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Ogun State, Super Den Of Ritualists « on: November 01, 2009, 05:07 PM » -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saved by menstruation! Woman survives five days in ritualists’ den From Moshood Adebayo, Abeokuta Sunday, November 01, 2009 Mrs Adeniji Photo: Sun News Publishing More Stories on This Section It was narrow escape for a mother of three in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital after spending five days in kidnappers den in the ancient town. Mrs Tope Adeniji, who miraculously escaped from the ritualists’ hideout, said for the first time in her life, she saw fresh skull and lifeless bodies with their heads severed from the rest of their bodies. Adeniji, a staff of the Ogun State Magistrate Court, Isabo, Abeokuta, was returning home penultimate Tuesday when she ran into the get-rich-quick men of the underworld through a taxicab she boarded. Road to kidnappers den I was returning home after work at Isabo to the Aregbe area of the state. I met three other persons who pretended to be passengers in the taxi. By the time we got to Asero, I noticed that the two ‘passengers’ beside me had dozed off. There was another one in front, beside the driver. I still did not suspect any foul play until we got to an area called CAMP, where I requested that I should be allowed to disembark since I have reached my destination. Rather than allow me get out, one man who sat in front of the cab pulled out a gun. He ordered me to lie face down, which I obeyed immediately. Thereafter, I knew nothing again until we got to an unknown place where several others, more than 100 that had been kidnapped, were waiting for the hangman. When we got there, I switched my telephone to discreet (vibration) and inserted it almost inside my private part. I was taken to a place where a man that appears to be their leader stays. Before his arrival, I managed to send text messages to people, particularly members of my church that I had been kidnapped. I noticed that a net that I believe had been charmed was usually put on their prey, who within few minutes would die. But when a similar thing was placed on me, nothing happened to me. So their leader instructed that I should be taken away very fast. Thereafter, I was taken to a room within their enclave for some minutes. About thirty minutes after, their leader requested for me and he asked those who kidnapped me where they got me. They stripped me naked and noticed that I was menstruating. This infuriated them and their leader ordered that I should be taken away from his sight. They obeyed immediately and I was taken to a room where I was left alone for hours. When I got to the room, I resumed sending text messages to people until they came in with a plate of food, which I rejected. Afterwards, they asked me my name and I gave them a fictitious name. I passed the night alone in the room. The following morning, their leader came to tell me that I was stubborn. I pleaded with them that I should be spared. He later directed that his boys should rub a substance on my face. When I did not react as they had expected, he again instructed that I should be returned to the room from where I was brought. On the third day, those boys that were guarding attempted to rape me and while struggling with them, blood came out from my private part and they all shouted that I was not clean. So I was left alone. I later sent a message to my pastor requesting that I should be given the name of an angel, which I repeated several times. One thing that I noticed that while I was calling the holy name, my guards started fighting themselves and they left me alone. The following day, they forcibly cut my fingers and toenails before I was taken to a dungeon where another spiritual net was used to cover me. Thereafter, they returned me to the room again with guards. All this while I was praying, reciting the names of angels sent to me by my pastors and others. On the fourth day, one of the guards offered to assist me, but he did not give details of how he would do it. That very day too, I was taken to another man that seemed like their overall boss. When I got there, he asked me whether I am a Sango worshipper and I said no. He told me that what he was seeing on me suggested that I was an adherent of Sango. I did not know what transpired between them as I kept pleading that I should be allowed to go. The man that promised to assist me then told me that about 2am he would assist me. Thinking that they would harm me at about the time, I attempted to run into safety but I did not succeed because the fence of the yard was higher than the usual. As he promised, about that time, he opened the gate of the building where I had been incarcerated and threw my bag they collected from me the day I got there. After trekking some minutes from the kidnappers den, I got to a thick bush. I continued trekking until I got to a cassava farm near the mechanic village along the Abeokuta-Lagos road. There I sent a text message to my people who came to pick me. I was later taken to my church where more prayers were offered for me. I thank God that I am alive to tell this story. How prayers saved me I survived their onslaught through the grace of God and prayers by members of my church at the Christ Anointed and Miracle Church Cherubim and Seraphim Church, (CAMCA). But for God, I would have been killed like several others that met their untimely death. Before, I used to think that kidnapping in our town is not real. But with my experience, I now know better than before. I know on daily basis somebody somewhere is being used for money ritual. I thank God for saving my life. He is the one that rescued me from the hands of the ritualists. I will continue to serve Him for the rest of my life.
