₦airaland Forum

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has said all arms of government have a duty to ensure the success of indigenous manufacturers as a way of rebuilding the economy and putting Nigerian youth to work.

Saraki while receiving a delegation from the Innoson Motor Manufacturing Company, Nnewi, led by Chief Innocent Chukwuma, the Chairman and founder of the company, in his office today (Monday) said government should use legislative actions and policy initiatives to protect the local industries as a deliberate way of reviving the economy.

Innoson Motors is the only Nigerian company manufacturing automobile of different ranges and it is based in Nnewi, Anambra State.

He said one of the actions government should quickly introduce is to ensure that local industries are patronized by government agencies so that Nigerian manufacturers can enjoy the advantages accruing from the big market that her population offers.

“That is why this eighth Senate is determined to amend the Procurement Law to ensure that government agencies patronize Made in Nigeria products.

I am sure the House of Representatives is in support of this.

It is our joint responsibility to ensure that you succeed. If you are successful, a lot more small and medium scale enterprises will draw inspiration from you and they will become successful.

“That will help to create jobs which is one of the mandate presented to us by the youths of this country during the last elections.

We in the legislature will look at all laws and help to create an enabling environment for local businesses to thrive in Nigeria”, he said.

The Senate President said using laws to protect locally made goods is not peculiar to the country as it has been done in the United States under President Herbert Hoover in 1933 while India and China have also enacted similar laws in the past.

He lamented a situation where a company like Innoson only sold about 3,000 vehicles in 2015 when Nigerians buy about a million vehicle annually, adding that If Nigerians patronise Made in Nigeria cars it will force foreign manufacturers to set up plant here.

In his remarks, Mr Alfred Nwosu, said the Innoson Group started from manufacturing of motor cycles and graduated to tricycle before it is now producing different range of utility and luxury vehicles.

He said the Group has 7,000 Nigerians on its pay roll while there are 300 youths from the Niger Delta area undergoing training that were hitherto held abroad.

Nwosu commended Saraki and the Senate leadership for their prompt response to the request for audience sent by the company, an opportunity that had eluded the company in the past.

“In less than 48 hours of contacting the Senate President, we were told to come over. We are encouraged by your views on Made in Nigeria goods.

What we need is the support, encouragement and inspiration from decision makers like you”, he said.

Also yesterday, the Senate President urged the South East Amalgamated Market Traders Association (SEAMATA) to look inwards in view of the present economic challenges facing the country.

He specifically charged members of the executive of the association who visited him in Abuja that it is time for them to find ways of producing locally most of the goods they have been importing into the country.

Earlier, the President-General of SEAMATA, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo had called for urgent measures by the Federal Government to ease their access to foreign exchange that is used to import the goods they sell.

Ezenwankwo said that 70 per cent of traders in the South East would be thrown into the labour market if nothing urgent is done to enable the traders access forex.

He lamented a situation where goods imported by the traders since December 2015 are still lying at the ports accumulating demurrage simply because the clearing authorities are yet to receive confirmation from the countries of origin of the consignments.

He called on the Federal Government to fix an exchange rate for the Naira rather than leaving it at the mercy of market forces.

He added: “The $10,000.00 limit of what one can take across our borders is another major constraint to our business.”




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Shortly after news of the sack of heads of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Voice of Nigeria, VON, News Agency of Nigeria, NAN and the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, the federal government has announced the sack of those in charge of 20 others.

This was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the secretary to the government of the federations, Babachir Lawal, which listed other bosses affected to include those of the Industrial Training Fund, ITF; Petroleum Technology Development Fund, PTDF; New Partnership for Africa’s Development, NEPAD.

Others include:Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB

Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN

Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund

National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA

Petroleum Equalization Fund, PEF

Nigeria Railways Corporation, NRC

Bureau of Public Procurements, BPP

Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE

Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA

Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON

National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC

Nigeria Investment Promotion Council, NIPC

Bank of Industry, BoI

National Centre for Women Development, NCWD

National Orientation Agency, NOA

Nigerian Export-Import Bank

National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic In Persons and Other Related Matters, NAPTIP




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President Muhammadu Buhari may have succumbed to the pressure piled on him by his party men who have consistently asked him to replace several heads of federal government agencies and parastatals that he inherited from his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

Buhari, who is said to have rebuffed the clamour to remove them on the grounds that their tenures, some of which are backed by law, had not expired, is reported by ThisDay to have late last week approved the sack of no fewer than 35 chief executives and directors-general‎ of some agencies of government.

