₦airaland Forum

mynd1:
Allah yejikan president Umaru Musa yar'adua.

ameen yar uwa

Chief of of Army Staff (COAS), Lt- Gen Tukur
Buratai, yesterday afternoon visisted
Maiduguri, where he personally commended
soldiers over their sustained victories which
include the killing of 20 Boko Haram
members and recovery of arms from cleared
terror camps.
The troops had also in a separate operation
yesterday, rescued about 150 captives
including children.
The COAS was in Maiduguri on official visit
to formations and units in the North East. He
was accompanied by the Chief of Training
and Operations, Major General YM Abubakar
and other senior officers from the Army
Headquarters.
Spokesman of the Nigeria Army, Col Sani
Kukasheka Usman, said the successes were
achieved through joint operation between
elements of 7 Division and the Cameroonian
forces along Banki-Kumshe axis.
He added that the tactical collaboration led
to the killing of 20 Boko Haram terrorists,
destruction of 4 AK -47 rifles and capture of
a gun truck mounted with an Anti-Aircraft
Gun (AA Gun) and 2 AK -47 rifles, as well as
a 60mm mortar and a Dane gun.
But the success did not go without a minor
setback on the part of the troops.
He said, “Unfortunately, three soldiers
sustained injuries and a vehicle damaged as
a result of an Improvised Explosive Device
(IED) explosion”.

http://leadership.ng/news/503997/coas-visits-maiduguri-troops-kill-20-boko-haram-members-rescue-150-children

slowly but surely....

The Naira further gained N6 on Tuesday, trading at N364 to the dollar at the parallel market following President Muhammadu Buhari’s stance not to devalue the currency. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Naira exchanged at N370 to one dollar on Feb. 22. Buhari had on Feb. 20 insisted that the government would not devalue the Naira in spite of wide gap between the official and the parallel markets. Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, the Acting President of the Association of Bureaux De Change of Nigeria (ABCON), said in Lagos on Tuesday that the body had decided to introduce weekly foreign exchange rate band. Gwadabe said that this would be used as a guide to all Bureau De Change Operations (BDCs) and members of the public on the prevailing exchange rate across the country. According to him, this is to forestall exploitation of foreign exchange end-users and also to ensure that they are informed enough to avoid falling victims of exploitation. The Naira, however, remained at N199.50 to the dollar as the official bank rate. (NAN)

http://leadership.ng/business/503832/naira-gains-n6-parallel-market

( As of Feb 19, 2016. Real-time exchange rates update every 30 minutes. ) Convert 350 EUR / 350 NGN to major currencies 350.00 EUR = 546.71 AUD (Australian Dollar) 350.00 EUR = 271.84 GBP (British Pound Sterling) 350.00 EUR = 535.79 CAD (Canadian Dollar) 350.00 EUR = 2,532.98 CNY (Chinese Yuan Renminbi) 350.00 EUR = 26,740.66 INR (Indian Rupee) 350.00 EUR = 43,854.75 JPY (Japanese Yen) 350.00 EUR = 6,011.29 ZAR (South African Rand) 350.00 EUR = 386.30 CHF (Swiss Franc) 350.00 EUR = 388.67 USD (US Dollar) 350.00 NGN = 2.4733 AUD (Australian Dollar) 350.00 NGN = 1.2298 GBP (British Pound Sterling) 350.00 NGN = 2.4239 CAD (Canadian Dollar) 350.00 NGN = 11.46 CNY (Chinese Yuan Renminbi) 350.00 NGN = 1.5834 EUR (Euro) 350.00 NGN = 120.97 INR (Indian Rupee) 350.00 NGN = 198.40 JPY (Japanese Yen) 350.00 NGN = 27.20 ZAR (South African Rand) 350.00 NGN = 1.7476 CHF (Swiss Franc) 350.00 NGN = 1.7584 USD (US Dollar)

