2015 Re-election bid: Nigerians slam Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan

Some Nigerians have described President Goodluck Jonathan as an insensitive leader. This followed his moves to formally declare his re-election bid amid his administration’s failure to ensure the release of the 219 Chibok girls abducted six months ago in Borno State by the violent Boko Karam sect.

They said they were worried that the President seemed to have abandoned his responsibility of protecting lives and the property of the citizens while focusing on his re-election ambition.

The President had on Thursday set up a Presidential Declaration Committee with a former Minister of Defence, Dr. Bello Haliru, appointed as the chairman.

Former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, was appointed as the Deputy Chairman and Senator Anyim Pius Anyim will serve as secretary of the committee.

The declaration will hold on November 11, 2014.

The President had insisted some years back that he would not stay in office beyond 2015.

But concerned Nigerians believe that the President ought to have secured the release of the girls before he declares his intention to seek re-election.

The Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said the fact that the President had chosen to concern himself about returning to power at this time amounted to insensitivity.

Mumuni, who spoke with one of our correspondents in a telephone interview on Thursday, said the President could simply have delayed his declaration until when the Chibok girls are rescued.

He said, “But in Nigeria, politicians at all levels, not just the President, think mostly about the moment rather than the future. It has become customary that they don’t bother about the situation in the country when their political career is concerned.

“There were reports that the girls would be released last Monday but this is the end of the week and nothing has happened. What the President should have done was to address the nation on this issue and tell us why nothing has happened.”

The Executive Director, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, Mr. David Anyaele, expressed worry over the President’s seeming reluctance to prove to Nigerians that he could provide adequate security for them.

He, however, urged the President to ensure that the Chibok girls are rescued immediately.

He said, “Nigerians should demand that the President should produce the girls right now to show he has the capacity to provide security for the country beyond 2015 and that he is not insensitive.”

The spokesperson for the BringBack Our Girls Campaign, Mr. Rotimi Olawale, who spoke on behalf of the parents of the Chibok girls, said it would be unfair to the abducted girls for the President to put politics above their safe return.

He said, “For us at BBOG campaign, one of the things we have been demanding is that we need to see a resolve from the Presidency that rescuing the Chibok girls and other boys and girls who have been kidnapped in the past remain number one on the agenda of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“Unfortunately, this is a time we have different political intrigues and the 2015 elections close by. Sometimes we feel they have placed politics above the return of the girls.

“We demand that the government should rescue the girls and communicate with the families of the girls who have been kept in the dark since the news broke that there was a ceasefire and a negotiation.”

An Abuja-based lawyer and social commentator, Mr. Jide Oluyemi, believed that it was shameful for the President to seek re-election in the midst of the security crisis in the country, especially in the North-East.

He said that the action showed that the President was not sensitive to the plight of Nigerians.

Oluyemi said, “Six months ago, Boko Haram abducted over 200 Chibok schoolgirls and they have yet to return home. There are thousands of people displaced and yet President Goodluck Jonathan still has the gut to declare his ambition to seek re-election.

“This is insensitivity at its greatest height; this is unfair to many Nigerians who have lost their loved ones to the insurgency in the North. This display of insensitivity must stop. He should address the insecurity first and lay aside his ambition for now. He was not properly advised on this one.”

A Lagos-based lawyer, Fred Agbaje, believes that though the President has the right to seek Nigerians’ mandate for re-election, the timing was wrong.

Agbaje said, “There is no law or any process which bars the President from declaring his interest. Once the necessary provisions of the law are met, he can declare. But the question is whether he can still go ahead to declare in the face of mounting insecurity, unemployment, corruption and abduction of Nigerians, among other problems confronting the country.

“Yes, he can still declare but it is now left for Nigerians whether in the face of the social ills that I have highlighted to open their eyes and allow him to continue to rule us and we continue to suffer or we open our eyes and reject his coming back and say we don’t want him.

“Just like the governor of Kano State said, we have had many opportunities to reject Jonathan and vote him out. Just on Thursday, we heard that some group of girls and women were abducted by the Boko Haram insurgents while this government told us it had entered into a ceasefire agreement with the insurgents.

“I am sure the ceasefire agreement the President is telling Nigerians about is not true or done with the wrong people. Otherwise, the original sect would have told us by themselves if there was any ceasefire agreement. That is why they are still going ahead, kidnapping, maiming, and killing people. I agree with Kwankwanso that we have lost opportunities to vote the President out especially in the midst of all the social crises facing the country.”

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Five more soldiers arraigned for mutiny

Army authorities again arraigned five more soldiers before a General Court Martial for mutiny at the Abacha Barracks in Abuja on Tuesday.
The soldiers were said to have pleaded not guilty to the two counts of mutiny and conspiracy to commit mutiny.
The accused are Lance Corporals Bankole Taiwo, Ayodele Olawale, Sule Ochehepo, Isaiah Olofu Adebayo Gbenga.
They all belong to the 81 Batallion of 7 Division of the Nigerian Army.
They were accused of conspiring to incite other personnel of 81 Batallion to commit mutiny at Gubio Base Camp, Maiduguri on September 13 and 14, 2014.
They were also said to have on the same days and location fired sporadically, abandoned weapons and made instigating comments and acts which intended to incite solders of 81 Batallion to mutiny.
The offence of conspiracy was said to be punishable under section 97(1) of Penal Code Cap P89 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2014, while the offence of mutiny was said to be punishable under section 521(1)(b) of the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 LFN, 2004.
Journalists have been barred from further covering the proceedings of the GMC after the trial of 59 soldiers for mutiny began last week.
However, the charge sheet dated September 19, 2014 which was made available by a military source, showed that the charges preferred against the five newly arraigned soldiers were signed by the Commander of the Army Headquarters Garrison, Brig. Gen. B.T. Ndiomu.
Ndiomu is also the convening authority for the court.
The charges read, “Count 1: Criminal conspiracy to commit mutiny triable by Court Martial by virtue of section 114 of the AFA CAP A20 LFN 2004 and punishable under 97(1) of Penal Code Cap P89 LFN, 2004.
“Particulars of offence: In that your on or about 13 and 14, September 2014 at Gubio Base Camp, Maiduguri conspired to incite other personnel of 81 Bn to commit mutiny.
“Count 2: Mutiny punishable under section 52(1)(b) of the AFA CAP A20 LFN 2004.
“Particulars of offence: In that you on or about September 13 and 14 at Gubio Base Camp, Maiduguri fired sporadically, abandoned weapons and made instigating comments and acts which intended to incite soldiers of 81 Bn to mutiny against the authority of 7 Division of the Nigerian Army.”

Court remands pastor for snatching cars at gunpoint

Adetunji, Ikeja Magistrates’ Courts.

A district pastor of a church in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, has been remanded by a Lagos Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ikeja.

The 37-year-old pastor, Adebambo Adetunji, was alleged to be one of the gang members, who robbed motorists at the Ojota Bus stop, between April and July, 2014.

Reporters learnt that Adetunji and other suspects, who were still on the run, were notorious for snatching cars and robbing victims of their valuables at gun point.

Our correspondent gathered that a Toyota Camry and a Mercedes Benz ML320 with number plates MUS 413 BH and LND 623 BF respectively, were diverted by the suspected robbers, who were said to have also used cutlasses in their operations.