With the President’s approval for their dismissal being communicated to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Babachir David Lawal, the announcement may be made in the course of this week.

The newspaper learnt that some of the affected agencies are the Nigeria‎ Railway Corporation, NRC, the National Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, and the Industrial Trust Fund, ITF, among 32 other agencies.

According to sources, the complete list of agency chiefs would be announced this week by the SGF who at the weekend asked the supervising ministers of the agencies to inform the affected persons of their removal.

The report claimed that Lawal chose to wait to make the announcement because he did not want to spoil their weekend, more so since the Valentine’s Day celebration fell at the weekend.

But ahead of the announcement, he asked the supervising ministers of the affected agencies to inform their heads ahead of time, which some of them were believed to have done.

Today, being Monday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed informed heads of six parastatals under his ministry of their sack, directing them to hand over to the most senior officials in their various establishments.

Prior to the approval, it was gathered that Buhari had resisted pressure for the ouster of some of the heads of parastatals he inherited from his predecessor, arguing that their tenures had not expired and is in some cases backed by law.

However, there has been pressure from members of his party to remove the parastatal heads and replace them with loyalists of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as compensation for their loyalty to the ruling party and for their contribution to its victory in the 2015 general election.

A case in point is that of the APC governorship candidate in the April 11, 2015 Rivers election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, and some party chieftains from his state, who after the Supreme Court dismissed their election petition against Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, met with the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun recently.

At the meeting, they reportedly pleaded with Oyegun to make a case for their compensation at the federal level owing to the sacrifices they had made and the fact that they had been branded “traitors” in Rivers State for siding with the APC.

Although Buhari, sources said, is yet to announce replacements for any of the agencies, the report has it that their letters of disengagement will instruct them to‎ hand over to the most senior persons in their respective agencies, pending the appointment of new substantive heads to run the parastatals.



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The President can not personally read the whole of that budget, he gat to read some part and give other parts out for him people to read it.

Sebi him too go soon become 2face with many children. He don get a child now with a woman come dey follow another woman now, soon he will say he doesn't like that one again.




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Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, has appealed to Nigerians not to blame President Muhammadu Buhari for the 2016 budget controversy, but to hold civil servants liable.

Speaking at his office in Abuja while receiving leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Gbajabiamila said, “I’m going to absolve the President, but I’m not going to absolve the people that put it in.

Why I absolved the President, I will tell you.

“The job was done by civil servants, it has always been done by them.

“The President does not sit in a ministry, he doesn’t know what’s going on there or what they need or do not need.

“The argument will be that the buck stops at his desk and he must take responsibility, I agree with that.

But the point is that he delegated responsibilities.

Under the constitution, he has the right to delegate his work to ministers.

And he delegated the issue of budget and planning to the minister of Budget and Planning,” Gbajabiamila said.




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Substitute Danny Welbeck scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Arsenal resurrected their Premier League title challenge with a heart-stopping 2-1 Valentine’s Day victory over leaders Leicester City on Sunday.



Down to 10 men following Danny Simpson’s 54th-minute dismissal, Leicester were clinging on at a tension-bound Emirates Stadium when Welbeck headed in a 95th-minute winner from Mesut Ozil’s free-kick on his return after 10 months out with a serious knee injury.

The England striker’s goal lifted Arsenal to within two points of Leicester and also gave hope to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, five and six points off the pace respectively, ahead of their meeting at the Etihad Stadium later in the day.

Welbeck’s goal, after fellow substitute Theo Walcott had cancelled out Jamie Vardy’s first-half penalty, saw Arsene Wenger’s men complete a league double over Leicester following their 5-2 win in September.

Claudio Ranieri’s men now have two weeks to regain their strength before resuming their improbable title bid at home to Norwich City, while Arsenal must prepare for contests with Hull City and Barcelona.

Manchester City never recovered from falling behind to Leicester in their 3-1 defeat last weekend and Arsenal seemed determined to avoid the same fate, quickly pushing the visitors onto the back foot.

