₦airaland Forum

Nigeria move up in FIFA ranking
Nigeria move up in FIFA ranking
Posted: 2010-04-28 12:44

Nigeria moved up two places in the latest FIFA rankings released on Wednesday.

The African champions moved up one place to 13th, and Cameroon also improved their standing by one spot, moving up to 19th, one place above Nigeria, as all but one of Africa's World Cup representatives hugged the top five positions on the continent.

Only World Cup hosts South Africa are outside of the top 20 in the continent, languishing in 21st position on the continent, behind Mozambique, and 90th overall.

Brazil reclaimed top spot from Spain, who drop to second. The rest of the top 5 places are taken by Portugal, Netherlands and World Cup champions Italy.

Africa's Top 20:

13 1 Egypt
19 2 Cameroon
20 3 Nigeria
27 4 Ivory Coast
31 5 Algeria
32 6 Ghana
41 7 Gabon
52 8 Burkina Faso
54 9 Mali
55 10 Tunisia
59 11 Benin
70 12 Morocco
71 13 Zambia
73 14 Togo
74 15 Uganda
77 16 Senegal
82 17 Malawi
85 18 Angola
87 19 Guinea
89 20 Mozambique



Colin Udoh

Let my people go
–Cries Uwazurike’s aide
From DAVID ONWUCHEKWA, Nnewi
Wednesday, April 28, 2010


Uchendu (left) and Chieft Uwazurike
Photo: Sun Publishing
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Mr Samuel Uchendu a.k.a Oyibo Biafra is a member of Biafran Intelligence Agency (BIA), a department in the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), and also former Chief Security Officer of the leader of MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazurike. He said that the issue of actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra is a matter of no retreat, no surrender, urging Acting President Goodluck Jonathan to use this opportunity that he is in control to call for Sovereign National Conference.

Uchendu insists that the three major tribes: Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba that make up Nigeria are in a forced union. He said that the Libyan leader, Maummar Gaddafi was right to call for a division of Nigeria into segments, adding that since Moslems cannot co-exist with their Christian brothers and sisters that it should be to your tent Oh Israel .
He spoke against continued detention of his boss, Chief Ralph Uwazurike at Kuje Prisons and asked for his immediate release. Uchendu touched other areas concerning the struggle for freedom by the MASSOB.

Endless attack
Chief Ralph Uwazuruike is my master. I was among his first security details under Biafran Intelligence Agency (BIA). We started the struggle with him. I was Chief Uwazuruike’s ADC between 1999 and 2006 before there was a change in office. You see, Chief Uwazurike is like Joshua in the Bible while Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu is like Moses. Chief Uwazurike is unassuming. You can hardly understand him.

The issue of the actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra is our commitment, no surrender, no retreat. But it is unfortunate that the people (Nigerian government) we are dealing with do not believe in dialogue for our freedom to be achieved, yet we remain non-violent.
Niger Delta approach
I think it is better for us to apply the Niger Delta approach so that the federal government can listen to us. That is the way I see it.
If you look around in this country today you will observe that Igbos are specially created by God, so also were Hausas and Yorubas. We were all created and set apart. These three major tribes were only forced into a union and this union does not work.

Biafra is a pronouncement of God. And God’s pronouncement must come to fruition. I strongly believe in the actualization of sovereign state of Biafra any day any time even at the risk of my life. Nothing, absolutely nothing can stop us.
Incessant raid of MASSOB
Nigerian security agents have raided the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) camps on several occasions. We were raided in high magnitude in 2002 at my home in Otolo, Nnewi. Again in 2004 and 2006 we were attacked in Okigwe, Imo State . We now understand that the Federal Government does not understand us and even some of our people, the Igbos, do not equally understand us.

All this while we have been talking about Biafra, we have not used any weapon or applied any force to actualize our dream yet we are being always massacred and most of the time thrown into prisons to rot away. We believe in non violence and also believe that we will be understood. We are being shot like wild animals.
During the raids many died in my presence. They equally came to my home town, Nnewi and launched an attack with about 150 mobile men around 3:15 am and continued shooting till dawn. That was in year 2002 and they arrested me with 23 others and took us to Awka prisons where we spent eight months and two weeks.

They charged us with treasonable felony. I don’t know what they meant by that. But when we went to court, the court asked them what we used as our weapons, they only produced caps, scarfs and flag with the symbols of Biafra . The court did not see anything serious about their claims and we were discharged and acquitted and then we left. We then understood that Nigerian government does not understand the “language” we speak, the government does not understand non-violence as Uwazurike propagates. The only language they understand is violence like the Niger Deltans are doing today.

Igbo saboteurs
We will never give up. But our only problem is our Igbo brothers who sabotaged our effort. It is very painful that some of our Igbo brothers do not recognize our effort.
In other parts of Nigeria it is not like that. Yorubas recognize Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) as a veritable instrument for freedom, the Ijaws recognize the freedom fighters in Niger Delta and government listens to them. It is painful that most Igbos do not recognize MASSOB. May be it is because they are comfortable in Abuja , gathering the crumbs from the table.
But it is now certain, based on what is happening in Nigeria today that time has come for the integral parts of this country to begin to think about freedom. We must be recognized even though there are too many saboteurs in Igbo land and that is why we have Igbo Nigeria and Igbo Biafra. We are seen as second class citizens in our own land and that must stop.
Acting President Jonathan

We are strongly behind Acting President Goodluck Jonathan. He is our own. We are in the same support for Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State . At least Governor Obi has dealt with Abuja connection. Anambra is now free from those Igbos who think they can use Abuja connection to do whatever they like in Anambra and Igbo land as a whole. The Abuja politicians of Igbo extraction never believed that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) will ever govern Anambra State for a second tenure.

