₦airaland Forum

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the women disagreed over the right to occupancy of a chair at the International Conference Centre, venue of the summit.

Security women had to form a ring around the women to shield them from public view, as they were both half unclothed by the time they were separated.

One of the women claimed that she brought the seat from one side of the hall and that she went to the ladies to ease herself when another person took over the seat.

The second woman claimed that there was nothing on the seat to indicate that someone else occupied it.

All efforts to calm the two women failed as their tempers flared and within a few minutes, they attacked each order and littered the area with torn clothes.

Mrs Laraba Akut, an eyewitness from Kaduna State, said the fight could have been avoided if there were enough seats in the centre.

“We had to look for seats ourselves. It’s not easy standing for hours after a tiring journey yesterday to come for this summit,’’ she said.

Another eyewitness, Mrs Yomi Odu, said the two women should have controlled their tempers and conducted themselves better.

“We are all tensed up, there is so much stress and inconveniences, but as adults, we should show good example to our children,” she said.

NAN reported that there was an acute shortage of seats, as more than 9,000 women attended the summit in the 5,000-seater auditorium.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/7152-suspected-kidnappers-abduct-woman-in-error-in-owo

Nigeria is a child’s play! Decisions are been made haphardly ,
yesterday you suspend, today you lift, on a crucial matter that affects the lives of many innocent students.
Innocents students have missed exam now

THE National Examination Council (NECO), on Monday, lifted the suspension on the ongoing Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination in Edo State sequel to the decision of the state government to comply with the regulations of the examination body.

NECO had, on Sunday, slammed a suspension of the state from further participation in the ongoing nationwide examination as a result of the refusal of the state government to allow the men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other examination monitors from entering examination halls, but were ordered to remain at school gates.

The chairman, Governing Board of NECO, Mallam Yero Bello, while addressing newsmen, on Monday, in Abuja on the decision to lift the suspension said: “This is consequent upon the state government, as contained in their circular of Monday, 21st June, 2010, to abide by NECO regulations that officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other NECO monitoring officers be allowed into the examination halls in the conduct of the ongoing June/July 2010 SSCE.

“The examinations in the state shall continue with effect from today (Monday), while necessary arrangements would be put in place for the candidates to write the papers they missed as a result of the suspension at a later date.”

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/7171-ssce-neco-lifts-suspension-on-edo-state

After years of prevarication by several governments, the chicken might be coming home to roost for Ibrahim Babangida. NEXT gathered in Abuja, the seat of power, last night, that the Federal Government has raised a committee to probe the eight-year military government of Mr. Babangida.

The former military president is alleged to have mismanaged over $12.4 billion that accrued from crude oil sales during the Gulf War.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), told our correspondent in a telephone conversation that the committee is chaired by the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abdulahi Yola.

Although the committee has been charged to work expeditiously to meet the huge expectations of the citizens, it was learnt that it has no deadline, however.

Mr. Adoke’s revelation came on the trail of renewed actions being made to push for the enforcement of zoning as a political means of picking the presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) from the north in 2011 by a 48-man team inaugurated on Sunday at a meeting held by the Northern Elders’ Forum.

One of the people who was nominated into the group of eminent personalities and who could be the key beneficiary of a successful rapprochement is Mr. Babangida, a retired General seeking to reclaim power in 2011, after “stepping aside” on August 27, 1993.

Mr. Adoke says: “The committee on Okigbo report has been constituted. The committee’s work will begin properly as soon as the Solicitor-General of the Federation, who is the chairman of the committee, and who, right now, is away on an official assignment outside the country, returns.

“The committee will begin the process of its work by first authenticating the copy of the report we received. Once that is done, it will go ahead to review all the allegations and recommendations in the report, with a view to advising the Federal Government on the next line of action.”

The Justice Minister declined to authorise his Media Assistant or the Ministry’s Chief Press Secretary to release the names of the other members of the committee.

“The work of the committee is a very sensitive one. So, it is not right for me at this stage to reveal or authorise any of my aides to disclose the names of the other members for the simple reason that they could be exposed to high level of risks, influence peddling, following a public knowledge, and the possibility of tampering with the document and result,” Mr. Adoke added.

With the inauguration of the committee, the Justice Minister has fulfilled his promise to set up a committee that will determine the authenticity of the Pius Okigbo Panel report, and review the allegations and recommendations, with a view to ascertaining whether the allegations can sustain a criminal charge against Mr. Babangida.

Mr. Adoke had on May 12 acknowledged the receipt of the certified true copy of the report a group of civil society organisations (CSOs) sent to him.

A coalition of CSOs on May 5, 2010, fulfilled its promise to dust and produce the certified true copy (CTC) of Okigbo Panel Report accusing Mr. Babangida of embezzling $12.4 billion, after Mr. Adoke requested for the original copy that was alleged by the government of former president Olusegun Obasanjo to be missing.