With less than two minutes gone, Alexis Sanchez threw himself at Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s corner and headed wide, with N’Golo Kante surviving a penalty-box handball appeal shortly after.

Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel then raced out boldly to prevent Aaron Ramsey reaching Ozil’s pass and within seconds Vardy had forced Petr Cech to save with a downward header at the other end.

It proved the pattern of the first half. Arsenal attacked — Wes Morgan blocking from Olivier Giroud and Sanchez, Giroud twice heading off-target at corners — and Leicester countered, Kante obliging Cech to claw the ball away from his top-left corner with a curling shot.

As half-time drew Leicester went ahead, Vardy luring Nacho Monreal into a challenge and then tumbling to the ground before picking himself up and slotting his 19th goal of the season past Cech.

The Leicester end erupted. Arsenal’s fans, convinced that referee Martin Atkinson had been hoodwinked by Vardy, booed the officials off at the interval.

There was a further blow for the hosts at half-time as Laurent Koscielny was forced off with a dead leg, which brought Calum Chambers into the fray.

Arsenal might have conceded another penalty when Riyad Mahrez threw himself to the deck after being nicked by Monreal, but referee Atkinson shook hs head.

Instead, after Ramsey had drilled wide and Giroud had headed another chance over, their luck changed when Simpson was shown a second yellow card for tugging Giroud back, five minutes after his first for tripping Sanchez.

The two managers rearranged their teams for the final half hour, Ranieri sending on Marcin Wasilewski and Demarai Gray in place of Mahrez and Shinji Okazaki, Wenger throwing on Walcott for Francis Coquelin.

It was the Arsenal change that was to prove telling, Walcott equalising nine minutes after coming on by side-footing home after Giroud masterfully nodded Hector Bellerin’s cross into his path.

It was Arsenal’s first shot on target and their attempts to register another proved fraught.

Mertesacker glanced a header just wide and Schmeichel pulled off a pair of brilliant one-handed saves to thwart Giroud and Sanchez.

But with full-time beckoning, Welbeck rushed in to meet Ozil’s free-kick with an unerring downward header, eclipsing Leicester’s fairytale with one of his own.






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Lt. Gen Theophilus Danjuma on Saturday said he was the third person on the list of those marked for assassination during the failed 13 February, 1976 coup d’état that claimed the life of the then Head-of-State, Gen. Murtala Muhammed, and many others.

He said this at the Murtala Muhammed 40th Memorial Lecture held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja where President Muhammadu Buhari and Danjuma, a former Minister of Defence, were among several dignitaries who applauded the virtues and leadership qualities of the late Gen. Muhammed.

President Buhari described the late military ruler as a man with extra-ordinary passion who was in a hurry to make Nigeria better.

He noted that although his late boss had a not-too-easy relationship with some of his colleagues in the Army, his loyalty and dedication to his fatherland was never in doubt.

The President said, “His life, short though it proved to be, was marked by an extraordinary passion, energy and determination to do better, and to make Nigeria better. These are values that young and old alike should all remember – and celebrate.”

While extolling the leadership qualities of the late Head-of State, Buhari noted that by the time Murtala was given Command during the Civil War, the Federal side was on the defensive.

According to him, the rebels had overrun the then Mid-West, and reached as far as Ore, just 100 miles from Lagos.

He said, “By dint of sheer bravery, improvisation and resourcefulness, he mustered a rag-tag group of soldiers, integrated them into an entirely new division, knocked them into fighting shape, recovered Mid-West and ventured across the Niger. Alas, there were terrible casualties on both sides.

“But Murtala’s motto was to get the job done as quickly as possible; sacrifice and loss were part of the risks of war.

“Relations between Murtala and some other senior officers were not always easy. But no one could doubt his inspirational qualities or call into question his love and dedication in the service of Nigeria.”

Buhari further explained that Murtala Muhammed’s death robbed the nation of a leader who was determined to deal with the menace of corruption and indiscipline with an uncommon zeal.

Recalling the events of February 13, 1976, Buhari said he was at his duty post as Military Governor of the defunct North Eastern State when he received a call from General TY Danjuma.

According to him, the following conversation ensued:

“Gen. Danjuma called me and said: ‘Mohammed, where are you?

“I said, in the office sir.

“He said, ‘do you know what is happening?’

