Mikky Mania's Blog

The Renaissance Hotel, Ikeja was the venue for the Apple iPhone 8 launch on Friday, October 27th, 2017. The hall was filled with Apple’s Value Added Distributor and ‘who is who’ in the smartphone industry, corporate bodies, Telco’s, financial services providers, authorized partners and Apple enthusiasts nationwide. In his welcome speech, the Regional Head (West Africa) for Redington’s Telco-Africa business – Sivadoss Vijayakumar reiterated the company’s commitment to continue to provide an excellent support structure to its Partners and as an extension to the growing community of loyal Apple customers in the country. The event featured an electric atmosphere that the Apple brand has become synonymous with, at official unveils all over the world. From the stage lights to the visual contents and spectacular performances by popular artists. The launch trended on social media as #iPhone8Ng. Also on the ground for the unveiling was the company’s Product Specialist for Africa region Oloyede Odeyale who highlighted the advantages of the product. Dubbed ‘a new generation of iPhone’, iPhone 8 comes in an all-new, glass design with an embedded wireless charging system. The glass on the front and back is the most durable glass ever in a smartphone, with 50 percent deeper strengthening layer. The innovative Portrait Lighting feature on the larger model – iPhone 8 Plus makes it possible to take incredible studio-style portraits without complex lighting equipment because you can control how light interacts with your subject’s face. iPhone 8 is powered by the new A11 Bionic chip, the smartest and most powerful chip ever in a smartphone. With iOS 11 – world’s most advanced mobile operating system pre-installed, whether you’re surfing the web, reading and writing email, taking photos, shopping online, or playing games – the experience is even more amazing with hardware and software made for each other. The audience had the first-hand experience with the devices gorgeously displayed at experience zones at the venue. iPhone 8 is now available at Apple Authorized Reseller stores nationwide with the official Nigeria warranty.

Female suicide bombers kill six farmers in Maiduguri

The Police in Borno on Tuesday said four female suicide bombers were killed while trying to sneak into Maiduguri metropolis. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Victor Isuku, in a telephone interview said that the incident occurred at about 8:30 a.m. in Tomsu Ngamdu community on the outskirts of Maiduguri. He said that one of the suicide bombers detonated her explosive near a military checkpoint, while the other one detonated hers at a Civilian Joint Task Force checkpoint, killing themselves and injuring six farmers nearby. He said that the two other bombers were shot dead by security operatives before they detonated the bomb concealed in their body.

Osun lecturers give Aregbesola 21-day strike notice over half salary

Lecturers at the polytechnics and colleges of education owned by the Osun State Government have given Governor Rauf Aregbesola a 21-day ultimatum to resume payment of full salaries and address other issues including obnoxious taxes, lack of good roads and toilets for students. The lecturers, who are operating under the aegis of Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun State Owned Tertiary Institutions gave the ultimatum in a letter dated November 6 to Aregbesola. The lecturers said in the copy of the letter which was made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Tuesday that they had been placed on half salary for the past 26 months and had been paying high tax despite this. The letter was signed by Chairman of CASUOSTI, Mr. Olusegun Lana; Secretary, Mr. Sikiru Foluruso as well as chairmen and secretaries of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree; Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke; College of Education, Ilesa and College of Education, Ila Orangun. The lecturers appealed to the governor to start paying full salaries to them and to ensure that staff offices and other infrastructure were put in place at the various institutions to ensure conducive environment for teaching and learning. The letter read in part, “For several years now, the academic staff of the state-owned tertiary institutions have been subjected to untold hardship, frustrations and unprecedented levels of demoralization by the harsh effects of un-addressed festering issues ranging from unfulfilled collective agreement, selective justice in the reinstatement of disengaged members of staff, withdrawn statutory benefits tantamount to salary reduction, salary modulation (half salary) regime now up to 26 months, cut-throat tax, injuriously administered contributory pension scheme to several other painful conditions. “Many of these festering issues have become recurrent and their unbearable consequences have occasioned perennial industrial disputes often punctuated by duly signed agreement upon which government had repeatedly reneged.

Two women killed as soldiers repel Boko Haram in Gulak

At least two civilians were killed when dozens of Boko Haram fighters tried to storm a town in Gulak, Adamwa State but were repelled by troops, locals said on Tuesday. The attempted raid on Gulak, in the Madagali area of the far north of Adamawa state, happened at about 7:30 pm (1830 GMT) on Monday and involved about 50 jihadists. “There was a gunfight that lasted for almost half an hour,” said Maina Ularamu, a former chairman of the Madagali local government area. “One of the (Boko Haram) pick-up trucks, which was laden with explosives, tried to get past the military checkpoint. Soldiers opened fire on it and it exploded. “That caused a lot of casualties on the part of Boko Haram. One soldier was killed and two other women nearby also died from stray bullets.” There was no immediate confirmation of the deaths from the Nigerian Army when contacted by AFP. Another resident who gave only first name, David, said locals fled into the bush because of fears the Islamist militants would overrun the checkpoint. “We came back hours after the fighting stopped when we were sure the attack had been repelled,” he added. At least 20,000 people have been killed and more than 2.6 million people made homeless in northeast Nigeria since the Boko Haram launched an insurgency in 2009. But despite repeated claims that the rebels are on the verge of defeat, there are regular attacks. Monday’s assault is the latest in the Madagali area, which lies on the border with Borno state and near where Boko Haram had camps in the Sambisa Forest former national park. Last week, two female suicide bombers died in Dar village near Gulak but there were no other casualties. Locals said they believed they may have been trying to target a church. Nigeria’s military said late last year it had forced Boko Haram out of its camps in the Sambisa Forest but there have been reports the insurgents have moved back in. They are also known to be hiding in the Mandara mountains to the east of Madagali, which form the border with Cameroon. Suicide bombing is a constant threat to civilians. On Tuesday, up to eight people were injured when four female bombers tried to get into the Borno state capital, Maiduguri. One detonated her explosives in a crowd on the outskirts of the city near Kaleri village. Two others blew up on farmland while a third was shot, civilian militia and police said.

2019: PDP can’t get it easy — Bafarawa

SOKOTO—A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, has posited that until the party was ready to work honestly and collectively, it will not grab the leadership of the country on a platter of gold. Attahiru Bafarawa He spoke when he received officials of the Sokoto State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, who paid him a courtesy visit. Speaking further, he said: “The media is the live wire of any society, but it will only succeed if practitioners are fair and fearless. Democracy without the media is like tea without sugar. “Journalists that kill stories, kill themselves. What is killing to Nigeria’s democracy is armchair journalism.” Bafarawa, who is also the proprietor of Garkuwa FM, appealed to Nigerian journalists to engage in investigative journalism.

6,000 get free medical services in Kebbi

August 30, 2017No comments

BIRNIN KEBBI— THE medical team currently offering free outreach service in Kebbi State has so far treated about 6,000 patients suffering from different kinds of diseases. Chairman of the outreach committee, Dr. Aminu Haliru Bunza, disclosed this to newsmen yesterday at new Kebbi Medical Centre, Kalgo. Bunza, who is also Director Medical Services at Ministry of Health, Birnin Kebbi, further stated that of the number, 160 patients with eye problems were operated on, 100 on dental and 98 treated for dental and abdominal problems. He said: “About 700 doctors are participating in this outreach, which will last for three weeks.”

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Five thousand cultists in Ogoni land, Rivers State, have renounced their membership

June 26, 2017No comments

Five thousand cultists in Ogoni land, Rivers State, have renounced their membership of different cult groups and have accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour at a Peace and Unity Crusade organised by different denominations in conjunction with The Deeper Christian Life Ministry in Bori, Rivers State.

The cultists who gave their lives to Christ shortly after a sermon delivered by the General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor W. F. Kumuyi, blamed politicians for using them for their selfish goals after which they were dumped to suffer hardship.