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Onlytruth:Otu ya na ako ya oko. Ona acho virile onye igbo ga aku ya owa. Tufiakwa. |
Onlytruth:Nwanna, Would it matter if I urge you not to get involved in this? It is a waste of otherwise USEFUL time. Thanks. |
Aloy~Emeka:In a Nigeria no it would not. However everyone has forgoten that Clifford was not arrested alone. He was taken in together with one other person who was Yoruba. I have forgotten his name but can dig it up. Besides there have been tons of other reports of ritualism and cannibalism since Orji's. |
cheatmaker:Shame to Nigeria and its unusual way of life. Thats all. |
The airport seems to be urgently needed by Anambra people, especially after waiting for eternity for the FGN approval. I wish them all the luck. They need it Read this below After a long wait by Anambra State, the Federal Ministry of Aviation has finally given approval for the establishment of an airport which is to be located around the operational area of Orient Petroleum in the state. The state’s Commissioner for Information and Culture, Majah Umeh, who broke the news in Awka on Tuesday evening, said the airport is to be located at Ifite Umueri in Anambra East Local Council Area. Umeh, who briefed the press on the outcome of the state’s Executive Council (exco) meeting, said what now is left for the state, is the acquisition of land to enable work begin immediately on the project. Though the airport which when completed will serve as a cargo airport is to be established in conjunction with Orient Petroleum, Umeh said the state government is committed to fulfilling due process and all the requirements of the Ministry of Aviation for the establishment of airport. His words: “We have gone through all tests and they have given approval for the construction of an airport that will be sited at Ifite-Umueri in Anambra East Local Government and Anambra State people are happy about it.” |
Aloy~Emeka:There are cannibals everywhere. Try Ogun and Lagos; afterall Clifford performed his in Lagos. |
Bro. Na so we see am. Naija for you. That country better breaks up make all man rest. Nonsense. |
babapupa: Maybe if there's urgent and undisputed dying communal and commercial need for one, and if there is,That was you. What does it suggest? |
Prison uniform: Bode George adamant By CHRISTOPHER OJI Wednesday, November 4, 2009 Olabode George Photo: Sun News Publishing More Stories on This Section Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Olabode George who is serving a two-and-half year jail term in Kirikiri has vowed not to wear his prison uniform. George, nicknamed Lagos Boy vowed not to touch the uniform newly sewn for him, let alone of putting it on. A source at the prison said: “When we took measurement, he did not object. So, we did not know he had ulterior motive. When we finished sewing the uniform, he shouted at us never to bring it close to him.” Continuing, the source said: “We have no objection because there is order from above not to disturb the man. They told us that he is a government pikin (child) and that he would soon be bailed.” He said the prison staff were handling the former National Ports Authority (NPA) boss carefully because they did not know the next action or directive of the government. According to the source, there was no big deal about Bode George wearing uniform as it was normal for “bigwigs not to wear uniform. There are other big guys convicted that are not wearing uniforms. On why they measured and sew the uniform when they knew he would not wear it, he said: “There are other big guys like the late Gani Fawehinmi, former president Olusegun Obasanjo who did not care whether they put on the uniform or not. He observed that in his many years as a prison staffer, it was those people whose hands were not clean that declined wearing uniform. “Those whose hands are clean or are being persecuted unjustly don’t object to wearing uniform.” The source said since Sunday when a PDP chieftain (names withheld) and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) visited George, he had been happy. He suspected that the man has been assured of victory in the Appeal Court “because, he now eats regularly, prays, sings and crack jokes. “The man has been so confident. He now sings and the major aspect of it all is that his blood pressure is now normal. You know his doctor visits him everyday. Initially, the doctor was complaining of high blood pressure but today (Tuesday) when he examined him, he shook his hand and told him that his blood pressure was normal.” He also revealed that the number of high profile visitors to George has increased. He said: “We tried to discourage them from visiting by asking them to drop their passport photographs but the visitors especially the PDP members dropped their passport photographs so as to see him.” Last Monday, George who was a former chairman of the Nigeria Ports Authority board between 2001 and 2003 was convicted and sentenced along with five other members of the board for disobedience to lawful order, abuse of office and contract splitting. Other convicted former members of the board include former managing director of NPA, Aminu Dabo, Captain Olugbenga Abidoye, Alhaji Aminu Tafida, Alhaji Zanna Maidaribe and Engineer Sule Aliyu. They were sentenced and convicted by a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja which found them guilty of 35 out of the 68-count charge preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a N85 billion contract scam which took place under George’s tenure as the NPA board chairman. George and his co-convicts were arraigned on August 8, 2008 on a 182-count charge which was later amended and reduced to a 69-count charge over alleged contract splitting, inflation of contracts, conspiracy and disobedience to lawful order. The trial lasted 14 months. |