“I said ‘where?’ He said in Lagos. He said the Head of State had left his house and was driving his car to the office then around the secretariat, there was shooting.

“I said they must have murdered him. And he said, ‘do something.”’

The President went on to explain how he rallied troops in Maiduguri and Yola to avoid a breakdown of law and order adding that since it was a Friday, he had to go to the Mosque, a decision he said, helped to douse the tension that had built up over happenings in Lagos.

Buhari said within the six months of Gen. Muhammed’s rule, he was able to articulate a clear vision of the legacies he was bequeathing to Nigeria.

He noted that the late general was instrumental to the creation of additional states and laying the foundation for moving the Federal Capital from Lagos to Abuja.

President Buhari enjoined all present to see the occasion as one of celebration and not of mourning because the late icon lived a life worthy of emulation.

Earlier, General TY Danjuma who served under the late Head-of-State said, he was alive only by the grace of God because Lt. Col. Buka Suka Dimka and his gang of conspirators had condemned him to death.

He said, “February 13, 1976 was a Friday. In English mythology -I don’t know how it started, but the combination of Friday and the number 13, represent bad luck.

“When I remember that day; it leaves me with varied emotions because I too had been condemned to die by Dimka and his associates.

“In fact, on the list that he brought to General Iliya Bissalla, our then Commissioner of Defence, to seek his approval, I was number three on the death list.

“Bissalla promoted me to number two. That I am still alive today is by the grace of God.”

He enjoined the Murtala Mohammed Foundation to ensure a proper documentation of its activities for posterity. He promised to finance a documentary of the foundation’s activities on television.

Danjuma stressed the importance of accurate record of events to avoid distortions by those who know nothing about what happened.

In his key note address, General David Richards, former Chief of the Defence Staff, United Kingdom, said Nigeria deserved more accolades for its human and material sacrifice in resolving the conflict in Sierra-Leone than it had gotten.

Richards who spoke on “Regional Security and State Building: Portents and Prospects”, noted that the tendency to recommend the same template for tackling crisis in each state had proved a sad lesson re-lent across continents over the years.

He also noted that contemporary insurgency required a new strategy to tackle because the force of arms alone could not resolve issues therein.

The retired Army General noted that the growth of social media, rivalries among states and on-line real time news adds to the complications experienced in trying to manage conflict.

Richards said, “The loss of the control of the agenda is the greatest threat to the World Order” adding that, states must now do more to gain and retain public confidence through the provision of quality leadership.

An adviser to the Secretary General of the United Nations on West African Affairs, Mohammed Ibn Chambers, recalled that he was a university student studying in Ghana when Gen. Murtala Muhammed was assassinated.

He stated that students all over Africa protested because they knew the contributions Nigeria under the late General’s leadership was making towards liberating the rest of Africa.



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The police in Osun State said they arrested four suspected members of the robbery gang which raided some commercial banks in Ikirun on Friday.

TThe Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kola Sodipo, said this in a statement issued on Saturday.

He said the command lost two of its policemen during a gun duel with members of the gang who had earlier killed two officials of the banks they raided.

The CP said the police recovered N7.5 million as well as arms and ammunition from the gang after engaging them in a fierce gun battle.

He gave the names of the suspects as Aderibigbe Oluwaseun, 23, Ndubusi David, 21, Ayuba Salisu, 26 and Nuhu Jimoh, 21.

The CP said the armoured personnel carriers provided by the Osun State Government assisted the police to engage the hoodlums.

Sodipo, said the two bank officials killed by the robbers during the operation were the first target of the robbers on arrival.

A gang of armed robbers had invaded Skye Bank, First Bank and Union Bank branches in Ikirun on Friday evening.

The police boss, who said the swift response by the police foiled the robbery operation, noted that four of the robbers were killed while four were arrested.

“It would be recalled that on Feb. 12, at 15:45 hour, a distress call was received that men suspected to be armed robbers invaded Skye Bank, First Bank and Union Bank located on the same street in Ikirun.

“Swift response by the police repelled the attack,” he said.

He added that three AK riffles with 124 rounds of ammunition, one assault rifles with 12 rounds live ammunition, expended shells of ammunition and dynamite were also recovered.

Sodipo said that one standby Nissan sunny car which robbers wanted to use for escape was also recovered.

