Abuja The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, has asked Nigerian Government and its people to do all within their powers to deliver a credible polls next year as the world expects nothig but a rancour-free result that will deepen democracy in the country. Symington made the call in Abuja on Tuesday at the Peace and Security Network (PSN) Third Confab Series with the theme: “Securitization of the Election Process and the Prevention of Violence”. The US envoy noted that next year’s election in Nigeria was very crucial to Nigeria, adding that the world was watchig with keen interest to see how Nigerians will conduct the elections and what the outcome would be. Symington, who noted that every election could be challenging, however urged every Nigerian,to unite and work in love and trust and not engage in hateful speech or acts if they must achieve a peaceful and productive elections. He further encouraged Nigeria to harness the energy and opportunity of her extraordinary youthful population for the good of its people and all its neighbours and the whole world. The ambassador said: “It’s the hope of the world that Nigerian election will be credible transparent, fair and also the hope of the world that every nigerian is engaged. “There is no election in the world that would have election in February that is more important to the world than Nigeria, the reason for that is the potential population bomb or explosion, infact the population of this part of the word is already exploded, that bomb has already gone off.” “The question is how to harness the energy and opportunity of this extraordinary youthful population for the good of k it’s people all its neighbours and the whole world, and there is one thing that would make the difference and that will be the ties that bind people of Nigeria, ties of friendship of trust. Not of hate but of love, not of desperation but of purpose, not having hate speech, or hateful acts, but acts of love and kindness. “During the course of a nation, the moment that those ties are often tested, are around election itself, so, the challenge us not just for the security forces and the government to plan, to resolve to share and to communicate and it’s not just for the citizens to do that too, both of those have to work together.” “I think if that network focuses in this way, the chances of elections next year, will be peaceful and productive,” he stressed. Speaking, the National Cordinator of PSN, Mr. Adeolu Adewumi, noted that the confab series could not be more apt towards ensuring a violence free Elections. He however regretted the unresolved crises across states in the country with potentials to fuel election violence while calling stakeholders to close ranks and work for the success of the elections. The country Director, Mercy Corps Nigeria, Dr.Darius Radcliffe, however, urged all security forces to remain apolitical during the electoral process. He also pledged his support and commitment, saying: “We at Mercy Corps will commit to ensuring a peaceful election. We have a strong collaboration with government, security forces, LGAs, and religious leaders.” 
http://mognews.com/2018/12/05/us-ambassador-the-world-will-watch-nigeria-elections-2/

Cardi B took to Instagram to say that she and Offset have broken up.

"So everybody been bugging me and everything. And you know, I been trying to work things out with my baby father for a hot minute now. We're really good friends and you know we're really good business partners... He's always somebody that I run to, to talk to and we got a lot of love for each other but things just haven't been working out between us for a long time," Cardi says in the video. "It's nobodies fault it's just like I guess we grew out of love. But, we're not together any more. It might take time to get a divorce. I'm always going to have a lot of love for him because he is my daughter's father."

http://mognews.com/2018/12/05/cardi-break-up-with-long-time-boyfriend-offset/

governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday suspended the state Accountant General, Stella Udogwu, for allegedly not paying October to November salaries to workers in the state. Okorocha was quoted to have sodirected by his Chief Press Secretary Sam Onwuemeodo, at the 40th Year Anniversary of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, at the Hero’s Square in Owerri. APC describes Okowa’s N5bn bailout for LGs as ‘political deceit’ Okorocha Okorocha did not stop at that, he called for the arrest of the bank managers of the banks where the money meant for salaries was said to have been lodged. He ordered that the interests so far generated by the money be recovered. According to the statement, “The governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has suspended the Accountant-General of the State, Mrs. Stella Udogwu and ordered the arrest of the Branch-Managers the banks over the non-payment of the November Salaries of the Local Government Workers in the State. The suspension of the Accountant-General is with immediate effect. “The governor had before now directed that the October and November Salaries of Workers in the State workforce should be paid at the same time in October. And the governor had believed that the directive was carried out accordingly. “Only to be told by the Leadership of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, when he attended the event to mark the 40th Year Anniversary of the Union at the Hero’s Square Owerri on November 30, 2018, that the Workers have not been paid the November Salary. “The governor who was shocked to hear that announced the immediate suspension of the Accountant-General and ordered for the arrest of the Branch-Managers of Banks said to be where the money for the salaries of the Local Government employees for the months of October and November were lodged. “The governor therefore ordered that the November and December Salaries should now be paid on December 3, 2018, since December 1st and 2nd are not working days, and equally announced N10,000 each for the workers as their Christmas bonus and N2.5m as car allowance for each of the Local Government Directors of Administration and General Services. Okorocha among other things said that, “From today hence forth, there won’t be any need for any Local Government Worker to try to convert to the Ministry to be able to get to level 17 or become a Permanent Secretary.” He added: “Today, I have officially lifted the embargo on Local Government Staff getting to level 17. Hence forth, Staff of the Local Government Civil Commission will be promoted to level 17 when they are due for it” I had released the salaries of every Worker in Imo State since the second week of October and so if Local Government Workers are been owed, then somebody must take responsibility of it and will be dealt with according to law. “This is a criminal act aimed at disgracing this government. What they do is that, they take the money and put in the bank and collect the interest. “An acting Accountant-General will be appointed with immediate effect and the Secretary to the State Government should direct anybody next to her to act immediately. Your salary must be released and your December Salary shall be paid immediately. “All the interests from the salary kept in the bank must be collected and shared to the Local Government Workers who are the owners of the money. I order for the immediate arrest of the Branch-Managers of the banks(Names withheld) with immediate effect. “N2.5million has been approved for each of the Directors of Administration and General Services as vehicle allowance. They could use it to buy their vehicles themselves or the ministry can coordinate it for them. “The treasurers will only be given the same when the government finishes the investigation and discover that they are not guilty of the salary fraud.”
http://mognews.com/2018/12/01/okorocha-suspends-state-account-general-stella/

The ringleader of the Yahoo Plus gang that abducted and murdered a 300-level student of Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka, Elozino Ogege, has reportedly slumped and died. It was gathered that he slumped and died when he was trapped by police detectives at a hideout in Abraka. But four other suspects, including a herbalist, two private security guards are in police custody at the Police Headquarters, Asaba, Delta State. Delta State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed the death of the suspect, yesterday. While two other suspects, Onos, a private security guard and Desmond, internet fraudster, who spoke to our reporter, admitted participating in the crime, the herbalist and the private security supervisor spoke tongue in cheek. DSP Aniamaka disclosed that “the mastermind known to be a fraudster, just returned from Ghana; we made efforts to pick him, but it was not easy. Between the Thursday that the incident happened and Saturday, we have got most of the suspects. “Yes, one of them slumped; in fact, the mastermind knowing that we have got him slumped and gave up the ghost. “Quickly, the second fraudster, Desmond, was caught and he told us he had been engaged in four previous cases. He identified the herbalist that they take the body parts of female folk for ritual,” he said. Confession Remorseful Desmond affirmed that Elozino’s murder made it the fifth life he had taken for ritual purposes. According to him, “each time we killed, we removed the vital organs like the eyes, the heart and the breasts of the victims, normally females, and take to the herbalist, who usually would ask us to come back.” He added that the herbalist used to burn the hearts and pound them to make powdery substance out of them. It is the powder that he gives to them, which they apply before speaking to their victims to make money from them. “Any big woman we approach obliges us and provides money for us” However, the herbalist denied the allegation as he continued to call on God as witness that he was speaking the truth. He said Elozino’s organs were the first he received from the Yahoo Plus customers, but Desmond insisted they took the body parts to him after killing their victims. The security guard, Onos, who had offered to assist the victim to get accommodation and was in possession of Elozino’s phone with which the police tracked him, confessed he was posted into the school by his supervisor for the purpose of carrying out such missions when contacted, but the supervisor, Nwaosisi, denied the allegation. Nwaosisi said he was among those that chased Onos when the police came after him in the school. “When all these were happening, Onos threatened to implicate me for assisting the police to arrest him. When the police caught him, they discovered two phones which he claimed I sold to him. That was my involvement. “ Protest Meanwhile, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, yesterday thronged the streets of Asaba, the Delta State capital to protest the gruesome murder of Elozino Ogege by suspected yahoo boys. The CSOs stormed the State Police Command, Ministry of Women Affairs and the office of the Secretary to the State Government, after matching through the streets of Asaba metropolis chanting songs of disenchantment. Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Mrs Caroline Usikpedo condemned the murder of 22-year-old Elozino, lamenting that “the society we live in today, especially some of our institutions of higher learning and local communities, are harbouring criminals and ritualists in the guise of Yahoo business.
http://mognews.com/2018/11/30/yahoo-plus-gang-leader-that-kidnapped-and-killed-delsu-student-slumps-dies/

THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, warned Nigerians to beware of fake voters register saying some unscrupulous elements have designed fake INEC logos to deceive members of the public on the social media. Yakubu Speaking with Vanguard, spokesman of INEC in Lagos, Mr. Femi Akinbiyi, said: “Many people using INEC’s logo to post things does not mean that what they post on social media is from us. How many of such can we checkmate when we have a lot on our hands to address? There are some groups that use INEC Logo to sensitize their people on their platforms. Noble Igwe, Maltina to unveil ‘1,000 Smiles Campaign’ to the world Although, INEC welcomes people that will want to partner with us to sensitize people but we are yet to verify the number of eligible voters on the social media. If the source of eligible voters is not from INEC headquarters in Abuja or Lagos, then people should not attach importance to such reports.” Akinbiyi urged registered voters to get their Permanent Voters Card, PVCs, at the nearest INEC office. He disclosed that the INEC is yet to release copies of the voters’ register because it is cleaning and collating the number of valid registered voters. “By the time we finish collating, we will present a clean copy of the register to political parties. That was the reason we suspended registration on August 31, 2018 so as to enable us do the cleaning.” The INEC spokesman, however, reaffirmed the Commission’s readiness to conduct free and credible elections in Lagos, adding: “All we need is for people to cooperate and be positive about the elections. INEC is fully prepared for a free, fair and credible election. What is ongoing presently is campaign by all political parties. Breaking: INEC declares Osun election inconclusive We are monitoring how politicians are adhering to the rules and going round to sensitize stakeholders in the grassroots. The sensitive materials are not yet ready but once they are ready, we will convey them to the Central Bank Nigeria, CBN, for safety and security measures. It is when we actually retrieve it from the CBN that we will distribute them to each of the local government areas across Nigeria.”
http://mognews.com/2018/11/29/beware-of-fake-voters-registerinec-warns/

HUNDREDS of members of Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday broke away from the party and formed  what they called  new  PDP with Fabian Ihekweme as the state chairman. Uche Secondus The  n-PDP, was formed in Owerri, capital of Imo State, at Villa Garden Hotel. The  n-PDP has as  its deputy chairman, Jerry Ogoke; Secretary, Ifeanyi Oguzie; while Johnbosco Ben and Christigonus Okoro became  Spokesperson and Organising Secretary respectively. The legal adviser is Uche Igbokwe. The new group  also gave the National Working Committee, NWC, of PDP, on or before 29th of November 2018, to resolve all the issues or face mass defection of members of the PDP to an opposition party. Asset recovery c’ttee seeks arrest warrant on Uzodinma Giving reasons for the emergence of the n-PDP, Ihekweme said: “How can it be explained that a major political party like the PDP could not return a single female out of 42 elective positions that were offered to party members and even the few women that emerged were brazenly removed at Abuja. “To add pepper to the injury, some of the validly elected aspirants in the field that contested for House of Representatives were fraudulently replaced at the Wadata House without recourse to due process. “What we saw as loyal party members was in fact a subterranean move by one man parading himself as both a leader and agent of the NWC. “The whole arrangement was aimed at shortchanging the rest of us into rubber stamping his own emergence as the legitimate winner of a grossly manipulated and flawed  process. “As electioneering campaigns are starting across the country in compliance with INEC guidelines and timetable, there exists a compelling reasons to hold our coalition in the beleaguered Imo PDP from further drifting to other political locations and it will be utterly irresponsible of us not to create an umbrella that would canopy our interests.” But reacting to the development yesterday, the State Publicity Secretary of Imo PDP, Damian Opara said that if there were aggrieved members, they should come to the party and settle their problems. Opara said: “We have one PDP in Nigeria. The thing is that some people felt they couldn’t find their feet in the party after the primaries and they want to draw bad blood. “We don’t have anything like new Imo PDP. If you feel aggrieved over internal party functions, there are  various internal mechanisms to settle such problems. “I advise them to let the party settle the problems instead of trying to tear the party into pieces. It will serve nobody any good. They should find a way and settle their problems instead of destroying the house all of us built.” 
http://mognews.com/2018/11/27/crisis-in-imo-as-pdp-breaks-up/

Palace chiefs in Ogor Kingdom, Delta State, had hectic time, weekend, preventing aggrieved members of the community from taking the corpse of a 54-year-old pipeline guard, Anthony Ejabare, reportedly killed by herdsmen into the palace. It was gathered that the 54- year-old man was, Saturday, killed by suspected herdsmen while trying to prevent his wife from being raped in her farm at Edjekota community of Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state. A community source said the aggrieved family members of the deceased, with the support of some community members in protest, took the corpse to the palace of Ovie of Ogor Kingdom, in what chiefs of the kingdom described as sacrilegious. Armed herdsmen The source said: “Efforts to take the corpse into the palace were resisted by chiefs, leading to a clash, until the Police intervened.” They then took the corpse to Ughelli Area Command, where they were met by senior officers, who took the statement of the widow. A security source at the Area Command, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “From the statement given by widow, who is the witness, she was accosted by an armed herdsman who asked her to put down the cassava stems she carried on her head in an attempt to rape her else he was going to shoot her. “While she was pleading with the gunman, her husband, who was stationed as a guard in a pipeline close to her farm, walked into them and upon sighting the husband, the assailant shot him and fled into the bush.”   
http://mognews.com/2018/11/27/herdsmen-kills-man-rape-his-wife-in-delta-state/

FORMER Chief of Defence Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai, has explained that troops battling Boko Haram terrorists in the North East were suffering casualties because they were not fighting conventional warfare. Buhari, Oshiomhole, Unongo, Benue APC leaders meet in Aso Rock This came on a day President Muhammadu Buhari warned Nigerians to desist from politicising the deaths of soldiers killed after Boko Haram overran their base in Borno State last Sunday. Agwai explained that soldiers were originally trained to fight conventional warfare, saying what they were facing at the moment in the North East was strange to their training. To this end, he appealed to Nigerians not to see the killing of troops as a sign of weakness on the part of the military, insisting that in an unconventional warfare, troops must suffer casualty. The former Chief of Army Staff, who spoke to journalists weekend on the sideline of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Nigeria Fellowship of Evangelical Students, NIFES, held in Abuja, asked Nigerians not to make so much issues out of the ugly development, even as he described it as so sad for the nation. Hear him:  “Let me say with all sincerity that it is so sad that we have lost such number of people (soldiers). “Let me also remind all of us that when a dog bites man, it’s not news but the day a man bites dog, you know that it’s news. How many of you have reported the number of Boko Haram that have been arrested, those that have been detained and those that have been killed by the security agents? ‘’It’s because that is the dog biting man, that’s what is expected of the troops.  But you cannot go to abattoir and you say you don’t want blood to touch you. If you don’t want blood to touch you, then you must not go to abattoir. Buhari warns against politicising soldiers’ deaths Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday warned Nigerians to desist from politicising the deaths of soldiers killed after Boko Haram overran their base in Borno State last Sunday. At least 118 soldiers were killed, while 153 were declared missing in the attack on 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele, Borno State. After initial silence from both the Presidency and the Nigerian military, Buhari condemned the killing on Saturday, six days after the attack, promising to wipe out the insurgency and prioritise the plight of Nigerian troops involved in the counter-insurgency operations. Reiterating his administration’s commitment to defeating the insurgency yesterday, President Buhari emphasised the need for Nigerians to see the insurgents as common enemies, and shun the urge to seek political advantage from their evil campaign. The President said in his Twitter yesterday: “We must resist the temptation to play politics with the tragedy of the deaths of our soldiers.  They are heroes on the frontlines, fighting to make Nigeria a safer place for us all.” “Rest assured that the circumstances that have led to these deaths will be comprehensively addressed.’’  
http://mognews.com/2018/11/26/reasons-terrorist-are-killing-soldiers-ex-defense-chief-agwai/