So for Jonathan, the cabal is afraid of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Deltans (MEND) which is also agitating for freedom or rather fair share of the national cake. Both of us have things in common, I mean common characteristics because what brings about all these agitations is marginalization or having sectional interest by the leaders of the country. The cabal is not only afraid of MEND, it is also afraid of the MASSOB. If anything happens to Acting President Jonathan today whatever MEND does is what MASSOB will do because Jonathan is our man.

Continued detention of Uwazurike
Chief Uwazurike has been wallowing in detention and it is painful to us that no Igbo man has ever spoken publicly for him to be released. What did Uwazurike do? I’m not commenting so much on the matter because it is in the court but let him be released.
We say that Uwazurike should be released and there should be a call for sovereign National Conference. Nigeria is three major ethnic tribes. We should come together and dialogue for peaceful separation of this country, since Christians and Moslems cannot co-exist. Every day Christians and mainly Igbos are slaughtered in the North like cows. We must not continue like that.
Gaddafi said it and they called for his head.

He was right to have said that: Nigeria should be divided. It is the cabal that kicked against what he said. They are not thinking about the interest of the down trodden.
Why should we be one country when our children are marginalized in employment opportunities, recruitment in the army, and police even in playing in the national team? What shows that we are one country? Our female children have been turned to prostitutes just for them to survive.
Let Acting President Jonathan call for Sovereign National Conference. It is now clear to the Igbos that we will not be allowed to rule this country.


http://nigeriannews.com/

6 shot, 27 arrested at Uwazuruike’s trial
28 April, 2010 02:22:00 EMMA OGU, Owerri
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Anarchy reigned yesterday in Owerri, Imo State capital during the trial of Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), as six persons were shot by the police and 27 arrested.

Teargas and bullets were used by the police to disperse a restive crowd shortly after Uwazuruike was brought to Owerri High Court for trial.

Uwazuruike who is being tried over alleged kidnap of one his former members, was later remanded in Owerri prisons by the trial judge, Hon Justice C.A. Ohakwe. Former Biafran leader and Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu visited him in prison and had a closed-door discussion Uwazuruike for about 17 minutes.

Over 3000 policemen, including men of anti-terrorist police squad were deployed to the streets to contain with tumultuous crowd of MASSOB members and sympathizers who arrived from different parts of the country to pay solidarity to their leader.

Uwazuruike, who spotted a brown-coloured caftan, was brought to the court in a pick up van accompanied by two other vans, loaded with policemen, anti-terrorist squad and prison warders. He was detained at Kuje Prisons, Abuja, before yesterday’s trial.

The atmosphere in Owerri was charged as mobile policemen cordoned off all the entry points leading to the Judiciary premises as well as Okigwe road round about leading to Government House as early as 6.30 am, possibly to ward-off MASSOB activists who were came into the city in droves.

Trouble started when security operatives resorted to releasing teargas and bullets to disperse increasing MASSOB activists who succeeded in beating security check point at Akwakuma junction and were about entering the road to the High Court premises, but were stopped by the operatives manning the axis. The shootings continued even at the entrance of the court premises.

Movement was paralyzed around the area, particularly the Owerri-Orlu road for several hours as people scampered for safety. Several commuters, especially pregnant women coming into the town who were trapped in commercial vehicles were sighted weeping after inhaling the choking police teargas. Many of them were reportedly rushed to nearby hospitals.

Lawyers, workers and visitors in the High Court were not left out as many of them could not enter the premises of the court to do their works in the wake of the chaotic atmosphere. Every one was in tears scampering for safety and using handkerchief to cover his face to ward off the choking effect of the released teargases.

While the anti-terrorist policemen and the regular policemen overzealously harassed passers, even those identified to have genuine business to do in the court. In other parts of the town there was unusual security beef up and the prison premises on Okigwe road was heavily guarded.

Human rights lawyer and defense counsel to the MASSOB leader, Chief Festus Keyamo who was greeted on arrival with teargas had to complain bitterly to the High Court Judge Justice C.A.Uwakwe about his experience and that of other lawyers.

Immediately the presiding judge read his ruling on the bail application filed by Chief Uwazuruike, Keyamo stood up and said: "My lord, I had to bring to your attention my experience in Owerri today. It is unimaginable that the police should be firing teargas even at the premises of the court. Lawyers and litigants were also prevented from entering the premises of the court to do their jobs. Many of them were affected. This is unfair."

Justice Ohakwe who said his attention was drawn to the development on arrival condemned the act.

Meanwhile, wife of the MASSOB leader, Mrs. Ngozi Uwazuruike and thousands of the activists of the movement left home disappointed as Chief Uwazuruike’s bail application was rejected.

The presiding judge adjourned the case to May 5, to enable the Director of Public Prosecution reply the application for bail filed the MASSOB leader.

While Keyamo who spoke to journalists at the premises of the court expressed happiness that the judge fixed the matter on a short date, he said it was unfair for the ministry of justice to keep somebody in the prison only to come to court to ask for a date to reply to earlier application.

Ojukwu who arrived the court premises about 25 minutes after the court had adjourned the matter however, called at the premises of the state police command to inform the commissioner of police Aloysius Okorie of his intention to see Chief Uwazuruike as directed by the prison officials. He came with his wife, Bianca in company of Uwazuruike’s wife, Ngozi.

Shortly after his aides met with the police boss, he was driven to the prison premises. As he disembarked from the car, his wife, Bianca quickly clutched his hand and Ojukwu was apparently impressed burst into laughter and exclaimed: "That is good enough do you want to carry me on your back."

He was only allowed to enter the prison yard with his wife, personal assistant and wife of the detained MASSOB leader.

Ojukwu could not disclose the details of his meeting with Uwazuruike when prodded by journalists. He said: "At my level do you still expect me to divulge my private discussion?"

However, he said he took the pains to come to Owerri from Enugu to see Uwazuruike because he is one man that is worth his commendation. Dim Ojukwu was also happy that Chief Uwazuruike was looking better than what he thought.