While the Mercedes Benz car was said to be the property of one Boniface Joseph, who was robbed around 10.30pm on April 30, at the bus stop, one Oluwatoyin Badmus, was reportedly robbed of her   Toyota Camry around 6pm on July 6 at the same spot.

The police said Joseph also lost two phones and an IPad to the robbers, adding that valuables lost by the duo were worth N4.5m.

It was learnt that Adetunji was arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad led by SP Abba Kyari after Badmus had reported the attack to the police.

The prosecutor, Inspector Nurudeen Thomas, on Thursday, brought the suspect, who hails from Osun State, before the Magistrate, Mrs. M.O. Oshodi, on three counts bordering on armed robbery.

Oshodi, who was holding brief for Mrs. Dan Oni, refused to listen to the defendant’s plea and ordered that he be remanded pending the time the Directorate of Public Prosecutions would issue legal advice on the matter.

The charges read in part, “That you, Adebambo Adetunji and others now at large, on April 30, 2014 at about 10.30pm at Ojota Bus stop in the Lagos Magisterial District while armed with guns and cutlasses did rob one Mercedes Benz Jeep ML320 with registration number LND 623 BF valued N1, 850,000, IPad valued N80,000, Blackberry Bold 5 valued N30,000, Nokia E5 valued N26,000 and cash sum of N250,000 total value N2,236,000 property of one Boniface Joseph.

“That you, and others now at large on July 6, 2014 at about 5.30pm at Ojota Bus stop in the aforementioned magisterial district did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit; armed robbery.

“That you and others now at large on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district while armed with guns and cutlasses did rob one Toyota Camry 2008 model with registration number MUS 413 BH valued N2.3m property of one Oluwatoyin Badmus.”

It was said that the offences contravened Section 5 (b) and were punishable under Section 1 (2) (a) (b) of the Robbery and Firearms Act, Cap. 398, Vol. XXII, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990 and 2003 as amended.

Adetunji, who was clad in Ankara, burst into tears on hearing the charges.

I have accepted offer to contest, says Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan

After many months of suspense, President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday opened up on his intention to seek re-election during the 2015 presidential election.

All organs of the Peoples Democratic Party had before now endorsed the President as the party’s sole candidate for the election.

Groups such as the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria had also been   campaigning for Jonathan by highlighting at rallies and through advertorials what they consider as his achievements.

Even though he had   kept mum on the matter, his body language clearly showed that he had made up his mind to seek re-election.

Jonathan, who has already raised a 37-member declaration committee, will   formally declare any day between November 7 and 15.

A reliable Presidency source, who pleaded anonymity told journalists in Abuja that Jonathan made his intention to contest known to the party leaders at a closed-door meeting in one of the guest houses inside the Presidential Villa.

The source said after thanking the party leadership for giving him the right of first refusal as far as the party’s presidential ticket was concerned, he told them that he had accepted the offer and was ready to run.

Jonathan was also quoted as telling the party leaders that he would come to the party headquarters to pick his nomination form before the October 30 deadline fixed by the party.

The source said, “President Jonathan today (Thursday) met with the leadership of the PDP and party leaders from the various zones of the country. He thanked them for giving him the right of first refusal as far as the party’s presidential ticket was concerned.

“The President told them that he had accepted their offer and he was interested in the presidential race.

“He told them that he will come and pick up his nomination form before the deadline stipulated by the party.”

The source added that following the declaration, the President announced the composition of a committee saddled with the responsibility of coming up with an elaborate declaration programme.

He said the committee chaired by a former Minister of Defence, Dr. Haliru Bello, was asked to work towards ensuring that the declaration held between November 7 and 15.

The committee, according to the source, has a former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani, as the deputy chairman, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim,   as secretary.

Members of the committee include a governor from each of the six geopolitical zones of the country, four National Assembly members; four members of the Federal Executive Council; four PDP officials as well as eight party members and four others appointed on presidential discretion.

A breakdown of members according to zones showed that the South-South, the North-East and the North-Central have six representatives each while the South-East, the South-West and North-West have five representatives each. The Federal Capital Territory has one representative.

Apart from Bello, Nnamani and Anyim,   Prof. Rufa’i Alkali,   Julius Imagwe and   Baraka Sani are members of the committee.

State governors representing the various zones are Liyel Imoke of Cross River State;     Theodore Orji of Abia State,   Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State,   Babangida Aliyu of Niger State,   Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State, and Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State.

The National Assembly representatives are   Hosea Agboola, Ahmed Makarfi,     Bitrus Kaze   and Salmas Badru.

Representatives of the Federal Executive Council are the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke;   Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Abduljelili Adesiyan;   Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina; and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed.

Officials of the party in the committee are the Deputy National Chairman,   Uche Secondus; Benue State chapter Chairman, Chief Emmanuel Agbo;   National Woman Leader, Kema Chikwe;   and the North-West Zonal Chairman,   Ibrahim Kazaure.

Party member representatives include Stella Omu, Walid Jibirn, Ibrahim Bunu,   Jolly Nyame, Aniete Okon, Peter Obi,   Remi Adikwu-Bakare,   A. B. Mamman and   Abdullahi Maibasira.

Those appointed at the President’s discretion are   Halima Alfa,   Nimota Akanbi ,   Micah Jiba   and Sam Ikon .

Shortly after that meeting, Jonathan also entered into a crucial meeting where a committee saddled with the responsibility of raising fund for the PDP presidential campaign was formed.

The committee has a former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, as the chairman.

Party chiefs who attended the meeting included the PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mu’azu; the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Tony Anenih, and the President of the Senate, David Mark.

The All Progressives Congress has however described Jonathan’s decision   to seek re-election as an anti-climax.

Its National Publicity Secretary,   Alhaji Lai Mohammed,   said it would have been news if the President had declared that he was not running.

Mohammed said, “This is an anti-climax. Of course, if the TAN have been going all around spending billions on television advertorials and campaign, all the governors have adopted him, the National Working Committee, said he is the only one. As far as we are concerned, it is an anti-climax. It would have been news only if he said he wasn’t running.”

Govs reject autonomy for councils

Governor Jonah Jang

Indications have emerged that Nigerian governors have perfected plans to mobilise members of their state Houses of Assembly to reject the autonomy granted local governments by the members of the National Assembly.

A faction of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum being led by the Governor of Plateau State, Mr. Jonah Jang, has already condemned the action of the assembly.

It said the action of the lawmakers, which if agreed to by the majority of the state houses of assembly, would grant financial and administrative autonomy to the local governments.

This, he said, was not in tandem with the yearnings of the people.

The two chambers of the National Assembly had during the amendment to the Constitution, granted 774 Local Government Councils in Nigeria financial and administrative autonomy through amendment of section 7.

Details of the autonomy granted the local councils in the federation include strengthening their administration by providing for their funding, tenure, elections and to clearly delineate their powers and responsibilities to ensure effective service delivery and insulate them from undue and counter-productive interference from state governments.

But the Jang’s faction of the NGF through a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, vowed to mobilise lawmakers in their respective states against the amendment.

The NGF’s faction’s position was contained in a statement issued on its behalf by the Secretary of the Forum, Mr. Osaro Onaiwu.

It said, “The Nigeria Governors’ Forum under the leadership of Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has differed with the National Assembly over the move to amend the constitution and grant local governments full administrative and financial autonomy.”

