Thursday 11 July 2013

PHOTOS: Genevieve Nnaji Looks Sexy In New Pictures

Actress Genevieve Nnaji recently shared the pictures below with her Instagram fans.
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The actress is rocking a pair of skinny jeans and Louboutin heels.
What do you think?

Don’t Drag Jonathan Into Rivers Crisis - PDP Tells ACN


The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has warned the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, to desist from dragging President Goodluck Jonathan into the ongoing crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The ruling party said it “condemned in strong terms statement by the ACN in which it is seeking to drag the name of President Goodluck Jonathan into the recent developments in the Rivers State House Assembly”.
The PDP Acting National Publicity Secretary, Tony Okeke, in a statement described the ACN’s statement in which it also called for the impeachment of the president as “malicious and the height of political irresponsibility”.
The ruling party accused the opposition of seeking to aggravate the situation in Rivers State for selfish reasons.
The PDP said it was appalling that the ACN would always seek to distort facts to the extent of trying to link the President to the situation in Rivers state all in a desperate bid to tarnish his image and bring him to public odium.
“This is malicious and indeed the height of political irresponsibility on the part of the opposition. It is highly appalling that the ACN in its usual homage to lies and distortion of facts will go to the extent of dragging the name of the President into the issue just to tarnish his image and bring him to public odium.
“President Goodluck Jonathan has continued to display commitment, candour and sincerity in handling national issues. It is therefore a sign of frustration, desperation and defeat for the opposition to call for the impeachment of the President on account of the issues in Rivers state”, the PDP said in the statement.
The party urged all members of the River State House of Assembly and indeed all leaders in the state to exercise restraint and maintain decorum. It also called on all its members in the state to remain calm.

My Story: My Boyfriend Poured Boiling Water On Me When I Was Pregnant (PHOTOS)


Each time Louisa Marke looks in the mirror, she is reminded of the cruelty she suffered at the hands of her ex-partner.
In an act of unimaginable evil, Peter Scott poured a kettle of boiling water over her when she was three months pregnant with his child.
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Today, seven years later, Louisa speaks candidly to The Sun about how she turned her terrifying ordeal into something positive — training to be a lawyer to help other victims of domestic violence.
In June 2008, call centre worker Peter Scott, now 32, was jailed for three years after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent at Harrow Crown Court.
The baby survived his attack but Louisa, who suffered 20 per cent burns to her neck and chest, was too traumatised to continue with the pregnancy and had a termination.
Louisa, 27, from Cambridge says: “It has been a long journey to get where I am now. But going into law gave me a sense of purpose and the thought of securing justice for other domestic violence victims spurred me on.
“I never imagined someone could be so callous — especially not to the woman who was carrying his own child.

Will Jonathan Win A Second Term?


By Bayo Olupohunda
The handwriting is on the wall. The bold imprints are seen in the failings of this administration. Now the dashed expectations of the Jonathan’s presidency all seem to be leading to one predictable end — he may not be re-elected in 2015.
BAYO OLUPOHUNDA
BAYO OLUPOHUNDA
There are strong reasons to believe that his fairy tale journey to the Presidency may end in his first term.
Apart from the unfolding infighting threatening to tear his party apart, President Goodluck Jonathan appears to have squandered the goodwill that ensured his becoming Nigeria’s first minority president.
There is a depressing sense in which one cannot just imagine that this country would endure another term of this administration for another four years in office ending in 2019. This will be suicidal. Even now, 2015 looks too distant into the future in the eyes of ordinary Nigerians. In 2011, the president won the election by playing the underdog card.
The 2011 presidential election was won because ordinary Nigerians insisted on voting en masse for the country’s first minority president — the man who said he walked barefooted as a child; the man who also became the symbol of an end to the North’s bragging right to power since Nigeria’s independence from British rule. In 2015, Jonathan will not have the luxury of leveraging on the sentiments that swept him to power in his first term.
Now, he will have to look for other reasons. Except that this time, he will not be able to whip up emotions based on his poverty as a child. His ethnic background will also not matter. If he does, no one will believe him again.
Rather in 2015, the President will be confronted with the record of his performance. He will have to answer hard questions about his first term in office. And if truth be told, if the present situation in the polity is anything to go by, President Jonathan will be heading back to his hometown in Otuoke come May 29, 2015.
The President will not stand a chance against a formidable opposition with the right candidate in a free and fair election. But even at that, it still does not matter because it appears any type of candidate will still beat this President.
His performance so far makes him vulnerable to defeat in a free and fair election. He just has not lived up to the expectations of Nigerians. And I suspect the President and his party are in for a surprise.
Perhaps, for the first time, Nigerians will witness the power of their votes. The incumbency factor will not matter in 2015 because the President is poised to lose the election. But President Jonathan should not blame anybody for his predicament if he loses. He has so far been the architect of his own misfortune as a President. He had no excuse not to perform. Let’s face it, the President has fallen short of expectations that Nigerians had of his presidency.
There is no better expression to measure his performance since 2011. For a President that came into office to have squandered the enormous goodwill and support from Nigerians is evidence of opportunities gone awry; of hopes deferred. The only people who will support the President are the army of praise singers from his ethnic group who have been singing his praises to no end. And this brings me to the attitude of the so-called Niger Deltan activists and leaders. The leaders of the region have been so disappointing to say the least.
This attitude of it-is-either-Jonathan-for-a-second term-or-we-will-all-perish does their ethnic group no good. It is even an embarrassment to the office of the President.  Why do they act as if Jonathan is the President of only the Niger Delta? Why are they threatening to bring Nigeria down if Jonathan does not get a second term?
Did the President emerge in his first term only by the region’s votes? Can threats make a non-performing President stay in office in perpetuity? The culture of entitlement that pervades the region is the reason why the Niger Delta might still be backward even if Jonathan gets a second term.
They should know that it was the support of Nigerians that got the President a first term. Nigerians thus have the right to demand performance from him. And right now, the situation in our country today does not look good. In 2015, President Jonathan will have to present his scorecard.
Nigerians will ask him why corruption which he promised to tackle in his inaugural address has become a hydra-headed monster in his administration. He will have to explain why his administration has not so secured a single conviction in spite of massive corruption in the land. Nigerians will in 2015 ask this President why all the cases of corruption involving individuals in his government have all died a natural death.
The President will explain why all the anti-corruption agencies have all become toothless bulldogs. It has become glaring that President Jonathan has lost the trust and goodwill of Nigerians. The dominant view of Nigerians is that this government has failed. The impunity that has become a culture in the country today is because the president has not been decisive in the fight against corruption.
That is why all the agencies of government have been left to their own devices. The culture of impunity has been so pervasive. Take the power sector for example.
The President has not arrested the unending conundrum that has dogged the unbundling of the sector. This should not continue beyond 2015. Meanwhile, the power situation continues to get worse. The 2015 elections should be about performance and the President has a lot of questions to answer about his stewardship unless something drastic happens between now and the election date.
The President also has to explain why million of Nigerian youths cannot find jobs. All we hear from this government is how the economy is growing at an unbelievable rate. Pray, how can the economy grow while millions are unemployed?
What kind of voodoo economy is that? Didn’t the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy say the last time that the unemployment figures give her sleepless night? What further evidence do Nigerians need that this government is not providing an enabling environment for job creation? The millions of youths who had hoped in this government will ask hard questions in 2015.
The security situation in the country is a cause for grave concern. The other day, about 40 pupils were murdered by suspected terrorists in Yobe State. As I write, nobody has been apprehended for perpetrating the dastardly act.
The Jos crisis continues to claim more lives. In many parts of the country, lives and property are not secure. Yet, the government blames everybody else except itself. How can a government whose primary duty is to safeguard lives and property fail woefully in performing the same duty? Meanwhile, the country also lags behind in all development indexes.
The argument advanced by the supporters of this government is that our problems are not created by President Jonathan. But has the administration demonstrated the political will to tackle the problems head on? Does government not exist to solve problems no matter how old they have existed?
However, there has been some good news lately. The President recently inaugurated the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Let’s just hope the project will not become abandoned like the previous attempts. The federal roads across the country are also said to be getting the attention they deserve.
This is not forgetting the ongoing rehabilitation in the nation’s airports. But all this will pale into insignificance when compared to the dashed expectations of this government. It is for these reasons that Jonathan may lose in 2015. All things being equal, anyway.

RIVERS CRISIS: Amaechi Too Small For Jonathan – Presidency

The Presidency,Wednesday, described the call by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for the removal of President Goodluck Jonathan over the crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly as a flawed position.
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According to the Presidency, President Jonathan was absolutely not connected and also not involved in the Rivers State political quagmire, just as it stressed that Governor Chibuike Amaechi was too small politically for President Jonathan to fight with.
Addressing Journalists  Wednesday in Abuja,  Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, described as unfair attempts to link the President to the crisis in Rivers State.