Pastor Kumuyi had earlier met with religious leaders, traditional rulers, youths and community leaders where he asked them to set aside their differences and harness their weaknesses and strengths in order to enthrone peace so as to attract development to the region.

At the meeting, which was held at the Convocation Arena, Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, Pastor Kumuyi made it clear that peace and development can only thrive, if the Ogoni people learn to forgive one another, forget their past differences and determine to work together for a better and prosperous life for their people.

He said animosity and hatred can only breed communal clashes, violence and distrust, as he sued for peaceful co-existence among the various clans that make up the Ogoni land.

Pastor Kumuyi assured them that with peace and unity in Ogoni land, God will turn the hearts of government at all levels towards the oil rich community which will lead to progress and prosperity.

These 38 Nigerian universities have increased their school fees

June 24, 2017No comments

There have been changes in school fees of some institutions, below is a table of such changes according to Vanguard:
Institution Old fees New fees
1. UNILAG N14,500 N63,500
2. ABU N27,000 N41,000
3. UNN N60,450 N66,950
4. OAU N19,700 N57,700
5. UNIZIK N20,100 N65,920
6. BUK N26,000 N40,000
7. UNIABUJA N39,300 N42,300
8. UDU N32,000 N43,000
9. NOUN N36,000 N41,000
10. UNIBEN N12,000 N49,500
11. UNILORIN N16,000 N75,500
12. FUTA N13,560 N83,940
13. FUTMINNA N20,000 N37,000
14. FUNAAB N18,250 N33,000
15. UNICAL N30,500 N42,750
16. UNIUYO N71,000 N84,250
17. FCET Akoka N16,000 N40,000
18. Osun Varsity N95,000 N135,500
19. ANSU N76,000 N139,000
20. LASU N96,750 N158,250
21. IBBU N25000 N52,000
22. IMSU N120,000 N150,000
23. PLASU N50,000 N100,000
24. MAPOLY N57,000 N75,000
25. Ibadan Poly N30,000 N50,000
26. Abia Poly N56,550 N61,000
27. Auchi Poly N14,800 N28,000
28. Osustech N70,000 N80,000
29. ESUT N104,900 N124,900
30. KWARAPOLY N28,000 N44,000
31. LAUTECH N65,000 N72,500
32. TASUED N66,500 N76,500
33. Afe Babalola N675,000 N1,075,000
34. Igbinedion N540,000 N820,000
35. Crawford N400,000 N600,000
36. Redeemers N545,000 N605,000
37. Covenant N774,500 N814,500
38. Benson Idahosa N284,300 N1,150,000

President Buhari to return to Nigerian within the next week

June 24, 2017No comments

Sahara Reporters is reporting that President Muhammadu Buhari is set to return to Nigeria in the next some few days after spending about two months abroad.
According to the report, two presidential aides revealed the likely arrival date of the President late on Friday, June 23.
According to them, the President’s health is greatly improved.
They however expressed reservations on the report that President Buhari was scheduled to return today, Saturday, June 24.

“Mr. President [Buhari] is getting better and wanting to return to Nigeria very soon,” a source said but refused to mention a specific date of arrival, choosing instead to settle with that his return “totally depends on his doctors.”
Another said: “Sickness is not a matter you just start broadcasting to everybody. Remember that Mr. President, after his return to Nigeria in March, told Nigerians that he had never been so sick in his life. I think that statement has already disclosed enough about his health.”
On issue of alleged side effects in the president’s treatment, one of the sources said it was only temporary.

“The issues [side effects] are temporary. They occurred after the medical team administered a particular medication on Mr. President.”
As reported earlier that the minister of sports Solomon Dalung had disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari will soon return to the country from London.
Dalung made the disclosure on Thursday, June 23 in a Facebook post. The minister however, did not specify the exact date when the president is expected back in the country.

Police says it is under pressure to release Evans the kidnapper

June 24, 2017No comments

- Acting Lagos state commissioner of police Galadanshi Dasuki revealed this to newsmen on Saturday, June 24
- Dasuki however said the police was not in a hurry to release the arrested kidnapper
- He said the Force wants to fully interrogate Evans and use information learned from him to arrest other kidnappers
The Lagos state Command of the Nigeria Police Force has raised the alarm that it is being pressured to release arrested billionaire kidnap kingpin Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans.
Daily Trust reports that acting Lagos state commissioner of police Galadanshi Dasuki told newsmen on Saturday, June 24 at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja that the Police was not in a hurry to release Evans in spite of calls from different quarters to do so.
He said: “Evans has been a kidnapper for a long time and has been on the wanted list of the Police in Anambra, Abuja , Enugu, Edo and Lagos states. He also has a criminal gang, some of whom have been arrested in Enugu and Lagos. But there are still more out there.
“Therefore, this needs a painstaking investigation
“Besides, we need to under study him as well as debrief him . By so doing, we intend to use his tactics to get others. He will eventually be charged to court after investigation is concluded.”
Meanwhile, it was reported earlier today that a soldier in the Nigerian Army, Lance Corporal Victor Chukwunonso, has allegedly been arrested by the police for being a gang member of the notorious kidnap kingpin, Chukwudimeme Onwuamadike, aka Evans.
Chukunonso, with Army No: 09/NA/64/6317 is attached to the Nigeria Army Band Corps, Abatti Barracks, Surulere, Lagos.
Reports have it that he was arrested today Saturday by operatives of the inspector-general of Police Intelligence Response Team.

Controversy as Falz tells singers to stop praising ‘Yahoo Boys’

Falz the Bad Guy has stirred some controversy after his advice to fellow singers, to stop praising Yahoo Boys, a parlance for internet fraudsters .

Falz spoke in an interview on Oak TV, that hailing the Yahoo Boys amounts to glorification of what is wrong in society and urged artists to desist from doing so for the sake of the future.

In his interview, Falz made mention of no one, but he was soon pitted against 9 Ice , an older musician, with commentators divided on the merit of his advice .

Nigerian woman cured of rare skin cancer in India

Thirty - seven- year -old Nigerian woman, Amina Abubakar was not sure that she will survive after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 by a Nigerian hospital .
But it was a wrong diagnosis for Amina, who was a final year medical student . As it turned out, she was actually suffering from skin cancer.
After struggling for more than three years , Amina can now breathe easy . Thanks to the treatment that cured her at a city hospital in Bengaluru, India .
She was bed- ridden for more than three years under heavy antibiotics and other cancer treatments .
But the last 20 days made her recover miraculously . That is after the doctors removed a 5 kg tumour from her breast.
Amina said , “I found a lump on the left breast in November 2014 and then was diagnosed as chronic mastitis in local hospital in Nigeria . I have suffered Wrong diagnosis and lack of treatment for years . I was physically and mentally broken and was unable to deal with the pain and the foul smell that comes with cancer. ”
Unable to find any cure in Nigeria , Amina, whose father was also once treated in a city hospital , decided to travel to Bengaluru.
“My family and I got very anxious about this situation and on the recommendation of a local doctor decided to visit Dr Anthony Pais at Cytecare for treatment.
” But it wasn ’t easy for the city doctors to cure her as the disease was rare.
“Skin cancer on the breast and infiltrating it is the rarest of the rare cancers in the world. This was the first treatment for a rare form of skin cancer – Syringocystadenocarcinoma papilliferum , which was diagnosed and treated in the world . It is one such case where the right diagnosis was the game- changer in the treatment of the disease , ” claimed Dr Anthony Pais .
“There are two types of skin cancer – melanoma and non -melanoma , most of them being non- melanoma . Among all the non -melanoma skin cancers, 75 % of them are basal cell cancers ; 20 % of them are squamous cell cancers and about 2 % of them being adnexal skin tumours . Most of these adnexal tumours are benign . The rarity of this adnexal skin cancer involving the breast is the rarest of the rare cancer. In this case, the problem started with the wart and with a birthmark close by, which is technically called a nevus. This grew over a period of time. ”
Amina, who got a new lease of life , will head for Nigeria this Saturday. She will continue a follow -up at a local hospital for a couple of months more .
Curious case of cancer
According to Dr Pais , it is very difficult to know about the disease or diagnose it at an early stage . So , there is no precaution and can ’t be prevented. Moreover, it is not genetic . Excessive exposure to sunlight can be one of the reasons . People living near the Equator are more prone this type of cancer as they are exposed to direct ultraviolet rays. One might diagnose this case to be that of a breast cancer which can be followed by unnecessary chemotherapy. The treatment is for the skin cancer arising on the breast infiltrating into it. So , proper surgery and radiotherapy is the answer . People should consider screening if they have any ulcer for more than three months . They should do that in case of moles or itching that appears for months .

