One bank note carries 26,000 bacteria-expert

(CNN) -- If you thought dirty money was only found in offshore bank accounts, check your wallet instead. But you may want to wash your hands afterward.

Almost 60% of Europeans believe cash is the dirtiest item they come into contact with, ahead of escalator handrails, buttons on payment terminals and library books, according to a survey of 1,000 people released on March 25 by Mastercard.

A further 83% of the respondents, taken from 15 countries across Europe, believe cash carries a lot of bacteria. And they are right.

Independent tests on European money conducted by a team of scientists at Oxford University in December 2012, revealed that the average banknote contains 26,000 bacteria, enough germs to make you feel nauseous, and possibly even spread disease.

"Europeans' perceptions of dirty cash are not without reason," Ian Thompson, the professor from Oxford University who tested the cash, said in a news release. "The bank notes we tested harbored an average of 26,000 bacteria, which, for a number of pathogenic organisms, is sufficient for passing on infection."

Even the newest, and therefore cleanest, notes tested contained 2,400 bacteria, with Swiss Francs and Danish Krone the dirtiest money of all.

"(The bacteria) comes from multiple hands," Hany Fam from Mastercard told CNN's Richard Quest. "These notes have a long time in circulation, they're handed, hand to hand, from different individuals and it's inevitable that germs accumulate on them."

Clearly, a credit card company like MasterCard has its own economic interests in pushing people away from cash.

"No, I'm not just advocating credit cards: I'm just saying that consumers are increasingly flocking to other forms of payment -- not only for cleanliness, obviously, but for ease, for convenience, for lots of reasons," Mastercard's Fam said.

Still, cash is dirty. A 2002 study published in the Southern Medical Journal also found bacteria-laden banknotes. Over 80% of cash tested carried germs that could be harmful to people with lowered immunity. Seven percent of bills showed traces of bacteria that can cause serious illness, including Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia, according to the study. Only 7% of the bills were germ-free.

Another study conducted in 2008 at Switzerland's University Hospitals of Geneva found that some flu virus cells could last for up to 17 days on Swiss banknotes, according to SmartMoney.com

So what to do? To prevent infection, scientists suggest basic hygiene: Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth, and wash your hands often.

But that won't necessarily prevent illicit banknote contamination.

Last year three employees at a Michigan Circle K store became ill after handling money that had been contaminated with methamphetamine residue, according to a local news website, Ann Arbor.com.

Cocaine is also a common contaminate in the U.S. A 2009 study conducted by the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth found up to 90% of paper money circulating in America contained traces of cocaine.

Kenya's top court rules in Kenyatta favour over Odinga

 

Nairobi, Kenya (CNN) -- The Kenyan Supreme Court ruled Saturday to uphold Uhuru Kenyatta's victory in the country's presidential election, dismissing a challenge by his chief rival.

Giving its ruling, the Supreme Court declared the election "free and fair."

Kenyatta, the 51-year-old son of Kenya's founding leader, won the ballot this month with 50.07% of the vote.

The court's decision means he will become the nation's fourth and youngest president.

His main rival, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who got 43.31% of the vote, had challenged the outcome in court on the grounds that it was flawed and marred by technical problems.

He said Saturday that he accepted the court's judgment and would abide by it.

Odinga said his challenge was born of his dismay over the failures seen in the election, which was dogged by technical problems. "Democracy was on trial in Kenya," he said.

"That has not dented my commitment to constitutionalism and the rule of law. Enforcing the spirit and letter of the constitution remains the only sure way to peace and prosperity for our young democracy.

"My decision to file a petition in the Supreme Court to challenge the validity of the election was a testament of my faith in the independence of our judiciary. I did so for the sake of our democracy and for the sake of all Kenyans."

As the nation awaited the verdict, anti-riot police guarded the court in the capital of Nairobi while crowds hovered nearby.

Authorities stepped up security nationwide, and warned that gatherings are prohibited.

Last week, the nation's highest court ordered a review of the results of 22 of the more than 33,000 polling stations after Odinga's lawyers said they had found discrepancies.

The electoral commission has said that while the vote was marred by technical glitches, it was credible.

Kenyatta and Odinga are the sons of the nation's first president and vice president, respectively, bringing back memories of a political dynasty that dates to the 1960s.

Their fathers started out as allies in the quest for Kenyan independence from Britain. But the elder politicians' relationship ended in bad blood when founding President Jomo Kenyatta forced out his vice president, Jaramogi Odinga, following a series of disputes.

Some five decades later, it is the sons' turn in the spotlight.

'Accept the ruling'

A peaceful response to Saturday's judgment will go a long way toward restoring the nation's image as a bastion of stability in the region after disputed election results led to bloody chaos in 2007.

In that election, more than 1,200 were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced after Odinga disputed the results, which showed incumbent President Mwai Kibaki as the winner.

At the time, supporters of both candidates battled on the streets with crude weapons, not in court.

"As the country awaits the Supreme Court ruling, I call upon all of us to accept the ruling and maintain peace," said Kibaki, the outgoing president, on Thursday.

"Kenyans should resume their routine economic activities as soon as possible to return normalcy in the country."

Beyond borders

The March 4 election was the first general poll since the disputed election. It was conducted under a reformed judicial system and a more inclusive electoral commission.

The significance of Kenya's democratic process extends beyond the country's borders.

Kenya is East Africa's biggest economy and a crucial trade route into the rest of the continent.

It provides an important buffer of stability in a region that includes the fledgling Somali government and the politically tense Sudan and South Sudan.

Kenya is also a major U.S. ally in the war against Islamist militants in the region and has remained relatively peaceful amid civil wars in neighboring nations.

Complicated relations

The upholding of Kenyatta's victory raises the prospect of complicated diplomatic ties with the West.

The International Criminal Court has indicted him for allegedly funding a local militia that conducted reprisal attacks in the last election in 2007. His running mate, William Ruto, also faces ICC charges at The Hague, in the Netherlands.

Both have denied the charges and have said they will cooperate with the court to clear their names.

Analysts say the ICC indictment may have rallied citizens to Kenyatta's side in defiance of the West.

"Many Africans have lost faith in ICC and view it as targeting African leaders and failing to discharge its justice among non-African leaders," said Ayo Johnson, director of ViewPoint Africa. "Kenya sent a loud message to the ICC ... don't interfere. And it does not matter if you brand our leaders as criminals."

Kenyatta has said the indictment will not affect his ability to do his job and has urged the international community to respect the will of Kenyans.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has written to Kenyatta to congratulate him and all those elected last month, a Downing Street spokesman said Saturday.

Cameron "urged the Kenyan people to be proud of the strong signal they have sent to the world about their determination to exercise their democratic right peacefully," the spokesman said.

"He encouraged all Kenyans to continue this spirit of peace and accept the decision of the Court as final."

Cameron also welcomed Kenyatta's promise that his government would "work with all Kenyans in a spirit of inclusivity and reconciliation," while also meeting its "international legal obligations."