Anambra: Polling Booths Discovered In Shrines

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The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission, ANSIEC, said it has discovered polling booths in some shrines and forests in the state.
Speaking at the kickoff of the sensitization programme for the October 5, 2013 local government election in the state, acting chairman, Chief Sylvester Okonkwo described the development as worrisome especially with the council polls drawing close.
The polling booths were discovered in Nteje in Oyi  local government area, Marine area of Onitsha North and Ogbaru local government area.
Mr. Okonkwo has said that the polling booths will be relocated before the election, which comes up on the 5th of October 2013.
"There is no way women and Christians can vote in shrines or evil forests. Such a thing cannot happen in Igbo land," he said.
The ANSIEC boss pleaded with traditional rulers to assist the commission to look for good sites where the elections would take place in their domains.
Okonkwo announced that the ban on political campaign has been lifted, therefore candidates and political parties can begin to campaign openly for the election.
He also added that those who lost their voting cards during last year's flood disaster in areas like Ayamelum, Ogbaru, Anambra East, Anambra West and other areas would vote during the election, provided their names appeared in the INEC register.
The state coordinator of Movement for the Conduct of Local Government Elections, Comrade Osita Obi commended ANSIEC for listening to the yearnings of the people by fixing a date for the election and further charged aspirants to go to their wards and communities to continue the sensitization exercise because, according to him, local government election is going to be real this time

Police Parade Man Who Killed And Buried Wife


A man who allegedly beat his wife to death and buried her recently at Igbemo Ekiti has been paraded by the police.
According to reports, the man, Mr Adewale Daramola, recently beat his wife, Iyabo, to death during a disagreement at Igbemo Ekiti and quickly buried her.
Meanwhile the police have exhumed the body of the 39-year-old mother of three for autopsy.
Speaking with newsmen while parading the suspect, the Police image maker in the state, Mr Victor Babayemi, said the suspect  allegedly clubbed his wife to death after a disagreement.
According to the statement given by the children, the couple had been married for 20 years with three children and the rate at which Daramola hurriedly buried the wife gave room for suspicion that he had wanted to obstruct police investigation.
According to Babayemi, the suspect would be charged to court soon after the conclusion of the investigation.
Daramola however has denied ever clubbing his wife to death, saying the deceased finally died after battling with a sickness for a year.

Abandoned 3 Week Old Baby Rescued


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Officials of Osun State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare have rescued a three week old baby girl abandoned in Oke-Iro Street in Ilesha.
According to a statement on Wednesday by a Director, Osun State Ministry of Information, Mr Dapo Ajayi, said that the baby, wrapped in white shawl, was abandoned in a quiet part of the street.
She therefore called on parents, especially mothers to desist from abandoning their babies.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Oluwakemi Kolawole, said the case has been reported to the police and urged members of the public who know the whereabouts of the parents to furnish the ministry of the police with information.
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Adetoun Adegboyega, restated the commitment of the Rauf Aregbesola administration to protecting the citizenry. “Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola administration is committed to protecting lives and property. The people of Osun can see the various developmental initiatives the government has taken.
“We implore our people to support the progressive initiatives of the government," she said.

Man Hacked To Death 1 Month After Wedding



photoA newly married man identified as Lawal Bala, had his throat slit by unknown gunmen in Gangere area of Jos North Local Government, Plateau State.
Bala, 30, who just got married to 17 year old Miriam last month, was killed on Tuesday, while relaxing in his house at Layin Sidi area of Gangere, a prominent Hausa-dominated area of Jos North LGA.
According to information got, the deceased, said to be a butcher, was heard screaming and when his wife came out, she saw him staggering in front of his house with a knife protruding from his neck.
She was said to have raised an alarm, attracting the attention of neighbours, who rushed in to help him. His wife was said to be screaming, “they have killed my husband”, while also calling on passersby to assist her.
However, the sympathizers who came to assist, pointed an accusing finger at the wife because she attempted to run away.
She was said to have been saved by Bala’s brother, Alhaji Hamza Dikko, who is the chairman of Butchers Association and chairman, All Nigeria Peoples Party in the area.
He allegedly argued that she had no basis to kill her husband.

How 17-Yr -Old Student Was Arrested For Cultism


A 17-year-old student of Joseph Ayo Babalola University identified as Tomiwa Aladejebi has been paraded by the police for cultism.
According to him he said was invited for a party by a friend he met on  Facebook  before being arrested for cultism while about to be initiated into Black Axe Fraternity.
The police image maker said the  Police Commissioner in the state would soon meet with the Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi and the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Ayodeji Daramola over the modality for the granting of pardon to prisoners.
Babayemi added that though granting of pardon or release of prisoners on compassionate ground falls within the purview of the Governor and Chief Judge, he said “those granted pardon under this circumstance had been found to be the one perpetrating more evil.”
He regretted that the Nigeria Prison Service had not been well structured to be more effective in carrying out its statutory reformatory exercises on inmates, saying this accounted for the reasons why “some  of them used to return to criminality after they were pardoned.”

Militant Group, 17 Others Wanted Over Killing Of 11 Cops

photoThe Bayelsa State Police Command has declared wanted leader of the renegade militant group, by the name, Virus and 17 others involved in the April gruesome killing of 11 policemen along the waterways of Lobia community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.
The police command, according to a statement, yesterday, by its spokesman, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, said those wanted were found culpable in the killing of the policemen.

Among those declared wanted are Lucky Bakumo, Egedin Godday Sunday, Emeka Samuel, Idowu Matthew, Odobogheonuru Famous and Odenyen Zinikiware.

They are all identified as beneficiaries of the ongoing amnesty programme of the Federal Government.

It was learnt that the indictment of the alleged killers of the policemen came with the arrest of one of the suspects identified as Jackson Feutubobai.

The suspect told newsmen, while being paraded at the state police headquarters, that the suspects declared wanted were directly involved in the killing and burning of the policemen.

3 Siblings Die As Fire Razes House In Obudu

photoThree siblings lost their lives as fire gutted a house in Ohong Community, Obudu Local Government Area of Cross River State.
It was gathered that the siblings, two boys and a girl, aged between four and eight years, were the dead victims of the inferno, which occurred about 7.30pm on Tuesday.
According to reports, the fire incident was caused by a generator, which developed fault shortly after it was switched on by the father of the children, Mr. John Ugem.
An eyewitness, Mr. Sunday Ugbe said there was a sudden spark which ignited the generator and engulfed the frontage of the building, blocking the three siblings indoors.
John and his wife, including one of their wards, were sitting outside when the fire erupted.
The fire was said to have defied all efforts by neighbours to put it out, as there were reserved containers of petrol in the house
Desperate to save the lives of his children, John was said to have gained entry into the house through one of the back windows but also got trapped by the inferno.
As of the time of going to the press Ugem, who narrowly escaped death, is currently on admission at the Obudu Sacred Heart Hospital with life threatening-burns.
An attempt to speak with his wife, Mrs. S. Ugem, proved abortive as she was in bitter tears, saying that the fire had a “spiritual” undertone.

Terrifying: 21-Year-Old Hires Hitman To Kill Her Husband Over $400,000 (VIDEO)

Terrifying: 21-Year-Old Hires Hitman To Kill Her Husband Over $400,000 (VIDEO)
Michigan, U.S. -- 21-year-old Julia Merfeld was caught on tape hiring an undercover Michigan police officer posing as a hitman to kill her 27-year-old husband.
"When I first decided to do this, it's not that we weren't getting along. I mean, I was just, it was easier than, as terrible as it sounds, it was easier than divorcing him. You know, I didn't have to worry about the judgment of my family, I didn't have to worry about breaking his heart, all that stuff like this. It's, like, how I got a clean getaway," she said.
"Terrible as it sounds, it was easier than divorcing him," the woman explained about her lethal choice. "It's going to break my heart when it happens, but it's something that I've been thinking about for awhile,"  she explained and proceeded to discuss the murder plan in a matter-of-fact manner, suggesting it would be best if the undercover detective shot his husband.
"If you can get him outside, that would be great... It would be messy in the house," she said with a laugh.
Merfeld was also insistent that it couldn't just look like a robbery gone awry.
"I have a girlfriend who wants to move in with me, and I don't want her to be scared to move in with me if she thinks that we've got broken into... so I'm kind of afraid of that because I want her to move in with me because I don't want to live there by myself afterwards," she said.
The 'hitman' tells Merfeld that things can't be called off once she leaves his car, and that she can pay him a few weeks after the murder.
"Surprise me with how you do it because, I mean, the more shocked I am when it happens, the better it will be," she asked. "I just want to make it as non-suspicious as possible."
Merfeld was arrested after exiting the vehicle.
The local police sheriff named Merfeld's apparent motive: "It is one of the oldest motives known to man: Greed. She wanted a life insurance payout."
According to the local media sources, her husband has a $400,000 life insurance policy.
Merfeld pleaded guilty last month to solicitation to commit murder. She's jailed ahead of a July 30 sentencing date and is expected to face prison time, according to the station.
Investigators reportedly say they were tipped off about the whole situation by one of Merfeld's co-workers whom she initially approached to get the job done