We have not taken over Etisalat- Banks cry out.

The consortium of 13 banks involved in Etisalat Nigeria loan on Thursday refuted reports that they have taken over the operations of the company.
A management source close to the banks who pleaded anonymity said in Lagos that there was no truth in the report making the round.
The source said that the banks ’ major interest was the loan repayment borrowed by the company and not takeover .
“We are not telecommunication companies , all we want is our money , ” he said .
The source said that the company must pay back the loans in order not to jeopardise the economy, jobs, payment of dividends and depositors funds .
He stated that it was not only the banks that would suffer but billions of Nigerians, even the vendors , and distributors doing business with the company .
“We did not take over Etisalat as being insinuated , if we have taken over, it has to be registered with the CAC.
“They are still doing their business, they just want to weep up sentiment at the United Arab Emirates ,” the source added.
He added that the company had about 20 million subscribers, adding that any interruption would affect many businesses, especially SMES.
According to the source, the affected Nigerian banks are owed about $ 570m out of the $ 1 . 2 bn syndicated loan with the balance being owed vendors and distributors , among others.
The source said that Etisalat wanted to pay only 10 per cent of the loan borrowed and requested that others should be written off as non -performing loan .
He said that Etisalat wanted the consortium of banks to pay $ 50 m out of $ 570m being owed, which the banks rejected .
The source added that the banks practically reduced the debt to between 20 per cent and 30 per cent at a discounted interest rate of six percent below the market rate which was rejected by Etisalat.
“All we are requesting is for the Federal Government to wade into the issue and carry out due diligence on what the loan was used for.
“A foreign company cannot come and ride us in Nigeria , if this issue is not handled carefully , others will do the same thing, ” the source said .
The source said that the company was avoiding negotiations which made the affected banks to fly to London earlier in the year to have a discussion with a company with its office in Nigeria .
He said that the company was advised earlier before naira devaluation to convert the foreign loans to local currency due to fall in oil price at the global market , which it also rejected .
UAE ’s Etisalat had on June 20 , said that it had been instructed to transfer its 45 per cent stake in Etisalat Nigeria to a loan trustee .
Etisalat said it had been notified to transfer its stake by June 23 . It said the stake had a carrying value of zero on its books .
In the last few months , Etisalat Nigeria has been in talks with Nigerian banks to restructure a $ 1 . 2 bn loan after missing repayments .
The loan is a seven- year facility agreed with 13 banks in 2013 to refinance a $ 650m and fund expansion of the telco ’ s network.
Although the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria stepped into the fray to prevent a takeover by the banks , those discussions failed to produce an agreement on restructuring the debt .

Vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, condemns recent ethnic attacks in Taraba

Vice president, Yemi Osinbajo, condemns recent ethnic attacks in Taraba, orders deployment of extra military officers to the state
Acting president Yemi Osinbajo, has condemned the outbreak of crisis in some communities in Taraba state that has led to the death of over 100 people and destruction of property worth millions.
The renewed crisis started in in Mambilla Plateau on Monday and spread to some other neighboring communities. According to reports, Fulani herdsmen in the affected communities recorded the most casualties.
In a statement released on his Facebook page, Osinbajo offered his condolence to the families affected by the crisis. He has also ordered military reinforcement in the communities affected and also for relief materials to be made available to members of the affected communities.

Read his statement below...
"With great sorrow, I offer my condolences to the victims of the violent attacks in communities in Taraba State.
The perpetrators of these attacks and acts of violence will be brought to book.
Yesterday, I summoned and held an emergency meeting with top security officials of the Federal Government and Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku. I have also ordered the deployment of an extra military battalion, police reinforcements and also a deployment of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps to the areas affected.
Provision of relief materials will be delivered to the affected communities in Toffi, Mayo Daga, Mayo Sina, Tamiya, Kwara-Kwara, Tungan Lugere, Timjire, Nguroje and other villages in the hinterlands of Mambilla Plateau.
Long term solutions including mediation between opposing groups in the communal conflict have also been put into motion.
Tragedies like these will raise many emotions but we must remain committed to the reign of peace and use of peaceful methods to resolve issues.
My condolences go the people and the Government of Taraba State, may we never see this again.'

Ex-militants assure oil firms of peace, security, in Niger-Delta

Multi-national oil companies operating in the Niger Delta, have been assured of an enabling environment to carry on their business activities when they comply with the Federal Government’s directive to relocate their administrative headquarters to their various operational bases in the region.

Giving the assurance in Bomadi, Delta State, ex-militant leader and Delta State Chairman, Phase 3 ex-militants, Mr Preye Ekpebide (ambassador of peace), said ex-agitators would defend oil companies in the areas of peace and security.

He called on multi-national oil companies to comply with the Federal Government’s directive without further hesitation, as the acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who gave the directive, spoke the minds of youths of the region.

He said that Niger Delta youths were aware of the benefits of relocating their administrative headquarters to the region having had much enlightenment over the years, as he allayed their fears of insecurity, saying that youths of the region would work for the sustenance and security of any development agent coming to the region.

He advised all oil companies not to be jittery because, according to him, “it is a sincere call on them to come and live together with their hosts” for the well-being of all.

He also noted that it was not good of them to continue to deprive Niger Delta youths of job and contract opportunities in their administering their operations from other parts of the country.

The ex-militant leader also urged Federal Government to come up with a sincere plan on the issue of establishing modular refineries in the region, noting that politicians had seemingly hijacked the process to the detriment of the real local refiners who have the local technology of refining the crude in the creeks.

Speaking on the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, the ex-militant leader tasked the National Assembly to do justice to the bill with clauses pertaining to hosts communities strictly intact.

He advised youths of the region to continue to maintain the prevailing peace in the region, stressing that the development of the Niger Delta should be utmost in the hearts of all well-meaning youths of the region.

42-yr-old caught caught by his wife having sex with goat- Kastina.

A 42-year-old father of six children, Babangida Garba, who alleged that his wife usually starved him of sex, has been arrested in Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State for having sex with a goat.
Garba, who was paraded alongside other suspects for various criminal offences by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Usman Abdullahi, yesterday, admitted that he committed the offence.
The incident was said to have occurred in Ungwar Mata, Funtua council, where Garba was said to have had intercourse with his neighbour’s goat.
The Police Commissioner, who described the offence as “unnatural,” explained further that the wife caught the suspect in the act and reported the matter to the Police.
According to the CP, “on June 15, Garba was caught by his wife having sex with a goat. She reported the case at Makera Division, Funtua Local Government Area and he was arrested.
“At that point she said it was the second time she was seeing her husband in such act. The wife caught him around 2a.m. The case was later transferred to the state headquarters.”
Others paraded alongside Garba were Nuradeen Ado of Yar Unguwa Birchi, Kurfi Local Government Area, who Police said murdered a commercial tricycle operator and dumped the corpse in a well.

Two storey building collapses in Lagos.

