₦airaland Forum

An Abuja High Court judge, Mudashiru Oniyangi, will on Friday rule on whether the court should proceed with the trial of Farouk Lawan and Boniface Emenalo over claims that they received a bribe of $620, 000 (N97 million) from businessman, Femi Otedola.

Mr. Oniyangi was billed to deliver the ruling on Thursday last week, but he was unable to sit because he was bereaved.

Messrs Lawan and Emenalo were Chairman and Secretary respectively of the defunct House of Representative Ad-Hoc Committee that investigated fuel subsidy payments.

Read details here: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/133495-620000-bribe-abuja-court-to-decide-farouk-lawan-emenalos-fate-on-friday.html

The Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on Wednesday cleared the air over his 2015 presidential ambition when he told journalists in Borno State that he would declare his interest ‘at the right time.’

Rumours have circulated that the Kano Governor, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, plans to contest the presidential election in 2015. He is not eligible to re-contest as Kano Governor in 2015 as this is his second term in office, having been governor between 1999 and 2003.

Mr. Kwankwaso made his first public statement on his rumoured ambition, Tuesday, at the Government House, Maiduguri, shortly after presenting a N20 million cheque as part of his government’s support to the Borno State Government over the recent Baga killings.

Read more at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/132210-i-will-declare-my-presidential-ambition-at-the-right-time-kano-governor-kwankwaso-says.html

Contrary to the claim by Nigerian military that only 30 houses were destroyed in a military raid in Baga, Maiduguri on April 16 and 17 after a soldier was killed when members of insurgent Boko Haram attacked an military vehicle, satellite images obtained by Human Right Watch has revealed “massive destruction of civilian properties.”

A statement released by the organisation said it identified 2,275 destroyed buildings, majority of which are likely residential, with another 125 severely damaged.

Human rights Watch said its findings corroborate claims by the residents of the town that “counted 2,000 burned homes and 183 bodies” immediately after the attack.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/132165-satelite-imagery-shows-2275-houses-burnt-in-baga-human-rights-watch-says.html

Yoruba actress, Bisi Ibidapo Obe, who was the guest at the Celebrity Night-Out, revealed that the day her daughter, Destiny, was born, is the happiest day of her life.

“The day my daughter, Destiny was born was and is still the happiest day of my life. I experienced love, greater than anything I had ever felt before and I don’t think it can ever be replaced,” Bisi enthused.

Despite the controversy surrounding the birth of the child, the Omologbalogba actress said Destiny’s birth gave her joy beyond measure. It will be recalled that the alleged father of the girl, former Nigerian lawmaker, Dino Melaye, refused to take responsibility for the child and denied paternity in the media and on social networks.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/arts-entertainment/132009-my-happiest-moment-was-the-birth-of-my-daughter-destiny-bisi-ibidapo-obe.html

The two journalists of Leadership Newspaper, Tony Amokeode and Chibuzor Ukaibe, charged with forging President Goodluck Jonathan’s signature, were on Tuesday arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Messrs Amokeode and Ukaibe pleaded not guilty to the charge.

One of the Group Executive Directors in the newspaper house, Mike Okpere, stood in for the newspaper which is listed as a defendant.

The prosecution had alleged that the accused made a false document bearing fake sign manual purported to be President Goodluck Jonathan’s signature.

See details what the judge and Mr. Falana had to say at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/132113-nigerian-government-arraigns-two-journalists-executive-director-of-leadership-newspapers.html

Nigerian military, NEMA submit contradictory reports to Jonathan on Baga casualty:

About 200 people were feared killed two weeks ago during a clash between insurgents and security officials in Baga, a border town near to Lake Chad.

Mr. Abati, in a statement sent to journalists on Tuesday evening, said President Jonathan commended the two government organs for their submitted interim reports.

Check out details of the report at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/132130-nigerian-military-nema-submit-contradictory-reports-to-jonathan-on-baga-casualty.html

A federal government White Paper on Boko Haram- the government’s first official report on the sect since it began a deadly uprising in 2009- has indicted “prominent” Borno state politicians as the group’s founders, with a directive they be brought to justice-a decision left unimplemented nearly two years after.