The governors, according to Onaiwu, also accused some unnamed members of the National Assembly of “using the conference committee to force through an amendment that was clearly rejected by the Senate during the constitution amendment debates and votes.”

The statement described the push for local government autonomy by the National Assembly as hasty without first considering the problems of executive recklessness and ineffective administration at the local level.

Also, the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja on Thursday, said autonomy for local governments was not in tandem with the principles of federalism.

He said, “Granting autonomy to local goverments is antithetical to federalism. Nigeria is the only ‘federation’ in the world with three tiers of government.

“Federalism is a system of government where there is a given territory administered by two levels of governments that are coordinate.”

Ebola crisis: Mali confirms first infection case

courtesy BBC

Health officials in Mali have been checking people returning from the Ebola-hit countries in West Africa

The Mali government has confirmed the first case of Ebola in the country.

It said a two-year-old girl had tested positive for the haemorrhagic virus. She recently returned from neighbouring Guinea.
More than 4,800 people have died of Ebola - mainly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone - since March.
Meanwhile, an international team of scientists has been set up to determine the effectiveness of using the blood of Ebola survivors as a treatment.
It is hoped the antibodies used by the immune system to fight Ebola can be transferred from a survivor to a patient. The study will start in Guinea.
Porous borders Speaking on state television on Thursday, Malian Health Minister Ousmane Kone said the infected girl was being treated in the western town of Kayes.

She was brought to a local hospital on Wednesday and her blood sample was Ebola-positive, Mr Kone said.
om Ebola should abstain from sex or use condoms for three months

The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse travels with an ambulance worker in Liberia

The girl's mother died in Guinea a few weeks ago and the child was then brought by relatives to Mali, Reuters news agency quotes a health ministry official as saying.
Mali is now the sixth West African country to be affected by the latest Ebola outbreak - however Senegal and Nigeria have since been declared virus-free by the WHO.
With porous borders, countries neighbouring Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia are on high alert for possible imported cases of the virus, says BBC Africa health correspondent Anne Soy.
Separately, the World Health Organization (WHO) has already identified at least two experimental vaccines which it believes could be promising.

Missing Mexico students: Guerrero state governor to resign

Governor Angel Aguirre announced his decision at a news conference

The governor of Mexico's southern Guerrero state - where 43 students went missing after clashing with police last month - has said he is standing down.

Angel Aguirre said he hoped the move would create "a more favourable political climate to bring about the solution to the crisis".
He has faced growing criticism since the disappearance of the students in the town of Iguala on 26 September.
Eyewitnesses described seeing them being bundled into police cars.
Six people were killed during the clashes.
Mexico's Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam on Thursday said there appeared to be deep ties across the southern state between politicians, the police and drug gangs.
He said arrest warrants had been issued for Iguala Mayor Jose Luis Abarca, his wife, and the town's police chief. They are suspected of ordering the police to hand over the students to local gangsters.
All three suspects have gone missing.
Mass graves On 26 September, a group of students from a teacher training college in Ayotzinapa travelled to nearby Iguala to protest against what they said were discriminatory hiring practices, and to collect funds for their college.

The disappearance of the 43 has triggered nationwide protests

Tens of thousands of people marched on Wednesday to demand information on the missing students

Thirty bodies have so far been found in a series of burial pits on the outskirts of Iguala

The college has a history of left-wing activism and according to Mr Murillo Karam, Mayor Abarca had been angered by a previous protest they had held in the town.
On the same day, the mayor's wife was holding an event in the town.
Local media have long speculated that the ensuing police crackdown on the students may have been related to her public appearance.
Mr Murillo Karam said police officers had been told to prevent the students from disrupting his wife's event.
Police opened fire on the buses the students were travelling in, killing three of them and three more people in nearby vehicles.
One busload of students tried to flee but was stopped by the police and taken to Iguala police station.
The prosecutor said gang members then loaded them onto a pick-up truck and took them to Pueblo Viejo, where a number of mass graves have been found.
Forensic tests suggested 28 bodies found there were not those of the students, but Mr Murillo Karam said they "may have been flawed".
Mr Murillo Karam said two more bodies had been discovered since.
A total of 52 people, including police officers, local officials and gang members have been arrested in the case.

NY axe attack: Islamist link probed

The attacker approaches the officers in Queens, in a photo released by New York police

Police in New York are investigating whether a man who attacked two officers with an axe before being shot dead was linked to Islamist extremism.

One officer was being treated for a serious head wound after the attack on Thursday in the Queens borough.
Commissioner William Bratton said police were trying to establish a motive but did not rule out terrorism.
US media indentified the attacker as Zale Thompson, 32, but this has not been confirmed by police.
The SITE monitoring group said he had posted statements on YouTube and Facebook that "display a hyper-racial focus in both religious and historical contexts, and ultimately hint at his extremist leanings".
SITE, which monitors radical Islamist groups, said a post by him in September had described jihad as "a justifiable response to the oppression of the Zionists and the Crusaders".
After the attack, which took place on Thursday afternoon, Mr Bratton was asked whether it could be terror related.
"This early on, we really cannot say yes or no to that question," he said.
Witnesses said the man deliberately targeted the foot-patrol officers, charging them and then swinging the axe two-handed,
One officer was hit on the head and the other on the arm.
The officers fired several rounds, killing the attacker and wounding a female bystander, police said.
The 25-year-old officer with the head wound was listed as critical but stable. The woman was recovering after being treated for a gunshot wound to the back.

Ebola outbreak: New York doctor Craig Spencer tests positive

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Craig Spencer works as a fellow of alllllll international emergency medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
 

A New York doctor who recently returned from Ebola-hit Guinea in West Africa has tested positive for the disease.

Dr Craig Spencer, who treated Ebola patients while working for the charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), came down with a fever on Thursday, days after his return, officials say.
He is the first Ebola case diagnosed in New York, and the fourth in the US.
Meanwhile, Mali has confirmed its first case of Ebola after a two-year-old girl tested positive for the virus.
More than 4,800 people have died of Ebola - mainly in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone - since March.
Dr Spencer, 33, left Guinea on 14 October, and returned to New York City on 17 October via Europe. On Tuesday he began to feel tired and developed a fever and diarrhoea on Thursday.
He immediately contacted medical services and was taken to the city's Bellevue Hospital, where he is being kept in isolation.
 "There is no reason for alarm"

Four contacts New York officials said Dr Spencer had travelled on the subway and gone out jogging before he started feeling unwell.
But at a news conference late on Thursday, they sought to ease fears of an outbreak in the densely populated city of 8.4 million people, saying officials had prepared for weeks for an Ebola case. They added that those who came into contact with Dr Spencer were not at risk.

Dr Spencer was taken to Bellevue Hospital and placed into isolation

Health officials told New Yorkers there is no reason to be alarmed

NYPD officers are now deployed near Dr Spencer's apartment

"There is no reason for New Yorkers to be alarmed," Mayor Bill de Blasio said. "Ebola is an extremely hard disease to contract. New Yorkers who have not been exposed to an infected person's bodily fluids are not at risk."
Governor Andrew Cuomo said, "We can't say that this is an unexpected circumstance."
Mr Obama telephoned both the mayor and the governor to discuss the deployment of health officials and to offer "any additional federal support necessary", the White House said.
Ebola patients are only infectious if they have symptoms, and the disease is only transmittable through bodily fluids, experts say.
Mr Cuomo said officials had identified four people with whom Dr Spencer had contact during the period in which he was potentially infectious.
His fiancee and two friends have been placed into quarantine, said Dr Mary Bassett, New York's health commissioner.

