By Doris Esa

The driver, who was wounded in the attack that led to the killing of former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, is alive and recuperating as investigation into the incident is substantially progressing.

” ….. the driver is alive and recuperating extremely well at one of our Nigeria Air Froce Hospitals,’’ the Director of Public Relations and Information of Nigeria Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, confirmed.

Daramola said some of the reports erroneously stated that the driver of the late former CDS, who was also shot during the incident, was dead.

He appealed to those spreading misinformation about the unfortunate incident that led to the death of Badeh to stop.

He said spreading of erroneous reports and comments in the media on the incident could have adverse effects on the conduct of ongoing operations.

He noted that other reports alleged that adequate security was not provided for the deceased Air Chief Marshal.

The NAF stated that nothing could be further from the truth.

” Air Chief Marshal Badeh has always been provided with the full complement of personal staff and security personnel commensurate with his status as a former Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), CDS and a 4-star general in the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” he said.

NAF stated that substantial progress had already been made in the investigation and details would be communicated at the appropriate time.

” As mentioned by the CAS, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, on Dec. 19, the NAF is working closely with other relevant security agencies to determine the circumstances surrounding the death of the former CDS.

“This is with a view to ensuring that the perpetrators of the heinous act are brought to justice.

” Substantial progress has already been made in the ongoing investigation and details would be communicated at the appropriate time.

” The NAF wishes to request that the spreading of misinformation about the incident should stop forthwith as this could have adverse effects on the conduct of ongoing operations,” NAF stated.

The news agency of Nigeria confirmed Badeh died from gunshot injuries sustained when his vehicle was attacked while returning from his farm on Abuja-Keffi road on Tuesday.

https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/21/conspiracy-driver-of-slain-ex-defense-chief-alive-investigations-underway/

3. Checking sections
4. The new terminal adorned with a Christmas tree

1. The official tape cutting
2. Airport officials walking past

President Muhammadu Buhari has commissioned the new Terminal at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Speaking at the event, Buhari assured that the Federal Government would remain committed to developing Nigeria to regional air transportation hub, thereby assuming its leadership in the aviation sub-sector in Africa.

“You will recall that on the 25th October, 2018, I commissioned Port Harcourt International Airport Terminal, the president added.

During the event, the Honourable Minister of State (Aviation) stated that the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Terminal, Abuja, would be completed and ready for commissioning before the end of the year.

“Today, that promise has been kept. I wish to commend the Honourable Minister and his team for a job well done, Buhari added.

The president expressed delight at the progress being made in both the airports and sea ports on the implementation of the Executive Order on the Ease of Doing Business.

See photos below:
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/20/photo-splash-as-buhari-commissions-new-international-airport-terminal/

Photo- Cross section of American congressmen

Photo- Nigerians protesting against activities of Fulani herdsmen

After an event on Capitol Hill sponsored by the Save the Persecuted Christians campaign, a national coalition working to raise grassroots awareness in America about the mistreatment of Christians, Dr. Benjamin Argak Kwashi, the bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Jos and archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of Jos in the Church of Nigeria, told newsmen in the US capital that “The Nigerian government is able to provide protection [to the Christians], but what’s obvious to everybody is that the government is unwilling.”

“The Fulani herdsmen are a bigger threat,” Kwashi added. “Boko Haram operates in the northeast and scantily moves into other areas, but the Fulani herdsmen are widespread. They’re everywhere now. So the Fulani are a bigger threat.”

In July, the American news agency Breitbart reportedly spoke to various analysts and experts who believe Muslim terrorists from the Fulani herdsmen group and Boko Haram are competing for the title of the most deadly terrorist group in Nigeria.

The latest Global Terrorism Index released by the Institute for Economics and Peace think-tank early this month, revealed.

In Nigeria in 2018, there has been a dramatic increase in violence involving Fulani extremists even as deaths committed by Boko Haram are falling. In 2017, Boko Haram was the deadliest group in Nigeria, with both terrorism deaths and attacks increasing over the prior year. Deaths increased by 34 percent to 1,022 while attacks increased by 62 percent to 222 according to Breitbart sources.

The Fulani extremists were less active in 2017 than the prior year with terrorism deaths dropping by 60 percent to 321, and attacks dropping by 51 percent to 72. However, preliminary data for 2018 suggests that there has been a significant increase in violence committed by Fulani extremists. Together, Boko Haram and the Fulani extremists are responsible for 63 per cent of terror attacks and 88 per cent of terror-related deaths in Nigeria.

