properties for lease and sale this March 2015

(1) luxury 4bdrm semi-detached duplex,with laundry room in a mini estate in  conservation area,opposite Chevron-Lekki expressway.

price-38mil

(2) Brand new 4bdrm detach duplex with bq and study room,in a qiet area of aguingi.

ideal for residential.

price:45mil

(3) New 2 Storey,large open plan building on Orchid road,behind Chevron conservation area-Lekki express-way.
Doc: Gov. Consent.                          
Building is well built,with proper foundation and raised high above ground. Already finished with cabling and plumbing already done. Building has not been partitioned,hence can be used for anything that suits buyer.
The vicinity is filled with highbrow hotels, such as the Orchid hotels,big estates,schools and such.
Road and infrastructure in place,mixed plan area.
Ideal as a real estate investment. Price: 90mil net: pictures available.

(4) 1400sqm bare land at towry coker close off Bishop Oluwole Victoria Island.
Price: N300mil net, with gov. Consent.

(5) 2 units 5bdrm detached duplex,2room pent-house, with 2rooms bq each at  towry coker close off Idejo,Bishop Oluwole Victoria island. Each sits on about 750sqm land. Price: N250mil each.

(6) Half plot of land in Illaje-good location filled with modern buildings,development and infrastructure
Price:N6million-net. Document: deed of assignment.

(7) New Luxury 3bdrm flat in aguingi,in a gated close-well built with perfect classy finishing-N2mil/yr. Pics available

(8) Brand new,well finished 5bdrm duplex with bq and fitted kitchen with washing machine,gas cookers-modern style building in an estate in aguingi-4mil/yr.

(9) Well renovated,well finished 5bdrm duplex with 2rms bq and fitted kitchen with washing machine,gas cookers-modern style building in an estate in aguingi-2.8mil/yr

(10) Dry plot of land in igbo-efon-lekki express-way, located in a gated street,good road.
with registered deed of assignment. N24mil net. with deed of assignment.

(11) 2700sqm @ Ikate Elegushin Seagate Estate Global C of O.
for sale price N160m


For enquiries on any of these properties call:
08186148370
08131218253

make money with us...get a new stream of income in 2015 by referring us client.

Elections will hold in Borno, Yobe, FG pledges

The National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, (retd.), has said the Federal Government will ensure that elections hold in the North-Eastern part of the country.
The NSA also gave the assurance that efforts would be made to make it possible for Internally Displaced Persons to vote during the elections.
Dasuki said the government had taken elaborate steps to ensure that the forthcoming elections were not marred by violence.
He explained that the Federal Government had given the requisite support to the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security agencies in addition to encouraging various sensitisation programmes in the polity.
The NSA made the comment while speaking as a guest of the Chatham House, London, on Thursday.
He said, “Given the above, the 2015 elections are expected to be relatively peaceful and violence-free. The Federal Government has taken all necessary measures to ensure this by making adequate provisions for INEC, security agencies and by supporting numerous sensitisation programmes.
“We are conscious that there is anxiety about whether elections will hold in the North-East and the ability of the government to ensure that the internally displaced persons will be able to vote.
“Our answer to both of those is yes. As far as is possible, we are determined that adequate security will be in place to enable elections in all the areas in the North East that are safe, and that the IDPs will be provided with the opportunity to exercise their rights.
“The emergence of a seemingly viable opposition, as well as the closeness of the race is a clear demonstration of our maturing democracy. Greater voter awareness also means that people are more engaged in the electoral process and determined to protect their right to vote. We on our part are doing all we can to ensure that every Nigerian, who wants to vote, is able to and that their votes will count.”
Dasuki explained that the government had set up an Inter­Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security to ensure that issues emerging from the elections were promptly handled.
He said the ICCES comprised “top INEC officials, commissioners, directors and heads of department with representation from all the security agencies, including my office.”

Isis demand 200million usd to release japanese hostages

Courtesy CNN-Two Japanese hostages, one demand from ISIS: Hand over $200 million, or else.

The else being that the pair will meet the same gruesome fate as other captives held by the terrorist group, others who were shown in ISIS videos kneeling in orange jumpsuits in front of masked, black-clad men -- just like the Japanese hostages identified as Kenji Goto Jogo and Haruna Yukawa -- shortly before being beheaded.

In the latest video, a masked man gives the Japanese government a choice to pay $200 million -- the same amount of money Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently pledged for those "contending" with ISIS -- to free the Japanese men. That deal holds for 72 hours, which would seem to mean sometime Friday, since the video appeared on social media Tuesday.

Another move that theoretically could change things would be if Japan's government halts its alliance with those fighting ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State. Tokyo hasn't participated in airstrikes aimed at the Islamist extremist group, though its leaders have supported those who have, as well as the Iraqi government.

"Although you are more than 8,500 kilometers away from the Islamic State, you willingly volunteered to take part in this crusade," the masked man on the video posted Tuesday says, addressing his comments to Abe.

But Abe, who is currently visiting the Middle East, didn't seem about to bargain Tuesday.

He stood by a pledge, made in a speech Sunday in Cairo, for funding to help build "human capacities, infrastructure and so on" for those affected by ISIS' armed campaign.

"The pledge aid is very important to the refugees in need and has nothing to do with the Islamic communities or the radical militants," the Prime Minister said. "... We will contribute to the (region's) peace and stability, in cooperation with the global community."

As to the ISIS threat against two of his nation's citizens, Abe called it "unacceptable."

"I feel angry about it," he said. "I strongly urge them to immediately release the hostages without harming them."

Abe: 'Terrorists should not be forgiven'

ISIS has asked for ransoms before, and apparently has been paid them. But rarely are such demands made publicly. Even rarer -- unprecedented, in fact -- is when the militant group puts its captives on video and threatens them, then lets them go.

Instead, ISIS has made a public show out of its threatening and killings of Western hostages, starting with August's beheading of U.S. journalist James Foley.

Others' killings were similarly recorded and posted online, including American journalist Steven Sotloff, British aid worker David Haines, British taxi driver Alan Henning and U.S. aid worker Peter Kassig.