• Avoid direct contact with sick patients as the virus is spread through contaminated body fluids
• Wear protective cover for eyes
• Clothing and clinical waste should be incinerated and any medical equipment that needs to be kept should be decontaminated
• People who recover from Ebola should abstain from sex or use condoms for three months

B’ Haram abducts 60 women in Adamawa

Sixty women were reportedly abducted by suspected members of the deadly Boko Haram sect at Waga Mangoro and Garta villages, both in troubled Adamawa State during a fresh attack.

Forty of the women were said to have been abducted in Waga Mangoro and the other 20 were forcefully taken away from Grata.

Some of the fleeing residents from the area, who called journalists in Yola on the telephone lamented that scores of insurgents riding motorcycles and driving vans had invaded their towns.

The fleeing residents while lamenting the capture of the two towns, said they were able to sneak out of the captured towns on Tuesday, but disclosed that their villages were ravaged on Saturday.

One of those that was about to flee the area, Tizhe Kwada told journalists that the area had been under the control of the insurgents for about two months now.

He said that though one of the attacked towns, Garta had been under what could be termed as the control of the insurgents for sometimes now, but that did not stop them from overrunning it and carting away the young women.

Kwada claimed that the insurgents cordon off the entire town and went from one house to another in Garta in search of young women who they took in their vans to an unknown destination.

He said, “The insurgents are still in the area. And they have slaughtered many men in Garta and abducted many young women. We also heard from residents of Wagga that they killed two men and took 40 women away from there.”

A community leader from Michika, a neighbouring town to the two attacked towns, Emmanuel Kwache, while confirming the incident to journalists in Yola on Wednesday said, “I got the information from villagers in the area that the rampage was still in progress.”

But when he was contacted, the Chairman of Madagali Local Government Area, James Watharda, said “I had all along been in Yola since the insurgents took over the area and as such I can speak little of happening in the area.”

As of the time of filing the story, both the military and security agencies could not be reached for confirm

Court annuls sale of Newswatch to Jimoh Ibrahim

Jimoh Ibrahim

A Federal High Court in Lagos has nullified the Share Purchase Agreement, which transferred ownership of Newswatch Communications Limited to Global Media Mirror Limited, a company owned by Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim.

Justice Ibrahim Buba, who gave the judgement on Monday, equally restrained further publication of Newswatch daily newspaper in addition to awarding N15.7m as damages against Ibrahim and his company.

Two minority shareholders in NCL, Mr. Nuhu Aruwa and Prof. Jubril Aminu, had filed a petition, asking the court to nullify the May 2011 SPA, which transferred ownership of the company to Ibrahim.

Respondents in the suit were the Newswatch Communications Ltd, Global Media Mirror Ltd, Ibrahim, Newswatch newspapers and the Corporate Affairs Commission.

The applicants had also sought a court order restraining the respondents from publishing and selling to the public Newswatch daily and weekend magazines.

Aruwa and Aminu had claimed that the said SPA, through which Ibrahim took over the company, was invalid as the requisite conditions were not met.

In the affidavit in support of their suit, the petitioners explained that by virtue of clause 3.0 of the said SPA, the 2nd respondent purportedly acquired 51 per cent of Newswatch on the condition that it would pay the sum of N510m as the price of their own shares in the company.

They added that by clause 4.0 of the agreement, the money was supposed to be paid on or before May 5, 2011, and that the 2nd respondent was obligated to pay additional N500m within 90 days after take-over, which was supposed to serve as working capital for the company.

The petitioners averred that without complying fully with the aforementioned conditions of agreement, the 2nd respondent, through the instrumentality of the 3rd respondent, went ahead and took over full control and management of the first respondent’s company.

Delivering judgement in the suit, Buba held that the respondents could not prove that they paid up for the shares, adding that the petitioners gave sufficient evidence to back their claims.

Buba said, “They have not shown how and when they paid for the said shares, and nothing in paragraph 11 and 18a of the respondents’ statement of defence shows how they paid for the shares.

“There is no evidence in paragraph 3.0 that the respondents paid on or before May 5, 2011, as stated, as they have only given their interpretation to that paragraph.

“Whatever monies they spent was spent on Daily Mirror and this was confirmed by DW2 during cross examination.

“The N510m was supposed to be paid for shares and not for any other purpose; there is no evidence to show that the shares have been paid for.

“Besides, it was a company called Global Fleet that paid the N14m not any of the respondents who contracted with the first respondent”.

Buba further held the court found that the case of the petitioners had merits.

He therefore granted all the reliefs that they sought.

The judge held, “The court grants all the reliefs as set out on the petition at the inception of this case as follows:

“An order setting aside the contract entered into between the first and second respondent companies by virtue of document titled “Share Purchase Agreement” between the first and second respondents executed in May, 2011.

“A consequential order setting aside the Form CAC2 (Statement of Share Capital and Return of Allotment of Shares)of the 1st respondent company dated August 27, 2012, and presented for filing by one Gloria A. Ukeje.

“An order directing the 2nd and 3rd respondents jointly and severally, to pay special damages in the sum of N15.7m to the first respondent company, being loss of business profits since August 2012 till October 2012 when its operations were unilaterally shut down.”

Court hears Cecilia Ibru’s suit Nov. 13

Cecilia Ibru

A Federal High Court in Abuja will on November 13 hear a suit filed by a former Managing Director of the defunct Oceanic International Bank Plc (now Ecobank Plc), Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, who accused the Federal Government of violating the terms of her plea bargain agreement.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed on Tuesday fixed the date for hearing after he noted that that all parties had been duly served with the necessary papers.

The judge described the suit as a simple one which merely required looking at the terms of the agreement signed by parties in the plea bargain, which earned Ibru eight months imprisonment for fraud charges on October 9, 2010.

Justice Mohammed said, “This case is very simple. The plaintiff is saying that she forfeited property to the defendants as part of a plea bargain but that the defendants also took over companies not contained in the plea bargain.

“It is really simple. You all should be prepared for a definite hearing on the next adjourned date.”

The Attorney-General of the Federation and the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria are the two defendants in the suit.

Ibru had along with other plaintiffs in the suit, filed the suit asking the court to restrain the Federal Government, through AMCON, from seizing assets linked to her but were not contained in the plea bargain agreement.

The other plaintiffs are Sidochem Industries Ltd., Edgar Sido and Dr. Francis Sido.

Ibru, acting on behalf of herself and the Ibru Group, along with the three other plaintiffs, alleged that AMOCN had on November 12, 2013, mischievously obtained an ex parte order from the court without disclosing material facts in the plea bargain agreement.

The order obtained by AMCON from a Federal High Court in Lagos was against Sidochem Industries Limited, on the purported grounds of enforcing the plea bargain agreement.

But Ibru insisted that the company was not part of the terms of the plea bargain.

She urged the court to also declare that the striping of the assets and the subsequent sale of Oceanic Bank to Eko Bank was also not part of the plea bargain agreement.

She also urged the court to also declare that Aero Contractors Nigeria Limited was not on the list of the assets she forfeited to the Federal Government as part of her plea bargain.