Ibori Bribe: The Date Set to Decide Fate of $15mn (N2.4 bn)

Ibori Bribe: The Date Set to Decide Fate of $15mn (N2.4 bn)
Federal High Court, Abuja -- September 20, 2013 is set as the date of the hearing of the suit filed by the Delta State Government against the Federal Government (FG) over $15 million (N2.4 bn) possession. The said sum was allegedly used as a bribe to the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, by the convicted James Ibori, ex-Delta Governor.
The date was settled by Justice Gabriel Kolawole on Wednesday, after counsel to the parties adopted their addresses.
The EFCC and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are the respondents in the suit.
The Judge said the parties has 21 days to file  the addresses, while the plaintiff (Delta State Government) had another 14 days to respond to issues bordering on point of law.
"In the circumstance, therefore, the judgment is reserved for September 20," Mr. Kolawole has ruled.
Delta had approached the court to claim ownership of the $15 million. Adopting his address, Charles Ajuyah, the Attorney General of Delta, submitted that the idle money belonged to the state. He said the state had sought the return of the money because "Ibori took the money from the coffers of the state government, while serving as governor of the state."
Mr. Ajuyah argued that the plaintiff had reflected, in its affidavit, possible sources where the money could have been taken from.
"My Lord, the money belongs to Delta government; the state still pays Ibori pension for serving the state in the capacity of governor.
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"He took the money while serving as governor of the state.
"My Lord, precedence has been set by the decisions of several courts at various times when monies recovered from former governors of Plateau and Bayelsa states, Joshua Dariye and D.S.P Alameseigha, were repatriated to the respective states.
"In fact, the EFCC and the Federal Government are not in court to claim the money because the respondents are aware that the money belongs to Ibori and by extension, Delta.
"My Lord, we are taken aback that the money, which is a source of controversy, was not listed as exhibit and placed before the court," he said.
In adopting his address, Rotimi Jacob, the counsel to the EFCC, said the plaintiff failed to trace the source of the money to the state. Mr. Jacob submitted that the allusion made to the recovered Plateau and Bayelsa states' stolen monies by Ajuyah was wrong, because the two states were able to convince the court and the sources of those monies were traced.
"In the case of Delta, no convincing traces have either been captured in their affidavit or orally presented before the court.
"It is our conviction that the plaintiff has no proof of ownership and therefore must be denied access to the money.
"It will interest the court to note that the office of the Attorney General of Delta, sometime in 2008, barred the EFCC from investigating the accounting records of the state by an order of court.
"The state government has not complained of any missing money just as it has failed to prosecute the former governor for embezzlement of state funds.
"It will be recalled that the plaintiff did transfer the sum of N50 million meant for the building of a four bedroom duplex for the office of the governor to Ibori’s account abroad in 2008.
"Similar budget was proposed and approved for the same project in 2009 and the money sent to the ex-governor to prosecute his money laundering case in the UK.
"The state does not qualify to access this money as a similar episode may play out. Arguing on a point of law, Mr. Ajuyah urged the court to dismiss the argument canvassed by counsel to the EFCC, saying that Delta had the powers to 'deploy its resources to the benefit of the indigenes of the state.'
"The EFCC and the Federal Government cannot claim ownership of the money; the money belongs to Delta and we humbly urge the court to grant us access," he said.

Court Blasts Omisore, PDP Over ‘Frivolous Suit’

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A judge of a Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Justice Babatunde Kuewumi has taken on the  Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial aspirant in the state, Senator Iyiola Omisore and the party for instituting what the court described as a “frivolous matter” before it.

PDP and Omisore had on May 13, 2013 approached the High Court, seeking an order of the court to demolish a billboard sponsored by a member of House of Representatives representing Ife Federal Constituency, Honourable Rotimi Makinde.

Others joined in the suit as defendants were the Inspector General of Police IGP, the Director-General, Department of State Services  and Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command.Also, included as defendants in the suit were the Governor of Osun State and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

Omisore and PDP claimed that the billboard with an inscription “Tijakadi Ko” depicting a scale with one arm consisting of the state logo and the other arm consist of instruments of violence like axe, gun, cutlass, military cap and glasses.

The PDP claimed that the cap and glasses are insignias of campaign of the Senator.The party through it counsel, Mr. Kehinde Adesiyan urged the court to order the IGP and Police Commissioner to destroy the billboard and also prosecute the House of Representatives member  if found to be the sponsor, saying the court should stop further erection of the billboard.

CAN President Warns FG On Boko Haram Ceasefire Agreement

CAN President Warns FG On Boko Haram Ceasefire Agreement
Ayo Oritsejafor, Pastor and President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has warned Nigerians not to be deceived by the buffoonery of the notorious Islamic sect Boko Haram, and, therefore, dismissed the purported ceasefire announced by its members.
The Pastor voiced his concern at the ninth assembly of the Christian body; he further explained that Boko Haram should not be trusted as there is no accord in the sect.
In its Monday statement made available to journalists in Maiduguri, Borno State, Boko Haram has declared ceasefire, mentioning talks with the Borno State Government as the reason for doing so.
At the same time, the sect implied there indeed were certain discords within it adding that, despite this fact, the power to order a ceasefire rests with the the leader of the authentic group, Imam Abubakar Shekau.
Musing on whether there is a real possibility of establishing peace with the purported declaration of truce, Oritsejafor asked: "Which Boko Haram? There have been all kinds of people that claim to be Boko Haram, now there are two groups, the Shekau group and Asaro group, have you heard from them?
"Even if one person says, 'I want peace, I drop my weapons, we will be happy', but I still continue to ask which Boko Haram because we have seen situations in the past where they told us that some people said they now want to reach truce, and the next day we saw people being killed there."
Oritsejafor, who promised to commit the fresh mandate given to him by the Christian body to pursue peace in the land, also extended his hands of fellowship to the adherents of other faith, stressing that in togetherness lies the destiny of Nigeria and Nigerians.
"Together we are strong. Divided, we are weak. Together we can build the nation and reposition Nigeria and make it strong united country. We can reach out to our brothers in other religions, seat together and look for ways to stop terrorism. We should work together to build Nigeria, respect each other and get to the level where no one is judged by his religion, or tribe but by the content of his character.
"We need to establish equity and justice as peace will continue to elude us if we fail to uphold equity and justice in Nigeria. Christianity and Islam must stand side," he also said.
On the moves by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to make religious organisation pay taxes, the cleric urged those behind it to leave the church alone, adding that CAN would not fold its arm and watch the churches being stampeded or asked to go to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to obtain a form before they could operate their accounts.
Commenting on his re-election, he said: "My re-election is part of God's plan to ensure that we have a strong nation. We will continue to dialogue with those we need to dialogue with and we will continue to speak out about terrorism, corruption. I see a great moral burden on me now but there is hope that things will get better."

Court Reserves Judgment on Rape of Ex-NYSC Member


Photo - Court reserves judgment on rape of ex-NYSC memberAn Osun State High Court has reserved judgment in the allegation of rape levelled by a female National Youth Service Corps member, Miss Helen Okpara, against a monarch, the Alowa of Ilowa, Oba Adebukola Alli.
Justice Oyejide Falola, who noted that the case of alleged rape had generated so much media attention, said at the resumed hearing of the case on Wednesday that he had been inundated with calls over the case.
He said, “For two reasons, I will not give a date of judgment because almost a day to the earlier judgment, the media were awash with the story of the case, and people started calling my lines and disturbing me.
“Therefore, this case is adjourned indefinitely for judgment and the date is to be communicated to the parties through hearing notice.”
Counsel for the monarch, Mr. Taofeeq Tewogbade, at the last hearing of the case, applied for extension of time for defence.
But a senior state counsel, Mr M.O Adedokun, urged the court to deliver its judgement, stressing that the call by the defence for extension of time was needless.
Adedokun, who noted that the case had undergone a series of adjournments, called for a quick dispensation of justice in the matter.
The state counsel said, “The attitude of the defence counsel is an attempt to frustrate the judgment,” urging the court to dismiss the application for time extension in the interest of justice and fairness.
Okpara, while serving as NYSC members in the domain of the monarch in 2011, accused the traditional ruler of forcefully having carnal knowledge of her.
Debunking the allegation, the ruler said Okpara was his lover, with whom he had had sex before the allegation came up.