Madumere Replaces Agbaso, Sworn-In As Imo State Deputy Governor

Madumere Replaces Agbaso, Sworn-In As Imo State Deputy Governor

The Former Chief of staff to the Imo state Governor, Mr Eze Madumere (MFR), has been sworn in as the new Deputy Governor of Imo state. The swearing in ceremony took place at the Sam Mbakwe expanded EXCO chambers at the Government House in Owerri, the Imo state capital.
Madumere, in his inaugural speech, promised to make the interest of all Imo citizens his priority in order to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state as well as enhance the actualisation of the rescue mission agenda of the Okorocha led administration.
Heavy security presence at the government entrance in Owerri as citizens of the state went to the Government House to witness the ceremony.
In his acceptance speech, the newly sworn-in said he will remain committed to the principles of the rescue mission agenda by the Okorocha led administration and will remain committed and loyal to the governor, adding that he will ensure he cooperates with all the arms of government to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Imo State.
The Imo state Governor Rochas Okorocha advised the newly sworn in Deputy Governor to imbibe the spirit of sacrifice and contribute his own quota to the development of the state. He however assured the people of the state of his relentless effort to make Imo state a better place even after his tenure as the governor.
The swearing-in of Mr. Madumere is coming two days after the impeachment of former deputy governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, by the Imo House of Assembly over allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office involving 458 million Naira contract scam.
Sir Jude Agbaso’s impeachment is the first to be recorded in the political history of the state since its creation 37 years ago.

Politician, Lawyer Trade Words Over APC Acronym

Politician, Lawyer Trade Words Over APC Acronym

National Secreatry of the African People’s Congress (APC), Barrister Saidi Balogun and a Member of the Publicity Committtee of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr.  Rotimi Fashakin today traded words over the claim on who possesses the acronym APC.
Both were speaking during Channels Television’s weekend breakfast programme Sunrise Saturday.
Mr Fashakin argued that the Mr Balogun’s, yet to be registered, party was put together shabbily and a plot to destabilize and dilute their votes by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
He said the PDP are agitated by the merging parties and have planted the African People’s Congress to supposedly weaken their popularity going by the fact that they carry the same acronym.
However in a swift reaction, Balogun debunked all the claims, saying the African People’s Congress has been in existence since 20011, claiming it was formed as an association and it remained quiet because they are not “noise makers”.
He said “We have taken concrete steps to be registered by INEC”. Balogun said they deliberately refused to talk to the press since the formation of the association because “We are still trying to put our house in order”.
Furthermore , he said “We have a very long way to go, our party is a pan African party”.

Experts Warn FG On Declaring Amnesty For Boko Haram

Experts Warn FG On Declaring Amnesty For Boko Haram

A lawyer, Mr Afam Ani, publisher of the Nigerian Democrats Newspaper, Dr. Gboyega Aribisogun and a public affairs commentator, Mr Sam Emesele today looked at the call for the federal government to declare amnesty for the militant Islamist Boko Haram group.
The trio were speaking as guests on Channels Television’s weekend flagship programme, Sunrise Saturday.
Mr Ani, who gave a legal perspective on the issue, said despite amnesty meaning a general pardon given to a number of persons or person, it will be “foolhardy” for Boko Haram to enjoy such privilege.
He said the objective of the group totally negates the statutes of the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria.
He made a comparison of the claim of the militants in Niger Delta region and that of the sect and concluded that former have a genuine case.
Dr. Aribisogun, on his part said members of the group must first be identified before any move to grant amnesty be discussed. He also shared the view of the federal government that “we cannot be dealing with ghosts”.
He continued saying “those who have been masterminding this violence have not come out to say this is why we are doing this”.
He said the sect has spent the last three years waging war against the government of Nigeria therefore the government cannot say “No responsible government will sit down and say yes, even though we do not know you, we will sit down and be talking to empty chairs”.
However, Mr Emesele said there should be a line of communication between the federal government and the sect despite their faceless nature “in order to move forward”.

Do not link Boko Haram with Islam, Governor Aliyu urges Nigerians

Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger on Friday, urged Nigerians not to link Islam with Boko Harm as “Islam abhors extremism in all aspects.”
Mr. Aliyu made the call at the opening ceremony of a three-day workshop for Chief Imams of North Central Zone of Nigeria in Minna.
“We all know that Islam is a religion of moderation and abhors extremism in all aspects,’’ he said.
Mr. Aliyu described a situation whereby some people linked the “heinous activities” of Boko Haram to Islam as unfortunate.
He said that the activities of the sect negated the basic principles of Islam, stressing that “Muslims do not attack another religion in the name of jihad.”
Gov. Aliyu, however, observed that many Muslims were ignorant of the rudiments of Islam because some parents had abdicated their responsibility of teaching their children the basic tenets of the religion.
He added that schools no longer encouraged moral or religious education.
The governor advised the imams “to mould and reform the society through wise preaching, sincere and honest admonitions, spiritual advice and community support at all times.”
“You are entrusted with the guidance of everybody in the society; the leaders and the led, the rich and the poor, young and the old, father and son, husband and wife, that you see as servants of God.
“The imams should also be in the vanguard of mutual understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims; similarly, the imams should serve as guides to political leaders.
“They should reach out to the youth, inspire them in peaceful pursuits and teach them the correct understanding of Islam, to avoid them resorting violence,” he said.
He also appealed to the gathering to advise the government on whether the imams should be paid allowance or depend on charity.
The governor, who said that the advice should also include the method of selecting the imams and the location of Juma’at Mosque within a community, said the effort was necessary to avoid conflict.
The Chairman of Niger League of Imams, Ibrahim Fari, called for unity among the Muslim community to ensure better understanding and advancement of Islam and in the interest of the larger society.
He also called for adherence to the true teaching of Islamic tenets, obey the leaders and avoid abusing them for failure to tackle the problems confronting the country and its citizens.
About 210 imams from Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue, Abuja and the host state were participating in the workshop.
(NAN)

Northern traditional rulers back amnesty for Boko Haram

The Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council has appealed to federal government to reconsider its stand and grant amnesty to insurgents who embraced peace, reformation and reintegration.
The appeal is contained a communiqué issued at the end of the council’s meeting in Sokoto on Friday.
According to the monarchs , “this is the norm the world over and there exists a precedent in Nigeria.”
“The unfortunate escalation of the insecurity in the country calls for decisive action by the government in order to contain it .
“The meeting also called on the Federal Government to consider dialogue as the better option in resolving the crises,” the communiqué read.
President Goodluck Jonathan had ruled out the immediate possibility of granting amnesty to Boko Haram insurgents who have claimed responsibility and have been blamed for thousands killed in various attacks in Northern Nigeria. The president, during his last visit to Borno and Yobe, explained that the insurgents must be ready to lay down their arms and make clear their demands before the government would dialogue with them or consider granting them amnesty.
The call by the traditional rulers comes after similar calls by the Sultan of Sokoto and the Jamatu Nasri Islam, the coalition of Northern Nigerian Muslims.
Not targeted at non-Muslims
The traditional rulers also said that the insurgency was not targeted at non-Muslims as majority of the victims were Muslims.
“Attempts on the lives of their Royal Highnesses , the Shehu of Borno , the Emir of Kano and the Emir of Fika and the killing of a number of Muslim scholars are testimonies to this fact,” they said. “The meeting noted with deep concern that the majority of the victims of the various crises are the ordinary citizens.”
Similarly ,the traditional rulers noted with concern the deteriorating rate of unemployment and its tendency to provide militants a potent source of recruits .
They called on all governments to take necessary, positive and tangible steps to create jobs as well as fight poverty in all its ramifications.
“As part of the strategies to fight poverty in addressing the current and potential security and other challenges, the meeting calls for systematic review of the nation’s education system to make its products more skilful, productive , self-reliant and better prepared for life challenges,” the leaders said.
They also called on Nigerians to engage in fervent prayers for God to intervene and relieve Nigeria of the current problems . They called on Nigerians to repent and change their bad habits and practices with good ones.
The traditional rulers also reaffirmed their commitment to continue to work with governments at all levels to entrench peace, security, progress and prosperity.
The meeting reiterated the need for the government and leadership at all levels to have the fear of God , be fair , just and eschew corruption in all its ramifications .
“The meeting condoles and commiserates with the families of all those who lost their lives and or property as a result of the prevailing security crises .
“In order to further cement the bond of friendship and understanding , the meeting resolved to rotate its meetings among the northern states on a quarterly basis ,’’ the communiqué said.
The meeting held for the first time outside the traditional seat, Kaduna, and was attended by the chairmen of the states’ councils of Emirs and chiefs or their representatives.

