₦airaland Forum

The federal Government has sent an air force technical team and the commander of a planned African-led force to Mali to assist the country’s military as it battles Islamists, a presidency spokesman said Saturday.
The confirmation of Nigerian military personnel on the ground comes after French air power helped Mali mount an offensive against the Islamists who control the country’s northand who have been seeking to push further south.
However, it was not yet clear when a planned 3,000-strong African-led force could be sent despite 15-nation west Africanbloc ECOWAS giving its go-ahead on Friday for the immediatedeployment of troops.
The Islamists’ advance in Mali has raised fears that the country could provide a safe haven for Al Qaeda-linked extremists, posing a threat to the region as well as Europe and beyond.
Nigeria has the largest military in the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States, but it is also battling an insurgency by Islamist extremist group Boko Haram at home in its northern and central regions.
“The technical staff from the Nigerian air force are already onthe ground in Mali,” Nigerian presidency spokesman Reuben Abati told AFP. “They are not fighters; they are technical staff.”
He added the commander of the planned African-led force, a Nigerian, was also in Mali.
A Nigerian defence spokesman had earlier said the country had not sent any troops to Mali. Abati maintained the statement was “factually correct to the extent that the Nigerian troops are not yet on the ground. The foot soldiers are not yet there.”
The Nigerian air force team was there to “assess infrastructure, to provide back-end support and to help maintain the Malian air force,” Abati said.
He did not have further details on their activities, including when they were deployed, how many air force staff were there and how long they would remain.
Nigerian troops would later be deployed as part of the planned African-led force that has been approved by the UN Security Council, he said. Abati could not provide numbers, but Nigeria has previously spoken of sending 600 troops.
Battle ready soldiers to be deployed to Mali…
The UN Security Council has approved the 3,000-strong force,but it is not expected to be ready to deploy before September.
Mali’s army said Nigerian and Senegalese forces were involved in Friday’s offensive against the Islamists which was backed by French air power. Dakar has denied having any troops there.
Friday’s offensive saw Mali and French air power unleash a counter-attack against Islamist fighters, recapturing the central town of Kona after it had been lost to the rebels as they advanced south from their northern strongholds.
French President Francois Hollande confirmed that French forces were supporting the Malian offensive aimed at repelling the Al-Qaeda-linked radicals.
While he gave no indication of the scale of French involvement he said it would last for as long as necessary.
US officials meanwhile suggested they might support the French action there with surveillance drones and aerial refuelling tankers.
Mali’s army is considered too weak to tackle the Islamist groups who seized the north last year, taking advantage of the power vacuum created by a coup in Bamako.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/nigeria-sends-air-force-team-commander-to-mali/

[quote author]“I did not accept Islam, I only revert to the religion that our forefathers practice and the universal religion of humanity.[/quote]Thus it mean Igbo people known about Islam before Christianity?

Vice Chairman of the Council of Village Heads in Imo State, Chief Sylvester O. Dimunah, has said he accepted Islam due to the truthful nature of the religion and the steadfastness of Muslims.
Speaking when he visited Media Trust Office yesterday in Abuja, the traditional ruler whose name is now Musa Dimunah, said he was particularly influenced by the good nature of the former secretary of the council and the executive secretary of Justice Mamman Nasir Islamic Centre for Peace and Research, Malam Ibrahim BioboNlomije.



“I did not accept Islam, I only revert to the religion that our forefathers practice and the universal religion of humanity. I’m impressed by the good nature of Muslims’ love for everybody and hatred for none apart from the way they revere Allah and all the Prophets without discrimination.

“I am also impressed by the brotherhood and mutual respect for each other and other members of the community,” he said.

He also said he was not under any pressure to drop his old name for becoming a Muslim and that his children and other family members did not oppose his being a Muslim.
http://weeklytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11799:why-i-accepted-islam-imo-traditional-ruler&catid=40:cover-stories&Itemid=26