The report, published in government’s official gazette since 2011, says Boko Haram evolved from private militias run by key politicians from the northeast state, who sought to outflank opponents ahead of 2003 elections.

Find the "prominent" politicians that contains the report at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131694-government-white-paper-indicts-prominent-politicians-for-creating-boko-haram.html

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has condemned as “evil” the Jonathan administration’s $40 million ambitious internet spy programme awarded to an Israeli firm to secretly search out on Nigeria’s 47 million Internet users. The party urged Nigerians to resist the move.

The contract, undertaken by Elbit Systems, with headquarters in Haifa, will allow the government spy on citizens’ computers and Internet communications and emails under the guise of intelligence gathering and national security. Elbit announced the contract award Wednesday without stating the name of the benefiting country.

See details with the exclusive report by PREMIUM TIMES at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131776-acn-urges-nigerians-to-resist-jonathans-evil-40million-internet-spy-contract.html

Some candidates of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination on Saturday in Akure, the Ondo State capital, wrote the examination conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), without being able to do the required biometric data verification.

See reasons why they were allowed to write the exam at: http://premiumtimesng.com/regional/131635-students-write-jamb-exam-without-biometric-verification.html

A Borno State Senator, Maina Lawan, on Saturday revealed that the actual death toll in the clash between soldiers and Boko Haram is 228, while over 4000 houses were also burnt down.

Baga is the birth place of Senator Lawan who represents Baga and other towns in Borno North in the Nigerian Senate.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131623-228-people-killed-over-4000-houses-burnt-in-baga-senator-says-after-visit.html

Reports from Taraba State indicate that a one-storey building collapsed on students as they wrote the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, exams on Wednesday.

The incident reportedly occurred Wednesday in Mararaba Ba-Isa, a village in Donga Local Government Area of the state.

Read more at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131303-five-feared-dead-as-building-collapses-on-students-writing-waec-exams-in-taraba.html

Read full story Exclusively at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131249-exclusive-jonathan-awards-40million-contract-to-israeli-company-to-monitor-computer-internet-communication-by-nigerians.html

unnamed: Later he will open his mouth that he wants to tackle unemployment

See Exclusively at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131249-exclusive-jonathan-awards-40million-contract-to-israeli-company-to-monitor-computer-internet-communication-by-nigerians.html

talktimi: ...."According to Premium Times Elbit announced the contract award Wednesday in a global press release but was silent on the Nigerian destination of the contract..."

Then where is the PROOF that it was the Nigerian government who awarded the contract ? Not that its not possible for Nigeria to do such but as long as there is no proof, then I'll just tag this as another piece of irresponsible journalism.

See full story from an Exclusive source at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131249-exclusive-jonathan-awards-40million-contract-to-israeli-company-to-monitor-computer-internet-communication-by-nigerians.html

igelomo: The Jonathan administration secretly, and in open violation of lawful contracting procedures, has awarded an Israeli firm, Elbit Systems, with headquarters in Haifa, a $40million contract to help it spy on citizens’ computers and Internet communications under the guise of intelligence gathering and national security.

According to Premium Times Elbit announced the contract award Wednesday in a global press release but was silent on the Nigerian destination of the contract. Its general manager, Yehuda Vered, opaquely announced that “Elbit Systems will supply its Wise Intelligence Technology (WiT) system to an unnamed country in Africa under a new $40 million contract announced on 24 April… for Intelligence Analysis and Cyber Defense,” but effusively claimed, in the statement, that his company is “proud to be selected to supply this unique system, which is already field-proven, fully operational and customisable.

“Elbit Systems is a world leader in the fields of intelligence analysis and cyber defense, with proven solutions highly suitable for countries, armies and critical infrastructure sites. We hope that additional customers will follow in selecting our highly advanced and cutting edge systems in these fields as their preferred solution,” Mr. Vered added.