He said that he had visited the venue of the robbery for on the spot assessment with his bomb disposal unit to sweep the affected area and to detect and recover undetonated improvised Explosive Devices.

“A diligent investigation is ongoing for the arrest of other syndicate members,” Sodipo said.

The arrested robbers were presented to newsmen with the money and ammunition recovered.




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@wisdomguy4u, Heya too badt but what I think is that gift is all you need to give out no additional things. Abi?

Worldwide, Valentine’s Day is a day for lovers. Traditionally, everyone goes all out to let their special someone knows how much they are appreciated on this day and everyday.

Some will say it with flowers while others will bring on the bling. Others will get creative with customized dates while some will play it low-key with an at-home dinner date and together time.

Even though Valentine’s day costs a lot more with a girlfriend, you (Our Blog Readers) are the only people in this world who is totally worth it.I consider myself to be the luckiest blogger on this Earth and it’s only because I have found the most precious people of this world reading my post. It’s you, my readers that looks good to me.

So from the stable of my heart, I say a very big thank you to all of you.


Happy Valentine's Day![color=#990000][/color]




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On Saturday February 6, 2016 a popular hotel in Jiwa Community of Abuja, King’s Land Hotel hosted two male guests who were there to celebrate their marriage, otherwise known as same-sex marriage.

According to our findings, the stage was already set with the hall decorated awaiting the commencement of the ceremony.

At about 5.30 pm many invited guests were already seated for the occasion, with invited guests, including their sponsors, the chairman of the occasion and other guests in their hundreds awaiting the commencement of the ceremony.

However just as the celebrants were emerging from the car that conveyed them to the venue and were about taking their seats at the high table, men of Nigeria Police Force drafted from the Gwagwa Police Station swooped down on them and promptly arrested them.

The suspects who live in Jiwa Community are said to be indigenes of Kaduna State.

Eyewitnesses said that many other persons, including their sponsors, chairman of the occasion and the owner of the hotel were equally arrested during the raid.

It was also gathered that men of the Nigeria Police Force, Gwagwa Division (AMAC) had earlier gotten information about the marriage that was to take place in the area, and had therefore sent a team of plain-clothed policemen to keep surveillance of the area.

It was gathered that the names of the two men were given as Abdul Lawal who is supposed to be the husband, while Umar Tahir posed as the wife.

The sponsors of the marriage according to our findings are Abubakar Tahir and Mohammed Sani.

It would be recalled that on January 7, 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law the Bill which outlaws same sex marriage.

The signed bill says the gays; lesbians in Nigeria will risk a 14-year jail term if they do not retrace their steps and renounce such marriage. Also, any person who operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organisations directly or indirectly will earn a 10-year imprisonment. Those who administer, witness, abet or aid the solemnisation of a same sex marriage are going to bag a 10-year jail term.

The Nigerian Senate had previously passed the bill in November 2011, while lawmakers in Nigeria’s House of Representatives affirmed the decision by the Senate on May 29, 2013.

According to some abstracts, obtained by the Act reads: “A marriage contract or civil union entered into between persons of same sex: (a) is prohibited in Nigeria; and (b) shall not be recognised as entitled to the benefits of a valid marriage.

“A marriage contract or civil union entered into between persons of same sex by virtue of a certificate issued by a foreign country is void in Nigeria, and any benefit accruing there-from by virtue of the certificate shall not be enforced by any court of law.

“A marriage contract or civil union entered into between persons of same sex shall not be sole nixed in a church, mosque or any other place of worship of Nigeria.

“No certificate issued to persons of same sex in a marriage or civil union shall be valid in Nigeria. Only a marriage contracted between a man and a woman shall be recognised as valid in Nigeria.

“The registration of gay clubs, societies and organisations, their sustenance, processions and meetings is prohibited.

“The public show of same sex amorous relationship directly or indirectly is prohibited.

”The Act also stipulates the volume of the sanctions awaiting the violators of the new law.

“A person who enters into a same sex marriage contract or civil union commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 14 years imprisonment.

“A person, who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organisations directly or indirectly makes public show of same sex amorous relationship in Nigeria commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.

“A person or group of persons who administers, witnesses, abets or aids the solemnisation of a same sex marriage or civil union or supports the registration, operation and sustenance of gay clubs, societies, organisations, processions or meetings in Nigeria commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 10 years imprisonment.