The group of CSOs comprises: the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Women Advocates and Documentation Centre, Access to Justice, Committee for Defence of Human Rights, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Partnership for Justice, Human and Environmental Development Agenda, Nigeria Liberty Forum, Nigeria Voters Assembly, and Centre for the Rule of Law.

Meanwhile, in pursuance of his dream, Mr. Babangida, who has vowed to contest the next presidential election whether he is picked by the PDP or not, will on Thursday unveil his vision for a national rebirth at a one-day summit being organised by the National Solidarity Association, in Kaduna.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/5583733-146/government_committee_begins_probe_of_babangida.csp

A renowned prophet and the founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has said the only condition for Nigerians to enjoy tranquility, politically and economically, is for the country to break up.

Primate Ayodele, while speaking at the third annual distinguished inaugural lecture organised by the Fellowship of Christian Ministers Nigeria (FCMN), held in Lagos, at the weekend, said the clamoured zoning system in the political system had never worked for the unity of the country.

He also warned that President Goodluck Jonathan should not be deceived into contesting the 2011 presidential election, saying that he (Jonathan) was not the expected Messiah.

“Jonathan should leave the stage, he will not do anything good. How many months will it take him to restore power in Nigeria? For how long should Christians pray for Nigerian government? There is no need for prayer again. The only solution is to break up,” he said.

While speaking on the theme of the lecture, Nigeria nation at 50: the impact of the church challenges of the future, Primate Ayodele, who described the country as an adult baby at 50, lambasted former President, Olusegun Obasanjo.

Primate Ayodele described the eight-year tenure of the former president as the worst period that the Yoruba race had ever experienced.

According to him, “zoning system will alter the plan of God for the nation, it will not help us. What did Obasanjo do to improve the Yoruba race? Obasanjo insulted Christian leaders, did he apologise? Will Obasanjo family be ever poor again? Check the percentage of Yoruba race that are still poor, still Obasanjo ruled this country for eight years.”

While fielding questions from newsmen, Primate Ayodele noted that most Christian leaders had traded their integrity, adding that Christians were more of the problem of the country than the solutions.

Speaking on the current position of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Primate Ayodele said the leaders had failed woefully in their responsibility.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/7096-nigeria-must-break-up-to-enjoy-peace-primate-ayodele

THE National Examination Council (NECO) on Sunday, announced immediate suspense of the ongoing June/July, Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) in Edo State over alleged attempt to subvert the process by the state government.

The suspension takes effect from today, Monday, 21.

Chairman, Governing Board of NECO, Mallam Yero Bello, who announced this at a news briefing in Abuja, on the development, said the board took the decision following the directive on Wednesday last week, by the state commissioner for education barring the examination monitors from entering the examination halls.

The NECO said, as part of efforts to curb the rampant nature of examination malpractice, in the conduct of its examinations, introduced examination monitors, including the officers of the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSDC). It said this had in the last three years helped tremendously to cut down incidence of malpractices, especially the organised cheating.

But Yero said to the surprise of the examination body, the Edo State government in a special radio announcement on 17th June, 2010 and circular dated 11th June 2010 directed that the officers of the Civil Defense Corps should remain at the school gate, while any other NECO monitor should be approved by the office of the commissioner.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/7107-neco-suspends-sss-exams-in-edo

ode remo:
i am out of your league, i dont trade insult,sorry.
for your info ode remo is actually a town in ogun state.

It's no insult man, we often call people ode when they are fucking up,we use it always, though i dont know the exact meaning, but i know it is not a good word.

for example u can tell kids:
get out, Ode
comot 4 here, Ode
you no know anything, Ode
see goal wey u miss, Ode

even ppl were calling Sani Kaita Ode

@ode
I guess u dont know the meaning of ode, i think it means foool,mugu, just find out

Anything can happen
Obasanjo (evil) can become a pastor tomorow, i mean a true pastor

Sani Kaita

"I couldn't sleep thinking about what my action has cost my country, but I hope we will win our next game and qualify for the next round, where I hope to redeem my image with a good performance."

"I promise to put my life down on the pitch to ensure we go very far in this competition, and I promise that what happened will never happen again."
,


We have to forgive this guy and pray we qualify from this group. We still have a very good chance of qualifying:i dont see argentina losing a match.

Mafia4life:
@ Poster
Your ID means something. Were you inspired by some kind of MUSIC? or by the evil sh*tz you do? I know of some evil music that goes by your ID ( Evil P!MP, Triple 6 Mafia, Satan, fallen angel etc all rapper i love! )

You could reason it in btw the lines or with the 3rd ey
But guy you are a Mafia "for life", so was wrong with mine?

