₦airaland Forum

The Nigerian Military on Thursday, confirmed the death of factional Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.
The Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, said this in Adamawa State during a tour of formations under his command.
According to Irabor, the individual originally identified as Shekau has indeed been killed, though the latest person bearing the name was recently wounded.
Irabor said, “I can confirm to you that the original Shekau was killed, the second Shekau was killed, and the man presenting himself as Shekau, I can also confirm to you that few days ago, he was wounded. We are yet to confirm whether he is dead or not”.
The Commander also confirmed division within the ranks of the insurgent group which was due to to constant military pressure
“They released videos to prove that they are still active, but that’s just a facade,” Irabor said.
Recall that the military after a recent air raid of the insurgent’s enclave in Sambisa Forest, claimed that Shekau was “fatally” wounded while some commanders were killed
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President Muhamamdu Buhari on Thursday assured Nigerians that despite the various current challenges facing the country, Nigeria will be great again under his watch.

Buhari gave the assurance while speaking with Muslim leaders in Osun State shortly after joining them in Zuhr prayer held inside the Government House after he inaugurated the N1.35bn Osogbo Government High School.
The President led the prayers and he was joined by the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola; Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi; Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima; and the Minister of Communications, Wahab Shittu, among others.
He urged the Muslim clerics to continue their intense prayers for the country, saying things would be better.
He reiterated his commitment to ensuring safety of lives and property in the country.
“I thank you for your prayers for the nation. God will help us to secure Nigeria and efficiently manage it. Please continue to pray for us. I can assure you that Nigeria will be great again,” the President said
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The continued scarcity of foreign exchange on Wednesday pushed the naira to an all-time-low of 420 against the United States market.
The currency hit its record low the same day that data released by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the economy was in recession.
The naira has continued to weaken in the parallel market, defying attempts by monetary authorities to reverse its slide.
For instance, the CBN had on June 20 lifted its 16-month-old currency controls and auctioned about $4bn on the spot and futures market to clear a backlog of dollar demand, to help boost interbank market trading.
On Tuesday, the naira had dipped to 418 against the dollar at the parallel market, a day it closed at 414.
Some analysts expressed concern about the likely impact of the NBS report, which painted a negative picture of the economy, on the currency and investment.
The NBS report showed that the GDP growth rate slid further from -0.36 per cent in the first quarter to -2.06 per cent with inflation rising to 17.1 per cent from 16.5 per cent.
It also showed that unemployment rate had increased to 13.3 per cent from 12.1 per cent and that the investment inflows had dropped to the lowest levels at $647.1m from $710m.
The country’s foreign reserves have also witnessed a decline, further threatening the naira.
Bureaux de Change operators have, however, raised the hope of a gradual appreciation of the local currency in the near term as the CBN licensed 11 new international money transfer operators to address the dollar supply side.
“Depending on the effective implementation of the central bank’s policy, the appointment of new international money transfer operators will ensure that banks will have more dollars to sell to bureaux de change and provide the needed liquidity in the market,” the President, National Association of Bureaux de Change Operators of Nigeria, Aminu Gwadabe, toldReuterson Wednesday.
The Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, said the NBS report had also indicated that the second half of the year would be better.
“Besides the growth recorded in the agriculture and solid mineral sectors, the Nigerian economy in response to the policies of the Buhari presidency is also doing better than what the IMF had estimated with clear indications that the second half of the year would be even much better,” he said.
Financial analysts have called on the Federal Government to declare a national emergency on the economy to avoid a situation where the current recession will result in a full-blown depression.