A two-storey building under construction collapsed, yesterday, in the densely-populated Ogbowankwo, Ajegunle area of Lagos, leaving several persons injured.
A witness, Fatai Balogun, who claimed to be sleeping in the building as he was recently ejected from his one-room apartment at Layinka Street, said he woke up to observe the early morning prayer before preparing what to eat for the Muslim fast, when he saw part of the building collapsing.
He said: “I alerted the workers, who scurried in different directions. But one of them was hit by a brick and he fell down. We rushed back to him and carried him. It was part of the top floors that collapsed.”
One of the construction workers, who gave his name as Femi, said: “Some of us were working on one side of the building, when it collapsed. No one can point to what exactly led to the collapse, as the cement was well mixed. We are happy that none of us died in the process.”
Policemen and other rescue operators, who went there, directed onlookers to leave before a worse calamity will befall them.

12-yr-old boy kills landlady

A 12-year-old boy, who allegedly robbed and killed his landlady at Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, yesterday, was among those paraded for various offences by the state Police Command, yesterday.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zanna Mohammed, who briefed reporters on the arrest of over 60 kidnappers, robbers, murderers, cultists and ritualists in the last three weeks, said the teenager confessed that he committed the act because a cult group told him that one of the conditions for initiation was that he must have been involved in a criminal act.

Mr. Ibrahim disclosed that one of the kidnap suspects, Sa’adu Alhaji, a national of Niger Republic, residing at Okpanma community, Oshimili North Local Government Area, was arrested by the Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cyber Crime Squad, SAKCCS, in conjunction with men of Eagle Vigilante groups of Abraka Market, Asaba, over his complicity in most kidnap cases within Asaba and its environs.

He said the suspect was connected to the kidnapping syndicates operated by suspected herdsmen and an ally of Musa Mohammed, alias Musa 1000, earlier arrested by the police.
… robbers killed, kidnap victims rescued

Meanwhile, Rivers State Police Command, yesterday, said it has killed three suspected robbers and rescued nine kidnap victims in different operations in the state.
In a statement, the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, disclosed that the nine persons rescued were abducted last two weeks from a commercial bus in Ogba/Egbeme/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state.

Omoni disclosed that the Inspector General of Police Monitoring Unit, led by CSP Igwe Benneth, had responded to a distress call in an estate around the University of Port Harcourt, and after minutes of gunfight, the three robbers were killed.

Man, 57, lures 8-yr-old girl with Viju milk, rapes her

A 57-year-old man, Aminu Ibrahim, who allegedly raped a minor after luring her with N50 and milk, was, yesterday, granted bail by a Jos Upper Area Court sitting in Kasuwa Nama.
Ibrahim, of Agada Sogai, Jos, was first arraigned on May 6, on charges bordering on rape and criminal intimidation.
Ibrahim denied committing the offences, but the court ordered his remand and adjourned the case until yesterday.

The offences contravened Sections 282 and 396 of the Penal Code.

The judge, Mr. J. Yahaya, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200,000 and a surety in like sum and adjourned the case until July 21, for continuation of hearing.

The prosecutor, Inspector E. A. Inegbenose, told the court that the victim’s mother, Maryam Abdulahi, reported the matter at Nasarawa Gwom Divisional Police Headquarters on April 26.
Inegbenose told the court that the mother noticed that her eight-year-old daughter had difficulties walking, then interrogated her.

He said the victim told the mother that the accused person lured her with N50 and a milk after which he took her to his shop and raped her.

The prosecutor said after the rape, the accused threatened to kill the victim if she ever mentioned it to anyone. He added that during Police investigations, the accused person confessed to have committed the crime.

SERG commends FG, DSS for freeing Ifeanyi Ubah

The South-East Revival Group, SERG, has commended the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Federal Government for listening to the voice of reason and freeing the Managing Director of Capital Oil and Gas Limited, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah.

The group also commended coalition of civil society and human rights activists who played one role or the other during the oil magnet’s incarceration.
This was contained in a statement signed by its Convener and National Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu, insisting that: “What transpired between Capital Oil and NNPC was purely a commercial transaction that needed not be criminalized in the first place.
“We believe that his arrest should not have taken place in the first place as what transpired between Capital Oil and NNPC was purely a commercial transaction that needed not be criminalized at all.
“Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah had single-handedly ended the fuel scarcity that was inherited by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration before the government removed petrol subsidy. So, it was surprising that he was made to go through the psychological torture in DSS custody.
“However, we commend the coalition of civil society and human rights activists, Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, Lawyers of Conscience and individuals, who played one role or the other during Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah’s incarceration to ensure his release.
“We hope that his release has put to rest, the issues surrounding the commercial dispute.”

U.S. President Donald Trump said he wouldn’t want a poor person incharged of economy....

U.S. President Donald Trump said he wouldn’t want a poor person in charge of the economy, as he defended his cabinet, which is thought to be the wealthiest in the country’s history.
“Somebody said, ‘Why did you appoint a rich person to be in charge of the economy?’” he told supporters at rally in Iowa.
“So I said …. because that’s the kind of thinking we want… because they’re representing the country.”
Making a particular reference to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, a billionaire former investor, Trump said:, “They don’t want the money. And they had to give up a lot to take up these jobs.”
Trump, himself a billionaire, went on to refer to Gary Cohn, his chief economic advisor.
“This is the president of Goldman Sachs. Smart. Having him represent us, he went from massive paydays to peanuts, to little tiny … I’m waiting for them to accuse him of wanting that little amount of money.
“These are people that are great, brilliant business minds, and that’s what we need, that’s what we have to have so the world doesn’t take advantage of us.
“We can’t have the world taking advantage of us any more. And I love all people, rich or poor, but in those particular positions I just don’t want a poor person.
“Does that make sense? Does that make sense?
“If you insist I’ll do it but I like it better this way, right?”
Trump’s Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is also a billionaire heiress, while Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the former boss of oil giant Exxon, is thought to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Other rich appointees include Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, a former hedge fund manager, and Housing Secretary Ben Carson, who made his fortune selling books on his career in medicine and his political ideas.

Ebonyi APC repositions ahead of 2019- Chairman

The Ebonyi chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the party has been repositioned to achieve landslide victory in the 2019 general elections.
The Acting Chairman, Mr Eze Nwachukwu, who spoke in an interview with the newsmen in ebonyi on Thursday, said the party structures are being strengthened.
According to him, all the party structures in the state are being repositioned ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“The party structure and all its organs from the ward, local and state levels are undergoing internal reforms in line with the provisions of the constitution of our party.
“The party in Ebonyi is taking the initiative in view of the leadership crisis that rocked the party and to properly strategise as the 2019 general elections speedily approach.
“We are confident of electoral victory in the 2019 governorship and house of assembly elections, hence we must begin early to put our acts in order,’’ Nwachukwu said.
He called on the party faithful to work for the collective success of the party, assuring that the leadership of the party in Ebonyi was committed to ensure victory in 2019.
Nwachukwu said that the lingering leadership crisis in the state APC had been laid to rest, following the National Working Committee’s ratification of the suspension of the Chairman, Chief Ben Nwaobasi.
He said the letter of ratification of the chairman’s suspension, dated May 25, was signed by Alhaji Abdullahi Yusuf-Gashu’a, Director of Administration at APC national secretariat.
“With the end of the protracted leadership crisis, APC will be more committed and focused in providing credible opposition in Ebonyi,” Nwachukwu added.
Nwaobasi was suspended over allegations of gross mismanagement of funds, anti-party activities, among others.

Herdsmen kill one in Delta community

SUSPECTED herdsmen, Tuesday night, attacked a farm settlement at Umueze near Oloa-Ossissa community, Ndokwa East Local Government Area, Delta State, killing a 15-year-old boy, Nnamdi Okonkwo, and inflicting bullet wounds on his father.
According to Vanguard the deceased was with his father, Anarobi Okonkwo, at their camp along Abalam-Ossissa Road when the herdsmen invaded.
A source in the Ossissa said the herdsmen earlier “chased farmers with guns at Azu-Anuga farmland area of Umueze-Ossissa.”
Confirming the incident, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Aniamaka, said a case of murder was reported, yesterday.