He has 32 teeth, the correct number of teeth found in an adult human being – but the extraordinary things he does with them make one wonder if they are not more than 32. With his teeth, he lifts weights as heavy as 150kg, pulls cars, lifts up bags of rice and cement, and is currently growing a beard which when tied with a rope, he uses to pull a 50 litre keg of water.

Michael Chukwuma’s skills have earned him his reputation as the ‘Strongest teeth in Africa.’ Popularly known as Akpoi, a name which was coined from a nickname given to him by friends--Akpola, meaning strong wood, the Anambra indigene says he discovered his talent while he was facing challenging times growing up in a polygamous family with a father’s neglect.

“My father did not really take care of me or send me to school, so I had to hustle to see myself through school. In the ghetto where I live, some people do some gym training and body building for other people which they use to earn money, but I wanted to do something different from that.

One day, I challenged some people at the gym saying that I could carry the same weights they were lifting with their hands, with my teeth. They did not believe me. I started by carrying the rod without weights with my teeth and gradually moved on to small weights. Today, I can lift weights up to 150kg with my teeth.” Mr. Chukwuma says it is not enough to discover one’s talent. That is only the first stage. A lot of work has to be done in training and developing the talent.

“When I discovered my talent, I knew I had to train regularly so that I won’t lose it. Sometimes I jog long distances. I can jog from here to Ikorodu without taking any water or food. I also work a lot on my inner strength. I eat foods that give me energy such as fufu and eba and sometimes I eat ripe plantain and beans.” One unusual thing Michael does which he attributes to his extraordinary strength is his ability to keep himself away from any form of intimate relationship with women.

“If I get close to a woman, it reduces my ability to lift extremely heavy weights. If I’m able to keep away from a woman for up to six months, I will be able to lift weights that I’ve never lifted before.” He, however, makes it clear that he does not abhor having a relationship with a woman in anyway.

“I will definitely get married someday. I’m not impotent. But any woman I get married to must understand the kind of job I do, except she doesn’t want me to take care of her financially.” He sees his skill as one that shouldn’t be utilised for himself alone and so he trains young men who are interested in what he does on how to lift and pull weights with their teeth.

“Some people approached me and told me they want to learn about what I do, so I train them. We start with the small weights first.”

Greatest challenge

His greatest challenge is getting adequate financial support to project himself and his skills to the world.

“People are requesting for my work on VCD. They also want me to organise shows and events, but all these cost money. In order to project my talent to the whole world, I need sponsors who will fund these things. I can’t do it all on my own.” Michael is well known in his neighbourhood, Idi-araba. He attributes much of his success and popularity to the support the people of his neighbourhood have given him.

“There is no resident of this area who does not know me. Even the okada riders at the bus-stop know my house. Sometimes, I demonstrate my skills on the streets. If I go outside and start to lift weights with my teeth, within minutes, a crowd will gather around me and that’s how I gained popularity.” As strenuous as his skill is, he says the continuous physical exertion on his jaws doesn’t cause him any pains.

“Since I’ve been doing this, I haven’t felt any pains as a result of the weights I lift. However, sometimes I have injuries on my gums when the iron scratches me. I have had a broken leg few times also.” Lifting and pulling weights is not the only thing Michael does to earn a living. He also practices interior decoration and painting and works as a gym instructor.

“I am into interior decoration. I make window blinds for offices and do house painting. I also work as a trainer at Mosanga Fitness International Gym Center at Mushin where I train people in body building and abdominal reduction. Sometimes I teach African dance.” Michael’s biggest ambition is to have his name in the Guinness Book of World Records.

“I want my name to enter the Guinness Book of Records. I want to challenge the white people who do similar things to show them that we are stronger people here in Africa.”

I think there will be a live media broadcast on NTA tonight around 6,7PM
I dont know if we will be allowed to call live, because i have questions to ask
I feel someone will ask this last question: "Mr. President what is your stand for 2011?

source?

Is this actually true?

As the trial neared conclusion, and continued to look bad for them, Ibori's associates decided to go for “prophets” in the Celestial Church of Christ in the London Parish based on Harton Street. There they met a notorious minister and spiritual curator named Prophet Daniel Dickson a.k.a "Lukuluku" who lives in the Shooters Hill council flats in southeast London.

One of our sources, an associate of Pastor Dickson’s, disclosed that Dickson recommended that Udoamaka, the better looking of the women, engage “in late night spiritual rituals.” He told the women that the "Lord" wanted to “use Udoamaka to solve their problems.”

Three days after the women started attending spiritual sessions, Prophet Dickson (who had recently been divorced by his wife, who initially brought him from Nigeria) asked Udoamaka to strip naked “in order to open herself for spiritual help.” The third time he got her to strip, he made sexual advances on her, but Udoamaka curtly refused. “She told Prophet Dickson that she was looking for freedom, not sex,” said a source. She offered to pay the prophet any amount of money he asked if he could get them acquitted. She also promised to buy the pastor a house in London and another one in Lekki, Lagos if Dickson “could arrange the separation of Ibori and his recent wife, Senami Sossu.”

