₦airaland Forum

Ok!! Good news there.
God will make you stronger.
Jagaban of Life.

Some good news once in a while...
Proud of you Bruh.

Saharareporters challenges President Jonathan to make public the list.. SaharaReporters, however, stands by its story of 600 delegates, which was borne out of thorough investigation.


http://saharareporters.com/news-page/state-house-denies-knowledge-hundreds-nigerians-new-york-jonathan-delegation-un-general-as

What do you expect from the Giant of Africa.
We are only tryna be our Bother's keeper, even while our house is still on fire.

Saharareporters challenges President Jonathan to make public the list.. SaharaReporters, however, stands by its story of 600 delegates, which was borne out of thorough investigation.


http://saharareporters.com/news-page/state-house-denies-knowledge-hundreds-nigerians-new-york-jonathan-delegation-un-general-as

Presidency denies reports that Jonathan travelled with 600-man delegation.

http://www.ynaija.com/saharareporters-must-have-been-counting-tourists-presidency-denies-reports-that-jonathan-travelled-with-600-man-delegation/
WHO IS LYING?

Saharareporters challenges President Jonathan to make public the list.. SaharaReporters, however, stands by its story of 600 delegates, which was borne out of thorough investigation.


http://saharareporters.com/news-page/state-house-denies-knowledge-hundreds-nigerians-new-york-jonathan-delegation-un-general-as

Requires N4.5m for corrective surgery in India
SINCE he was born March5, 2000,  13-year-old Uchenna Ekezie has lived with a Core deformity. He was born with what is described in medical parlance as maldeveloped external Instruments. In  lay terms, he has no  visible external male reproductive organs whatsoever. All he has to show is a rudimentary stump that is less than an inch long.
No thanks to this congenital abnormality, Uchenna can not urinate normally,. Worse still, his hopes of biologically fathering children in the future currently hang in the balance.

Although Uchenna, who hails from the Ejike Ezekie family of Umuariam Obowo LGA of ImoState,  has undergone series of major surgeries at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia,  he requires a total of N4.5 million to undergo two more outstanding surgeries  to complete his restoration.
The first surgery is for correction of the continuous dripping of urine, while the second surgery is for elongation of the rudimentary stump.
It was gathered that in the attempt to to correct the birth defect, Uchenna suffered further damage in certain veins and arteries around his Core area.
A medical evaluation by an IndianHospital in Abuja  sent to FortisEscortsHospital, New delhi, India, from the Department of Surgery, Federal Medical Centre, QueenElizabethHospital, Umuahia, explained that Uchenna had the first surgery eight days after birth.
In the report, signed by Dr. E.N. Agwu on behalf of Dr. G.U. Ugbam, the Chief Consultatnt Paediatric Surgeon, the procedure, known as posterior iliac osteotomy, was followed by the repair of the exomphalons at two months of age, and followed to months later by repair of epispadias.
At four months of age, Uchenna had a herniotomy and bladder augmentation at six months. All surgeries wer carried out at the FMC, Umuahia. Uchenna’s father, Celestine, told Good Health Weekly that efforts to seek financial assistance from the ImoState government has not yielded fruit.
Speaking through the Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Umuariam, Obowo, LGA, Celestine observed that an estimated bill of $12,000 (about N2 million) has been issued by the hospital for the corrective surgery, but observed that an additional N2.5 million was being sought to cover medicals, return tickets, evaluations, tests and post surgeries and rehabilitation.
The Indian hospital is all set to correct this abnormality and restore Uchenna’s external Instruments to normal, but the obvious financial constraint is a stumbling block. Lamenting his son’s plight, Celestine appealed for urgent financial assiatance to enable the life-saving surgeries to commence.
“We have no kobo or even a  fraction of this amount. Already we have spent all we have on his treatment and the family is broke. I even had to sell off all the cement bocks I moulded to build about four rooms, as well as the old car I was managing to provide for my family. We are now completely dependent on the response of generous Nigerians to out plea. Please help provide Uchenna with a better quality of life and offer us hope in humanity.”