"I looked at him, when I saw him, he was looking better than what I thought. I commend the Nigerian Prison authorities for that. Ralph is the only man that is worth my commendation. That was why I took the pains to travel down to Owerri today to witness his trial and see him", he said.

Meanwhile, MASSOB director of information Uchenna Madu alleged that six members of the movement were shot by the police at the Orlu road axis while 27 were arrested at Mbaise road and Port Harcourt road Owerri. Madu came to Rotibi street housing offices of all the national dailies with 67 year old Chief Augustine Dike, Area administrator of MASSOB in Amiri, Oru East LGA who had a fresh bandage on his face and traces of blood all over his body, claimed he was one of those shot by the police at Orlu road.

Both the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Linus Nwaiwu and the Special adviser to Governor Ikedi Ohakim on security, Sir George Egu faulted the claim of assault on the MASSOB members by the operatives and said the presence of the policemen on the streets was to check possible resort to violence by the group.


http://www.champion.com.ng/index.php?news=31547

Nigeria's Favorite Contact Sport Features the Rams vs. the Rams
A Nation Consumed With Daily Squabbles Enjoys Watching Animals Butt HeadsArticle Video Slideshow Comments more in US »Email Print Save This ↓ More
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By WILL CONNORS

Will Connors/The Wall Street Journal

Two rams prepare for a mid-air collision during a fight in Lagos, Nigeria, Africa's largest city.

LAGOS, Nigeria—It was a good day for the Ram Lovers Association of Nigeria one recent Sunday.

The fan favorite, a shaggy golden brown ram named Gobe, won the main event and got his owner a refrigerator and a dousing of gin and soda.

"It's the power of God," said Lalekun Bayewu, Gobe's owner, a 45-year-old machine operator. "Gobe is like my child, I love him so much."


Nigeria holds the 13th edition of the national ram fighting championships. Video courtesy of Reuters.
Despite a few drunken fistfights, and a single errant gunshot, the 13th annual Ram Fighting Championships went off without a hitch. The sizable crowd on hand represented a growing segment of Africa's biggest city: working-class residents with some cash in hand. Mechanics, taxi drivers and factory workers, lifted by a growing economy, have boosted the fortunes of ram fighting. While the rest of Nigeria depends almost wholly on oil, Lagos has a vibrant informal economy that has helped the city post consistent growth rates.

"Things are improving," said the satisfied founder of the Ram Lovers Association, Bashir Agusto.

Ram fighting—which is also popular in Indonesia, China and Algeria—isn't nearly as violent as dog and cock fighting. Little blood is spilled, and the rams don't duel to the death. Fights are usually limited to 50 blows before they are called off, though in the finals the limit is lifted.

Two rams are put in a large dirt ring. There is a judge and there are several referees in Ram Lovers Association T-shirts monitoring the fight. Two rams of the same weight-class are brought to the center of the ring and let go. Then they naturally start butting heads. The bout ends when one ram flees the ring. Sometimes, it's over quickly when it's clear that one ram doesn't want to fight.

On the recent Sunday, few fights went beyond 10 blows, although one lasted 98. Only one ram death has been reported since the tournament began, according to Mr. Agusto, who is also known as the grandfather of ram fighting in Nigeria.

The colliding rams have been a welcome diversion from Nigeria's bickering politicians, fighting between Christians and Muslims and militant attacks on the country's oil infrastructure.

One animal-rights group protested the ram fights briefly but came around when members saw that the regulated fights were better than the unregulated ones going on in the street, Mr. Agusto says.

A Sport for the Hard-Headed
View Slideshow

Will Connors/The Wall Street Journal

Supporters of the ram Gobe, who won the Ram Fighting Championship, celebrated his victory.

More photos and interactive graphics "For rams, it's natural. They like to fight," he says. "I don't like to see blood. I'd probably faint.

While ram fighting has been on the upswing, so has betting. For the animals' owners, the fights can significantly boost their incomes. Owners pay an entry fee of $65 and can win several hundred dollars if their critter wins. Spectators pay a gate fee of 500 naira, around $3. When several dozen young men tried to enter the stadium without paying, a police officer fired a gun in the air to restore order.

Ram owners spend years nurturing their animals, feeding them secret diets heavy on beans and bananas, giving them plenty of exercise (lots of running), and comfortable places to sleep.

Before Sunday's main event, the rams walked slowly onto the National Stadium grounds. They were led by supporters wearing matching shirts and twirling matching umbrellas. Some entrants had their own brass bands.

The announcer read out their names as they entered: Sledgehammer. Peacemaker. Minister. Master. Hercules. One ram, like a baseball player stepping up to bat, had his own entrance music.

Sunday's fan favorite, Gobe, which means "tomorrow" in the northern Nigerian Hausa language, weighed in at 120 kilograms, or 264 pounds, and had the biggest entourage, including a group of children who said they were Gobe's trainers

The Ram Lovers Association spent about $4,000 on the prizes, supported by a few wealthy benefactors and gate fees. Several prizes were put on display: two 100-cc Boxer motorcycles, a handful of 15-inch LG television sets, several electric fans and three refrigerators.

In stands crowded with young men taking sips of local gin and eating beef stew with rice, bets were placed for each fight, ranging from $0.50 to $10. Fights between young men, like the ram fights, broke out periodically.


Captain
The 2008 and 2009 champion ram, Obama of Agege, won its owner, Mr. Agusto, a car in 2008 and a motorcycle last year. But Obama of Agege has retired, so this year the field was open to a new crop of challengers.

One of the first fights, between the rams named Minister and Master, stirred the crowd. "What is going to happen?" the announcer asked the crowd. "Minister, Master. Master, Minister. Ladies and gentleman, who is going to win?"

Minister won after a dozen blows. His owner won a TV set.

In the main event, Gobe versus Captain, the bout was over after four blows, when Captain ran away, defeated.

Mr. Bayewu bought the ram for about $1,000 six years ago. Someone had offered $8,000 for him last year and was turned down. "I could never sell him," Mr. Bayewu says.