R I P

The unprecedented visit by stern-looking operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at 1004 Housing estate, in Victoria Island, Lagos penultimate Tuesday, sent residents wondering.
But not long, the reason for the visit was discovered to be in connection with the arrest of two self-acclaimed undergraduates of a university in Malaysia, and six others over allegation of fraud and internet scam.
A search conducted by the operatives at the upscale apartment of the suspects , reportedly led to the discovery of several itemssuch as laptops, iPad, traveling documents, cheque books, flash drives, internet modem, and three exotic cars;a Mercedes Benz Jeep, One 4Matic Mercedes Benz Car and a Range Rover Sport SUV.
One of the suspects and his cars
Their arrest according to spokesman for the Commission, Wisdom Uwujaren, “ was sequel to a petition by a concerned group which alerted the Commission about activities of one Hope Olusegun and his co-travelers at the elite 1004 Housing Estate where they engage in fraudulent activities of obtaining money by false antics and forgery”.
The operatives he informed, also downloaded over 80 implicatingdocuments from the laptops recovered from Olusegun, adding that effort to track down other members of the syndicate was still on.
During investigation, it was gathered that the suspects pay N30,000 a day for the rented apartment, an amount discovered to be more than their income as students.
But Olusegun in his statement, simple wrote:“I decided to stay away from the Mainland in Lagos because of stress of friends when one returns from abroad.”
Also asked how he got the exotic cars, 25-year-old Olusegun who hails from Ogun said it belongs to his sister who lives in the United kingdom. But on further investigation, it was discovered that the car particulars bore his name.
Identities of other suspects are : Tunde Wasiu, Badmus Akeem, Ajijola Oluwatosin Emmanuel, Adebesin Olalekan, Raji Resaq, Ajibola Adeniyi and Adeboye Lamidi.
But Badmus in his statement said he only returned a week beforehis arrest. “ I am a music producer and artistes manager . I decided to move to Malaysia to further my education while I do “Hot jobs” as well. I just got back a week ago before the festive period. But he could not explain what he meant by ‘hot job’.
On his part, Sadiq said one of the recovered customized Range Rover Sports cars belongs to his mother.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/efcc-arrests-two-graduates-six-others-over-alleged-fraud-internet-scam/

madone: 
"Mr President's intervention would undoubtedly send very wrong signals to the international community that indeed Nigeria was not ready and can't fight corruption; so I feel very strongly that Oga is constrained to intervene in a matter that is strictly beyond his control", our source disclosed.

Another scapegoat like uba

Known sentiment attach to this, but i wish oga will not be constrained in prosecuting halliburton sandal involving Atiku, Abdulsalam and others.

Nora okon: @ fakz,i think we all are entitled to our diverse opinions and views. u must not exhibit ur immaturity on this forum there are other ones for the under aged .

and you are mature enough to believe that, the article is touching.
Though am sorry for goin against your view

Nora okon: omg! this is touching. so this irresponsible self acclaimed activist has been assassinating the character of Elder Orubebe.

Hmmmm touching indeed!!!

Pls where is GLOCCOLAC coming from?
Ok let me tell you another: hon farouk lawal is not a thief o, some people are out to tarnish his image because he agree to head the subside prove.

I known people like you will believe me, because you use your anus to reason.

Hope they won't collect offering and tithes?

afam4eva: It was a high calibre delegation.

From where?
Why not leaders who reside in southeast instead those in lagos. I believe they will known better than those high calibre, who don't know what is going on in their region.

Sincere 9gerian: “I must confess that some of the things we were told are on-going, we did not know they were there,”he said.

fkaz: “A DIG is a sufficiently senior officer. They came to Benin and they did what Fela Anikulapo-Kuti would have called police magic.