•If you are touched and wish to assist Uchenna, kindly send your donations to Celestine Ejike Ekezie, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, 3303010231336, or call 08060658913 and 08136506718 for more details.
 
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/boy-13-has-no-reproductive-organs/

Continue nau... Mstcheeeewwww!!!
When u don taya, u go call am off.

Make I go crash jare.

Spirit of camaraderie indeed!!
Chairman, call off this strike jare.

Mods, help the lil boy with FP abeg.

Nafeesa AA: Mario Ballatoli just missed a penaly, and milan are loosing 2 nil in favour of Napoli. Ballatoli has scored 21 caeer penalties and has never missed one untill now Pepe Raina saved this one. Match still in progress

oK!

Requires N4.5m for corrective surgery in India
SINCE he was born March5, 2000,  13-year-old Uchenna Ekezie has lived with a genital deformity. He was born with what is described in medical parlance as maldeveloped external Instruments. In  lay terms, he has no  visible external male reproductive organs whatsoever. All he has to show is a rudimentary stump that is less than an inch long.
No thanks to this congenital abnormality, Uchenna can not urinate normally,. Worse still, his hopes of biologically fathering children in the future currently hang in the balance.

Although Uchenna, who hails from the Ejike Ezekie family of Umuariam Obowo LGA of ImoState,  has undergone series of major surgeries at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia,  he requires a total of N4.5 million to undergo two more outstanding surgeries  to complete his restoration.
The first surgery is for correction of the continuous dripping of urine, while the second surgery is for elongation of the rudimentary stump.
It was gathered that in the attempt to to correct the birth defect, Uchenna suffered further damage in certain veins and arteries around his genital area.
A medical evaluation by an IndianHospital in Abuja  sent to FortisEscortsHospital, New delhi, India, from the Department of Surgery, Federal Medical Centre, QueenElizabethHospital, Umuahia, explained that Uchenna had the first surgery eight days after birth.
In the report, signed by Dr. E.N. Agwu on behalf of Dr. G.U. Ugbam, the Chief Consultatnt Paediatric Surgeon, the procedure, known as posterior iliac osteotomy, was followed by the repair of the exomphalons at two months of age, and followed to months later by repair of epispadias.
At four months of age, Uchenna had a herniotomy and bladder augmentation at six months. All surgeries wer carried out at the FMC, Umuahia. Uchenna’s father, Celestine, told Good Health Weekly that efforts to seek financial assistance from the ImoState government has not yielded fruit.
Speaking through the Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Umuariam, Obowo, LGA, Celestine observed that an estimated bill of $12,000 (about N2 million) has been issued by the hospital for the corrective surgery, but observed that an additional N2.5 million was being sought to cover medicals, return tickets, evaluations, tests and post surgeries and rehabilitation.
The Indian hospital is all set to correct this abnormality and restore Uchenna’s external Instruments to normal, but the obvious financial constraint is a stumbling block. Lamenting his son’s plight, Celestine appealed for urgent financial assiatance to enable the life-saving surgeries to commence.
“We have no kobo or even a  fraction of this amount. Already we have spent all we have on his treatment and the family is broke. I even had to sell off all the cement bocks I moulded to build about four rooms, as well as the old car I was managing to provide for my family. We are now completely dependent on the response of generous Nigerians to out plea. Please help provide Uchenna with a better quality of life and offer us hope in humanity.”

•If you are touched and wish to assist Uchenna, kindly send your donations to Celestine Ejike Ekezie, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, 3303010231336, or call 08060658913 and 08136506718 for more details.
 
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/boy-13-has-no-reproductive-organs/

Requires N4.5m for corrective surgery in India
SINCE he was born March5, 2000,  13-year-old Uchenna Ekezie has lived with a genital deformity. He was born with what is described in medical parlance as maldeveloped external Instruments. In  lay terms, he has no  visible external male reproductive organs whatsoever. All he has to show is a rudimentary stump that is less than an inch long.
No thanks to this congenital abnormality, Uchenna can not urinate normally,. Worse still, his hopes of biologically fathering children in the future currently hang in the balance.