How police averted blockade of Enugu-Makurdi highway by irate drivers

The police in Enugu said on Thursday that they prevented a blockade of traffic on the Enugu-Makurdi highway by aggrieved truck drivers protesting ill-treatment of a colleague.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu, SP Ebere Amaraizu, made this known in a statement in Enugu.
Amarizu said that it took the intervention of police operatives of Udenu Division and other nearby divisions to appease the truck drivers.
He said that the incident, which started about 11 a.m. on Wednesday, took place at Ohulor community in Udenu Local Government Area axis of the road.
Amaraizu said the driver of a DAF truck marked XB 636 PKM was reported to be heading from Enugu to Makurdi when two boys emerged with big stones at the former state Commercial/Produce Control point on the road to stop the truck.
The driver, he said, was reported to have swerved in order not to hit the boys, resulting in the truck bucket falling off the vehicle and spilling its pasta Macaroni content on top of a van conveying drinks.
He said the timely arrival of police operatives prevented what would have caused a total breakdown of law and order following the move by other angry truck drivers to block the highway.
Amaraizu, however, said that no life was lost in the incident.
He further said that the command was working assiduously to ensure that the directive of the Inspector General of Police on dismantling road blocks was fully implemented and complied with.
“Henceforth, any person or group of persons caught blocking the road or disturbing free-flow of traffic will be prosecuted in line with the relevant sections of the law,’’ he added.

Why Nigerian students pay more in private universities

From our findings, the fees vary depending on course, year (whether first year or returning student), federal, state or private university. In most cases, science courses cost more than non-science courses while professional courses like medicine and law cost even more.
Again, the higher you go in class, the lower the fees. First year students pay a lot higher than returning students because there are some fees paid in the first year that are not paid in subsequent years. It is worthy of note that undergraduate students in federal universities do not pay tuition fees but they pay other fees like acceptance, registration, laboratory, library and caution fees.
Malam Adamu Adamu
Satellite campuses
Reports show that while a returning student may pay as low as N19,700, a fresh student pays as high as N57,700 or more in a federal university. Also students in satellite campuses pay less because they are part-time students.
However, the private universities are a different ball game in terms of fees with some collecting as high as N3 million per session. The federal universities pay the lowest, followed by state and then private universities. In state universities, indigenes pay less than non-indigenes.
Breakdown: At the University of Lagos for instance, fresh undergraduates pay the following fees: Acceptance – N20,000; Registration – N5,000, Identity card -N1,000, Result verification – N5,000; Examination – N2,500; Medical Services – N2,500, Sports – N1,000; Laboratory Services – N10,000 (Science and Languages students only); Library – N2,500; Students’ Handbook – N1,000; Information Technology – N2,000; Endowment Fund – N5,000; Hire of Academic Gown for Matriculation – N1,000; Tertiary Institutions’ Social Health Insurance Programme (TISHIP) – N5,000. So a fresh science student in UNILAG is expected to pay N63,500 while a non-science student is expected to pay N53, 500.
For returning students, the fees are as follows: Registration – N1,000, Identity card -N1,000; Examination – N2,000; Sports – N1,000; Medical Services – N1,000; Laboratory Services – N5,000 (Science and languages students only); Library services – N1,500; Information Technology – N1,000; Endowment Fund – N1,000; TISHIP -N5,000. A returning science/Languages student, therefore pays N19,500 while a non-science student pays N14,500.
At the University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN, registration fee is N700, Library services -N350, Sports – N1,000, Exam- N5,000; Caution – N1,000; TISHIP – N2,000; Development fee – N20,000; ID card – N500, UNN calendar-N1,700; Lab/Computer; N2,000; ICT – N3,700; Visual Library access – N1,000; Professional fee of N2,500 paid by students taking professional courses like pharmacy, health science & technology, medicine, law, engineering etc.; orientation materials – N1,000; students welfare scheme – N500; SUG- N600, faculty dues- N500; departmental dues – N300; course registration fee- N500; Internet access fee – N12,000; Academic Handbook/Regulations – N4,600; Student Life/Accident insurance N1,500.
State universities: Unlike federal universities, state-owned universities pay tuition fee in addition to other fees, hence, students pay higher than federal universities. In Osun State University, tuition fee for fresh and returning sciences/anatomy/physiology/public health and non-science students is N75,000.00; while medical/nursing/law students both fresh and returning, pay N100,000.
Returning non-science students
ICT-N5,000; Library services-N5,000; Examination-N5,000 and Games -N5,000 across board.
Laboratory/bench fee is N5,000 paid by science/anatomy/physiology/public health and medical/nursing/law students.
College Handbook- N500 paid by only fresh students in all faculties. Caution fee – N10,000 applicable to only fresh students in all faculties.
Therefore, a fresh non-science student pays N105,500.00; a returning non-science student pays N95,000.00; a fresh science/anatomy/physiology/public health students pay N110,500.00 while a returning student pays N100,000. A fresh medical/nursing/law student pays N135,500.00 while a returning student pays N125,000.00.
At the American University of Nigeria (AUN), a private university in Yola, Adamawa State, tuition (15 credit units @ N53,000/credit) – N1,590,000 but for some courses like Petroleum chemistry, there may be an additional one unit so the student pays additional N53,000; Housing -depending on what the student wants is between N360,000 and N650,000.
Meal Plan costs between N273,700 and N678,300 based on student’s choice and number of meals per session.
Technology fee -N70,000; Sports -N50,000; Student Activity – N60,000; Health – N20,000; eBooks –N90,000; Graduation fee (only final year students) –N20,000.
Indigene/non-indigene: In state-owned institutions, indigenes pay less than non-indigenes. In Plateau State Polytechnic, indigenes pay N50,000 while non-indigenes pay N100, 000. Kwara State indigenes pay N28,000 and non-indigenes pay N44,000 at Kwara State Polytechnic.
For indigenes of Oyo State at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, school fee is N65,000 while non-indigenes pay N72,500.
Stakeholders speak: Asked why they chose the schools they did for their children, some parents say their choice was based on affordability, quality of lecturers, proximity to home and security.
Proximity to home and security
According to Mrs. Binta Iliyasu, they decided to send their children to a federal university for three reasons: “One, the fee was a determining factor. There is no point registering in a school that you cannot pay the fees. Two, quality of lecturers was another factor and three, proximity to the family.”
For Mrs. Ngozi Ndaji, although they had wanted their daughter to attend the federal university where they reside because of proximity to their home but they were happy with her choice of another federal university in another part of the country. She said she can never send her children to private universities because she feels admission there is for anyone who can afford the high fees whether they are qualified or not.
However, Mr. Aliyu Abubakar, a parent with a son in a private university said he chose the university because though the fees were high but he was sure of his son graduating at the appropriate time. “A four-year course is a four-year course in a private university unlike in public schools where one is never sure of when he will graduate.
“Students spend extra years because of one crisis or the other and parents end up spending more in the long run apart from the students’lives being disrupted,” he said.
Mr. Ebuka Ukoh Williams, a graduate of Communication and Multimedia Studies from AUN, told
Vanguard Learning that he had to move to AUN from the federal university he was attending in his third year because what he was getting was not his idea of education. He wanted something more.
“I left the school in my third year because learning in class for me, was not what education is supposed to be all about. It was like things were dropped in my head and I was expected to pour them out in an exam hall. If that is what education is all about, I want none of it. The fact is that consumption is good but any consumption that does not underscore production is nuisance.
“In AUN, we are made to understand that how successful you are is not in being the king of the jungle but in how well you are able to live and society is grateful that you exist because you are making meaningful contributions. AUN gave me the opportunity to impact the community for good,” he said.

