₦airaland Forum

Sad.

Mynd44:
The US-led Coalition blew up a convoy of retreating troops.

The Worst Military Defeat In History? By David Weiser


The Gulf War of 1991. It was one of the most lopsided wars in recorded history. Iraq wasn’t just defeated by the US-led Coalition, it was obliterated. It’s military and civilian infrastructure was torn to shreds, leaving it’s military a shadow of it’s former self and there was widespread devastation throughout the country. It achieved none of it’s war goals. And all this while inflicting minimal, almost meaningless losses on it’s enemies.

After the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the subsequent assembly of the Coalition, sanctions, and ultimatum, the Coalition launched a campaign against Iraq, starting with an air campaign that saw widespread bombing of Iraqi military targets and infrastructure, followed by an approximately 100-hour ground campaign to eject Iraqi forces out of Kuwait and then invade Iraq itself. Most of the battles were massively lopsided and ended in Coalition victories.

The lower-end estimate of Iraqi soldiers killed in the war is around 25,000, and it may have been as high as 50,000. Thousands of Iraqi tanks and other armored vehicles were destroyed. One of the most infamous incidents was the “Highway of Death” affair, when Coalition aircraft obliterated a huge column of Iraqi forces retreating from Kuwait, leaving miles of destroyed vehicles and bodies. Coalition tanks, massively superior, were able to obliterate the massive armored forces of what was then the fourth largest army in the world at almost no cost. Much of the Iraqi Air Force fled to Iran, but those aircraft that stayed behind were largely devastated. The Iraqi Navy was devastated. There was also large-scale destruction of Iraqi roads and railways, refineries, power stations, bridges, factories, and broadcasting stations, and 3,664 Iraqi civilians are thought to have died.

For all this, the Coalition lost 292 soldiers, of whom only 147 were actually killed by Iraqi military action: the rest died in friendly fire and other incidents. Only a handful of Coalition aircraft were shot down and armored vehicles, including tanks, destroyed by enemy action.

Iraq was evicted from Kuwait, and had part of it’s own territory temporarily occupied. It was set back from being an industrialized country to a pre-industrialized one, and suffered for years under heavy sanctions. It’s military was gutted. The US-led Coalition were able to effectively commandeer large parts of it’s airspace by imposing no-fly zones a few years later in support of the Kurds. To this day Iraq is still paying reparations to Kuwait as demanded by the UN.

This was probably the most humiliating defeat in living memory. Iraq not only lost completely, had it’s military torn to shreds, and suffered widespread devastation, it cost the US and it’s allies almost nothing in terms of losses to enemy action.


https://www.facebook.com/105761558646705/posts/145708947985299/?flite=scwspnss

Borno Governor Receives UN Scribe On Humanitarian Visit (Video/Photos)

- By Sani Adam
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum,  has received the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, who was in Maiduguri, the capital city of the insurgency-hit Northeastern Nigerian state.

He was there to assess the humanitarian situation in the state.

During the visit, the UN Secretary-General visited an IDP camp along Gubio road and also at UN-supported Bulumkutu Interim Care Center (ICC), which serves as a Disarmament, Deradicalization, and Reintegration (DDR) Centre for repentant insurgents. The Centre provides interim services to children and women in need of care and protection and others affected by conflict in the northeast.

Guterres interacted with humanitarian actors, internally displaced persons and government officials as part of his assessment.

He called on the international communities to sustain support to Borno State towards addressing humanitarian needs.

The UN Scribe spoke on the desire of IDPs to safely be resettled.


Host Governor Zulum highlighted some of the major causes of Boko Haram insurgency, listing extreme poverty, unemployment and desertification, among other things.


The Governor expressed gratitude to the UN Secretary-General, members of the international community, humanitarian actors and all stakeholders for their support to the people of Borno State.


The governor, however, identified, over the years, that the state has been spending hugely on supporting the security agencies and providing humanitarian support to the population.

The Secretary-General was accorded a presidential welcome with cultural troops on display and he was presented a welcome gift.


https://www.facebook.com/105761558646705/posts/145704147985779/?flite=scwspnss

Tinubu's Desperation, Omatseye's Dirty Fight - By Etim Etim



Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is steadily carrying out his threat to ‘’fight dirty’’ and his targets have been well marked out: President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. He has deployed most of the writers in his newspaper, The Nation, as his fighters. Day after day, they rain abuses and insults on Yemi Osinbajo and the President. Their grouse is that the VP has dared to run for President and Buhari is tacitly supporting him and at the same time unsympathetic towards Asiwaju. There is no way the VP would have had the audacity to challenge Asiwaju if he didn’t have the backing of the President, one of writers told me last week. Yesterday, the Chairman of the newspaper’s Editorial Board and its lead columnist, Sam Omatseye made the same point in an essay titled ‘’The king’s meat’’. The piece drips with anger, malice and nastiness and aims at both the President and Vice President. It’s central theme is that Osinbajo should not have declared to run because Tinubu has been eyeing the job since 1999. Even after he decided to run, Omatseye wonders why the VP did not even travel to Lagos to take permission from Tinubu before the announcement, concluding the full-page essay by calling Buhari a plagiarist for the ‘’I am for everybody’’ line in his 2015 inaugural speech.

The essay is the clearest evidence yet that the Tinubu camp is frustrated and bitter that President Buhari is not willing to hand over the Presidency to the former Lagos governor. Tinubu and his supporters have not hidden their anger at the President for not publicly declaring his support for him, and they are venting their anger on Osinbajo for taking what they think rightfully belongs the APC leader. I understand that these writers and the newly recruited ones have been instructed to pour the kitchen sink ‘’in full measure’’ on Buhari and Osinbanjo between now and when the convention holds at the end of this month. But how effective is that as a strategy to win the primary? I have made the point in my previous interventions that this approach is flawed. By resorting to constantly harassing and intimidating the VP, Tinubu is giving the impression that he is a ruthless and brutal contender who can mow down whoever is on his way. You can now see why President Buhari said in a TV interview that he was not ready to reveal his choice for President because ‘’they would eliminate him’’. The constant assault and visceral attacks against the VP since he declared his intention is akin to elimination. Thank God, Prof Osinbajo will never be another Funso Williams.

Tinubu’s quest for power and control is insatiable. The former governor has made Lagos his conquered territory. Its politics, treasury and every decision, ranging from who collects garbage from the streets to who becomes the governor is under Tinubu’s control. Apparently not satisfied, he wants the whole country under his belt. We can only imagine what will happen to the CBN, FIRS, NNPC, Customs, NDDC, NPDC, PTDF and other cash cows if he succeeds. Tinubu’s self-accreditation as the Grand Deity of Nigerian Politics who must be worshipped and adored, and his sense of entitlement to power is the single most dangerous development in the polity since the annulment of June 12 election. President Buhari cannot afford to hand Nigeria back to another set of bandits that has raped the country for eons.

Yemi Osinbajo has the right, like every Nigerian, to aspire to any office he wishes to occupy. The VP does not owe Tinubu any apology or permission to pursue his dreams. Osinbajo will be a very good presidential candidate for our party. He represents the best of Nigeria and the best in all of us. His wide acceptability nationwide across party lines, ethnic divides and religious boundaries makes him a natural choice as our presidential candidate. On the contrary, Asiwaju Tinubu has a huge baggage hanging on his neck, the least of which is the dubious sources of his stupendous wealth. Tinubu has taken so much from the system that he should be grateful to the country and its leaders who have condoned him for this long. He ought to realize that he would be the biggest casualty if, God forbid, APC loses the governorship election in Lagos or the presidential election next year. There are people who hates his guts and are ready to throw him into jail if they come to power.