What is Nickel?
Nickel is a chemical element with symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile. Pure nickel, powdered to maximize the reactive surface area, shows a significant chemical activity, but larger pieces are slow to react with air under standard conditions because an oxide layer forms on the surface and prevents further corrosion (passivation). Even so, pure native nickel is found in Earth’s crust only in tiny amounts, usually in ultramafic rocks and in the interiors of larger nickel–iron meteorites that were not exposed to oxygen when outside Earth’s atmosphere.
Where Nickel is Used?
Nickel-containing materials play a major role in our everyday lives – food preparation equipment, mobile phones, medical equipment, transport, buildings, power generation – the list is almost endless. They are selected because – compared with other materials – they offer better corrosion resistance, better toughness, better strength at high and low temperatures, and a range of special magnetic and electronic properties.
Most important are alloys of iron, nickel and chromium, of which stainless steels (frequently 8-12% nickel) are the largest volume. Nickel based alloys – like stainless steel but with higher nickel contents – are used for more demanding applications such as gas turbines and some chemical plants.
In addition, iron and nickel alloys are used in electronics and specialist engineering, while copper-nickel alloys are used for coinage and marine engineering.
There are about 3000 nickel-containing alloys in everyday use. About 90% of all new nickel sold each year goes into alloys, two-thirds going into stainless steel.
Nickel metal is used to provide hard-wearing decorative and engineering coatings as ‘nickel-plating’ or ‘electroless nickel coating’ or ‘electroforming’. When used with a top layer of chromium, it is popularly known as ‘chrome-plating’. When done in combination with silicon carbide it is known as composite plating.
Nickel is a key part of several rechargeable battery systems used in electronics, power tools, transport and emergency power supply. Most important today are nickel-metal hydride (NiMH).
Nickel is a key ingredient in many catalysts used to make chemical reactions more efficient.
Nickel use is growing at about 4% each year while use of nickel-containing stainless steel is growing at about 6%. The fastest growth today is seen in the newly and rapidly industrializing countries, especially in Asia. Nickel-containing materials are needed to modernize infrastructure, for industry and to meet the material aspirations of their populations.
Much more about all these applications of nickel can be found in Nickel Use in Society and the Material Selection and Use areas of the web site.
A list of some of the major nickel alloy and nickel stainless steel producers in the world is available here.
Also read : Nickel Discovery in Nigeria
Why Nickel is Used?
Most nickel-containing products have long useful lives. Average life is probably 25-35 years, with many applications lasting much longer. Nickel containing products frequently can provide optimum solutions to practical challenges at a lower total cost and with more efficient use of resources, including energy.
At the end of their useful life, nickel-containing products can be collected and recycled for future use and re-use. Nickel is one of the most recycled materials globally. It is collected and recycled, mostly in the form of alloys. About half of the nickel content of a stainless steel product today will have come from recycled sources.
Nickel is of considerable economic and strategic importance to many countries, as can be appreciated from the wide diversity of end-use industries which it serves. It is traded on the London Metal Exchange.
The International Nickel Study Group, based in Lisbon, Portugal, is an inter-governmental body which publishes monthly statistics on nickel supply and demand, and acts as a forum for the exchange of information and views on nickel trends.
Nickel and nickel compounds can in certain circumstances be associated with toxicity, carcinogenicity and with dermal sensitization. Most of the practical risks associated with nickel hazards are seen in certain complex processes used in nickel production and refining. The risks are well known and are managed and controlled by specific workplace regulation.
In the nickel industry’s view, significant risks are not normally associated with the use of nickel, nickel-containing alloys or nickel-containing products, with the exception of the use of nickel and some nickel alloys in jewellery.
Nickel use makes a very high practical contribution to improvements of health, safety and protection of the environment. Society will lose a lot more than it will gain if it adopts an excessively precautionary approach to the assessment and management of the risks associated with nickel.
Culled from Nickel Institute, Wikipedia