Mr. Bayewu says the key to Gobe's success was training: "When I play [soccer], I bring him along. If I do 10 to 20 laps around the pitch before we play, we'll do them together."

Brimming with pride, Mr. Bayewu couldn't resist a bit of trash talk against his opponent's ram, Captain. "Captain is my wife," he said. "It didn't even take five blows to defeat him."

Write to Will Connors at William.Connors@wsj.com

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303695604575182272881529544.html?mod=WSJ_hp_editorsPicks

Will Senator Yerima’s Child Bride Lead Him to Jail?
IHEOMA OBIBI, 04.26.2010

The serious allegations of serial child marriage against Senator Sani Yerima constitute multiple criminal offences and major concern for public health in Nigeria, writes IHEOMA OBIBI


It began as a rumour and, having gathered legs, is now about to become viral. Earlier this month, Sani Yerima, the fifty-something year-old, former two-term Governor of Zamfara State and serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria reportedly took a fourth wife.



Ordinarily, it should be no news that another African man from Nigeria has married a fourth wife. The circumstances of this reported marriage are extraordinary. According to the story, Senator Sani Yerima first divorced his fourth wife, who, after nearly two years of marriage and a baby, is still a teenager and well below voting age in Nigeria. Thereafter, the Senator proceeded to Egypt from where, according to the story, he trafficked into Nigeria a replacement for the vacancy in the seat of the fourth wife, a thirteen year old child.



According to the story, the Nigerian Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, initially declined to issue entry clearance or a visa authorising the movement of the Senator’s child “wife” into Nigeria. Consequently, the Senator is alleged to have arranged for her to go to a neighboring country from where entry clearance into Nigeria was procured. And so it was that for a reported payment alleged to be in the region of $100,000 to the family of the child “wife”, the Senator recently had a wedding Fatiha with his child bride at a Mosque in Abuja in the presence of many of Nigeria’s most powerful men. The “wedding” ceremony only took place in Nigeria because Egyptian authorities reportedly declined to authorise or license such a clear act of child abuse because Egyptian law prohibits it.



In any other country, these allegations would attract urgent rebuttal or repudiation from the Senator as well as urgent investigation by law enforcement, child protection and human trafficking agencies. It would be sufficient, for instance, for the Senator to say that no such event took place or provide proof that the bride involved has reached the statutory age of marriage. So far, mum is the word from Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies while the National Agency for the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has said nothing. On behalf of the Senate, its spokesperson and Chairperson of the Senate Committee was reported last week as having told National Assembly correspondents that the allegations about the “marriage” of Senator Sani Yerima to a 13-year old child is a private matter and not the business of the Senate.



Indeed, this would very much be the case if we had a marriage to speak about. If, however, the facts are as alleged, then this is not any private matter. On the contrary, these facts disclose multiple crimes, including transboundary trafficking of a child for the purpose of having unlawful carnal knowledge of the child and implicit multiple counts of defilement and the Senate must have serious interest in preventing its chambers from providing cover to persons credibly accused or suspected of involvement in serial violations of children.



The main issue in this case is the legality of the alleged marriage. The Child Rights Act (CRA) of 2003 transforms into national law Nigeria’s obligations under both the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. In compliance with the provisions of the latter Charter, the CRA prohibits child marriage, saying explicitly in Section 21 that “No person under the age of 18 years is capable of contracting a valid marriage, and, accordingly, a marriage so contracted is null and void and of no effect whatsoever.” Section 23 goes on to specify that “a person who marries a child, or to whom a child is betrothed, or (who) promotes the marriage of a child, or who betroths a child, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N500, 000; or imprisonment for a term of five years or to both such fine and imprisonment.’’



The meaning of this is quite clear: there can be no marriage to a 13 year old in any place in Nigeria where the CRA is applicable and anyone involved in contracting such a relationship commits a crime. The CRA is very much applicable in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, where the alleged wedding took place.


http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=171870

Corruption can only be fought when death sentence is pronounced on the guilty. Let death by Hanging for any Government official who is found to be currupt. If not we would be westing our time chasing shadows. Death by Hanging for Government officials found guilty by law, u will see all this nonsense of corruption everyday will be stop, And PDP will still rule Nigeria for 60 years abi?, shame to this corrupt country nigeria,

Arrest Ogbulafor now, says Court
Headlines Apr 27, 2010
Federal Government, suo motu, the green light to apply for a warrant to arrest the incumbent Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor and five others, for trial over alleged illegal diversion of N2.3billion belonging to the Federal Government.
By Kingsley Omonobi, Ise-Oluwa Ige & Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA—AN Abuja High Court, sitting in Maitama, yesterday, gave the Federal Government, suo motu, the green light to apply for a warrant to arrest the incumbent Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor and five others, for trial over alleged illegal diversion of N2.3billion belonging to the Federal Government.
The court said the Federal Government could explore the option if it suspected that Ogbulafor and his accomplices were attempting to either abscond or scuttle their arraignment already fixed for May 3, this year.

This was even as Vanguard gathered that Ogbulafor’s lawyer, J. D. Gadzama, SAN, has secured and served a court warrant preventing the police headquarters from arresting the PDP chairman.

The go-ahead to apply for a warrant of arrest came on a day the trial high court judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, formally okayed all the accused persons for trial based on the 16-count charge preferred against them by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.

The four others dragged to court, include a former secretary and member of the National Economic Intelligence Committee, NEIC, Mr. Emeka Ebilah, former Director, Budget Implementation, Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr. Emmanuel C. Bosah, Jude Nwokoro and Henry Ikoh.

Although the schedule of the court was not the arraignment of the accused persons, Ogbulafor and Henry Ikoh had already hired lawyers to formally announce appearances for them.