Expectant of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Edo State on Tuesday, November 27, residents of Benin City are excited to host the President in the state, with many making a case for Federal Government project as fallout of the visit. A cross-section of Benin residents, who spoke to journalists at the weekend, said they were eager to have the president in the state, even as checks around major government establishments showed buildings wearing a new look preparatory to the visit. A visit to the Government House and other government offices in the state showed civil servants putting finishing touches to last-minute arrangements for the visit. The President is expected to commission the Edo-Azura Power Plant and attend the Chief of Army Staff Conference holding in Benin city. A Benin resident, Mr. Goodwill Efosa, said that he is anxious to welcome the President to the state, noting, “This is not the first time he is coming to the state, but I am eager to see him this time around because he has performed really well, in my own estimation.” Another resident, Mr. Osaze Moses, said that the President’s visit is always something to look forward to, as there are often fallouts from such August visits. “For me, I think we might get something big from this visit. The President has shown to be very caring, especially for the poor. I just hope we get a Federal Government project from this visit. That will endear Benin people more to the President, ” he said. Mr Moses added that “the Benin-Abraka Road is one federal government’s project that needs the president’s attention because it is a federal road. The road is currently in a bad state and though Governor Godwin Obaseki has assured that he would fix the road, but I am of the opinion that the governor should continue with the good work he is doing on state roads and streets while the federal government is urged to reconstruct the Benin-Abraka Road.” He urged Edo people to look forward to positive outcomes from the visit as they have faith in his administration. 
http://mognews.com/2018/11/26/buharis-visit-and-its-effect-on-benin-people/

Former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe has been receiving medical treatment in Singapore for the last two months and is no longer able to walk, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said. Zimbabwe’s Mugabe, 94, who ruled the country for nearly four decades since independence from Britain in 1980, was forced to resign in November 2017 after an army coup. Mnangagwa told ruling ZANU-PF supporters at a rally in Murombedzi, Mugabe’s village some 100 km (60 miles) west of the capital Harare, his predecessor had been due to return on Oct. 15 but that his poor health had delayed the journey. He did not say what treatment Mugabe had been undergoing. “We have just received a message that he is better now and will return on Nov. 30. He can no longer walk but we will continue taking care of him,” Mnangagwa said, referring to Mugabe by his totem name Gushungo. During his later years in power, Mugabe made several medical trips to Singapore. Officials often said he was being treated for a cataract, denying frequent reports by private local media that he had prostate cancer. Mnangagwa, who won a disputed July 30 presidential vote, repeated the army’s previous justification for last year’s coup, saying his former mentor Mugabe had been surrounded by criminals. When the army rolled its tanks into Harare, military leaders said they were targeting “criminals around the president.” A bitter Mugabe said later, however, that the army’s action had forced him to resign.
http://mognews.com/2018/11/25/robert-mugabe-paralysed-mnangagwa/

Twenty-three people have died and more than 60 are feared drowned after a pleasure boat sank on Lake Victoria, Ugandan police said Sunday. File Photo: The vessel carrying close to a hundred revellers sank during bad weather on Saturday in the latest deadly incident to affect passenger boats on Africa’s largest lake. “Twenty-two bodies have been recovered and 26 people rescued,” said Asuman Mugenyi, director of operations for the Uganda police. “According to one of the survivors there were more than 90 people on board.” The boat, on which party-goers were drinking, dancing and listening to music, sank a short distance from the shore off Mutima in Mukono District, close to the capital Kampala. Mugenyi said overloading and bad weather were likely to blame. “We expect (the number of passengers) is beyond the capacity of the boat. It was overloaded and unfortunately people were drunk,” Mugenyi said. “We suspect the mechanical condition of the boat and the weather contributed to the sinking.” “A big storm hit,” said local government official Richard Kikongo. “It can be fine on land but bad weather on the lake.” Kikongo said first responders were among the victims. “Fishermen on two small boats could see that the boat was sinking and went to help. People tried to jump onto the boats but they were too many and those sunk. The rescuers died too,” he said. Nearby residents said the vessel was hired out for parties every weekend and often overloaded with revellers. The Mutima Country Haven resort had been converted to a triage centre and morgue on Sunday morning where police were collecting the swollen bodies of victims Police spokesman Emilian Kayima said rescue efforts were continuing. Lake Victoria is the site of many boat disasters. In September, hundreds died when the MV Nyerere passenger ferry sank on the Tanzanian side of Lake Victoria. With a surface area of 70,000 square kilometres (27,000 square miles), oval-shaped Lake Victoria is roughly the size of Ireland and is shared by Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. It is not uncommon for ferries to capsize on the lake and the number of fatalities is often high due to a shortage of life jackets and the fact that many local people cannot swim. In 1966, more than 800 people lost their lives on Lake Victoria when the MV Bukoba sank off the mainland town of Mwanza, according to the Red Cross.
http://mognews.com/2018/11/25/23dead-scores-feared-drowned-after-uganda-boat-sinks/

As  rescuers due into the collapsed building in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, yesterday, a relative of one of the trapped victims said his brother, who was earlier calling to be rescued, had suddenly become unreachable. File: The collapsed building. Chimezie Ihionu, brother of trapped Morgan Ekene Ihionu, a  scaffolder supplier to the collapsed building project, also dismissed the state government’s figure of 33 persons rescued so far as “recklessly speculative”. Edo residents hail Obaseki for ongoing reconstruction of 140 roads Chimezie’s concerns came as Suleiman Yakubu, a  Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), who is in Rivers on special assignment, updated that four survivors and two dead bodies had  been pulled out from the rubbles in yesterday’s  rescue operations. Suleiman said, “There is the need for media restraint on rescued victims, figures. The operation is ongoing and we can’t be distracted by repeated media’s  call for figures. Maybe at the end of each day, we can look at some of those concerned but our concentration now is to continue combing the rubbles.” Agitated Chimezie told Sunday Vanguard,  “We were playing snooker nearby when my brother, Ekene, was alerted that the owner of the building had brought money to pay workers and suppliers. Someone called less than five minutes later that the building had  collapsed and Ekene was inside. Reps urge IGP to probe, arrest officers involved in Sydah’s death “We have stayed put at the scene since Friday. Ekene was calling us among others trapped inside. This (Saturday) morning, his phone is no longer reachable. A few lucky persons on the fringe escaped with injuries when the building came down. I don’t know where government got its 24 figure of rescued persons they have been announcing on radio.” Meanwhile, Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Emma Okah, maintained that “28 persons were rescued yesterday and five today. We have been here coordinating rescue with other relevant stakeholders. I know what I am talking” In the state government’s loud visibility at the incident’s scene, Deputy Governor Ipalibor Banigo and a  state assembly delegation, led by the House Leader, Martin Amaewhule, showed up yesterday. 
http://mognews.com/2018/11/25/my-brothers-number-is-not-reachable-brother-of-portharcourt-trapped-victim-cries-out/