Although Boko Haram mainly carries out its attacks in Muslim-majority regions, the group is known to target Christians, though it has also sent child suicide bombers to attack Shiite mosques and populated marketplaces of mixed religious populations. Meanwhile, Fulani terrorists primarily go after followers of Christ.

According to Open Door’s latest annual World Watch List, Nigeria is among the top 15 worst countries for Christian persecution.

In 2018, clashes between Muslim Fulani herders and Christian-majority farmers from the Berom ethnic group in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, intensified, prompting the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to accuse the Muslim group of committing genocide.

This year, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), the top pro-Fulani group in Nigeria, tacitly justified the heinous atrocities against mainly Christian farmers, calling the attacks “retaliatory” and equating the life of a human being to that of a cow, the pro-Christain World Watch Monitor (WWM) noted.

Fulani herdsmen often accuse the Christian farmers of stealing their cattle. Echoing other analysts, CAN blasted the Fulani rhetoric painting the fatalities as “revenge killings” over the theft of cattle.

Critics have accused Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who shares his ethnicity with the Fulani, of downplaying and even condoning the attacks by the Muslim group.

At the Capitol Hill event Wednesday, Rep. Ron Estes (R-KS) joined other concerned citizens, including Frank Gaffney, a founding member of the Save the Persecuted Christians Coalition, and former Republican Congressman from Virginia Frank Wolf to urge U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to appoint a special envoy to the Nigerian region to help protect Christians who are being murdered, kidnapped and attacked in what many describe as “pure genocide.”

https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/20/appoint-special-envoy-to-protect-christians-in-nigeria-us-congressmen-urge-donald-trump/

Photo- A crude oil facility

Oil prices have fallen more than 4 percent on Thursday, hitting their lowest in more than a year on worries about oversupply and the outlook for energy demand as a U.S. interest rate rise knocked various stock markets.

The news agency, Reuters had earlier reported that Stock markets dropped worldwide after the U.S. Federal Reserve raised rates and maintained most of its guidance for additional hikes over the next two years, dashing investor hopes for a more dovish policy outlook.

U.S. light crude oil CLc1 fell $2.35 a barrel, or 4.9 percent, to a low of $45.82, before recovering a little to around $46.50 by 1020 GMT. Both major oil futures contracts rallied sharply on Wednesday but are now at or close to their lowest levels for over 15 months, more than 30 percent below multi-year highs reached at the beginning of October.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other oil producers including Russia agreed this month to curb output by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) in an attempt to drain tanks and boost prices.

But the cuts will not happen until next month, and production has been at or near record highs in the United States, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said he expected global oil stocks to fall by the end of the first quarter, but added that the market remained vulnerable to political and economic factors as well as speculation.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/20/oil-price-slumps-to-new-lowest-this-year/

A Nigerian Santa Claus has been seen in a video shared online, doing the popular leg work and other reigning dance steps. The Santa Claus was spotted on a stage which appears to be owned by an unidentified branch of RCCG.


See video below
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/19/see-nigerian-santa-doing-the-leg-work-dance-in-rcgg-church/

More pictures, Sanwo-olu seen confiding in top members of the campaign team

Photo- Top members of the Sanwo-olu campaign team arriving London

The Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu campaign organization has reportedly arrived the United Kingdom ahead of a planned diaspora visitation.

The visiting team comprises of the campaign DG, Mr. Tayo Ayinde, the Deputy Gubernatorial candidate, Obafemi Hamzat and other high profile members of the campaign organization.

Stay tuned for more details:
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/19/sanwo-olu-campaign-train-arrives-uk-for-diaspora-visitation/

Photo- Jimi Agbaje at a conference

In a reaction to the brief suspension of the controversial Lekki toll by the APC Guber candidate Babajide Sanwo-olu yesterday, the Lagos PDP candidate has said his position remains the same. In a tweet via his official handle, he said:

“First the PEOPLE spoke against the tolls but they weren’t listened to. Now they suspend the tolls for a few of hours so that they can speak to you, the PEOPLE, about how well they are listening to you. Something isn’t right“.

My position has not changed. I’ll scrap the the tolls” he added.

Source:
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/19/agbaje-reacts-to-sanwo-olus-suspension-of-lekki-toll-says-his-position-remains-the-same/

Few months ago, England voted for Brexit, by 53.4% to 46.6%. Wales also voted for Brexit, with Leave getting 52.5% of the vote and Remain 47.5%. Scotland and Northern Ireland both backed staying in the EU. Scotland backed Remain by 62% to 38%, while 55.8% in Northern Ireland voted Remain and 44.2% Leave.