Although Uchenna, who hails from the Ejike Ezekie family of Umuariam Obowo LGA of ImoState,  has undergone series of major surgeries at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia,  he requires a total of N4.5 million to undergo two more outstanding surgeries  to complete his restoration.
The first surgery is for correction of the continuous dripping of urine, while the second surgery is for elongation of the rudimentary stump.
It was gathered that in the attempt to to correct the birth defect, Uchenna suffered further damage in certain veins and arteries around his genital area.
A medical evaluation by an IndianHospital in Abuja  sent to FortisEscortsHospital, New delhi, India, from the Department of Surgery, Federal Medical Centre, QueenElizabethHospital, Umuahia, explained that Uchenna had the first surgery eight days after birth.
In the report, signed by Dr. E.N. Agwu on behalf of Dr. G.U. Ugbam, the Chief Consultatnt Paediatric Surgeon, the procedure, known as posterior iliac osteotomy, was followed by the repair of the exomphalons at two months of age, and followed to months later by repair of epispadias.
At four months of age, Uchenna had a herniotomy and bladder augmentation at six months. All surgeries wer carried out at the FMC, Umuahia. Uchenna’s father, Celestine, told Good Health Weekly that efforts to seek financial assistance from the ImoState government has not yielded fruit.
Speaking through the Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Umuariam, Obowo, LGA, Celestine observed that an estimated bill of $12,000 (about N2 million) has been issued by the hospital for the corrective surgery, but observed that an additional N2.5 million was being sought to cover medicals, return tickets, evaluations, tests and post surgeries and rehabilitation.
The Indian hospital is all set to correct this abnormality and restore Uchenna’s external Instruments to normal, but the obvious financial constraint is a stumbling block. Lamenting his son’s plight, Celestine appealed for urgent financial assiatance to enable the life-saving surgeries to commence.
“We have no kobo or even a  fraction of this amount. Already we have spent all we have on his treatment and the family is broke. I even had to sell off all the cement bocks I moulded to build about four rooms, as well as the old car I was managing to provide for my family. We are now completely dependent on the response of generous Nigerians to out plea. Please help provide Uchenna with a better quality of life and offer us hope in humanity.”

•If you are touched and wish to assist Uchenna, kindly send your donations to Celestine Ejike Ekezie, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, 3303010231336, or call 08060658913 and 08136506718 for more details.
 
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/boy-13-has-no-reproductive-organs/

passion007: "What is the wailing for?
Somebody is dead
Agosu himself
Alas, a snake has bitten me
My right arm is broken
And the tree on which I lean is fallen"

Culled from Kofi Awoonor's 'Song of Sorrow'

Rest in Peace, Prof!

Hmmmm!!! Sad one there
what a world we live in.
RIP prof.