Our sources revealed that Pastor Dickson billed the women N5 million to be paid to “his spiritual assistants in Nigeria.” He reportedly told the women that the payment would be used to make so-called Oshoffa chairs and garments to effect their miraculous acquittal. The late Bilemi Oshoffa was the spiritual head of the Celestial Church worldwide. Dickson told Ibori’s associates that “the making of Oshoffa chairs and garments was essential if the women were to be liberated from jury conviction,” said a source.

Our source revealed that Udoamaka instructed her brother in Nigeria to pay N2 million as the first installment to Prophet Dickson's contacts in Lagos. Soon after the money was deposited, Prophet Dickson requested for an additional N1.5 million to enable him to go to Nigeria “for the spiritual assignment to be completed,” assuring Udoamaka that the case would certainly end in her favor.

However, Udoamaka and Ibori's sister found out they were in the hands of a scammer when another pastor of the Celestial Church (the Harton Street parish) told them that Prophet Dickson was not to be trusted. He alerted Ibori’s associates to the fact that Dickson’s wife had driven him out of his matrimonial home because his late night spiritual revivals had turned into love feasts that saw him duping and bedding many women.

Our sources disclosed that Udoamaka tried to recover the payment she had made to Dickson’s representatives in Lagos, but the men eluded her brother until the jury’s guilty verdicts came down on Udoamaka and Christine Ibie-Ibori. Ms. Pogoson was discharged and acquitted.

Two weeks ago, Judge Christopher Hardy sentenced the convicted women to five-year jail terms. They are currently incarcerated at Holloway Prison where Udoamaka Okoronkwo’s prison number is A-11-01-AT while Christine Ibori-Ibie’s tag is A08-20-A-T.

http://www.saharareporters.com/real-news/sr-headlines/6296-how-a-london-based-pastor-scammed-iboris-associates.html

The robbery incident that led to the death of at least five persons in Akure, Ondo State, has continued to generate reactions with the allegation that the rifle used in killing the victims belong to a policeman in the state.

Besides, the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has visited the scene of the robbery, assurring the people that his government would increase its commitment to the safety of their lives and property in the state.

The governor also sympathised with the families of those who lost their lives and the injured.

It was, however, learnt that the AK 47 rifle used by the robbers belonged to a police constable and was snatched by the eight man gangsters along CocaCola, Ondo Road, Akure, on Wednesday night.
According to source, the police constable attached to Fanibi Police station was robbed of his gun on Wednesday and the following day after the robbery, the gun was reportedly picked up at the scene of the robbery.

But the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Alhaji Adeniran Aremu, denied the allegation, saying that the snatching of the gun of the policeman should not be connected with the robbery.

He said, “It is not true that the same gun was recovered at the robbery scene. the police had recovered the gun that was earlier snatched from the police constable at Bolorunduro after we gave the hoodlums a hot chase.”

However, speaking on the incident, Mimiko said, “I was briefed on arrival from Abuja today by security chiefs that the incident happened in the market place, because of this, the security men could not engage in serious shooting, else, there would have been more casualties.

“The incident is unfortunate; I got briefings of what happened when I returned to Akure from Abuja. We shall rise to the challenges, we are on top of the situation, whatever we need to do, we shall do it to prevent a recurrence.”

However, sources at the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), confirmed the recovery of the AK47 rifle used by the robbers in the banks and used to kill the nursing mother at the entrance of one of the robbed banks

I cant believe this, In Nigeria!, and the 2 councillors still won
Nigeria is a drama

Testing the intelligent quotient of aspirants on the platform of the PDP in Cross River State is now a precondition to receiving the party’s nomination form, the party’s leadership has said.

Those who fail the aptitude test are barred from even picking nomination forms, following the resolve not to give power to those that are barely lettered. The test, which includes both written and oral, is administered by the caucus members for each of the 18 local government chapters.

This exercise, it was understood, is also to screen out those who are members of the numerous cult groups bestriding the political landscape of the state. This is in line with state governor, Liyel Imoke’s resolve to bar cultists from holding political office in the state.

“Most of the politicians in the state know those who are cult members,” said a member of the party leadership who asked to remain anonymous. “Those in the know have been feeding the state government and security agencies with information on such members with a view to disqualifying them and thus save the state from further embarrassment of violent cult clashes during and after elections.”

Calabar South chapter of the PDP took the lead in administering aptitude tests on aspirants into the council’s political offices. The test was meant to assess the mental capability of the aspirants in view of the fact that most outgoing councillors in the area are school dropouts. Party leaders say poorly educated persons in political positions in the state have proved to be pawns in the hands of the educated ones.