One of the major weaknesses of Nigerian nation is the possibility of some corrupt politicians becoming too big to control. They are rather in control of the state. They are almost as powerful and dreadful as Mexican drug lords who control some cities, recommend judges for appointment, murder those they don’t like, intimidate and harass the citizens. These bullion van politicians, who call themselves ‘’democrats’’, are very powerful, demand obeisance from citizens, order elected officials around and confiscate government property and amass wealth with reckless abandon. They have a large collection of minions who exercise derived authority and exert their own influence. The Nation’s writers represent the echo chamber for their master. They know what the boss wants and they put it across in fine prose.

I called up Sam Omatseye after reading his piece yesterday and asked him ‘’What’s the strategy behind your essay? Since you want the President’s support for Tinubu’s ambition, do you think this would help’’? I will keep the details of our conversation private, but it is clear that Tinubu and his people have come to the full realization that Buhari cannot be cowed and the VP will never bow out. Tinubu’s insistence that the VP must constantly defer to him and publicly sing his praises is just a sign of megalomania. The man is a psychological egotist with delusions of grandeur and obsession with power. He deserves our sympathy and consolation.


https://dopereporters.com/tinubus-desperation-omatseyes-dirty-fight-by-etim-etim/

Military Will Not Be Involved In 2023 Politics - Army Chief (Video)
- By Sani Adamu


Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Farouk Yahaya has assured that the military will not be involved in the politics leading to the 2023 general elections.

He said the army will instead remain loyal to its constitutional role of securing the country against external aggression.

Yahaya disclosed this at the combined Army, Airforce Sallah luncheon in Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno State.


The first combined Sallah luncheon of the Nigeria Army and Airforce had in attendance the two Service Chiefs and Officers, families as well as recuperating troops of Operation Hadin Kai.

Special delicacies were also served to honour wounded troops of Operation Hadin Kai and families of fallen heroes.

The Chief of Army Staff ordered frontline troops to be ruthless in eliminating terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and violent criminals. He said that more equipment will be provided to help them win the fight against the insurgents.


The Deputy Governor, Borno State, Usman Kadafur stated that the motives behind the combined Sallah luncheon of the Nigeria Army and Airforce are a partnership and strong synergy among the security agencies in the fight against insecurity.

https://dopereporters.com/military-will-not-be-involved-in-2023-politics-army-chief-video/

APC’s 2023 Dark Horse - By Dr Lasisi Olagunju


Dark horses always win in Nigeria and everyone appears out searching the skies for the next unknown charger. The cult of Nigeria will narrow our options to their choices.

They are bringing a dark horse. Benjamin Disraeli was a late 19th century British prime minister, very distinguished in governance and first class in literary creativity. To his credit are very many phrases, idioms and quotes. One of such immortal phrases traced to his fecundity is ‘dark horse.’ In 1831, Disraeli published a three-volume novel, The Young Duke: A Moral Tale, in which the main character, the Duke of St. James, is favoured to win a horse race but the unexpected happened.

Disraeli says the Duke goes into the race “confident as a universal conqueror.” He came out in his usual valiant state and “rode round the course.” He inspirited a celebrity, betted with one and bowed with pride to another. He then sprinted into the contest and was shocked by a surprise defeat. Disraeli runs the contest’s commentary better than anyone else: “The first favourite was never heard of, the second favourite was never seen after the distance post, all the ten-to-oners were in the rear, and a dark horse, which had never been thought of, and which the careless St. James had never even observed in the list, rushed past the grand stand in sweeping triumph. The spectators were almost too surprised to cheer…”

Our politics has seen such races more than one, two, three and more times. It may see it again. So much will happen soon as the parties rig us out and choose their candidates this month. So, I ask: if the next president will be a dark horse, who is he and is he already on the list and in the race? Of course, he would not be a dark mount again if he is known before the contest. That is why the job seekers are running from one shrine to another in search of the sacred waters of the rock of Abuja.

How is the horse going to emerge and from which direction? Will the heavily monetized delegate system produce an unknown Duke who will rush past the popular faces to win the race and shame the dons? There are some real big men with real money in the big parties who seek to buy the delegates with sums we’ve never seen or heard of before. The dark horse, when he comes, will have to outspend the big boys to have the delegates. This is so true about the two major political parties.

But my focus here is the All Progressives Congress (APC). A massive scramble for delegates is ongoing in the APC as it prepares for the choice of its presidential candidate later this month.

But what if there is a sudden U-turn in the party and it decides to choose its presidential candidate by direct primary? Direct primary means all members of the party will vote and the delegates are useless. There will be curses and counting of lost gold coins. The party will go that way if the Buhari phenomenon resolves to use its ‘superior’ figures to do what the majority does in a democracy. And what is that? Crowd out the bitterly divided minority.

So, who is the favourite? First, they said Goodluck Jonathan was the chosen one. Indeed, his boys and girls were already sharing the 2023-2027 posts and spoils. Now, I ask, is he still the one that is coming? No one appears sure again as they were two weeks ago. Those who hold the yam and the knife are said to be coming out with a certain Ahmad Lawan, currently the quiescent president of our Senate. A report said at the weekend that a section of the kingmakers would unveil him as the Khalifa after this sallah holiday. But Lawan is from the North and how morally right will it be for Muhammadu Buhari to seek to hand over to another northerner after his eight years? The answer to that question was supplied by an Igbo senator, Orji Uzor Kalu, newspaper tzar, businessman in business and in politics.

Kalu said he was not contesting the presidential ticket of his party again because non-south-easterners from the South were in the race. How does that logic sound to you? If it sounds awkward, his next statement should make you even ‘curiouser’. Against the aspiration of his Igbo people, the man asked the North to field a candidate to rout the South. He made the call wearing the costume of Igbo nationalism and of a freedom fighter. Hear him: “What moral justification does a southerner who refused to be fair to his brothers have against a northerner running for president? It will be very insensitive, unreasonable and disrespectful for any southern man to criticize a presidential aspirant from the North on the grounds that the North has done eight years and power should return to the South…If the next president after President Muhammadu Buhari does not come from the South-East, there will be nothing unfair and unjust if he/she comes from Daura.” How does another president from Daura satisfy the Igbo thirst for Nigeria’s top job? Some 48 hours after the senator made that statement, the Lawan masquerade was unveiled by the angry businessman’s channel. They said some faceless northern elders had moved to draft Lawan into the race. Now, I ask: Is the Igbo senator part of the spirit men preparing a northern dark horse for Nigeria? Who else is involved?


“They are thinking twice about letting power go back to the South,” a knowledgeable friend from the North told me last week. And what was his own opinion? “I told them that they needed to have a country before they could exploit it. Continuing northern rule may fatally injure the country.” That was rather deep and, I think, patriotic. But are the drivers of the process listening to wisdom and its warnings? They think they are powerful and their iron so strong it can’t ever be bent. The Hausa would look at the arrogance of their greed and say: “even the Niger is forced to have an Island.” And, in Ibadan, such people who saw not even a stream in Kudeti were swept away by the river goddess. The manipulators of Nigeria won’t stop. They will use the big parties, especially the one in power.

So, please, leave whatever you are doing at this moment and pay attention to the ruling party and its ways. It will determine whether you will be happy or hungry; safe or sad this year, next year and the next after the next. There is a force in the APC that sees itself as a hurricane. It believes it can wreak any havoc and get away with it. It closed Nigeria’s land borders three years ago without a cogent reason; it reopened the borders last week without a cogent reason. The party just showed us what it could do with the power it has. You’ve also seen how the party of ‘progressives’ confirmed its status as belonging not to the poor with its scandalous N100 million presidential nomination form. The country’s democracy has long left the people behind. It is now the exclusive property of the buccaneers who inherited the widows of the people’s battle for freedom.