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria,
CBCN, has condemned the recent criticism
of its decision to transfer a Priest of its
Enugu Diocese, Ejike Mbaka.
Mr. Mbaka was transferred from his former
parish, Christ the Kind, to Our lady’s Parish
Emene, in the same diocese.
The transfer of the priest from his parish of
over a decade, where he introduced the
popular Adoration-prayer Ministries Enugu,
Nigeria (AMEN) met with various criticisms
from those who regarded it as a punitive
measure by the church against Mr. Mbaka.
Critics had at various points attributed the
transfer to Mr. Mbaka’s repeated sermons
where he condemned the administration of
former President Goodluck Jonathan, and
proclaimed a revelation that the former
President will lose the 2015 presidential
election.
Mr. Mbaka had not only stated ahead of the
2015 election that Mr. Jonathan would lose,
but condemned the former president’s
performance in office particularly on
corruption matters.
When Mr. Jonathan lost in the election, Mr.
Mbaka’s courage was praised by President
Muhammadu Buhari, who received the priest
at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The fiery priest’s subsequent transfer was
condemned by critics including the South
East chapter of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC,
who claimed Mr. Mbaka was being
victimised.
In its earlier reaction to controversies trailing
the transfer, Secretary-General of the
Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Ralph Madu,
told PREMIUM TIMES that the transfer is a
“normal church procedure.”
Addressing the church at its opening
session of the CBCN on Sunday, President of
the Conference, Ignatius Kaigama,
condemned Mr. Mbaka’s prophecies
stressing that the church and particularly its
priests and leaders must avoid the what he
regarded as the “melodramatic displays that
resembles modern broadway shows.”
“Those priests who tend to compete with so-
called trendy pastors to dream dreams, see
visions and utter prophecies are reminded
that not all dreams, visions and prophecies
are revelations from God.
“They are sometimes the product of one’s
psychological disposition, brain waves or
even the result of mental fatigue and should
not be confused with absolute reality,” said
Mr. Kaigama, a bishop.
He called on leaders in all facets of the
nation to work for the unity of Nigeria.
“We need to think positively about the
Nigerian project and act in a manner that
builds rather than destroys,” he stated.
Also in his brief remark at the introduction of
guests, the Assistant Secretary General of
the CBCN and Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Felix
Ajakaiye, said, “When I am transferred I am
transferred; no sensation should be
attached.”
Speaking earlier at the sermon, during the
opening mass, Bishop of Abuja Arch
Diocese, John Onaiyekan, said Nigerians
have a right to be angry at the ‘criminal
corruption,’ which led to diversion of funds
meant for the purchase of arms, stressing
that it is the hope of all well meaning
Nigerians that such fraudulent acts are now
a thing of the past.
“Our gallant troops must never again be left
with inadequate resources to carry out the
dangerous acts imposed on them on our
behalf,” he said.
Mr. Onaiyekan called on the current
administration to keep up its legal efforts to
thoroughly investigate the crimes of the past,
transparently prosecute accused persons
and hold the guilty accountable according to
the law.
He reiterated his earlier call for collaboration
with the church and religious bodies in the
effort to bring about a transformation of
minds and action by Nigerians.
As part of its annual practice, Mr. Onaiyekan
said the CBCN will make suggestions at the
end of its session on January 17, on ways to
move the nation forward.



http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/198421-catholic-bishops-attack-father-mbaka-anti-jonathan-prophecies.html

The Nigerian military on Saturday said it
killed 10 insurgents and destroyed a bomb
manufacturing factory near the country’s
border with Cameroon.
The Acting Director of Army Public
Relations, Sani Usman, made this known in
statement made available to PREMIUM
TIMES.
Mr. Sani, a colonel, said the military made
tremendous gains in the various sectors in
the ongoing fight against terrorism and
insurgency in the northeast.
According to him, troops from the 121 Task
Force Battalion moved through key villages
along the border and linked up with the
Cameroonian forces.
The villages included Mararraba, Angwan
Fada Dale, Wizha, Bokko Timit, Bokko
Nasanu, Bokko Hide, up to Ngoshe.
During the operations, Mr. Usman said Boko
Haram hideouts in the area were cleared.
“In the process, the troops killed 10 Boko
Haram terrorists and also rescued 45
persons which included 17 women and 28
children,” the army spokesperson said.
“The troops also discovered that the
terrorists cratered the road linking Pulka,
Mararraba and Ngoshe and safely detonated
5 IEDs buried by the terrorists.
“In addition, they also destroyed an IED
manufacturing workshop in the village. They
also cleared Sino village.”
Besides, he said the Cameroonian forces
knocked out gun trucks belonging to the
insurgents, raided and cleared several IED
making factories along the border towns.
On a sad note, the military reported that a
patrol team from 5 Brigade, traversing
Dogon Gida and New Marte stepped on an
undetected IED buried by suspected
terrorists.
Four soldiers suffered various degrees of
injuries and their vehicle badly damaged.
Mr. Usman said the wounded soldiers were
evacuated by Nigerian Air Force, while the
affected team was reinforced to continue
with the patrol of the area.
In another flank, he said troops from the 25
and 26 Task Force Brigades, in conjunction
with Cameroonian forces, carried out
clearance operation against the insurgents
around Ngoshe village.
While the Cameroonian troops carried out
the clearance, their Nigerian counterparts
provided blocking forces at strategic points
where they decisively dealt with terrorists
that tried to escape, Mr Usman said.


http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/198381-nigerian-military-kills-many-terrorists-destroys-bomb-making-workshop.html