Lagos To Ban Illegal Motor Parks

General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Mr. Babatunde Edu
General Manager, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Mr. Babatunde Edu
The Lagos State Government has warned commercial vehicle operators in the state to either stop creating emergency motor parks or face the wrath of the law.
The government said commercial motorists operating around Idumota and its environs, especially those loading and discharging passengers indiscriminately on the bridge were most guilty of the offence.
It added that the warning became imperative in order to ensure the safety of lives and free flow of traffic, especially as statistics had shown that there was a massive influx of vehicles into the state presently.
A statement on Wednesday said the warning was given at a joint meeting organised by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority and the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and other special Offences for the representatives of the National Union of Road Transport Workers and cab operators of Idumota Unit in Ikeja.
LASTMA General Manager, Mr. Babatunde Edu, said government was becoming concerned that traffic bottleneck was gradually returning to Idumota due to excesses of traders, commercial drivers and hoodlums.
He said, “Traders, commercial drivers and hoodlums have narrowed the road to suit their undesirable wish, thereby posing a serious security threat to the area.
“Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority have been ordered to impound vehicles found flouting traffic law to serve as a deterrent to future offenders. Other road users and people living in the area must be protected.”
Chairman of the task force, Bayo Sulaimon, said government had decided not to fold its arms and allow such indiscipline to continue.
He said, “The government has called you (operators) to a meeting so that your unions will work together to finding a lasting solution to the gridlock in that area. Discourage street trading and indiscriminate parking on the roads.”
Chairman, NURTW, Idumota unit, Mr. Kunle Lawal, said the stakeholders would adhere to all rules and regulations of the state.
Meanwhile, an illegal motor park at Ikosi, Ketu has been shut down by task force and LASTMA.
Petty traders, who had turned the walkways into makeshift shops were also dislodged and advised not to return to the area.

Don’t Combat Ageing With Creams Alone

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Many people will spend money on anti-ageing creams, facial surgical procedures and other cosmetic processes that claim to restore youthfulness or chunk off some years from their looks.
Well, some people are able to achieve temporary relief from the scrawny lines that wrinkles foist on the face, neck and the forehead — three areas of the body that readily give away, unsolicited, the number of decades someone has spent so far on this part of the divide.
Yet, experts say we can save ourselves from the feelings of helplessness that ageing — especially premature ageing — foist on us. They contend that dietary habits can either delay or speed up the ageing process, depending on what you take into your mouth.
Nutritionists warn that certain poor eating habits do more than make you fat and tired, they simply make you age from the inside out.
American physician and author, Dr. Joseph Mercola, warns that though genetics may play a role in how long we live, it shouldn’t be the final determining factor if we maintain healthy dietary lifestyle.
Indeed, a new study of twins published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, a journal of the American Heart Association, reveals that eating Mediterranean-style diet — one that is rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in saturated fats — promotes heart function even in men who are genetically predisposed to poor heart health.
The study leader, who is also an Assistant Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology in the Applied Health Science Department at Indiana University in Bloomington, Dr, Jun Dai, notes that the autonomic system that controls an individual’s heart rate works better in people who eat diets rich in fish, legumes, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts; and who use spices and herbs to flavour foods rather than salt; and who take wine in moderation.
“The diet is known to reduce the risk of coronary disease,” Dai enthuses.
The study concludes that despite a person’s genetic make-up, he can still take actions to positively affect his health. “Even if you don’t have good genes, you can still choose a healthy diet that will give you a greater likelihood of having good heart autonomic function,” Dai argues.
According to Professor of Nutrition at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Ignatius Onimawo, too much sugar and processed foods, combined with insufficient exercise, are three principal agents that make you age speedily.
He says, “These agents increase insulin and leptin receptor resistance in the body, and they are the leading cause of premature ageing and death.”
Scientists say eating well will enable you to control your blood pressure, curb obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol — all of which can spell doom when they are allowed to get out of hand as a result of bad diet.
Scientists who research longevity say that through decades of meticulous studies, they have discovered that people who live up to advanced age tend to eat large amounts of whole, unprocessed, minimally cooked plants.
“Such people also live in areas that promote regular physical activity, such as daily walking,” says Dr. Dave Woynarowski, who leads a team of globally acclaimed medical doctors in the fields of anti-ageing and prevention.

Scandal: Bubayaro Owner Disowns, Disbands Team

The owner of Nigerian football team Bubayaro, Shuaibu-Gara Ahmed Gombe, has disowned and disbanded the club following the match-fixing goal-fest scandal. It would be recalled that Nigerian authorities have imposed an indefinite ban on all four teams that were involved in two recent playoff games which ended with overwhelming results, as Plateau United Feeders won against Akurba FC 79-0 and Police Machine FC destroyed Bubayaro 67-0.
Football Scandal: Bubayaro Owner Disowns & Disbands the Team
Police Machine needed to score more goals than Plateau United Feeder in the race to win promotion to the lowest tier of Nigeria's national league.
Reports said respective scorelines from the two venues were being constantly swapped on mobile phones. Feeders scored 72 of their goals in the second half, while Police Machine found the net 61 times after the break.
Both results were annulled. and Bubayaro owner Shuaibu-Gara Gombe has now walked away from his disgraced club.
Gombe, who was in Lagos when the games were played, said he had ordered the team not to play the match but he was ignored by team officials: ''I only read on the internet that they were already in Bauchi to honour the fixture even though I had given an order against their participation.''
"As soon as I heard the result I disbanded the team," he told the BBC Sport. "It's disappointing that some people would bring the game to disrepute out of desperation. I have written a petition to the [state] police in Bauchi to investigate this shame and arrest anyone found to be involved."
"It is embarrassing not only to me as the chairman of the club but to Nigeria football and the entire football family all over the world. What is more embarrassing was the fact that the scoreline has never happened anywhere in the world, a team scoring by that wide margin. It pains me as chairman and financier of the club."

Unbelievable: Dead Baby Comes Back To Life

photoA baby girl who was pronounced dead at birth came back to life three hours later on the altar of a hospital chapel.
According to reports,the body of Yasmin Gomes had been placed in a box and left in the chapel at the hospital in Londrina, south Brazil, by a nurse who couldn't face sending her to the morgue.
Yasmin's body remained in a box in the chapel until 2pm, when her grandmother arrived with the owner of a funeral parlour, Rosilis Ferro, carrying the baby's coffin.
But as soon as they went to pick her up, the newborn kicked a leg, according to Ms Ferro.
The baby's grandmother said, "At first I couldn't believe it, we couldn't accept that it could happen. Then we saw that she was breathing. We hugged each other and started to shout, 'she's alive, she's alive'. It was a miracle."
Hospital records show Yasmin was born alive after a normal birth on Tuesday morning at the Lincoln Graca hospital, but stopped breathing immediately after birth. Doctors unsuccessfully tried to revive the baby several times but she was finally declared dead at 11am, and a death certificate issued.
Jenifer da Silva Gomes, 22, mother of the baby said she was the first to be told that her daughter had died.
According to the nurse, Ana Claudia Oliveira, who accompanied the birth, she had no doubt the baby was dead as her pupils didn't respond to light and all her signs pointed to complete absence of life.
"I saw it with my own eyes. She was blue all over, completely dead," she said.
Mum Jennifer said she was still being comforted by family members when a nurse burst into the room and shouted: "Your daughter's alive".
She remembered: "At first I had no reaction, I didn't know what to think. Then I started to be sick. But after that I couldn't contain my happiness."

Shocking: 6 Month Old Baby Burnt To death


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A six month old baby identified as Omiwole Emmanuel has been confirmed dead following complications he suffered when his mother’s one room apartment at Kolawole area of Osogbo, Osun State was razed by fire.
According to report, the little baby was said to be sleeping in his mother’s room when fire was noticed in the room at about 9.00pm.
An eyewitness said that the fire was caused by a candle on one of the tables in the room where the deceased slept.
The deceased baby and his mother, who left secondary school after being impregnated last year, were living with his grandmother.
It was also gathered that men of the state fire service took drastic steps to avert the fire disaster but their efforts seemed futile as the little boy could not be rescued.