Nigeria, which has failed to focus on implementing the United Nations Millenium Development Goals, is sending a record 600-man delegation to the 68th General Assembly in New York which will focus on a follow-up plan, SaharaReporters investigations reveal.
The delegation is led by President Goodluck Jonathan, who will speak at the plenary debate on Tuesday.  It includes two state governors and the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.
Most members of the delegation are 547 civil servants drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), as well as advance team members who arrived in New York earlier to make preparations for the trip of the President.
The Nigerian delegation is by far the largest of any nation at this year's UN event, the theme of which is: “Post-2015 Development Agenda: Setting the Stage.”
SaharaReporters findings show that President Jonathan’s inner entourage comprises 26 people, including security aides, his wife, doctor and political associates.
The Nigeria leader, who has been much-criticized for squandering resources and for failing to lead by example, arrived in New York today and is staying at the lavish The Pierre Hotel across from New York’s Central Park in a presidential suite that will cost Nigeria at least $10,000 per night.  This means his tab for accommodation alone, for one room, will hit at least $50,000.  
According to the hotel’s documentation, the 39th floor presidential suite, which features an expansive living room and two bedrooms, among others, may be combined with other rooms and suites to provide up to 6 bedrooms and a private floor, an opulent option Mr. Jonathan is likely to have jumped at.  According to the hotel’s itinerary which was seen by Saharareporters, he is booked for five nights.
Several other members of the Nigerian delegations are booked in hotels around the city by the Nigerian consulate and staff members of some of the ministries that arrived in advance.
Nigeria has become internationally-known for wasting valuable development funds on lavish foreign trips.  It would be recalled that during last year’s United Nations General Assembly, for instance, the Minister for Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, booked into two rooms in two different expensive hotels.  One of them was a $5,000 per night suite at the Four Seasons Hotel at 57 East 57th Street, and the other a 28th floor room at the Pierre for $3,000 per night.  It was unclear how she slept in two different hotels at the same time.
In addition, Ms. Alison Madueke’s delegation of seven from her Ministry also rented 10 limousines, at a cost of $1,800 per day, some of which were never used. 
As SaharaReporters reported last year, the profligacy of the Nigerian delegation attracted the attention of America’s National Broadcasting Corporation in New York, which reported on how African delegates from the poorest countries stayed in some of the most expensive hotels during the UN General Assembly and shopped in high-priced retail stores.
Mr. Jonathan will commence his official duties in New York this afternoon by engaging in an all-expenses paid lunch date with Nigerian professionals selected by Nigerian diplomats in the US.  
The invitation-only event was chosen after the President and his inner circle abandoned a Town Hall plan for fear of protesters in the New York area.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/president-goodluck-jonathan-leads-600-man-delegation-united-nations-general-assembly

One of Ghana’s foremost authors, Professor Kofi Awoonor, was among scores of people shot dead in yesterday’s terrorist attack at the Westgate Shopping Mall in Nairobi, Kenya. One of Africa’s most extraordinary poets, Mr. Awoonor also served in several political roles in Ghana. Until recently, he was the chairman of Ghana’s Council of State. He was appointed to the Council of State by the late President John Atta-Mills and in 2009 was elected to chair that advisory body.
A source at the Ghana High Commission in Nairobi confirmed Mr. Awoonor’s death in the massacre of innocents in Nairobi that has sent shock waves around the world. A Somali Islamist militant group, Al Shabab, has claimed responsibility for the gruesome attack in which 59 people perished. Many more victims sustained various degrees of critical injuries.
Our source said Mr. Awoonor’s son who was with him at the mall also sustained injuries but is currently responding to treatment.
A source at Legon told SaharaReporters that Mr. Awoonor’s death “has put Ghanaians in a big mourning mood. He was a very beloved man, an honorable writer who believed in lifting up all Ghanaians.”
At various times, Mr. Awoonor, who was inspired by his country’s most well known nationalist figure, Kwame Nkrumah, also served as Ghana’s ambassador to Cuba, Brazil. From 1990 to 1994, he served as Ghana’s ambassador and permanent representative at the United Nations in New York City, heading the world body’s committee against apartheid.   
Mr. Awoonor was born on March 13, 1935, educated in Ghana, the University of London, and the United States. A polyglot and renaissance man, he spoke English, Spanish, French and Portuguese in addition to several Ghanaian languages. Mr. Awoonor held several positions including Head of the Ghana Film Corporation. He taught at universities in the US, the University of Ghana in Legon, and the University of the Cape Coast where he was head of the Department of English.
Mr. Awoonor was a gifted writer and passionate promoter of African literature through his critical scholarship. His book of criticism, The Breast of the Earth, is widely regarded as an important foundational text in the appreciation of the links between the oral tradition in Africa and the continent’s modern literary traditions.
In addition to several collections of poetry, Mr. Awoonor also authored the highly experimental novel, This Earth, My Brother…His second novel, Comes the Voyager at Last, though not as well known as his first, is regarded by some scholars as an important pioneering fictive work linking Africa and its New World Diaspora.
As a celebrated author, poet, playwright and educator, Mr. Awoonor was known for the range of references in his literary work. His poetry reflected a deeply Afrocentric perspective rooted in his Ewe cultural identity and integrated with contemporary religious symbolism and Western literary devices. His works, especially his poetry, were once widely studied at by students taking their General Certificate of Education (GCE) examinations in English-speaking West African countries.
Our source said he was not aware whether Mr. Awoonor was on an official mission in Kenya. The government of Ghana has issued a statement describing his death as tragic. Ghanaian President John Mahama also sent a message of condolence to the Awoonor family in which he assured them of his government’s determination to get to the bottom of the matter.
Meanwhile, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has vowed to hunt down the perpetrators of the attack.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/ghanaian-author-kofi-awoonor-killed-kenya