Ogbulafor alone hired four reputable law firms of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, namely: Chief J. K. Gadzama, SAN, Paul Erokoro, SAN, Amechi Nwaiwu, SAN, and Chukwuma Ekomaro, SAN.

He mandated them to file an application to scuttle the legal move before it got to the level of docking them for the purposes of taking their pleas.

Senior lawyers file application

The senior lawyers filed the application which principal relief was to challenge the competence of the preliminary application filed by ICPC to get the leave of the court to prefer the 16-count charge against them.

If such application by Ogbulafor succeeds, the much awaited arraignment of the big masquerade and his accomplices would not see the light of the day, and this apparently is the reason the ICPC application is fundamental to the trial.

Although Ogbulafor’s lawyers tried to move their application, yesterday, to stop ICPC from prosecuting him and others based on the charge before the court, the trial judge, Justice Bello, silenced them.

The judge specifically ordered spokesperson of the legal team, Chief J. K. Gadzama, SAN, to sit down and desist from pushing the mission.

He said he would not brook what he called such nonsense by stepping down the court’s business of the day for an application which the court was not aware of.

The judge who said Chief Gadzama, SAN, should know better, ordered:
“Mr Gadzama, please sit down! You are a SAN and should know better, the business of the day is to hear the application filed by the prosecution, which I already slated for today and I am going ahead to hear it.

“You have just filed your own application. And I have not even seen it. Why don’t you save your energy. I cannot hear it today. So, please, sit down.”

As soon as the oral motion to persuade the judge to take Ogbulafor’s application first was shot down by the judge, the court motioned to the prosecution to move its own application.

In a matter of few minutes, the lead counsel to ICPC, Mr. Paul Ahmed Bassi, moved the application for leave to prefer the charge against the accused persons.

He said that apart from a copy of the charge already filed, the ICPC had supplied names and addresses of seven witnesses, proof of evidence and a number of exhibits with capacity to nail Ogbulafor and his alleged accomplices.

ICPC submits documents

The witnesses who were willing to testify against the accused persons include Basil Momodu, Steven Pimor both of the ICPC; Emmanuel Okocha resident in Lagos, a NEIC representative, a manager and official of Zenith Bank, Lagos, representatives of defunct Owena Bank Plc, Lagos and another manager and, official of Zenith Bank Head Office.

Also yesterday, ICPC said it had submitted documents to nail all the accused persons including the alleged confessional statement of the accused persons, evidence of refunds made to the Federal Government by the accused persons and NEIC final report showing verification of debts owed by the Federal Government as well as the companies used by the accused persons to defraud the government.

Other exhibits which ICPC asked the court to consider for the purposes of okaying its request to prosecute Ogbulafor and others include bank statements of all the accused persons from Zenith Bank Plc, as successor to Africa International Bank, Wema Bank and all other banks used as they related to the charges.

ICPC said that banks statements of witnesses would also be tendered where necessary, while documents presented to the NEIC by the accused persons in furtherance of the fraud and copies of financial instruments allegedly used in the disbursement of the monies by the Federal Government would also be presented.

Paul Bassi of the ICPC argued that the processes already filed before the court disclosed a strong prima facie case against the accused persons.

He noted that being an exparte application, Ogbulafor’s legal team had no right of reply.
In a short ruling, the trial judge, Justice Bello, said the application had merit and gave the ICPC the go-ahead to dock the accused persons. But he said that since the accused persons were not in court, he would fix a date in May to take their pleas.

His words: “I have carefully considered the motion exparte filed by the prosecution as well as the attached exhibits. The application merits my approval and I hereby fix Monday, 3rd May, 2010, for the arraignment of all the accused persons.

“The evidences against them should be produced on that day for the accused persons to take their plea.
“Section 185 of the CPC provides that when a high court is ready to commence trial, the prosecution will apply for the accused to be produced in court to plead guilty or not guilty to the charge against him.

“Since the prosecution said the accused are not under incarceration, it is trite to order the accused persons to appear on that day. My order is that a copy of the charge be served on each of the accused persons through the prosecution before the adjourned date.

“However, the prosecution is at liberty to apply for an order of arrest if it is convinced that any of them is planning to abscond trial. Ordinarily I would have allowed the plea to be taken on Thursday this week but we have so many cases already.

This is a case that has attracted much public attention, I will ensure that justice is done in time, thus I am going to give this matter an accelerated hearing.”

The anti-graft agency, ICPC, is prosecuting Ogbulafor and four others for allegedly using three fake companies to defraud the government in 2001. Ogbulafor was alleged to have connived with the other accused persons to float three fictitious companies while in office as the Minister of State for Special Duties.

Alleged floating of fake companies

The said ghost companies allegedly floated by them were Henrichiko Nig Ltd, DHL Consultants and Chekwas Industries. ICPC said the three bogus companies were used by the accused persons to siphon N82.6m, N11.5m and N6.2m respectively, in 2001 from the coffers of the Federal Government.

Of the 16-count charge, the PDP Chairman prominently featured in 12 counts.

Specifically, Ogbulafor was accused of abusing his position as the Head of National Economic Intelligence Committee, NEIC.

NEIC, which Ogbulafor headed then was established by the Federal Government to verify debts owed local contractors.
He was alleged to have used his position to okay forged documents presented by contractors as genuine with a view to defrauding the government.

ICPC further alleged that Ogbulafor relied on such forged documents to certify that the three fake companies successfully executed jobs worth N104m.