Judge Stalled Hearing of Hijab Ban Suit

Absence of Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of a Lagos High Court, Ikeja on Wednesday stalled the hearing of a suit challenging the proposed ban on the use of Hijab by female Muslim pupils in public schools in the state.
The suit was instituted by two minors and the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria against the Lagos State Government.
Oyewole had fixed Wednesday for the parties to report the progress in their bid to settle the matter out of court
The suit was subsequently adjourned till October 28.
The minors – Miss Asiyat Abdulkareem and Miss Maryam Oyeniyi – who are the first and second applicants respectively, are 12 years old and pupils of Atunrashe Junior High School, Surulere, Lagos State.
The minors are suing the government through their fathers – Alhaji Owolabi Abdulkareem and Mr. Suleiman Oyeniyi.
Joined as respondents in the suit are the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, and Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr. Oyinlomo Danmole.
The applicants, through their counsel, Mr. M Sanni, contended that banning female students from using Hijab on or outside the premises of any educational institution in Lagos State “is wrongful and unconstitutional”.
They are urging the court to declare the act as “wrong and unconstitutional as same constitutes a violation of their (the applicants’) rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, freedom from discrimination and rights of human persons and right to education.”
They are also seeking the court to give an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from “further interfering or infringing in any manner on the fundamental rights of the first and second applicants and other female Muslim students”
Justice Oyewole had at the previous proceedings on May 27 urged parties to explore an out-of-court settlement of the dispute.
Counsel for the state government, Mr. Samuel Ajanaku, had told the court that the state had yet to file any processes (court papers) in the suit.

FG To File Defence In Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge Suit

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The Federal Government, through the National Inland Waterway Authority, will file its defence in a suit before a Federal High Court, Lagos, challenging the imposition of tolls on the Lekki-Ikoyi Suspended Bridge.
Justice Saliu Seidu, who granted the Federal Government's request, has, therefore, fixed November 4, 2013, for a mention.
A civil rights lawyer, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, had filed the suit, asking the court to declare unconstitutional the state government’s construction of a bridge on a federal waterways and the imposition of tolls on users of the same bridge.
While  the state government and its Attorney-General, Mr. Ade Ipaye, both defendants in the suit, participated in the hearing of the suit on April 30, 2013, FG, also a defendant, failed to show up.
But counsel for the FG, Mrs. Queen Uba, appeared in court on July 5, pleading with the court for more time to file her papers in respect of the case.
Uba also noted that her client had not been served with the processes of the state government and the state’s attorney-general, a claim which the court confirmed to be true.
The court also heard arguments on the request by Adegboruwa, seeking the court to allow him to file additional facts, which were not available as of April 30, 2013, when the matter was heard and adjourned till July 9 for judgment.
Ipaye, who appeared for his office and the state, opposed Adegboruwa’s fresh  application, after which the court adjourned for ruling.
After the court adjourned till July 5 for judgment, Governor Babatunde Fashola on May 29 inaugurated  the bridge, declaring it as a toll bridge.

Mental Health Challenges Of Stroke Patientsphoto

One of the most  popular aphorisms is that the mind and the brain are two sides of the same coin. This is a provocative  statement  that elicits much controversy in the pursuit of the care of the brain and the mind.
This is very crucial when there is a disease of the brain, with florid behavioural and cognitive abnormalities. The psychiatrist recognises the brain as the substrate for the elaboration of symptoms of mental illness, whether at  the structural, physiological or biochemical levels.
One of the most outstsanding breakthroughs in clinical psychiatry is the discovery of the antipsychotic that exerts its therapeutic efficacy by manipulating some biochemical properties of  regions of the brain that coordinate behaviour and emotion.
Even for extremely abstractive and sophisticated tasks of enormous social significance, certain  networks and circuits have  been localised  secondary to intense physio-biochemical activities in particular regions of the brain. As I write this piece, some parts  of my brain are more active,  which clearly illustrates that the mind, essentially, is a functional elaboration of the brain. Countless debates among philosophers abound, but this assertion has been empirically demonstrated. One of those clinical scenarios consequent on this paradigm occurs when a patient is diagnosed of having stroke by the attending physican.
Stroke, simply defined, is the sudden loss of blood supply to an area of the brain, resulting in permanent tissue damage. It is about the most common neurological disorder that accounts for half of illnesses of sudden onset  in most medical wards. The compromise of the blood supply could have been as a result of direct  damage of the bloood vessel or blockage; however, what is crucial here is brain tissue damage.
The clinical presentation of stroke is therefore a product of the particular region of the brain that is  affected, the extent of damage that has occured and, invariably, the function that the area subserves. While the relatives, the attending physician, speech therapist and physiotherapists may be justifiably concerned about the loss of motor function, the attendant mental health challenges also require attention.
Beyond the recorvery of motor functions, there should be an adequate plan to attend to issues of the mind arising as a loss of function, loss of role and loss of status. One can imagine a versatile professional lawn tennis or football player coming down with stroke, with loss of function in his limbs such that he is confined to the wheelchair and cannot play; or a musician who cannot sing again as a result of stroke affecting his ability to execute speech.
The same goes for a caterer who cannot use her hand again. In fact, the list is endless. The central theme, however, is the  loss of function that invariably leads to loss of role, loss of relevance, loss of self esteem, with grave implication for the  psychological wellbeing of such individuals. From the basic psychological principle of loss, symptoms of depression are, as expected, very common, which may present early or come after six months of experiencing stroke.
Almost two-thirds of stroke patients may have come down with depressive illness in the first two years. It is usually characterised by daytime variation of moods, weight loss because of loss of appetite, loss of self esteem and extreme withdrawal from social activities. For some, ideas of suicide and feelings of regret and guilt may predominate later.

Ebute Metta Building Collapse: 10 Confirmed Dead, More Still Projected (UPDATE)

A 3-storey building at Oloto Street, Ebute Meta, collapsed at about 2.35 a.m on Thursday morning, trapping about 10 people.

Emergency rescue officials have revealed that seven people, including two children aged 2 and 4, have been rescued from the rubble.
Scores of trapped residents of the building have continued crying out for help hours after the house caved in.
Ten corpses have been pulled out of the rubble so far.
It is estimated that almost a hundred people reside in the building. However, it is not yet clear how many were inside as at the time of the collapse.
As at the time of this report, the only rescue operation going on is by a vigilante group and residents of the area who have tried to attack the debris with bare hands and any equipment they can find.
Police officers from the nearby Denton Police Station have also assisted in the rescue work while officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) have just arrived the scene..
“This is sad,” said Musbau Agbodimu, the head of the vigilante group in the area. “Just two days into the Ramadan fast and we are hearing such terrible news. The vigilante group went into action immediately we learnt about the collapsed building; with the assistance of residents and the area boys. The police are here now.
The LASAMBUS, LASEMA and other rescue workers from the government are here now. We need excavators. As I am standing, they have removed ten corpses. We need help here urgently as the crowd is trooping in to catch a glimpse of the collapsed building. More than 100 occupants, including children and women, live in the ill fated building and they are trapped crying for help. It is a terrible thing.”
A resident of the area, who identified himself as Seyi, said the building collapsed about 2.10am.
“We heard the loud noise but nobody could do anything at that time due to the darkness,” he said. “Some of the women were preparing the Ramadan food when the building caved in. But it was about 6.00am that people noticed and came out to help in the rescue operation.”

Yobe Attack: Islamic Cleric Loses 6 Sons

An Islamic cleric, Imam Lawan Alkali, who lost six of his male children at the recent attack on Government Secondary School, Mamudo has condemned the attack by gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram sect, even as he kicked against government’s plan to negotiate with the group.
Imam Lawan Alkali explained his ordeal in Mamudo and revealed that those who massacred his sons will be dealt by the almighty Allah, even before they perish as according to him, Islam abhors violence.
The cleric, who lost six boys in the attack, said that he had taken the incident in good faith as whatever happens to a man had already been ordained by Allah. “He takes and gives,” he said.
He attributed the incessant attacks on the inability of the federal and state governments to nip the sect’s activities in the bud before it escalated.
Getting down to the root of the crisis, Imam Lawal said that it all started from Zamfara State during the regime of Obasanjo when the then government of that state introduced the sharia law system in the state. He said that was what led to the mushrooming of all religious sects across the Northern part of Nigeria.
When reminded that there was Maitasine crisis in 1980, he fired back saying that Maitasine was not political.
He disclosed further that at the time Maitasine was able to control the activities of its members and there were no killing of innocent citizens or burning of schools, “Maitasine was only fighting the authorities and not the people as we are seeing today.”