After his military career and subsequent adventure into politics, President Muhammadu Buhari won the love of many Nigerians hence his fanatical followers. But now, the Nigerian leader surely has fanatical aides, one of whom is his aide on social media, Lauretta Onochie. File: President Buhari looking at cows Although one may easily conclude that Onochie’s obsession for showcasing the president as a man of the people is simply, because of her job prescription, but for those familiar with the presidential aide, she is a true convert of the president, who believes Buhari has done more than enough to market himself for re-election. Thus, at every opportunity, Onochie takes to the social media to list what her principal achieved in various sectors. It was no wonder that recently, when the Alhaji Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation alleged non-performance on the part of President Buhari, she was quick to come out with another long list contained in a statement, where she enumerated 64 achievements of the government in the agricultural sector. Agric sector loses N20bn annually due to lack of insurance cover As a foundation for all other things done in the sector, first, she noted that the anti-corruption drive of President Buhari has blocked exogenous leakages in the agricultural sector to encourage, empower, and enhance the locally made farm produce thereby increasing Nigeria’s internally generated revenue (IGR) index and foreign exchange capacity as well as reserve to over $45bn in cash and bonds. According to her, the home grown feeding programme, designed to end importation and market monopoly of farm produce that could be grown here in Nigeria, is a pilot vehicle to sustainable economic, agricultural, academic and job creation across the length and breadth of the nation. Other very important developments she noted included the inauguration of the Standing Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee on Zero-Reject of Agricultural Commodities and Produce/Non-oil Exports in Nigeria; Nigeria benefitted from 13.1billion Euros honeybee project and commencement of steps to improve the standards of Nigeria’s agricultural exports to align with global standards due to the rejection of our produce at the EU border controls by developing standards and quality control measures. “Under President Buhari administration, at the end of 2016, agricultural goods as share of total trade got N212.73bn and 4.02 per cent and agricultural goods exports were 2.7 per cent higher in Q4 2016 than Q3 2016, Sesame seeds contributed N6.46billion to agricultural product exports in the fourth quarter of 2016. In 2017, and first, second and third quarters of 2018, the agricultural sector has continued to contribute to Nigeria’s GDP. “In the fourth quarter of 2016, frozen shrimps and prawns chipped in N4.4billion to agricultural product exports under PMB’s administration, flour and meals of soya beans contributed N2.59bn to agricultural product exports and cashew nuts in shell contributed N0.95billion to agricultural product exports with the Buhari-led administration and crude palm kernel accounted for N0.62 billion of the total Agricultural exports under the President Buhari administration in the fourth quarter of 2016,” Onochie listed. Subsidy: Buhari’s NNPC as cesspool of corruption She is optimistic the agricultural universities coordinating agency is being revitalised as stipulated in the enabling Act, and that it would work closely with the Nigerian University Commission and development partners to re-focus the universities of agriculture in the country to continue to boost the sector. In her views, the Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises (LIFE) programme initiated by the Buhari administration to bring life back into rural communities through the empowerment of youth, women and other vulnerable groups across the country would actualise its mandate and further help in agricultural production. Noting that through the Anchor Borrower’s Programme (ABP), the Buhari administration has been providing money for dry and wet season farming in many states, she said the “Anchor Borrowers’ Programme is an intervention of the Buhari administration aimed at fast-tracking access of rural farmers to finance productivity.” The Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) of the Central Bank of Nigeria under the Buhari-led administration has made available N82billion in funding to 350,000 farmers of rice, wheat, maize, cotton, cassava, poultry, soy beans and groundnut; who have cultivated about 400,000 hectares of land. There has also been provision of agricultural credit for financing the production of rice, wheat, ginger, maize and soybeans in Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Enugu, Benue, Zamfara, Anambra and Kwara States. The administration has established 40 large scale rice processing plants and 18 high quality cassava flour (HQCGF) plants with a stake commitment of China EXIM (85 per cent) and Nigeria Bank of Industry (BoI) (15 per cent) through concessional credit facilities of US$383,140,375.60 for the rice mills and US$143,722,202.40 for the HQCF plants. Added to that, through the Ministry of Agriculture, the government is distributing rice mills of ten tons per day capacity, 20 tons a day, 40 tons a day, 50 tons and a few 100 tons. This is to collectively increase the capacity for rice milling a day nationwide and it is expected to close the gap between paddy availability and mills to process it. 2019: North Central Youths back, vow to mobilize 10m votes for Buhari “Under President Buhari, the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) has been strengthened for improved delivery of services through consolidation and recapitalisation in collaboration with the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to ensure loan disbursement at a single digit interest regime in the agricultural sector as obtainable in developed and emerging economies. “The President Buhari administration has approved the restructuring, re-capitalising and repositioning of the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and has secured the approval of a grant of $1.1 million from the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the restructuring of the Bank of Agriculture, aimed at staff training to strengthen service delivery. “Now, the government is embarking on National Soil Map Data, and the aim is to use soil-specific fertiliser formulations and application in prescribed dosages based on soil types, and the government has signed an agreement with Morocco to supply fertilizer, raw materials on concessionary terms to boost local blending that will facilitate the production of soil and crop-specific fertilisers,” she said. The Buhari-led administration has revived 11 moribund plants with a combined capacity of over two million metric tonnes and in 2017, the Presidential Fertilser Initiatives (PFI) delivered 10m 50kg bags (500,000MT) of NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer at a price of N5, 500 in time for the wet season, which is down from the price of N9, 000 per 50kg bag in 2016, a 40 per cent reduction in price. The Executive Secretary, Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN), Alhaji Ahmed Rabiu Kwa jas, recently said the PFI activities had brought dramatic changes in agriculture and particularly the fertiliser industry in the country. Other things according to her is that government was facilitating timely access of farmers to appropriate quality seeds, local and international seed trading, National Irrigation Policy and Strategy designed to overcome the irrigation challenges and established a N50 billion mechanisation fund to facilitate the second phase of Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprise (AEHE) to roll-out 6,000 tractors and 13,000 harvest and post-harvest equipment units across the country. The administration has assessed the status of infrastructure in all the 12 River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) and as such, commenced immediate and effective use of the facilities for commercial farming, tractors and Implements have been rolled in parts of the country to support targeted commodity value chains. 2019: Show your scorecard in the North, PDP challenges Buhari Worried about the rising spate of hostilities and attendant insecurity arising from clashes between farmers and nomadic herdsmen, the Buhari administration has commenced efforts towards resolving the conflicts through the provision of 55,000 hectares of land by 11 states as part of the 5,000 hectares each expected from the 19 northern states for the development of pasture/paddocks grazing reserves. The list of these achievements and the ripple effect is almost endless but in totality, there is a conspicuously growing positive effect in the agricultural sector that presidential aides as Onochie are proud of. In conclusion, the Buhari-led administration will boast that it has cut down on imports of agricultural products due to self-sufficiency in food production and consumption and it consequently created jobs. The PFI alone has created over 60,000 direct jobs and even a higher number of indirect jobs. The bag-making sector of the economy has been boosted, with over 10m packaging bags produced exclusively for PFI. Generally, the Buhari administration has resurrected interest in agriculture particularly, among small holder farmers.
http://mognews.com/2018/11/25/abandoning-buharis-agriculture-revolution/

President Muhammadu Buhari Friday in Abuja declared that he would ensure that all corrupt public officials who misappropriate public funds and make life difficult for the people are sent to jail. President Buhari Niger approves leave grant, 25% salary increment This is as the former Governor of Benue State and Senator representing Benue North West in the senate, George Akume has accused the Benue State Government of being behind the farmers/herders clashes which have claimed many lives and destruction of property worth several millions of naira. President Buhari who met behind closed-doors with the All Progressives Congress, APC, stakeholders led by Senator Akume at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said leaders who undermine the economy by denying workers their benefits, while stuffing personal accounts with public funds will not escape the current anti-corruption dragnet. He said the Federal Government’s bailout to states and Paris Club funds were basically to alleviate the sufferings of the people, describing misappropriation as unjust and unfair to workers. According to him, “I honestly don’t know how people sleep when workers have not been paid. The workers have to pay rent, buy food, send their children to school and they have healthcare to take care of. “I assure you that my main interest is all Nigerians in all parts of the country. Therefore, if anybody who tries to create any impression that I prefer any group across ethnicity or religion let him dare me by being caught red handed stealing public funds.  I will deal with him,” he said. The President in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, told the APC delegation that the Federal Executive Council had been monitoring the plight of workers across the country and utilisation of the bailout and Paris Club funds by some states. “I thank you for your courage to come and see me. This visit has resuscitated our morale,” he said. He noted that the Federal Government had made significant progress in diversifying the economy by investing in agriculture and encouraging more individuals and entrepreneurs to go into farming, pointing out that Nigeria would soon become self-sufficient in feeding its citizenry. “We are proud of what we have achieved with resources at our disposal,” he added, listing ongoing road, rail, sea port, airport and power projects as hallmarks of his administration’s commitment to improving lives. President Buhari said the Ministry of Agriculture and the Central Bank of Nigeria will be further motivated to work together and support all interested Nigerians to take up farming on commercial scale. He noted that the killings across the country, including Benue, Zamfara and Taraba, were carried out by “ungodly” people who had no religious or ethnic inclinations. “We know about herders. The ones we knew carried sticks, and sometimes cutlasses to cut foliage for their cattle. We now have people who carry AK 47s and pretend they are herdsmen. “We are working hard to secure our borders. We are going to see how the old cattle routes can be opened. We will control movement. Please beg our people to be patient,” he said. The President pointed out that security personnel were already uncovering the network of the killers and arresting them. In his remarks, the leader of the delegation said the narrative in the state about the Federal Government was fast changing for the positive as more people had discovered the good intentions of President Buhari to secure lives and property, and alleviate poverty. “Mr President, we know your commitment to Nigeria. We know how much you love the country and will be ready to die for the good cause,” Sen. Akume said. Akume, a former governor of Benue State, told the President that APC members had started sensitization and mobilisation of voters for the 2019 elections, noting that more had accepted the party and its manifesto in the state. He commended the President for the flag-off of the dualization of the Abuja-Keffi-Lafia-Makurdi road, urging more attention on the Makurdi-Otukpo road and the water projects in Gboko and Otukpo. “You have worked hard to stop herdsmen and farmers clashes in Benue. It is important to note that many people used religion and ethnicity to score cheap points. Religion was used in Benue for sinister purposes,” he added. On corruption, Akume said the President has made significant difference by tackling perpetrators. Speaking to State House correspondents, the former Senate Minority Leader claimed that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party wasted the nation’s resources without any meaningful achievement for 16 years, adding that though the party wants to come back to power, it has no message for the people. Akume said he was aware of those behind the herders/farmers clashes in Benue State but, assured that the situation has been significantly brought under control. According to him, “When you talk about herdsmen and farmers clash, it is a story going good bye.  Have you heard of farmers/herders clashes in Benue again? No. We know those who were behind that, government was behind that. I am talking about the state government through the Livestock Guards; they knew what was going on. So it is now a thing of the past.” On the backlog of salaries, pensions and gratuities in the state, Akume alleged that there was ongoing fraud in government which has made it impossible for the governor to meet up with this critical obligation to the state workforce. He said, “And as for him, certainly he knows that there is fraud on the payroll. I have been in government before, everything that is going on there is fraudulent in Benue State and the people are simply tired on this misinformation that they have been receiving. “The narrative has changed, it is not a question of herdsmen, we are not talking about religious and ethnic bigotry, we are talking about performance of government. If you cannot pay salaries, if you cannot pay pensions, if you cannot pay gratuity, what are you doing there? “If you cannot provide infrastructure what are you doing there, what is the basic purpose of government? It is the welfare of the people, security for the people. If you say your slogan is my people first and we are telling you no, my people last because you are misappropriating their money. So, it is not my people first, it is my pocket first in Benue State.” He explained that the meeting with the President and APC stakeholders from Benue State was a solidarity visit to express total sense of involvement and commitment to his re-election. He said, “A man who has worked so tirelessly to turn around the fortunes of this country, deserves to be supported by all well meaning Nigerians. This has nothing to do with politics.”
http://mognews.com/2018/11/24/corrupt-leaders-wont-have-room-for-escape-buhari-2/