“The High Court of a State or of the Federal Capital Territory shall have jurisdiction to entertain matters raiding from the breach of the provisions of this Act.”

Under existing Nigerian federal law, sodomy is punishable by jail, but this bill legislates for a much broader crackdown on homosexuals and lesbians, who already live a largely underground existence. Homosexual acts are still a crime in 38 African countries, where most people hold conservative religious views.

In 2011, the US and UK hinted that they could withdraw from countries which did not respect homosexual rights on the socially conservative continent. The threat has helped hold back or scupper such legislation in aid-dependent nations like Uganda and Malawi.

Recently scores of Nigerian gay activists living in London stormed the Nigerian High Commission to pass on to President Buhari and government the over 65,000 signatures they were able to gather demanding that Nigeria repeals its ‘archaic’ anti-gay law.

According to them, Nigeria has one of the harshest anti-gay laws out of the 76 countries that currently criminalise LGBT people. The Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Bill punishes same-sex “amorous relationships” with 10 years in prison. It also prohibits same-sex marriage with up to 14 years and jails members of LGBT equality or advocacy groups for 10 years.

The author of the Care2 Petition, Aderonke Apata, said: “Since the insidious 2014 anti-LGBT law was passed in Nigeria, there have been waves of police arrests and torture, anti-LGBT mob attacks, public whippings, evictions from homes, harassment and discrimination against ‘suspected’ LGBTs. Equality advocacy organisations and activists in Nigeria are not spared mistreatment.

“Growing up in Nigeria, I was unable to disclose my sexuality, yet unable to hide it. The culture in Nigeria makes it clear that being gay or transgender is a sin, a sentiment that is fuelled by homophobic messages from faith communities, political leaders, families, and schools. I took these messages in, identified with them, and carried the shame of being a lesbian woman in Nigeria. I was arrested, tortured and extorted by the Nigerian Police. I demand a repeal of this toxic law.”

Also there are renewed efforts by influential rights activists in the United States to instigate the home government and coerce Nigeria into reversing its anti-gay law as Buhari recently visited the country.

In a veiled manner, lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community have intensified pressure at forcing Nigeria’s Buhari-led Federal Government to revisit the law. Proponents of LGBT rights are syndicating targeted articles with a view to raising the tempo of the discourse. Some of the social media campaigns specifically accuse the U.S’ black and African activists, who are opposed to same-sex marriage, of double-speak and hypocrisy in their human rights stance.

One of the articles written by Brandson Ellington Patterson, an editorial fellow at Mother Jones’ San Francisco bureau, argued that “every chain must be broken “if freedom is to be achieved for all black people.” Mother Jones is a non-profit news outlet that delivers reports on urgent issues in the U.S.

According to Patterson, on social media, “I have seen black people imply that marriage equality is a frivolous concern, and that gay people shouldn’t have received the right to marry before black people got the right to walk down the street without being shot by the police. I’ve seen black people argue against gay marriage by pointing out that it’s still not legal to smoke weed in most of the United States. Then there are those who reject gay marriage and homosexuality as a sin. Despite steady growth across the entire U.S. population, support for same-sex marriage among black Americans remains in the minority, and is lower among black Protestants than all other religious groups except white evangelicals.”

Confirming the Abuja incident the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) FCT Command, ASP Anjuguri Manza, said that his men swooped into action after getting information about the marriage.

“We got information earlier in the day that the two men were organising a gay marriage ceremony in Jiwa community. However our men have to mobilise and get the suspects arrested. At the moment the two suspects, their sponsors, including the owner of the hotel, where the ceremony took place have been arrested, detained while more investigations are being conducted. We will charge the suspects to the high court as soon as the appropriate investigations have been concluded on the matter,” he said.

ASP Manza, however, warned that the FCT Police Command would continue to arrest and charge to court, perpetrators of such illegal acts in any parts of the territory where it occurs.



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The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), faield to pay coaches and officials of the Super Eagles, as camp closed for Christmas break on Wednesday.

Last week, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, urged the federation to pay all national team coaches their outstanding salaries and allowances, to ensure they enjoy the yuletide with their families.

However, the NFF failed to raise the money – believed to be around N30million – needed to offset the debts.