CONTINUE READING: http://flynaija.org/jonathan-awards-40million-contract-to-israeli-company-to-monitor-computer-internet-communication-by-nigerians/

Jonathan awards $40million contract to Israeli company to monitor computer, Internet communication by Nigerians.

Here is a very important information from PREMIUM TIMES for the 47 million Nigerian Internet users. Big Brother, in the form of the Jonathan administration, is watching you, and your communication is no longer safe.

It is one of the most far-reaching policies ever designed in Nigeria’s history to invade the privacy of citizens.

The Jonathan administration secretly, and in open violation of lawful contracting procedures, has awarded an Israeli firm, Elbit Systems, with headquarters in Haifa, a $40million contract to help it spy on citizens’ computers and Internet communications under the guise of intelligence gathering and national security.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131249-exclusive-jonathan-awards-40million-contract-to-israeli-company-to-monitor-computer-internet-communication-by-nigerians.html

Gunmen believed to be members of Boko Haram early Thursday morning attacked security bases in Gashua Town of Yobe State shooting for hours and engaging security forces in a shootout.

Fati Umar, a female school teacher in Gashua, sent a text message at about 1 a.m. saying “please do pray for us! We are in danger.”

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131278-boko-haram-attacks-army-base-police-station-in-gashua-yobe.html

A pro-democracy campaigner, Ayodele Akele, has called for the immediate and unconditional drop of the charge of treason filed against the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Ralph Uwazurike.

Speaking at an event in Lagos to celebrate the President of the Campaign for Democracy, Joe Okei-Odumakin, who was recently honoured by the United States Government with the International Women of Courage Awards, Mr. Akele said “it is a mockery of democracy and freedom” for Mr. Uwazurike and other MASSOB members to be tried for treason while members of violent insurgents, Boko Haram, responsible for killing thousands of innocent Nigerians, are being begged to receive a government proposed amnesty.

Read details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131177-drop-treason-charge-against-uwazurike-akele-tells-nigerian-government.html

A former personal secretary to Osama bin Laden was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday, for the second time.

He was found guilty of participating in a conspiracy to kill Americans that included the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/131228-ex-bin-laden-secretary-gets-life-for-1998-embassy-bombings.html

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday constituted a Presidential Committee, to constructively engage key members of Boko Haram.
The committee is also to define comprehensive and workable framework for resolving insecurity in the country.

The committee included clerics, former security officials, civil society activists and others.

Find out the members at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129974-jonathan-sets-up-26-member-amnesty-implementation-committee-to-engage-boko-haram.html

Some English teachers in private schools in Lagos State have called on the state government to include scrabble game into the primary and secondary schools curricula to increase the proficiency of students.

The teachers, who spoke in Lagos on Wednesday, added that the game would also assist the students in the development of spellings abilities.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129963-english-teachers-want-government-to-include-scrabble-in-school-curricula.html

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has reinstated its recommendation that Nigeria be labelled “a country of particular concern”, a designation by the United States Secretary of State (under authority delegated by the President) of a nation guilty of particularly severe violations of religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998 (H.R. 2431) and its amendment of 1999 (Public Law 106-55).

Read details of the story at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129909-u-s-agency-blasts-jonathan-wants-nigeria-designated-country-of-particular-concern.html

An international oil sale scandal is brewing in Malawi over a multimillion government-to-government oil contract the country reached with Nigeria; and at the centre of the deal is the Nigerian Anyiam-Osigwe group, the business clan accused recently of fraud in Zambia.

An investigation by a newspaper in the southeastern African nation points to what appears to be a flawed oil deal, facilitated by the Nigerian group between Nigeria and Malawi.