What we run, or what runs Nigeria, is the political version of witches and their coven. Whatever they do there belongs there, unknown and unseen by the unwashed eyes you and I carry about. The Lawan kite is flown already. We wait to see how it works out in a party of threatened alliances. How about if the party does what it did with its last convention? A consensus arrangement – getting every contender but one to drop their aspirations because the real power in the house is interested in somebody who comes from somewhere. There will be noise; there will be protests. And so what? Things will go this extreme way if the spirits in Abuja feel sufficiently threatened by the superior fire power of the dons and are not sure of victory again from delegates or from party members. Think of the Lagos/southern aspirants and the billions they may have spent in the states already. But won’t there be consequences for this ultimate subversion of Nigeria’s diversity? There will be, but who cares? I think they will care when the day dawns. The soon-to-be-cheated big spenders that we see are going to unleash more than “the anger of Achilles son of Peleus” which “brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades….” Achilles, Greek’s best fighter and hero of the Trojan war, was cheated by the overall commander of the Greeks who snatched his beloved girlfriend from him. Achilles did not fight back physically but retired into his tent, sulking. Then, with him off the battlefield, the Greek army started suffering a series of defeats, losing men and ground and grace. The overall commander was sorry; he begged Achilles, the warrior responded with sulking. He was offered rich presents, still he wouldn’t fight. His girl was returned to him but Achilles still sulked while the battle floundered for the Greeks. What those plotting a northern replacement for Buhari will suffer in 2023 may be worse than Greece’s fate in battle without Achilles. The resistance won’t sulk. You remember what happened to the biblical House of Israel when a king refused to give the branches their due share of the kingdom? Every lion has a den; every tribe a tent.

https://dopereporters.com/apcs-2023-dark-horse-by-dr-lasisi-olagunju/

Hello, the MODERATOR, abeg help us to spell RESCUE correctly@ the Headline. Nagode Sir.

When will this war end?




Indecency Parliamentarian Resigns From House Of Commons

https://dopereporters.com/Indecency-parliamentarian-resigns-from-house-of-commons/

justicechichex:
Naija fans how far. Football no be do-or-die affair oh. See as una don buy market.


Na why NPFL no dey improve from year to year. Btw, why dem no use that Uyo stadium play that match. That abj stadium don prevent super eagles frm qualifying for some major competitions..

Hmmm Abuja stadium carry bad luck.........

FIFA Slams N65m Fine On Nigeria Over Abuja Stadium Rampage

https://dopereporters.com/fifa-slams-n65m-fine-on-nigeria-over-abuja-stadium-rampage/



World Football governing body, FIFA has slammed a fine of 150,000 Swiss Francs (about 65m) on Nigeria.

This is coming after fans invaded the MKO Abiola stadium in Abuja, following the 2022 World Cup playoffs against Ghana’s Black Stars on March 29.

The 1-1 draw played against Ghana meant Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after playing a goalless draw in the first leg in Kumasi, Ghana.

The Nigerian fans invaded the pitch, attacking players and officials and destroying property.

3 Storey Building Collapses In Lagos (Video)

https://dopereporters.com/3-storey-building-collapses-in-lagos-video/
dopereporters.com


Nigeria's commercial capital city of Lagos has experienced another building collapse. This time, it's a
3-storey building at number 32 Ibadan Street, Ebutte Meta.

The building is located on Ibadan Street. According to the State's Fire Service, it crashed around 9:30pm on Sunday.

Some occupants of the building were still trapped as at midnight as operatives of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency carry out rescue activities at the scene.

e weak you?

obi4eze:

SIM/NIN Linkage Now Frustrating Terrorists In North East - NCC
https://dopereporters.com/sim-nin-linkage-now-frustrating-terrorists-in-north-east-ncc/
dopereporters.com


Sim /NIN linkage has put terrorists in dilemma - NCC

Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC), says terrorists and. bandits are been denied access to telecommunication services Subscribers with the ongoing implementation of National Identity Number, SIM linkage policy in Nigeria.

The Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement NCC, Mr Ephraim Nwokonanya, represented by Head Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement, NCC, Mr Alkasim Umar made this disclosure at the One-day Capacity Building for members of the Nigerian Information Technology Reporters' Association(NITRA), Abuja Chapter on Thursday at the Commission Headquarters, Abuja.

Mr Umar who was speaking on the NIN-SIM linkage, Menace of Network Booster Devices, other Compliance, Monitoring Enforcement issues of the Commission, stressed that there is an appreciable progress in NIN-Slinkage policy meant o address rising cases of insurgency,kidnapping and banditry in the country.

He explained that NIN-SIM implementation has been a potent tool in addressing the Nation's insecurity challenges.

Umar, who lamented the illegal use of network boosters disclosed that the commission is committed to persecuting Nigerians using network boosters in their homes and offices at detriment of others.

According to him, "Yes we are making progress. The only challenge we are faced with now is, If they kidnap you, I mean the bandits; they use your number to call. They will never use their phones lines, it is the kidnapped person's phone number they use to call and switch it off immediately. They can keep you at a different place and make somewhere else. If a phone is off, there is no way one can trace it. It's a big challenge.

"Even in the National Assembly someone brought this up, to ban all kidnappers lines, some people objected, that if they use a person number to make calls why can't Federal Government block the terrorists/bandits phone numbers. Then someone rose up to say there will be more killings, this is because kidnappers are after victims' money so there is no way it will curb the problem. But now there is progress, because they are being denied of SIM cards", he stated.

Earlier, in his welcome remarks, the Director of Public Affairs NCC, Dr Ikechukwu Adinde said the capacity training is premised on the Commission recognition of the important media practitioners in its day-to-day activities.

"Let me be quick to mention that the Commission recognizes the importance of NITRA as a strategic ally, and this accounts for why we have on several occasions provided capacity building and trainings for members of NITRA with the aim of providing the platform for equipping you as our stakeholders and partners from the Media with the knowledge and skill required to do your jobs effectively, efficiently and in the most professional manner", the said.

Meanwhile, Director, Policy Competition and Economic Analysis, NCC, Mr Atu Sunday who spoke intensively on the issues around International Termination Rate(ITR) for Voice services, explained that the Commission's ITR policy is ultimately designed to carter for the interest of Nigeria and all telecoms stakeholders.

On ITR rate floor price pegged at $0.0045, Mr Sunday said the commission utilized the best pricing modem to arrive at the figure that is why the rate is not too high or low.

"So, if the rate is too high between portfolio Nigerians who are only developing their pockets in just being able to call but at the same time, the rate should be fair that it will also not be injurious to our balance of payments. It will also not be injurious to the profitability of the operators", he explained.

In another presentation session, Head Spectrum Administration NCC, Mr Usman Aliyug highlighted the Commission's journey so far on 5G deployment in Nigeria.

In her remarks, the Head, Media and Public Relations NCC, Mrs. Grace Ojougboh lauded members of NITRA for their professional reportage of the Commission.

On his part, speaking on behalf of NITRA President, Mr Blessingg Olaifa, Mr Emmanuel Elebeke appreciated NCC for the capacity training.

He assured that members of NITRA would continue to support the progressive policies of the commission via consistent reportage.

"We want to commend you for your consistency in churning out progressive policies and regulations that have positioned NCC as a pace setter in Africa.

"We assure you that we will keep faith with you and ensure that we always support you as expected as professionals in the courses of our reportage for the greater good and growth of the Nigerian economy", he said.

Why Nigerians Live Fake Lives?
- By Victor Dirikebamor

https://dopereporters.com/why-nigerians-live-fake-lives-by-victor-dirikebamor/


Fake lives? Nigerians?
Oh! okay, you mean the girls who take selfies at hotels and fancy gates and call it home-sweet-home?