Ebola: Obama 'optimistic' on virus situation in US

 

Some travellers in the US will have their temperatures checked for signs of a fever

President Barack Obama has expressed cautious optimism about the Ebola situation in the US, as new screening rules were introduced in the country.

He said many relatives of the only known person to have died of the virus in America seemed to be out of danger.
Mr Obama said there were "modest signs" of progress in Liberia - the hardest-hit nation in West Africa.
The known death toll is now 4,877 - a rise of 322 since last week's report by the World Health Organization.
Most of the victims died in three West African nations - Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
In other developments:

• The WHO is meeting in Geneva to examine screening measures at borders and considering whether stricter travel regulations should be put in place
• First batches of an experimental vaccine against Ebola are due to arrive to Switzerland
• Doctors in Spain said a second round of tests showed Teresa Romero, who became the first person to contract Ebola outside West Africa, was completely clear of the virus
• A Cuban medical team has arrived in Liberia to join the fight against Ebola
• Doctors in the US say they no longer detect the virus in Texas nurse Amber Vinson, the second US to contract the virus from Liberian Thomas Duncan.
•  

• Avoid direct contact with sick patients as the virus is spread through contaminated body fluids
• Wear protective cover for eyes
• Clothing and clinical waste should be incinerated and any medical equipment that needs to be kept should be decontaminated
• People who recover from Ebola should abstain from sex or use condoms for three months

Okada rider kills policeman for seizing bike

officer.

A police corporal, Joseph Ebosele, has been confirmed dead at a Lagos hospital after he was hit with an iron rod by a motorcyclist, Bakare Lukman, in the Meiran area of Lagos State.

Reporters learnt that around 11pm on October 11, 2014, policemen on patrol arrested Lukman for contravening the traffic law which prohibits the movement of commercial motorcycles after 10pm.

It was learnt that after seizing Lukman’s bike, the team leader of the policemen handed it over to Ebosele to ride to the station.

Our correspondent learnt that a furious Lukman reportedly escaped police custody, caught up with Ebosele and attacked him with an iron rod.

A source told our correspondent that the 35-year-old deceased and his colleagues were responding to a distress call when the incident occurred.

He said, “The policemen were in their station when they received a distress call. They went there and were returning when they sighted Lukman riding the bike around 12 midnight.

“They queried him and when he could not give a satisfactory answer, they decided to confiscate the motorcycle. They also arrested him, but he escaped along the way.

“Lukman then waylaid them. He attacked the police corporal on the head, with an iron rod and rode away on the bike.”

He said the other policemen noticed that their colleague was nowhere to be found and decided to trace him.

They were said to have met him unconscious and rushed him to the hospital where he was confirmed dead.

Our correspondent learnt from a police source that the police recovered the suspect’s cap at the scene which they used in tracing him to the motor park.

Reporters gathered that Lukman’s friends identified the cap as belonging to him.

Further investigations were said to have led the police to the suspect.

Our correspondent learnt that Lukman confessed to the crime.

Lukman, a resident of Olajumoke Street, in Obafemi Owode Local Government area of Ogun State, told the police he had hid in the dark inside a mechanic shop from where he monitored the movement of the police patrol van.

He said, “After they seized the bike I went ahead of them and stayed in a mechanic shop. It was there I saw an iron rod which I took.

“While waiting on Meiran Road, I saw their van pass by, then I saw the policeman riding my bike.

“I used all my strength to hit him with the iron before fleeing with my bike.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Keneth Nwosu, confirmed the incident.

He added, “The bikeman is in our custody now, and investigations are ongoing.”

Ottawa shootings: Canada not intimidated - PM Harper

courtesy BBC and reuters.

Canada's prime minister has insisted his country will not be intimidated, after a gunman rampaged through parliament before being shot dead.

Stephen Harper described the attacker as a terrorist and promised to "redouble" anti-terror efforts.
The gunman, named as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, shot and killed a soldier at an Ottawa war memorial before entering parliament.
On Monday, a Muslim convert killed a soldier in Quebec.
Mr Harper described that earlier attack as a plot inspired by the Islamic State (IS) militant group.
Earlier this month, Canada announced plans to join the US-led campaign of air strikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq.
However, there is no official confirmation that any of this week's attacks are directly linked to IS or the new military campaign.

The hero: Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers

• Witnesses identified the parliamentary Sergeant-at-Arms, Kevin Vickers, as the man who shot dead the attacker
• Mr Vickers, 58, took up his role in 2006 after 29 years in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• He last made headlines in 2011 when he supported the right of Sikhs to wear ceremonial daggers in the House of Commons

In a televised address late on Wednesday, Mr Harper said: "We will not be intimidated. Canada will never be intimidated.
"In fact, this will lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts... to take all necessary steps to identify and counter threats and keep Canada safe."
Mr Harper stressed that the perpetrators "will have no safe haven" in Canada, but admitted the attacks showed that the country was "not immune to terrorist attacks".
Mr Harper has been meeting MPs at the time of the shooting, but was safely evacuated.

 

Canadian media quoted police sources as confirming this as an image of Michael Zehaf-Bibeau

 

 

The shooting began at the war memorial

 

Several people were injured

Police quickly moved in to seal off the area around the parliament building

The attack began on Wednesday morning, as two soldiers guarding the memorial came under fire from a man carrying a rifle.
One soldier, Cpl Nathan Cirillo, died of his injuries. Three other people were treated in hospital and released by evening.
Minutes after the attack at the memorial, dozens of shots were fired inside the parliament building.


The gunman was shot dead by Sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers, 58.
"MPs and [Parliament] Hill staff owe their safety, even lives, to Sergeant at Arms Kevin Vickers who shot attacker just outside the MPs' caucus rooms," New Democrat MP Craig Scott tweeted.
Zehaf-Bibeau, 32, had apparently been designated a high-risk traveller and had his passport taken away because of suspected jihadist sympathies.
A Twitter user who posted an image purporting to show Zehaf-Bibeau said it had come from an IS-linked account.
He was known to have a police record for petty crime, including possession of drugs and robbery.
In his evening address, Mr Harper described him as a terrorist.
"In the days to come we will learn more about the terrorist and any accomplices he may have had," Mr Harper said.

Several buildings in the city went into lockdown during the incident, as police told those in the vicinity of central Ottawa to stay away from windows and roofs as they searched for potential additional suspects.
Parliament Hill is still closed to the public.
In a telephone call with Mr Harper, US President Barack Obama condemned the attacks and reaffirmed the two nations' close friendship.

Ceasefire collapses as army fights back

The Nigerian troops seem to have   abandoned the ceasefire between the Federal Government and   Boko Haram   as they   killed 25 insurgents in   Damboa, Borno State on Sunday.

Boko Haram was the first to abandon the ceasefire when it attacked two communities in Borno and Adamawa states.

Damboa was for several days in July under the control of the insurgents who   killed some soldiers, including   a Lieutenant Colonel. They had also hoisted their flag in the community which is only about 85 kilometres away from Maiduguri.

The military however succeeded in chasing them but on Sunday night, the terrorists staged a comeback but were overpowered by the “military during an exchange of gunfire.”

Boko Haram had on Friday, the day the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal, Alex Badeh, announced the ceasefire, attacked Shafa and Sina in Borno and Adamawa states.

Just as the attacks were viewed as a breach of the ceasefire, the insurgents struck again in Borno State where they captured Abadam village and beheaded six people on the Biu-Garkida Road on Sunday.