In 2007, during an informal screening by the party of those seeking office of councillor, two aspirants did not know what the three arms of government meant. The two told the panel that the three arms of government were Mark Four, AK 47 and Pump Action, all referring to the guns that they were familiar with in fighting rivals.

This stunned the panel, yet the duo still made it into the council because they had godfathers to see them through. It is these so-called godfathers that sponsor street urchins-turned-cultists to fight their enemies on their behalf during electioneering campaigns.

Prominent PDP chieftains in Calabar South who conducted the aptitude test include MGershom Bassey and two members of the state House of Assembly, Orok Otu Duke and Maurice Orok Edem. The test, which commenced in the afternoon of last Saturday, ended in the early hours of the following day.

Local government chairman aspirants who participated in the test include: the incumbent council chairman, Andem Ekpo Bassey; his deputy, Majorie Eyo Asuquo; Charles Effanga; Edem Bassey; Ewa Henshaw and two others. All the over 50 aspirants for councillors also took part.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5582164-146/pdp_conducts_aptitude_test_for_aspirants.csp

Ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan’s one-day visit to Delta State, the hometown of a former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori, has come under a siege, with the presence of a large detachment of soldiers and policemen.



Investigation showed that about 2,000 soldiers and policemen as well as 10 JTF’s armoured tanks and APCs would provide security in Oghara.



Our correspondent gathered that the unusual deployment of soldiers and policemen in the town was sequel to a security alert issued on Wednesday on the President’s visit.



Jonathan is scheduled to pay a visit to the state on Saturday.



Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan had invited Jonathan to inaugurate two projects in Oghara, the headquarters of Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state and the hometown of Ibori, who has been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for graft.



The multibillion naira projects - Delta State University Teaching Hospital Complex and the headquarters of the Nigerian Navy Logistics Command - were initiated by Ibori but completed and furnished by the Uduaghan administration.



Heads of security agencies in the state, including the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Restore Hope, engaged in various meetings to perfect strategies for a hitch-free presidential visit.



Reliable security sources told our correspondent that the weekly meeting of the State Security Council on Wednesday deliberated extensively on the planned visit and devised measures to curtail any breach.



Investigations by our correspondent showed that no fewer than 5,000 riot and regular policemen as well soldiers attached to the JTF had been instructed to provide security in and around the state over the next few days.



Similarly, three low flying helicopters on the fleet of the Nigerian Air Force would embark on aerial surveillance of the state as from Thursday until the President departs the area on Saturday.



Also, it was gathered that no fewer than 15 JTF Armoured Tanks and Armoured Personnel Carriers belonging to the Nigeria Police Force would patrol the entire state, especially the areas where the President would visit, between Thursday and Saturday.



It was gathered that the massive security arrangement ahead of Jonathan’s visit to Oghara was informed by the recent violent protests by the people of the area against the EFCC’s hunt for Ibori. The anti-graft agency’s attempt to apprehend Ibori, when he was allegedly hiding in his hometown, failed. He eventually fled to Dubai.



The aggrieved indigenes of the community pointedly accused Jonathan of being the mastermind of the hunt for their kinsman. Although the state government had initiated steps to pacify them, it was feared that some recalcitrant members of the community might embark on unruly conduct during the President’s visit.



Uduaghan, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Mr. Yakubu Alkali; the State Director of the State Security Service, Mr. Taminu Adalkhali; as well as other top officials of the state government and security agencies visited Oghara on Wednesday, apparently to appraise the situation in the community.



It was learnt that Uduaghan met with the community and youth leaders and urged them to be law-abiding.



It was learnt that policemen were being temporarily moved from neighbouring Edo State to assist in the security arrangements for the visit.



The Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, at a news conference on Tuesday, said the state was ready for the President, adding that the security agents were on alert.







Okowa said all Deltans, including the people of Oghara were eager to receive Jonathan, adding that the projects slated for inauguration were beneficial to the people of Oghara in particular and the country as a whole.



The CP, Alkali said, “There is no threat at all in Delta State ahead of the visit by Mr. President and all strategies have been adopted to ensure that the visit is hitch-free. We have very good security arrangements in place and all security agencies, including the military are collaborating to make sure the C-in-C (Jonathan) feels at home in Delta.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201006173371192

The deposed Deji of Akure, Oba Oluwadare Adesina, has challenged his deposition by the Ondo State Government before an Akure High Court and demanded N10bn as damages.



The suit, with reference number AK 443/2010, was filed by the erstwhile monarch through his counsel, Messrs Sola Oke, on Monday.



Listed as defendants are: Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Diran Iyantan; Secretary to the Akure South Local Government Area; and the Akure kingmakers.



