignificant to the efforts to liberate the girls.



“As far as we are concerned, we are not looking at any other thing, we are just interested in the Federal Government living up to its responsibility, the need to rescue the Chibok girls,” Mrs. Ezekwesili a former minister of education and vice-president in World Bank said.

“Every other thing pales into insignificance to the lives of 219 citizens of Nigeria who should not be in the enemy’s den for 200 days now,” she reiterated.



276 girls of the Government Secondary School, Chibok were abducted by the insurgents on the night of April 14, 2014 in an operation that initially raised doubts among some sections of the government and the polity. 57 of the girls reportedly escaped from the captivity of the insurgents the abduction has drawn worldwide condemnation from all sections of the world.



Efforts by the government to rescue the girls have so far been unsuccessful despite the alleged deployment of international assistance from some western nations.



The Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff, AVM Alex Badeh had on October 17, 2014 announced a ceasefire with the insurgents in a move that was believed to be a step towards the release of the school girls, but the ceasefire has so far failed to lead to a truce with continued reports of attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents.



via nigerianeye

Burkina Faso’s President Blaise Compaoré declared a state of emergency and dissolved the government on Thursday, as he pledged to open talks with the opposition in an effort to defuse protests sparked by his attempt to extend his presidency.







Compaoré announced the state of emergency and the government’s dissolution in a statement that was read by a presenter on Radio Omega FM.



“A state of emergency is declared across the national territory. The chief of the armed forces is in charge of implementing this decision which enters into effect today,” the statement said.



“I dissolve the government from today so as to create conditions for change. I’m calling on the leaders of the political opposition to put an end to the protests. I’m pledging from today to open talks with all the actors to end the crisis,” it added.





Earlier in the day, thousands of demonstrators stormed the country’s parliament in the capital Ouagadougou, setting it ablaze ahead a vote on whether to revise the constitution to allow Compaoré stand a third term next year.



The proposal has deeply divided Burkina Faso, one of the world’s poorest nations which has positioned itself as a mediator in regional crises. It has also drawn criticism from former colonial power France and from the United States, allies of the Burkinabe government in operations against al Qaeda-linked groups in West Africa.



Following the fire at the parliament, a government spokesperson said that the vote had been called off. It was unclear, however, if the decision was only temporary.



Compaoré has been in power since 1987, ruling the cotton and gold-producing nation with a firm grip. In recent years, however, he has faced increasing criticism, including from within his own camp and the military.



Diplomatic pressure had mounted over the past year for Compaoré to step down in 2015, amid calls from his own entourage for him to seek re-election, diplomats said.



Domestic opposition to his government hardened dramatically after it confirmed on October 21 that it would seek a constitutional change.



Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Ouagadougou and other towns across the country on Tuesday in what the opposition said was the start of a campaign of civil disobedience over the proposed constitutional reform.



(AFP)



via nigerianeye

Vimtim, the hometown of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, in Adamawa State, has been recaptured by the Boko Haram insurgents.





Reports from the area indicated that before the incident on Thursday, the troops on guard and the residents fled the town, leaving the insurgents to freely loot and burn properties.



The takeover of Vimtim came a day after Mubi, the second biggest town in Adamawa, was overrun by Boko Haram.



As of 11.am on Thursday major public places in the deserted town like the Mubi International Cattle Market, the local government secretariat and some private buildings were still in flames.



The state government dispatched over 100 buses to Mubi and its environs to move trapped residents to the Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Yola.



Governor Bala James Ngillari gave the order on Thursday afternoon when concerned citizens of Mubi briefed him on the current development in the town and its neighbouring communities.



Their leader, Joshua Atiku, advised the governor to consult with the Federal Government on the possibility of Cameroonian authorities allow fleeing people access into their country.



Atiku disclosed that thousands of people escaping into Cameroon were stranded in border towns owing to the fact that the Cameroonian gendarmes denied them entry.



Investigations however revealed that there are concerns in military circles about the invasion and taking over of Mubi by the insurgents.