Woman, 26 year old charged for abducting teenage lover

A 26-year-old woman, Oluchi Paul, was, yesterday, brought before an Ikeja chief magistrate’s court over the alleged abduction of a teenage boy.
The accused, a trader, who resides at 6, Yanusa Lane, Water Works, Iju, a suburb of Lagos, is facing a three-count charge bordering on abduction.
The prosecutor, Inspector Clifford Ogu, told the court that the offences were committed between March and May at the residence of the accused.
According to Ogu, “the accused abducted a 17-year-old boy for the purpose of having sex with her, while his parents were looking for him. They were informed that their son was staying with a woman.
“The victim’s parents reported the incident at the police station. The Police went to the residence of the accused and found the victim and the accused.”
Ogu said the boy and the accused were taken to the police station for further interrogation.
“The accused told the Police that she and the boy are lovers and that she is already pregnant.”
The offences, he said, contravened Sections 141 and 166 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Chief Magistrate Taiwo Akanni admitted the accused to N200,000 bail with one surety in like sum and adjourned the case until July 19 for mention.

Nigeria Alleged N3.1bn fraud: Court defers Suswam’s trial till Sept 28

The Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, fixed September 28 to resume hearing on the nine-count money laundering charge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, entered against former governor of Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswam.
Suswam, who piloted the affairs of Benue State from 2007 to 2015, is facing trial alongside his erstwhile Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Omodachi Okolobia.
The duo were alleged to have looted about N3.1 billion, being proceeds of shares owned by Benue State government and Benue Investment and Property Company Ltd.
Trial Justice Ahmed Mohammed adjourned the case due to absence of the 2nd defendant, Omadachi, who was remanded in prison custody over another criminal charge.
The Federal Government had on Monday, docked Suswam, Omadachi and former Accountant of Benue State Government House Administration, Mrs. Janet Aluga, before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the same high court on a 32-count charge relating to another alleged N9.79 billion fraud.
Though Justice Kolawole granted the defendants bail to the tune of N250 million each with one surety in like sum, he said they should be remanded in Kuje prison pending perfection of the bail term.
Suswam
Meanwhile, at the resumed sitting on the second case before Justice Mohammed, yesterday, Omadachi’s counsel, Mr. Samson Igede, told the court that his client was yet to fulfil the bail conditions.
He prayed the court for an adjournment to enable the 2nd defendant to secure his release from prison.
The request was not opposed by Suswam’s lawyer, Mr. Taiwo Kawo, SAN, and the prosecution lawyer, Mr. Oluwaleke Atolagbe.
By consent of all the lawyers, Justice Mohammed deferred the matter till September 28.
A Bureau De Change operator, Abubakar Umar, had earlier narrated before the court how he helped the former governor to convert N3.111billion into dollars between August and October 2014.
Umar said he converted the money which he said amounted to $15.8million, and took same to Suswam at the government house in Benue.
The witness, who spoke through a Hausa interpreter, told the court that Suswam requested for the account number of his company -Fanffash Resources- through which he wired funds from the Benue state treasury on six separate occasions.
He told the court that though he started buying and selling of currency since 1990, he opened his own company in 2014 with Suswam as one of his major clients.
“I know the 1st defendant. In 2014, he brought so many businesses to me involving the change of money. In August 2014, I was in my office when i was called by the former governor. He asked me to meet him in his house at Maitama in Abuja.
“He called me with his number 08180505050 through my own line 08062666661. When I got to his house, the governor said I should give my account number to one fair lady. He told me that they will deposit money into the account. I was asked to use the money that will be deposited inside the account to buy and US dollars and bring it to government house.
“It was the former governor that gave me the instruction. The first amount that was paid into the account was N413m. He asked me to convert the money to dollars. The money was paid on August 8, 2014.
“When I converted the money I took it to the government house. I remember that I made a statement to the EFCC. Money was transferred into my account six times. On September 12, 2014, two payments were made into my account. The first one was N363m and then N637m. The payments amounted to N1billion.
“I was asked to convert the money into dollars by the former governor. On October 14, 2014, N630m was paid into my account. After two hours, N818m was also paid into my account. I converted them to dollars and sent to the governor.
“On October 17, 2014, N1.68bn was paid into my account. The total amount paid into my account was N3.111bn. as at that time, dollar rate was N197. In total, I took $15.8m to the government house in Benue state”, the witness added.
He, however, told the court that Suswam did not personally collect the money from him each of the times he went to the government house.

Nigeria is free to restructure, but… —Makarfi

June 22, 2017IPOBNo comments

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Caretaker Committee, NCC, has lent its voice to calls for the restructuring of the country by some eminent Nigerians and groups.
Chairman of the committee and former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, who spoke at a briefing in Abuja, yesterday, urged Nigerians to work assiduously towards making the federation a more perfect union, adding there was nothing wrong in looking at the structure of the union.
Makarfi said such restructuring should, however, take into consideration national interests rather than satisfying the yearnings of a few.
He said: “We, however, observe that restructuring could mean a different thing to different people. It is, therefore, important that we consider the framework within which we can even discuss and be on the same page as to what kind of restructuring we mean or desire; and if nationally accepted, agree on the framework for its implementation.
Makarfi demanded loyalty from the armed forces to the Nigerian people, even as he decried their obedience to highly-placed public officers at the expense of the citizens, adding that this statusquo must change in sync with what obtained in developed world.
Makarfi
PDP supports agitation
Makarfi also said the party would support agitation aimed at making Nigeria a better country, adding that agitation must not lead to the encroachment of the rights of the people.
He said: “The PDP has no problem with agitations; in fact, we respect them and regard them as vehicles through which all segments vent their legitimate feelings but we want to urge all of our people that in trying to draw attention to their yearnings and aspirations, respect for one another and the realization that our rights do not include encroachment into, and infringement on the legitimate rights and dignity of others, should guide our conduct.”
On insurgency in the North-East
In its assessment of the Boko Haram violent campaign in the North-East, the party lauded men and officers of the armed forces for their loyalty, courage and gallantry, urging government to continue to avail them the necessary support to defeat the terrorists.
The party also charged the Buhari administration to come up with hard-nosed policies capable of restoring victims of the insurgency into life of normalcy.
Resolving the herdsmen/farmers’ clashes
Makarfi also tasked the Buhari government to immediately come up with measures capable of stemming the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers, adding that both remained important to the nation’s economic well being.
He said: “Taking into account the fact that both crop farming and animal rearing are important agricultural activities that have a very important, bearing on our nation’s economic fortunes, and also the fact that both sides have constitutionally guaranteed rights to existence, it behoves on all governments to come up with measures that will once-and-for-all address the issue.
Ending the spate of kidnappings
On the spate of kidnappings in different parts of the country, Makarfi commended security operatives for rising to the challenge, noting that the recent arrest of a kidnap kingpin, Evans, gladdened the heart of Nigerians.
He urged government to do more for the security agencies in the area of funding and equipment.
‘’We though wish to commend the security agencies for the bursting last week, of a criminal gang of kidnappers which had brought untold hardship and anguish to several Nigerian families. It is our hope that this feat is just the start of series of efforts to not only bring this criminal enterprise to an end but also bring the perpetrators to justice.
‘’We urge the security agencies and the judiciary to ensure that these criminals face the full wrath of the law,’’ Makarfi said.