Troops of 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army have raided suspected oil bunkerer and militant camps at Afiagbene in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta but nobody was found.
Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement on Tuesday that the troops carried the raid in collaboration with the Navy.
Usman said the raid was part of the field training exercise on the day 4 of the ongoing operation nicknamed: ``Operation Crocodile Smile’’ in the Niger Delta.
He said the troops, however, recovered two generators, one locally made double barrel gun, one dane gun, three live cartridges and two pumping machines.
Others, he said, were one 32 inches LG television, one Kenwood amplifier and 4 X 50 litres of liquid suspected to be crude oil at Ayakoromo junction.(NAN)
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The Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday said he did not re-appoint the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, as a government official during his re-election in 2012 because he did not trust him.
Oshiomhole, said this while addressing traders’ associations in Benin, the state capital.
He noted that Ize-Iyamu was part of the previous administrations, under the PDP, which he said allegedly “looted the Edo State treasury.”
The PDP candidate for the forthcoming governorship poll served as Oshiomhole campaign team’s Director-General in the 2012 election.
But the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chris Nehikhare, dismissed the governor’s allegation as a “fat lie,” adding that the party’s candidate rejected all appointments offered by Oshiomhole.
Nehikhare said, “Ize-Iyamu rejected all the appointments offered by the governor both in 2008 and 2012. He, instead, recommended many people to the governor, which the governor gladly appointed.
Oshiomhole, who was flanked by the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Godwin Obaseki and other people said, “I did not appoint Ize-Iyamu because of his past record. I would not be comfortable to put government money in his hand. That is why I kept him completely out of government.
“I did not even give him a board appointment. He was part of the government that looted the Edo State treasury. Do not put the key to your kitchen in the hands of someone you do not trust.
“Usually, a governor appoints the Director-General of his campaign after his election. But I did not appoint him into government because I have his records; I do not trust him.”
He also faulted criticisms over the siting of a new university in his hometown, arguing that state funds were better invested in human capital development than in private pockets.
He said, “I read Ize-Iyamu complaining that I have developed my village, Iyamho. Yes, because Iyamho is part of Edo State. But I did not put the money in my pocket.
“But what did they do in Okada (community)? They said they wanted to do a dual carriageway. They collected the money and put it in their pocket and they did not do the Okada road.”
Earlier, Obaseki had commended the traders for their support ahead of the election.
The APC candidate noted that the achievements recorded by the Oshiomhole administration were part of the first phase of development in the state.
He, therefore, urged the voters in the state to support the APC in order to commence the second phase.
Obaseki said, “All those things we have done in eight years, we want them to continue. Oshiomhole is the architect; he has laid the foundation and, in our continuity programme, we will lay the blocks and continue from there.”
lalasticlala,mynd44

The Commander, “Operation Crocodile Smile’’ of the Nigerian Army, Brig-Gen. Benbella Raji, has reassured Niger Delta residents of their safety.
Raji gave the assurance during a training to enhance the operations of the military.
The Commander, who is from the 4 Brigade, Nigerian Army in Edo, also said that the training would help to improve the security situation in the Niger Delta.
“This exercise was launched by the Chief of Army Staff a few days ago.
“Today, we move round the streets to give assurance to the good citizens of Delta, especially in Warri, that the army is here for their security.
“There are rules of engagement that guide exercises of this nature which are also meant to strengthen civil-military relations.
“As we speak, there is free medical outreach provided by the Nigerian Army near the Olu of Warri palace.
“We urge people in Niger Delta communities not to entertain any fear, we guarantee their safety,’’ he said.
The training, involved the movement of troops and equipment through Udu, Uwvie and Warri South Local Government Areas.
Some residents of Warri and its environs were apprehensive upon sighting the troops and equipment.
“Operation Crocodile Smile’’, which ended on Monday, was, however, peaceful and successful.
It will be recalled that the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai, had on Aug. 27 declared the military training, codenamed “Operation Crocodile Smile’’ open in Sapele.
Buratai said the exercise was not meant to harm anyone but to drill the officers and to also fortify security in the volatile Niger Delta region. (NAN)

The painter in this picture is Belami 18 years ago

The president, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers and national leader of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Comrade Isaac Balami has let out a heart-chilling story on how he started his career on a humble pedestrian, having gone through unimaginable poverty.