The suit was the second in the week as the deposed monarch had on Monday, filed a suit against the state government, the Nigeria Police, and the State Security Service, to stop his proposed arraignment in court.



Adesina, in the latest suit, described his deposition, arrest, and banishment by the government as a punitive measure following the domestic violence with his wife.



He also described his dethronement as unconstitutional and illegal.



The erstwhile monarch, therefore, asked the court to award N10bn to him as damages against the state government for the “unlawful, wrongful, illegal and unconstitutional deposition and banishment.”



Adesina sought among other reliefs, the setting aside of his ‘purported deposition,’ his immediate reinstatement as the Deji and an order stopping the defendants from appointing a regent for the town.



In the affidavit to support his suit, Adesina said he did not physically touch his estranged wife during the domestic violence between them.



He also said that the 141, Hospital Road residence, where his estranged wife was battered, was not her father’s house but the apartment he rented nine years ago.



He noted that the appointment of a regent when he was still alive was against the tradition and customs of Akure and that doing that would put his life in danger.



According to him, “To be appointed as a Deji, one of the rites to be performed is the climbing of Okiti-Omolore. The Deji-elect will climb the said Okiti-Omolore with one of his daughters, who will be a regent when the Deji eventually passes on.



“The applicant, Adesina Adepoju, actually mounted the Okiti-Olomore with his daughter, Princess Adetola Adesina. In the native law and customs of Akure, there is no provision for the appointment of a regent whilst the Oba is still alive.



“The appointment of a regent whilst the applicant is still alive is injurious to his life and that of his daughter as this will ultimately lead to their death having stepped to a spiritual communion.”



He also added, “That the defendants’ decision banishing the plaintiff from Akureland and into and/or any place without following the intent and spirit of the provisions of the Chiefs Edict 1984 as amended and the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria is unlawful, unreasonable, unjustifiable, illegal and unconstitutional.”



The deposed monarch said the reliance on reports from newspapers, security agencies, well-meaning Akure citizens, the State Council of Obas and women rights groups without giving him the opportunity to defend himself was unconstitutional.



Consequently, he prayed for orders setting aside the deposition and banishment and re-installing him as the Deji of Akure.



Adesina’s counsel also noted with concern that the state government had been frustrating his efforts to see the deposed monarch where he was banished to at the Government Reserved Area in Owo town.



The state Chief Judge, Justice Gladys Olateru-Olagbegi, has not allocated the case for hearing.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201006173295095

About 80 cows belonging to Fulani herdsmen at Heipang in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State have died after eating mangoes suspected to be poisoned.
Speaking with our correspondent in Jos yesterday, the spokesperson of the Fulani herdsmen, Suleiman A. Jauro, alleged that some unfriendly people poisoned ripe mangoes which they put along the grazing route of the animals.

According to Jauro, 20 of the cows were pregnant while N400, 000 was spent in purchasing drugs and other traditional medicines used in the futile attempt to revive the animals. He alleged that a particular set of people in the area had been constantly asking them to come back to places they earlier vacated as a result of the Jos crises, but when they bring their animals they poison them. “What we are saying is that let them pay us. Whenever our animals mistakenly destroy their farm produce they always insist that we must pay them which we usually do without any argument, therefore, they must pay us for the animals they deliberately killed, after several stakeholders’ meetings we held at Barkin Ladi in order to fashion out ways to live in peace with one another these people turn around and attack us or our animals”, he said.

Reacting to the incident, Special Task Force (STF) spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Kingsley Umoh who confirmed the incident said 70 cows belonging to some Fulani herdsmen were poisoned through mangoes. According to Umoh, as at Friday last week when the incident happened, five cows died while 60 were revived through the use of some local method.

Col. Umoh said four persons had been arrested in connection with the incident, adding that some substances believed to have been used in committing the act were found with the suspects.

http://www.news.dailytrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20633:80-cows-die-of-mango-poisoning&catid=46:lead-stories&Itemid=140

AS the stool of the Deji of Akure becomes vacant, the man who was initially selected for the throne, Mr. Adegbola Adelabu, on Tuesday, asked the Ondo State government to install him as the next monarch.

Adelabu, who spoke with newsmen in Akure, said having almost completed the installation rites before he was schemed out, he should be recognised and be allowed to assume the throne.

According to him, the installation of the deposed Deji, Mr. Oluwadare Adesina, was done in error and a nullity having been restrained by a court of competent jurisdiction.

It will be recalled that the 18 kingmakers in Akure kingdom had unanimously selected Adelabu in 2000 to become the Deji of Akure, after the demise of Oba Adebobajo Adesida.

Adelabu, who was the candidate of the Osupa ruling house, had almost completed the traditional and installation rites necessary for the enthronement of a Deji before his installation was stopped.