“We are going to see our families during this Christmas holiday without money,” one of the coaches told Complete Sports.

“It is so bad that we are being owed our salaries for months. It is all service to our fatherland, one will say, but if we don’t deliver, we’ll be fired.

“Well, they told us that we will be paid as soon as possible and we have no choice than to wait and see how it turns out.”

Some of the players and Sunday Oliseh’s foreign assistant stayed back in the Abuja camp.



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The Federal Government has declared December 24, 25, 28 as public holidays to mark the Maulud Nabiy, Christmas Day and Boxing Day respectively.

The Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.), said this in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Bassey Akpanyung, on Tuesday.

The statement read, “The Federal Government has declared Thursday, December 24, 2015 as public holiday to mark the Eid-el-Maulud celebration.

Friday, 25th and Monday 28th December, 2015, have also been declared as public holidays to mark Christmas and Boxing Day celebration.”


Dambazau advised Muslims and Christians to use the unique occasion to pray for the peace and unity of Nigeria.




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United States President Barack Obama has named a Nigerian-American journalist and Anti-human Trafficking advocate, Bukola Love Oriola, as a member of the US Advisory Council on Human Trafficking.

In a statement by the office of the Press Secretary, White House on December 16, Obama said he was honoured that Oriola and 10 others appointed to serve on the council have decided to serve the country.

“They bring their years of experience and expertise to this Administration, and I look forward to working with them,” Obama stated.


Full Report Here.........

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Nigerian military has commuted the death sentences handed to 66 soldiers for mutiny over claims they refused to fight Boko Haram Islamists, a spokesman said on Saturday.

Instead, each soldier will serve a 10-year prison term.
“The death sentences by firing squad passed on 66 soldiers in January and March 2015 by separate general court martials have been commuted to 10 years imprisonment each,” Colonel Sani Usman said in a statement.



Full News with image here........

http://jahelastic..com.ng/2015/12/nigeria-commute-troops-death-sentence.html?m=0

RAPHAEL Mchunu is known for saving nyaope sufferers from their addiction hell.

But Mchunu takes tough love to a new level.

THROUGH THE POWER OF CHAINS HE IMPOSES THE WILL OF GOD, HE SAYS.

Raphael (40) of St John’s Apostolic Mission Church in KwaThema, Ekurhuleni uses unusual methods to rid people of nyaope, crystal meth, cocaine and other drugs.

“I take in addicts, pray for them,teach them about God, and then I chain them by the ankles. I don’t charge them.

They’re only required to bring money for food,” he said.

“We live by holy water and prayer.”

Raphael said he had a dream in 2004 where the archbishop of his church threw chains at him.



Full Story here.....

http://jahelastic..com.ng/2015/12/pastor-chains-addicts.html?m=0#more

EVERY time Cedile Nkosi watches Skeem Saam and sees sugar daddy Marothi, she is reminded of how she tried to take her own life at a very young age.

Now, she has made it her life’s duty to educate other young people about the dangers of dating sugar daddies, HIV/Aids and teen pregnancies.

The 22-year-old engineering student from Langeloop, near Malelane in Mpumalanga, fell pregnant at the age of 16. Her sugar daddy immediately abandoned her, and her life took a turn for the worse.

“I was in the dark and planned to take my own life,” she said.

“My family turned their backs on me. I was alone. I began writing a suicide letter to my parents..........



Full story here:

http://jahelastic..com.ng/2015/12/no-to-sugar-daddies.html?m=0#more

Daily Post

The West African Examination Council, WAEC, has released the result of the November/December 2015 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE.

This was announced in Lagos on Thursday afternoon by the Head of WAEC National Office, Mr. Isaac Adenipekun.

Mr Paul Erinne, an industrialist and founder of Paul Erinne Charity Foundation, has flayed the brazen betrayal of public trust perpetrated by former public office holders now standing trial.

Erinne expressed the concern in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Enugu on the sidelines of an entrepreneural training for youths and women in the state.

He said looting of public funds indicated the lack of fear of God in government circle and called on public office holders at all levels of government to develop passion for rendering selfless service to Nigeria............