Finally, it was a black Friday for Ugwuanyi Chinedu, popularly known as Onyeuwa, From owere_eze_oba in nsukka, Enugu state, Nigeria.
He is also an apprentice in one of the salon at the back of a female hostel in University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu state, Nigeria (UNN).
Describing him as a terrorist to UNN will be an understatement to all who knows him or have had of their(his group) activities at a popular mountain called vet mountain, were students go for prayers. I knew that someday like Friday (18-11-2018) will be his worst day, after robbing my younger brother with a gun at the mountain months back. Though, i personally arrested him then and took him to SARS office in nsk, but he was later safed by my same brother when he was asked to come and identify him as the arm robber, according to my brother: on seeing him as someone he knew, my brother was shocked and told police that he was not sure blc his face was covered during the operation.

Now, he was involved in a rape case again at the same vet mountain and i doubt if he will escape this one blc UNN vc is interested on the case.

Some days back he and six other of his friends of which two among them was a student of unn was involved in rapping two unn female students accompanied by some male students who went for prayers at the mountain, there was a trace from one of the guy(class rep) they collected his cell phone. Security called the line and acted like a student wanting to pay in money into the class reps acct and one of the arm robber/rapist joyfully sent his personal acct details and was later traced by the vigilante group after several investigations, #onyeuwa was arrested by Odim Gate Vigilante group (Ajuona Obukpa) of which he agreed to be the one piloting all the evil activities at the mountain, including robbing my younger bro months back. He is currently at unn security custody while he gives detail of the other six boys involved on the rape.
The vigilante, which described the act as barbaric, inhuman and senseless, said it should be condemned by all and sundry. The arrest is a demonstration of an act of hard work on the part of the odim vigilante.
The vigilante called on the UNN security agents and other stakeholders to ensure that other perpetrators of the dastardly act are brought to book.
http://mognews.com/2018/11/23/armrobber-who-terrorizes-unn-caught-this-morning/

Asisat Oshoala fluffed a record number of eight goal scoring chances in the Super Falcons second game of the group B encounter against Zambia at the Africa Women Cup of Nations on Wednesday. If statistics were to be kept of the most missed goals in a single tournament, Oshoala who was named the highest goal scorer of the FIFA Under-20 Women World Cup in 2014, and joint top scorer when the Super Falcons won the tournament at the Africa Women Cup of Nations 2014 in Namibia will easily fit in. Oshoala in the game against Zambia came face to face with the Shepolopolo keeper, Hezel Nali on five different occasions and had an empty net gaping at her twice. She failed to score much to the chagrin of her teammates and watching spectators alike. Ironically when coach Thomas Dennerby needed to bring in another striker it was Desire Oparanozie that had to make way for Rashidat Ajibade, and frustrations was clearly written on Oparanozie’s face as she reluctantly left the pitch. “We could have beaten Zambia with as many as 10 goals but for those unbelievable misses,” said a member of the Nigeria Football Federation. Asked to comment on the misses by Oshoala, coach Dennerby said, “First of all, I am very happy we managed to score four goals in this game but honestly I am not 100 per cent happy with our performance because we should have scored more goals.” 
http://mognews.com/2018/11/23/aishat-oshoala-from-top-scorer-to-top-flop/

The Federal Government says its objective of developing  Nigerian tourism sector is to contribute to the establishment of a new international economic order that will help eliminate the widening economic gap between developed and developing countries.Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed stated this in his keynote address delivered at the 4th Tourism Investors Forum and Exhibition, NTIFE holding in Abuja. He noted that the tourism sector has the potential to redistribute wealth to destinations  across the world if well harnessed adding the administration has taken certain steps to transform the sector into an alternative revenue earner for the country. ADVERTISING ”A number of reasons point to potentials  of tourism as a means of achieving economic growth and these include tourism as a growth industry; as distributor of wealth; tourism without  trade barriers and the fact that  tourism utilizes free natural infrastructure among others.Our experience in the recent past also clearly demonstrates that oil and mineral resources are non-renewable and have very limited potential for addressing the development challenges that face the country today  and  over the medium and long-term period.Tourism has become a key sector in the world economy and is a crucial source of economic growth and development in many countries.” Alh. Mohammed insisted that the sector has the potential if properly harnessed to be a major revenue earner for the country stressing ”It’s important for us as Nigerians to take advantage of the industry’s commendable resources and transform them into huge money spinners”. The minister stated that the sector as a growth industry has demonstrated consistent  and remarkable growth almost every year.According to him,  international tourist arrivals increased from 528 million in 2015 to 1.6 trillion in 2017.  Also   tourism receipts earned by destinations worldwide surged  from $495 billion in 2000 to $1.33 trillion in 2017.”International tourism has grown not only in absolute volume, but also in terms of spread. Predicated on the above and the need to ensure that tourism becomes one of the verifiable sources of revenue for the country, the ministry is determined to fully exploit its potential.In  that regard, the ministry is finalizing plans to inaugurate the Team/a National Consultative Forum that will work on the recommendations of the UNWTO post technical mission project document”, he added. To ensure full development of the sector, Mohammed emphasized the role of the private sector saying that tourism cannot flourish without the full commitment and participation of the private sector. In his remarks,  Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Commission, NTDC, Folorunso Coker,  said we have lots of   attractions  that are yet to be exploited in Nigeria and called on Nigerians to appreciate and develop what we have in order to develop the tourism sector.”We must do what GSM did to 090 in tourism using technology or else we don’t stand a chance. We have lots of  attractctions yet to be exploited in Nigeria. We must create awareness about our tourist attractions.It’s when people know about positive Nigeria that they will come to Nigeria and we are not talking about photographs and bridges.  In Nigeria, it’s a different type of holiday, people come to Nigeria for the soul of the people of Nigeria. Our food,  music,  fashion, politics and  religion attract people here and those are the things we are trying to use to promote the traditional destinations, waterfalls, hills, etc, so it blends but digital cannot be ignored”   
http://mognews.com/2018/11/23/reasons-why-we-develop-tourism-sector-fg/

Love her or hate her, actress Tonto Dikeh is one woman that cannot hide her feelings for any reason. So, the mother of one, during the week left many guessing following her recent IG posts as she kept referring to ‘My lover and Baby,’ suggesting that she’s in love again. With a special half-nude photo, the actress penned some sweet words for the love of her life days after calling out her most recent ex-husband, Churchill. In her post, she wrote, “I want you for the rest of my life but even that doesn’t seem long enough. I will tell the world, you are my lady.Nothing dey fit do, my lover” Tonto Dike “They cannot put asunder, no never. Na we and you forever…and the day after. Oh baby, dem no know (dem no know). Oh we almost give it up (give it up). Oh we never had it all (had it all)…” Her fans are wondering who is that lucky man who has stolen the heart of the drama queen.
http://mognews.com/2018/11/23/who-is-the-man-in-tonto-dikehs-life/

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is excited to be returning to face Juventus on Wednesday - “Turin is my home”.