Niger State: Cannibalism: Father, 2 sons, 2 others arrested From AKIN ALOFETEKUN, Minna Wednesday, November 4, 2009 Five men, including a man and his two sons, have been arrested by police detectives in Minna, Niger State for allegedly selling human heads. Apart from “killing, severing and selling the heads of their victims,” the accused are also described as cannibals who cook and eat human parts after setting aside the head for sale. Mohammed Zubairu, 20, Ibrahim Zubairu, 22, and their father, Zubairu Makun Jubrin were picked up by the police along-side one Yakubu Adesina and a blacksmith that allegedly produced arms for the Zubairu family. Adesina, a herbalist, is described as the buyer of human heads. Until his arrest, he was based in Ilorin, Kwara State. Zubairu, a native of Edogi village in Kwara State, denied any involvement in the crime. His sons, however, faulted his claims, saying they had been involved in the satanic business with their father since 2004. According to Mohammed and Ibrahim, their father had benefited several times from them after they had sold human parts to the Ilorin-based herbalist. Ibrahim Zubairu, who appeared to be the spokesman of the ritualists, narrated how they used to get the human parts which they sold to Adesina. He said in his confessional statement that they usually waylaid farmers on their way to the farm, killed the victims and removed the parts needed by Adesina. He said most often it was the head that they used to collect and sell. The last time they killed a farmer on Lanle Road. According to Ibrahim, they sold the head to Adesina for N20,000 while other parts were sold for between N10,000 and N15,000. Zubairu said they always left the remains of their victims to rot in the bush. However, the police claimed that they had evidence that the ritualists usually cooked and ate the remains of the human parts. On their father’s allegation that he was being roped into the matter, Ibrahim expressed shock and disappointment at their father’s denial “In 2004 we were able to buy a Mazda salon car for our father from what we made from the sales” Ibrahim also disclosed that he and his brother had been able to fund their education from the proceeds of their criminal acts. He wrote the senior school certificate examination this year while his elder brother Mohammed passed out last year at the same secondary school in their Edogi village. Asked why they specialized in the sale of human heads, Ibrahim confessed that skulls fetch more money than other parts of the human anatomy. Adesina, however, denied that he was a receiver of human parts, saying: ‘I only sell herbs to the people. “People know me everywhere. They know that I don’t do such a thing,” Adesina, said, weeping profusely. But when asked how the boys identified him as the receiver of the human parts, he said it was possible they had seen him on the television. He, however, became speechless when confronted with the fact that Ibrahim and Mohammed knew his houses at both Ilorin and Share and took homicide detectives there without missing their way. Zubairu Makun Jibrin, father of the two boys said he was surprised by the action of his children and denied that his sons bought the car for him. ‘I bought the car for N360,000 in 2004. I have shown the police the receipt,” Jibrin said. He described the action of his children as ‘embarrassing and disgraceful,” adding that “I am ashamed of what they have done.” Commissioner of Police in Niger State, Michael Zuomukor, who paraded the suspected ritualists before journalists said they were arrested by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad during a stop and search operation at Mokwa. Zuomukor said a locally-made-pistol, two live cartridges, two handsets, a bone, one Honda car with registration number AE 258 MKW, seven uncompleted guns, 15 dane guns and a Jincheng motorcycle were recovered from the suspects. He assured that would be arraigned after the completion of investigation. http://odili.net/news/source/2009/nov/4/502.html |
babapupa:So where is your insinuation that the airport is not urgent coming from? Do you know the volume of business going on in Anambra state which by all account is only second to Lagos? Why then would they not need an airport there as a matter of urgency? |
Jona! Jona!! Jona!!!. Hahahaha. You go soon go back to prison. Of course, I am Igbo, but none of those strange names you mentioned. Ok. |
babapupa:I will urge you to leave the urgency or not of this airport to Anambra people and Orient Petroleum. You and I are not from Anambra and so would not know how dire this project is to them. On the other logic, private airport investors can still steal other people's money. In the end most of these private airports might be listed at the stock exchange and the core investors or managers can steal the money invested by others, just like the banks I mentioned. |