While not participating in ground combat, both the United States and Great Britain have taken an active role in the anti-ISIS fight with airstrikes and training, arming and otherwise supporting groups -- like Iraq's military, Kurdish fighters and moderate Syrian opposition -- taking on the militants face-to-face.

That's not the case for Japan, whose post-World War II constitution allows it to use its military only for self-defense. But Tokyo is a strong ally with Western powers, like the United States, that have been singled out by ISIS.

In his remarks Tuesday in Jerusalem, Abe -- who dealt with another hostage crisis involving Islamic militants in January 2013, when 10 Japanese citizens were caught up in the terrorist seizure of a natural gas facility in Algeria -- said he had ordered Japanese officials to do the utmost to try to save the two men.

Algeria hostage family tells tale 01:37

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At the same time, the Prime Minister added, "Terrorists should not be forgiven, for any reason. I criticize (the taking of hostages) emphatically."

A lost soul and a journalist

The aim is to safely bring home two men who were in the same war-torn region for very different reasons.

Like Foley and Sotloff, Goto went there to help tell the story of what was happening in Iraq and Syria. In recent months, ISIS militants have managed to take over vast swaths of both countries, ruthlessly going after many in their way who don't share their extremist interpretation of Islam.

The freelance journalist reported for various Japanese news organizations about the situation in the northern Syrian battleground city of Kobani, which for weeks has been under siege by ISIS, and other areas.

While it's not known when he was taken captive, Goto's last Twitter post was on October 23.

The man purportedly shown along with him, Yukawa, is believed to have been captured in Syria in August while traveling with rebel fighters, according to the Japanese news agency Kyodo.

The 42-year-old claimed to have set up a company in Tokyo providing armed security services and posted videos online of his activities in Iraq and Syria.

But a report by the news agency Reuters in August portrayed him as a lost soul, who went to the Middle East searching for a purpose after losing his wife, his business and his home over the previous decade.

Kyodo reported previously that Japanese officials in Jordan had being trying to secure his release, including talking to various groups with possible connections to his captors.

So what happens next?

Abe spoke firmly Tuesday against the terrorists and their $200 million ransom demand.

What he did not do, however, is rule out the Japanese government paying ransom or negotiating with its two citizens' captors.

Like most countries, Japan has never advertised that it or Japanese companies have paid ransom for hostages. In fact, Japanese government officials have at times denied such a practice, and Japan is a signatory to a 2013 G8 communique that stated, "We unequivocally reject the payment of ransoms to terrorists, and we call on countries and companies around the world to follow our lead to stamp this out."

One reason for this policy is that ISIS and groups like it can use ransoms to fund their bloody campaigns. Paying ransoms also may give them incentive to take more hostages, thus putting more people at risk. And ransoms might not always work, since ISIS and other hostage takers aren't usually seen as trustworthy.

Still, ruling out ransoms also rules out one peaceful way to free Goto and Yukawa. It's possible someone else may intervene to negotiate their release, whether out of goodwill or in exchange for something else. Or troops from a Japanese ally could launch a raid to get to them, like the unsuccessful one this summer to free Foley.

Either way, others could play a role in this story before it's done -- hence Abe's comment Tuesday that the international community "needs to deal with terrorists without giving in to them."

Campaigns shouldn’t be about dead leaders –Buhari

Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.)

PRESIDENTIAL candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the February 14 election, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has said that campaigns should focus on national   issues and not on his state of health and dead Nigerian leaders.

Buhari’s advice came a day after some members of the Peoples Democratic Party raised doubts about his health status and after an advert by Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose warned Nigerians against voting for a 72-year-old man.

In the said advert, Fayose claimed that since three ex-leaders from the North-West had died in office, it would not be wise for Nigerians to vote for Buhari “because we are tired of state burials.”

Buhari, in a message on his official Twitter handle said, “How can his (President Goodluck Jonathan) campaign be talking about ex-dead leaders, jogging around the stadium and outright lies about health?”

How can his campaign be talking about dead ex-leaders, jogging around the stadium and outright lies about my health?
— Muhammadu Buhari (@ThisIsBuhari) January 19, 2015

Also, the Buhari Support Group Centre on Monday   condemned what it described as an orchestrated campaign of calumny and character assassination directed   at the APC candidate.

It specifically expressed displeasure with the Fayose’s advert, saying it was not decent.

“In line with the Abuja Accord signed by Gen. Buhari and President Jonathan, the advert in question is to say the least, in bad taste.

“Is it to say that our opponents have a death wish for our candidate? Political campaign should stick to issues and be decent,” the BSGC Director of Publicity,   Chidia Maduekwe, said   in a telephone interview with reporters on Monday.

The Buhari Support Organisation, meanwhile, said it had started a sensitisation campaign to ensure full compliance with the no-violence accord signed by presidential candidates in the February 2015 general elections.

Several groups, under the aegis of BSO, urged politicians to adhere strictly to the letter and intent of the accord.

State coordinators of the various groups said this at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday.

Addressing state coordinators of the groups, in Abuja, on Monday, the Chief of Staff to Buhari, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.) said Nigerians had had enough of election related violence since 1956.

He said all hands must be on deck to stop reoccurrence.

“We must change the way the world sees us and this 2015 election offers the rare opportunity to showcase our desired new direction,” Ali said.

Also, a former acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, said the advert by Fayose was against the non-violence accord signed by all presidential candidates.

In a statement on Monday, Baraje, a chieftain of the APC, said the Fayose advert allegedly wished for the death of Buhari, who was military head of state between 1984 and 1985.

Baraje, a chieftain of the APC said that the advert credited to Fayose was capable of causing anarchy in the country.

He said, “One would have expected that at the second coming of Fayose as governor he would be more careful and have outgrown his alleged carelessness and irresponsible motor park attitude which is not expected of a governor.

“It is regrettable that barely a week after all political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission and other stakeholders met to agree on conducting an issues-based and non-violent campaign, a senior member of PDP, who is meant to be the leader of an entire state, could stoop so low to wish death on anyone, not to talk of a presidential candidate.