^^^ I think Judas showed no care because he was created, selected as a disciple for that purpose. And he couldn't had possibly prayed to turn the plans of God for that purposed, I don't think so.

Even the love of money you mentioned, was perfected all on Judas' life to fulfill God's will.

I think Judas was created with those flaws solely for that Purpose.
I stand to be corrected tho.

R I P Angel Michael... You are indeed an Angel.

He should be well immortalized by the FG & the Benue state Gov't.

Praise! Praise!! Praise the Lord

This is certainly my testimony tomorrow in Church... After 7yrs of a Goaless career.

It has to be said that the gospels portray Judas as a nasty piece of work. John, for instance, portrays him as a thief often helping himself to the 'common fund' of the disciples as he was the 'keeper of the purse'. In addition, we were told that the 'devil entered Judas' before the betrayal.
So christians believed Judas was a betrayal, and he should be totally blamed for the death of Jesus Christ.
Personally, I feel Judas was the chosen one; if he had not done the deed, then it would have had to be one of the others to fulfill God's divine plan. Jesus knew about his death and the necessity of it, I feel he only fulfilled what he was predestined to do and he should not be blamed.
We do know, for example, that Jesus knew Judas would 'betray him'. Even at the last supper we were told that Jesus told him to 'go, and do what you have to do'. We are uncertain what this means, but I believe that Judas(and Jesus) were very aware of what would happen and what would HAVE to happen if God's plan of redemption through Jesus' death and the resurrection was to take place.
Therefore, I am now of thinking that Judas was possibly obeying God's plan and doing God's will in betraying Jesus to the authorities.

My question is... Should we blame Judas for Jesus' death?

ULSHERLAN: So cos she used a grave design for her cake means she is evil. People get scared or shud I say they don't wanna remember where the will always end up no matter how long life lives within them. As for me I get d message she is tryna pass like its boldly written on d cake. Here liews kaz youth. She belives she is aging hence her youth is gone and she is entering anoda stage of her life

I agree with you 80% but tagging her 'Evil' is not only about the grave designed cake.
What do you have to say about the devil's horn on her head?? I knw she is only seeking attention tho.

Gosh! A Kenyan artiste, Karen Lucas, did the unthinkable, when she celebrated her 30th birthday on Friday, wearing a devil horn and cutting her black gravesite cake.

The black cake was decorated to assume a grave-site on green grass, with flowers on top, a shovel, brown sand beside it and also a cross boldly written- ’30’ ‘1983-2013’.
Kenyan post reports that many of the guests were surprised but they all rejoiced with the celebrant!
See photos of the cake below:

http://dailystar.com.ng/2013/09/21/kenyan-artiste-celebrates-30th-birthday-burialgravesite-cake-photos/

Gosh! A Kenyan artiste, Karen Lucas, did the unthinkable, when she celebrated her 30th birthday on Friday, wearing a devil horn and cutting her black gravesite cake.

The black cake was decorated to assume a grave-site on green grass, with flowers on top, a shovel, brown sand beside it and also a cross boldly written- ’30’ ‘1983-2013’.
Kenyan post reports that many of the guests were surprised but they all rejoiced with the celebrant!
See photos of the cake below:

http://dailystar.com.ng/2013/09/21/kenyan-artiste-celebrates-30th-birthday-burialgravesite-cake-photos/

The political crisis in Taraba State is taking a toll on the civil service as employees of the state government take directives from two secretaries to the state government (SSGs).