When they them self are political magician

The police have failed to find Mr. Oyerinde’s killers, and its officers seem complicit in the case, Mr. Oshiomhole said.
The Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has asked police authorities to dismiss the Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, and other detectives who investigated his Private Secretary, Olaitan Oyerinde’s murder; accusing them of trivializing the case and shielding the culprits.
Mr. Oshiomhole has previously carpeted the police for an “inconsistent” and shoddy hunt for the killers of Mr. Oyerinde, who was brutally shot dead at his home at night in May 2012.
An embarrassing investigation that followed the murder saw the police and the State Security Service, SSS, parading different sets of six suspects.
Even more controversial, the police arrested a civil rights activist, David Ugolor, accusing him of the murder, and detaining him for weeks.
Mr. Oshiomhole said in August he was less satisfied with the police investigation done than that of the SSS, which he said kept him constantly updated on the progress of the probe.
He said he made personal findings, and interrogated the suspects paraded by the SSS and would believe them to be the killers compared to those paraded by the police.
At the launching of a new Code of Conduct for police officers, Thursday, attended by Vice President, Namadi Sambo, Mr. Oshiomhole who delivered a keynote speech, called for the deputy police chief’s sack.
“The DIG Force CID has a case to answer,” the governor said. “It is either he is guilty of conspiracy to murder or is guilty of conspiracy to shield murderers or both, in which case, he cannot wear his police uniform, he must be dismissed.”
The governor said he remained aggrieved over the “trivial” manner in which the police handled the investigation.
Mr. Oshiomhole urged President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the matter.
“I-G, I am aggrieved; I am aggrieved over the murder of my private secretary and the way in which it was trivialized,” he said.
“I am saying it, knowing that the Vice President is here. My secretary was murdered in cold blood and you dispatched a DIG to supervise that investigation.
“A DIG is a sufficiently senior officer. They came to Benin and they did what Fela Anikulapo-Kuti would have called police magic.
“In the end, they went for a civil rights activist and charged him with the offence of murder,’’ he said.
Mr. Oshiomhole said the DIG conspired with other officers involved in the investigation, one of them a deputy police commissioner, to shield Mr. Oyerinde’s real killers, while they framed others who had nothing to do with the attack.
“The Deputy Commissioner of Police that he used, who claimed that they have done a thorough job, has no business wearing police uniform because by my judgment, in his own narrative, he is a criminal,’’ he said.
Mr. Oshiomhole said the police’s own narrative implied the force was culpable in the killing, and said the events highlight how it had become nearly impossible for an average Nigerian to obtain justice from a corrupt police force.
“They wrote a report that the man, who was involved in the murder, including the entry made by a DPO in a police station, was already under police detention,” he said.
“The weapon that was used for the murder was used for armed robbery earlier, recovered by the police and under police custody at the time my secretary was murdered.
“So, the man who murdered my secretary was in police custody, the gun used was in police custody and this is the findings of the police, then the only conclusion that could be reached was that the police ordered the murder of my private secretary,” he said.
He urged the vice president to report to the president that the killers of Mr. Oyerinde had not been found.
“I feel terrible that as a governor I can’t get justice. If I can’t get justice, then an average Nigerian cannot expect justice and we can’t have justice if we can’t tell the truth,’’ he said.
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/national/114645-edo-governor-oshiomhole-seeks-dismissal-of-police-dig-over-aide-oyerindes-murder.html

Unbelievable, so people still believe efcc

What a sad news

But we should always respect the gun in their hand, even if you don't respect the policeman. Anytime they are on the road.

A 35-year-old man, Mr Olusola Adegbegha, was on Tuesday, killedwhen he was hit by a bullet fired by a policeman attached to the Mokola Division in Oyo State.
A brother of the deceased, who came to the Tribune House at Imalefalafia area of Ibadan to report the incident, said the deceased left Oluyole Estate area where he was temporarily staying with his younger sister around 5.00 a.m. only for the familyto later find out that he was dead.
The brother, Sunkanmi Owoeye, said the family was informed by the police that Adegbegha was stopped at Recreation Club area for a search, but proved difficult, which made a corporal to take him to the station.
Owoeye said the police claimed that on getting to the station, Adegbegha reversed and zoomed off after the corporal got down from his car to open the gate of the police station, which reportedly made the corporal shoot at the car.
The bullet was, however, said to have penetrated the rear trafficator of his Mazda 626 car and gone through the back seat into the driver’s seat, before hitting the deceased on the back and thigh.
Owoeye also said the security guard of Group Medical Hospital, situated beside the police station, also informed the family that the deceased came to knock on the hospital gate, telling him that he had been shot by the police.
Though, Owoeye said the gate was eventually opened for his brother, he blamed the doctor for insisting on seeing a policeman from the Mokola police division before he could commence treatment, a situation he believed contributed to the eventual death of his brother.
Owoeye said he was told that the police still met his brother conscious and he was able to point to the policemen who shot at him before he died.
He questioned the police claim that his brother was shot while he was escaping, saying that the bullet penetrated the car from the rear and anyone familiar with the police station would know that itwas not easy to make a turn at its gate as it is very narrow.
He said it was the belief of the family that there was more to the story than meets the eye and the family would want justice to prevail over the killing of his brother.
He revealed that the deceased had fixed his wedding for March, while his fiancee, who is based in Canada was being expected home before the end of January for their introduction ceremony.
Reacting to the story, the state deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Clement Adoda, said what really happened was that a stop-and-search patrol team stopped a green Mazda 626 with registration number PR 61 KJA driven by Adegbegha at about 5.00 a.m.
He added that the driver allegedly went wild when questioned about his identity and ownership of the car, which made the leader of the patrol team to detail a corporal to take him to the police station.
Adoda stated further that on getting to the station, the corporal alighted to open the gate of the station and the driver seized the opportunity to take off.
He said the corporal aimed at the vehicle’s tyre to stop the driver, but he still escaped, unknown to the police that the bullet had hit him.
He further disclosed that it was the security guard of Group Medical Hospital who came to the police station shortly after to inform the police that a man came to the hospital with a gunshot, where he later died while being treated.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police, however, revealed that the corporal had been detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku, while the case was being investigated
http://www.tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/2741-policeman-kills-groom-to-be-in-ibadan