Jona is Ijaw. Google Mohadana or Dimka or Comfort, all names he has used in the past and see for yourself. He did disclose that he is Ijaw and I believe he is. |
babapupa:Babapupa, there is no harm in the govt getting involved as long as the course is geniune, and there is no guarantee that private investments will not be stolen or mismanaged. The Nigerian banks that almost went underground due to mismanagement are private, aren't they? |
babapupa:Did you read that the airport will be built in conjunction with Orient petroleum which is completely private? |
blacksta:Jona was kidnapped in Bayelsa and only recently released. |
Onlytruth:He is a bloody Ijaw. He has been reincarnating with different names here. We NL vets know him quite well. |
babapupa:Why should this be different from the airport that Fasola is proposeing for Lekki? Is that one the people's money and where is it gonna end? |
Man dies inside Cocoa House elevator - Decomposed body found after three days By Jackson Udom Sunday, February 15, 2009 TRAGEDY struck on Thursday at the premises of the Cocoa House, the tallest building in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, when a man, in his bid to make use of the lift facility in the commercial complex, fell headlong and died immediately. The management of the complex and those who have business concerns within the complex were said not to have been aware of the tragedy that had befallen them. According to an eyewitness account, “the man wanted to use the lift, which is under repairs, but he stepped into an empty space which hitherto housed the lift, fell headlong and died instantly.” It was also gathered that neither the contractor handling the refurbishment of the outdated elevator, nor the workers in the complex, were aware of the unfortunate incident, until the body of the man (whose name is yet to be made public), started decomposing with offensive odour oozing out from the ground floor of the lift compartment. As a result of the tragic incident, the premises that houses the building is now being inundated with posters warning members of the public to stay clear of the lift area, saying: “The lifts are under repairs and it would be dangerous for anybody to either make use of it or go near it.” When Sunday Tribune got to the premises, those who spoke with our reporter confirmed the incident but they were not ready to give further information on whether the man died as a result of the faulty and outdated elevator or he died due to his carelessness. They all blamed the management of the building for not being sensitive to the safety of members of the public who come to the premises to transact one business or the other. “Virtually everything in that building is outdated and grossly malfunctioning. “The elevators there are now death traps. Those elevators were installed by Papa Obafemi Awolowo and since then they have always been undergoing repairs. Now that somebody has been trapped in it, may be they will do something about it.” Attempts by Sunday Tribune to get in touch with the management of the building proved abortive as none of them was available for comments. According to a police source who pleaded anonymity, “we are yet to know the identity of the deceased and by Monday, we would invite the site contractor, because what we are hearing is that the man was one of their workers. We learnt that the man fell from the lift. The decomposing body of the man had been evacuated to the Adeoyo Mortuary. When contacted, the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ms Bisi Okuwobi, confirmed the story adding that the man’s decomposing body was discovered three days after his death inside the elevator. “It is true. The man died several days before his body was found inside the elevator.” |
At least, Igbo and Yoruba, the 2 big giants and greatest groups in Nigeria are not as involved. Ok, except Lagos that spoilt the broth. Not so bad, though. |
Have you noticed this guys? The ijaw man is back with a bang. I learnt he was in the creeks fighting for resource control. Now that amnesty has been granted, he is back, as usual. Welcome, Nnoo, Eku abo (hausa is what?) ![]() |
Mohadana AKA Dimka Aka comfort is back |
Posted by Ovie, the Bini male prostitute in Italy What kind of business. The kidnapping or the state that lead in arm robbers. Ohhhh, I think is both.Gunmen Kidnap Senator’s Wife in Benin From Adibe Emenyonu in Benin, 11.04.2009 Unknown gunmen yesterday abducted the wife of Senator Francis Okpozo, Anna, in Benin, Edo state capital. Mrs. Okpozo, a pastor with Christ Embassy Church at the Erediauwa branch, off Ekehuan Road was reportedly kidnapped at about 9 a.m Monday from her house, No. 10, Abu Street, shortly after a prayer session with her family members. Her husband, Sen. Francis Okpozo, an outspoken politician was said to have traveled at the time of the incident. Her two sons with whom she prayed had reportedly just left the house when the kidnappers struck. According to eye witness, the kidnappers, four in number, had pulled up and parked their white Audi car to block the gate of the compound. While two of the kidnappers were said to have gained access to the compound, the other two remained inside the