The Frenchman left the Bianconeri to return to Old Trafford in 2016, but credits the Bianconeri with his maturation as a player.

“I was expecting it,” Pogba told RMC Sport when asked about the draw.

“It was crazy, I spoke to my brother in the summer and I said: ‘imagine if we’re in the same group as Juve?’.

“It’s a pleasure for me, Turin is my home and that’s where I scored my first professional goal.

“[Juan] Cuadrado, [Paulo] Dybala, [Leonardo] Bonucci… we still catch up, we speak from time to time.

“We were a family, so of course we stay in touch.

“When you’re alongside players like [Andrea] Pirlo, Gigi [Buffon] or [Giorgio] Chiellini, you can only learn every day in training.
“Even if you’re an established player, you can always learn from men like them.”
Despite his affection for the Old Lady though, Pogba will be seeking three points next week.
“The Champions League is a trophy I always have in mind. The objective is to win it.”
http://mognews.com/2018/11/01/pogba-juventus-is-my-home/

Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, also known as Shi’ites, and a combined force of the Nigerian Army and police, yesterday, engaged in a bloody clash which left some dead and many injured. Trouble was said to have started as the Shi’ites poured into the FCT from all major routes leading to the city centre to observe the Arbaeen mourning procession, despite warnings from security agencies not to do so. Shi’ites defy army, pour into Abuja from major routes… As security operatives open fire on mourners Shi’ites defy army, pour into Abuja from major routes …



As security operatives open fire on mourners Shi’ites defy army, pour into Abuja from major routes … As security operatives open fire on mourners Members of Shiite on the road along Kubuwa Expressway in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan The latest clash, which was still on-going at press time, started at about 4:35pm, following a procession embarked upon by members of the religious group. Vanguard gathered that the group, which started its procession at Mararaba, Nasarawa State, was heading to Nyanya, the adjourning town between Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory, towards Abuja City, when soldiers on duty ordered them back. It was learned that the group’s members resisted the directive as they engaged the soldiers in an argument which resulted in a commotion. It was gathered that the Shi’ites started pelting the soldiers with stones, resulting in the latter responding with gunshots. Some of the sect members were said to have been killed, while several others sustained injuries. Residents were seen scampering for safety, as motorists plying the routes linking Abuja were seen making detours towards Mararaba in Nasarawa State for safety.



A witness who pleaded anonymity, said the security men opened fire on the Shi’ite members. Consequently, commuters were stranded in most routes in the FCT, as commercial vehicles deserted the streets to avoid stray bullets. An eye-witness said at least 16 people were killed, while scores were wounded after Shi’ite protesters attempted to break a barricade of Nigerian soldiers around the flyover in Karu. According to the witness, while some of the deceased died after being rammed into by cars driven by panicked drivers, most of them were hit by bullets. “They have killed about 16 to 22 people. Bodies are everywhere, they are everywhere without anyone even attempting to evacuate them,’’ the witness said. The witness said soldiers were responsible for most of the deaths, attributing only about four to persons rammed by speeding vehicles or an elderly woman who fell and hit her head against the median while scampering for safety.



“Yes, the soldiers were killing the people, they said they wanted to break their barricade near the overhead bridge in Karu. ‘’I cannot say how many people were killed, but they are so many and bodies are still on the main road and streets.” Shi’ites react Spokesman of the group, Abdullahi Musa, said an IMN member overheard a soldier attached to the Guards Brigade at Kubwa checkpoint along Karu – Abuja expressway, saying orders had been given “from above” that the military should engage the Shi’ites in a battle. “Our attention has been drawn to a statement made by a member of Guards Brigade at (his duty post) Kubwa check point along Karu-Abuja expressway that they are waiting for the followers of Sheikh Ibraheem el-Zakzaky, because they have an order from above to engage them,” Musa said in a statement. He vowed that the group would not be intimidated to give up its demand for the release of Ibraheem el-Zakzaky, its leader. Army reacts But reacting, last night, spokesman for the Brigade, Capt. Timothy Tagwai, who was in company of the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General UT Musa, said troops had brought sanity back to the road up to Kugbo area, adding that they were still moving towards the Nyanya area to do same. Asked if there had been casualties since reports of gunshots were reportedly heard in some places, Captain Taigwai said no record of casualties had got to him. Regarding the other protest from the Kubwa-Dutse-Alhaji axis of the Abuja-Kaduna road, Captain Tagwai said he was yet to be briefed of any casualty figure either. He noted that troops were doing their very best to restore normalcy to the area, and clear the roads. Police sources contacted on the issue said the operation was an Army operation to stop the protesters entering the city to cause mayhem, adding, however, that policemen were on the alert to arrest any protesting Shi’ite member who sneaked into the city centre to cause disturbance.
http://mognews.com/2018/10/30/blood-battle-as-shiites-soldiers-clash-in-abuja/

Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Peoples Redemption Party, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, has said that despite the glaring failure of President Muhammadu Buhari, he was still better than the former Vice President and now Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. According to him, there is no doubt that Buhari has failed Nigerians but Abubakar will fail even more if elected in 2019. Musa’s statement came barely a week after he cautioned Nigerians against voting for PDP in the 2019 elections. He said the choice between Buhari and Abubakar was one between “two devils,” adding that the forces backing the former vice president, including former presidents, will not allow him rule well if he wins the poll. Noting that those forces were interested in the defeat of President Buhari, Musa said: “Buhari has failed but Atiku will fail even more because of Atiku’s connection with some forces, among them, former presidents who are the root of the rot we are now facing in this country. “For Atiku to align with them for whatever reason, is more dangerous than Buhari, because all they have to tell Nigerians is that they want to defeat Buhari but is that all Nigerians want to know? “Nigerians want to know what is the qualitative and demonstrative character and differences between Atiku and Buhari and between APC and PDP. “There is nothing; so it’s a question of choice between two devils. The only thing is that we are faced with such a situation and we can’t have a credible alternative like we had when former President Badamasi Babangida established two political parties. “One to the left and other other one to the right calling one SDP and the other NRC, and if you want to participate in politics then, you have no choice but to select one of the two and there is nothing you could do about it. “So if we still face that kind of situation today, whether you support Atiku or Buhari or support PDP or APC, we don’t pray to have such a situation.” “But if we do face such situation, then it’s better to support Buhari because he is a lesser problem to Atiku. “Because Atiku, with him being rich and with the support of those forces, we will have a greater task in handling him.’’ On whether Atiku’s business experience could help revive Nigeria’s economy, Musa said the country didn’t need a business man to control its destiny.
http://mognews.com/2018/10/30/buhari-might-be-a-devil-but-hes-better-than-atiku-balarabe-musa/

Excess love singer Mercy Chinwo adopts a boy selling plantain chips and what she captioned it will melt your heart ��

http://mognews.com/2018/10/25/excess-love-crooner-mercy-chinwo-adopts-a-boy-hawking-plantain-chips/

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has chided President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement earlier in the week that those who felt they have another country other than Nigeria were free to leave, describing the statement as characteristic of a failed leadership. National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus and President Muhammadu Buhari The party said President Buhari, in saying that Nigerians, “who feel they have another country may choose to go”, has further confirmed that “he is completely insensitive to the plight of our citizens and has no solution to the myriad of problems facing the nation. The PDP said the comment was ‘unfatherly’ and a direct slap on the sensibilities of millions of Nigerians, who have been painfully bearing the economic hardship, hunger and starvation “caused by President Buhari’s wasteful administration, to the extent that many have taken to suicide missions and slavery as survival options.” It added that “since Mr. President now knows that Nigerians across board are hurting over the failures of his administrations, the least he, as an elected leader, should have done, was to accept responsibility, rise up to the occasion and find solutions, or at least, have some soothing words to suffering Nigerians instead of dismissing their pains and asking them to abandon their fatherland. Meanwhile, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan yesterday tasked the All Progressive Congress, APC, to stop “spurious publication” against its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Mr. Peter Obi. The publicity scribe said the APC, and the Presidency, “having failed to stop the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as Presidential candidate and having failed in their attempts to smear him with unfounded allegations, have now resorted to attacking our vice Presidential candidate and trying to create the impression that he is not well received in some parts of the country.” He vowed on behalf of the party never to lose focus in its bid to reclaim the Presidency come 2019.
http://mognews.com/2018/10/25/pdp-blasts-insensitive-buhari-over-you-may-choose-to-leave-comment-2/