The Yobe State Government has said there is
no part of the state currently under the
occupation of the Boko Haram insurgents.
Governor Ibrahim Gaidam stated this in
Damaturu while receiving a delegation from
Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, who delivered
relief materials to the state.
Mr. Gaidam, who was represented by the
Secretary to the State Government, Baba
Malam-Wali, said the areas initially taken
over by the insurgents had been liberated by
the military.
“Presently, there is no part of the state that
is under the control of insurgency. Plans are
in the pipeline to relocate Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their
communities,” he said.
Mr. Gaidam said that the state had over
300,000 IDPs out of which 280,000 were
living in host communities.
“We are awaiting clearance from security
agencies who are mopping up the areas of
explosive devices to give us the go ahead to
commence relocation of the IDPs,” he said.
The governor commended the NPA for
providing assistance to support displaced
persons in the state.
Isa Suwaid, leader of the NPA delegation,
said the management assisted the IDPs with
immediate and basic needs to cushion their
hardships.
Mr. Isa said 150 mattresses, 500 pieces of
blanket, 200 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 100
bags of beans, 100 bags of maize; 100 bags
of millet and 1,500 nylon mats were donated
to the state through the National Emergency
Management Agency, NEMA.
Also, the Acting Chairman, Gujba Local
Government in the state, Mai Musa, said
people who fled the area due to the Boko
Haram insurgency, had returned to their
respective communities and engaged in
irrigation farming.
Mr. Musa disclosed this in an interview with
the News Agency of Nigeria in Damaturu.
He said residents of Wagir, Nyakire, Mutai,
Buni Gari, Gujba, Katarko and Garin Itace,
who fled their communities had mostly
returned.
“The people have engaged in irrigation
farming in most of the communities, while
business activities have picked up in the
village markets,” he said.
The chairman said except Buni Yadi,
headquarters of the local government, most
of the communities had returned and
engaged in various means of livelihood.
“As you know, Buni Yadi, has since been
liberated and occupied by the security but,
they have yet to be authorised by the
residents to return.
“Although the people are anxious to go back,
the security forces are still clearing the town
to ensure that it is free from explosive
devices that might have been planted by the
insurgents when they occupied the town,” he
said.
Mr. Musa also said trading activities had
improved in Wagir, adding, “we have
recorded increase in livestock trade in Wagir
after the liberation of the area’’.
He commended the military/civilian
relationship in the liberated communities,
saying it had strengthened mutual trust
between the army and the host
communities.
“Members of the host communities have
constituted vigilance groups working closely
with the army and this has recorded
tremendous success in identifying the
insurgents and effectively fighting them,” the
chairman said.
He said the resettlement of people in the
reclaimed areas had consolidated the
success recorded by the military over
insurgents.
He, however, lamented the destruction of
public and private structures in the affected
areas during the occupation of the
insurgents.
“Boreholes, schools, hospitals and private
properties were either burnt or vandalised.
“There is the urgent need for government,
international organisations, donor agencies
and philanthropists to contribute and
support the resettlement, reconstruction and
rehabilitation of the people,” the chairman
said.
(NAN)


http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/198406-yobe-fully-liberated-boko-haram-governor-gaidam.html

For almost 15 years, Nigerians have been yearning for the emergence of a good and courageous leader and there was no better time for President Buhari to return to power than now when our economy has been seriously pillaged and our treasury rendered nearly empty. President Buhari’s second coming at this unfortunate moment in our history is God-sent; he is on a divine mission to rescue our country. Therefore, I must commend President Buhari for the various measures he has thus far taken aimed at reforming the Nigerian economy and ridding our country of the destructive menace of corruption. Mr President is on the right course and may God Almighty grant him long life and good health to be able to implement his laudable vision for our dear country, Nigeria. Mr President, those of us in the Bureaux de Change business in Nigeria are happy with your efforts aimed at sanitising our business and the foreign exchange market by ridding it of imposters who ordinarily have no business in the Bureaux de Change business. We were therefore startled by your sad revelation in London last week that some top staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, owned BDCs and therefore were diverting most of the foreign exchange to their BDCs and depriving those of us who are legitimately in the business. It was deeply terrifying to hear that one such CBN director owns as many as 160 BDCs, which shows how low the CBN directors could descend in their efforts to sabotage their country. No doubt, this serious act of sabotage against Nigerians and their economy must not go unpunished; therefore, we strongly call on the need for a panel to investigate the involvement of CBN top shots in BDC operations as well as severe punishment for whoever is found guilty of using their public offices to sabotage our dear country. At this juncture, I will like to call on all fellow members of the Association of Bureaux de Change Operators of Nigeria, ABCON, to please exercise patience and restraint concerning the apex bank’s decision not to sell dollars to us, which has, no doubt, brought untold hardship on our members, and led to the loss of jobs by over 30,000 of our members, mostly youth. Our dear president has for long been someone who has Nigeria at heart and therefore means well for all Nigerians, irrespective of our North-South and Christian-Muslim divides; he cares not only for our generation but even generations yet unborn, which explains most of his actions. Therefore we should desist from attacking the person of the President or his lieutenants. We hope that once investigations into the unfortunate involvement of public officers in the BDC business have been concluded, the CBN will continue to give us foreign exchange so that those of us who have lost our jobs will be able to regain their jobs and therefore help Mr President’s agenda of creating employment for our teeming youth population. I also wish to seize this opportunity to call on Mr President to intervene and ensure our members have refunded the mandatory #35 million cautionary deposits the CBN requested us to apply for following its suspension of foreign exchange sales to BDCs. As although most ABCON members have properly applied for the refund of the cautionary deposit which was due to be made in two weeks, none of us has yet been refunded three weeks after. The government of President Buhari is ours and therefore we undoubtedly believe Mr President will not do anything that is tantamount to the survival of our legitimate businesses as law abiding citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Therefore, I wish to affirm my 100percent support to the president’s quest to sanitise BDC operations in Nigeria as well as call on fellow ABCON members to also do same.