How Yoruba Actor, Murphy Afolabi Escaped Death, Forced To Dance To Fuji

Another tragedy was averted in the nation’s movie industry in the early hours of Monday, when ace Yoruba actor, Murphy Afolabi, escaped death by whiskers.
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But for God, the respected Osun State-born actor would have been felled by the bullets fired by some armed robbers who had reportedly trailed him from a night club to his hotel suite at SP Continental Hotel in Ebute Metta, Lagos.
It was gathered that the armed robbery attack, which lasted 30 minutes, held the entire residents of Park Road, Ebute Metta (West), Lagos State, shell-shocked, as two security men attached to the hotel were killed.
Another victim, simply identified as Wale, sustained bullet wounds in his leg and wrist. He is at the moment receiving treatment in a hospital in Lagos.
According to an eye-witness recalled, “It happened about 4:15 a.m. I was outside my home washing my bus when Murphy Afolabi came into the hotel in his car, a few minutes later, a 2013 Range Rover sport car pulled up beside his car. Then, four young men, who were holding guns, came out of the car and then pounced on him. They ordered him out of his car and started slapping him on the face.
Immediately they recognised him, they asked him to lie flat on his chest. Oluwo, a guard who was preparing to close for the day, was shot dead. They killed him because he had removed the protective charm on him. Another guard, who was returning with his monkey from an adjoining street, on hearing gun shots, rushed down to the scene, and was shot dead too.
Murphy and his boys were on the floor while the robbers watched over them. One of his boys, on hearing gunshots, ran into a swampy canal to escape, and they started shooting at him. He was, however, fortunate to escape.  In the process, the bullet perforated Murphy’s car.
They collected the sum of N150, 000 from one his boys who was with him in the car, a laptop, phones and other accessories. That the armed robbers were able to identify Murphy saved him from being killed.”
Like a scene from a movie, the dashing actor was said to have been ordered by the robbers to switch on his car stereo, while they offered him bottle of an alcoholic drink. “ He, however, declined on the grounds that he doesn’t drink.
They also requested that he dance for them, which he grudgingly did.  He danced to the music blaring from his car stereo until the armed robbers were ready to go. They also requested he made a movie on his experience with them to be titled “Se rere”.  They threatened him that failure to comply would attract more dangerous attacks,” he said.
In his own account, another eye-witness on Niger Street, who simply gave his name as Bomboy, said, “ As the robbers were done with their victims at SP Continental, they drove through Patience Street. But it was clear that they were strangers to the street. These were young men of less than 25 years of age. They stopped to ask for direction from an old woman. It was almost 5.00a.m. when they got to the T-Junction at Thomas Street.
I was defecating nearby, with Wale standing at the side of the road- he was waiting for me. The reckless driving of the armed robbers attracted comments from Wale. He said, “ E wo le yin(Who are these people?). I don’t know what aggravated them about his comment. So, they confidently parked the car in the middle of the road. One of them alighted from the car, walked towards Wale and pulled out a gun. Immediately, Wale attempted to run away, but he could not go too far as he was shot in the leg.
“Another voice from the car ordered that Wale be shot in the head. But the second shot only hit him in the wrist. This time, I was frozen with fear. It was like a movie, and I could not come out of my hideout. They thought Wale was dead, so they left. We later rushed him to hospital for treatment.
The robbery incident has, however, generated reactions from residents within the environs, as they complained of porous security.
Bolaji Omoaje, a barber within Ebute Metta said, “The rate at which cases of armed robbery attacks occur in Ebute Metta now is alarming and the sophistication of the weapons used by armed robbers is another cause concern.
Security is the collective responsibility of everybody. This is why we constituted  a vigilance group but with the killing of two security men mounting guard at the hotel, it is obvious that the issue at hand is far beyond what vigilante members could handle.
There is an urgent need for the Police to beef up security, particularly in Ebute- Metta, where armed robbers now patronise at will and go scot- free.”
Efforts to get the side of the Manager of SP Continental Hotel and Murphy Afolabi, were unsuccessful.
Jubreel, a staff of the hotel, declined comment and said the manager was sleeping and would not want to speak with anyone for now.
A close source at the hotel told Daily Newswatch that after the robbery incident, Murphy was seen at the reception with the chairman of the hotel, Seun, alias Pawpaw, and some detectives from Iponri Police Station that were investigating the attack. The Police later took away the corpses of the security men killed by the robbers.
The chairman had also pledged his support to the families of the deceased, as he said he would give  the two families some undisclosed amounts to assuage their pains.”

How Yoruba Actor, Murphy Afolabi Escaped Death, Forced To Dance To Fuji

Another tragedy was averted in the nation’s movie industry in the early hours of Monday, when ace Yoruba actor, Murphy Afolabi, escaped death by whiskers.
photo
But for God, the respected Osun State-born actor would have been felled by the bullets fired by some armed robbers who had reportedly trailed him from a night club to his hotel suite at SP Continental Hotel in Ebute Metta, Lagos.
It was gathered that the armed robbery attack, which lasted 30 minutes, held the entire residents of Park Road, Ebute Metta (West), Lagos State, shell-shocked, as two security men attached to the hotel were killed.
Another victim, simply identified as Wale, sustained bullet wounds in his leg and wrist. He is at the moment receiving treatment in a hospital in Lagos.
According to an eye-witness recalled, “It happened about 4:15 a.m. I was outside my home washing my bus when Murphy Afolabi came into the hotel in his car, a few minutes later, a 2013 Range Rover sport car pulled up beside his car. Then, four young men, who were holding guns, came out of the car and then pounced on him. They ordered him out of his car and started slapping him on the face.
Immediately they recognised him, they asked him to lie flat on his chest. Oluwo, a guard who was preparing to close for the day, was shot dead. They killed him because he had removed the protective charm on him. Another guard, who was returning with his monkey from an adjoining street, on hearing gun shots, rushed down to the scene, and was shot dead too.
Murphy and his boys were on the floor while the robbers watched over them. One of his boys, on hearing gunshots, ran into a swampy canal to escape, and they started shooting at him. He was, however, fortunate to escape.  In the process, the bullet perforated Murphy’s car.
They collected the sum of N150, 000 from one his boys who was with him in the car, a laptop, phones and other accessories. That the armed robbers were able to identify Murphy saved him from being killed.”
Like a scene from a movie, the dashing actor was said to have been ordered by the robbers to switch on his car stereo, while they offered him bottle of an alcoholic drink. “ He, however, declined on the grounds that he doesn’t drink.
They also requested that he dance for them, which he grudgingly did.  He danced to the music blaring from his car stereo until the armed robbers were ready to go. They also requested he made a movie on his experience with them to be titled “Se rere”.  They threatened him that failure to comply would attract more dangerous attacks,” he said.
In his own account, another eye-witness on Niger Street, who simply gave his name as Bomboy, said, “ As the robbers were done with their victims at SP Continental, they drove through Patience Street. But it was clear that they were strangers to the street. These were young men of less than 25 years of age. They stopped to ask for direction from an old woman. It was almost 5.00a.m. when they got to the T-Junction at Thomas Street.
I was defecating nearby, with Wale standing at the side of the road- he was waiting for me. The reckless driving of the armed robbers attracted comments from Wale. He said, “ E wo le yin(Who are these people?). I don’t know what aggravated them about his comment. So, they confidently parked the car in the middle of the road. One of them alighted from the car, walked towards Wale and pulled out a gun. Immediately, Wale attempted to run away, but he could not go too far as he was shot in the leg.
“Another voice from the car ordered that Wale be shot in the head. But the second shot only hit him in the wrist. This time, I was frozen with fear. It was like a movie, and I could not come out of my hideout. They thought Wale was dead, so they left. We later rushed him to hospital for treatment.
The robbery incident has, however, generated reactions from residents within the environs, as they complained of porous security.
Bolaji Omoaje, a barber within Ebute Metta said, “The rate at which cases of armed robbery attacks occur in Ebute Metta now is alarming and the sophistication of the weapons used by armed robbers is another cause concern.
Security is the collective responsibility of everybody. This is why we constituted  a vigilance group but with the killing of two security men mounting guard at the hotel, it is obvious that the issue at hand is far beyond what vigilante members could handle.
There is an urgent need for the Police to beef up security, particularly in Ebute- Metta, where armed robbers now patronise at will and go scot- free.”
Efforts to get the side of the Manager of SP Continental Hotel and Murphy Afolabi, were unsuccessful.
Jubreel, a staff of the hotel, declined comment and said the manager was sleeping and would not want to speak with anyone for now.
A close source at the hotel told Daily Newswatch that after the robbery incident, Murphy was seen at the reception with the chairman of the hotel, Seun, alias Pawpaw, and some detectives from Iponri Police Station that were investigating the attack. The Police later took away the corpses of the security men killed by the robbers.
The chairman had also pledged his support to the families of the deceased, as he said he would give  the two families some undisclosed amounts to assuage their pains.”