A timber contractor, Aluko Ramoni, was reportedly struck dead by thunder while cutting an iroko tree in ifira Akoko, area of Ondo State. The incident reportedly caused a stir in the community, as people trooped to have a glimpse of the deceased. His corpse was quarantined as some traditional worshippers were invited to convey his corpse to his hometown in Supare, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of the state. However, where his corpse should be buried reportedly generated controversies. The traditional worshippers reportedly insisted that he should be buried in the forest, going by the cause of his death. But his family members preferred that he be buried at home. Mognews gathered that two persons were in the farm when the incident happened, but the thunder killed only Ramoni. Divisional Police Officer in Isua in Akoko South-East Local Government Area of the state, Superintendent Biodun Ojediran, confirmed the incident. Ojediran, who said the deceased died in the farm while cutting the tree, added that investigation into the incident had commenced. The state police image-maker, Femi Joseph, also confirmed the incident, describing it as unfortunate. Related Native doctor beaten to death by in-laws in Ondo June
http://mognews.com/2018/10/25/tradegy-as-thunder-kills-man-in-ondo/

"Let me say very expressly that I'm not like my friend, Godswill Akpabio that they used EFCC to intimidate and he joined APC out of fear of going to jail.

"I can't ridicule myself before my people and entire Nigerians. Again, I say that they have today but they can't have tomorrow. These Pharaohs that you see today, tomorrow, we shall see them no more"
More later....
http://mognews.com/2018/10/24/i-am-not-akpabio-fayose-tells-buhari/

Lawan Faro, a middle-aged man in Yola, capital of Adamawa State, has climbed a 40-metre-tall billboard hanger, and vowed to fall off it unless President Muhammadu Buhari resigns within 12 hours.

Speaking, Faro said his action was necessitated by the “extreme poverty” in the land.

“I think it’s time for Buhari to give way for someone like Atiku Abubakar to lead us out of the present hardship”, he cried.
He threatened to fall off after 12 hours if Atiku Abubakar does not show up to assure him of Buhari’s ouster in 2019.
“I will remain here for 12 hours to show my discontent, and someone not less than Atiku must come here to assure me that this government must be sacked in the forthcoming election.”
http://mognews.com/2018/10/24/breaking-news-man-climbs-billboard-hanger-vows-to-jump-off-unless-buhari-resigns-within-12-hours/

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC),  the leading infrastructure development finance institution in Africa, has announced its successful acquisition of a loan facility from the Export-Import Bank of China (CEXIM) of a $200m 5-year loan and a $100m 5-year stand-by facility for general corporate purpose. The facility from CEXIM marks AFC’s inaugural financing facility from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This follows the Corporation’s strategic focus to build a broad coalition of investors by diversifying its fundraising activities to include all sources of institutional capital in East Asia, in addition to its existing partners in Europe & North America. A statement from AFC , yesterday said apart from the medium-term liquidity that this proposed facility will provide, it will also further provide contingent funding support which is particularly important for liquidity risk management as well as opening up other financing and relationships with Chinese entities (both state-owned and private). “It has also been agreed that the signing of the facility agreement shall mark the first step into what will be a long and beneficial relationship with CEXIM, including AFC’s support to CEXIM’s Africa strategy, looking at their portfolio of assets and advising them on how to optimise its loan book on the continent, “the statement added. Samaila Zubairu, President/CEO, AFC, commented: “In the last two decades, China has grown from a relatively small investor, to becoming one of Africa’s largest trading partners today. “This facility is therefore not only a milestone for the Corporation and its strategy for the Far East, but also marks a natural evolution in the growing financial sophistication of China in Africa, a necessary development required to accelerate Africa’s journey towards closing the infrastructure deficit.
http://mognews.com/2018/10/12/afc-acquires-300m-facility-from-exim-bank-of-china/

From the 36 states of the country and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, statutory and elected delegates will gather today for the historic national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital. After weeks of disagreement between two major organs of the party, the National Working Committee, NWC, and the Board of Trustees, BoT, on one hand and the Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike and some Presidential aspirants on the other, over a suitable venue for the convention, the party finally resolved to settle for Port Harcourt with a commitment to conduct a credible and transparent exercise devoid of rancour and manipulations. Although the convention will provide ample opportunity for the party to make important decisions, including the ratification and affirmation of decisions reached at its 82nd emergency National Executive Committee, NEC meeting last week, Nigerians home and in the Diaspora would be anxious to know who would be flying the flag of the PDP in the 2019 Presidential election. But the choice of the party’s flag bearer would not be a walk in the park for the over 3,000 delegates owing to a litany of issues not unconnected with clash of interest associated with party politics. So, what are the issues at play? The Wike factor He is arguably the biggest influencer in the rank of the PDP today. As governor of oil-rich Rivers state; Wike has literary catapulted himself to one of the national leaders of the party in the past few years. Famed for his audacious boldness, he is not one to shy away from baring his mind on any issue, no matter how sensitive. So, it wasn’t surprising when last week, he threatened to “teach the party a lesson,” if it succumbed to pressures to move the convention away from Port Harcourt. And despite the criticisms that greeted that verbal outrage, the party eventually settled for the Garden City. Wike, as the story goes, is rooting for his colleague, the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal who a few months ago ditched the All Progressives Congress, APC, for the PDP to run for the Office of the President in 2019. His preference for Tambuwal and insistence on Port Harcourt, Saturday Vanguard gathered, largely informed the initial rejection of Port Harcourt by some aspirants, who believed the process could be skewed in favour of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives. But last week in the course of the NEC meeting, Wike not only apologized for his utterances, he also stated that his interest was a credible process regardless of who emerges winner of the sole ticket. This assurance convinced all aspirants to agree to go to Port Harcourt for the big event. A member of the Convention Planning Committee who spoke to Saturday Vanguard on condition of anonymity said though Port Harcourt remains “a very suitable venue,” for the convention, the aspirants, he argued, would have to demonstrate a deep sense of sportsmanship to make the exercise a huge success. “What is important is the transparency of the process. Regardless of where the event takes place, a winner will emerge. If you look at the array of aspirants, you will agree with me that these are great leaders in their own right. Yet, elections being what they are, can always pull a surprise. So, we shouldn’t be surprised if a winner, not many expected, emerges at the end of the day,” he said. Asked if he was in anyway inferring that power brokers could determine who wins the ticket; the party chieftain was evasive but went philosophical in his response. “I don’t know who the power brokers are but I know that there will be a winner at the end of the exercise. Who will win will win but what I meant is that the opinion of the people may not necessarily tally with that of the delegates. If we fail to arrive at a consensus, it will be up to the delegates to choose for the party and whoever they pick will be acceptable to the party,” he added. North-West argument It was Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, the lawmaker representing Kano Central at the National Assembly who called on the party to settle for a candidate of North-West extraction to stand a chance of beating President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019. His argument was premised on the permutation that the bulk of votes President Buhari is likely to get, will come from that zone and thus, a son of the soil will play the spoiler and cut deep into the President’s support base, leaving him gasping for breath in the South and other geopolitical zones in the country. Kwankwaso, an immensely popular figure in the North will be up against the likes of Sule Lamido (ex-Jigawa state governor), Ahmed Makarfi (former Kaduna state governor), Attahiru Bafarawa (erstwhile Sokoto governor), incumbent Sokoto governor, Aminu Tambuwal, Tanimu Turaki (former Special Duties Minister) and Datti Baba-Ahmed, an ex-lawmaker, all from the zone. Kwankwaso’s ability to garner enough votes in the South, North-East and North-Central is up there for debate even as an ex-Minister in the President Goodluck Jonathan administration says the delegates should look in the direction of Turaki or Makarfi in the event that the party settles for North-West. His words:”I don’t want to speak for the delegates on this. To make complicated issues less difficult, we advocated the micro zoning of the Presidency to one of the geopolitical zones in the North but we were overruled. “The only thing I can say here is that Makarfi did a lot as governor of Kaduna state for eight years. Under his watch, the perennial violent clashes in that state were well handled. As chairman of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, he surpassed the expectations of many by running a popular administration. He is worthy to fly the banner of our party. “Turaki for me is a lovable human being, an intellectual and a great leader. His loyalty to the party is unquestionable and he has the energy to bring about a turn around in our governance system, if given the chance,” he stated. Peace accord On Wednesday, the PDP publicity scribe, Kola Ologbondiyan, told our correspondent that Presidential aspirants on the platform of the party have all resolved to sign a peace accord which will bind them to stick with the party regardless of the outcome of the primary election. Good as that may sound in the ears of the leadership of the party, there are genuine fears that some of the contestants may seek alternative platforms particularly if they feel that the exercise falls short of transparency. Considering the argument for and against the choice of Port Harcourt; it is incumbent on the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa-led National Convention Planning Committee to walk its talk by conducting a truly free, fair and credible primary as it has promised. Electing most eligible candidate Perhaps, the biggest challenge before the delegates is Gordian knot of unraveling who among the 13 aspirants has the political visibility to garner enough votes across the country to win the 2019 election. Will it be Atiku Abubakar, an experienced politician and perhaps the most prepared, considering the policy alternatives he has been churning out in the past few months? Or Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who says Nigeria deserves a digital President in 2019? In David Mark, the delegates who come across a bridge builder of sort who has been around for years, armed with a vast network of associates in civilian and military circles. In Ibrahim Dankwambo, the delegates will face a financial manager with incredible record of service in both public and private sectors. Will they choose him? Turaki, believed to be enjoying the support of former President Goodluck Jonathan is without baggage and he is seen as a bridge between the old and the young. Baba-Ahmed holds a PhD in Economics and has promised to revive the economy within a short period. Regardless of the choice they make, winning the 2019 Presidential poll will be an herculean task not only for the PDP but for the ruling APC as well. Today, PDP is expected to elect a strong candidate to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 elections. Atiku, they say is the most prepared. And this may be his last chance considering his age. Can he get the ticket to have a shot at the Presidency? Tambuwal, Saraki and Kwakwanso seemed to be on the block with him few days ago before Makarfi appeared to be gathering momentum in the last three days. It’s open. They all have their chances but one will emerge today and the real race to Aso Villa will begin.
http://mognews.com/2018/10/06/2019-who-challenges-buhari/