http://leadership.ng/opinions/500552/applauding-buharis-economic-reforms

Few of Nigeria’s former military leaders
(dead or alive) are spoken of with any great
affection. General Murtala Ramat
Mohammed is one notable exception. The
period his government lasted is recalled with
nostalgia by many Nigerians as a golden
era.
Murtala, the only Nigerian leader
affectionately called by his first name, gave
Nigeria a glimpse of the principled, focused
and dynamic leadership that its citizens
crave for.
For many Nigerians who are 40 years and
under, however, the only knowledge of
Murtala they have is all they see of him on
the crispy N20 note, which has his face
emblazoned on it, from history books or
stories passed down from others who claim
to have known him.
The Man Murtala
Born in Kano on November 8, 1938, Murtala
Rufai Mohammed later changed his name
from Rufai to Ramat when he became Head
of State.
Like many northern elites, he attended
Barewa College in Zaria. He began his
military training in 1959 and was
commissioned into the Nigerian army as a
second lieutenant in 1961. Like so many
Nigerian army officers of his generation, he
trained at the Royal Military Academy at
Sandhurst, England.
Early in his career, Murtala was taught
military tactics by an eloquent and intelligent
Oxford University- educated officer named
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. Little did
teacher and student realise that, one day,
they would end up as protagonists on
opposing sides of the battlefield.
In 1962, Murtala served as a member of the
Nigerian-led United Nations’ peace-keeping
force in the Congo. Murtala specialised in
the army’s signals corps and was stationed
in Lagos where his uncle, Inuwa Wada,
served as the Federal Government’s Defence
Minister.
He was very decisive with issues and this
made his country men and women to be
immensely happy with his administration,
believing that, at long last, the country had
got a strong, decisive and uncompromising
leader; the one with the discipline and
tenacity to take the nation to the Promised
Land.
These qualities, perhaps, were the defining
tendencies that influenced a young Colonel,
Muhammadu Buhari, who would also come
to the rescue of the nation at a critical time
in her history.
On July 30, 1975, Murtala, now a general,
came to power as head of state and,
immediately, set out policies and
programmes that defined his government.
One of such was making Africa the centre-
piece of his government’s foreign policy – a
policy which was to add more bite to the
struggle for independence, especially, in
Southern Africa.
Within a short time, Murtala’s policies won
him broad and popular support. His
decisiveness elevated him to the status of a
folk hero. Sadly, his tenure was short-lived.
The nation woke up on the morning of
Friday, February 13, 1976, to the news that
he had been killed in a coup d’état led by
Colonel Buka Suka Dimka on February 13,
1976.
Influence On Buhari
Murtala started grooming the young Colonel
Muhammadu Buhari for leadership when he
made him governor of the North-eastern
region, which is now broken into six states:
Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba
and Yobe.
Long before that, a story is told of how, after
the counter-coup of July 1967, Murtala, then
a major in the army, marched the young
Lieutenant Buhari to then Colonel Yakubu
Gowon, who had just been made Head of
State. After saluting him, Murtala introduced
Buhari thus: “Sir, here is your ADC; don’t
look further if you are looking for a
competent, honest, dedicated, diligent and
focused officer for that position.”
Gowon, known for his joviality and good
humour, looked up at the young officer, who
stood at about 6’4” and laughingly, with
eyes twinkling, said: “Ah, my brother,
Murtala, when people see me and this man
they wouldn’t know who the Head of State
is.”
Based on Murtala’s recommendation of him,
Gowon made him the Brigade Major of the
Third Infantry Brigade, Makurdi, where he
served between July 1967 and October 1968.
The Brigade had broken down in terms of
structure and organisation, due to the effect
of the Civil War and, though he was a juniorr
officer, Buhari was able to rebuild and
reorganise the Command, instil discipline
and boost the morale of the soldiers.
He was later elevated to Brigade Major/
Commandant, 31st Infantry Brigade, where
he served between 1970 and 1971.
As governor, Buhari was part of a regime
that took on the fight against corruption,
indiscipline and indolence head-on. His
regime fought to purge the public service
and hold government officials accountable
for their stewardship.
Murtala’s very thought-challenging quotes
and catch-phrases outlived him and, to this
day, some of these phrases, like: “Fellow
Nigerians” and “with immediate effect” are
now a part of the national lexicon.
“Africa has come of age…,” the crux of a
speech delivered by Murtala on the 11th of
January, 1976 at an extraordinary meeting of
the OAU became an anthem to leftist
activists and students in the late ‘70s and
‘80s in the heat of the struggle for
independence in Africa.
Repeating the mantra of military
governments, Murtala declared his
government a “corrective regime” that would
tackle the corruption that was increasingly
infecting government institutions.
Enter Buhari
When then Major General Muhammadu
Buhari became Head of State after the coup
of December 31, 1983, his deputy, late Major
General Tunde Idiagbon, in telling Nigerians
that their regime was an off-shoot of the
Murtala/Obasanjo regime, promised that
they would correct what they found wrong in
the country.
In Buhari’s first coming, as it is now, public
officers of previous regimes were made to
account for their past actions or inactions.
In 1984, Buhari, in whipping up the fervour
for patriotism in Nigerians, said: “Indeed, this
generation and future generations of
Nigerians have no other country to call their
own; we shall remain here and salvage it
together.”
The phrase which has taken everyone’s
fancy is one from his inaugural speech in
May, 2015: “I belong to everybody but I
belong to nobody.”