It was gathered on Thursday that the top leadership of the military were of the opinion that the reason given by soldiers for their “tactical withdrawal” from the commercial town on Wednesday was less than satisfactory.



A source, who confided in one of our correspondents, said that some of the events in the battle for Mubi would become issues for investigations soon.



The source added that the military leadership were viewing the said “tactical withdrawal as an act of cowardice and indiscipline.



He said, “You must note that enough arms and ammunition were provided for these people(soldiers); there were enough men and weapons; also the issue of welfare was adequately taken care of.



“Productivity is expected to be high when such arrangements have been put in place. I can tell you that reinforcement from other military formations has been made.



“This issue of tactical withdrawal is being viewed in high military circles as indiscipline and cowardice even though there are clear manifestations of exaggeration in some of the incidents.”



Another military source told one of our correspondents that the insurgents had as of Thursday hoisted their flag at the palace of the Emir of Mubi and other parts of the town.



He said that a medical doctor and owner of a popular clinic in the town was among those killed by the insurgents who also razed the EYN ‘Church One’. The church is said to be the largest in Mubi.



Efforts to speak with the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, on the capture of Mubi and recapturing of Vimtim proved abortive as calls to his mobile telephone did not connect.



A text message sent to him on the issues was not replied by him as of 7pm on Thursaday.



Meanwhile, a source in the 23 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Yola has debunked reports that some Nigerian soldiers fled the battle ground in Adamawa to Cameroon on Wednesday and Thursday.



“I don’t know which of the soldiers fled to Cameroon but our soldiers actually retreated for re-enforcement,” he told one of our correspondents on the telephone.



However, More doubts have engulfed the state of the ongoing peace talks between the Federal Government and Boko Haram.



The Chief of Defence Staff had directed all service chiefs ‘to comply with the ceasefire agreement between Nigeria and Boko Haram in all theatres of operations’ on October 17, 2014.



However, the declaration of the ceasefire has been marred by vicious attacks by the sect.



On Thursday, some of the military chiefs declined to comment on the ceasefire when they were asked by journalists at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.



Efforts made by journalists to get the response of the Minister of Defence Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau, were not successful as he simply smiled and went into his car.



However, when he was prodded further, he referred the journalists to the CDS, who according to him, would address the media on the issue.



He said, “No, no, no, the CDS would speak to you, the CDS would speak to you.”



But when the journalists who were gathered in front of the Naval Headquarters sighted the CDS as he left the venue of the inauguration of the Naval Headquarters Extension Building, he politely refused to make any comment.



via nigerianeye

Twenty-four-year-old Chinedu Ubachukwu has emerged winner of the 11th season of Gulder Ultimate Search (GUS), which ended last night.





Ubachukwu and 13 others were in the Aguleri jungle in Anambra State for 26 days, for the adventure reality show which aired on digital and terrestrial television channels.



A graduate of Petroleum and Gas Engineering from the University of Port Harcourt, Ubachukwu, who hails from Anambra State, edged out co-finalists, Emmanuel Afolabi and Nne Cosy Joe, to discover the mythical General’s Helmet, a symbol of this year’s search aptly tagged The Mission.

As promised by Nigerian Breweries Plc., organisers of the show, Ubachukwu, by his feat, automatically qualified for the grand prize of N10 million and a brand new Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).



No doubt, it was a grueling 26 days for all the contestants, who will each get a prize according to how they were evicted from the show.

Perhaps the winner’s familiarity with the topography of Anambra North local government area was an added advantage for his victory. It is not clear what part of the state he hails from, but Ubachukwu had said, in a previous interview, that his place is not far from Aguleri, giving the reason he should win the contest.



“My expectation is very high. I’m from Anambra and my village is actually a few distance away from Aguleri. So, I just have to win this one or else I don’t know if I will be able to go home for Christmas, if I don’t win it,” he had said.

The finalists

When asked what his strategy would be, Ubachukwu, who appeared the ‘weakest’ of all 14 contestants, said he had no specific strategy: “No strategy yet until I get to the jungle. But having spent a little time with my fellow contestants, I can say I stand a good chance. I will just give my best in my tasks.”