Girls are by far number one when it comes to pretence here, denying their present state or stage in life.

Boys, as for boys, the highest they could do is buy a car(s) they can't really afford, live in houses they can't rent-- for long, carry girls they can't enjoy... Fancy girls are no fun, they with the real fun is the sister who attends all religious services on a long gown, those ones know all the styles on earth--goddess of bedmatics.

But girls, the fake girls, they would say I live in Island, only to realise they are ten in one room.

They walk around with iPhones, Shredded Gucci is what covers there fancy unclothedness.

And at night they don't sleep, like Benin-witche. They sell their sleep for-- I heard at Ikoyi is 250K per night, the price of 2-plot of land at Kaduna.

Despite the overwhelming sacrifice, their bank balance is always on the red zone, maintaining a fake life isn't cheap.

Turns out, it's purely psychological:

The average Nigerian doesn't like poor people, they dislike anyone who would remind them of their reality.

Humans can't stand those who have the same faults as them, it's the reason we fight with siblings.

Nigerians won't even worship in a poor pastors church.

A Nigerian prince would mostly marry a princess.

And, it's once in a lifetime for a king to marry a no-body.

Poor politicians can't even get a single vote despite their impressive ideas.

You might be broke as pilots, presently, but if you pretend to be rich if you say you're rich even if you're dead hungry you shall have a lot of fans in Nigeria.

The folks who live fake lives only discovered the uselessness of poverty, of being broke and are only pushing their luck to good fortunes.

It's partly their fault, it's partly our fault for not accepting people the exact way they are.

Fake life is no fun but often necessary in Nigeria and the rest of the boring modern world.

Will Kyiv Be Reduced To Rubble Soon And Surrender?- By Stefan Gebhardt

https://dopereporters.com/will-kyiv-be-reduced-to-rubble-soon-and-surrender-by-stefan-gebhardt/


The pictures below shows the Russian city of Stalingrad in World War 2.

It was reduced to rubble. 300,000 soldiers attacked a city of 450,000 inhabitants. And despite all this, and worse photos, Stalingrad didn't surrender. And they won.

Kyiv has a population of 2.8 million. Sure many have fled, but still. There will be more than a million defenders in there. And Putin has sent 150,000 troops.

I've read somewhere that if you want to take a large city via urban warfare you'll need 3 attackers per one Defender. Putin would need 3 million soldiers to take over Kyiv.

They could kill or arrest the government. They could install a military command. And Kyiv will keep fighting guerilla style. Russia will lose tens of thousands of soldiers trying to occupy Kyiv over a longer period. They will lose hundreds or thousands of tanks and other vehicles. Everyone left in the city will be attacking anything Russian for years to come.

And that's just Kyiv. The rest of Ukraine will do the same. This won't be a new Afghanistan for Russia. This will be ten times worse.

Good question.

ChrislandSchool- My Daughter Fooled Me Too

https://dopereporters.com/chrislandschool-my-daughter-fooled-me-too/


I saw the video of that Christland girl’s mother online; you know, as a mother, I felt sad for her. Especially when I read that they suspended her daughter.

But something in me said, “hmmnnn, the children we are raising these days are “wiser” than us their parents. I said ‘wiser’ because that is what they think of themselves.

A few days after, when I now saw the video of the small girl that was said to have been raped…I said, oh, these children will not kill us, o��. This is what my own daughter did to me too. How I wish the girl’s mother had just quietly sought help for her child because now we all know the girl isn’t the little innocent the mother thought she was. I am not judging o but everyone who saw it say the girl isn’t as innocent as we think. My own daughter did me the same shege!

Children of these days? Forget them, they can fool you into the well, cover you up and not even blink.

If I have an opportunity to talk to the girl’s mother, I will just tell her to keep quiet, she should learn from me.

Few years ago, my daughter, she’s my niece actually; her mother died a long time ago and I have raised her since she was six years old…so she is my child. She was just 15 when this incident happened.

I sent her to one of these Model Colleges in Lagos state.

She was in boarding school. That school didn’t even allow phones or any of this yanmayanma that private schools allow, they are like the old Unity Schools of our days. That’s why I thought, she would be well disciplined and focus on her studies…

She was in SS1. They resumed that day and whenever they resume, the school insisted they returned in their house wears. This was way before Covid when parents and relatives were allowed to follow the returning students into their hostels and help them settle in.

That day, I went to drop my daughter in school…of course she was in her green check house wear. I went with my son, who helped her carry her box and bucket to the front of her hostel. I was at the bursar’s office, settling the outstanding fees and showing receipts for other payments I had made for books… you know that sort of thing.

My son came back to meet me on the queue at the Bursar’s and said his sister was settled…they call each other brother and sister even though they are cousins. Anyway. By the time I finished because there were lots of parents and guardians too who came to settle financial issues with the bursar, it was late. So I told my son to go tell his sister I would come visit in two weeks’ time. I also couldn’t even see her before leaving because it was about 6.30pm and the bell was ringing for students to go into their hostels for head count. The school always did head count every evening and especially upon resumption.

Many of the students still loitering around the premises ran into the hostels to be counted.

We left that day and I thought I had done my job as a mother.

Three days later, that was on a Wednesday, I was called by my daughter’s house mistress asking for my daughter.

I said, “Huh? What are you talking about?”

She said my daughter hadn’t resumed school and that she was wondering what had happened to her!

I said, “Haba! Are you dreaming? I brought her to school on Sunday, she resumed with the rest of her mates on Sunday!”

House mistress said my daughter hadn’t been seen in school for three days and though her bed was always made, she hadn’t been physically seen!

I almost ran mad as I raced to the school that day.

My mind was in a turmoil, I drove her to school myself, and she was checked into the hostel by the house mistresses’ assistant, where could she be?

We got to school, lo and behold, upon speaking to me and realizing something was off, the house mistress had summoned my daughter’s close friends to her office. She wanted to know who had been laying her bed and fooling her staff. Because you see, a laid bed means the child is around, right? So they had been laying her bed, making the hostel staff believe she was around. Empty beds or unlaid beds meant the child hadn’t returned to school.

She called three of my daughter’s closest friends and asked them where my daughter was.

They didn’t tell her, they kept silent but she delivered well intended backhand slaps and they began to confess like witches…she then took them all to the principal’s office, that was where I met them.

The girls were still crying when I got there. They confessed that my daughter had met one boy on Facebook who invited her to come visit him at one hotel. He had called her the following day to meet him at a certain place outside the school gate.

Unfortunately for us, they didn’t know the name of the hotel. They said when I dropped her in school wearing her house wear, she had gone into the hostel and changed to mufti. I had no idea she packed mufti in her box because you see, I packed the box myself. I did so not because I even suspected she would go to school with contraband, (the school allows provisions but there are certain items they forbid like phone, etc); they checked their boxes upon resumption. So I packed her box because when she packed the box, it was so jumbled up, I had to remove everything to repack neatly and it was in my presence her brother dragged the box into the car…so you see these children can fool you.

Anyway, that’s how we began to look for my daughter.

From hotel to hotel, we begged to search, some proprietors allowed us search, many said they didn’t have anyone that looked like her as guest. We went with her photo. Oh yes, we went first to the police before I began searching with my son and another relative of ours.

For two days, we got nothing. I didn’t sleep, I didn’t eat because I believed in my heart my child was deceived by some monster she saw on the internet.

But, my child wasn’t the little innocent I thought she was after all!! Ase, she had been chatting with this man and agreed to come and visit him. She had changed to mufti in the evening and gone out of the school gate disguised as a cleaner in the school!