Messi closer to another milestone after Argentina success

Lionel Messi is just two goals behind Diego Maradona's international total of 34 after guiding Argentina ever closer to qualifying for next year's World Cup in Brazil.

The four-time World Player of the Year netted from the penalty spot as Argentina eased to a 3-0 win over Venezuela as it remained four points clear at the top of the South American group.

Real Madrid's Gonzalo Higuain scored twice to take him to 10 goals for the qualifying campaign, but it was Messi who stole the show once again.

Read: Magical Messi shows no sign of stopping

The 25-year-old has repeatedly vowed to win the one prize to have eluded him so far in his astonishing career- the World Cup.

Not since 1986 when Maradona led Argentina to glory has the country won the tournament -- a statistic that Messi is desperate to change.

After an incredible 2012 where he scored 91 goals for club and country, surpassing the previous record of 85 by Germany's Gerd Muller, Messi looks set to break new ground once again.

This season alone he has scored 61 goals in 51 matches for club and country with 55 of those coming in 43 matches for Barcelona and six in eight appearances for Argentina.

Messi still has a way to go until he passes Gabriel Batistuta, who holds Argentina's all-time record with 56 goals from 78 matches.

But his priority is success in Brazil next year -- a target which is looking eminently possible.

"We have a forward line that can be considered among the best in the world," Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella told reporters.

"Venezuela are a tough team, very compact, who know what they want. What happened was that Argentina played very well, especially in the first half and were very superior."

Messi will hope to move past Maradona on Tuesday when Argentina head to the high altitude city of La Paz to face a Bolivia side which won its last meeting between the two 6-1.

Jonathan should be ready to park out of Aso Rock in 2015-Prof.Ango Abdulahi

Jonathan should be ready to park out of Aso Rock in 2015-Prof.Ango Abdulahi

The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has sounded a warning to President Goodluck Jonathan, telling him that he would have to contend with a unified north should he insist on seeking another term in 2015.

NEF spokesman, Prof  Ango Abdullahi, gave this warning yesterday in Kaduna during an exclusive interview with our correspondent.

Commenting on why the north is putting its act together in order to present a formidable team, Abdullahi said, “We are trying now to unify our people (northerners) that have been divided along ethnic and religious lines in the last two years.

And very soon you will hear the north talking from one platform.

“President Jonathan should just be ready to either park out or jump out of Aso Rock. He should be ready to fight a unified north in 2015.”

He further expressed the group’s belief that the insurgency in the north was being fuelled as a strategy to stigmatise the region.

“From all indications, the president has already stigmatised some parts of the country as being Boko Haram, and that everything about the violence in the north must be Boko Haram, but we know that the original Boko Haram by Mohammed Yusuf is not solely responsible for all the bombings that have been taking place.

“The Boko Haram syndrome may be a strategic plan to portray the north as morally unfit to rule; it is also a strategic plan to divide the country along north and south, or along religious and ethnic lines,” he said, adding that those behind such evil act would regret their actions in due time.

Abdullahi, a former vice chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zarai, further claimed that President Jonathan was always known as somebody who likes to take sides.

According to him, “Jonathan is only a theoretical president of Nigeria; but, practically, he has demonstrated that he is a president of a section of the country. He has always spoken in defence of his Niger Delta people. He is always fond of exonerating his people.

“You can see a president exonerating a criminal such as the October 1 bombings  in 2010. He has also come out to say that Boko Haram has infiltrated his government, and that Boko Haram members are in his government, the Army, the Police and even in the Villa. This we know is a strategy to stigmatise any candidate from the north come 2015.”

On whether Jonathan should contest the 2015 presidential election, Abdullahi said, “Whether Jonathan is free to contest the 2015 election or not is the business of Bamagan Tukur; all we are hoping is that he is not speaking on behalf of the people of the north.

“If Bamagan Tukur is familiar with the history of zoning by his party since 1999, one would be surprised that Bamagan Tukur, who comes from this part of the country, is talking about Jonathan contesting election in 2015. But then, that is the business of the PDP.

The people of north would certainly take a decision to bring a consensus candidate come 2015.”

He further argued that the region should be allowed to conclude its eight years and anything short of that would not be acceptable.

“The north gave former President Olusegun Obasanjo his full eight years; it is only normal that the north should be allowed  to conclude our eight  years, started by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua,” he said.

On Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu’s insistence that President Jonathan had signed a one-term agreement, Abdullahi said that the governor’s revelation may be have emanated from the pressure being mounted on the governors by the northerners.

Czech president impeached for state pardon criminals charged with financial frauds.

Czech president impeached for state pardon to criminals charged with financial frauds. 

A few days ago, on Monday March 4, the Senate of the Czech Republic impeached the country’s President for granting state pardon to criminals charged with financial frauds.
By a vote of 38 to 30 the Czech Republic Senate indicted and impeached President Václav Klaus, at an executive session, for issuing state pardon on December 31, 2012, to cover a range of financial crimes; including investment funds thefts, and, non-violent crimes or offences committed by elderly persons. President Václav Klaus gave amnesty alongside to all criminals facing 10-year jail terms but whose court trials have exceeded 8 years by December 31, 2012.
Altogether, he released 6,236 prisoners under his hands, being 25% of prison inmates, although quite a few of those he amnestied quickly re-committed crimes within days and were promptly returned to jail, giving a lie to a plausible argument of offenders’ penitence or contrition that his clever by half spokesmen could invent.
Showing its outrage further, the Czech Republic Senate quickly passed a separate resolution immediately referring President Václav Klaus to the Constitutional Court on indictment for treason trial. In a country riven by corruption, a state pardon of financial crimes by President Václav Klaus was considered serious enough to rise to the level of high crime against the Czech Republic, in the Senate’s majority view.
Two separate charges of constitutional trespasses were then added in the treason indictment for a consolidated trial by the Constitutional Court before or by June this year.
No nonsense, no sentiments, the Czech Republic Senate in taking these un-precedented steps against corruption, simply dis-regarded President Václav Klaus’ age, for despite being 71-year-old, the Czech Republic President is to face judicial punishment, if convicted for treason, and, shall become legally disable as an ex-convict to forfeit his pension for 10 years in office as the president.
"The broad amnesty for thousands of people only serves as a smoke-screen for pardons of serious economic offenses and abolition of their investigations", said Jan Macháček, a columnist for the Respekt weekly, whilst commenting on what’s emerging in other countries too as a trick whereby a President adds several names to conceal the prominence of a person really intended to be favoured.
“Oh, no!” retorted President Václav Klaus.  "I did not have a single specific person in front of my eyes when [preparing] the amnesty," President Václav Klaus said.
Not to worry, the Constitutional Court will hear President Václav Klaus more fully, but from the dock.
For now, he can ponder the prospect of severe cross-examination founded on Article 2 of the Czech Republic which says:-
(1) The people are the source of all power in the State; they exercise it through bodies of legislative, executive and judiciary powers.