Belami who marked his birthday anniversary on the 25th of August 2016, with painters, masons and a host of others who engage in menial jobs in Abuja, told them and others his story just to inspire them in order not to give up on their lives.

Addressing the crowd after the birthday, Belami who is also the founder of the Nigeria Rebirth Project, said 18 years ago, he was struggling with life, and that at one point, he was a painter, after which he became a suck-away evacuator and later became a manson. He said he tried his hands in suya business and other jobs while struggling with life.

According to him, ‘’ Who would have thought that a mere painter just 18 years ago could become the national president of the Association of Nigerian Pilots and Engineers? Who would have thought that an ordinary mason just 16 years ago could become the past spokesperson of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria? Who would have thought that a filthy and stenchy soak-away evacuator from the North-Eastern part of Nigeria could become the president of Arewa youth consultative forum? Who would have thought that a man who could hardly afford a daily meal could cater for over 500 widows and sponsor nearly 500 children in school as a commitment from a foundation he owns? Who would have thought that a helpless man who faced a lot of challenges would be the founder of Nigeria Rebirth Project?,’’ he asked rhetorically.

Read his speech below…

‘’Friends, every 25th of August is not just to celebrate my birthday but a day to reflect over the past and revel in the present.
‘’Who would have thought that a mere painter just 18 years ago could become the national president of the Association of Nigerian Pilots and Engineers? Who would have thought that an ordinary mason just 16 years ago could become the past spokesperson of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria?Who would have thought that a filthy and stenchy soak-away evacuator from the North-Eastern part of Nigeria could become the president of Arewa youth consultative forum? Who would have thought that a man who could hardly afford a daily meal could cater for over 500 widows and sponsor nearly 500 children in school as a commitment from a foundation he owns? Who would have thought that a helpless man who faced a lot of religious and ethnic discrimination would be the founder of Nigeria Rebirth Project?: its unveiling had a convergence of 66 ambassadors of nations and well over 20 state governors’ wives. Who would have thought that a young man whose fellow students refer to as Mai suya could build BD Hub, the largest hub in Africa. I could count on the seemingly odd and unfavourable pebbles life threw at me as a young man.
‘’But I tell you something friends, God raised me up! God raised me above those stormy seas. If you are looking for the man that should have amounted to nothing either by hard work or background, it is me! But God in His amazing grace brought me where I am today and I will not lose touch with that fact.
‘’So on the 25th of August being my birthday, I had the singular honor and privilege to celebrate with my friends once again, just like we have always done over the years. The ones doing the dirty and menial jobs in Abuja. The ones always reminding me of my past. The masons, carpenters, diggers, painters et al. The ones I could have looked down on because of my present status in the society.

‘’Then I discovered something. I am in no way better than them. It was just God that made my life this enviable. A few of my friends who do not know me too well think I was born with silver spoon. They accuse me of trying to inspire them because I had a very smooth background. Let me reiterate once again that God is the reason for my success story. Not my academic prowess or intellectual property. So I took time to hang outwith these great men after their day’s job. We gisted, danced, cut the cake, ate and drank in merriment.They got motivated by me and I in turn got inspired by them. What a symbiotic atmosphere that was!
‘’God willing, I wish to do this for the rest of my life. Forgetting them is forgetting my life and forgetting my life is simply forgetting God who makes all things possible. I dread that day and I pray it does not come.
‘’This is a clarion call on every great dreamer out there, most especially the hustlers in these hard economic times. Do not give up! Do not give in! Keep keeping on! If God could place me this high, He will do the same for you, even more, only if you will not stop believing

In a bid to avert incidents of Lassa fever and other vector-borne diseases in Lagos State, a non-governmental organisation, Phosguard Fumigant Limited, in partnership with the state government, has introduced a bounty, ‘Kill rats, make money.’
Under the project, rodents in the state will be bought by the NGO after they had been killed using hi-tech chemicals and equipment that would make their decomposing bodies non-infectious, theNews Agency of Nigeriareports.