Read details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129913-jonathan-nigerian-wealthy-family-named-in-dubious-malawi-oil-deal.html

The arraignment of two journalists charged with forging President Goodluck Jonathan’s signature was on Tuesday stalled at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Tony Amokeodo and Chibuzor Ukaibe of the Leadership Newspaper, are accused of making a false document bearing what was purported to be Mr. Jonathan’s signature.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129793-leadership-newspapers-journalists-freed-as-judge-faults-mode-of-trial.html

Nigeria needs about N360 billion to provide portable water for her over 160 million residents, the Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe, said in Abuja on Thursday.

The minister also said that a total of 23 dam projects at the cost of N156 billion are currently under construction across the country. The dams, which will generate about 3.4 million jobs, she added, would be completed before 2015.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/129182-fg-needs-n360bn-to-provide-portable-water-for-nigerians-minister.html?doing_wp_cron=1365741848.2100288867950439453125

Some of the directors at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who are affected by the ongoing shake-up have threatened to sue the commission, a top official of the commission has said.

Only six out of the 26 Directors at the headquarters survived the shake-up at the commission.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128900-inec-directors-threaten-to-go-to-court.html

Gunmen, suspected to be members of the insurgent Boko Haram, on Tuesday evening killed four officials of the Borno State Government.

The officials are members of the state school feeding committee that were on a tour of schools in the state. The victims include Tijjani Mafe who is the chairman of the feeding committee in charge of the free feeding programs in public schools.

Also among those killed was an accountant, Modu Kura Gubio. The names of the other two victims, including the driver of the vehicle, are yet to be confirmed.

Reliable government sources say the gunmen waylaid the vehicle of the committee members at Logomani Village near the outskirts of Bama Town, 89km from Maiduguri; and shot them dead. The gunmen also escaped with their vehicle.

The state commissioner of education, Musa Inuwa Kubo, confirmed the incident but could not provide details.

: http://premiumtimesng.com/regional/128888-breaking-gunmen-kill-four-borno-officials.html

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES in his office recently described the spokesperson of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Lai Mohammed, as a ‘liar’ with no vision and very little understanding of what the role of the opposition is supposed to be in a democracy.

See his reasons in the interview session at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128859-why-nigeria-cant-release-alamieyeseigha-to-britain-for-trial-presidency.html

A former President of the Association of Nigeria Author (ANA), Wale Okediran, on Tuesday said that late Professor Chinua Achebe’s rejection of the national honour was political.

Mr. Okediran said this in Abuja at a programme organised by the association to celebrate the literary icon.

Read details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/national/128857-achebe-played-politics-all-his-life-ana.html

The Joint Security Taskforce, JTF, in Kano on Thursday said it arrested four suspected gunmen in Sharada and Hotoro areas of Kano metropolis.

The Force also said it recovered arms and ammunition at Gaida Ajawa in Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state.

See details ------>http://premiumtimesng.com/news/128853-jtf-arrests-4-gunmen-recovers-arms-ammunition-in-kano.html

A meeting of the All Progressives Congress, APC, went underway in Abuja on Monday, with its promoters insisting on retaining its name and acronym, despite threats by the rival African Peoples Congress to seek judicial intervention over the rejection of its registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The association also accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of sponsoring the other associations laying claim to the “APC” acronym.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/national/128674-apc-will-not-change-name-acronym-lai-mohammed.html

A Civil Society Organisation, Alliance for Credible Election, ACE, has said the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will be held responsible if the 2015 general elections are not transparent and credible.

The General Secretary of ACE, Emma Ezeazu, who stated this in Abuja on Monday, said it is inexcusable and unacceptable that the commission is yet to update the voter register to include the names of persons entitled to vote in the elections.

See details at: http://premiumtimesng.com/news/national/128676-blame-inec-if-2015-general-elections-fail-ace.html

Nigerian ace comedian, AY, has released a short youtube video, where he punned the recent visit of American reality TV star, Kim Kardashian’s visit to Nigeria, the Tuface scare before her coming, the subsequent parody hate tweet, and the recent “My Oga at the Top” scandal.

See details in video at: http://premiumtimesng.com/arts-entertainment/128325-ay-mocks-kim-kardashian-tuface-in-new-comedy-video.html