“The failure of President Jonathan and the leadership of the PDP to distance itself from such comments and call Mr. Fayose to order is a direct indication that they are in support of Mr. Fayose making a mockery of the dead and trying to play God as only Allah is the one that knows the time of the passing of any individual.”

Meanwhile, Buhari, in continuation of his campaign on Monday, told the electorate to defend their votes in the February elections and give no room for any manipulation.

“Do not leave the polling units until the result is declared,” Buhari, who spoke in Minna, Niger State, said.

According to him, anything that may jeopardise the result of the election should not be allowed to take place.

“Where ever you are, defend your votes during the February elections,” he stressed.

The APC presidential candidate also assured the people of the state that he would provide enough electricity to enable businessmen and women to carry out their businesses in a well- dignified manner.

He said if voted he would improve the agricultural sector in Niger State, given the status of the state as one of the food baskets of the nation.

Speaking at the rally, APC National Leader and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, said President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had been characterised by lies, saying that was why the country could not move forward.

“Six years ago, he promised us that he we will step down and will not re-contest, but today the reverse is the case, putting the country into economic mess,” Tinubu said.

He urged the electorate to get their voter cards ready for the elections, saying the cards would bring development to the nation.

At the rally were chieftains of the APC nationwide, including the APC presidential running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo; Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi; and a former governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki.

The deputy governor of Niger State, Ahmed Musa Ibeto, who defected from the PDP to the APC on Monday, was also at the rally.

Houthis take over Yemen presidential palace

Houthi fighters have taken full control of Yemen’s presidential palace in the capital Sanaa, ahead of an expected address by the Shia group’s leader, after a brief clash with the compound’s security guards, witnesses and security sources say.

The development came a day after the parties in the conflict said at two separate times they had agreed to a ceasefire.

The ceasefires were intended to pave the way for negotiations on Tuesday, still under way, between the opposing parties: the internationally backed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the group. 

Guards at the presidential palace housing the main office of Hadi said they handed over the compound to Houthi fighters after a brief clash on Tuesday.

Houthi leader, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, for years the chief negotiator for Shia Houthis, was due to give an address later on Tuesday. The son of a cleric, he is part of Zaidi Shia family from northwestern Yemen.

I don’t have PVC, Sultan tells Jonathan

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar III

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, on Monday told President Goodluck Jonathan that he might not vote during the next month’s general elections because he had yet to collect his Permanent Voter Card.

Jonathan, who was in the Sokoto State in continuation of the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential campaign, visited the religious leader to seek his blessing.

The Sultan said it was imperative for the Federal Government to do everything within its powers to ensure that no eligible voter was disenfranchised.

He said, “Let us respect people’s wishes; let’s not try to disenfranchise anybody.

“We have had issues of the Permanent Voter Cards and I want to tell you that even myself, I don’t have a PVC, so it means I will not vote on February 14.

“So, we have to look for a way out, it is for your government to now look for what to do, how to ensure that all the cards get to the voters before the voting day or in the alternative, find a way out because for any problem there is a solution.

“We believe you will find a solution as regard this very serious hitch facing us because millions of Nigerians seem to be heading towards disenfranchisement and they won’t be able to vote. I have heard comments from the INEC Chairman, (Prof. Attahiru Jega), but we are still waiting for our cards to come.”

The religious leader expressed concerns that campaigns ahead of the general elections were taking religious colouration instead of being issue-based.

He urged all candidates to embrace peace and also caution their supporters against violence.

The religious leader urged the government to work hard to end insecurity in parts of the country.

He added, “As the leader of the Muslims in this country, I will not fail to intimate the President and his government with the problems Muslims face in this country, that is our own area of attention as Muslim leaders.

“We care about how we live as a people and we are very worried about how we are living now as a people and God Almighty who placed leadership of the country on your shoulders, we feel we must always alert you on how we have been living.

“I will say never a time in this country’s history that we face very serious challenges like what are facing now.

“The whole politicking had been turned into either religion or ethnic matters and this should not be so because we see what happens across the world.

“We are worried because religion had been brought into it, we made it very clear in 2011, there is no way religion should be part of the election campaigns or even the election itself.

“As you have seen here, I think there are more Muslims in this room than Christians and coming here now to come for prayers for success of your campaigns goes to show that as the leader of the Muslims, I have no choice than to pray for you.”

The Sultan advised the President on the need to tackle insecurity and unemployment.

“On insecurity issues facing us in all parts of country, we have heard campaign promises left, right and centre but we want to hear from our political leaders, how do you intend to resolve the security issues? How do you intend to tackle unemployment? How do you intend to tackle the rot in education?

“These are issues that should concern the various political leaders instead of mudslinging, calling each other names and whatever.

“We are very worried what we see in newspapers, watch on television and hear comments from our people, brothers and friends.

“Politics of this country have now been turned into a war, families are being divided, friends have become enemies just because of seeking for political office,” he lamented.

He wished the Jonathan’s campaign team well in its endeavours as he prayed for peaceful and fair elections.

Jonathan told the Sultan that his administration was committed to transforming the country.

2, 000 likely killed in Nigeria’s deadliest B’Haram attack – AI

The Amnesty International has described the January 3 attack on Baga community in Borno State as the deadliest in the history of Boko Haram’s over five-year reign of terror in the North-East of Nigeria, saying about 2,000 people may have been killed in the incident.

AI, in a statement on Friday, said it had reports of the town being razed to the ground, leaving around 2,000 people dead in the process.

A researcher for Amnesty International in Nigeria, Daniel Eyre, said, “The attack on Baga and surrounding towns looks as if it could be Boko Haram’s deadliest act in a catalogue of increasingly heinous attacks carried out by the group.

“If reports that the town was largely razed to the ground and that hundreds or even as many as two thousand civilians were killed are true, this marks a disturbing and bloody escalation of Boko Haram’s ongoing onslaught against the civilian population.”

“We are currently working to find out more details of what happened during the attack on Baga and the surrounding area. This attack reiterates the urgent need for Boko Haram to stop the senseless killing of civilians and for the Nigerian government to take measures to protect a population who live in constant fear of such attacks,” Eyre added.