http://leadership.ng/news/500342/murtala-ramat-mohammed-40-years-influenced-buhari

Born in Kano on November 8, 1938, Murtala Rufai Mohammed later changed his name from Rufai to Ramat when he became Head of State. Like many northern elites, he attended Barewa College in Zaria. He began his military training in 1959 and was commissioned into the Nigerian army as a second lieutenant in 1961. Like so many Nigerian army officers of his generation, he trained at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, England. Early in his career, Murtala was taught military tactics by an eloquent and intelligent Oxford University- educated officer named Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. Little did teacher and student realise that, one day, they would end up as protagonists on opposing sides of the battlefield. In 1962, Murtala served as a member of the Nigerian-led United Nations’ peace-keeping force in the Congo. Murtala specialised in the army’s signals corps and was stationed in Lagos where his uncle, Inuwa Wada, served as the Federal Government’s Defence Minister. He was very decisive with issues and this made his country men and women to be immensely happy with his administration, believing that, at long last, the country had got a strong, decisive and uncompromising leader; the one with the discipline and tenacity to take the nation to the Promised Land. These qualities, perhaps, were the defining tendencies that influenced a young Colonel, Muhammadu Buhari, who would also come to the rescue of the nation at a critical time in her history. On July 30, 1975, Murtala, now a general, came to power as head of state and, immediately, set out policies and programmes that defined his government. One of such was making Africa the centre- piece of his government’s foreign policy – a policy which was to add more bite to the struggle for independence, especially, in Southern Africa. Within a short time, Murtala’s policies won him broad and popular support. His decisiveness elevated him to the status of a folk hero. Sadly, his tenure was short-lived. The nation woke up on the morning of Friday, February 13, 1976, to the news that he had been killed in a coup d’état led by Colonel Buka Suka Dimka on February 13, 1976.

received my own around 10:25 pm access bank kd

received my own around 10:25 pm access bank kd

joblessness

.