Ogbulafor was equally alleged to have collected kickbacks of N2m and N28m from the second accused person, Mr. Ebilah, and one Chris Nwoke respectively.
For instance, counts 1, 2, 3 and 4 read:

Count 1: That you Vincent Ogbulafor (M), Emeka Ebilah (M) and Emmanuel Bosah (M) in the month of March 2001, being public officers to wit: Minister in Charge of Special Duties, Secretary, Member of the National Economic Intelligence Committee, NEIC, and Director, Budget Implementation, Federal Ministry of Finance respectively did use your positions to confer corrupt advantage upon yourselves by fraudulently receiving for yourselves through a proxy, Henry Ikoh, the sum of N82,631,03.41 from the Federal Government of Nigeria in the name of a company Henricho Nig. Ltd. as payment for a fictitious contract purportedly executed for the Federal Government of Nigeria and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count 2: That you Vincent Ogbulafor (M), Emeka Ebilah (M) and Emmanuel Bosah (M) in the month of March 2001 or thereabout did conspire to use NEIC contract verification panel to verify a fictitious contract purportedly executed on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria by a company known as Henricho Nig. Ltd. and receive for yourselves the sum of N82, 631, 031as payment for the aforesaid contract and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 26 and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Count 3: That you Vincent Ogbulafor (M), Emeka Ebilah (M) and Emmanuel Bosah (M) in the month of March 2001, being public officers to wit: Minister in Charge of Special Duties, Secretary, Member of the National Economic Intelligence Committee, NEIC, and Director, Budget Implementation, Federal Ministry of Finance respectively did use your positions to confer corrupt advantage upon yourselves by fraudulently receiving from the Federal Republic of Nigeria the sum of N11,519,906.25 through a proxy, Chris Abuajah, in the name of the company, DHL Consultants, as payment for a fictitious contract purportedly executed on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Ogbulafor gets warrant to stop arrest

Following rife insinuations in Abuja, weekend, that law enforcement agencies were poised to arrest Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Vincent Ogbulafor between yesterday and today, in connection with a N4billion fraud, indications have emerged that lawyer to the PDP Chairman, Joe Kyari Gadzama, SAN, has secured and served the Police headquarters, a court warrant preventing them from arresting Prince Ogbulafor.

The warrant was served even as Police sources hinted Vanguard that security agencies at all airports, especially the international airports and borders have been put on the alert to apprehend Chief James Ibori, former Delta State governor should he make any attempt to escape through any of the gateways.

Confirming that they were searching for Ibori in conjunction with the EFCC because of a court warrant ordering the Police to assist the body arrest him, the source, however, expressed doubt about media reports that the former governor has actually fled the country, saying the gimmick cannot fool them.

A senior officer told Vanguard: “We don’t believe Ibori has fled the country as widely speculated. Some said he has run to Dubai, others said to Cameroon. Which airport did he take to these countries or which border did he follow? The truth is that he may be somewhere in the creeks because that is the only area he can run to for now. But how long will he be there, that is the question?”

On the planned arrest of Ogbulafor, Vanguard gathered that the PDP Chairman who is said to be under ICPC investigation for alleged fraud, did not take the insinuation of his arrest lightly hence his recourse to Gadzama, SAN, to go to the court of law to seek protection from such especially when allegations against him were still being investigated by the anti-corruption body.

It was further gathered that when the Police High Command received the court warrant restraining them and other security agencies from arresting the PDP Chairman, the Police expressed surprise that such a warrant should be served them, “since we are not ICPC that is investigating him and we don’t have any case against him.”

PDP yet to receive court order

However, answering questions from journalists, the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali said: “From what we are hearing it has been drawn to our attention, to some broadcast in the media giving an order restraining us from conducting our NEC meeting tomorrow (today) but at the moment as I am talking, about 5:43 p.m., we have been here in the office, if there was any court order we would have gotten it. At the moment we are talking about there is no court order served on us and it is already past the working hours.”

On the question that some people were at the gate to serve the party, Alkali said he was not “a magician to know who was at the gate. What I am talking about is that at the moment no court order has been served on us. If in the event that we are served the national working committee will look at the order and take the appropriate decision.”

When Vanguard called him back at 7.10 p.m to know if the party had been served, the PDP spokesperson still insisted that the party was yet to be served.

http://nigeriannews.com/

Gunmen kill another journalist in Lagos
By Success Nwogu, Published: Monday, 26 Apr 2010



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Edo Ugbagwu


Two unidentified gunmen on Saturday evening shot dead the Judiciary Correspondent of The Nation newspaper, Mr. Edo Sule-Ugbagwu.



His killing came seven months after the former Assistant News Editor of The Guardian, Mr. Bayo Ohu, was killed by unknown gunmen in Lagos.



The armed men were said to have invaded the journalist’s flat located at the rear of the first floor of the one-storey building at 39, Church Street, Shasha, Lagos around 6.30pm.



The journalist’s younger brother, Okloho, told newsmen that he was accosted by the gunmen, who demanded money from him. He said this attracted his brother to the scene.



The late Sule-Ugbagwu, who hailed from Otukpo, Benue State, was said to have asked the gunmen to leave his apartment and they subsequently shot him on the forehead. He was said to have died on the spot and his body has since been deposited at the mortuary of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.



The wife of the deceased was said to have been outside their apartment when the killing occurred, but was stupefied when she later came in to see her husband in a pool of his blood.



Sympathisers and relatives had a hectic time trying to console her but she kept asking the killers of her husband to come and also kill her; as she said she could not live without her late husband.



Okloho said, “Just around 6-6.30pm, I was resting in my room when I heard Edo Ugbagwu call my name. Then, when I got up to go and see him, I walked into the sitting room but did not find him there.



“So, as I was trying to find out whether he was outside that flat or in his room, two armed men rushed in. I think one was with an AK-47 (rifle) and the other one was with a pistol. Then, they ordered me to lie down. They asked, ‘where is the money?’ I said, ‘what money?’ They asked again, ‘where is the money?’ Where is the money?’ Then, while I was telling them that there was no money, Edo opened the door of his bedroom and asked me what was happening.



“Then, I told him that the men were asking me for money.



“Then he shouted at them. He said they should get out of the flat and then there was a commotion; then I heard a gun shot. They killed him. After they shot him, they later told me to go inside the room, they then opened the door and walked out of the house. Then I saw a red Honda car parked on the other side of the road. The men left in it. Edo’s wife was outside the house at the time.”