The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Oluwasegun Benson, on Sunday, said the bounty would help to get rid of rats in the state.

“We will buy at least 20 rats for a yet-to-be determined amount. In Lagos now, it is operation kill rats and make money.

“A rat has 28 days gestation period and in the past years, there has not been any solid structure on ground to curb them from infecting humans with diseases.

“We are already approaching an epidemic with Lassa fever and we must be proactive and find a more coordinated approach to control them. It is war against rodents and pests in Lagos State,’’ he said.
Benson said the company was collaborating with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority to either incinerate or bury the rats.

“Everything is going to be water-tight as we are not just going to kill the rats, we are going to collect them using our trained and well-kitted personnel,’’ he added.

He said the project would commence in October, adding that it had the capacity to create about 200 or 300 jobs, particularly for youths.

The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Leo Ogor, on Sunday, said the former Chairman, House of Reps Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, needs urgent psychiatric attention.
Ogor made the remark while reacting to the latest allegation by Jibrin against some senior principal officers of the lower legislative chambers.
Jibrin had over the weekend, accused some senior officers of the lower legislative chambers of diverting N10bn office allowance between 2003 to this year, to their private pocket.
The All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmaker from Kano State listed those involved in the alleged diversion to include, Speaker, Yakubu Dogara; Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun and House Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Others include, Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa; Deputy Leader, Buba Jibril; Deputy Whip, Pally Iriase; Minority Leader, Mr. Leo Ogor ;Deputy Minority Leader, Chukwuka Onyeama; Minority Whip, Yakubu Barde; and Deputy Minority Whip, Binta Bello-Maigeri.
Recall that Jibrin, had on July 21 2016, accused Dogara, Lasun, Ado-Doguwa, and Ogor of inserting over N40bn into the 2016 budget.
However, Ogor stressed that Jibrin’s sudden change of focus from budget-padding allegations to diversion of allowances by members was an indication that he needed medical attention.
According to the Minority Leader, the rate at which the Kano lawmaker “churns out baseless figures” suggests that his “head should be examined urgently,” Punch reports.
Speaking further, Ogor said, “His case is fast getting out of hands. Honestly, he needs help to stop peddling lies and to deliberately rubbish the names of his colleagues and the institution of the National Assembly.
“I have seen that this man has an issue with his head and he should see a psychiatrist. Tests should be conducted on him urgently. I don’t know what he stands to gain by peddling lies against his colleagues.”
lalasticlala,mynd44

President Buhari told the session attended by several African leaders, Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and international business executives that his administration’s vision and objective is to make Nigeria one of the top investment destinations in the world, within the shortest possible time.
‘‘We believe government has a particular responsibility to create right and attractive environment for businesses and economic activities to thrive.
‘‘In furtherance of this vision, we have launched the Presidential Enabling Environment Council, PEEC and Inter-Ministerial Council to oversee the efforts of government to remove various bottlenecks that stifle businesses and economic activities and thereby create economic activities and the right enabling environment and investment climate in Nigeria.
‘‘The secretariat will include strong private sector representation that would be led by experienced business professionals from the private sector.
‘‘We are committed to moving up the ranking of the World Bank’s ease of doing business index 20 places in first year and be in the top 100 within the next 3 years,’’ the President said.
Doing Business Report is a series of annual reports investigating the regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it. Doing Business presents quantitative indicators on business regulation and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 189 economies—from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe—and over time. Doing Business measures aspects of regulation affecting 11 areas of the life of a business.
Ten of these areas are included the annual ranking on the ease of doing business: starting a business, dealing with construction permits, getting electricity, registering property, getting credit, protecting minority investors, paying taxes, trading across borders, enforcing contracts and resolving insolvency. Doing Business also measures features of labor market regulation, which is not included in this year’s ranking.
Data in Doing Business 2016 are current as of June 1, 2015. The indicators are used to analyze economic outcomes and identify what reforms of business regulation have worked,where and why.
lalasticlala,mynd44