(1) The people are the source of all power in the State; they exercise it through bodies of legislative, executive and judiciary powers.

(2) A Constitutional Act may define when the people exercise state power directly.

(3) State power shall serve all citizens and may be applied only in cases, within limits and by methods defined by law.

(4) Every citizen may do what is not prohibited by law and nobody may be forced to do what the law does not instruct them to do.

(2) A Constitutional Act may define when the people exercise state power directly.

(3) State power shall serve all citizens and may be applied only in cases, within limits and by methods defined by law.

(4) Every citizen may do what is not prohibited by law and nobody may be forced to do what the law does not instruct them to do.
On those constitutional provisions, President Václav Klaus will seem to be in all sorts of legal knots, because as phrased, the powers of state in the Czech Republic are not reposed on him as individual, to enable him invoke the defence of executive discretion – which the Presidents of many other countries will more readily assert, along with immunity; neither of which bogus defence the constitution of Czech Republic accepts in defence of treason.
Besides excluding those two bogus defences, the constitution of Czech Republic does something else sensible. Its article two provision is captioned “Fundamental Provisions” – meaning it overrides any other conflicting law or power. And although similar provisions exist as Chapter 2 in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, and also labelled “Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy”, the Nigerian version is worse than useless.
According to Nigeria’s Supreme Court, Nigeria’s own longish version of “Fundamental Principles” is just mere advice to the government which no court of law can enforce, because, in the quaint lingo of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the “Fundamental Principles” of Nigeria’s own constitution are “non-justiciable”.
Much worse, the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria grants immunity for life to the President of Nigeria for all acts done or omitted to be done in his or her official capacity. Surely, with such pincer-like privilege, the President of Nigeria has absolute legal license to do as he wishes.
“Nigeria is not even a pretence to democracy but an utter shambles”, said a Lagos columnist. “Its 1999 Constitution makes clear in advance to the routinely duped voters that they are only being invited to vote and choose a dictator over themselves”.
Set beside the Czech Republic, Nigeria begins to look strange and funny, in terms of law and order, because immunity having tied their hands and divested middle-class Nigerians of lawful powers to force the issue against a recalcitrant, obstinate, murderous, corrupt or adamant President, the non-justiciability of any legal complaint sounding in ethical outrage against an elected Nigeria President, makes sure that the President of Nigeria at any point is not answerable to anyone for ethical mis-use of state powers.
And, just as correlation is not causation, fundamental principles commonly appearing in the constitution of both Czech Republic and Nigeria, lack similar result.
Illustratively, Article 2 (3) of the Czech Republic constitution says:
State power shall serve all citizens and may be applied only in cases, within limits and by methods defined by law.
There is no such express provision in Nigeria’s own 1999 Constitution; as such, no concrete ethical control of a Nigerian President’s use of state powers. Article 2 (3) of the Czech Republic makes the difference and explains why a Nigerian President can afford to ride roughshod over public opinion.
Indeed, more often than not, a Nigerian President just casually appropriates all national powers, as individual, and uses it solely at his own discretion, for private purposes; either to gift taxpayers’ money to lady-friends as he wishes, or, at other times to direct that the treasury makes illicit cash deliveries to cronies under false entries.
As this financial treason rages under its shambolic constitution, one of Nigeria’s supposed “50 wise men” who drafted it and put the country into voluntary bondage, Professor Ben Nwabueze (Chairman of the sub-committee which drafted the non-justiciable chapter two of the 1999 Constitution) has lately been confessing the drafters’ errors and mostly naïve assumptions.
“We were misled”, he said, ruing the atrocious consequences since then, as a Nigerian President commanded soldiers to kill almost everyone in both Odi village and in Zaki-Biam, which the Nigerian courts of law could only view as photographic evidence, without any power to punish the malfeasant President, both murders being legally immunized under the zany 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
To save face after much hand-wringing, the fettered Nigerian courts of law awarded 70 billion Naira as damages payable by all Nigerians, but which those cold-bloodedly murdered in Odi and Zaki-Biam can’t receive or spend.

Murder Of NSCDC Officers:Police forced witness to make contradictory statements.

One of the officers killed in a police ambush yesterday

The Police in Lagos have forced Olanrenju Gbedeogun, an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to make a statement that contradicts yesterday’s events where the police attacked officers of the corps, killed two of its officers, and freed some oil pipeline vandals.  
Sources at the Owutu Police Station in Ikorodu, Lagos State, informed SaharaReporters that the police authorities embarked on the measure to back-up their claim to the presidency that it was officers of NSCDC which attacked the police, and that the police knew nothing about the death of the two NSCDC men.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police is said to have personally supervised the forced video confession of Gbedeogun.
Earlier in the day, we learned that Gbedeogun was being tortured by the police to force him to provide the contradiction of the corps’ account of yesterday’s events.
A police officer at the Owutu Police Station who felt bad about the latest developments told us on condition of anonymity that if care was not taken urgently Gbedeogun would be dead before daybreak.  By that time, the torture victim had already spent over 24hrs in detention, contrary to the law.
Gbedeogun was one of the NSCDC officers that escaped from the vandalization scene where the police killed two of his colleagues.  He was found where he was hiding for fear of his life, and arrested by the police.
Our source said that in forcing the confession out of him, the police reminded Gbedeogun of the case in Edo State of Olaitan Oyerinde, Governor Adams Oshiomole's former aide who was allegedly killed by the police last year, suggesting that a similar fate could be his if he failed to cooperate with them.
According to eyewitnesses and NSCDC spokesman Okeh Emmanuel, the NSCDC officers were ambushed and killed by police officers attacked to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) after the NSCDC men arrested four pipeline vandals who were caught siphoning fuel.
As we reported yesterday, the vandals somehow escaped after the fatal attack, which led NSDCDC officials to suspect they were in cahoots with the police.
One wounded officer also said that the vandals made several phone calls to police officers before they opened fire on the NSCDC patrol van.  A police identity card, a gun and communication equipment belonging to one Inspector Sunday Gabriel were also retrieved from the scene of the attack.

3rd Place Match Is A Must Win For Flying Eagles– John Obuh

3rd Place Match Is A Must Win For Flying Eagles– John Obuh

Putting behind them the unexpected defeat by the Junior Pharaohs of Egypt, the coach of Nigeria’s U-20 team John Obuh has promised that he will put everything into machination in the third place match against Mali.
Obuh said the Flying Eagles cannot afford to concede defeat in to straight games in a tournament especially today’s match which will be deciding who takes home the Bronze medal on the African Youth Championship.
The Flying Eagles will be clashing with their first rival and the first team in the tournament to smear their title defence in the AYC, Mali for the third place match as pundits keep hoping that today’s game between the two teams will be in a different form with a possibility of the Flying Eagles to run away with a victory which is what coach Obuh is gunning for.
Obuh said he sees today’s clash with Mali as another opportunity for the players to show what they are made of and prove to the Malians that the initial clash was an error.

24 People Nailed To Cross In Philippine Folk Catholicism Ritual

24 People Nailed To Cross In Philippine Folk Catholicism Ritual

About two dozen Filipinos were nailed to crosses on Good Friday in an extreme display of devotion that the Catholic church looks down upon as a form of folk religion but appears powerless to stop.
The re-enactment of the passion of Jesus Christ draws thousands of tourists to the Pampanga region, 80 km (50 miles) north of the capital, to watch barefoot penitents flagellate themselves and a series of crucifixions on an artificial hill.

 The practice, which took hold in the province about 60 years ago as form of religious vow by poor people seeking forgiveness, a cure for illness and the fulfilment of other wishes.