Since 2009 when the sect began its deadly campaign, targeting civilians and military personnel through raids and bomb attacks, scores of lives have been lost. According to United States-based Council on Foreign Relations, more than 10,000 were killed by the group last year alone, many of them children and old people.

Meanwhile, shooting and heavy artillery fire were heard on the outskirts of Damaturu on Friday, Reuters reported. No further details were given as of the time of filing this report.

It will be recalled that suspected Boko Haram militants raided Damaturu, Yobe State, 130km from Maiduguri, Borno State in early December last year.

The United Nations refugee agency on Friday reported that some 7,300 Nigerian refugees had arrived in western Chad in the past 10 days, fleeing attacks by insurgents on Baga town and surrounding villages in North-East Nigeria.

The UNHCR spokesperson, Adrian Edwards, said UNHCR teams in Chad were at the border and seeking more information on the new arrivals and their needs.

The attack this week on Baga left hundreds of people dead, according to media reports, and forced most of its surviving inhabitants to flee.

The newly arrived refugees in Chad are staying with local communities in villages around 450 kilometres north-west of the capital, N’Djamena. The Chadian government has requested the assistance of aid agencies to help the refugees.

Address Nigerians on Baga massacre, not Buhari’s certificate –APC

The All Progressive Congress Presidential Campaign has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to address the nation on the massacre in Baga town, which the Amnesty International has described as the single most deadly incident since the  unfortunate insurgency started in the country.
A statement by a Director of the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the APC presidential campaign office, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Saturday said the PDP had dwelt so much on the issue of academic certificate of its candidate, Maj. Gen Muhammadu Buhari, while there were more pressing issues for the government controlled by the party to address.
“This government should not go on being insensitive. It has to be accountable to Nigerians. The issue of certificate of General Buhari is a non-issue as everyone knows that Buhari is a product of Daura Primary School, Katsina Provisional Secondary School (now Government College, Katsina) and the Nigerian Military Training College. This is in addition to several other courses he attended at home and abroad.”
The statement added that “while the PDP government has failed in its duty and responsibilities to the citizens and the nation, it has intensified effort to pull the wool over the eyes of Nigerians.”
It said a  leading member of the party, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, a few days ago, informed Nigerians that in politics, you must tell lies.
It said Nigerians should take their cue from there.
“Unfortunately, PDP has become a political party that is so fixated with keeping an incompetent government in power and is lustfully engaged in pursuing a non-issue about an individual’s academic qualifications,” the statement added.

France: Raids kill 3 suspects, including 2 wanted in Charlie Hebdo attack

courtesy CNN

A pair of dramatic raids Friday in France led to the killing of three terrorists -- one suspected in the fatal shooting of a policewoman, the other two in the massacre at the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine -- and to the freeing of at least some of those they were holding hostage.

The French government's work is not over. There's still a lot of healing to do, a lot of questions to answer about how to prevent future attacks, and the pursuit of a woman wanted in the policewoman's shooting.

• Four hostages were killed and 15 survived in the standoff between an armed terrorist and police at a Paris kosher grocery store on Friday, according to Israeli government sources who characterized a phone conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President François Hollande.

• U.S. President Barack Obama said he wants the people of France to know that the United States "stands with you today, stands with you tomorrow" after this week's terror. He told a crowd in Tennessee that "we stand for freedom and hope and dignity of all human beings, (and) that's what Paris stands for."

• The FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin to law enforcement across the United States discussing the Paris terrorist attack this week and the sophistication of the tactics, a U.S. law enforcement source told CNN. The bulletin says the attacks demonstrated "a degree of sophistication and training traditionally not seen in recent small armed attacks," the official said.

• A man claiming to be Amedy Coulibaly, the suspected hostage-taker at the eastern Paris grocery store, told CNN affiliate BFMTV that he belonged to the Islamist militant group ISIS. CNN cannot independently confirm the authenticity of the recording.

See police raid Paris supermarket 01:39

• Three of the four suspects in a pair of deadly terror attacks this week have been killed. Another -- 26-year-old Hayat Boumeddiene -- remains at large, with French authorities working to find her.

Charlie Hebdo attackers holed up in print shop

The day's drama began in Dammartin-en-Goele, where brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi ended up in a print shop in an industrial area.

A salesman, who identified himself only as Didier, told France Info radio that he shook one of the gunman's hands at about 8:30 a.m. as they arrived at the business. Didier told the public radio station that he first thought the man, who was dressed in black and heavily armed, was a police officer.

As he left, the armed man said, "Go, we don't kill civilians." Didier said, "It wasn't normal. I did not know what was going on."

What was going on, very soon, was a hostage situation.

EXPAND GALLERY

The gunmen told police that they wanted to die as martyrs, Yves Albarello, who is in France's Parliament, said on channel iTele. Meanwhile, the area was locked down -- with children stuck in schools, roads closed and shops shuttered.

The relative silence was pierced shortly before 5 p.m. by gunshots and at least three large explosions.

Soon after, men could be seen on the roof of the building where the Kouachi brothers had holed up, and four helicopters, including a medical helicopter, landed nearby.

Then came the word that the brothers were dead and that their lone hostage, a man, was safe, said Bernard Corneille, the mayor of nearby Othis.

That spurred Dammartin-en-Goele Mayor Michel Dutruge, as he told France Info radio, to breathe "a big sigh of relief."

Hostages at kosher grocery store

Meanwhile, in a very different sectting near Paris's Porte de Vincennes about 40 kilometers (25 miles) away, a similar crisis was playing out at a kosher grocery store.

That's where Amedy Coulibaly -- the same man who, authorities said, is suspected with Boumeddiene of killing a policewoman Thursday in Montrouge south of Paris -- went Friday, taking a number of hostages of his own.

Like Cherif Kouachi, a man claiming to be Coulibaly called BFMTV on Friday. At the scene, witnesses heard Coulibaly demand freedom for the Kouachi brothers, according to police union spokesman Pascal Disand.

EXPAND GALLERY

Law enforcement swarmed the area. Dozens of schools went on lockdown. And people waited for a resolution.

It came a few minutes after the Dammartin-en-Goele climax, in the form of explosions and gunfire, then the sight of up to 20 heavily armed police officers moving into the store. They came out with a number of civilians.