Herdsmen menace, prophesy foretold by Nnamdi Kanu —IPOB

THE Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, said, yesterday, that some of prophesies of its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, three years ago, were already manifesting in the form of the activities of herdsmen in the southern part of the country and the recent quit notice on Igbo residing in the north by some northern groups.
In a statement made available to Vanguard, IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, recalled that Kanu had also predicted on October 14, 2015 before his arrest, that there were plans to encourage the migration of Fulani herdsmen, who, he alleged, were armed and encouraged to slaughter southerners with impunity.
He said: “They came to ensure that our people are enslaved forever. The people will cry and weep but no one will come to their rescue. That is exactly what is happening today with the rampaging Fulani herdsmen decimating communities with the encouragement and protection of the presidency.
“Despite these heinous and brazen carnage, wanton murder and destruction of communities across southern Nigeria, no single Fulani man has been brought before a court or charged under the laws of Nigeria.
Armed Fulani-herdsmen
“Kanu predicted that they will brazenly seize our land under the pretense of creating grazing fields for Fulani nomads and their cattle and when the conquest is complete, we will become their serfs forever.
“This Fulani agenda is gathering greater momentum with the removal of Christian Religious Knowledge (C.R.K) from schools curriculum and replacement with Arabic and Islamic studies. If this trend is not halted, Judeo- Christians of the East will become endangered species.
“Nnamdi Kanu had prophesied also that the Fulani herdsmen will use the security apparatus to advance the agenda of their ethnic group and that the herdsmen, who will be deadlier than Boko Haram, will emerge to seize our farmlands, rape our women, kill our people and their masters will protect, defend and even arm them because their sole agenda is to enslave us forever.
“Those who cannot see it now, will soon see it. The hatred in their soul against our people is legendary. They do not see us as humans. They kill, they slaughter, they burn and they destroy.
“All we ever want is freedom, to enable us realise our full potentials on the piece of land God Almighty placed us in on this planet. But there are persons whose sole agenda is to intimidate and dominate others. They hate freedom, justice and fair play.
“They are the true enemies of peaceful co-existence. We respect justice and equity, and above all, we respect the sanctity of human life, but these people do not. They use terror to intimidate and subdue in order to rule over everybody else. Acting President Yemi Osinbajo should beware of the pitfalls ahead.
“Kanu was also on record as having prophesied that a time would come when Arewa people will ask Biafrans to take their trouble and leave the northern part of Nigeria. Today, has it not come to pass with issuing of the quit notice?”
Insisting that Igbo were better off on their own, the IPOB scribe argued that unity flows with love and mutual respect, adding that artificial unity with people who see someone as an infidel and unbeliever, is fake and dangerous.

Nigeria It is not only the Biafrans who are disgusted with this country – Onaiyekan

ABUJA – The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, yesterday, said anger and dissatisfaction expressed by people would continue in the country, when federal character principle leads to injustice and marginalization.
Cardinal-Onaiyekan
To address the ongoing agitation in Nigeria, the Cardinal charged the Federal Government to change the rules of governance in addition to yielding to call by Nigerians to restructure the country.
Onaiyekan, who stated this at a press conference on the Centenary of the Late Eminence, Ignatius Cardinal Ekandem, the first Episcopal Archbishop of Abuja Catholic Metropolitan, in Abuja, described him (Ignatius) as ‘a real man of the church’.
Speaking on the process entailed in the canonization of Archbishop Ekandem, who lived between 1917 to 1995, Onaiyekan said Nigerians were displeased with the way and manner government runs the country.
His words: “We all know what is causing people to be angry, and if you want to be sincere, there is no part of Nigeria where there is no cause for anger, no part. May be some people are expressing their anger more than the others. But everywhere, people are dissatisfied. And this has nothing to do with who is president and who is not the president?
“It goes in my opinion to the rules of governance. How we governed ourselves, the whole area of justice system, equality before the law. The whole concept of federal character supposed to be that no part of the country is left behind.
Federal character can not mean that some parts of Nigeria will be favoured over others.
“If the federal character leads to injustice and marginalization, then, it does not make sense. We must change the way we are doing thing, we cannot continue like this. Definitely, if we do, there will be more anger, more calls for change and we don’t know who will be able to mobilize more people to cause more problem. Don’t forget that this was the one of the major positions held by the boko haram.”
Onaiyekan maintained that lackadaisical attitude displayed by some of those at the helms of affairs would do no good for the country, rather, they should look at the agitation holistically to correct the imbalance in the land.
He said; “The issue is, what are those things that are happening in Nigeria now, which we need to critically and effectively look at, in such that, this sense of dissatisfaction, exclusion, injustice that people are feeling will be reduced to the minimum? So, some people put it under big title of restructuring.
“Some people think that restructuring is to create more states, as far as am concerned if you create more states and the system remains the same, you will only have more problems. The problem is not about how many states or regions but how does government function?
How do I as a Nigerian feels at home in this country? And how do I as a Nigerian expect that I will be treated with justice, respect and dignity?
“We need to restructure if we want the country to survive. The truth is that things are not organised properly and it makes the people to be dissatisfied. It is not only the Biafrans who are disgusted with this country; a lot of us are, even though we still are not thinking of that.
It is like a father who is very angry with his son; you will still not throw him away.”

Scientists find a final cure for HIV/ AIDs

Welcome To M-poolz News Blog: President of the Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman has warned President Muhammadu Buhari, saying he cannot Islamise Nigeria.

British man with HIV undergoing a pioneering treatment to cure him of the disease has shown “remarkable” progress, doctors have told a newspaper.
Scientists treating the 44-year-old patient are now hopeful of a breakthrough in what has been described as “one of the first serious attempts at a full cure for HIV”.
Results showed the man’s most recent blood test showed no detectable HIV was present.
Results showed the man’s most recent blood test showed no detectable HIV was present.
The man, who has remained anonymous, is the first of 50 people to complete a trial using the two-stage attack on the deadly virus.
The research is being carried out by a collaboration of five of Britain’s top universities organised by the National Health Service.
Mark Samuels, managing director of the National Institute for Health Research Office for Clinical Research Infrastructure, told the Sunday Times: “This is one of the first serious attempts at a full cure for HIV. We are exploring the real possibility of curing HIV.
“This is a huge challenge and it’s still early days but the progress has been remarkable.”
The trial patient told the newspaper that recent blood tests showed no detectable HIV virus was present, although it was too early to confirm that the treatment had worked.
The new therapy aims to overcome a major barrier to clearing the virus from a sufferer’s body that has challenged researchers for decades.
Current methods using antiretroviral therapies (Art) fall short of ridding patients of HIV, as the virus can hide out of the drugs’ reach in the immune system’s T-cells.
By sheltering in dormant T-cells the virus can later take over its host and use it to produce thousands of copies of itself, should Art no longer work.
The research by Oxford and Cambridge universities, Imperial College London, University College London, and King’s College London, is testing a “kick and kill” technique to first expose, then destroy the virus.
First a vaccine helps the body find infected T-cells. This is then followed by a course of the drug Vorinostat that awakens the dormant T-cells, which then begin producing HIV proteins that act as a homing beacon to the immune system.
Imperial College London consultant physician Professor Sarah Fidler said the treatment worked in the laboratory and there was “good evidence” it will work in patients.
However she added: “We must stress we are still a long way from any actual therapy.”

Welcome To M-poolz News Blog: President of the Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman has warned President Muhammadu Buhari, saying he cannot Islamise Nigeria.

June 19, 2017No comments

Nigeria’s two leading artistes, Wizkid and Davido have locked horns in a supremacy battle to prove who is better in the music industry.

The battle which was fought and may still be continued in the ring of social media sees the two musical gurus take swipes at each other, sparking comments from their fans.
It all began with the “If” artiste, Davido, throwing the first verbal punch shortly after the release of Wizkid’s single, “Sounds from the other side,” when he took to his Snapchat to say, “Nah ‘pon pon’ sounds dey reign now oooo! No Jonze, all other sounds na the least for now. Lmao!”
Davido and Wizkid
But the “Holla at Your Boy” artiste is not one to keep mum when attacked, especially when it comes to the field he has carved a large niche for himself. And he replied Davido proportionately when he tweeted, “catch up or stay local.” Although he later deleted some part of the tweet, but it had read, “The game is only for the real! Catch up or stay local! Don’t blame anybody for ur failures! Pray and work hard kids!”
He equally tweeted, “U can’t hate on someone doing better than u in what u failed at! Learn and appreciate! Free ur mind from hate young kids. And remember kids! Drink more water!!”
This response triggered the comparison debate between the two big guys. There were comments, though, by peacemakers calling for ceasefire and saying the controversy was needless.