Perhaps the ‘good chance’ being referred to by the young man had little to do with physical capabilities, because when the contestants commenced their journey from Boat Landing, where they had camped the previous night, Ubachukwu, it will be recalled, stated that he was not 100 percent fit. He added that if the final search for the helmet became a purely physical task, it might be to his disadvantage.



At some point in the show, Ubachukwu was the last to climb over a very high wall, and the remaining contestants, feeling pity for him, insisted that he should be the first to cross another rope ladder, which was suspended between two trees because he appeared weak.



But in the last lap of the ‘search’, Ubachukwu seemed to have regained more strength. As shown on television last night, he and the other two raced towards three canoes and paddled away in different directions. Emmanuel and Cosy Joe appeared to paddle their canoes aimlessly, while Ubachukwu paddled towards a particular direction. It turned out that he rowed his canoe towards a clay pot that was emitting fire.



At that point, Cosy Joe appeared frustrated and angrily hit the water with his bare hands. He had no paddle. As Cosy paddled his boat to shore and alighted on land, Emmanuel attempted to row his canoe in Ubachukwu’s direction, but the latter was already far ahead. Ubachukwu raced on land and retrieved the great General’s Helmet, which was surrounded by three fire pots.



Consequently, he has joined the Order of Heroes as the 11th winner of GUS, Nigeria’s longest running reality TV show.



Ubachukwu, the third child and second boy in a family of five children, revealed that he had attempted to be on the show previously to no avail. “This year is my second time; I tried last year, but could not make it. I’m so happy and feel so fortunate to have made the last 14 this year.”

He said he was motivated to apply for the show because “GUS is the first realities show I grew up watching and I have always admired the participants and always imagined myself in the jungle. So, it was natural for me to give it a try now that I’ve come of age.



Upon Ubachukwu’s discovery of the General’s helmet, Chidi Mokeme, the anchor of the show, congratulated him, saying: “After 26 murderous days in the Aguleri jungle, after days and nights of pain and sorrow, thinking about the unknown, nursing your wounds with sweats and blood, it is you Chinedu who made it here. It is you who has carved your name in history. It is you who has earned the bragging rights; it is you who has made it into the elite league of extraordinary warriors. By the powers conferred on me by the Council of Elders, I now pronounce you Last Man Standing.”

Two other contestants will also receive brand new vehicles. They are Samantha Appi, who will get a brand new Ford Eco sport for emerging the last woman standing and a Ford Focus car for whoever becomes winner of the viewers’ choice.



The contestants who were evicted earlier in the show are Otto Canon, Ikenna Emedike, Addoh Evi, Iroh Noella, Blessing Eriata, Loretta Erijakpor, Sandra Nwagbagiro, Samantha Appi, Sharon Robinson, Joshua Nwagboso and Iwuoha Ikenna.



The prize presentation ceremony will be presided over by Governor Willie Obiano at the Women Development Centre, Awka, on Saturday.



via nigerianeye

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday declared illegal and unconstitutional the police ban of #BringBackOurGirls peaceful protests.







Justice Sunday Aladetoyinbo made the ruling while delivering judgment in the suit filed by the #BringBackOurGirls protesters to challenge the ban on their rallies by the then FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu, on June 1, 2014.



Mbu, who is now an Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 7, Abuja, had banned the daily protests by the group, though the ban was subsequently reversed by the then Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, but the protesters insisted on proceeding with the suit.



Justice Aladetoyinbo in his judgment on Thursday upheld the argument of the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), and declared that the pronouncement by Mbu was a violation of the applicants’ “fundamental rights to freedom of conscience, expression, assembly and association as guaranteed by sections 38, 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution.”



He also held that the ban violated the provisions of Articles 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, 2004.



The court declared that Mbu’s decision to ban protests and rallies in the FCT with effect from June 1 was illegal, unconstitutional, and null and void.



The judge, who described freedom of association and assembly as the pillar of any democratic governance, commended the former IG, Abubakar, for promptly over-ruling Mbu’s directive.