But not everyone made it. Hollande said four people were killed, though it wasn't immediately known if that number includes Coulibaly. Israeli government sources told CNN that Hollande told Netanyahu that four hostages were killed and 15 were rescued.

Meanwhile, Boumeddiene remains on the loose.

Father: 'It's like a war'

In a nationally televised speech Friday night, Hollande called the Porte de Vincennes deaths an "anti-Semitic" act.

He urged his countrymen not to respond with violence against Muslims, saying, "Those who committed these acts have nothing to do with the Muslim religion."

"Unity is our best weapon," Hollande said.

Map: Standoffs near Paris, France

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That kind of military language is apt when you're talking about two deadly attacks and two hostage-takings in a few days.

It's something that a man, who asked to be called simply Teddy, understands. He was outside Henri Dunant elementary school in Dammartin-en-Goele on Friday, hoping to pick up his young son.

And, eventually, the students did leave the school -- accompanied by police officers who held their hands as they guided and, in some cases, lifted them onto an awaiting bus that would take them to safety.

"It's like a war," Teddy said. "I don't know how I will explain this to my 5-year-old son."

Parts of France on high alert

This "war" erupted two days ago, when a pair of heavily armed men -- hooded and dressed in black -- entered the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, the satirical magazine known for its provocative, often profane, sometimes controversial take on religion, politics and most anything else.

Satirical magazine is no stranger to controversy

They burst into a meeting, called out individuals, and then executed them. The dead included editor and cartoonist Stephane Charbonnier and four other well-known cartoonists known by the pen names: Cabu, Wolinski, Honore and Tignous.

Paris attack's tragic timeline 02:31

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Authorities followed a lead Thursday morning from a gas station attendant near Villers-Cotterets, about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Dammartin-en-Goele, whom Cherif Kouachi, 32, and Said Kouachi, 34, reportedly threatened as they stole food and gas. Police think the brothers may have later fled on foot into nearby woods.

Northern France's Picardy region was the focal point of the manhunt, and Prime Minister Manuel Valls put it on the same, highest-possible alert level as has been in place since Wednesday in and around Paris.

Police spying down with night vision optics from helicopters said they thought they caught a glimpse of them Thursday near Crepy-en-Valois, France -- not far from the reported robbery.

That town and the gas station border a patch of woods, and on another side of the forest, 30 to 40 police vehicles swarmed out from the town of Longpont.

Squads of officers armed with rifles -- some also in helmets and with shields -- canvassed fields and forest.

They didn't find the Kouachi brothers there. Instead, somehow, they moved to Dammartin-en-Goele.

Ties to Islamist extremists

As these two moved, the French government -- including more than 80,000 police deployed across the country -- also didn't stand still.

Some of them tried to prevent more bloodshed, which might have something to do with nine people detained after the Charlie Hebdo attacks. Investigators also dug to learn about the attackers.

Both men had ties to Islamist extremists.

Said Kouachi, left, and Cherif Kouachi are suspects in the Paris attack.

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Said, the elder of the Kouachi brothers, spent several months in Yemen in 2011, receiving weapons training and working with al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, according to U.S. officials.

His younger brother, Cherif, has a long history of jihad and anti-Semitism, according to documents obtained by CNN. In a 400-page court record, he is described as wanting to go to Iraq through Syria "to go and combat the Americans."

"I was ready to go and die in battle," he said in a deposition. "... I got this idea when I saw the injustices shown by television. ... I am speaking about the torture that the Americans have inflicted on the Iraqis."

And Cherif is a close associate of Coulibaly, the suspect in Thursday's police shooting in Montrouge and the man behind the eastern Paris grocery store siege, a Western intelligence source told CNN.

Both men were involved in a 2010 attempt to free an Algerian incarcerated for a 1995 subway bombing. Coulibaly was arrested with 240 rounds of ammunition for a Kalashnikov rifle and a photo of Djamel Beghal, a French Algerian once known as al Qaeda's premier European recruiter.

The Western intelligence source said that Coulibaly lived with Boumeddiene, his alleged accomplice in the police shooting, and that the two traveled to Malaysia together.

Charlie Hebdo columnist: 'They didn't want us to be quiet'

Slain editor: Without freedom of speech we are dead 02:08

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France, as a nation, appears to be invigorated by all of it -- joined by others worldwide who've rallied around the country and, especially, Charlie Hebdo magazine.

A unity rally will be held Sunday "celebrating the values behind" Charlie Hebdo, said British Prime Minister David Cameron, who will travel to Paris to attend.

And the magazine itself -- whose former offices were firebombed in 2011, on the day it was to publish an issue poking fun at Islamic law and after it published a cartoon of the Muslim Prophet Mohammed -- will go on as well, even without its leader and most talented staffers. It's set to publish thousands of copies of its latest edition next Wednesday.

Map: Charlie Hebdo HQ, Paris

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Patrick Pelloux, a columnist for the magazine, told CNN's Anderson Cooper that "I don't know if I'm afraid anymore, because I've seen fear. I was scared for my friends, and they are dead."

Instead, he and many others are defiant.

"I know that they didn't want us to be quiet," Pelloux said of the slain Charlie Hebdo staffers. "They wanted us to continue to fight for these values, cultural pluralism, democracy and secularism, the respect of others. They would be assassinated twice, if we remained silent."

I am nobody’s stooge, Osinbajo on Adeboye, Tinubu

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

The Vice-Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, in this interview with KAYODE FALADE, talks about his nomination and national issues

You were not in the early picture of contenders for the vice-presidential slot. When and how did your name pop up?

I think my name was always being mentioned. My name came up early. Maybe a great deal of importance wasn’t attached to it but it came up early. At least, in the press, it was reported frequently early too. This has been on since almost four or five months ago. There have been speculations for that long. Thus, my name has always popped up.

As a pastor and legal practitioner who is not much of a politician; why did you accept the offer when you were nominated?

I accepted the offer because I believe one of the most important contributions that any person can make to a society is public service. For me, it didn’t require much reflection because I have always believed the most effective way of making maximum impact on the welfare and well-being of our society is through public service.