He was later replaced with Adesina, who was eventually installed the Deji of Akure in November 2005.
However, following the deposition of Adesina by the state government, Adelabu said, “The installation of Adesina in the first instance was a nullity; the popularity referred to in the state chieftaincy law is the popularity with the kingmakers.

“We cannot say that an Osupa man had ruled because the said Osupa man was not properly installed, there was an injunction stopping the matter before the government went ahead to present the staff of office and that is why we are having problem today, when somebody went through the rigours of performing the rites and he was denied.

“I waited for over five years; nobody gave me staff of office, in his own case, within five days he was given staff of office so we all know that something was wrong with the process and it must be corrected”.

MORE than 10,000 job-seekers have accessed the police website to download forms for recruitment into the Nigeria Police Force, two days after the commencement of the police recruitment exercise.

Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu (ACP), Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, on Tuesday.

Ojukwu described response by job-seekers into the force as “tremendous.”

He said that various FPROs in state commands have been given directives on how to respond to enquiries on the recruitment exercise to enable young Nigerians access the website.

Ojukwu said at the end of the exercise on June 22, the number of those who visited the website to access forms for jobs would be made known.

NAN recalled that the FPRO had in a statement on Sunday, announced that the police would from June 14, recruit about 40,000 personnel into the Constable Cadre.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/6901-10000-job-seekers-scramble-for-police-jobs

A new twist has crept into the corruption probe of former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, with all documents relating to his election as governor in 1999 and 2003 reportedly missing in the custody of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Consequent upon this discovery, security agencies have reportedly launched a probe into the circumstances leading to the disappearance of the documents, which enabled him to contest the governorship elections in the state in both 1999 and 2003 when he sought re-election.

The discovery, according to top security sources, was said to have been made about three months ago, when the erstwhile chairman of the electoral body, Professor Maurice Iwu, was still in the saddle.

It was gathered that the documents he filed with the electoral body became an issue when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) moved to get more evidences on his alleged shady past to strengthen the case on his planned extradition from the United Arab Emirates to the United Kingdom and subsequently to Nigeria for trial over alleged corrupt practices in both countries.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that even before his eventual arrest in Dubai, the capital of UAE, both the commission and the Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom had been exchanging information and ideas on how to get him to face justice in both countries.

The two agencies were said to have agreed to exchange documents on his past convictions in the United Kingdom and his claim in Nigeria that he had never been convicted, with the Met Police said to have made available documents showing that he had earlier been convicted in the UK, while the anti-graft agency reportedly pledged to make available documents on his claim that he was never convicted.

The commission, according to the Nigerian Tribune sources, naturally turned to the electoral commission which was in possession of the forms he filled while seeking to contest the governorship, in which he was said to have sworn on oath, in the conviction column, that he was never a convict.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that it was at this stage that it was discovered that there were no documents whatsoever in the custody of the commission to show that Ibori ever had any dealings with it.

The anti-corruption agency was said to have given the electoral commission time to search for the file, with sources saying that after about three months, “it became obvious that his file and all documents relating to him had been deliberately removed, obviously to cover up on his conviction status.”

Security agencies were said to have stepped in at this point, to unravel the disappearance of his election documents.

It was further gathered that with his conviction documents firmly in the possession of the anti-corruption agency, apart from the corruption case, he would be charged with perjury and obtaining under false pretence, once the INEC documents in which he claimed not to have been convicted before were available.

Sources contended that if Ibori could lie under oath and use it as a platform to be in charge of Delta State’s funds for eight years, he could be treated by the commission as a fraudster and charged with obtaining under false pretence.

Ibori, had before his re-election in 2003, battled a civil suit instituted by Mr Goodnews Agbi, seeking to disqualify him from contesting the election over his alleged conviction by a Bwari Upper Area Court, Abuja, in 1995 for alleged theft.

Though he was cleared under controversial circumstances by the trial Abuja High Court and the Court of Appeal, Abuja, the disappearance of his case file in police custody then, raised a lot of dust.

Nigerian Tribune was told that the security agents probing the missing file in INEC custody were looking at the possibility of Ibori financially inducing some unscrupulous members of the commission to have the documents removed in order to forestall possible prosecution for perjury, when the fresh onslaught against him by security agencies began.

The missing documents, according to sources, were also primed to be used in his trial in the UK, where he is facing money laundering charges that had seen his sister and mistress jailed five years each.

The documents are to prove that he lied about his conviction status in Nigeria, with the perjury case being used to show that he has always been fraudulent and has no integrity.

It was learnt that the Met Police would not be bereft of evidence from Nigeria to nail him in the UK, as the EFCC was said to have been supplying them with necessary documents and witnesses, which were said to have been crucial to the conviction of Ibori’s sister and mistress.

When contacted, commission’s spokesperson, Mr. Femi Babafemi, did not confirm nor deny the story but simply said: “I can’t speak on that because I don’t work in INEC.”