Archbishop Paciano Aniceto said the gory practice was a distortion of Christ’s teachings of love and selfless service. But he conceded that the church could not stop the ritual that he described as “popular piety”.
Another bishop said people had to understand the folk Catholicism widely practiced in the Philippines, which has the largest Christian population in Asia. About 80 percent of its 96 million people are Catholic.
“We are in no position to suppress them,” Auxiliary Bishop Pablo Virgilio David told Reuters.
“I do not think it is right to close our doors to them just because they are more attracted to these folk practices than to our Roman liturgy which they may find too foreign or cerebral.”
Devotees, insisting they were prepared to endure pain as penance, had 5-inch stainless steel nails driven into their hands. Then, for a few minutes, they were hanged on wooded crosses.
“We do this because of our faith not because we’re paid,” Ruben Inaje, a house painter who has played the role of Christ for 27 years, told Reuters.
“Two years ago, I said it would be the last time I’d do it. But every time I say that, my wife gets sick. I guess God wants me to continue this sacrifice as a lifetime vow,” he said before taking up a 50 kg (110 lb) cross and heading to the crucifixion site.
A circus-like atmosphere prevailed on a sun-drenched day.
“It’s my first time to witness a man being crucified,” said Charlotte Johansen, 26, a Norwegian non-government organisation worker, was taking pictures with her friends.
The village of Cutud has built the hill with three crosses for the main ceremony with crucifixions also taking place in two nearby villages.
Souvenir and food vendors staked out the hill and people selling ice-cream and sodas wandered among the crowd.
“The crucifixions here have become a purely tourism event,” said an official from the area, who handles accreditation for the flock of journalists which descends every year.

Nigeria Is On The Brink Of Another Civil War -Soyinka

Nigeria Is On The Brink Of Another Civil War -Soyinka

Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has described the spate of insecurity in the country as a great cause for concern that should be addressed urgently, warning that the country is on the brink of a second civil war.
Professor Soyinka, at the Bola Tinubu Colloquium on Thursday, described the situation as alarming, calling for dialogue of all stakeholders before things spiral out of control. He also decried President Jonathan mien on the issue.
Mr. Soyinka particularly faulted the way President Goodluck Jonathan appears to be treating the threat posed by the Boko Haram insurgency.

“Let’s face it. This nation is on the brink. There are those who don’t understand this, who won’t accept this. I feel very sorry that they will wake up and find out that we have fallen over the brink. It is not what we envisaged during our struggle for independence,” Mr. Soyinka said.
“It is not what we envisaged when we struggled to overthrow dictatorship and install the rights and dignity of human beings and citizens in the society. But, whether we like it or not, it has come upon us.
“My problem with the government right now, especially the President of this nation, is that he doesn’t seem to realise it.
“He has not taken the people of this nation into confidence. By now, it is my belief that the President should be addressing the nation – and in great details – explaining why, if he agrees, that this nation is at war and that certain things have to be done to ensure that we pull back from this second round of what is moving towards a civil war. That, of course, is if he and his government accept this.
“By now, we should be tightening our belts in many different directions. By now, we should never have persuaded ourselves to see what is happening in the North as being confined in the North. It has been obvious all along that this is not a Northern affair alone; no!
“I read in the papers the other day that some cells have been found, trying to blow up Lagos. My reaction was what is new about that?, We have said this ages before on various lecture podia, that wait a minute, it is happening there, but believe me, it is happening every where.
“And this consciousness should have been imparted to Nigerian citizens from the very beginning, at least two years ago. So that everyone understands that the problem we are facing right now is not just regional. It is national, it is a humanistic problem.
“I remember the four horsemen of the apocalypse. I can’t remember precisely what they were, but I know they were plagues. There is the fifth. And it is called Boko Haram. That is the kind of language that the leadership of this nation should be imparting to Nigerian citizens today,” Soyinka sai

Alamieyeseigha must be extradited for trial-Britain.

The United Kingdom has said that it has not given up on its efforts to extradite former Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, back to Britain to face trial, the Sun Newspaper is reporting today.
The UK said it had already contacted the Federal Government requesting Mr. Alamieyeseigha’s extradition, and was awaiting a response to the request.
The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock, told the paper in an exclusive interview that the former governor, who recently got state pardon from his criminal conviction in Nigeria, still has an outstanding case of money laundering to answer to in the UK and that the UK government will not give up until Mr. Alamieyeseigha is brought to justice.
Mr. Alamieyeseigha, then a serving governor, made a dramatic escape from the custody of the British authorities when he fled back to Nigeria from detention in September 2005. He would later be convicted on similar money laundering charges on July 26, 2007 in Nigeria after he was impeached as governor.
Although his recent state pardon by President Goodluck Jonathan hit the UK authorities as a rude shock, Mr. Pocock dismissed insinuations that London was planning to sanction Nigeria over the matter. According to him, “that is not the way we do things”.
The High Commissioner also revealed that UK had earlier requested for Alamieyeseigha’s extradition, but did not get any response.
Mr. Pocock said the UK had asked the Attorney General and Minister for Justice for Alamieyeseigha’s extradition and was still awaiting his position on the issue when President Goodluck Jonathan all of a sudden announced he has been extricated of all wrong doing via the state clemency.
The move to pardon him even when the application for his extradition to Britain was still pending was like daring the applying nation that feels strongly that Alamieyeseigha has a case to answer in their country.
According to Mr. Pocock, “The former governor skipped bail in the UK on a charge of money laundering and returned to Nigeria. So, he has an outstanding charge in the UK, which is there for him to answer.
“We have already discussed it and the Nigerian government knows our views. But we would like to see him return and answer charge in the UK.”
On UK’s past and present efforts to see that Alamieyeseigha is extradited to the UK, Mr. Pocock said: “Yes. I think we asked in the past. I am very sure we asked in the past. But I am not sure we got a formal response. So, we are still waiting for a formal response from the Nigerian government.
“We have asked the Attorney General. He will have to tell us what his position is on extradition. I haven’t had a reply yet, but we still wait for it,” the British envoy added.

Kanu Rallies Support For Super Eagles Coach; Keshi

Kanu Rallies Support For Super Eagles Coach; Keshi

Kanu Nwankwo has called for support for Super Eagles Coach Stephen Keshi from Nigerians for him to excel.
Touted as one of Nigeria’s football legends, Kanu made this comments after the Super Eagles encounter with the Harambee Stars of Kenya last weekend, a game that ended in a 1-1 draw.
He said the Eagles did well against Kenya as the boys did well enough to get a draw out of a game that was almost lost and also the pressure was on the Super Eagles and not Kenya.
The Super Eagles were able to get a draw in their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers clash against Kenya, a clash its return leg will holding in Nairobi by June.
A former Portsmouth and Arsenal star, who during his days was known for his deft moves and mouth opening goals, said even as it stands the Super Eagles will qualify for the Brazil 2014 World Cup because if they can get a draw with this performance and after so much improvement they get a good game plan to add to it before the return leg then the eagles will be unstoppable
Kanu said the Kenyans came with a mind-set of playing a defensive game and this was difficult for the players to break apart.
He said Stephen Keshi needs the support of Nigerians in terms decision making with regards to players either for call-ups or substitution.