You’ve always emphasised prayers. Did you pray about this before you accepted?

I always pray. I prayed about this just as I pray about many things because communication with God at all times is important. I also think people, maybe, get more religious when it comes to political office. People tend to say God told them to do something or the other; but I think the most important thing to bear in mind is that as far as the Christian is concerned, there is something called the priesthood of the believer, which means that every believer is a priest unto God. It also means every believer has a duty to serve man as if we are serving God. In other words, service to man is service to God. For a Christian, especially a pastor, to suggest that if he has an opportunity to serve millions of people, an opportunity to effect policies which may alleviate the sufferings of millions of people, as it is the case in Nigeria, an opportunity to fashion policies that may transform the lives of people, I think it may be hypocritical not to participate in that.

I also believe that when you are committed to doing God’s will — and His will for us all as Christians is that we must participate in solving problems, especially the problems of the needy and those who cannot help themselves — we must do those things. That is part of our calling and in fact, our scripture says that we will be asked on the last day, ‘What did you do when you saw me naked? What did you do when you saw me sick and in prison?’ If we then say, ‘Lord (Jesus), when did we see you hungry? When did we see you sick?’ And then, Jesus will say, ‘Every time you saw those sick people, the poor and the hungry; every time you saw the naked, it was me (Jesus).’ For me, it is almost unthinkable for a Christian to second-guess public service. We must be prepared to serve the people. That is what I teach and preach in my church. There are probably hundreds of thousands of individuals as deserving who do not get that opportunity, but I do. And then I should turn it down for some reasons? It wouldn’t even occur to me, except if God were to say specifically to me, ‘Don’t do it.’

Did God reveal your victory?

That’s the point I’ve been trying to make to you. It is not about winning. That is not what I am interested in. What I am interested in is not what God says about winning or losing. I am not asking Him for, as it were, a lottery. If we were going to play a game, then I could say, ‘O Lord, will I win or lose?’ That’s not the point. The point is will I serve the people or will I not? That’s the only issue I need to consider and I don’t need any special directive on that because that is what God has already said we must do as believers.

And what did He tell you?

No, I won’t disclose that to you.

The Redeemed Christian Church of God, where you are a pastor, has come out to say it never endorsed you…

I don’t think the church has ever said any such thing. Also, the church does not endorse candidates. The General Overseer of the church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has not said any such thing. He has not issued any statement. In any event, the RCCG as a church cannot endorse a candidate. How can a church endorse a candidate?

But did you seek Pastor Adeboye’s consent before accepting the nomination?

I serve under the GO of the RCCG as a pastor. If I am going to take any kind of action, especially an action that involves public service, it is my duty to consult with him. It would be absolutely irresponsible of me not to consult with him. And I have consulted with him.

Did he give you his consent?

I have consulted with Adeboye fully. I am not prepared to share with you the details of our discussion. But be absolutely certain that I would not take these steps without properly consulting with him and that I did what was needful.

The opposition has labelled you a stooge of the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. What is your reaction to that?

I think it is irrelevant. I cannot dignify that with a comment. What anyone should do is look at my track record. In any event, when you look at Tinubu, who is it that he has in any form supported that turned out to be his stooge? Is it (Lagos State Governor, Babatunde) Fashola or (former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode) Fayemi? Is it (Osun State Governor, Rauf) Aregbesola or (Edo State Governor, Adams) Oshiomhole? Is it (Oyo State Governor, Abiola) Ajimobi, (Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle) Amosun or Wale Edun? These are individuals who have contributed tremendously to the development of their states and the development of this nation. And all you need to ask those who tell you about stooges and all of that is, ‘Who are those men and women of character who they have produced to serve in the same states where we have served so creditably?’ I think the statement is not really worth the comment.

One of the reasons given for ‘zoning’ the APC vice-presidential slot to the South-West was that the region sacrificed so much for the emergence of the party and that it has been marginalised in the current dispensation. As a candidate of the South-West, what are your plans for the region?

I am a candidate of the APC, which is a national party. Don’t regionalise candidature. Gen. (Muhammadu) Buhari is a representative of the South-West, the North and everywhere else, and so am I. We were elected nationally; we were not elected to represent regions or places. It would be wrong for us to say that the reason why I am there is for the South-West. What then would the South-East and South-South say? I don’t think that regionalising it in that way is right. I think we are persons who have been appointed into national offices and we will serve in those capacities. I think that is the right way to look at this. I believe the South-West will be an engine of change and development in Nigeria. It is important that that is maintained, just as all the parts of Nigeria — the South-East, South-South and the North. Everyone has a role to play and a contribution to make.

Why then did your party say it gave the South-West the slot?

I’m sure that is not an official statement of the party. I am sure that is a speculation. I don’t think it is fair to say that is the official position of the party. The party may have its reasons; but officially, the fair thing to say is that Buhari and I were nominated by the party to be national, not regional, officers.

As a lawyer, you are trained to obey the rule of law while Buhari is a retired Army general, who gained power several years ago through a coup d’état. Are you sure there wouldn’t be a conflict if you are elected?

I’ve interacted extensively with Buhari and I think he is conscious of the fact that we are in a civilian dispensation and that we are bound by the rule of law and the Constitution. He has repeated this so often. He has demonstrated this by going to court every time he lost election, pursuing the rule of law and legal processes.

He could have completely ignored it. He could have said, ‘I don’t even believe in the rule of law. I don’t believe in the system.’ But he has consistently done the right thing and whenever he speaks, you’ll notice that he always goes back to the Constitution. I believe whatever we may say about the military dispensation, we should realise that the era was not famous for the observance of the rule of law. But I think that after all of these years, Buhari has had plenty of time to reflect and all his utterances in the many years after military rule show that he definitely subscribes fully to the tenets of the rule of law and fundamental human rights and also understands that democratic rule is different from military rule. Thus, I have no problems at all working with a man like him.

Some schools of thought have it that you are of less electoral value, compared with Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Governor Rotimi Amaechi and even Governor Raji Fashola. The argument is that the party is making a mistake by going for somebody who has never contested or won any election. Is the argument valid to you?