A military source was however quick to dismiss the belief that attacks by the insurgents amounted to a collapse of the ceasefire.

He had said, “One cannot say the peace deal has been violated; it is the nature of most terrorist organisations to act that way, and it should be expected because they have several layers of operation.’’

But findings on Sunday by Reporters had revealed that the Federal Government might have entered into the deal with a faction of the group interested in ending the insurgency in the North-East.

A Federal Government team is to meet on Tuesday(today) with representatives of the sect in Ndjamena to conclude the talks being brokered by Chadian President Idris Deby.

The military source, who spoke with our correspondent on the Damboa incident, said there was no way the troops on the ground   would have watched the militants overrun the community without confronting them.

“Since we just couldn’t watch them overrun the town again, we engaged them in crossfire,’’   he said.

The source,   who did not want his name in print because he was not authorised to speak on the development, added, “We were able to effectively repel   them.   Twenty five of them were killed during the heavy shoot-out. We also recovered several arms and ammunition as well as   a Buffalo Armoured Personnel Carrier which they   abandoned in the heat of the confrontation that lasted some hours.”

He was however silent on the casualty figure.

In Maiduguri, a   vigilante member, Abba Mohammed, told   Reporters    that the insurgents invaded the already deserted Damboa at about 5pm on Sunday.

He   said, “Some of our members in Damboa   informed us early this (Monday) morning that the attack was repelled and that more than two dozen   insurgents were killed.

“We were told that the insurgents came from the direction of Sambisa Forest Reserve and drove in several pickup vans and vehicles that looked like APC.

“They engaged the military   in a massive shoot-out for some hours but when about   25 of them were killed, they had to pull back towards the direction they came from.”

Despite this, the Borno State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria on Monday said it welcomed the truce talks   between the Federal Government and   Boko Haram.

It said in a communiqué issued   at the end of its three-day fasting and prayer for Christians that the breach of the ceasefire by the insurgents should not deter the government   from following it to a logical conclusion.

The   state CAN Chairman, Rev. Titus Pona, who read the statement said since the insurgents had expressed their desire for peace, government must take advantage of it by playing along.

He said, “We the Christian faithful in Borno State commend the   Federal Government for agreeing with the Jama’atul Ahalis Sunna Lida’awati popularly called the Boko Haram for a ceasefire.

‘‘We are happy with the ceasefire, although   we heard some reports suggesting attacks by some suspected insurgents lately. We believe it is only a faction that is not interested in the peace process.

‘‘We assume that the Chibok girls and other people in their captivity are alive and well.

“We pray that the offer for ceasefire will be stuck to and come to reality in order to have the abducted ones released and for an end to the insurgency ravaging Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states and other parts of the country.’’

Criminal negligence behind death of Total boss -Report

Russian investigators have said “criminal negligence” caused the crash at a Moscow airport that resulted in the death of Total’s chief executive.
Christophe de Margerie died along with three crew members when his corporate jet collided with a snow plough.
Federal investigators said that the driver of the snow plough was drunk.
Investigators also said that “negligent” managers at the airport had failed to co-ordinate the actions of their employees.
The Investigations Committee of Russia, a federal agency which answers to President Vladimir Putin, is investigating the crash.
“It is already obvious that the cause of the events was not at all a horrific tragic confluence of circumstances, which is how representatives of the airport are trying to present it, but criminal negligence by officials who could not ensure the coordinated actions of airport employees,” said committee spokesman Vladimir Markin.
Several officials at the airport were likely to be suspended, according to Markin.
Russia’s transport regulator is also investigating the crash, which it said happened in “bad visibility”.
de Margerie’s jet had been due to fly to Paris from Moscow’s Vnukovo International Airport.
Vnukovo is located south-west of Moscow and is used by President Putin and other government officials.
Pictures from the scene show the driver of the snow plough looking shocked, but walking unaided and without any obvious serious injury.
de Margerie, 63, had been chief executive of Europe’s third largest oil company since 2007. He was highly regarded within the oil industry.
According to Russia’s Vedomosti newspaper, de Margerie had met Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev at his country residence outside Moscow to discuss foreign investment in Russia.
Total is one of the biggest foreign investors in Russia and is planning to double its output from the country by 2020.

Oscar Pistorius trial: Sentence due for Steenkamp killing

South African athlete Oscar Pistorius is back in court to hear whether he faces a jail term for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Judge Thokozile Masipa began reading the sentence by saying that, although she had been aided by assessors, the decision was hers and hers alone.
The prosecution has called for a minimum 10-year sentence; the defence for community service and house arrest.
Pistorius was convicted of culpable homicide but cleared of murder.
Judge Masipa said: “Sentencing is about achieving the right balance. Sentencing is not a perfect exercise.”
She said there must be a balance between retribution, deterrence and rehabilitation.
The judge began summarising the evidence brought before the trial.
Pistorius, 27, an amputee sprinter who became the first athlete to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, killed Ms Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year.
He says he shot her by mistake, fearing there was an intruder in his house in the capital, Pretoria.
Ms Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, reality TV star and law graduate, was hit three times by bullets fired by Pistorius through a toilet door.
Last month, Judge Masipa cleared Pistorius of murder, but convicted him of culpable homicide, saying he had been negligent.
The high-profile, seven-month trial has captured public attention in South Africa and beyond.

Okotie lacks moral right to question Oritsejafor — CAN

Rev. Chris Okotie

The Christian Association of Nigeria has challenged the founder of Household of God, Pastor Chris Okotie to manage his home and keep to biblical principles of one man, one wife.

The association was reacting to the demand by Okotie that its President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, should resign over the alleged involvement of his aircraft in the controversial $9.3m smuggled into South Africa by two Nigerians and an Israeli.

Okotie, had in a statement by Okotie on his church’s Facebook page, said, “Considering the collateral damage Pastor Ayo’s close relationship with the President has done to the Christian community, it is fit and proper for the Pastor to resign immediately as CAN President to salvage what remains of the battered image of the association.

“This is without prejudice to the on-going investigation on the matter. Denials of his culpability by the Federal Government, CAN officials and his own recent defense, does nothing to reduce the moral burden this whole saga places on his shoulders. As the titular leader of Christians in Nigeria, there’s now a serious crisis of confidence on his leadership and he ought to respond to it by resigning from his exalted position.”

But the Director of National Issues in CAN, Mr. Sunny Oibe, told reporters that Okotie was looking for popularity through Oritsejafor.

He said, “Is Chris Okotie a Christian? How many wives has he?

He should go and sort out himself. Even the government has exonerated Pastor Ayo of all the allegations. So, who is Okotie? Well, it is laughable if Chris Okotie should demand that Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor should resign as President of CAN.

“Chris Okotie should remove the log in his eyes before he begins to see a peck in somebody’s eyes. Pastor Ayo had a soaring integrity before he was elected the President of CAN. Who elected Chris Okotie to become the spokesperson of Christians in Nigeria?

“CAN will not like to join issues with Okotie because doing that will amount to making him popular. He is looking for popularity which he doesn’t have through Pastor Ayo and he is not going to get it.”

Bama people dying of starvation —Borno senator

The Senator representing Borno Central at the National Assembly, Zannah Ahmed, has said the people of Bama, a commercial town in Borno State captured by Boko Haram about a month ago are, dying of starvation daily.