Meanwhile, as far I knew then, she had no phone. I didn’t buy her a phone because I just couldn’t even afford it; I gave her an old one I had used before but she told me it couldn’t do internet and so she dropped it…I had no idea she had another phone!

Do you know how we found her?

On Friday, early in the morning, around 5.30 am, the evil boy she went to meet dumped her naked in front of the school gate!

Yes.

They had raped her, used her…it was a painful sight. She had red blotches all over her body. They were many boys who raped her over and over again…for five days. She was barely alive when they dumped her at their school gate. Maybe they had heard police was looking for her, I don’t know.

The gate man said he heard a sound, like some crying feebly at the gate, he opened the gate and saw a naked girl…that was my own child. The child I sent to school telling myself she was safe in school! I would swear my daughter was well behaved. Quiet, didn’t even go out when on holidays. Many times I forced her to go do some deliveries for me; she preferred being indoors, watching Tv.

When they identified her as their student, she was able to say her name before she fainted again. They called me, I went to the school and took her straight to a nearby hospital.

They admitted her and began to treat her.

A few days later, when she had regained her strength, she told me what happened.

She was begging me and crying saying she had learned her lessons and would never deceive me again. I couldn’t even scold her because seeing her condition, I saw she had suffered enough. Her punishment was all over her body. She suffered several lacerations on her vagina, one broken rib, she said they were beating her as they raped her; her face was badly swollen and red with blood, her hands and feet had been tied during the acts… and I knew a great lesson had been learned.

What else was there to say to her?

She spent three weeks in the hospital after which the school suspended her for that term… Oho! I don’t blame the school. The story had gone out that she was setting a bad example.

Ha!

She herself saw hell that period. Walking and urinating was hell for some time; thankfully she didn’t get pregnant because that would have meant she would’ve had to stop school entirely.

But I thank God today. I made her go back to finish school. She was ashamed and didn’t want to go back, I said, “what did you say?”

She repeated but is just one year behind her mates and she is determined to do better. Sometimes, experience truly is the best teacher, now my daughter mentors younger girls and advises them against online predators and not telling their parents where they were going…

Today, I’m proud of my daughter, we both “bleeped up", but like that musician, Black Sherif said, “Of course, I bleeped up…Who never bleeped up, hands in the air, no hands?” # DEAR PARENTS, PLEASE LET'S LEARN TOGETHER. OUR CHILDREN SHALL MAKE US PROUD & NOT BRING SHAME TO US IN JESUS NAME . AMEN.
(written by Peju Akande and based on true story)

Hmm, very simple, straight forward answers here.

How Do I win An Argument With Someone Who Will Never Admit That He's Wrong?- By Flavian Mwasi

https://dopereporters.com/how-do-i-win-an-argument-with-someone-who-will-never-admit-that-hes-wrong-by-flavian-mwasi/




Be An Eagle

The eagle never fights the snake on the ground. After snatching it, it lifts it up into the sky and changes the battleground, and then releases it from the sky to fall hard on the ground.


In the air, the snake has no stamina, is useless, weak, and vulnerable, and has no power, and no balance, unlike on the ground where it is powerful, wise, subtle, and deadly.

The eagle’s powerful eye vision, raw speed, and agility, are its greatest advantages. Speed of attack is even more important. It doesn't matter how fast or poisonous the snake is.

Aiming at it from several miles up in the sky, the eagle makes no mistakes. One mistake could mean instant death for the eagle.

Taking the snake by complete surprise, using its razor-sharp talons, and powerful legs, the eagle strikes the snake very fast, at its most vulnerable part, mostly around the neck and the body. It's an ambush. The snake tries to writhe around and struggle, but its efforts are futile.

As the eagle flies high into the sky, it continues tearing at the snake’s body several times using its sharp beak until the snake is completely paralyzed. At this point, the snake is helpless because it can’t even turn around.

The eagle continues it’s upward flight into the sky, until at some point, it feels safe to suddenly release the snake to fall hard on the ground from the sky. And before the snake even knows what happened, the eagle snatches it again and lifts it to a very high place. The snake is still unconscious as it's being eaten. It never even knows what ate it…

Take a lesson from the eagle. Don't fight the opponent in his/her turf. Change the battleground like the eagle and fight the battle high in the sky like an eagle. You'll be assured of a clean victory.

An eagle never fights the opponent on its turf where the opponent has the greatest advantage. That’s how it's able to capture, maim, kill and eat some of the most deadly snakes in the world, including cobras, black mambas, and fish.

2. Be Like Water

Be like water. When water is poured into a glass, jar, or any container, it takes the shape of that container.

Take the war to your turf, where the opponent knows nothing about. If you fight the opponent on their turf, you'll definitely lose the battle.

Play down any suggestions by the opponent to take you to their turf. If the opponent want's to argue, don't argue back. Instead, say nothing and remain like that until the opponent is frustrated. Argument mongers hate silence.

Only say something when you're absolutely sure about what you want to say. The opponent may try to provoke you. Don’t just argue for the sake of argument. Otherwise just shut up, and always remain in your turf.

Be patient—another weapon the opponent hates. Repeat the process a few more times until the opponent loses the argument.

3. Hit the Opponent Below the Belt.

This is a psychological tactic, which involves causing the opponent to think they're winning the battle. The result is that the opponent will lower their guard. Don't waste time. Hit the opponent so hard below the belt by asking them an unexpected question they can't answer.

You'll know the opponent is frustrated when they start fumbling awkwardly with the question until they have no choice but get annoyed.

Have no mercy at this point. Hit the opponent under the belt—again, and again.

You'll know the opponent is your prey when they change their face, have nothing more to say, and get evidently annoyed. By this time your opponent has no choice but take flight.

The writer is an online entrepreneur, life coach, personal development coach, and mentor.

Poverty..take it...

slawormiir:
Damnnn niggarrrr
Money is good

To all my real niggarrrrs on Nairaland

Lets declare a war on poverty

Maynman:
The ship is a mini submarine ; it didn’t sink

walahi some commenters won't make heaven.

Osinbajo’s RCCGification Part Of Plot For Theocratic State Capture- By Farooq A. Kperogi

https://dopereporters.com/osinbajos-rccgification-part-of-plot-for-theocratic-state-capture-by-farooq-a-kperogi/

Let me start by making it clear that most of the liberal RCCG members I’ve interacted with over the last few weeks don’t support Osinbajo’s overt bigotry in favor of the church.

Several of them are embarrassed by it—the same way that I’ve been embarrassed by Buhari’s favoritism toward northern Muslims. So, please don’t understand me as demonizing the RCCG, which I believe is a great spiritual sanctuary and source of hope for many.

Now, let’s get started with empirical facts and end with a conceptual wrap-up of what Osinbajo’s bigotry represents, which is scarier than the facts. Osinbajo’s deceitful parade of a little over a dozen Muslims who work in his office (which includes at least two that no longer work there and several that were appointed directly by Buhari or the Presidency) is a poor attempt to paper over his vast record of deliberate, religiously inspired exclusion of Nigerians who don’t worship at his church.

Here's a list of the 80 people who work in his office. Most of them, I have confirmed, are members of the RCCG. Of the 80 people who work in his office, including those appointed by the Presidency, take a look and tell me what you see.

Osinbajo was the pastor of the Olive Tree Parish of the RCCG in Lagos. In May 2015 when he became VP, Okechukwu Enelamah succeeded him as the pastor of the parish. Months later, when Osinbajo was given a chance to nominate a minister, he chose Enelamah.