Osoba, Amosun factions of ACN clash violently over membership re-validation in Ogun

Several party members sustained injuries including a 70-year old man.
The tussle for supremacy between two factions of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Ogun State reared its ugly head again on Friday.
The factions- one headed by the former governor, Olusegun Osoba, and the other by the incumbent, Ibikunle Amosun, engaged in a free-for-all fight at the party’s membership re-validation exercise in Abeokuta.
The fracas which occurred in Ward 15, Ibara area of Abeokuta South Constituency 2, resulted in several members, including a 70-year-old man, sustaining injuries.
During the fracas, the party register was allegedly snatched away by the Amosun camp, popularly called SIA group, ending the exercise abruptly. As at the time of this report, the police were said to be on the trail of the suspects.
The bone of contention was that the governor’s loyalists, who recently defected to the party, wanted their names to be the first set on the new register, contrary to what was on the original list. To get this done, the Amosun group had allegedly printed fake membership cards.
However, the party authorities, discovering the deceit, refused to register them. This led to a fight, with several party members beaten up and a physically challenged old man pushed to the floor.
The old man was soon rescued and taken away from the fighting but in the course of it all, the alleged troublemakers made away with the party register.
Speaking to our correspondent, the ward chairman of the party, Nofiu Osayemi, who sustained bruises, said the exercise, which was on the order of the party authority, commenced smoothly at about 9.00 a.m. until about 10.25 a.m. when some suspected thugs arrived.
‘They came with fake membership cards which we uncovered, insisting that their names should be in the first set of the register but we denied them because as new entrants to the party, the party leadership has instructed that their names should be in the supplementary list.”
He said, within a twinkle of an eye, the alleged intruders descended on members, beat them up and forcefully took away the party’s membership register.
Mr. Osayemi said he had since reported to the party leadership who in turn directed him to report to the police, which he had done before he spoke to PREMIUM TIMES
The party ward registrar, Tunji Fagbenro, in his own account, declared that the alleged culprits were part of the Amosun faction that joined the party mid-way and are now insisting on becoming overlords.
Mr. Fagbenro, who was also beaten up, said the six-day exercise which started smoothly on Thursday was disrupted by the gang on Friday. He said the police have been informed and have assured that the suspects will be apprehended.

Nigeria’s Criminal Justice System Is ‘Messed Up’ – Falana

Nigeria’s Criminal Justice System Is ‘Messed Up’ – Falana

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A legal practitioner and public affairs analyst, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has blamed the Nigerian justice system for the pardon granted to former Bayelsa State governor, Mr Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, former Managing Director of Bank of the North, Mr Shettima Bulama and a retired army major.
Mr. Falana, who described the system as “messed up” was speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s morning flagship programme Sunrise Daily. He also berated the government’s inability to convince Nigerians on why the pardon was granted to these persons.
Mr. Falana said: “The government has not convinced Nigerians why it had to do it. Two of them were convicted for financial and economic crimes, one, a retired major was convicted for molesting four young boys; it was a case of sodomy”.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria recounted the description of the Supreme Court on the offence committed by the retired military officer as “beastly, barbaric and bizarre”.
He went further to quote the Chairman of ThisDay Newspaper Editorial Board, Mr. Segun Adeniyi, saying “In any country, you don’t extend pardon to sex related offences because it questions the morality of the society”.
Speaking on the pardon of Alamieyeseigha that, according to him, has generated so much controversy, the legal luminary said “When you situate his own case within the context of the criminal justice system (of Nigeria) that has been messed up completely in a way that only the poor and the disadvantaged segments of the society are railroaded to jail every day, you then ask yourself.”
Comparing the cases of others, who were governors the same time Alamieyeseigha was, Mr. Falana said: “If I was in the position of Chief Alamieyeseigha, I would have regretted pleading guilty to the charge because all his other colleagues who were charged with serious, graver offences are walking free.
“One of them, who jumped bail in the United Kingdom, like himself, is making laws, he is in the Senate today, the former governor of Plateau state, Chief Joshua Dariye”.

Ex-Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, backs amnesty for Boko Haram

Nigeria’s former Military Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar,  on Thursday joined other Nigerians to seek amnesty for members of the extremist Boko Haram sect.
“Anything that can bring peace in the country to the people needs to be studied and to see the merit and demerit of such an action.
“Yes there are a lot of people for and against Boko Haram; we should situate our position to the people who are getting the blunt of all these activities.
“People are made homeless; they are made orphans; they are widows; so if amnesty to this people will bring peace and bring succour to our country, why not,” Abubakar said.
He spoke with the North America Correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the African Union secretariat in New York.
It was at an event where the AU High Level implementation Panel (AUHIP) on Sudan and South Sudan briefed envoys within the continent on the progress made by the panel.
Since 2009, series of attacks by Boko Haram has left hundreds of people dead and several property destroyed.
On the democratic institution, the former military leader appealed to politicians in the country to be more broad-minded and to be truthful and provide services to the nation.
“The problem we are having right now is the problem of development, but it is very sad it’s happening.
“But I believed this is an issue that we can overcome if all Nigerians unite to ensure that we fight this cankerworm that is bedevilling our country,’’ Mr. Abubakar noted.
According to him, there is no country in the world that has not got any problem the way it plays its democracy. It is a matter of learning and doing the right thing.
“What is Democracy? Democracy is government of the people for the people by the people and in the process there are pitfalls here and there,’’ he noted.
Commenting on the African Union High Level Implementation Panel on Sudan, Abubakar said the panel’s assignment was essentially to intervene and bring peace between the two countries of Sudan.
“It is in this context that we came to interact with the UN Security Council and in the process we met with the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, and discussed the way forward for Sudan.
“The two Sudan have signed about nine agreements and they are being implemented. The most important one is the resumption of the production of oil through the Northern Sudan, he said.
He also hailed the security arrangement whereby the two Sudan had withdrawn their forces from the zero line to their own part of the country. (NAN)

Man kills uncle at masqurade festival in Nsukka

Pandemonium broke out at Nguru village in Nsukka, Enugu State, on Tuesday when a man shot his uncle dead at a masquerade festival.

Boniface Ukwueze was shot dead by his nephew Chebube Ukwueze during the omabe masquerade festival, according to an eyewitness.
A member of the community who pleaded anonymity told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the accident brought the festival to a sudden end.
He said that people were dancing and celebrating with the masquerades when Chebube, who was holding a dane gun, hit his leg on a stone and in the process of failing touched the trigger which killed the deceased.
“When we celebrate the masquerade festival, some people usually carry dane guns and shoot it into the air to add spice to the celebration.
“We have been doing this festival since our forefathers but it is unfortunate that this year’s turned into a tragedy.
“It was an accidental discharge, the nephew had no intention of killing his uncle,” he said.
Speaking on the tragedy, the councilor representing the area in Nsukka LGA, Mr Nick Obayi, described it as unfortunate, noting that the community handed over the suspect to the police to avoid massive arrest.
“We know it was an accidental discharge, so the community will work closely with the police to ensure that the matter is resolved amicably.
“It was an accident. The nephew had no intention of killing the uncle. We decided to hand him over to the police to avoid massive arrest,’’ he said.
He said the tragedy would not prevent the community from continuing the festival since everybody knew the killing was not intentional.
Igwe Patrick Okoro, the traditional ruler of Nkpunano community, confirmed the incident, describing it as an accident that occurred during the festival.
“The community has been celebrating this festival for a long time, we have not witnessed this tragedy before,’ he said.
Mr Ebere Amaraizu, the police spokesman in Enugu State, confirmed the incident, adding that the police had commenced investigations into the matter.
Amaraizu said the police had recovered the dane gun used in the shooting.