car. It was learnt that before her abductors took her away, they searched everywhere in the house and took along with them some valuables and thereafter phoned Sen. Okpozo, demanding a N5 million ransom before they could release her. The kidnap of Mrs. Okpozo is the second incident to happen to the well respected politician in less than a month. On October 13 this year, unknown gunmen had broken into his country home at Ozoro in Isoko North local government area of Delta state at night and shot one of his nephews severally on his legs. The Senator was also not at home during the incident. Several of Senator Okpozo’s associates who visited him yesterday condemned the kidnap of his wife, saying the latest incident is “one too many’ and called on the kidnappers to release his wife immediately to enable her re-unite with her family. At press time yesterday, several callers besieged the Senator’s house, even as the incident is said to have been reported to the police. |
Rivers people should be held responsible for this. He was duped there. ![]() |
sjeezy8:Okponu (very big fool in Yoruba lingo). Read my post again. I did say that Soyinka is known in Nigeria and outside but only by the elite (e.g., the Nobel prize committe). How many ordinary folks outside Nigeria know him? Achebe is known by primary and secondary school students even in Mongolia and Iraq. His book is published in 50 different languages. That is the greatest of such globally. |
Cocoa House Ibadan is dead. It is rat-infested with the elevators falling apart and killing people. This is as at today. |
Professor Dibu Ojerinde is the head of JAMB. Before him it was an Hausa. Igbos have not headed Jamb before. So the data in the website is not an Igbo-doctored data. Yoruba froth and sweat in their anuses when the truth hits home hard. They live in perpetual denial. BTW, Soyinka is not known outside of Nigeria and the elites globally, whereas Achebe is known by all, big and small great and not great globally. |
People, Actually this airport project has been in the pipeline even before the commencement of the ASABA and Uyo ones. The delay for approval by the FGN again reminds one of the determination of the FGN to strangulate anything Igbo. Otherwise the airport may have probably been completed by now. That said, it is ok to have as many airports as possible. Orient petroleum is exploiting the huge oil and gas reserves in Anambra and this is a completely Nigerian company that would need the airort for its activities. And yes, there is also an airport in Imo which was built by the Old Imo people with no input from the fed govt. Read the article below After a long wait by Anambra State, the Federal Ministry of Aviation has finally given approval for the establishment of an airport which is to be located around the operational area of Orient Petroleum in the state. The state’s Commissioner for Information and Culture, Majah Umeh, who broke the news in Awka on Tuesday evening, said the airport is to be located at Ifite Umueri in Anambra East Local Council Area. Umeh, who briefed the press on the outcome of the state’s Executive Council (exco) meeting, said what now is left for the state, is the acquisition of land to enable work begin immediately on the project. Though the airport which when completed will serve as a cargo airport is to be established in conjunction with Orient Petroleum, Umeh said the state government is committed to fulfilling due process and all the requirements of the Ministry of Aviation for the establishment of airport. His words: “We have gone through all tests and they have given approval for the construction of an airport that will be sited at Ifite-Umueri in Anambra East Local Government and Anambra State people are happy about it.” He also said the state is celebrating the feat achieved by its contingent to the national schools’ sports competition held in Abeokuta, where the state came 7th with 78 medals, consisting 14 gold medals, 16 silver medals and 48 bronze medals. He said the success is as result of the state investment in sport |
Lol. OPCMAN is just a tout. He does not know that Yorubas do not go to school any longer to the extent that Niger Deltans have surpassed them in University intake, not to talk of Igbos who are way ahead of every other group. Imo state alone has the same number of all the Yoruba states put together in JAMB intake. Since the 1980s, Yorubas have been so so touts , touts and touts ![]() |
'After 10 years, your state of origin may change' From John-Abba Ogbodo and Terhemba Daka, Abuja AS part of efforts to arrest incessant clashes over the issue, the House of Representatives is considering a bill that prescribes conditions for indigeneship of states. The chamber is also out with a bill aimed at strengthening the operations of the National Human Rights Commission. Besides, strong indications emerged yesterday that the Freedom of Information (FoI) Bill currently before the National Assembly may not see the light of day as the legislators are not keen on passing it into law. According to a bill sponsored by Gozie Agbakoba, a member from Anambra State, titled: "A Bill for Act to integrate non-indigenes into states other than their states of origin", if a person stays in another state for about 10 years and fulfils all his obligations, he or she