President Mohammadu Buhari has said though Boko Haram terrorists have been degraded, his government's was currently faced with the challenge of re-integrating the over two million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) with their families.
President Muhammadu Buhari disclosed this in Nairobi, Kenya on Saturday at the commencement of the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI).
President Buhari noted that international cooperation with Nigeria was central in the decimation of Boko Haram terror group.
He acknowledged Japanese assistance through UNICEF in the rehabilitation of the victims of Boko Haram and commended development partners for their work geared towards improving the lives of some two million IDPs in the country.
According to the president, the bottom line is that these problems are Nigeria's primary responsibility and the country must tackle them and find lasting solutions to them.
''I took over the mantle of leadership in Nigeria when the north-eastern part of the country was being ravaged by Boko Haram. However, soon after assumption of office, our administration with the support of our immediate neighbours -- Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin- and international partners including Japan, faced the challenge frontally.
''As I speak, the terror group has been decimated and life is beginning to return to normal in the affected region. The challenge we currently face which is also being addressed, is that of the IDPs which number over two million to get them re-integrated with their families and their original homes,’’ Buhari said.
The president, however, assured that his administration would diligently ensure full rehabilitation of victims of Boko Haram and find lasting solutions to combat threats of terrorism in Nigeria.

The son of the former Governor of Ogun State and Chairman Kresta Laurel Limited, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Adebola Daniel has begun a foundation to press for equity and fairness to the physically challenged individuals in Nigeria.
In a statement, Mr. Adebola reiterated the need to end discrimination against people living with disabilities in the country.
“I was born into a very comfortable home, with both amazing parents and without a disability.
“However, when I turned 5, I was diagnosed with paraplegia- a rare condition with no medical clarity. I became confined to a wheelchair. Growing up in Nigeria, I unconsciously associated disability to poverty and crime due to amputated beggars on the streets mostly as a result of Sharia Law practiced in the North. This was general opinion of most Nigerians in my social circle as a child.
“Having myself become physically challenged, I was exposed to the stigma and assumptions that came with being ‘disabled’.
“All of a sudden, I was looked at with pity, with judgement and sometimes with resentment by my fellow countrymen.
“As I became an adult, I began to realise that the onus was on me to make something of myself and create my life and future the way I envision it. My future was, and would always be in my own hands.”
Debola, who has a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from University College London is an inspirational speaker with TEDx Talk and founder of the African Youth Initiative.
According to him, Nigeria is one of the most unjust society for people living with disabilities, hence the need to create a movement to seek for not just equity but challenge the mindset of the average Nigerian.
“I see a lack of integration and it saddens me knowing that there is a young disabled Nigerian out there that has the capability to achieve what I have achieved and even surpass me but regrettably, they were not being given the adequate support from government and the society.
“It is unacceptable that most schools in Nigeria are inaccessible. It is unacceptable that roadside pavements are not fit for wheelchairs. It is unacceptable that Shell and other multinationals adhere to strict disability codes in the US and UK but are unable to carry this same principles to Nigeria.” He said.
According to him, the Debola Daniel Foundation “will not be a charity organization that will give out wheelchairs and crutches to the less privileged, rather will challenge government to think of disabilities when formulating policies especially in Education, Employment, Entrepreneurism and Development.
“At the moment, the foundation is working on a social media campaign with information, statistics and policies we support under the hashtag #DisabledNotUnable.” ‎
“A second segment titled #MyStory is being developed too, where the foundation celebrates disabled citizens who have decided that disability is not the end but just a different path. These people have decided to live life rather than be idle.” The statement read
lalasticlala,mynd44

Aufbauh:
Misguided and misleading headline lacking in content comprehension and objectivity.
breakingtimes ko, broken record ni.....@junckjournalism