While Mr Gavey Yaweh, the SSG appointed by acting governor Garba Umar, operates from the main secretariat office of the SSG, Mr Gibon Kataps, appointed by the ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai, operates from the SSG annex in the Government House in Jalingo.

During a visit to the state secretariat in Jalingo, LEADERSHIP Weekend discovered that the workers were in a dilemma over who controls the offices of the SSG and that of chief of staff (CoS) in the Government House.

The confusion in the civil service started with the “dissolution” of the State Executive Council (SEC) and the appointment of Kataps as SSG by Suntai. Yaweh held the office before Governor Suntai returned while Kataps was the attorney-general and commissioner for justice.

A senior government official, who sought anonymity, told LEADERSHIP Weekend that Kataps operates from the SSG’s annex office in the Government House, where he gives instructions to his subordinates.

Contacted on the development, Kataps told our correspondent that he would respond to the issue at a convenient time.

 For his part, Yaweh told LEADERSHIP Weekend that he is the recognised SSG and supervises all the civil servants in the state, adding: “I come to the office on a daily basis and carry out my functions as the SSG. I am known by the people of Taraba State as their SSG, who gives directives to those who work under me and no one else. I remain in office till date and, despite the purported dissolution of SEC, I come to my office; and you (LEADERSHIP Weekend) met me discharging my duties. So, go and report your observation.”

A close source to his office hinted that all instructions emanated from his office (Yaweh) and that it is from the office that government passes information to the people of the state. 

In some ministries, the workers are finding it difficult to operate, as their commissioners are yet to hand over to the permanent secretaries.

At the time of filing this report, the dropped commissioners for Environment and Urban Development, Commerce and Industry, Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation, and Social Welfare, Youth and Sports, who are loyal to the acting governor, are yet to hand over to their permanent secretaries as directed by the special adviser to Suntai on media and publicity, Mr Sylvanus Yakubu Giwa.

http://leadership.ng/news/210913/confusion-2-ssgs-hold-sway-taraba

Tecno??
China na still China. PINGS gonna' be sounding like Bomb blast.

Lots of dirty water passes under the bridge everyday in Nigeria Government... A lot of hiden corruption deals, we ordinary Nigerians will never hear of.
SMH!!!

yunglykmine: Alot of corruption in Nigeria Government. Many things are hiden from ordinary Nigerians.. Ibori is finished. SMH!

True words Bro... Ibori is completely finished.

• Says ex-gov sent hired killers after him

• Oando clarifies link to convict

DRESSED in black - trousers, jacket and shoes - with a white shirt and red tie, the former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) boss was led into the courtroom by one of a judicial clerks around 2.25 p.m.  

  Mr. Nuhu Ribadu performed the traditional oath swearing by placing his left hand on the Holy Quran as he was led to go through the lines to affirm that he would be giving truthful evidence.  

  Within a minute, Crown Prosecutor Sasha Wass started her cross-examination. Looking relaxed, calm and often responding to the prosecutor’s questions with a smile and “yes, mum,” Ribadu held the court spellbound as he disclosed how Ibori was ‘desperate’ for him to take a $15 million cash bribe which the former governor allegedly gave him in Senator Andy Ubah’s house in the presence of the then Head of Operations, Ibrahim Lamorde and another official of the EFCC, James Garba. Lamorde is now Chairman of the EFCC.  

  He also told the stunned courtroom how Ibori later allegedly sent four hired killers after him following the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s rise to power and the then Attorney-General of the Federation, Michael Aondoakaa, let the former oil-rich Delta State governor off the hook. Ribadu disclosed further, how, after he refused taking the alleged cash bribe, Ibori desperately begged him to “just pocket the $15 million and send me a clearance letter.”

  Ribadu, who gave graphic details of how on a day Ibori was holed up at the Abuja residence of a former Kwara State Governor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, was moved to shed some tears towards the end of his over one hour of cross-examination.