I think that, perhaps, there is an advantage to that, because it means that I have to work harder. And as you can see, I am working very hard. I think that hard work always pays off. We’re going round, speaking with the people to know their concerns. I take nothing for granted and that is one of the most important things I’d like to bring into the campaign. We must do what we need to do, we must work harder than ever, we must answer questions from the public. We are not saying to the people, ‘I am so well-known. I don’t need to come and speak to you.’ Thus, that might well be an advantage for the party; that I cannot take anything for granted. I need to work hard to get the party’s policies known and recognised. I think it is important that the party has chosen this and I am sure that it took everything into consideration before making the choice that it made. Of course, all the gentlemen you have referred to are thoroughly qualified individuals who would have brought something of worth and value to the ticket; but that’s the nature of the APC, we have many to choose from.

What are the things of value you are bringing to the table?

I’m bringing in hard work, focus, my reputation for detailed work and also I like to support a man who believes in probity and accountability. I think that is important. I also would like to work with implementation of policies. We have shown that for eight years in Lagos State. We worked very hard on our justice sector reforms and all the other reforms of the Tinubu-led administration. Even in the subsequent administration, we worked hard with all of those who are there. We have been there in the public service; we may not be famous, but we have worked very hard.

Considering the fact that the Office of the Vice President has no portfolio under the Constitution, how confident are you that you can realise all these?

Buhari and I have had several discussions. I know that he will not waste the peculiar attributes that I will bring to the table, because he is a person who obviously values contributions from other people. I have worked with him and I have seen him at work. I don’t think that he would waste my contributions. I think he will happily receive contributions and give me roles to play that will ensure that his administration benefits maximally. What’s the point of having me on the ticket, if he is not going to use what I will bring to the table? I don’t have any doubts at all that Buhari will find my contributions useful enough for him to say, ‘This and that are the things I’d like you to do.’

Which roles do you think he would ask you to perform?

I cannot speculate on that. You will have to ask him.

One of the most serious issues the country is facing is insecurity. How do you think this should be tackled?

I think the first problem is recognising that you cannot deal with such a major assault on the integrity of the nation when you are misrepresenting the facts. And one of the things that the government, unfortunately, has done is to accuse the opposition of being responsible for the Boko Haram (insurgency), which, of course, has created a division. Look at everywhere else in the world where a country has come under attack. What the government does is to ensure that there is a bipartisan or a multi-party agreement on how to tackle the problem. You don’t politicise the issue. In this case, the false allegations made against the APC of being responsible for Boko Haram (attacks), including allegations made against senior members of the party by the government, first of all, created a distraction. Rather than identify the real causes and issues surrounding the Boko Haram (insurgency), they were busy labelling the APC. This, for me, is one of the greatest disservices this administration has done to this nation. The fact that, rather than focus on who the true enemy was, they waited until Buhari was almost killed by the same Boko Haram before, they started to rethink that allegation, is unfortunate. Whenever they find it convenient, they just throw the allegation around.

I think that the first thing, when you want to deal with a danger of such enormity to a nation, is that you must be truthful, sincere and forthright. You must identify who the true enemy is. The second is that you have to motivate and equip the military and the Commander-in-Chief must lead from the front. You cannot lead from behind. The people must see that just as you are saying to them that they must be prepared to fight Boko Haram, you are also prepared. It is apparent that our military is very disciplined. I have said this many times, the Nigerian Army is one of the best in the world; definitely one of the best in Africa. I served under UNOSOM 2 in Mogadishu, Somalia; the head of the Police that took care of the entire operation, Col. Pat Akem, was a Nigerian. He is now a brigadier. All of the troops from other nations were under his care as the head of the military police in that operation. The Representative of the United Nations

Secretary-General in that mission always insisted that Nigerians should be the one to guard him when he would go out of the UN compound. Nigerian troops have distinguished themselves in peacekeeping all over the world. It is unfortunate to hear terrible stories that Boko Haram insurgents chased soldiers away and they are not well-equipped or motivated. It is sad. If you want to win against an insurgency, then you must arm the military well. That is what is required. Look at the Chibok girls and all that has happened. Isn’t it right for the Commander-in-Chief to visit the place? For me, I think that these are some of the issues that boost morale, motivate the troops and the nation. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

The third issue is that we must also identify the fact that there seems to be a large pool from where these Boko Haram members are continuously being recruited. What is the reason for that? Many of our young people don’t have a stake in this society. They are jobless; there are no opportunities. And then somebody comes to them and says, ‘if you join us, whatever you steal or loot, including women, is yours.’ That is a problem. I think what we ought to bear in mind is that we must address some of the root causes, especially the pool from which these people are constantly recruiting from. We must address the problems of poverty and disillusionment among young people, especially in those regions where Boko Haram has largely been operating from. I believe that our government would be able to address those issues seriously and comprehensibly. If we say, so far, trillions have been spent on defence, and troops are complaining about bullets and rounds of ammunition, then there is something gravely wrong.

Some personalities from the Niger Delta region have threatened that if Jonathan does not win, there will be unrest. What is your take on this?

I don’t think there will be any unrest. I think our brothers in the Niger Delta are very reasonable people. I think what everyone will be looking for is a free and fair election. If elections are credible, no one will take up arms or resort to self-help. If we have a free and fair election, I don’t think that anyone will put their lives on the line to defend the government or any such thing. What is most important is a free and fair election. That is what the Independent National Electoral Commission and the government of today should aim for.

Do you see INEC accomplishing it?

The distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards has not shown INEC in a very good light. I would really urge INEC to rise up to its responsibilities. These coming elections are very important for the future of our nation. And I think it is important for INEC to live up to its responsibilities; understand the importance of the elections and understand why the elections should not be tainted in anyway by any kind of suggestion that they were not properly conducted. I think INEC really has a duty to this nation — to ensure that things are done properly this time.

Buhari chose another pastor, Tunde Bakare, as his running mate in his last bid for the presidency in 2011. Does he have a disposition to clerics?

You will have to ask Buhari why he likes pastors. But I think it’s a good thing and a good sign. I think it shows that he is well and able to work with anyone — clerics and people of other faiths.