But why will the governor clear his throat before announcing it.

He would have allow them to have their LAST SOPPER

They can achieve it, if the militant won't vandalise the pipeline supplying gas to the NIPP projects

ABUJA—The Federal Government achieved 6,443 mega watts of electricity power, at the end of last year, the Minister of State (Power), Mrs. Zainab Kuchi disclosed yesterday.

Kuchi noted that power transmission peaked at 4517.6mw on December 23, 2012 due to additional 450mw generated in the fourth quarter.
According to her, the Federal Government would continue to pursue its action plan towards the realization of the 10, 000 mega watts at the end of the year.

This she said, would be achieved through the implementation of a variety of strategies which would include funding the sector through private sector participation.

Besides, sources of the power generation would be expanded to include renewable energy and rural electrification.

Similarly, Mrs. Kuchi said government would fund power transmission projects outside budgetary provisions.

Also speaking, the Spokesman of the Transmission Company Nigeria, TCN, Dave Ifabiyi, said his organization would work assiduously towards a consistent upscale performance of the sector.

“As gas supply continues to improve and more National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs) come on stream, the transmission and distribution companies will continue to harness every available generation to ensure that stable electricity supply is delivered to electricity customers”, he said.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/power-fg-to-meet-10-000mw-target-by-december-minister/

Ado Ekiti — A sense of loss may have forced some of the commissioners in Ekiti State to abandon their meals after Governor Kayode Fayemi, yesterday announced the dissolution of the State Executive Council, SEC, as they dashed out of the Executive Chambers, venue of the meetinglooking dejected.
The 37-member-SEC, comprising Commissioners and Special Advisers were appointed about two years ago after the inauguration of Dr. Kayode Fayemi as the governor of the state.
The governor was said to have announced the dissolution during the SEC meeting in Ado Ekiti.
A source who spoke on condition of anonymity said “immediately the governor completed all the issues on the agenda and it was time to eat, he cleared his throat and announced the dissolution of the cabinet.
“The Commissioners could not eat their food and some of them left hurriedly.”
The governor, the source said, however, thanked them for their support.
The source said that the action was taken in order to inject new blood into the system, hinting that five of the sacked commissioners may not be re-appointed.
However, in a statement the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, said “this is a moment of change and transformation.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/drama-ekiti-commissioners-abandon-meals-as-fayemi-dissolves-sec/

Arogba: SCAMMMMM! The site of this power plant is located within 2km of Ajaokuta steel company, This project was initiated and completed by the Obj administration. The only problem with the plant was gas supply because the existing gas pipeline supplying Ajaokuta steel company was also meant to supply the power plant but after the completion of the project it was discovered that the pipeline had been vandalized since the steel company itself has never really worked.

Fact, those passing kogi to eastern state should known the truth. This project is by the roadside, it has been there b4 jonathan came in as vice president.

diehard1: Don't understand why technicians and Engineers are being compared. They have different job descriptions. Its just like comparing an medical doctor and a herbalist!

Yes, medical doctor and herbalist. Different description, both working towards the same cure

Experience matter alot

Pastors are always lucky

But only God known how he take brainwash the babe

cindyrella: There is always a story about Tonto. Abegi!

But negative once

See level

Obasanjo as always been using dis CARROT and STICk formula for his political enemy.