In the aftermath of Enelamah’s appointment as a minister, Alex Ayoola Okoh became the pastor of the Olive Tree Parish. In 2017, a vacancy emerged for the position of the DG of BPE. Osinbajo again chose Alex Ayoola Okoh, Enelemah's successor. That’s three successive pastors of the Olive Tree Parish in government at the same time.

But it gets even more interesting. Osinbajo’s predecessor at Olive Tree Parish is pastor Olukayode Pitan. He is said to be the pioneer pastor of the parish. He pastored there from 1995 until 2009 or thereabouts when he handed over to Osinbajo.

Well, Osinbajo made him MD/CEO of the Bank of Industry (of course with the later approval of Buhari who had no clue what was going on) when he was acting president. That’s 4 pastors from the same RCCG parish!

Joseph Chiedu Ugbo, the MD/CEO of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, is another RCCG pastor whose appointment Osinbajo facilitated. (Osinbajo is the chairman of the company’s board.)

Another prominent RCCG pastor that Osinbajo caused to be appointed as Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation is Ben Akabueze. He was (probably still is) the pastor of the Lagos Province 39 parish of the RCCG.

Jumoke Oduwole, Osinbajo’s SA on Industry, Trade, & Investment (from 2015 to 2019) and SA on Ease of Doing Business (from 2019 to now) is an RCCG member whose husband, Tunde Oduwole, is an RCCG pastor.

Afolabi Imoukhuede, who leads the Job Creation Unit and is part of the N-Power/Job Creation Cluster Lead of the National Social Investment Program (NSIP) in Osinbajo’s office, is an RCCG member, although it doesn’t seem like he is a pastor there.

In a June 20, 2020, interview with the Vanguard, he said, “when I met him in 2015, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo took the risk to appoint me as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation…” When he studied at UNILAG, the Vanguard story said, Imoukhuede “had come under the influence of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).”

Edobor Iyamu, one of the over 30 Osinbajo appointees that the Presidency fired in 2019, is a pastor of the Jesus Family Parish of the RCCG in Ribadu Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

What’s also interesting about the appointments is that these Osinbajo RCCG pastor-appointees always replicate their kind wherever they go. For example, almost all the management staff at the BOI that Pastor Kayode Pitan heads are RCCG members. The bank’s interventions also reflect the narrowness of the demographic profile of its management staff.

How to Make Sense of Osinbajo’s Bigotry

Yemi Osinbajo’s unflagging pursuit of appointing pastors and members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God every opportunity he has isn’t the run-of-the-mill nepotism we’re habituated to in Nigeria. It’s more sinister than that.

It's the product of a deliberate, systematic agenda of theocratic state capture, which would certainly instigate national instability when it becomes noticeably manifest with a President Osinbajo.

You see, Osinbajo is merely the lynchpin of a phenomenon called entryism, which is the systematic, carefully preplanned infiltration of every structure of a government or an organization with the intention of taking it over from within.

Entryism isn’t exclusive to the RCCG, of course. The term actually came from Leon Trotsky, a Russian Marxist who recommended the infiltration of French workers’ parties by communists so as to change their form and character from within.

Northern Nigerian Salafists have a similar project, and it’s called “A shiga a gyara” (literally: “enter and correct it” but figuratively: participate in government to take it over from within). But they haven’t been successful so far.

So, Osinbajo’s RCCGification is particularly troubling because he is prosecuting a project that is beyond him. He is executing a plan that was conceived, birthed, and nursed by the RCCG whose General Overseer, Enoch Adeboye, prophesied that an RCCG member will become a Nigerian president in his lifetime.

Osinbajo thinks he is the fulfilment of that prophecy and that his march to the presidency is an inexorable manifest destiny that no one can stop. Osinbajo actually used the expression “manifest destiny” on March 22 to describe the expected outcome of the APC convention!

Many scholars of Nigerian Pentecostalism such as Professor Ebenezer Obadare who wrote the book “Pentecostal Republic: Religion and the Struggle for State Power in Nigeria” and Professor Ruth Marshall who wrote "Political Spiritualities: The Pentecostal Revolution in Nigeria" have brilliantly and carefully captured this.

Osinbajo’s RCCGification is the fullest realization yet of what I call Pentecostal theocratic entryism. His quest for the presidency is propelled by the desire to complete what he surreptitiously started during his commisership in Lagos and continues during his vice presidency.

I’ll continue to expose it in the coming days and weeks.

In a country divided by two proselytizing religions, religiously inspired state capture is a recipe for disaster because it will inspire a forceful pushback from several constituencies—non-RCCG Pentecostals, non-Pentecostal Christians, Muslims, secularists, etc.—which would create another layer of instability on top of what we already have.

I’m doing my bit to warn the nation of the avoidable catastrophe that an Osinbajo presidency will engender.

Does Ukraine Have The Ability To Strike Back At Any Russian Cities?- By Eric Wicklund

https://dopereporters.com/does-ukraine-have-the-ability-to-strike-back-at-any-russian-cities-by-eric-wicklund/


Yes, Ukraine can strike back with aircraft for one. It is unknown how many Su-25s are still flying, but these could hit Russian cities.

But why hit a Russian city?

Ukraine cannot possibly hope to curtail Russian nation’s war-making capacity, communications, or anything else critical to the war effort. And that’s the only reason to hit a city. Not only would it convince Russians that Putin was right, it would be a waste of valuable ordinance, already in limited supply.

Ukraine has its hands full blunting the thrusts of Russia in their own country. Best to carefully mete out their bombs in strikes precisely where they need them. Hitting a Russian city will not repel an armored strike within Ukraine.


-. Ukrainian S-25 Frogfoot

Ukraine also has an unknown number of OTR-21 Tochka tactical ballistic missiles. These could also be aimed at a Russian city, but why?

-. OTR-21 Tochka (Nato reporting name: SS-21 Scarab)

Ukraine has reportedly launched a Tochka strike at Donetsk. And now here is where using these weapons is a double-edged sword. Now it works to Russia’s advantage as propaganda.


https://wgntv.com/news/russia-ukraine-crisis/russia-20-killed-in-missile-strike-by-ukraine/

This just in, and much thanks to Vadim Mikhnevych, Ukraine claims they did not fire the Tochka. Russia fired the Tochka, and now blames Ukraine in a bid to generate a scrap of positive PR.

According to ukrinform.net:
"The fact is that the missile, tail part of Tochka-U is heavy. When a warhead separates from it in the air, it preserves its direction and speed on its own"

The photos of the incident taken in Donetsk show that the missile part of Tochka-U lies on the Shevchenko Boulevard, with its tail pointing to the southeast and its front – to the northwest. Based on this, we can geolocate that the missile arrived from the southeast. "The territory controlled by Russian forces and separatist forces is southeast [of Donetsk] along the entire 120 km – the hitting range of Tochka-U. There are no Ukrainian forces there. Accordingly, the Ukrainian missile could not arrive from there," CIT analyst explains.” [my bold]

CIT: Tochka-U strike on Donetsk was Russia’s provocation
March 14 shelling of Donetsk with a Tochka-U missile with cluster munitions was Russia’s provocation. — Ukrinform.

https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3430801-cit-tochkau-strike-on-donetsk-was-russias-provocation.html

How would it look if Ukraine fired at a Russian city? Not good, that’s what. Ukraine might lose support when it needs it most.

Didn’t Tinubu Just Goof On MC Oluomo?- By Felix Oboagwina

https://dopereporters.com/didnt-tinubu-just-goof-on-mc-oluomo-by-felix-oboagwina/


Who are those counselling Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)? They just goaded the presidential hopeful to make a major miscalculation that may cost him politically.