KANO —Residents of Kofar Waika quarters
have requested the Kano State Government
to demolish the residence of late
Muhammad Turi that has been converted to
a shrine by Shi’ite members in the state.
The residents, under the aegis of Kofar
Waika Community Elders Committee, in a
strongly worded petition to the state
government and signed by Alhaji Lawan
Waika, stated that “none of the residents of
Waika area is of the Shi’ite sect” but
explained that “since the Shi’ites’ clash with
the military at Zaria in December 2015, we
have been witnessing the presence and
movement of strange faces in and out of the
area” – the Waika area is where the
residence of the deputy leader of the sect,
Mallam Muhammad Turi, who was killed in
the December clash, is located.
The residents also revealed in the petition
that “Shi’ite members organize preaching
sessions and they disrespect constituted
authority in the process; they also disrespect
the traditional rulers and members of the
security agencies and also incite their
followers to carry out violent acts”.
The late Turi’s residence, which is alleged to
have been converted to a shrine, is located
on the northern plain of Goron Dutse hill,
behind the residence of Sheik Isyaku Rabiu.
But in a swift reaction, the Islamic
Movement of Nigeria, IMN, the main Shi’ite
sect in the country, dismissed the call for
demolition of Turi’s residence, describing it
as a “peak of mischief”.
In a statement circulated and made available
to Sunday Vanguard in Kano, and signed by
Dr. Dauda Nalado, IMN said that what is
being referred to as shrine serves as “Kano
Markaz” of IMN.
Dr Nalado, who is a university don, in the
statement, noted that “the Islamic Center has
been in the neighborhood for the past 13
years and in over a decade of its existence
there has never been a single report of any
criminal activity by the neighbours of the
center.”
He maintained that “for anybody to claim
that members of the Islamic Movement are
engaged in dangerous activities is malicious,
mischievous and a blatant lie”.
The statement further called on the Kano
State Government to “disregard such
malicious claims perpetrated by mischief
makers bent on brewing sectarian
sentiments that will be detrimental to
peaceful coexistence in the state”.
He further stressed “The Islamic Movement
for the past 40 years has been the most
tolerant of all groups and associations within
the Islamic community in the country,
therefore for someone to associate us with
violence is the peak of mischief”.
A visit to the contentious structure at Kofar
Waika quarters 300metres from a police
station revealed stern-looking malnourished
middle aged men keeping vigil.




http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/01/tension-kano-residents-call-demolition-shiite-shrine/

pmb is making us proud. sai Buhari

MILITANTS continued bombing of oil installations, last night, in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The details were still sketchy this morning, but it was learned that they blew up the Abiteye flow station and Sagara to Chevron pipelines.

“Some of are already trapped in our communities because of the bombings, the target for now may be Chevron facilities,” a worried riverside dweller told Vanguard.

More details coming





http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/01/breaking/

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in
Akwa Ibom State suffered a set back
Tuesday with the defection of more than
5000 of it’s members in Obot Akara Local
Government Area to the All Progressives
Congress (APC).
The event also witnessed the official
commissioning of the Obot Akara APC
chapter Secretariat office as well a reception
in honour of Barr Austin Mbeh, who recently
won his case at the Court of Appeal.
The court nullified the April 11,2015 Ikot
Ekpene / Obot Akara State Constituency
election and ordered the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) to
withdraw the Certificate of Return earlier
issued Idongesit Ntepere of the PDP and
conduct fresh polls within 90 days.
Addressing the mammoth crowd at the
event, Barr. Mbeh thanked his people for the
show of love and support during the
campaign, through the election and litigation
process.
He assured his constituents that not only
will the APC win the rerun as ordered by the
court but that he will not relent in his
determination to provide effective and
people centered representation as their
representative.
He advised his constituents not to be
deceived by the PDP, describing the PDP as
“dead and buried”. He reiterated the
determination of the Buhari led
administration to reform the electoral system
and reposition the economy for the good of
the people.
He maintained that the era of electoral
impunity is over.
Also speaking, the political leader of the area
and former member of the House of
Representative, Abom Tony Esu, thanked the
people of Obot Akara, Ikot Ekpene and
Essien Using for “seeing the truth and
embracing the light”.
He described the defection of former PDP
members to the APC as the pathway to
liberation.
He admonished his constituents to keep faith
with the party and give their unalloyed
support to Barr. Austin Mbeh and Umana
Umana to win the forthcoming rerun and
redeem the Constituency and the state.
Receiving the PDP decampees, the Akwa
Ibom North West senatorial district chairman
of the APC, Sir Kufre Inyangette, thanked
them for “seeing the light of salvation”.
He assured them of equal rights and
privileges as they “join the family of
Progressives to redeem the state”.
He noted that though the APC is not a party
that shares money to people to the
detriment of the poor masses, the party will
ensure that the welfare of the people is a
topmost priority in line with the change
mantra.
Also speaking, a chieftain of the APC and
former chairman of PDP chapter chairmen in
Akwa Ibom State, Chief Sunny Ibanga,
thanked the people of Obot Akara for
believing in the APC and assured them of his
determination to protect the interest of both
the party and party members in the Federal
Constituency.
He admonished the people not to sell their
PVC to anyone as that remains their weapon
to vote out the PDP in the next few months.
He maintained that the rerun will be a test of
power between the people and impunity.
He donated executive chairs, a locker and
tables for use at the newly commissioned
APC chapter office in Obot Akara with a
qpledge to ensure that all chapter offices in
the federal Constituency remain the best
furnished in the state.
The decampees promised to support Chief
Umana Umana, Barrister Mbeh and other
APC candidates in the state.
Goodwill messages were received from party
faithfuls which included a former state
chairman of the PDP; Engr Essien Ibok, Ini
Okopido, Engr. Akanimo Eket, Fabian Ekpo,
former chairman of Essien Udim LGA; Barr
Martin Umanah, Tiebet Joshua, Donatus
Ebere APC chairman Essien Udim, Rev. Ubon
Usoro, Mr. Joe Umoren among others.