  He claimed that two assassination attempts were made by Ibori’s people on his life, one in Jos and the other in Abuja. He further claimed that Ibori promised he would “be dismissed from the Police Force” and removed as “EFCC Chairman,” the moment the administration of the late Yar’Adua came to power. 

  “Ibori was more influential” when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s government handed over power to the new administration in May 2007, Wass said.

  The following is the excerpt of the dialogue that ensued between Wass and Ribadu, as the latter answered the former’s questions from the witness box:

Wass: I want to ask you please, about the post of governor.   What sort of power do governors have?

Ribadu: The governors have executive power ... are immune from prosecution while in office.

I want to ask you about James Ibori, did you investigate him? How did you come to investigate him? 

 It came from petitions from the ordinary people of Delta State.

  Asked how many times Delta people petitioned his office and who initiated EFCC’s investigations, Ribadu said: “I will say about five to 10 petitions. We also carried out our own investigations and gathered intelligence and information using our field officers and from banks.”

   Asked what date the formal investigation into Ibori began, Ribadu replied: “It’s a date I can’t remember.”

As far as you are aware, did Mr. Ibori know he was under investigation? 

He said he was aware

How did you know he was aware?

Ribadu: He got in touch with me. 

  Ribadu said as the end of his second term was approaching, and knowing that he could no longer be shielded by the immunity clause, Ibori became anxious and was desperate to bribe his way out. 

Wass: I want to ask you in particular, April 25, 2007, can you help us with what happened?

Ribadu: At the time, James Ibori asked me to take money from him to stop the investigation.

  Ribadu disclosed further that Ibori wanted to come to his house to hand over the cash, but he refused and he (the former) suggested they should meet at the EFCC office. Ibori rejected this suggestion as “he didn’t want anybody to see him,” Ribadu said.

  Asked if he informed anyone else about his conversations with Ibori, Ribadu said he told his officials and alerted the Central Bank of Nigeria.

  Asked why he thought Ibori offered $15 million, Ribadu said it was because Delta State had an allocation of about $1 billion and “James wasted or took about half of that.” 

Wass: What happened after the money was handed over at Mr. Ubah’s house? 

Ribadu: They - Ibrahim Lamorde and James Garba- drove directly to the Central Bank of Nigeria.

  Meanwhile, Oando Nigeria Plc yesterday issued a statement on Ibori’s trial and its alleged links to him, saying: “As Southwark Crown Court in London proceedings are underway against Mr. James Ibori (known as ‘confiscation proceedings’), ex-Governor of Delta State in Nigeria, aimed making Mr. Ibori forfeit assets worth approximately £90 million to the Crown.

  “These proceedings started on Monday, September 16, since when Oando Plc has been mentioned several times by a prosecutor.

  “Mr. Ibori was convicted in 2012 of Fraud and Money Laundering. At his trial, he pleaded guilty to the charges and was convicted on that basis. Because he pleaded guilty, none of the allegations put forward in the prosecution’s case were ever tested.

  “Now, we have situation where the Crown prosecutor is using untested evidence as the basis of its case in the confiscation proceedings. The prosecutor is presenting this evidence as factual and true, including, unbelievably, statements made by Mr. Ibori – a convicted criminal to the effect that either he, or his family own 30 per cent in Oando or in another statement ‘beneficial interest in Ocean & Oil.’

  “These contradictory statements were not tested in the first court case and not can they be tested in the confiscation proceedings, as the defendant has elected not to participate. This is a dilemma for Oando as it is not a party to the proceedings – it is not the accused, the defendant or a witness. As Oando does not have a right to be heard, it cannot challenge the prosecution’s evidence where it touches upon Oando, for example by asking the following:

 • ‘Exactly which company does Ibori say he owned 30 per cent of?’

 • ‘Why are you making sensational statements about a supposed shareholding when in your own evidence you say Mr. Ibori’s statements are untrue?’

 • Why do you allege he owns 30 per cent of the company while also admitting that he only has about 400 shares in Oando Plc? How do you account for the disparity between the company’s own share register and the statements you are making in court?