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/6788-iboris-election-records-missing-in-inecs-office

the so-called reform so far, the masses are yet to benefit
giving advice without thinking of the socio-economic implications
cluelessness

i said it! let this same thing be applied to politicians and public office holders
dem go fear and return all the looted funds

BENIN—FEAR has gripped armed robbers and kidnappers in Edo State, following the curse placed on evil doers in the state, by the Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa, as Vanguard was reliably informed that hundreds of them have stormed the Palace of the Oba to plead for forgiveness, so as to escape the wrath of the gods.

Meanwhile, thousands of women from the seven local government areas in Edo South Senatorial District of the state, thronged the traditional Urhokpota ground, weekend, to place curses on those involved in the endless cases of kidnappings, armed robberies and other violent crime in the state.

Vanguard learnt that the alleged criminals, who stormed the Palace to ask for forgiveness have been parading the Palace without getting any answer to their problem. They were, however, advised to change from their ways or die.

Vanguard learnt that they were still scared, whether the curse will affect them since they were yet to receive any assurance of forgiveness. Some bankers who leak information to kidnappers about their customers, have also fled the ancient city for the fear of death.

The women in the kingdom, led by Chief Isekhure, followed suit, weekend. The women dressed in red attires, had several ritual materials, which include dogs, fowls, rams which were slaughtered and their blood splashed on the ground, symbolizing death that was expected to visit those behind the robbery and kidnaping activities in the city.

President, Market Women Association of Nigeria, Madam Amalawa Edebiri, explained that the ceremony was to lay curse on the kidnappers and criminals in the state.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/06/14/obas-curse-fear-grips-kidnappers-robbers-in-edo/

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday warned the Federal Government against yielding to pressures to remove the subsidy on petroleum products, saying it would not be in the interest of the masses.
The organised labour while reacting to a statement credited to the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi that only a cabal in the oil and gas sector were benefiting from the huge sums spent as subsidy and should therefore be scrapped.

The congress in a statement signed by its Information Secretary, Onah Iduh, said the comments of the CBN boss amounted to an admission of failure on the part of the authorities to deal with the cabal and therefore, should not visit the sins of the cabal on the majority of Nigerians who are struggling to make a living.

He wondered why Mallam Sanusi, who smashed a similar cabal in the banking industry, who frittered away depositors’ money, could now be advising government to take an action that would jeopardise the wellbeing of majority of Nigerians rather than tackling the cabal head-long. Labour called on President Goodluck Jonathan to disregard the purported advice by the CBN governor or of any other group or government agency urging him to impose anti-people policies such as subsidy withdrawal and deregulation.

“This is not the time to put additional burden on the shoulders of already overburdened Nigerians,” it noted.
The NLC said it would not have bothered to respond to the call by the CBN governor, but for the fact that a comment from the governor of the CBN, which basically, is a key artery in economic and fiscal policies of the nation, and particularly from someone of Mallam Sanusi’s pedigree, commands response in order to put things in their proper perspective.

It argued that the reason it had consistently opposed the twin policies of removal of subsidy and deregulation over the years was because the arguments usually advanced by government only take cognisance of market fundamentals without due regard to the social and economic implications on majority of Nigerians, the supposed target of subsidy.

“Is it the responsibility of the poor, helpless and insecured Nigerian masses to check the excesses of a so-called cabal or that of the government with all its might symbolised in institutions such as the judiciary, the police and other security outfits as well as the core statutory agencies in the oil sector to ensure efficiency?
“Is it not simply an admission of failure or complicity of government if it consistently pushes the argument that a major economic policy such as subsidy is being sabotaged without the same government not seen to have taken any step to arrest such criminality? In a civilised society, governed by laws and codes of moral decency, are these shortcomings not sufficient for such a government to resign, if it openly admits that it is incapable of handling certain miscreants (no matter how highly placed) manipulating a core policy against the overall national interest? It queried.

Labour maintained that what the government needed in the oil and gas industry was the will, commitment and courage to frontally confront the numerous challenges in the oil sector, the greatest of which is corruption.
“Mallam Sanusi’s call poses a terrifying challenge as it amounts to forcing Nigerian masses to drinking hemlock. The prevailing social and economic anomie marked by mass poverty of our people, we must admit, really began when the military under General Ibrahim Babangida embarked on policies that transferred government responsibilities to corporate individuals and market fundamentals. What the fate of the common man would be if Sanusi’s advice is adopted by government is better imagined.

“We therefore call on President Goodluck Jonathan to disregard the advice of the CBN governor or of any other group or government agency urging him to impose anti-people policies such as subsidy withdrawal and deregulation. This is not the time to put additional burden on the shoulders of already overburdened Nigerians”, NLC stated.