However, following the withdrawal of one of their prayers seeking N200m against Mbu as compensation for violating their rights, the court struck out the prayer in its judgment on Thursday.



The court therefore made “An order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondent, his agents and privies from further preventing the applicants or aggrieved Nigerians from taking part in protests and rallies in exercise of their freedom of expression, assembly and association as guaranteed by sections 38, 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution and Articles 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, 2004.”



The court dismissed all the objections of the police as canvassed by the their lawyer, Mr. Samuel Lough, who had argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit on the grounds that only the Federal High Court could entertain the suit.



The lawyer had argued that the FCT High Court, an equivalent of a state High Court, lacked jurisdiction to entertain a suit in which the police, a federal agency, were sued as a party.



The plaintiffs in the suit included a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, who is the 10th plaintiff; Hadiza Bala Usman, Mr. Samuel Yaga, Mrs. Rebecca Yaga, Mrs. Sarah Ishaya, Mallam Dunama Mpur, Lawan Abana, Dr. Pogu Bitrus and Dauda Iliya.



Others are the Kibaku Area Development Association, Maryam Uwais, Bashir Yusuf, Jibrin Ibrahim, Jibrin Ibrahim, Saudatu Mahdi, Bukky Shonibare, Rotimi Olawale and Florence Ozor.



The applicants and their group had engaged in daily protests to demand more efforts by government to rescue the over 200 schoolgirls abducted from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, on April 14.



via nigerianeye

At least, 14 governorship aspirants in Rivers State vying on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday, staged a rally against the aspiration of the former Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, and called for the rotation of the governorship position in the state.



The PDP governorship aspirants, who were mainly from the riverine area of the state had converged on the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt, demanding that the party hierarchy in the state should change its no-zoning stance in the interest of justice.







They also called on the National Working Committee of the party to intervene in the crisis rocking the state PDP over the ‘no zoning’ stance of the state PDP.



It will be recalled that the State Chairman of the PDP had thrown the forthcoming governorship primary of the party open to all aspirants and discarding the zoning system.



But speaking at the rally organised by the Rivers State Mainstream Coalition in conjunction with the state PDP stakeholders, one of the aspirants, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, explained that the issue of zoning was non-negotiable, adding that the PDP has been practising rotation of power since its creation.



Lulu-Briggs argued that if Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State would not be able to succeed President Goodluck Jonathan as President in 2019, it would be wrong for an Ikwerre person to succeed Mr. Rotimi Amaechi as the Rivers State governor.



He decried the move by the hierarchy of the state PDP to stop the rally, maintaining that one of the reasons for organising the rally was to express their support for President Jonathan.



“Since it is not possible to say that Governor (Seriake) Dickson should succeed President Goodluck Jonathan in 2019, then rotation of power should be embraced in Rivers State the way it has been embraced in Akwa Ibom. Give us Rivers State, Give us our right,” Lulu-Briggs said.



The convoy of one of the aspirants, Mr. Sunday Nwankwo, was said to have been attacked in Etche Local Government Area.



Another governorship aspirant on the platform of the PDP, Sampson Ngerebara said it was wrong for Wike to take the credit for projecting President Jonathan in the state, adding that he was also involved in the mobilisation of support for the President through the Grassroots Initiative.



According to Ngerebara, “The question they ask us in Abuja is that where were you when Nyesom Wike was fighting for Jonathan. But I was part of the GDI and it was wrong to say Wike alone fought for Goodluck Jonathan. The cardinal point of GDI was to mobilise support for GEJ and we were all involved in this. But today, one man (Wike) wants to take all alone.



“Today, one person is talking about Ikwerre North and Ikwerre South, but we will not allow that to be part of our political lexicon. It takes a good follower to be a good leader. We understand the meaning of politics and let nobody take us for a ride.”



In his remark, the leader of Rivers Mainstream Coalition, Professor Israel Owate and a Niger Delta leader, Ann Kio-Briggs stated that the rotation of the governorship position in the state was imperative, adding that it would be impossible for an Ikwerre person to succeed another Ikwerre man.