Away from statistics, for the UK to actually leave the EU it had to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty which gives the two sides two years to agree the terms of the split. Theresa May triggered this process on 29 March, 2017, meaning the UK is scheduled to leave at 11pm UK time on Friday, 29 March 2019.

However, A European court has ruled that the UK can decide to stop the process. Alternatively it can be extended if all 28 EU members agree, but at the moment all sides are focusing on that date as being the key one, and Theresa May has put it into British law.

The UK is due to leave the European Union on 29 March, 2019 – it’s the law, regardless of whether there is a deal with the EU or not, the BBC reported earlier. Stopping Brexit would require a change in the law in the UK. The European Court of Justice ruled on 10 December 2018 that the UK could cancel the Article 50 Brexit process without the permission of the other 27 EU members, and remain a member of the EU on its existing terms, provided the decision followed a “democratic process”.

Prime Minister Theresa May has warned Conservative MPs thinking of voting against the deal she has reached with the EU that they risk “no Brexit at all”. This is a reference to another referendum, which is backed by the SNP, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru the Green Party, a small number of Conservatives and larger group of Labour MPs, who want the public to be given the final say, with the option to remain in the EU. They are trying to get the Labour leadership to back them – but party leader Jeremy Corbyn wants to try and force a general election first.

https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/19/uk-to-leave-eu-11pm-friday-29-march/

All of the crew kidnapped by pirates from a container ship off the coast of Nigeria in October, including eight Polish nationals, are safe and will be reunited with their families, Poland’s Foreign Ministry has said in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement read thus:

“We would like to thank the shipowner, its co-workers and advisers for their professional handling of this difficult matter. We are grateful also to the Nigerian authorities.”

The attackers targeted the MV Pomerenia Sky, a container ship owned by Midocean (IOM) Ltd and headed for the Nigerian port of Onne, in October. Piracy in the gulf of Guinea has been a top security issue for years in that region.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/19/polish-crew-kidnapped-by-pirates-in-october-regain-freedom-in-nigeria/

A presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu has revealed via his twitter handle that president Muhammadu Buhari is currently on a one-day official trip to Zinder, the Republic of Niger to participate in the programme of activities marking the 60th anniversary of the formal Proclamation of the Republic of Niger. He will be back to Abuja later today.

https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/18/buhari-departs-for-niger-on-a-one-day-official-trip/

More reactions

The self acclaimed top musician, actor and writer revealed via his official twitter handle that he is ready for the long anticipated collaboration with his one time rival Speed Darlington.

See reactions:
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/18/nigerian-comic-actors-vic-o-and-speed-darlington-finally-set-for-long-anticipated-collabo/

Photo credit- council on foreign relations

The weekly security tracker is a publication by the American based think tank Council on foreign relations.

Below is last week’s timeline compiled by John Campbell. It is a visualization and description of some of the most significant incidents relating to political violence in Nigeria from December 8 to 14, 2018. This update also represents violence related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.

December 8: Boko Haram killed two soldiers in Bama, Borno.
December 8: Four were killed in a cult clash in Lagos State.
December 10: Rival gangs killed three civilians and lost four of their own in Lagos State.
December 10: A cult clash resulted in four deaths in Makurdi, Benue.
December 11: Gunmen abducted eighteen passengers from a bus in Emohua, Rivers.
December 12: Police killed a would-be suicide bomber before she could detonate in Maiduguri, Borno. Boko Haram was suspected.
December 13: Nigerian troops killed two bandits in Chafe LGA and six bandits in Zurmi LGA in Zamfara.
December 14: Boko Haram killed twelve soldiers in Kukawa, Borno.

https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/18/nigeria-security-tracker-last-weeks-update/

Some N-Power volunteers on Monday, December 17th stormed Kaduna Local Government Board to protest over the non-payment of five months’ salary owed to them in 2017.

Accusing the Kaduna state government of not been sympathetic to their plight, Abubakar Aliyu on behalf of the protesters also said they were engaged in November 2017, and since their confirmation in August 2018, no salary has been paid to them.

Aliyu alleged that some of them who were close to the people in government were paid only for the month of November, leaving others helplessly.