In Philippines, Masturbation Is Murder

In Philippines the Reproductive Health Law requires government health centers to hand out free condoms and birth control pills, benefiting tens of millions of the country's poor who would not otherwise have access to them.In Philippines Masturbation Is Murder
Cayetano, principal sponsor of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, said she stands by her belief that the law is constitutional since it does not coerce couples to choose only one form of family planning.
She is unfazed by the statement of former Sen. Kit Tatad that the Reproductive Health Law is equal to genocide, saying she is no longer surprised by some of the arguments being used against the measure.
“First of all, the right to choose is always there. It is written throughout the law that no one is being coerced to do anything, and it is also written throughout the law that only family planning methods that are considered safe, legal and non-abortifacient will be made available,” she told reporters.
The senator, one of the intervenors in the case questioning the constitutionality of the law, said she is satisfied that there was a lot of clarification during the Supreme Court debates that the intention of the law is to provide products that are non-abortifacient.
Cayetano also refused to directly address Tatad’s description that the law is genocide because it kills children before they are born by preventing their births. The former senator earlier told the Supreme Court that the RH Law denies the basic right of married couple to procreate on their own free will.
“I've heard the argument by anti-RH advocates that for a man to masturbate is 'murder,' and so to say that that it is 'genocide,' then it tells us what kind of discussion we have,” Cayetano said.
She added: “I'm just saying let people draw their own conclusions. If these are the kinds of statements that the petitioners make, I leave it up to them to draw their own conclusions.”
The Supreme Court suspended the RH law in March so that the judges could hear the 15 formal petitions from a range of Church-backed groups arguing that it was unconstitutional.
Cayetano said she expects the SC to provide a resolution on whether or not it will extend the status quo ante order against the measure, which will lapse on July 17. She also noted that she does not expect the oral arguments to be finished by July 23.

Population Expolsion: NPC Seeks Stiffer Penalties For Sexual Offences


Chairman, National Population Commission (NPC), Chief Festus Odimegwu, Wednesday called for the prosecution of men who cannot control their libido, especially those whose pastime is running after teenage girls, whom he accused of swelling the nation’s population by impregnating these teenagers.
Odimegwu, represented by the Cross River State commissioner in the NPC, Mr. Idi Baba Yakubu, on the occasion of the 2013 World Population Day, accused such men of sexually harassing teenage girls and impregnating them.
He explained that such incidence has often times led to unwanted pregnancies, which in turn lead to population explosion. But he added that with draconian measures, such deviant behaviours would become outdated, as the current two-year jail term was not enough deterrence.
According to him, the time has come for government to institute stiffer penalties for such sexual offences as a demographic survey shows that adolescent fertility in Nigeria in 2008 stood at 121 per 1,000 live births.
This figure, he noted, is on the high side considering that other African countries have drastically reduced adolescent fertility rate, adding that the Nigerian fertility figures went haywire as a result of teenage girls being harassed sexually by deviant men.
Odimegwu added that if government was interested in addressing the problems, it should map out strategies that would reduce poverty among adolescent girls to the barest minimum.
He tasked the federal and state governments on the implementation of policies that would bar teenagers from child bearing until they attain 20 years of age.
He said such measures would free the nation from the negative impacts associated with early childbirth, which include unsafe abortion, pregnancy complications, poor antenatal care, weak pelvic bones, high fertility rate, curtailment of educational attainment and unsafe marital life.

Warri North Crisis: I Won't Negotiate Under Duress, Governor Uduaghan Insists

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Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday, said he would not accept anybody putting pressure on him to negotiate, on elective or appointive positions in Warri North Local Government Area of the state.

Governor Uduaghan, who spoke at a stakeholders’ conference with leaders and representatives of Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups to proffer solutions to the crisis that broke out, July 2, described the Egbema Radical Group, ERG, the militia responsible for the crisis as hooligans.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike Ogeah, has denied reports that the Secretary to State Government, SSG, Mr. Ovuozorie Macaulay, challenged journalists in Warri for allegedly escalating the crisis.

Meantime, Ijaw and Itsekiri leaders, who were at the stakeholders’ conference, corroborated the claim of the governor that the militia members were oil thieves and sea pirates.

Uduaghan said, “I am doing the best I can, but nobody, I repeat, nobody should put a gun on my head to negotiate for anybody. You will not blackmail me to negotiate, nobody has two heads. We all have one head each and you can decide to use your head positively or negatively.''

Nigeria-China: Patience Jonathan Praised For Supporting Women Emancipation


Nigeria-China: Patience Jonathan Praised For Supporting Women Emancipation
Beijing, China -- Nigeria's First Lady,  Dame Patience Jonathan, was praised by her counterpart, China's First Lady Peng Liyuan, regarding her commitment to improving the lives of women through her NGOs, A. Aruera Reachout Foundation and "Women for Change and Development Initiative".
Lady Peng Liyuan acknowledged her advocacy for the inclusion of women in governance and mobilizing support for the implementation of 35% affirmative action.
The meeting of the two First Dames in Beijing was held on the sideline of the bilateral talks between Nigeria and China as part of the five-day State visit of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The First Lady of China noted with satisfaction the efforts of Dame Patience at poverty alleviation, gender equality and women empowerment.
Madam Peng Liyuan also mentioned the excellent relations between China and Nigeria and expressed optimism that the visit will further enhance the opportunities for mutual cooperation between the two First Ladies.
She informed Dame Patience Jonathan about her appointment as a WHO Goodwill Ambassador and her readiness to work with Nigeria in achieving the zero-target of HIV transmission in the world.
In her response, Dame Patience Jonathan restated her commitment to ensure effective participation of women in the socio-economic and political sphere in the country.
The First Lady noted that through the advocacy of the NGO, Nigeria for the first time has more women in elective and appointive positions, emphasizing her conviction that when women and youths are educated, economically empowered and their voices are heard, they can contribute much more to the development of their societies.
Dame Jonathan recalled the 10th World Conference on women which held in China in 1996, and expressed happiness that Nigeria can today boast of admirable percentage of implementation of the action plan agreed at the meeting.
She also briefed her host on the activities of the African First Ladies Peace Mission and the efforts to bring succor to victims of violent conflicts in parts of Africa. Relief materials, she said, have been sent to the affected persons, particularly women and children in Congo, Mali and Kenya stating that plans are underway to extend this gesture to other conflict prone areas.
The wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, Hajia Amina Ibrahim and the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-governmental Affairs, Dr Maryam Ali, also attended the meeting.

Mercy Johnson’s Replies To Tonto Dikeh’s Twitter Diss

Yesterday, controversial actress, Tonto Dikeh verbally attacked another actress, Mercy Johnson on twitter.

At first the actress cum singer, Tonto tweeted ‘Nollywood Bridez marry horribly** #SHEBA#…Wen n if I give birth,God plz provide mii wit a husband dat can provide 4uz,Not 1 dat wld send mii bck to actin 2monthz after I born 2Huzzle’
Well, Mercy Johnson has indirectly replied her also via twitter.
The nursing mother today tweeted:
“Good morning sweets,hope y’all good? Off to work.Mama Purity loves y’all loads.have a blessed day filled with love”




The ‘off to work‘ in the tweet is obviously a diss – that is -proving to Tonto Dikeh that she doesn’t give a damn about what she (Tonto) thinks, plus she loves her work!