Among other aspirant that spoke at the rally are Bekinbo Dagogo-Jack, Bernard Mikko, Denis Ojuka and Gabriel Pidomson.



Reacting, the Secretary-general of the GDI, Mr. Samuel Nwanosike, explained that Wike was not worried about the move against him, adding that the PDP will support any aspirant that emerges the governorship candidate.



“It shows clearly what we have been saying in time past that these are people sponsored by Governor Rotimi Amaechi. You can see that all their aspersions were not against Amaechi, but against the PDP.



“You can imagine about 27 persons coming to discuss one man (Wike). Nevertheless, the issue of what happened in Akwa Ibom and the situation in Rivers State are different. The PDP in Rivers State is the opposition and we must present the best candidate and the party has said that we must discard zoning to achieve this.



“Wike is not worried by the move against him. I don’t see why it is a problem to them. For us, we are saying that we want everybody to come to the field and if the delegate support you, that is okay. You can see that the stadium was an empty stadium, we don’t have anything to worry about,” Nwanosike said.



via nigerianeye

Let me begin by stating that this opinion is not solely based on my own personal ruminations but rather on a relatively collective notion opined by South Africans of varying degrees whom I have discussed this salient topic with.







If truth be told, a certain negative connotation is unfortunately attached to the image of Nigerians in South Africa, formed by some unsavoury antics of her kinsmen within our nation such as drug pushing, internet fraud, armed robbery and illegal overstaying. I am not in anyway branding all Nigerians under the same illicit banner – but there are sufficient numbers who have done significant damage to arouse caution from the average South African.





In fact, Prophet T.B. Joshua’s rise to popularity within South Africa has proven a key player in the ‘rebranding’ of the Nigerian image for many South Africans, buoyed by Emmanuel TV’s brand of refreshingly practical, unorthodox Christianity. As many Nigerians living in South African can readily attest to, a question revolving around Joshua is almost certainly asked once their nationality is ascertained, exuding the influence he has within South African shores.





BBC’s Chief African correspondent Will Ross recently reported how an uneducated local in rural Botswana identified Nigeria as ‘T.B. Joshua’s country’ after learning Lagos was his base. It is an assertion similarly shared by many here, particularly in the rural areas of South Africa who automatically associate Africa’s most populous nation with its most controversial pastor.





Unfortunately, the Nigerian government’s response in the aftermath of the tragic building collapse at The SCOAN last month has done little to assuage this already precarious image. The private jet debacle whereby Nigerian money was illegally carried to South African soil for the purchase of arms, coupled by the painfully slow process of the repatriation of our fallen brethren in the collapse have only served to fuel an atmosphere of distrust and distaste.





It is unfortunate also that the inquest set up by the Lagos State Government into what truly transpired at The SCOAN has aroused equal qualms, its political undertones breeding scepticism within South Africa towards the genuineness of its intentions. From the initial sessions, it appears to be more of a platform for Lagos State Government to cover-up their own inadequacies in the rescue operation while ensuring a predetermined agenda is played out, ultimately bringing culpability on the part of The SCOAN for structural failures.





I have closely followed media updates surrounding the coroner’s inquest, most of which came from Nigerian media sources as media coverage in the aftermath of the tragedy has reduced in South Africa. The propensity of focus toward debunking the claim of explosives being behind the collapse, alongside the insistence that T.B. Joshua himself appears at the inquest, certainly calls for questions. I am not saying such information is not valid but the sensational media headlines and lopsided reports suggest the outworking of a negative agenda against Joshua, orchestrated by both the Lagos State government and media houses reporting the incident.





For example, it was widely reported on Tuesday that pathologist Professor John Obafunwa ruled out claims of an explosion as the cause of the building collapse, saying none of the victims had blast injuries. However, a report from the following day’s inquest where Obafunwa admitted he had only conducted autopsies on two bodies and could not authoritatively determine what was behind the collapse was barely mentioned.