Full story here:

http://jahelastic..com.ng/2015/12/our-unemployment-rate-is-70-80-per-cent.html?m=0#more

A driver, Jude Okere, 42, was on Thursday docked before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing 26 crates of Orijin Beer worth N425,500. Okere, who resides at No. 11, Ogunmuyiwa St., Sango-Ota, Ogun, is facing a charge of stealing.
The prosecutor, Sgt Joseph Ajebe, told the court that the offence was committed on Oct. 7, at about 8.00p.m., at Cryslad Nigeria Ltd, located at Sakamori Camp, Agege, Lagos.

He said that the accused was a driver with Cryslad Nigeria and was asked to take the crates of Orijin to a customer in Abia State........




Full story here:

http://jahelastic..com.ng/2015/12/driver-in-court-for-alleged-theft-of-26.html?m=0#more

Notting is impossible, life is full of ups and down.

A commercial sex worker, simply identified as Precious, has been found dead in a hotel room in the Bolade junction, Oshodi area of Lagos State after she was allegedly strangled by a yet-to-be-identified person.

The deceased, whose relatives had not shown up as at press time, was reportedly discovered by a hotel worker, who wanted to clean up the room, and saw the lady dead on the floor.

The worker was said to have raised an alarm and subsequently, the matter was reported at the Akinpelu Police Division.


Read more...........

http://jahelastic..com.ng/2015/12/commercial-sex-worker-found-dead-in.html?m=0#more

One Etim Wisdom, has reportedly been declared wanted by the police for absconding with an undisclosed amount of money after he and a man believed to be his boss made withdrawals at a certain bank in Lagos state on Tuesday.

Wisdom, who is a Personal Assistant to bis boss, was in possession of the money after he and his unidentified boss reportedly stepped out of the said bank at Computer Village, Ikeja.
According to reports, Wilson, after collecting the money from the counter, offered to carry the bag of money for his boss and he (the boss), it was gathered, didn’t hesitate because that was not the first time.............



http://jahelastic..com.ng/2015/12/man-who-offered-to-carry-boss-bag-of.html?m=0#more

A commercial sex worker, simply identified as Precious, has been found dead in a hotel room in the Bolade junction, Oshodi area of Lagos State after she was allegedly strangled by a yet-to-be-identified person.
The deceased, whose relatives had not shown up as at press time, was reportedly discovered by a hotel worker, who wanted to clean up the room, and saw the lady dead on the floor. The worker was said to have raised an alarm and subsequently, the matter was reported at the Akinpelu Police Division.

According to reports, the hotel manager and two other workers on duty on the night of the incident had been arrested and detained over the killing.
An anonymous worker at the hotel said Precious was suspected to have been strangled with a rope or clothes by her patron.

Read more..........

http://jahelastic..com.ng/2015/12/commercial-sex-worker-found-dead-in.html?m=0#more

@holatunde007, I think you are very right. The children should just take of their eyes.

@talktonaso, But the children are been embbarass.

President Muhammadu Buhari last week presented to the National Assembly the Federal Government’s proposal to spend N500 billion on the youth and other vulnerable groups in 2016. The proposal is contained in the 2016-2018 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper.

According to the document the social welfare programme would be executed in phases but it did not say whether it was meant to implement his party’s campaign promise to pay each unemployed person N5, 000 monthly.

It said that the scheme would also take care of the school feeding programme, cash transfer to the most vulnerable and post-National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) grant...............



http://jahelastic..com.ng/2015/12/can-we-afford-n5000-stipend.html?m=0#more

I am in my thirties, married with two adorable children. I come from what you will term a ‘silver spoon’ family and have parents who were, and still are generous to their children.
The problem is our mother. We’ve associated her with a string of boy-friends over the years; the fact that she is now a grandmother hasn’t cramped her style at all.

She has recently been associated with my husband’s uncle and this is causing friction between me and my husband.............



http://jahelastic..com.ng/2015/12/my-mums-affairs-embarrass-me.html?m=0#more

Lionel Messi believes the current Barcelona side has more weapons than Pep Guardiola’s 2009 world-beaters and wants to prove it by winning a record third Club World Cup. The Spanish giants, who have captured the Champions League, Spain’s La Liga, the Copa del Rey and European Super Cup this year, take on China’s Guangzhou Evergrande Thursday for a place in the tournament final in Yokohama on December 20.............

http://jahelastic..com.ng/2015/12/barcelona-better-than-ever-messi.html?m=0#more