Not a few believe that the godfather of Lagos politics and the state government goofed over the handling of the transport workers’ local crisis. Now everywhere is boiling. In this crisis, Tinubu and his handlers had a choice between furthering his “lifelong ambition” of becoming Nigeria’s President as opposed to propping up the career of his strongman, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya. Instead of Tinubu to summon his legendary talent as a visionary strategist, he succumbed to myopia and banked on Akinsanya, alias “MC Oluomo.”

BACKGROUND TO IMPUNITY

What happened? A stiff squabble had raged (is still raging) between “MC Oluomo,” suspended Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and some chapters of the labour body in Lagos. Unlike his predecessors, Oluomo wanted absolute monopoly to superintend all transporters in Lagos, including the “Okada” commercial motorcycles as well as the “Keke Marwa” tricycle that erstwhile ran their own affairs independent of the bus section that Oluomo supervised. National NURTW intervened and gave instructions to maintain status quo. He refused. When the National body formally queried him, Oluomo did not bother responding. Instead, he arrogantly proclaimed the independence of the Lagos chapter from the national body.

Miffed at this open defiance, the National fired disciplinary measures:

·         It suspended “MC Oluomo” as Lagos State Chairman of NURTW

·         It dissolved the Lagos NURTW executive council that he headed

·         It appointed the State Secretary as Interim Coordinator of an ad hoc supervisory leadership.

Lagos rubbished all this by rolling out some counter initiatives.

·         Lagos State’s Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu banned NURTW in all state motor parks

·         The Governor instituted the Lagos Parks and Garages Management Committee with “MC Oluomo” as Chairman, a former Perm Sec, Dr. Taiwo Salaam, as Secretary, and former Police Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Hakeem Odumosu, as Liaison Officer between the government and the committee.

OF THE FOOLISH FLY AND THE CORPSE

If you know, you know: Sanwo-Olu was the hand of Esau acting according to the dictates of the puppeteer, Tinubu. Tinubu is today touring the nooks and crannies of Nigeria, marketing his 2023 presidential ambition. However, he has made a tactical error in this affair. As the Nigerian proverb says, “It is the foolish fly that gets buried with the corpse.” Tinubu, in bailing out his embattled unionist godson may have succeeded in damaging his own ambition.

The “Jagaban Borgu” apparently exaggerated a weak element in the Nigerian politician’s factors for electoral victory. Electoral success in these parts rides on a healthy mix of money, materials, men and institutions. “MC Oluomo” was, and remains, a key factor in the “men” element in Tinubu’s home constituency, Lagos. He constitutes part of Asiwaju’s foot-soldiers who “can do and undo.” Nationwide, such tough boys avail themselves to be employed for intimidation, rigging, ballot snatching and security; and they spare nothing to achieve their objectives, including, if necessary, violence. Successful politicians budget for such men. These toughies provide nuisance value, creating a balance of terror against opponents of their paymasters.

However, employing their services is akin to riding on a tiger. They do not take kindly to being used and dumped. After elections, many usually refuse to submit their arms to their paymasters and pose multilateral threats to society. The more fortunate ones receive adequate settlement from victorious patrons who dole out compensations by various informal “task force” jobs, transport unions and tough terrains where they feed directly like leeches on the citizenry. Ultimately, the nuisance they create sometimes outshines their value. For example, unbridled political lackeys in Borno State mushroomed into the Boko Haram terrorism ravaging the entire North-East and beyond today. Similar political gerrymandering exploded into the spate of Fulani herdsmen militancy, kidnapping, killings currently troubling the whole country.

BAD MATHEMATICS OF OVER-PAMPERING

In pampering his man, Tinubu goofed big-time; and he may have just shot a bullet into his own foot. Advisers should have steered Tinubu towards mediating a rapprochement between his boy and National NURTW. Even if he would not serve the suspension imposed, Oluomo, courtesy his mentor’s intervention, could negotiate a soft landing.

Unfortunately, the Lagos deal only favours Akinsanya while rubbishing his superiors in National NURTW. Have they done the mathematics of this over-pampering? Has Tinubu’s team counted the cost?

“MC Oluomo” supposedly controls one state, Lagos (where it is foolhardy to imagine he controls 100 percent followership).

NURTW controls 36 states plus Abuja.

Even if you drop Lagos from the equation, the union still wields power in 35 states and Abuja. That is a massive slice of the actual voting population. Who wants such a powerful bloc for an enemy? The union nurses anger over Lagos rubbishing the disciplinary measures against Akinsanya. Can APC risk losing such a huge cache of votes by giving its ticket to an aspirant who has estranged himself from National NURTW? This will constitute a major factor for APC deciding for or against Tinubu. If Tinubu ever gets APC’s endorsement, NURTW nationwide can instruct members to work against him. Should NURTW additionally invoke the Labour maxim of “injury to one is injury to all” to demand the support of its parent umbrella, the Nigeria Labour 

Congress (NLC), the damage to Tinubu and APC can be unimaginably massive.

THE OSINBAJO EXAMPLE AGAINST IMPUNITY

As Acting President, Osinbajo had the commonsense to discipline the DG of DSS, Lawal Daura, whose agency unilaterally shut down the National Assembly in August 2018. Osinbajo promptly booted out the spy chief and prevented a constitutional crisis. An astonished President Muhammadu Buhari has never given his deputy a second chance as Acting President since that incident. Nevertheless, Osinbajo’s sanctioning of Daura rekindled confidence in the nation’s democracy, safeguarded the separation of powers and entrenched the Legislature’s independence. It, also, curtailed the security agency's excesses.

In contrast, “MC Oluomo” getting the kids’ glove treatment can embolden him on the path of unbridled impunity. It gives him a licence to ride roughshod over persons and institutions. Have Tinubu’s advisers forgotten that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Power means nothing without control. Akinsanya is untamed and he has proved it. Would you guess the first thing his boys did upon his being announced the Lagos park committee Chair? Resorting to self-help, they stormed the state NURTW secretariat and forcefully ejected the unionists the National leaders appointed to manage transport workers’ affairs in Lagos. Things are getting bloodier and bloodier, as the two Lagos NURTW factions engage in a battle for supremacy.

STRANGE GARAGES COMMITTEE

Additionally, people are querying not just the rationale but the legitimacy, composition and structure of the Akinsanya-led committee. For one, it is strange to the statutes. Moreover, other parties in the dispute lack representation therein. Those are gaping minuses.

Moreover, although some have defended Akinsanya’s appointment as putting a square peg in a square hole, others query why an “illiterate ‘agbero’ motor-park tout” should head a structure having quintessential academics as members. They fault the fact that “MC Oluomo” heads no less than the calibre of a former Permanent Secretary, Dr. Taiwo Salaam, and former Police AIG Hakeem Odumosu. Any of these two veteran administrators could have capably chaired the new body.

All in all, Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu and their team goofed in their undiplomatic and biased mismanaging of the MC Oluomo-versus-NURTW schism. Even then, who will dare say to the face of Tinubu that, on this matter, his mouth stinks?

(OBOAGWINA IS AN AUTHOR AND JOURNALIST, AND MAY BE REACHED VIA: foboagwina@gmail.com)

Pregnant Lady Killed As Fire Destroys Boat Jetty (video)

https://dopereporters.com/pregnant-lady-killed-as-fire-destroys-boat-jetty/


It was a sad day for travellers, boat drivers and owners at the Bonny-Bille-Nembe jetty in Port Harcourt city Local Government Area of Rivers State, South South Nigeria.


Several persons, including a pregnant woman and a toddler are reportedl to have burnt to death in an early morning fire.

Some victims and Eye witnesses said several fibre and wooden boats were also destroyed in the inferno which started at about 2 am on Monday. The fire started from a local boat that arrivederci from brass to port Harcourt late Sunday night

Eye witnesses said there was lack of emergency services such as fire service at the jetty.