He said the condition of the people of the town was so pitiable that the aged and women, who could not flee the town in the wake of the capture, depended on the insurgents to feed.

Speaking on the telephone with our correspondent, the senator said, “It is quite unfortunate that the military has shied away from moving down to Bama to free the town from the insurgents several days after it was captured.

“I do not understand the strategy of the military and we deserve an explanation why Bama is still not freed even as the information we are receiving from the town indicates that there are just a few insurgents who are not well armed taking charge of the town.

“The only challenge the military might face is between Konduga and Bama where the insurgents are said to be many. But inside Bama town, they are few and not well armed and it will only require a few soldiers to flush them out.”

He added, “I learnt that the insurgents have been distributing beans to the people but this does not last, as they go on for days without food. To even move out of the town is another sad story entirely.

“Many women that fled the town and who took a long trek to Maiduguri died en route. They collapsed and died from thirst.

“Can we be said to be winning the war on Boko Haram, if some of our towns are being captured and our people are living at the mercy of insurgents?” he asked.

He argued that the military had no excuse for allowing the insurgents to continue to occupy Bama and Gwoza, saying, “for rag-tag militants to hold the nation to ransom is an embarrassment to the country.”

Lawmaker’s attack: Police detain Edo Speaker, majority leader

Edo State House of Assembly Speaker, Uyi Igbe

The Edo State Police Command on Thursday arrested the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Uyi Igbe, and the Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu, over the attack on a lawmaker, Abdulrazak Momoh.

Momoh,   whose seat was declared vacant by the assembly in July, was said to have been attacked by thugs on Tuesday after he allegedly ignored the instruction of security men not to enter the legislative quarters.

The Peoples Democratic Party lawmaker   was rushed to the Accident and Emergency Ward of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

The PDP had in a statement by its Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, on Wednesday, accused Shaibu and other APC lawmakers of masterminding the attack.

It was gathered that Igbe, Shaibu and another member, Mr. Folly Ogedegbe, were invited to the state police command by the Commissioner of Police, Foluso Adebanjo, at about 11am on Thursday.

But the Majority Leader told newsmen   that they were at the   state police headquarters on their own but were   detained for an offence they knew nothing about.

He wondered why   the police did not prevent the PDP lawmakers from forcefully entering the assembly complex on the day of the incident.

Shaibu said, “We came on our own volition but they have kept us here for over three hours for a matter we knew nothing about. You could see the intimidation.

“When the PDP lawmakers, including Momoh, forcefully broke into the assembly complex, the police did not invite them let alone arrest them.

“All the court orders that were issued against them were not obeyed. The police   did not do anything to enforce the orders. But you can see we have been detained here since for an issue we know nothing about.”

Momoh also said they had   been invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to appear before it in Abuja on Monday.

He   said the reasons for their invitation was not stated by the anti-graft agency.

The lawmaker added, “The EFCC also invited us to Abuja on Monday. But Nigeria is currently being embarrassed in South Africa for money laundering perpetrated by the Federal Government, and the EFCC has not done anything. This is an attempt to intimidate and eliminate all (Governor Adams) Oshiomhole’s loyalists before the next elections.

“The Federal Government must be careful. The EFCC is not arresting those people who stole our money but they are inviting us when we don’t award contracts. It is a plan to use federal might. The President (Dr. Goodluck Jonathan) should talk to his people because we cannot be intimidated.”

The APC in the state has however raised the alarm over what it considers as a plot by the PDP, through the Federal Government, to incarcerate all Oshiomhole’s loyalists.

The party, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Godwin Erhahon, said, “We are aware of the plots by the PDP to arrest, maim, and eliminate those perceived to be loyalists of Governor Oshiomhole.

“The lawmaker who was beaten went there with thugs and it has nothing to do with our lawmakers. Why are they being arrested by the police?

“But we want to warn that any attempt to intimidate our people in Edo State will be resisted. The PDP cannot use federal might to hunt our people. We are still battling Boko Haram, let us not face another war in Edo State because it might be too much for (President Goodluck) Jonathan to handle.”

The Edo State police commissioner could not be reached for comment on the interrogation of the lawmakers as of   the time of filing this report.

Kwakwanso blasts Jonathan for seized $15m

Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso

Governor Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso of Kano State has accused President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government of not being sincere over its defence of the seized $9.3m and another $5.7m by the South African government.

He said the seized money by the South African government under the guise of procuring arms and ammunition to fight insurgency, contravened established rules and guidelines.

The governor said it was a clear violation of the due process in the procurement.

Kwakwanso spoke in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday after the public presentation of two laws-Ekiti Magistrate Court Law 2014 and Administration of Criminal Justice 2014-by his counterpart from Lagos, Raji Fashola (SAN).

Fashola, who described laws and constitutionality as the bedrock of any nation, said the application of the Cremation and Public Health Laws gave the state a breakthrough in its fight against the Ebola Virus Disease that broke out in the country recently.

Kwakwanso, who had earlier inaugurated the Ire Burnt Brick Industry revamped by Governor Kayode Fayemi, said Nigerians must rise up to protect judiciary for the sustenance of the country’s democracy.

The governor said, “As a former Minister of Defence, I am very conversant with the way and manner, and the due process that is required to procure any arms, ammunition or equipment, there are rules and guidelines. Arms and ammunition are not rice and beans that you can just go to the market and purchase.

“Many of us were concerned when the information filtered in. In fact, we didn’t believe it initially, but along the line, based on the defence of what happened, we realized that it was a bitter truth that such a thing happened: that money of that magnitude in an aircraft flown to another nation, I think so many things have gone wrong. I think it is high time for the Federal Government to sit up to its responsibilities to ensure that things are being done correctly.

“Yes, we need arms and ammunition; yes, we need security in this country, but even under that circumstance, there are rules and guidelines that must be respected.

“While we are trying to tackle insurgency, we must follow the due process. Even in the operation there are rules of engagement; they are very important to protect the lives and properties of innocent people.”

Kwakwanso wondered why it took the Federal Government three weeks to accept that over 200 schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok.

He said so many things were wrong under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“That is why we are confident that by 2015 the APC will take over because all that we have seen in insecurity, unemployment, education…There are so many schools closed down in the North. Our children cannot go to school because some are being stolen,” he lamented.

Muslims defy Boko Haram threats, throng prayer grounds

Muslims in both Borno and Yobe states, on Saturday, defied threats of attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents and trooped to prayer grounds for the Eid-el-Kabir prayers.

They were not deterred by the fact that they had to trek long distances from their homes to the prayer grounds to say the congregational prayer, which is the peak of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

The long trek followed the directive by the military authorities barring vehicular movements in order to forestall attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents.

There were blockages on all the roads and stern-looking soldiers and policemen were all over the town to enforce the order.

Some worshippers had to trek between five and seven kilometres for the Eid prayer grounds, which were few across the troubled town.

In his Sallah message to the people of the state, Governor Kashim Shettima urged Muslims in the country to be kind to their neighbours and live in harmony with people irrespective of their religious and social differences.

He said the feast of sacrifice which the Eid-El-Kabir celebration symbolises also teaches sharing, love and good neighbourliness.

“As we celebrate this Sallah in peace and harmony, I also call on all Muslims in the state to be kind to their neighbours, relatives, friends and the needy by extending gestures to them in the spirit of eid el kabir festival,” the governor said through a statement signed by the deputy director, Press Affairs at the Government House, Ndahi Pindar Sawa.

In Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, there was huge turnout of worshippers at different Eid praying grounds despite security apprehension of a possible attack by the insurgents.

The expansive Yobe Islamic Centre witnessed large of worshippers. Other Eid grounds at 3 bedroom Gujba road, Waziri Ibrahim, Phase I, Nayinawa, Ben Kalio Housing Estate and Zanna Zakaria Estates all within Damaturu metropolis also had large turnouts of worshippers.

The Deputy Governor of the state, Abubakar Aliyu in company with the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress and other members of the State Executive Council joined other thousands of worshippers at the Yobe Mosque and Islamic Centre to observe the two Rakat prayers.

There were strict checks and screening of worshippers by stern-looking security agents before being allowed access to the Yobe Mosque.

Somali troops capture key port town from al-Shabab

Somali government troops backed by African Union forces have captured a key stronghold of al-Shabab Islamists.
The regional governor confirmed the capture of Barawe, telling the BBC that he was in the centre of the port town.
The AU says al-Shabab used the town as a base to launch attacks on the capital Mogadishu, which is about 200km (125 miles) to the north.
Barawe had been held by the al-Qaeda-aligned militants for six years.

Nigerian troops kill 200 Boko Haram militants in Michika

There are strong indications that the Nigerian troops have overrun Michika and Gulak in Madagali Local Government Areas of Adamawa State.
The states had in the past one month been in the hands of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents.
A source while speaking to our correspondent on phone said following the fierce fighting, the military are at the moment comfortably controlling Michika, which the insurgents seized on September 7, 2014.
The source said, “I can confirm to you authoritatively that the military are advancing towards Madagali.”
The source who spoke from his mountainous hideout in Michika, noted that despite the military bombardment, the insurgents on Sunday night re-grouped at the Government Technical College, Michika with the intention of attacking the soldiers before they were dislodged and chased away.
Reports indicate that about 200 Boko Haram insurgents have been killed in the latest offensive, as Nigerian troops take control of the town and have gained an upper hand in the ongoing war.
The source said, “The Nigerian troops have gained entry into Michika and Gulak, and are now fully in control of the towns having dealt a severe blow to the insurgents, as they lost about 200 members, while some escaped with injuries sustained from gun shots.”
Another source from the area said Nigerian troops had earlier met with a stiff resistance from the insurgents as they advanced towards Gulak leading to the prolonged gun duel.
The source added that: “There is a heavy fighting between the insurgents and Nigerian troops as the insurgents are doing everything to frustrate the effort of the Nigerian troops and many people who were trapped in the towns are now sneaking out following intensified fighting.”
He added that the insurgents who were in their thousands came through Uba and attacked the Nigeria troops who had already advanced into Michika, but were repelled back immediately.
Efforts to get the reaction from the Army Public Relations Officer of the 23rd Army Brigade Yola proved abortive as his telephone was not reachable while the police authority refused comment saying it is not within their area of jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, the Adamawa State Acting Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has commended the efforts of Nigerian soldiers to liberate the two local government areas initially under the grip of the militants.

Dogs attacked my brother inside our flat ─ Seven-year-old

Omonigbo before and after the attack

Four-year-old Omonigho Abraham is currently battling for his life at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, after his scalp was eaten by two dogs.

The dogs chewed the skin and exposed the victim’s skull during the attack which happened on Thursday on Adegboyega Street, Akesan Estate, in the Igando area of Lagos.

Reporters had reported last week that the police seized the two dogs for attacking Omonigho.

However, our correspondent learnt from eyewitnesses that the dogs dragged him through the compound for more than one hour while policemen and sympathisers watched helplessly at the entrance of the house for fear of being attacked by the savage dogs.

The immediate elder brother of the victim, seven-year-old Osemudiamen, told our correspondent that the dogs had chased him, Omonigho and their elder brother, Bobby, while they were taking turns to ride a bicycle.

He said, “We were riding a bicycle in the compound when the big dogs ─ Jack and Gadaffi ─ started barking at us. Later, they moved towards us.

“My elder brother and I quickly ran upstairs and locked the door while Omo (Omonigho), who could not run fast, was left behind.

“When he got to the door, he knocked that we should open for him and as we did, one of the dogs forced his way into the house with him.

“We all ran out. Bobby jumped down from upstairs and I also jumped. But Omo could not jump, so the dog attacked him.

“The other dog also joined in the attack and there was nothing we could do.”

It was learnt that the screams of the children who managed to get outside attracted passersby and residents who besieged the house.

No fewer than seven policemen from the Igando Police Station reportedly stood at the gate, confused.

An eyewitness, who lived on the street, but pleaded anonymity, said, “The police came, but said there was nothing they could do. The dogs were growling as they ate the child alive and that sent fear into everyone. Nobody could move inside to challenge the dogs. Everybody was just shouting in confusion and wielding sticks.”

The victim’s mother, Mrs. Helen Abraham, who was away when the incident happened, said her son had been injured by the time she arrived at the scene.

She said, “When I got there, I met a crowd. They asked me not to go inside, but I refused to listen to them. One of the dogs emerged from the corridor with blood stains in its mouth. I ran inside. The other dog, on sighting me, pounced, but I fought back. It later ran away. I called on people who joined me to take him to a hospital.

“This has been a nightmare I want to wake up from.”

The victim’s father, Mr. Odia Abraham, said the medical personnel at the Igando General Hospital asked them to transfer him to LASUTH because of the severity of the attack.

“The doctor at Igando said his condition was critical and we should take him to LASUTH. When the incident happened, I was away at work.

“But when I got home, I saw parts of my son’s scalp on the floor. The dogs dragged him through the compound for about one and half hours and nobody moved near them. His face was also affected, but thankfully it did not get to his eyes.

“His two brothers, who survived, also got injured. The seven-year-old who spoke with you has a fracture, which we are still treating. The other, who is 13 years, has a minor injury.

“We marked Omo’s fourth birthday in June. He is a very intelligent boy and he always tells me he wants to be a soldier because he loves to protect people. I am hoping this thing will not affect his brain,” he said.

The police were said to have arrested the owner of the dogs, one Stanley Wesley.

A resident said the people living in the house had warned Wesley about his dogs but he refused to listen.

She said, “We became alarmed when he brought a third dog recently which was more ferocious and bigger than the others. Whenever he took that dog on a walk, even adults would be scared.

“People told him to find a place to keep his giant dogs, but he refused to listen. It was the new dog that first followed those children into the house.”

When our correspondent visited the Burns and Plastic Ward of LASUTH, he was told the victim was asleep.

The matron in charge of the ward told our correspondent she would not comment unless the Public Relations Officer of the hospital gave an approval.

However, the PRO was said to be unavailable as he was on leave.

A medical officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the victim’s condition was “serious and critical.”

The Police spokesperson, Lagos State Command, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said the police were the ones that actually rescued the victim.

Nwosu said, “I can confirm to you that on September 25, at about 5.40pm, dogs belonging to one Stanley Wesley attacked and harmed a four-year-old boy and the matter was reported at the Igando Police Division.

“The report from the Divisional Police Officer indicated that the dogs were being kept to undergo some tests, while their owner had been arrested. The report that the police did not do anything is not true.”