The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command, Mr. Frank Mba, who spoke to journalists at the journalist’s residence, said it was too early for the police to say what happened or who killed Edo.



He said the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo, had visited the scene of the killing and ordered a full investigation into the matter.



He added that the homicide section of the police command had been at the scene since Saturday night.



Mba said, “It is an unfortunate incident. It will be difficult for me at this stage to give details. We are still gathering information. But one thing I can say is the fact that we have launched a wholesale investigation into the matter.



“The Commissioner of Police was here last night. The Area Commander was here throughout the night. The visit of the commissioner was to underscore the importance we attach to this case. The visit was to underscore our determination to get to the root of this matter and to do so quickly.



”It will be preemptive for me to begin to give details, for now. I would rather crave your indulgence that you give us time so that we can also fast-track our investigation. As soon as we finish our preliminary investigation, we will be able to address you.”



Meanwhile, a statement by the late journalist’s employers said, “The Management of Vintage Press Ltd, publishers of The Nation Newspapers, announces the death of Mr Edo Sule Ugbagwu, our judiciary correspondent.



“Mr. Ugbagwu was killed by unknown gunmen in his residence, No 39, Church Street, Banmeke, Shasha, Lagos, on Saturday, April 24, 2010, at about 7p.m. He was 42.



“He joined the company at inception in 2006. He had a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications and English from the Bayero University Kano. Mr. Ugbagwu is survived by his widow, Mariam, brothers and sisters.



“We condole with them and pray God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss. We urge the police to fish out the perpetrators of this dastardly act. May Mr. Ugbagwu’s soul rest in peace.”



http://punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201004266281885

IBB: What I Forgot in Aso Rock
By Chinedu Eze and Zacheaus Somorin, 04.26.2010

Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, said yesterday that there were certain things he did in office 17 years ago that he wanted to do again by contesting in 2011.

Responding to a question on what he forgot in Aso Rock that he wants to go and pick, he said: “'Seventeen years ago, when I left Aso Rock, I Ieft so many things that I think I should go and bring back. I left for example, the value of Naira, I left, again for example stable price of fuel.

“I also left a whole lot of reforms, and I need to go back and get them back. So there are lot of things that I left behind that I want to go and pick up for the benefit of ordinary Nigerians.”

He also said by accepting responsibility for the annulment of June 12, he has already apologised to Nigerians.
Babangida who has already thrown his hat into the ring for the forthcoming presidential election spoke in an interview with journalists after attending the wedding of the daughter of Globacom Chairman Dr. Mike Adenuga (Jnr).
Reminded that he has been asked to tender public apology over the annulment, he responded: “I want the definition of public apology. I [already] said that I accept full responsibility.”


“Here I am - I conducted the best election and I annulled it. Every president, a leader, must be respected for taking responsibility for anything good or bad. As a leader I accepted it. Every leader makes mistake, I am not an exception,'' he said.
Nigerians have always asked IBB why he annulled the freest and fairest election ever conducted in this country and demanded an apology from him for annulling the election.


Apart from June 12, IBB also said he is conscious of the usual allegations against him, telling journalists that,”You would talk about June 12, you would talk about $12.4 billion, which ''I stole''; they would talk about Dele Giwa; they will always talk about the negative ones.”


Then, he said: “Anybody who is a follower of events in the country with a little common sense would know that the money that accrued to the Federal Government then in eight years was $12.4 billion, and not Gulf oil wind fall.
“Please get the issue correct because windfall is the money you never expected. So the money was the money that accrued to the Federal Government and the money was properly used to meet the demands of the government as at that time. Agreed, there was an interregnum period of Gulf war in Iran. So, there was an additional grant of $1.4 billion. So we did not indict the government of that time, so those issues are matters of opinion, the money should have been sent to the reserves, but I said no, as I don't like keeping money, because there are things I want to do with them, so what do we do? And those projects were itemised, they are there, they are verifiable, you could see it, you could feel it.''


Meanwhile, while fielding questions at the Murtala Muhammed international Airport, Lagos, Babangida condemned the moves by some stalwarts of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called PDP Reform Forum, to remove the party’s chairman, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, asking them to follow due process.


He also spoke against the action of the PDP National Working Committee, which suspended 19 senior stalwarts of the party who are members of the forum for their activities.
The former president said he did not believe in arbitrary removal of party executives, noting that if the party is sincere in what it wants to do, it must have to follow due process.


“The PDP as a party must work by the rules, for I hope that whatever happens among them (the members), they should allow due process to take place. I don’t believe in the changing of chairman for the sake of chairmanship, and taking members out just like that. Due process must be followed in the handling of issues; therefore if some executives were brought in by the national party convention, the only people who could remove them are the convention and not any other arrangement.”
He said as a ruling party, PDP must have to lead by example and should not take arbitrary action, insisting that the party should be democratic and liberal enough to allow views that may be contrary to popular expectations.


http://nigeriannews.com/

Ibori: EFCC may seek Interpol’s help
By Sola Adebayo, Warri, Published: Monday, 26 Apr 2010



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Embattled former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori


INDICATIONS emerged on Sunday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission might engage the International Police to arrest the fleeing former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori.



A reliable source in the commission, who made this known to our correspondent in Warri, explained that the action became imperative following reports that the embattled ex-governor had fled the country.



The source said the management of the anti-graft agency had substituted the regular operatives deployed in Delta State in the wake of the fresh investigation into the leadership of the state by Ibori between 1999 and 2007, with undercover agents to gather information on the present location of the former governor outside the country.



It was learnt that the commission hoped to rely on the intelligence gathering network by the undercover agents to pin Ibori down to a specific country before the INTEPOL would be contacted for assistance.



Speculations were rife that Ibori fled the country after Tuesday’s futile attempt by a combined team of the EFCC and the police to arrest him in his country home in Oghara, Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State.