They appealed to the rivers state government to build a fire service station close to the jetty as promised to avert future occurrence

Acting Manager, National Inland Waterways Authority in Port Harcourt, Abraham Ogwu said there's need to sensitise the boat drivers and travellers on safety measures .

Previous fire outbreaks at the jetty had been attributed to the storage of inflammable substances like petroleum products used in powering the speed boat engines in makeshift buildings within the slum.


The last fire outbreak at the jetty was in November during which several persons were burnt and properties estimated at several millions of naira, destroyed.

The jetty is usually a busy transit point for thousands of residents traveling from Port Harcourt by Sea to Bonny, Bille, Nembe, and other riverine communities.

Bandits Release Video Of Kidnapped Kaduna Train Victims (video)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4OAvtw0ATc

Proof of life video of the Kaduna train victims released today.

Expatriates Spotted As Terrorists Release Another Video Of Captured Train Passengers

The terrorists who attacked a Kaduna-bound train last month have released a video of some of the abducted passengers.

The train, which departed Abuja on March 28, 2022, was attacked about 30 minutes to its destination.

The attackers had bombed the rail track, forcing the train to derail after which they opened fire on the passengers, killing some and abducting others.

In a two-minute footage, at least 10 armed men were seen around some of the passengers, who spoke under duress.

A man believed to be an Asian was seen among the captives. At some point, he stood in front of the camera, but later moved towards some of the victims who laid on the floor.

Dressed in a blue jean and yellow top, a student of Kaduna State University among the victims, appealed to the government for rescue.

“I’m speaking om behalf of the students here. Government should please hear our cry and come to our aid,” she said.

A male voice asked, where are you schooling, to which she replied, “Kaduna State University.”

Which course, the man asked further, and she replied, “Agriculture.”

Another victim gave her name as Gladys Tony, saying she worked at Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria.

“What happened on Monday was needless if the government had listened and acceded to what the populace had been saying,” she said.

Another victim simply identified himself as Adedeji said he was on his way to Kaduna for eye treatment when he was abducted, but he was not allowed to speak further before the camera rolled over to another person.

Alwan Hassan, Acting Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, was also seen in the video. Hassan was released last week.

In a video released on Wednesday, the armed men threatened to kill the passengers if the federal government did not meet their demands.

The video, which was less then two minutes, had four of the bandits with Hassan.

One of them, who spoke in Hausa, said the MD was released due to his age and in the spirit of Ramadan.

“We are the group that kidnapped passengers on the train few days ago. Among them is this man that was pleading with us due to his old age and we felt pity on him due to the month of Ramadan, so, we want to give him back to his family.”

“But the government should not misunderstand this, as it is a gesture we made because of the pity we had on him,” he had said.

The bandits then asked the MD to make some remarks. Speaking briefly, Hassan said he was released out of pity.

“I want to witness to everyone that they took pity on me due to my old age. I was told to go out but I want to assure everyone that I left huge number of people behind and they are in situation that requires help for them to be released fast. I hope that government will meet the head of this group to release as them as soon as possible,” he had said.

The Federal Government has promised not to rest until the abducted victims were rescued.

https://dailytrust.com/breaking-expatriates-spotted-as-terrorists-release-another-video-of-captured-train-passengers

-By Benjamin McDonough

This is a very valid question. You’re right….but you’re also wrong. Here’s why!

The F-22 is super maneuverable, right?


Has thrust vectoring nozzles, inherently unstable (like most fighters but still notable), has super cruise, all aspect stealth, basically the best Gen 5 fighter out there right? Mostly because it has no other competition from other adversaries to be honest.

Here’s why people think the F-22 is better than the F-35

It’s the super maneuverability. Everyone thinks maneuverability wins in a dog fight. And that’s not particularly wrong for them to think that. Time for a history lesson!

Back in the early days of aviation such as in WWII, many planes such as the Japanese A6M Zero was build upon the basis that superior maneuverability would win their fights. In the beginning, they weren’t wrong. America’s P40’s couldn’t hold their own for the first portion of the war. If you turn fought a Zero, you were dead. American planes were heavy, powerful, and fast. So, we played to our strengths!

Instead of turn fighting, also called “Turn and Burn,” and fighting laterally, we fought in the vertical with a method called “Boom and Zoom.” American planes were faster than their Japanese counter parts originally. We could go higher as well. With the altitude advantage, we’d dive down on top of them, attack, and climb away. The speed gained in the dive would propel our fighters back up leaving the Zeros unable to try and fight back because they couldn’t keep up. Granted, there were other factors at play such as the poor training of Japanese pilots, but that was a beginning of a new era for American aviation.


It’s said that in a dog fight, two things are necessary: speed and altitude; if you don’t have one, you must have the other. Speed to pull away and maneuver, and altitude because if you’re down low, you’re a sitting duck. That was the basis of the F-4 Phantom which served in Vietnam. But there was a problem with the F-4, it was the wrong plane for the war at the time. The F-4 did have it’s issues, particularly with stability at sub-mach speeds as well as the fact that it didn’t have an auto cannon (originally). It achieved only a 1:1 K/D ratio for a portion of its service history. But damn was it fast, Mach 2 with after burners!

This is the issue with the F-22. The F-22 is a great plane by almost all means. However, it’s the wrong plane for our given situation. Super maneuverability isn’t important anymore. but not because of how dogfights are won

highlight that, underline it, bookmark the phrase, make it bold with italics, just make sure you know this because a lot of people don’t.

Here is why the F-35 is amazing.

The F-35 does what America does best. America is almost always correct when it anticipates where the future of warfare is moving. They were not wrong this time. In fact, the US of A utterly obliterated everyone else at it this time around.

Technology is fantastic. So fantastic that the radar on the F-35 is so powerful that it can track, find, lock, fire, and finish an aircraft not only before it knows the F-35 was there, but before you would even be able to literally see it. The F-35 is literally invisible. Yes, it is awful at close dog fighting, but America realized that we can now eliminate the need for dog fighting.

While it is debated as to whether or not the F-22 is more or less stealthy than the F-35, the F-35 has features the F-22 doesn’t:

-it can jam other radars with a radar of it’s own that remains invisible.

-It has insane sensor fusion: it gathers data from all allied vehicles

-The pilot has a 360 degree view outside the aircraft. Cameras all around the body of the F-35 stream data to the pilot’s helmet, allowing he/she to literally look through the aircraft.

-Is considerably cheaper to fly/build. In fact, as time moves forward, it is slated to be cheaper (adjusted for inflation) to purchase, fly, and repair (total cost) than the current F/A-18’s.

So, that was long winded. Let’s recap. The F-22 is an amazing aircraft. Stealthy, fast, and maneuverable, it definitely is great at dog fighting. Unfortunately, times are moving past dog fighting in favor of Beyond Visual Range combat, which the F-35 excels in greatly while it is cheaper to purchase, fly, and maintain while also giving the pilot a god’s eye in the sky who can hack other planes radars. But don’t worry, America will use their F-22’s. The F-35 and the F-22 will work in tandem together as a team to create the next wave in American air superiority. Because if you control the skies, you control the battlefield. and that is why the largest air force is the U.S. air force. And the second is the U.S. Navy.


https://dopereporters.com/why-does-the-u-s-keep-building-f-35s-instead-of-the-better-f-22-by-benjamin-mcdonough/
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dopereporters.com

That's one tough Lady.



Why Doesn't Ukraine Just Surrender To Russia Since They Can't Win?-By Tomaž Vargazon

https://dopereporters.com/why-doesnt-ukraine-just-surrender-to-russia-since-they-cant-win-by-tomaz-vargazon/
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dopereporters.com