17 years ago when crisis broke out in Jos, the capital city of Plateau State, residents thought they had seen the worst; little did they know that what happened then was just a flash in the pan compared to the recurring horror in the city. From September, 2001 to 2008, and between 2009 and 2010; the city witnessed unquantifiable destruction of lives and property. Concerted efforts by governments and stakeholders to arrest the cycle of violence which had polarized the city along religious and ethnic lines had brought a temporary reprieve but the new face of mayhem is the herders/farmers killings in the hinterlands which have left thousands dead and many more displaced. Apart from the twin bomb blasts in 2012 which claimed over 200 lives at the Terminus area of the city, residents of most communities in Jos North local government area had a break of almost eight years without any major crisis. But as they began to put the past behind them, the monster resurfaced penultimate Thursday night at the Rukuba road area of the city where some yet to be identified gunmen killed 15 people including a family of nine. The following day, major communities in the city were enveloped in tension. As people scampered for safety, hoodlums took advantage of the situation, killing yet to be ascertained number of people, vandalizing vehicles and looting some shops. As usual, the state government “lamented the situation”, declared “dusk to dawn curfew,” while the security agencies said they were “on top of the situation”. On his part, Jonah Jang, the Senator representing Plateau North in the National Assembly, through his Media Consultant, Clinton Garba called on the United Nations to “intervene in Nigeria and act on behalf of the poor, innocent and abandoned people of Plateau and their endangered kind in the Middle Belt to protect and guarantee them a future of longevity, pride and prosperity.” Unsuspecting residents then went about their businesses on Saturday and while Church services held on Sunday but hell broke loose before some Churches ended their meetings as calls started coming in that “the town was not good.” Residents hurriedly left whatever businesses they were doing and had to find their way home; while some made it home safely, others were not lucky as they were either attacked and killed or left injured. Places of worship, houses and other personal property were not spared as they were set on fire by the hoodlums. More so, as the two major political parties, the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP were holding their gubernatorial primary elections that Sunday within the same vicinity, many people including this reporter who went to cover the events were stranded. Within a twinkle of an eye, sporadic gunshots rented the air sending fears down the spines of residents of Kyan Rikkos, Tina Junction, Jos Jarawa (aka Dutse Uku), Furaka, Yan-Trailer, Gondola, Angwan Rukuba, New Road, Nassarawa Gwong, Congo-Russia, Old Legislative Quarters, among others along the stretch of Bauchi Ring road. Farin Gada, Gada Biu, Chobe, Busa Buji, Apata and others were also not spared. Jos city was again returned to the dark days of crises. Frightened children tugged at adults’ clothes as they ran to perceived safe areas while security agents watched helplessly as armed hoodlums advanced to “enemy’s neighbourhood” causing havoc as they moved. At the time the situation was brought under control, residents were counting their losses. Many blamed the security agencies for not doing enough to protect the people as according to Timothy Umbugus who almost lost his life, “the soldiers abandoned us but gave support to the Hausa boys who tried to force their way to attack people at Bauci Ring Road.” According to him, “on Friday, some   youths took advantage of the tension which was a fallout of what happened at Rukuba road to attack and kill innocent passersby, destroying their vehicles. Christians were attacked at Gangare, Dilimi, Katako, Corner Shagari and other places. “On Saturday, people went for their businesses without any incident but on Sunday, we were in Church at Nassarawa Gwong when some Muslim youths came and said they would not allow Churches to conduct services since there was crisis on Friday, which was a day they also go to Mosque. “As they attempted to force their way into the Church, we tried to stop them and started alerting our members and other Churches about the development; before we knew what was happening, gunshots were heard all over. That means they really planned to attack Christians because no Mosque was burnt on Friday but ECWA Church Jos Jarawa was burnt. “Youths from other Churches were standing to defend the Churches from being burnt and between that Sunday and Monday; some houses belonging to Christians were burnt. We were throwing bottles and stones as they were advancing with their guns and as I climbed the fence of a house to haul the bottle, I came face to face with a Muslim youth who sold second hand wares in my neighbourhood. I was saved because another Christian youth behind me hauled his bottle at him before he could pull the trigger. I have been in shock from that moment till now that someone I know whom my sisters used to buy clothes from, was pointing a gun at me. Again, what baffled me was that these people who attacked us were not arrested but those who defended themselves and their property were the ones being arrested. I counted over 20 people who were shot by these people, we were only lucky that many of them who had the gun were not properly trained on how to handle it, they would have killed us in our hundreds.” Although relative calm has returned to the areas, businesses were yet to resume fully and people especially at the Muslim/Christian border areas who deserted their homes were yet to return for fear of further attacks. Meanwhile, Major General Augustine Agundu, Commander, Operation Safe Haven, OpSH, that is keeping the peace in the state attributed the recent incident to increase in cultism and consumption of hard substances stressing that, OpSH was working in collaboration with the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA to ensure that where ever there were cult groups or hard substances, they would burst those areas and arrest those found culpable. Agundu who paraded 30 suspects allegedly connected to the crisis said the culprits had confessed to the crimes and called on residents to support the Operation at all times. He explained that a total of 72 persons were earlier arrested in all the areas they conducted operations during the civil unrest that erupted on Friday morning but having completed preliminary investigations, those who were not found to be involved had been released while the remaining suspects will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution. He added that two persons were killed in the incident with many houses, vehicles and places of worship set on fire around Naraguta, Dutse Uku, Tina Junction, Nasarawa Gwong.
http://mognews.com/2018/10/06/jos-when-mayhem-returned/

Confusion As Man Lays On The Road In Zamfara To Protest Against Buhari.

A man decided to show his displeasure with the current government by laying on the road in a solo protest held yesterday in Zamfara state.

It was gathered that the man refused to stand up as he gave one condition for him to do so, which is that the present Muhammadu Buhari led government should be sacked.

This is not the first time an issue like this has happened.

Just recently, a 28-year-old man, Nurudeen Lliyasu, climbed a telecommunication mast in Abuja, to protest the poor economy in the country.

Mr Lliyasu said he would remain on the mast for the next seven days, adding that he was ready to sacrifice his life for the progress of the country.
http://mognews.com/2018/10/05/man-lean-on-the-ground-to-protest-against-buhari/