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, said more could be done to reach out to the militant Islamist group BokoHaram to find out what leads it to carry out acts of violence.
Obasanjo who spoke in an interview with CNN, suggested the current government should adopt a dual-track approach rather than just cracking down on the group.
He said: “To deal with a group like that, you need a carrot andstick. The carrot is finding out how to reach out to them. Whenyou try to reach out to them and they are not amenable to being reached out to, you have to use the stick.”
Obasanjo said President Goodluck Jonathan was “just using the stick” in his efforts, noting: “He’s doing one aspect of it well, but the other aspect must not be forgotten.”
President Jonathan and Gen. Obasanjo (Rtd)
The former president said he had tried to reach out to Boko Haram about a year and a half ago through a lawyer who wasacting as the group’s proxy, and had asked if they had external backing. He said the lawyer told him that the group was receiving support from other Nigerians who have resources overseas or “other organizations from abroad.
“If they had 25 per cent support a year and a half ago, today that support has doubled,” Obasanjo said.
Analysts suggest that reaching out to Boko Haram may be increasingly difficult because the group has split into differentfactions, some with a domestic focus and others with a more pan-jihadi approach.
Resolving the issue is key to Nigeria’s progress, according to Obasanjo, who now heads an eponymous foundation that is working to promote human security across Africa.
“Boko Haram undermines security, and anything that undermines security undermines development, undermines education, undermines health, undermines agriculture and food and nutrition security,” he said.
Obasanjo who spoke in an interview with CNN, suggested the current government should adopt a dual-track approach rather than just cracking down on the group.
He said: “To deal with a group like that, you need a carrot andstick. The carrot is finding out how to reach out to them. Whenyou try to reach out to them and they are not amenable to being reached out to, you have to use the stick.”
Obasanjo said President Goodluck Jonathan was “just using the stick” in his efforts, noting: “He’s doing one aspect of it well, but the other aspect must not be forgotten.”
The former president said he had tried to reach out to Boko Haram about a year and a half ago through a lawyer who wasacting as the group’s proxy, and had asked if they had external backing. He said the lawyer told him that the group was receiving support from other Nigerians who have resources overseas or “other organizations from abroad.
“If they had 25 per cent support a year and a half ago, today that support has doubled,” Obasanjo said.
Analysts suggest that reaching out to Boko Haram may be increasingly difficult because the group has split into differentfactions, some with a domestic focus and others with a more pan-jihadi approach.
Resolving the issue is key to Nigeria’s progress, according to Obasanjo, who now heads an eponymous foundation that is working to promote human security across Africa.
“Boko Haram undermines security, and anything that undermines security undermines development, undermines education, undermines health, undermines agriculture and food and nutrition security,” he said.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/01/jonathans-approach-to-boko-haram-faulty-obj/

Madam Elekiya Ayisat Giwa, mother of slain journalist Dele Giwa, has died.
Mrs. Giwa had been living with her youngest daughter, Mrs. Abibbat Ronke Aboaba in Ikorodu, Lagos. She passed on in the early hours of Tuesday at Aruna Ogun Hospital in the town.
Her famous son, Dele, is credited with bringing new panache and zest into Nigerian journalism in the late 1970s and early 1980s through his work at the Daily Times, Sunday Concord and NewsWatch, the newsmagazine which he co-founded with his friends after leaving the Concord Group of Newspapers.
In 1987, Mr. Giwa was killed in a parcel bomb attack on him in his home in Ikeja, Lagos, and was buried in his village, Ugbekpe-Ekperi, in Edo State.
“It is an irony of sorts that Mrs. Giwa has died at age 87, following her beloved son’s death in ’87,” an analyst told SaharaReporters today, “as if her last wish is to remind us all we must unearth the criminals responsible for Dele’s assassination in that year.”
http://saharareporters.com/news-page/elekiya-ayisat-giwa-mother-dele-giwa-dead-87

Will jonathan survive PDP primary?
Obasanjo men coming on board again.
We are watching!!!

This guy most be a relative of jonathan not the perm sec he claim to be his fada.

HE LIED!
Bisi was with you for months, you change her line and you are unable to take her to your fake spiritual or babalawo fada, because her parent said no.

Oya why didn't you take her to canada or uk for treatment, and you say your fada get cash.

Oh you don take her do juju ni?