Nigerian hackers steal $3b worldwide: Reports

June 18, 2017Apostle Suleman, President BuhariNo comments

Nigerian hackers and cyber criminals are being accused of masterminding a grand theft of information and money running into billions of dollars, worldwide.
According to experts, the Nigerians are able to carry out the heist by sending phishing emails to commercial organizations and industrial enterprises, which they later steal dry.
The FBI estimates that these phishing attacks have cost companies over $3 billion. The number of affected companies exceeds 22,143.
Kaspersky Labs, an internet security company said it has found over 500 companies that are under attack in at least 50 countries.
Those under attack are mostly industrial enterprises and large transportation and logistics corporations, based in Germany, UAE, Russia and India.
In a blog post, Kaspersky said the cyber-criminals managed to steal technical drawings, floor plans and diagrams showing the structure of electrical and information networks.
Researchers said that all indications are that these were business email compromise (BEC) attacks that have come to be associated with Nigerian cyber-criminals.
Emails received by victims looked authentic enough to fool people. Some had attachments with names such as “Energy & Industrial Solutions W.L.L_pdf”, “Woodeck Specifications best Prices Quote.uue” and “Saudi Aramco Quotation Request for October 2016”.
These are well crafted emails that look legitimate and are crafted to make the victim open the malicious attachment.
The emails ask the recipients to check information as soon as possible, clarify product pricing or receive goods specified in the delivery note attached. The malicious attachments contain RTF files with an exploit for the CVE-2015-1641 vulnerability.
They may also contain archives of different formats containing malicious executable files or macros and OLE objects designed to download malicious executable files.
Kaspersky discovered that the malicious files are intended to steal confidential data and install stealthy remote administration tools on infected systems.
Using Whois services, Kaspersky found that the domains used to host the malware were registered to residents of Nigeria. Once in, the hackers compromise a legitimate email and change the banking account details.
The malware used in these attacks belonged to families that are popular among cyber-criminals, such as ZeuS, Pony/FareIT, LokiBot, Luminosity RAT, NetWire RAT, HawkEye, ISR Stealer and iSpy keylogger.
”The phishers selected a toolset that included the functionality they needed, choosing from malware available on cyber-criminal forums. At the same time, the malware was packed using VB and .NET packers – a distinct feature of this campaign. To evade detection by security tools, the malicious files were regularly repacked using new modifications of the same packers,” said the researchers.
At least eight different Trojan-Spy and Backdoor families were used in the attacks.
Further research found that the domain names of some of the malware command-and-control servers used by the attackers mimicked domain names used by industrial companies – “more proof that the attacks were primarily targeting industrial companies,” said researchers.
They added that most domains used for malware C&C servers were registered to residents of Nigeria.
Researchers warned that it would be very dangerous if, because of an infection, cyber-criminals were able to gain access to computers that are part of an industrial control system (ICS). “In such cases, they can gain remote access to the ICS and unauthorised control over industrial processes,” said researchers.
Owen Connolly, vice president services (EMEA) at IOActive, told SC Media UK that this attack is not actually targeting industrial control systems or operational technology. “It’s just targeting users that work for large companies. The fact that those companies may also have OT systems could just be coincidence, not correlation,” he said.
Mark James, security specialist at ESET, told SC Media UK that scammers are opportunistic. They understand they need to adapt and will change their tactics to get the best result.
“With the 419 scams being so synonymous with the public, the scope for business users being victims is massive. We also need to consider the scope for larger, single successful attacks reaping the benefits much quicker than the smaller, and often much harder, sells through the public,” he said.
Javvad Malik, security advocate at AlienVault, told SC that organisations dealing with industrial control systems may not be as savvy to scams as financial services, so it could be that the success rate of targeted emails is higher.
“Allowing criminals to make quick money. On the other hand, it could allow criminals to implant malware on industrial control systems, or at least on systems that support the ICS. This can then be allowed for further nefarious purposes such as deploying ransomware – or selling on the access to other criminals or ever nation states,” he said.

President of the Omega Fire Ministries, Apostle Johnson Suleman has warned President Muhammadu Buhari, saying he cannot Islamise Nigeria.

The Apostle who expressed outrage at the removal of Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) as a subject of study from the secondary school curriculum described it as a move to Islamise Nigeria, which he said can never happen.

In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, spokesman of the church, Apostle Suleman also said that President Muhammadu Buhari, by this new policy, has confirmed that he set out to Islamise the country soon after being sworn in on May 29, 2015.

According to the fiery preacher, the decision to scrap CRK as a subject in the curriculum but only to be studied as a theme in civic education while leaving Islamic/Arabic studies as a subject to be studied in the secondary school curriculum is a deliberate plot by the Buhari administration, among other schemes, to eliminate Christianity or at best reduce it to insignificance in Nigeria.

“The new curriculum which is the brain-child of the Nigerian Educational Research Council and which is mischievously crafted to force Islamic Studies down the throat of non adherents is unjust, discriminatory, a subtle attempt at islamisation, and therefore unacceptable.”

“This is a well orchestrated and articulated plot. Let nobody try to fool Nigerians that it was a mistake or a coincidence. Why is it that CRK would be removed as a subject to be studied from the secondary school curriculum while Islamic/Arabic studies is retained? This is a plan from hell and it shall not stand,” he declared.

Apostle Suleman also noted that the policy has been introduced at a time when Fulani herdsmen are on rampage in many parts of the country and just before the “so called Arewa youths” who gave Nigerians of Igbo extraction living in the North an order to quit the region before October 1 .
“Over 7000 people have been killed by these Fulani herdsmen with our security forces unable to stop the bloodshed. So called Arewa youths backed by some discredited elders have also issued a treasonable ultimatum to Igbo people without any reprisals from the Buhari government. So, is it a coincidence that Christian Religious Knowledge has been expunged from the school curriculum?” he asked.

The revered cleric however called on the Federal Government to reverse what he termed the offensive policy and immediately restore Christian Religious Knowledge to the curriculum. He also commended the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for being at the forefront of seeking to redress the anomaly.

“This evil policy must be reversed immediately. What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) must be restored to the school curriculum. And I’m happy that the CAN has taken up the battle to ensure that those who seek to banish our faith do not succeed. We will continue to speak out until satan and his agents are put to shame”, he declared.

Similarly, he called on the government to stem the tide of consistent attacks by Fulani herdsmen as well as deal with those giving ultimatum to people from an ethnic group to vacate the north.

“For as long as Fulani herdsmen continue to kill, rape and burn people’s homes without restraint, in the event that the safety of an ethnic group cannot be guaranteed in any part of the country, then Nigerians should know that it is not a coincidence. And my God shall not fold arms while the devil and his children seek to destroy the destiny of Nigeria”, he declared.

“We have the strength of character, the courage and the conviction to mount a sustained campaign in defense of justice, and in defense of our religion. We will not give up our religious practice because of someone else’. Nigeria belongs to us all and not for a few bigots who currently occupy positions of authority,” he said.

The Apostle also said that bigotry, hate and intolerance by anybody- be he or she a Muslim, Christian, Buddhist or Jew is indefensible and should be condemned.

“The earlier Buhari’s men come to terms with the fact that Nigeria is a secular state and cannot be Islamised or made a Christian State under any guise, the better for everyone.”

He warned that should anyone think that he can go ahead with the curriculum , then he or she should be ready for the mother of all battles, the consequences of which can only be imagined.

Suleman said it is the collective duty of all Nigerians to oppose and despise all bigots in power, just as he called for a law to punish bigotry severely enough, so as not to make it fashionable or normal in the eyes of our children.

The church also demanded a return to the old curriculum which will give pupils of Christian faith all the moral teachings which Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK) offers.

Photos: Houses where Evans, the kidnapper keeps his victims

Notorious kidnap kingpin, Chukwudubem Onwuamadike, AKA Evans, who was arrested recently by the police for coordinating several high profile kidnappings and armed robberies within Lagos, Anambara and Enugu State, receiving millions of dollars as ransom, Sunday took police operative to two houses (Dens) in Ejigbo and Igando areas in Lagos state, where he kept some of his victim for months.

South East rulers, Osinbajo during consultative meeting