Similarly, the apparent ‘refusal’ of church authorities to cooperate with external rescue bodies such as NEMA was disproportionately accentuated, to the extent that media commentators suggested such callous attitude actually increased the death toll. This was highlighted by the testimony of NEMA spokesman Ibrahim Farinloye at the inquest on Tuesday who claimed his team were not given access to the site until Sunday evening.





However, in Wednesday’s session, a spokesman for the Nigerian Red Cross shared his own version of events, praising The SCOAN for their co-operation and efficiency and directly opposing Farinloye’s claims. “When we got to the place, we met NEMA and LASEMA there, but we didn’t see them carrying out any rescue operations,” Ige Oladimeji told the court. Contrarily, he said the church officials were the ones who were championing the rescue mission, buoyed by The SCOAN’s 10 ambulances and heavy duty rescue machinery provided by several local construction companies. Why was it that this aspect of the inquest was completely downplayed to barely a mention by the majority of media reports yesterday? Perhaps because it revealed shameful inadequacies within Nigeria’s rescue team – both in attitude and action?





I recall reading an article by Nigerian-based journalist Simon Ateba, who was at The SCOAN on the day of the incident, sharing similar sentiments. “The truth is that NEMA has no equipment needed to rescue people,” he bluntly stated. “All NEMA was doing was to release the number of the dead and the injured to the media. NEMA is a failed and incapacitated agency that cannot rescue anyone… They should shut the hell up and get enough funding and equipment to do their job rather than playing to the gallery and claiming that they “just coordinate “. Coordinate what? Interviews when people are trapped?”





In Thursday's session, Lagos State Commissioner for physical planning Olutoyin Ayinde was quoted as saying the airplane seen bypassing the ill-fated building on four occasions on the day of the incident was simply on a flight path towards Lagos airport. Why is it, however, that nearly two months after the incident, no official statement whatsoever has been made by the Nigerian government or aviation authorities concerning this? If indeed there was nothing sinister or suspicious in its movements, why wasn’t there an immediate statement to that effect since this is an incident of grave international proportions?





Yesterday, a Nigerian lawyer called for the halting of the inquest, arguing that several agencies from within Lagos State had already made indicting statements against The SCOAN to the effect that structural inadequacies caused the collapse. He submitted that the inquest would ‘seriously occasion miscarriage of justice’ as it would base its decision on the testimonies of the same agencies. In the light of the above, I believe he has a very valid point.





As I wrote in an earlier article berating South African media’s coverage of T.B. Joshua in lieu of this tragedy, I am an Emmanuel TV viewer and have visited The SCOAN once last year in what I would term a spiritually enhancing pilgrimage. The latest incident has not blighted this belief, although many pertinent questions still remain unanswered concerning the exact cause of the catastrophe.





It is unfortunate that the Lagos State inquest is not providing these answers but provoking even more questions, especially within South Africa.



Marelise Van der Merwe is a social analyst based in Johannesburg, South Africa



via nigerianeye

Hello Folks, grab a sit and get ready for some history lesson. This weeks interview of "The Truth" with Olisa Adibua is with none other than Afro beat legend and the original Mr. Shoki himself - Femi Anikulapo-Kuti. In true legendary fashion, Femi takes us back in time as he shares some of his most intimate thoughts about the challenges of growing up as Fela's son, his love for music, family and politics. We've probably not seen a more open, intimate and riveting recountal of his dad, Fela, and what he stood for as an artist and an advocate of the common people. He dished and over dished on this episode that we had to split this episode in two parts. We were honoured to host Femi and we hope that you guys enjoy this as much as we did.



As always, feel free to leave a comment or two for Femi and don't forget to subscribe.







via nigerianeye

The Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, on Thursday accused the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, of breaching the 1999 Constitution by withdrawing the speaker’s police security personnel.





It noted that by using Section 68(1)(g) as the basis for his action, the IG had assumed the powers of the Judiciary, the only arm of government empowered to interpret the constitution.



“We are on authority that nothing in the 1999 Constitution nor the Police Act confers on the police force adjudicatory powers including the interpretation of the constitution.