 Another Boko Haram Attack Averted In Kano

Another devastating attack on the city of Kano by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect was averted yesterday.
The Commissioner of Police, Musa Daura, told reporters that the command, acting on intelligence, engaged a group of terrorists in a gun battle on the outskirts of the city, wounding some of them and recovering a bomb-laden Golf 3 vehicle, as well as arms and ammunition.
Daura said the occupants of the vehicle instantly opened fire upon sighting a police patrol van.  A gun battle ensued,following which the militants retreated after receiving bullet wounds.
No policemen were hurt.
Daura listed items recovered from the car to include an AK 47 Rifle, Assault Rifle, 238 live ammunition of different caliber, Rocket Launcher, AK 47 Magazines, seven Turkey oil—stuffed with remote-control bombs, two cylinder remote-control devices, 14 hand grenades, four rolls of wire connector and 12 power source.
The incident comes on the heels of preparations for the Good Friday and Easter celebration by Christians world-wide.
Text of the statement by Commissioner Daura:
“On Tuesday, 26 March, 2013, on about 2130 hours, based on a tip-off, our men intercepted a Golf 3 Motor Vehicle with Reg. No. AG 701 KTN at an outskirt village here in Kano.
“The occupants of the vehicle on sighting the Patrol Vehicle opened fire and immediately, our men responded with superior power, which made the occupants to abandon their vehicle and escaped with bullet wounds.
“The intention of these hoodlums was to cause havoc and destabilize peace which will subsequently lead to economic and social sabotage in Kano state.
“However, my men sealed up the whole area with a view to identify and arrest the fleeing suspects. We are urging members of the public to continue supporting the Command and other security agencies in the state to restore the peace and tranquility we have been enjoying in the state for decades.
“We also have to contribute in whatever capacity to unmask the criminals in the state and reduce all sorts of crimes to the barest minimum,” Daura stated.

Woman hides drug in private parts

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Wednesday arrested a 33 years old Senegalese woman with 680 grammes of heroin and cocaine tactically hidden in her private parts at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos while attempting to board an Arik Air flight to Dakar.
The suspect, Miss Kamara Oumou claimed that she smuggled the drugs for the love she had for her Nigerian boyfriend.
Miss Oumou with Senegal international passport number 400680371 was apprehended by the officials of the anti-narcotics agency during the screening of passengers at the airport.
Speaking on the arrest, NDLEA Airport Commander, Mr. Hamza Umar said that the suspect used industrial tape in sticking three parcels of cocaine weighing 515 grammes on her waist while 6 wraps of heroin weighing 165 grammes were inserted in her private parts.
Mr. Umar said “it was a carefully concealed method but not intelligent enough to escape our detection”.
He however stressed that Miss Oumou shocked her investigators when she said that she smuggled the drugs for the love she had for her Nigerian boyfriend who she simply identified as Hakeem.
According to Mr. Umar “preliminary investigation revealed that they both met in Dakar where Hakeem is believed to have lived for 11 years. Their relationship lasted only six months before Hakeem left Dakar in December 2012. Hakeem invited Kamara to Lagos from Dakar and lodged her in a hotel where they both spent a week together.
Within this period, he made necessary arrangement for Kamara to go back with the drugs”
Meanwhile, Chairman of the NDLEA Ahmadu Giade advised members of the public to be careful of the tricks employed by drug trafficking syndicates.
“It is wrong to commit a criminal act. No reason is strong enough to engage in drug trafficking. Drug barons may claim to be in love with unsuspecting couriers. They may even present themselves as philanthropists, members of the public are advised to shun drug trafficking” Giade urged. He however said that the suspect will soon be charged to court.
Narrating her ordeals, Kamara said that it was her first time of seeing drugs.
“I have a good relationship with Hakeem until my arrest. The day he brought the drugs to the hotel room was my first time ever of seeing drugs.
He called the drugs products and that his business partners are unfaithful and he wants me to take the products to Dakar because he had trust in me.
Hakeem taught me how to pack the drugs and also took care of my travel arrangements. He said that he lives in the east but he took good care of me in the hotel in Lagos. We were to travel together to Dakar but he suddenly changed the arrangement. Hakeem travelled to Dakar a day before my trip” Kamara stated.

“How can I ask my boyfriend to pay me? I smuggled the drugs for the love I have for my Nigerian boyfriend” Kamara stated.

Police attack Civil Defence officers, kill two, free pipeline vandals

The civil defence officers had just raided a vandalism site when police officers opened fire on them.
Some officers of the Nigeria Police Force, Wednesday, allegedly attacked men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, at Ikorodu Lagos.
The civil defence officers were returning from a site of arrest of some pipeline vandals when the police officers opened fire on them, according to witnesses.
Witnesses put the time of the incident at between midnight and 3 a.m.
Two officers, identified as Gabriel Adaji and Innocent Akegbe, were killed while five others received severe gunshot wounds, according to a source at the NSCDC.
A witness said that the arrested vandals contacted some police officers who ambushed the Civil Defence officers and their prisoners.
“Immediately the police got wind of the information, they laid siege for the Corps and open fire on the NSCDC patrol vehicles killing two while others scampered for their dear lives with gunshot wounds as the vandals were released immediately by the police,” the witness said.
A source at the NSCDC corroborated the account, adding that an argument had ensued between the returning NSCDC officers and the team of police officers at a checkpoint along the Ikorodu expressway.
“One of the policemen said we (NSCDC) had no right to operate in the area,” the source said.
“The NSCDC men explained that it was their duty to protect all government facilities including oil pipelines.”
After the argument, the civil defence officers left the police checkpoint only to encounter a hail of bullets from another team of police officers, the NSCDC source added.
“The policemen opened fire on our men, killing two and injuring five. The policemen then fled.”
When contacted, a police officer who identified himself as the Deputy Police Spokesperson told that he could not comment on the matter.
“You have to wait for the PRO, she is in a meeting. Call back in two hours,” he said.

JTF Kills 4 Suspected Boko Haram Members In Yobe

JTF Kills 4 Suspected Boko Haram Members In Yobe

Four suspected members of the dreaded Boko Haram Insurgents have been killed in a renewed clashed with the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe state North-east Nigeria.
Geidam is 180 kilometres north of Damaturu the state capital and is sharing a border with Meine-Soroa town of Niger Republic.
A statement made available to newsmen by the spokesman of the JTF in Yobe state, Lieutenant Eli Lazarus said the incident occurred around 5pm on Tuesday when the gunmen attacked a JTF location in Geidam town.
Though the attack was repelled by the JTF, the statement said four of the gunmen lost their lives in the gun duel.
The statement also revealed that three AK47 rifles, five rifle magazines and 72 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunitions were recovered from the insurgents.
JTF in the statement assured all law abiding and peace loving people of the state of its unflinching commitment to the full restoration of peace and security and the maintenance of law and order in the state.
The latest attack is coming two days after hoodlums attacked the Bara Divisional police station in Gulani local government area killing one police corporal and destroying two telecom masts in the area.
The attack has paralysed communication within Gulani and part of Gombe state who hitherto rely on the Bara telecom masts.