should be conferred all rights and benefits enjoyed by the indigenes. Section 1 of the bill says: "A person who resides in a state other than his state of origin continuously, that is to say without a break, for a period of 10 or more years, contributes to the development, lives in harmony with the people of the state; pays taxes to the state, shall be entitled to the rights and benefits accruing to the indigenes or people of that state notwithstanding the fact that he is not an indigene or citizen of that state." Section 2 of the bill extends the rights and benefits to include appointments and scholarships. "In this Act, unless the content otherwise requires, rights and benefits include rights and privileges and appointments reserved only for indigenes and being entitled to scholarships from the state and can occupy the highest position, including but not limited to the governorship of the state", are contained in the bill. The other bill sponsored by Emmanuel Jimeh from Benue State contains an amendment to the Human Rights Commission Act 2004 with a view to giving the commission powers to visit police detention cells. Section 4 (b) of the Bill seeks to give the commission power to "monitor and investigate all alleged and verified cases of human rights violation in Nigeria, prosecute or refer the prosecution of such cases to appropriate prosecution authorities and the cases of suspects or detainees shall be given the necessary co-operation to the commission to facilitate justice administration in such cases." Section 4 (c) says: "The commission shall have the power to visit and enter into any police cell or any detention centre in the country and inspect, take record of, and publish names of all detainees and suspects in police cells or detention centres on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. This shall be done in each state and local government of the federation indicating time, date, place and reasons of arrest and detention of each suspect or detainee and this shall include the various detention centres or police cells a suspect or detainee has been moved and the time of such movement''. Section 17 provides for a 10-year jail term for any person or organisation, be it military or civil, that fails to provide such record. "Failure to cooperate with the commission by showing them record of arrest, suspects, and detainees in police cells and detention room to enable the commission inspect and count suspects and detainees in such places and even ask them questions to get clarifications and confirmation from suspects or detainees directly is an offence under this Act." Section 17 (b) says while 17 (c) adds that "failure to keep a suspect or detainee in a room or place lawfully set out for that purpose, or it shall be an offence to arrest a suspect and hide him or keep him in a place other than a police cell or detention centre lawfully set up for that purpose''. Prescribing a 10-year punishment for failure to comply with these provisions, the bill in Section 17 (d) says: "Any of the offences stipulated in section 17 (1) (a)-(c), if committed by any police officer, military officer, prison officer, any officer of NAFDAC, any officer of NDLEA, any officer of EFCC, or any officer with the power to arrest and detain shall attract a punishment of not less than 10 years imprisonment without an option of fine''. Specifically, the FoI Bill was passed during the second National Assembly of the Fourth Republic but former President Olusegun Obasanjo withheld assent to it, expressing reservation on the title of the Bill and some of its provisions. The Bill was however re-introduced in the present Assembly but has continued to meet strong opposition from lawmakers who perceive it as anti-parliament and unfriendly to legislators. A member of the House of Representatives, Ahman Pategi who expressed fear while speaking in Abuja at a workshop on parliament and the media organised by the World Bank, said legislators in the National Assembly are not in a hurry to endorse the bill, which seeks to grant people, including media unhindered access to information. "Although, the media is angry with the lawmakers for not passing the Bill, it may not be passed as soon as envisaged," he said. Although the Bill has been listed three times on the floor of the House of Representatives for deliberations, the lawmakers have on each occasion voted overwhelmingly against it, arguing that if passed, the Bill would solely serve the interest of the media not theirs. Responding to tele-conferencing questions thrown at him by a Canadian moderator of the forum, Chris Cobb, Pategi explained that the nation's politicians, whether in office or out of office, are wary and not disposed to granting the media access to all kinds of information. He added: "This is not to say that we as parliamentarians are not interested in assisting journalists do their work. "We appreciate their concerns and positions on the Freedom of Information Bill, and we are working on them. "This bill, although it has not yet been passed in Nigeria, was earlier passed by the last National Assembly, but was not assented to by the former President. "The reasons are obvious, and we know them. And because of them I am afraid that the bill may not be passed in the life of this present National Assembly." |