“In any case even Section 215 of the 1999 Constitution does not contemplate the issuing of or compliance with unlawful orders by the President and or the the Inspector General of Police respectively.



“What the Acting Inspector-General of Police has done therefore has no basis in law including the 1999 Constitution which he has cited. It is a brazen act of crass impunity, gross constitutional breach and contempt of court. The Inspector-General should desist from assuming or usurping the constitutional functions of the Judiciary,” the office said in a statement by Tambuwal’s Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Imam Imam.



The statement added that the judiciary had long interpreted the section the IG quoted and concluded through two court cases that there were indeed divisions and factions in the Peoples Democratic Party.



“For the avoidance of doubt, the question of whether or not there is a division or faction in the PDP has been resolved by Lord Justice Faji of the Ilorin Division of Federal High Court in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/605/2013, in which the court held that indeed there were factions in the PDP.



“Again, in suit no FHC/ABJ/CS/ 605/2013, the Sokoto Division of the Federal High Court per Justice Aikawa, the judgment of the court was that there was not only division but faction in the PDP, which later merged with the APC,” the statement added.



Tambuwal’s office further said the IG’s action was not only contemptuous of the courts, but also “a ploy to bring harm to the person of Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.”



via nigerianeye

A high powered special team put together to unravel the mystery behind alleged involvement of President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Ayo Oritsejafor and Alhaji Mujahideen Asari Dokubo in the botched $9.3 million arms deal in South Africa has cleared both men of any complicity in the matter.







A private aircraft belonging to Oritsejafor last month conveyed some unnamed persons and the cash to South Africa ostensibly to purchase arms from the black market to help bolster Nigeria’s fight against terrorists in parts of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.



This led to widespread speculations in the media and sentiments being expressed by politicians on the issue in Nigeria.



Three individuals on board were subsequently briefly detained in South-Africa while the cash was confiscated by that country’s financial authorities.



Weeks later, there were also insinuations that Niger Delta activist, Dokubo was one of those who flew in the plane.



However, authoritative sources have told Vanguard that a panel set up to investigate the matter cleared the CAN President, while also dismissing allegations that Dokubo was on the flight.



The source said, “A Special Team, comprising security agents, intelligence experts and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs investigated the $9.3m cash-for- arms deal and submitted its report to the Presidency.



“The committee confirmed that the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsajefor had no connection with the transaction.



“It was true that the CAN President’s jet was used but we found out that it was without his knowledge. As at the time in question, the aircraft was on lease. And you may be aware that the lease trend is peculiar to private jet owners in the country.



“It is the view of the committee that Oritsajefor cannot be held liable for any shuttle made by a lease firm.



“As for the manifest of the plane, the committee also discovered that the Niger Delta activist, Mujahedeen Asari Dokubo was not among those on board the transaction aircraft. There was no mention of Dokubo in the manifest presented during the investigation.”



The source expressed surprise that the matter was made public by South African authorities in the first place since an end user certificate duly signed by the Office National Security Adviser was presented by those who were on the plane.



“The committee’s findings revealed that the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) has the statutorily and legitimately mandate to issue end-user certificate for such arms transactions. The imputations surrounding the role of the ONSA were unfounded, baseless and ill-motivated.

The source added that “The decision of South Africa to return $15million to Nigeria lent credence to the legality of the transaction” saying “ Certainly, Nigeria had no case to answer”.



via nigerianeye

Interim Super Eagles Head Coach, Shuaibu Amodu, has asked the Nigeria Football Federation to allow Stephen Keshi to continue handling the national senior male football team, the Super Eagles.







Amodu’s plea was contained in a letter dated October 27 and addressed to NFF Chairman, Amaju Pinnick, through the Chairman of the Technical Committee.



He said Keshi should handle the team’s remaining matches in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, against Congo on November 15 and South Africa on November 19.



Amodu, who is the NFF’s National Technical Director was named as new Head Coach penultimate week.



He said he wanted Keshi reconsidered for the two matches as the time-frame was “too short to tinker with the fabric of the squad or start to build a new one altogether.”