http://www.leadership.ng/news/487603/akwa-ibom-pdp-suffers-setback-5000-members-defect-apc

TedBaker:
haba dan uwa, el rufai bai damu da rights na talaka ba fa. Y shld he demolish a settlement wifout plans 2 resettle dis poor masses?

but party priority should be first.

just report him to a nearest police station. case closed

am very disappointed with senator shehu sani. am realy regreting voting him.

The Tudun Wada ward of the All Progressives
Congress in Kaduna State, on Monday, suspended
the senator representing Kaduna Central
Senatorial zone, Shehu Sani, from the party.
The senator is a registered member of the party
from the ward.
In a letter to the senator dated December 27, the
party said the suspension is for a period of 11
months.
Mr. Sani was also banned from engaging in party
activities in Kaduna State during the period of
suspension.
The letter was signed by the Secretary of the
ward, Ahmed Abdulhamid, the Public Relations
Officer, Auwal Mai Anguwa, and ex-officio
member, Aminu Alilan.
The party listed Mr. Sani’s offences to include,
uttering statements that allegedly “violate the
rules of engagement of the party, factionalizing
the party, and engaging in anti-party activities by
criticizing the policies of Governor Nasir El-Rufai.”
“Hardly a week passes by that his group will not
be on air criticizing and challenging the enduring
legacies of Mallam Nasir ElRufai, that his
statement on national issues is not in conformity
with that of the state government and
government of Kaduna State,” the statement read.
The state chapter of the APC also said the
senator had chosen to remain in constant
confrontation with the government of Kaduna
State.
When contacted, an aide of Mr. Sani, Suleiman
Ahmed, said it was clear that those who wrote
the letter were ignorant of the laws guiding the
APC.
He said they were out to stop the senator from
voicing his views about what he considers the
anti-people policies of Governor El-Rufai’s
administration.
“They are toeing the line of the state secretariat
of the party,” Mr. Ahmed said. “So our reaction is
that those that wrote this letter are ignorant of
the party’s constitution and they are dancing to
the tune of the state executive of the party and
Governor Nasir El-Rufai.”





http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/195851-kaduna-apc-suspends-senator-shehu-sani.html

this was yesterdays news na. why repeating it again. it was on front page yesterday. the mod is drunk

.

A buja, Nigeria, Dec 27 2015: Former Vice
President and chieftain of All Progressives
Congress (APC) Atiku Abubakar advises political
mischief makers to allow him enjoy his peace and
desist from sinister propaganda designed to draw
a wedge between him and President Muhammadu
Buhari, in order to cause needless distrust and
distractions in the President's government.
Reacting to insinuations by what he called
"political mischief makers and enemies of unity",
who alleges that he has been hosting political
meetings at Burj Al-Arab, Dubai, the former Vice
President says contrary to the rumours being
bandied around by political opponents, he is
currently in Dubai with his family for
physiotherapy on his injured knee.
A press statement released by his media office in
Abuja on Sunday, 27 December 2015 and signed
by his Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe says the
former Vice President is embarrassed by the
deliberate falsehoods being spread against him by
political opponents who are bent on causing
distraction for President Buhari at a time all
energies should be channelled into helping the
President actualise his change agenda.
Describing rumour mongers as "ill-motivated
busybodies that don't wish the country well", the
Turaki Adamawa explains that his medical
treatment is his private affairs, which should not
be politicised by anybody to achieve sinister
objectives.
Atiku Abubakar says he is entitled to enjoy his
private life, including the right to attend to his
health, without being harassed and lied against
by political opponents.
Contrary to the insinuations by political
opponents, the former Vice President says the
success of the Buhari administration has been his
preoccupation, and that any true APC member
should have the same zeal.
According to him, rumour mongers that seek to
cause distrust and distraction in Buhari's
government do not mean well for the APC
administration.
The former Vice President says with the
challenges of providing good governance for the
country and creating job opportunities for
Nigerians, including reducing the impact of
poverty, President Buhari needs all the goodwill
and support in this endeavour.
"Whether at home or abroad, the Turaki is
preoccupied with his unassailable support to
President Buhari and his administration, especially
in this critical time, as it works assiduously to
turn the fortunes of our dear country around and
make Nigeria work for the greater good of
Nigerians".
According to Atiku, rumour mongers and mischief
makers are toxic to the progress of the APC and
the country at large, adding that the campaigns
are gone, and therefore, all energies should be
constructively devoted to the success of the
Buhari administration.
"This is yet another plot of the enemies of our
country and democracy to divide, divert attention
and distract the APC in its avowed commitment
to secure the country, provide jobs for the mass
of unemployed youths, build needed critical
infrastructure, enthrone a regime of probity and
accountability and pull the country out of the
economic woods it has been consigned to by
locust years of mismanagement."
Signed:
Mazi Paul Ibe