Boko Haram;Nigeria Army Launches Information Alert System

Boko Haram;Nigeria Army Launches Information Alert System

SMS can also be sent to the following dedicated numbers:

08160030300
0705333123
08181555888

The Nigerian Army has launched an online information system that will track and tackle terrorist threat in the country within fifteen minutes.
The information processing system commissioned on Wednesday by the chief of transformation and innovation centre, Major General Ibrahim Sani, will alert a network of security agencies nationwide of any terrorist activity reported by any Nigerian via email or text message.
Major General Sani explained that information on the network system cannot be compromised and will respond confidentially to all distress and emergency calls.
The Nigerian Army information processing system can reached via the following email address:
Nigerianarmytips@yahoo.com
Nigerianarmytips@gmail.com
SMS can also be sent to the following dedicated numbers:
08160030300
0705333123
08181555888
For years many people have questioned the inability of the government to adequately tackle the increasing threat by members of Boko Haram and other widespread security concerns.
But the Nigerian Army has risen to the challenge with the use of information technology to address the issue using information processing system.
The system is designed to speedily alert the Police, the State Security Service (SSS) and other security agencies of any terrorist action observed in any part of the country.
Major General Sani maintained that basic training of skilled operators on the system has already begun, adding that issues of power failure or hacking into the network will not be a challenge as the system will be powered by an inverter and managed by professionals.
The information processing system, according to the army, also allows communication in local languages as long as the information is clearly described using the right medium.

Court Stops Senate, Police From Arresting Maina

Court Stops Senate, Police From Arresting Maina

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday vacated the arrest warrant issued by the senate against the sacked chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina.

The sacked Chairman of the Pension Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina

Delivering judgment on the suit filed by Mr Maina, Justice Adamu Bello held that the arrest warrant issued by the senate did not comply with section 88 of the 1999 constitution as amended.
The court further held that it was regrettable that the defendants failed to make available the National Assembly Journal or the official government gazette, containing the process leading to the issuance of the arrest warrant.
Justice Bello also held that “the lack of these documents means there is no evidence to show that the arrest warrant actually emanated through due process in accordance with the law”.
He added that the senate does not have unlimited powers as their powers are limited by section 82 of the 1999 constitution.
The court therefore issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining the senate and its committees, including the Nigerian Police from attempting to arrest or harass Mr Maina in relation to his failure to appear before it on the pending investigation into the rot in pension administration.

Average Hausa Man Now Tagged Boko Haram In Lagos – Hausa Community

Chairman of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum in Lagos, Yerima Shetima, yesterday said since the discovery of hideouts of suspected terrorists in the state, Hausa youths no longer enjoy freedom.
Shetima said many innocent northerners are being arrested; a development that put pressure on him to secure their release.
“Since the incident I have been moving from one police station to another because right now an average Hausa man is seen or perceived as Boko Haram and this is not good. We are lovers of peace.

“We have been moving from one local government to another sensitizing our people on why they should be security conscious at all times. We have told them that if they discover any strange movement in their area they should alert the security men”, he said.
While acknowledging the state government’s efforts in ensuring that innocent people are not punished for offence they know nothing about, Shetima said, “The state government had called a meeting where the issue was thoroughly discussed. We had another one with 81 Army Division last week; all we are telling them was that we are committed to peace and that we will all rise up to condemn any act of threat to unity of Nigeria”.

Suspected Cultist Molests, Impregnates 7-year-old

A suspected cultist identified as Monday has been arrested by the Police at Orrokpe, Delta State, for allegedly molesting and impregnating a seven-year-old girl.
The girl, it was gathered was living with her aunt, Destiny, in Ometa village, where Monday allegedly had carnal knowledge of her.

According to reports, the victim fell sick after the incident, but her 27-year-old aunt did not suspect it was as a result of pregnancy until she alerted the child’s mother, a widow, who said she should be taken to the hospital.
A pelvic scan conducted on the 7-year-old at a clinic confirmed she was pregnant.
“The suspect was subsequently, arraigned in court yesterday, and remanded in prisons custody,” a family source disclosed.

Bride Arrested For Killing Her Groom On Their Wedding day

Instead of heading to his wedding today, the family of this groom will head to his funeral.
A 31-year-old woman from Whitehall is behind bars after being accused of stabbing her boyfriend in the heart and killing him on the day that they were supposed to get married.
Officials from the District Attorney’s office say Nacola Franklin is charged with one count of criminal homicide in the stabbing death of 36-year-old Billy Brewster.

Investigators said police received a 911 call from 1580 Olympic Circle in Whitehall at 2:19 am on Saturday. When they arrived, Brewster was found in a second floor landing outside his apartment.
He had been stabbed twice and was taken to Lehigh County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just over an hour later.
Investigators said the couple lived together in the apartment. They were supposed to get married on that day. Police have not said what the motive was for the killing.

Woman Addicted To Drinking Tea Loses All Her Teeth And Develops Bone Disease

A Michigan mom addicted to drinking super-thick tea has lost all her teeth and is now battling a rare bone disease.
The 47-year-old had consumed at least a pitcher of the popular hot drink, made from at least 100 tea bags, every day for the last 17 years.
It led to her developing skeletal fluorosis — a bone disease caused by consuming too much of the mineral fluoride.
The Detroit Free Press reports she saw doctors at the city’s Henry Ford Hospital after getting pains and stiffness in her back, arms, legs and hips.
X-rays showed areas of abnormally dense bone in some of her spinal vertebrae and calcifications in the ligaments of her arms.

Unions Call For The Sack Of Health Minister Over Welfare

Unions Call For The Sack Of Health Minister Over Welfare

 A nationwide strike may be looming in Nigeria’s health sector as the joint health sector union has once again called on President Goodluck Jonathan to remove the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu or risk industrial unrest in the sector.

The members of the joint union which include the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives; the National Union of Pharmacists, Medical Scientists and Professions Allied to Medicine, have accused the minister of being behind the unnecessary discrimination among health professionals.
They also maintain that the minister is responsible for the non-implementation of some other demands such as the skipping of CONHESS 10; non-payment of specialist allowance and issues of consultancy status for allied health professionals, which were collective agreement reached in 2012 in Lagos.
Dispute Resolved
However, in a swift reaction, the special assistant on media and communication to the Minister of Health, Mr. Dan Nwomeh in a press statement said the federal government and the health workers had resolved the protracted industrial disputes.
Mr. Nwomeh said: “The trade dispute issues were discussed at a meeting called last week by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr. Emeka Wogu and attended by officials of the Federal Ministry of Health, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission and members of the Joint Health Sector Unions”.
On the implementation of the presidential committee report on harmony in the health sector, the statement indicated that the report is now ready for consideration by the Federal Executive Council and can only be implemented with the approval of the President.
The statement added that promotion from the Consolidated Health Sector Salary Structure (CONHESS) 14 to 15, will be carried out subject to vacancy.
Meanwhile, the Ministry disclosed that the chief medical directors had been asked to conduct promotion exercise in line with the collective agreement as well as the extant scheme of service.

Okah’s Refusal To Support Jonathan Triggered Trial – Keyamo

Okah’s Refusal To Support Jonathan Triggered Trial – Keyamo

Activist lawyer, Festus Keyamo has described the trial and judgement of Henry Okah, leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) as political.
Mr Keyamo, in a telephone interview with Channels Television, said Mr Okah’s problems started when he refused an offer to support the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said, “I want to let Nigerians and the World know that there’s a lot of politics involved in this matter; because I am aware that so many overtures were made to Henry Okah to support the Jonathan administration openly, like other militants were doing.
“They needed his support so badly and government officials, friends of Jonathan travelled to South Africa, met Henry Okah, stayed with him and courted his support. Henry Okah did not agree to their terms. They wanted him to openly support the Jonathan’s administration at that time.”
Mr Okah was on Tuesday jailed for 24 years by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg after being convicted of masterminding the 15 March 2010 bombing in Warri, Delta State and the 1 October bombing in Abuja.
The court handed a 10 year jail term to Mr Okah for MEND’s threat to deal with South Africans.