It is believed that Buhari’s quest to sanitise the political system is an overambitious one due to the level of corruption which political leaders in Nigeria have grown accustomed to. What’s your take?

I think our nation is at a point where corruption is almost the norm, especially in the public service. You and I know that that is probably the rule; the exception is any kind of transparency or forthright behaviour. But it is important to draw the line somewhere, because this nation cannot continue with this level of corruption. It is just impossible. I don’t think that people are born good. As a matter of fact, my belief is that most people will do the wrong thing if there is no consequence for their action. And the reason why we are here today is that there is no consequence for the actions that people take — for corruption, stealing, or anything of the sort. That is the reason why I think that what is required, first of all, is an administration where people believe that the number one man will not tolerate corruption. If the number one man is perceived as a man that will not tolerate corruption, then you have moved light years from where we are today. I think that Buhari is somebody who is respected for his strong views on corruption. What we need to introduce today is consequence for corruption. If we don’t do that, frankly I am fearful that we may not have much left of a country.

Michael Schumacher urged to keep fighting one year after crash

courtesy CNN

erman's manager Sabine Kehm says it is still a long road to recovery

• Current F1 racer Jules Bianchi also recovering from head injuries after Japan GP crash

There is a simple message for Michael Schumacher one year on from his devastating accident -- keep fighting.

Formula One's record-breaking, seven-time world champion is continuing his recovery from the severe head injuries he sustained in a skiing crash on 29th December last year.

After emergency brain surgery in France and nine months in hospital, Schumacher has been moved to the family home near Lake Geneva in Switzerland to continue his rehabilitation.

His close family, including his wife Corinna and two teenage children Gina Marie and Mick, have maintained their silent support by choosing not to release a statement on the anniversary of the accident.

Schumacher's son Mick, who is beginning his own racing career in go-karts, had been among the skiing party when the F1 star fell and hit his head on a rock at the French Alps resort of Meribel.

There were expressions of support for Schumacher, however, from the German racer's global fans and members of the F1 community, Monday.

"It has been one year already..." wrote Lotus driver Romain Grosjean on Twitter. "#KeepFightingMichael our thoughts are still with you and your family."

Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat also marked the occasion: "#KeepFightingMichael -- I know you will."

The Mercedes team, who Schumacher drove for between 2010 and 2012, said: "One year on, our thoughts remain with Michael, his family and friends every day."

Michael Schumacher to be lifted from coma

Raw video shows Schumacher accident route

Schumacher a global athlete

Although 12 months have passed since the accident, speculation about Schumacher's condition and its rate of progress remains as intense as ever.

Former F1 racer Philippe Streiff, who was left paralysed during an F1 testing crash in 1989, added grist to the rumor mill in an interview with French newspaper Le Parisien, Sunday.

The Frenchman claimed Schumacher "still has not regained the power of speech....but begins to recognize his own wife and children."

Schumacher's manager Sabine Kehm dismissed the story, telling the Reuters news agency: "I can only confirm that I do not know where Mr Streiff has his information from because he has no contact with us and never has."

Given Schumacher's fame, it is no surprise that public interest in his state of health is unabated.

The German, winner of a record 91 grand prix, was known as fearless racer who gave no quarter on track.

Fans of "Schumi" expect him to continue his fight against his injuries with the same inner steel and determination.

The difficulty with complex head injuries is that there is no predictable prognosis or timeline for recovery.

"If you look at severe head injury victims who go on to make a good recovery -- and I'm not saying all do -- it will always be a story of years," Peter Hamlyn, a consultant neurological and spinal surgeon and expert in the field of head injuries in sport told CNN in June.

Read: Will Michael Schumacher ever recover?

In the immediate aftermath of the accident, neurosurgeons operated on Schumacher twice to remove blood clots and reduce swelling on his brain before placing him in a medically induced coma.

A statement from the family in April said the 45-year-old had shown "moments of consciousness and awakening."

In June, it was announced he was out of the coma and would continue his recovery at the University hospital in Lausanne. He was moved to the family home in September.

Schumacher proud of German drivers

F1 driver suffered serious brain injury

F1 driver Jules Bianchi injured in crash

The latest statement, issued in September, read: "Considering the severe injuries he suffered, progress has been made in the past weeks and months. There is still, however, a long and difficult road ahead.

"We ask that the privacy of Michael's family continue to be respected, and that speculations about his state of health are avoided."

Kehn confirmed to CNN that there was no further update on his medical condition at this time.

Schumacher, who won the F1 drivers' world title with Benetton in 1994 and 1995 before a period of dominance with Ferrari between 2000 and 2004, will turn 46 on 3rd January.

While Schumacher had retired from the sport in 2012, after a second spell with Mercedes, his accident on the ski slopes still sent shockwaves through F1.

But the global sport's close-knit traveling community had to cushion more devastating news in October when Jules Bianchi crashed in the late stages of the Japanese Grand Prix.

The French racer, driving for the now defunct Marussia team, was left with severe head injuries when his car skidded off track in wet conditions and collided with a recovery vehicle.

It was the most serious injury seen in F1 for some years. The last fatalities in F1 were in 1994 when Roland Ratzenberger and three-time world champion Ayrton Senna died on consecutive days at the San Marino Grand Prix.

Bianchi, a promising racer who was part of Ferrari's development academy, is now recovering close to his family home in Nice, France.

The 25-year-old was flown from Japan, where he had been treated in a high dependency unit at Yokkaichi hospital.

"Jules is no longer in the artificial coma in which he was placed shortly after the accident, however he is still unconscious," said the statement released by his parents Philippe and Christine in November.

"He is breathing unaided and his vital signs are stable, but his condition is still classified as 'critical'."

Bianchi, a popular figure on the current F1 grid, is also being remembered during the festive period.

His racing peers Sergio Perez and Kevin Magnussen both tweeted messages of support to Bianchi on Christmas Day.

American racer Alexander Rossi wrote: "As we come to the end of the year, my thoughts and prayers remain with Jules -- teammate, competitor and friend."

As the New Year dawns, Schumacher and Bianchi are both still facing the greatest fights of their lives.