http://saharareporters.com/2015/12/27/leave-me-enjoy-my-peace-atiku-tells-mischief-makers

A nother catastrophe was averted in Kaduna State
and other contiguous areas when troops of the
Nigerian Army arrested 7 suspected Boko Haram
terrorists bomb and Improvised Explosive making
Devices (IEDs) specialists.
An unexploded bomb recently recovered by
Nigerian troops
The terrorists were arrested in Kaduna after
painstaking surveillance and proactive intelligence
operations over a period of time.
From all indications, the suspects were in Kaduna
to conduct suicide bombings, kill and maim
innocent citizens in the state and other
surrounding areas during the Christmas period.
Recall that recently in Maiduguri some of them
were arrested while trying to detonate IEDs
carried in food containers in public places.
The arrest of these suspects would no doubt
assist in the fight against terrorism in the country,
more so as the military have technically defeated
the Boko Haram terrorists in the field, the
terrorists have resorted to attacking soft targets
through suicide bombings, IEDs and harassing
attacks on isolated communities.
Therefore, the public is please requested to
continue to be more vigilant and security
conscious by reporting suspicious persons and
their movements to security agencies.
This request has become necessary because the
terrorists have resorted to mingling with the
public across the country after sensing the futility
of their encounter with troops in the northeast.
Therefore, they adopt other methods of
perpetuating violence in the society.
Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman
Acting Director Army Public Relations

http://saharareporters.com/2015/12/27/boko-haram-terrorists-bomb-experts-nabbed

may god bless gen. Azazi of blessed memory for telling us pdp is Boko haram and Boko haram is pdp. imagine pdp and its members sharing fund mean for arms procurement. thank god we witnessed a first christmas without bomb blast since six years back.

President Muhammadu Buhari has once again reiterated the resolve of his administration to persuade Boko Haram insurgents to accept peace. Speaking at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja when the FCT Christian Community paid him a Christmas homage, President Buhari said his administration will use government institutions to persuade the insurgents to allow peace to reign. LEADERSHIP recalls that on Thursday that President Buhari in an interview with the BBC, declared that Nigeria has “technically won the war” against Boko Haram. According to him, Boko Haram insurgents have been sent away from Yobe and Adamawa states and now remain a force in its heartland of Borno state. However, with the latest statement from the president, it seems the President is using the carrot and stick approach in the fight against the insurgents with this new window of opportunity for negotiations with the Boko Haram sect. His words: “On Boko Haram, this government is determined to make sure that we persuade them if they can be persuaded, we will use government institutions to persuade them to allow peace to reign. “We appreciate that security agencies are doing their best and it is showing, and we have to continue praying for them.” He stressed that there can be no development without security, adding that they have to continue to pray for the security agencies. President Buhari also recalled that from the analysis of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the campaign, the three biggest problems the party discovered are security, unemployment of youths which make up 65 per cent of the population and 65 per cent of them are unemployed. The other challenges, according to him are “bribery and corruption”. We are not too happy but we are happy that our analysis of the problems have not been challenged.” He maintained that as leaders, they have a weighty responsibility to ensure that infrastructure for the orphans are taken care of. “If we have 2million people IDPs and 70 per cent are women and children and some of them are orphans, they grew up not knowing their parents. “As leaders, we wake with the feeling for those children, the most important thing is that they must not be denied education; schools must be rebuilt. We also thank Danjuma and the G7 led by the U.S., they have been doing their best to help Nigeria to train our military “. He also expressed appreciation for the visit from the Christian leaders, adding that, “I am pleased that all the communities are well represented, I don’t know what kind of host I have as I don’t get to move around freely”. President Buhari appealed to Nigerians to come together and pull the country out of this problem. “Everybody in the world believes that Nigeria is a lucky country because of its natural resources. Our problem is how to organise ourselves and how to get the right leadership in place.”


http://leadership.ng/news/486585/will-persuade-boko-haram-accept-amnesty-pmb