Boston Bomb Suspect Smiles As He Pleads Not Guilty

Boston Bomb Suspect Smiles As He Pleads Not Guilty
Boston Marathon bombings suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev faced more than two dozen survivors of that attack Wednesday as he pleaded not guilty to killing four people and wounding more than 200.
Tsarnaev is charged with 30 federal counts stemming from the April 15 attack, when a pair of bombs went off near the finish line of the packed course. Three people died in the blasts, including an 8-year-old boy, while a Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer was killed three days later at the start of the dramatic chase that led to Tsarnaev's capture.
MIT police lined up outside the courthouse as the hearing neared its end Wednesday afternoon in a show of solidarity with their fallen comrade, Sean Collier. Inside, about 30 survivors of the attack watched as Tsarnaev appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marianne Bowler.
It was the first time he had been seen in public since his arrest. The 19-year-old was dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit, his hair long and shaggy, his left arm in a cast. He was wounded in the pursuit -- during which his brother, Tamerlan, was killed -- and he appeared to have an injury to the left side of his face.
Boston Bomb Suspect Smiles As He Pleads Not Guilty
Tsarnaev looked back at the spectators in the packed courtroom before entering his plea -- and to Liz Norden, whose two sons each had a leg amputated after the attacks, he appeared to smirk.
"He did have some family members in the courtroom, so I don't know," Norden told CNN. "But to me it was, like, no remorse whatsoever."
Norden said her sons "really don't want to hear about it," but she said she had to be in court for them.
"I want to see what happened to my family that day," she said. "I watch my boys struggle every day, and it breaks my heart. And I just want to see who or why it happened and who caused it."
Tsarnaev faces a total of 30 federal charges in the bombings and subsequent pursuit through the streets of suburban Boston. He appeared in court for arraignment.
Prosecutors said Wednesday they expect to call between 80 and 100 witnesses in a three- to four-month trial.
Dzhokhar's parents are relegated to watching the trial updates from their home in Dagestan, as his mother, Zubeidat, still has a warrant out for her arrest in Massachusetts for an old shoplifting charge. She has reportedly previously stated that she won’t travel to the U.S. until she knows for certain that she can see Dzhokhar.
Tsarnaev was found in a motorboat dry-docked in the backyard of a Watertown, Massachusetts, home, covered in blood from bullet wounds sustained during a manhunt that brought Boston to a standstill.
Victims and their families tend to appear in person at trials at two key moments, a legal analyst says: at the arraignment and at the verdict and sentencing.
"It's not something they want to watch on television. They want to be there," he said.
Boston Bomb Suspect Smiles As He Pleads Not Guilty

Halle Berry Set For Third Marriage


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Popular American actress, Halle Berry has announced that she is getting married to her fiance, Oliver Martinez, this weekend.
Berry, who had earlier said she won’t be getting married again, said she was surprised to find herself engaged to the French actor.
She later joked about it after becoming engaged to Olivier, who she met on the set of 2012's Dark Tide. She said, "who knew?! I swore it off, right? Never say never, people!"
The duo have been engaged since March, 2012. This will make it a third marriage for Berry, who was formerly married to David Justice in 1991 and singer Eric Benet in 2001.
The ‘Catwoman’ actress said the wedding would be a small one but was not ready to reveal much about what plans are being put in place for the ceremony.
Berry and Martinez are expecting their first child together later in the year.
The pregnant actress has already jetted with Oliver and her daughter Nahla to the mystery wedding destination, ready to exchange vows.
The stars were seen leaving Los Angeles airport on Wednesday and according to E! News are set to marry this weekend ahead of the impending arrival of their baby boy.

Operators To Pay N200,000 For Every Unregistered SIM

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Any telecommunications operator that fails to disconnect unregistered Subscriber Identity Module cards from its network in line with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission will have to pay N200,000 fine per SIM if detected.
The Assistant Director, NCC, Mr. Reuben Muoka, revealed this to newsmen yesterday.
“For a SIM card that an operator refuses to disconnect after the June 30 deadline, the operator will pay N200,000,” he said.
The penalty is similar to that which the operators deemed to be frustrating porting processes under the Mobile Number Portability scheme will pay on every frustrated line because the NCC has also pegged the penalty for MNP abuses at N200,000 per line.
Confirming this, Muoka said, “The penalty is like that of number portability where operators are required to pay N200,000 as fine for not allowing a subscriber that wants to port to do so.”
Ten days after the expiration of the SIM card registration deadline, there are still indications that some telecoms operators have yet to disconnect unregistered SIMs on their networks.
Some that claimed to have disconnected unregistered SIMs, it was learnt, only partially implemented the NCC directive by disconnecting a few SIMs.
The Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, NCC, Mr. Ubale Maska, in a recent letter to telecoms operators, cautioned them to either commence deactivation of unregistered SIMs on their networks, or face heavy sanction.

VIDEO: Pro, Anti Amaechi Protesters Scattered by Police In Port Harcourt

Photo - VIDEO: Pro, Anti Amaechi Protesters Scattered by Police In Port Harcourt
The battle between the supporters of the different faction in Rivers state shifted to the streets on Wednesday as protesters descended on the Rivers State House of Assembly and the Government House.
The Police had a busy day trying to calm the protests in the Port Harcourt, the state capital as tension rose.
Canisters of tear gas were fired at the protesters to disperse the angry mob leaving a chaotic scene.
Our political correspondent, Seun Okinbaloye has the report.

Continuous Voter Registration to Begin By September - INEC

Continuous Voter Registration to Begin By September - INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will be flagged off in September this year.
The commission further expressed optimism that in spite of the security challenges in some parts of the country, the Commission would conduct elections in 2015 that would be better than 2011.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, disclosed this, yesterday, in Abuja when the United States of America Acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Donald Yamamoto, visited the Commission.
The electoral commission also said that the Anambra governorship election would be conducted on November 16, 2013.
On the merger application by some political parties, Professor Jega explained that it was being treated as a routine matter and that the relevant department was verifying information supplied to it by parties intending to merge.
He further explained: "The department is doing its job. It has not yet reached the Committee not to talk of the Commission," and assured that "it is not a challenge. If you follow the procedure (in the Electoral Act) you get registered."
Jega said, "We are prepared for 2015 General Elections and feel quite optimistic that it will be better than 2011". The INEC Chairman hinged his optimism on a number of activities which the Commission had put in place immediately in the aftermath of the 2011 General Elections, including series of assessments of the 2011 General Elections; articulation and presentation of a Strategic Plan and Action Plan between 2012-2016 which would provide a road map for the 2015 General Elections; flag off the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise this quarter to facilitate registration of those who have turned 18 years and those who did not register in 2011;
Others are delimit constituencies before the 2015 General Elections; re-organise and restructure the Commission with a view to making it a lean, more efficient and effective Election Management Body (EMB); Increase engagement with stakeholders, especially political parties; Improve relationship with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs); Continue engaging the National Assembly and the Executive; and engagement with security agencies.
Professor Jega observed that the success of elections was a product of partnerships with other stakeholders and canvassed for support from development partners in the area of training and capacity building. This was just as he explained that the Commission's Electoral Institute was being re-positioned to address the training needs of INEC, State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) and EMBs in the West African Sub-region.

Boko Haram: A Shaky Ceasefire?

Boko Haram: A Shaky Ceasefire?
By Lagun Akinloye
A shaky ceasefire between the Nigerian government and the Islamist militant group Boko Haram has been announced by figures from both sides. Despite the possible reduction in hostilities, the Nigerian government's emergency rule in three states most effected by the conflict will continue.
Tanimu Turaki, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Restoration of Peace in the North-East, announced on radio that "Boko Haram will lay down their arms as part of the agreement so as to end the insurgency," and that the "Government agreed with the ceasefire".
Meanwhile, Imam Muhammadu Marwana, a senior member of Boko Haram, reportedly confirmed the agreement, adding "I appeal to those who lost their loved ones to our activities to forgive us, and on our side we have forgiven all those who committed atrocities against us".
The details of any ceasefire remain uncertain, as do reports of whether a deal has officially been signed yet, and it is worth pointing out that rumours of this type have emerged before evaporating in the past. However, these latest announcements do appear to be more concrete than some previous reports of alleged ceasefires. And with the situation in the north of Nigeria perhaps worse than ever, an end to hostilities would prove hugely significant. Since a state of emergency was declared in three Nigerian states in May, there have been accounts of huge numbers of civilian casualties, thousands fleeing the region, and a deepening humanitarian crisis.

Multi-Billion Audit Clearance to Police, Others Fake, Illegal - AGF

The auditor-general of the federation (AGF), Mr Samuel Ukura, yesterday described as 'fake' and 'illegal' several clearance certificates purportedly issued to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and some ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the federal government by his office.
Multi-Billion Audit Clearance to Police, Others Fake, Illegal - AGF
The certificates relate to audit queries raised against them over the years and running into several billions of naira.
The AGF made the disclosure yesterday when he appeared before the Hon Solomon Olamilekan Adeola-led House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts over some questionable clearance certificates.
He explained that once a query had been laid before the National Assembly, no officer has the power to issue any clearance again.
According to him, what could happen was that if a query had been raised against any ministry, agency or an organisation and the query had been laid before the National Assembly and additional documentation to defend such a query is tendered and convincing, the AGF would personally write to the parliament with such additional information to advise for the clearance of such a query, but such has not happened in the present case.
He said: "The said clearance certificates are not from me. I have never directed any officer to give any clearance certificate to anybody. I am not aware that such a thing was happening because that is not the normal procedure. Once the audit report had been laid before the parliament, it can never be altered again from our office. If there is additional or fresh information or documentation brought to us - if they are convincing enough, I will have to write to bring such development to the notice of the parliament."
The AGF, however, assured the committee that a thorough investigation would be carried out to fish out all the officials involved with a view to taking disciplinary action against them in line with civil service rules.