The coach said his decision was after wide consultations he had carefully made within the past two weeks since the appointment and for the sake of professionalism.



“I want to specially appeal to you to reconsider the matter and allow Keshi to finish the project that he has started — the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying race.



“My opinion also is that the time-frame is too short to start tinkering with the fabric of the team or attempt to build a new team altogether,’’ he said.



Amodu said he was ready and willing, as National Technical Director, to help build a better relationship between Keshi, the players and the NFF Technical Committee.



via nigerianeye

Governor James Ngilari of Adamawa State has been barred from contesting the governorship election in the state in 2015.



The party said it was bound to comply with the agreement it had with the governorship aspirants from the state about two months ago.







The decision to ban Ngilari was taken at the meeting of the members of the National Working Committee of the party in Abuja on Wednesday night.



National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja in Thursday.



Metuh said the next governorship candidate of the party would come from the Central Senatorial District of the state.



Ngilari is from the northern part of the state.



He said, “On Adamawa, the NWC has decided that the decision and agreements of the candidates in Adamawa during our last exercise would be upheld.



“Accordingly, the governorship election in 2015 has been zoned to Adamawa Central. All aspirants, who bought forms (eight of them) that signed the agreement and withdrew are advised to come and exchange it without any payment with the new 2015 forms.



“It means they are entitled to run since they are from the same senatorial zone. The party will fully implement that agreement.”



It will be recalled that the Speaker House of Adamawa House of Assembly, Alhaji Ahmadu Fintiri, and seven other governorship aspirants in the state protested at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja on Wednesday.



They said that the governor must not be allowed to contest the governorship primary of the party in the state.



The eight aspirants insisted that the zoning arrangement earlier reached with them by the party must be kept.



Apart from Fintiri, those who also visited the party to register their grievances were a former political aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, Ahmed Gulak; son of a former PDP national chairman, Awwal Tukur, former minister of health, Idi Hong; Mr. James Barka, Aliyu kama, Marcus Gundiri and Abubakar Girei.



A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, Mallan Nuhu Ribadu, who was part of the team with whom the agreement was made, was not present.



via nigerianeye

The All Progressives Congress has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to “show better understanding of democracy” by immediately restoring the police security details the Inspector General of Police withdrew from the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal.





In a statement in Abuja on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party described the withdrawal of the Speaker’s security details by the IGP as “a usurpation of the role of the Judiciary by the Inspector General of Police especially bearing in mind that the question of the interpretation of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution on which the Inspector General of Police anchored his illegal act is currently before the courts for resolution.”



The party said the position, including the manner a person becomes the Speaker of the House of Representatives, was to be found in the Constitution, arguing that “no constitutional provision or legislation says membership of the ruling or dominant party in the House is a pre-requisite.”



The party added, “Furthermore, as the number four citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the security details and apparatus attached to the person of the Speaker are not based on his lineage, person and or political leaning. It is on account of the position and the protection required for that position and in Nigeria’s best interest.



“This unfortunate use and deployment of Nigeria’s security forces in a partisan and political way portends danger and further weakens important institutions of governance and jeopardises national security. Under President Jonathan, we now have a Police Force that is monitoring and making conclusions with respect to party membership and qualification of an otherwise elected official. This is unheard of in any decent democracy.



“It is unfortunate that President Jonathan, who had been a successive long term and unique beneficiary of our democracy and Constitution, is now demonstrating the greatest disregard for the laws that govern and guide us as a people. President Jonathan, who is the only individual who benefited from the same Constitution to become a Governor from a Deputy Governor without an election and from a Vice President to President in similar legal circumstances, now desecrates the same Constitution.



“The All Progressives Congress rejects this challenge to democracy and modern society. We reject President Jonathan’s illegality and call for respect and compliance with the law. We reject this meddling in the affairs of the Legislature, especially given the resolution of President Jonathan and his close advisers yesterday at their meeting to ask the Deputy Speaker Mr Emeka Ihedioha to unlawfully reconvene the House before the adjourned date.”



via nigerianeye