  “Of its own volition, Oando approached the Metropolitan Police sometime in 2012 when it became apparent that the company’s name had been mentioned in the Crown prosecution case in relation to an alleged Ibori shareholding and transfer of money.

  “Oando made available to the Metropolitan Police evidence of Mr. Ibori’s shareholding of the company at the time, which was approximately 400 shares. We also presented evidence that the transfers of money to Ocean and Oil Services Ltd to an Ibori controlled company was as a result of a legitimate foreign exchange transactions and without any knowledge at the time that the company was related to Ibori. Furthermore, there was no evidence of any transfer from Oando Plc to the Ibori controlled company.

  “This evidence was ignored by the Crown it was not made available to the court and the prosecution is now trying to portray the payments made by Ocean and Oil Services Ltd as payments made by Oando Plc. Yesterday, to get around this hurdle of not having any links between Oando Plc and Ibori, the prosecution witness, Detective Constable Clerk, misled the court by saying Ocean and Oil Services and Oando Plc are “…the same company under a different name…,” clearly trying to establish a link that does not exist between Oando and Ibori.

  “Oando as a responsible corporate with obligations to its shareholders will pursue all legal avenues available to right this wrong and seek compensation for any losses it incurs as a consequence of this inappropriate course of action.

  “The UK prosecutor is making damaging statements about a very substantial oversees company without any reasonable evidence while our company cannot defend itself in return. This insidious grandstanding cannot continue. It is leading to unfounded speculation that we are determined to bring to an end. At this time, we have our counsel in court, to intervene as “a friend of the court” if any damaging statements are made in relation to Oando.”

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/national-news/133317-how-ibori-gave-me-15m-bribe-by-ribadu

Benue State governor Gabriel Suswam served as best man for a cook named Peter Anyiman at his wedding which held over the weekend at Our Lady Perpetual Help Cathedral, in Makurdi, Benue State.

Governor Suswan told guests at the wedding that he decided to serve as Anyiman's best man to honour him because of his commitment to his job. Anyiman has been as serving a cook for Catholic Priest, Rev. Father Michael Tumba in Abuja for over 18 years.

Anyiman expressed his delight at having his own state governor serving as his best man, saying he couldn't have wished for a better wedding gift.

http://dailystar.com.ng/2013/09/20/deserves-honor-benue-state-governor-plays-cooks-best-man-wedding-photo/?

Unknown gunmen in military fatigue stormed an uncompleted building behind legislator’s quarters in apo Abuja killing over 10 people.
According to eyewitness report provided to hotfm 98.3 Abuja just few metres from the scene of the incident the owner of a building close to the uncompleted building had warned people who pass the night in the building to desist from it, they refused, the report say the man may have masterminded the forceful evacuation and killing of inhabitants of the building in the early hours of Friday morning 20th september 2013.
A resident, who was visibly furious walked to hotfm radio Abuja, stated that at about 12:30am he heard gunshot severally throughout the night, causing panic in the area.
The Number of people who died may be more.

The burial of the late Ondo governor will be a three-day program.
The Ondo State Government has fixed October 4 for the interment of the immediate past Governor of the State, Olusegun Agagu, who died on September 13.
In a three-day burial programme announced by the State’s Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, the burial events will kick off at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan from 11 a.m.
On October 3, the body of the late politician will leave Lagos to arrive the Akure Airport by 9 a.m., while he will lie-in-state at the Democracy Park in Akure, the state Capital
Another  lying-in-state cum wake -keep  will take place on the same day from 5p.m. at the Civic Centre, Iju-Odo, Okitipupa Local Government Area.
A burial service will hold for the deceased on Friday, October 4 at St Paul’s Anglican Church, Iju-Odo, also in Okitipupa by 11 a.m. while the remains of the deceased will be interred at the same venue and reception would follow at Manuwa Memorial Grammar School in the same town.

http://premiumtimesng.com/regional/144964-ondo-bury-ex-governor-agagu-october-4.html