The protesters called on the Kaduna state government to look into their plight and help ease their situation.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/17/n-power-volunteers-protest-over-5-months-of-unpaid-salaries-in-kaduna/

More reactions:

A young lady has recounted on Twitter how she and others were duped at today’s Atiku/PDP rally in Lagos. In a video shared on the social network site, the lady accused the organisers of the rally of not fulfilling their promise to pay attendees 10 thousand naira each.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/17/atiku-pdp-rally-organisers-refused-to-pay-us-our-10k-young-lady-cries-out/

Watch video here:
https:///pawHGw-16

See twitter reactions below:

The APC Lagos Guber candidate Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu as stated that as a former commissioner of establishment, training, and pensions, he started the first pension commission anywhere in Nigeria, stressing the fact that he has always been in the system.

Clearing the air on his controversial emergence as governorship candidate in Lagos, the APC candidate told Channels TV yesterday that those complaining shouldn’t cry more than the bereaved.

“You can not start an agenda of politics if the right atmosphere is not ripe. There is no need for me raising my hand two-three years ago, if there is no vacancy, if there is no means, if there is no time that says that this is time for you to start” Sanwo-Olu stated. It was when they said we should start that I started. It is just that all of us need to take it out of our blocked brains that if you don’t know somebody and you now know somebody, you would be wondering where does this guy appear from? The Guber candidate charged!

“I have always been there. I have done a lot of things which are not directly attributable to me but which we need to bring out now” he further remarked.

https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/13/i-set-up-nigerias-first-pension-commission-sanwo-olu-reveals/

The Chinese government has arrested a Canadian businessman Michael Spavor alleging suspicion of harming its national security in what seems to be a provoked retaliation over the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou. The Chinese government’s official news site confirmed Mr Spavor is being investigated after a Canadian official reported the whereabouts of the business man unknown.

However, US president Donald Trump is facing backlash for saying he may intervene in the delicate case involving Huawei’s CFO if it might translate to helping Washington secure a trade deal with Beijing. The Canadian Foreign Minister advised the white house not to politicize extradition cases, saying that the legal process should not be hijacked for political reasons.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/13/china-arrests-canadian-business-man-as-trump-faces-backlash-for-trying-to-intervene-in-huaweis-cfos-arrest/

Ijeoma Nwokonko

In a July publication of the world health organization released by spectator index, Nigeria ranked 5th place in suicides per 100,000 (its highest rate since independence). While it is true that depression or generally speaking mental illness is the prime cause of suicide, Nigeria’s rising suicide rates actually stem from its recent levels of unprecedented economic hardship. From monitored cases in 2018 which included Nigerians jumping off a popular bridge in Lagos (3rd mainland bridge) to cases of suicide by poison and to the most recent case of the Ekiti civil servant who hung himself on a tree. All the reasons gathered have revolved around depression emanating from financial crisis. In a country where a significant percentage of the population live well below the minimum wage, the stated reasons are not unexpected. In a survey by NOI polls limited, it was identified that about 31% of deaths in Nigeria are caused by poverty and malnutrition. In a nationally representative epidemiological study, Gureje et al investigated suicidal related outcomes and discovered that among 6752 adults, suicidal ideation, plan and attempt stood at 3.2%, 1% and 0.7% respectively.
With recent statistics by the NBS alleging an improvement in economic performance, we hope to see a fall in suicide related deaths in 2019.

https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/13/economic-hardship-responsible-for-nigerias-rising-suicide-rate-study/

The Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt on Wednesday confirmed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State will not field any candidates during the 2019 General elections as it dismissed the appeal filed by the factional Governorship Candidate of the APC in the state, Mr Tonye Cole.

The Court also confirmed the judgment of Justice Chinwendu Nwogu that Rivers State has no ward executives, local government executives and State Executives as it dismissed the appeal filed by Sacked Rivers State APC State Chairman, Mr Ojukaye Flag-Amachree.

The court also ruled on the substantive appeal number CA/PH/19 bordering on Justice Nwogu’s judgement, the panel ruled that the Ojukaye faction failed to seek leave of court before appealing against the judgement, hence justice Yahaya ruled that the judgement delivered at the lower court was a consent judgement, adding that Ojukaye faction should have done the needful legally before approaching the court.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/13/apc-has-no-candidate-in-rivers-state-court-insists/

The Fulani socio-cultural association, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore (MAKH), has prayed the Federal Government to intervene and compel the Benue State Government to desist from harassing, intimidating and dispossessing its members of their livelihood source. This is an indirect protest against the activities of the Benue state livestock guards who are responsible for the enforcement of the Benue Anti-Open Grazing Law recently passed by the state house of assembly.

The national president of the sociocultural group told journalists yesterday that Benue state was not represented at the just concluded national delegates confetence because the Fulani residents in Benue state are have been internallY displaced and are thus taking refuge in neighbouring states.

The national president alleged that well over 300 of the association's members have been jailed due to the anti grazing laws.
https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/12/we-are-being-harassed-and-intimidated-miyetti-allah-cries-out/

The movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB yestetday declared that all Igbos residing in diaspora and especially in the Northern parts of Nigeria must return home during the 2019 general elections. This is coming contrary to an earlier communique released by an Igbo sociocultural group IDA “Igbo delegate forum” who had earlier insisted that all diaspora Igbos must not return to their homeland but stay back to exercise their franchise.
In a press statement released yesterday, MASSOB stated that IDA had no right to issue a marching order to Ndigbo residing in the Northern parts of Nigeria.

https://insiderpostonline./2018/12/12/massob-faults-ida-says-igbos-must-return-home-during-election/

Waymo is a self-driving subsidiary of Alphabet. The commercial autonomous ride-hailing service was first launched in the Phoenix suburbs this December in what appears to be a breakthrough in the self-driving technology that has been worked on for almost a decade now.
Photo credit- cnet.com

To start with, only members of an elite test club “The early riders” will be allowed to use Waymo one, these people serve as a focus group for further understanding the self-driving taxi. The privileged early Riders have actually been testing various prototypes of the company’s autonomous vehicles since last year. Now some of these riders will now move to test the much anticipated “Waymo One”.
Besides the recently announced self diving taxi, the company’s self driving Chrysler pacifica minivan has been around for a while.
The taxi company Waymo has not released any information on when exactly it plans to roll out the 21st century taxi scheme to the general public. This might not be unconnected with the fact that further research and tests are still being conducted as regards the viability of the scheme.
As it stands, Wamos taxis are not totally driverless yet but the company has pledged it will eventually offer driverless rides in the nearest future.
https://technubonline./2018/12/11/meet-waymo-one-the-first-self-driving-taxi-service/

Coinciding with the Qualcomm Snapdragon technology summit earlier this month, Samsung announced it will be releasing a 5G smartphone on the Verizon network in 2019.
Photo credit- Digital trends

Although LG and Sprint had disclosed of their own collaboration sometimes in August, the possibility of rolling out a 5G enabled device, but the South Korean phone maker immediately announced it was planning to release a 5G version of its latest device “Galaxy S 10”. This is also coming after the American tech giant Apple announced that 5G enabled iPhones will not come on board until 2020.
https://technubonline./2018/12/11/set-to-release-its-flagship-5g-devices-next-year-is-samsung-winning-apple-in-the-mobile-phone-race/

The year is coming to an end but despite all the things to be happy about, we will not forget those whose lives were cut short by ruthless savages in their attempts to bring states and peoples to their knees.
Here, Boogeyman brings you the list of the worst terror attacks of 2018!
Photo credit- pulse.ng

4. Kabul Suicide car bomb, Afghanistan
As part of the ongoing war between the Afghan government and Taliban militants; on the 27th of January, at least 103 people were killed and 235 others injured when a Taliban suicide bomber exploded an ambulance laden with explosives near Sidarat Square in central Kabul where several government offices are located.

3. Metele attack, North eastern Nigeria
The war between the Nigerian government and Islamic state factions in West Africa started roughly a decade ago but the end still doesn’t look near despite the current Buhari administration claiming it had defeated the Islamic state separatists.
In one of the deadlines terror attacks of 2018, on the 18th of November
Boko Haram fighters loyal to ISIS attacked a military base in the Nigerian town of Metele, killing at least 118 soldiers while at least 153 others were initially declated missing. The militants also seized tanks, armored vehicles, weapons, and a lot of other ammunition.

2. Mastung suicide bombing, Pakistan
On the 13th of July 2018, at least 149 people, including the Balochistan Awami Party candidate Nawabzada Siraj Raisani, were killed and 186 others injured when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives in Mastung in the Pakistani province of Balochistan. IS claimed responsibility for the attacks.

1. As-Suwayda terror attack, Syria
On the 25th ofJuly, In what appears to be the most dreadful terror incident of 2018, terrorists loyal to the barbaric Islamic state group carried out simultaneous suicide bombings and gun attacks in the city of As-Suwayda and a number of villages in the southern Syrian governorate of As-Suwayda, killing at leasth 255 people, including 142 civilians, and injuring 180 others. At least 63 terrorists were also killed, including the suicide bombers, with the jihadists also seizing hostages from the attacked villages.
https://boogeymanonline./2018/12/11/worst-terror-attacks-of-2018/

Lol Ugwumba nko?