The team which was led by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Udom Ekpoudom, retreated when it was attacked by armed youths, suspected to be militants.



Some reports had it that Ibori sneaked out of the country on either or Wednesday or Thursday to a neighbouring West African country while others said he was moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he is believed to own a luxury home.



Our source said, “We have the report that the former governor has fled the country to evade arrest by our operatives. There are conflicting reports about the country where he has relocated to. The initial report we have was that he has moved to a West African country.



“But our undercover agents are gathering reports to that effect. The regular operatives of the commission are being withdrawn gradually to pave the way for the undercover agents to do their job.



“The management of the EFCC is optimistic that the undercover agents should be able to gather credible intelligence report to ascertain his exact location outside the country.



“Thereafter, we are going to seek the help of the INTERPOL to track him down.”



When contacted on the telephone on Sunday, the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed that the commission was in possession of an intelligence report that Ibori had left Nigeria.



But he added that the agency was exploring all avenues within and outside the country to apprehend him to face justice.



Babafemi said collaboration with the INTERPOL was one of the options to get Ibori back in the country.



“We have the report that former Governor Ibori has ran out of the country and we may likely contact the INTERPOL for assistance to get him arrested,” he added.



Ibori’s latest travail followed a petition to the EFCC by a group, Delta State Leaders, Elders and Stakeholders Forum, led by a former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark.



The DSLESF had in its petition alleged that Ibori sold millions of shares belonging to the Delta State Government and used the proceed to purchase an American oil servicing firm, Wilbros, during his tenure as governor between 1999 and 2007.



Despite the ongoing legal action instituted by the embattled former governor to extricate himself, the commission declared him wanted and launched manhunt for him.



However, our source in the EFCC stated on Sunday that the authorities of the commission had concluded plans to seek the assistance of the INTERPOL whenever the location of the former governor was determined by its undercover agents.



http://punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201004265464445

SSS arrests Asari Dokubo at Seme border
By Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja, Published: Monday, 26 Apr 2010



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Leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujarhedeen Asari Dokubo


A former president of the Ijaw Youths Council and former militant leader in the Niger Delta, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, has been arrested by security operatives at the Nigerian end of the Seme border with Republic of Benin.



Investigations revealed that Dokubo was coming into the country from Cotonou, when operatives of the State Security Service arrested him.



It was gathered that Dokubo was on his way to the country to honour invitations from the leadership of repentant militants in the Niger Delta, in an effort to achieve lasting peace in the region.



Dokubo had disagreed with the Federal Government on the granting of amnesty to ex-militants.



He opposed the use of the term ‘amnesty,’ just as he disagreed with other militant leaders for embracing the programme.



Specifically, Dokubo had said that he was not embracing the amnesty because he had not committed any offence.



Our correspondent gathered that Asari had already completed his entry formalities with the men of the Nigeria Customs Service at the border, and was being attended to by an immigration officer identified as Isah, when he was arrested by operatives of the SSS.



The source could not disclose the reason for Dokubo’s arrest.



It was further learnt that there was a stampede at the border as Dokubo refused to honour the directive of the SSS to alight from his black Prado Jeep with a Benin Republic number.



He was said to have stayed inside the car for over three hours, as the operatives did not try to drag him out.



The source said, “He was coming into the country from Cotonou when they (SSS) stopped him. He has been there for the past three hours. He is still in his car.



“The security agents did not want his car to come into the country. He did not accept amnesty. He said that he did not embrace amnesty, because he did not commit any offence. I think since he left the country, he has been living in Europe.”



A former member of the Ondo State House of Assembly and erstwhile National Public Relations Officer of IYC, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, confirmed the incident on the telephone to our correspondent on Sunday.



Kuku, who is also the secretary of the Committee on Peace and Conflict Resolution in the Niger Delta, said that Dokubo was in the country in response to invitations from key stakeholders in the Niger Delta.



He said, “Well, I can confirm that he is being held by operatives of the SSS at the Seme border.



“He was coming to Nigeria because core stakeholders, who are keen on finding a lasting solution to the issue of restiveness, wanted him to be part of the peace process.



“You know he did not accept amnesty but we believe that everybody should be involved in the drive for permanent peace in the region, to ensure that the peace process is total.”



But when contacted, the SSS denied knowledge of the incident.



Its spokesperson, Mrs. Marylyn Ogar, said, “I don’t have any information on that. I don’t.”



http://punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100426553060

Would you allow your wife to seek greener pasture abroad?
By GIDEON OPARINDE
Sunday, April 25, 2010


•Unah
Photo: Sun News Publishing
Mores Stories on This Section
Akin and his wife Lara are facing a lot of hardship and there seems to be no solution, but he agreed to his younger brother’s suggestion that Lara should travel abroad to meet his wife, so she could try her luck and get something doing. Akin’s younger brother’s wife had been in Australia for eight years.

She works and sends money to her family.
The idea sounds good to Akin and his wife, who already have three kids, the eldest being nine years. She finally left for Australia, stayed at home for almost seven months before she got a job as a cleaner at a sub-way. Well, that would at least put some food on the table.
But as time went on, her boss, who is married and has two kids in Nigeria caught her attention and they started having an affair.

She deserted her family and joined the boss in his four bed-room apartment. She got pregnant, but refused to abort it, in order to gain a stay. All these were not hidden from the husband who, at this time had become rich and has a good job.
But as fate would have it, there was a rift between Lara and her boss and he set her up. Lara was eventually repatriated to Nigeria, leaving her with nothing whatsoever, other than her one- year- old son.
Her in-laws came around to know whose baby he was but at the end of the family meeting she was sent out of the house, and without the sympathy of her children she left behind for six years .
If your wife decides to travel abroad for greener pasture, leaving your kids behind would you allow her?

Unah

Travelling abroad is a good thing and good idea, but what is the purpose?
For my wife to travel abroad and leave the children for me alone to cater for is uncalled for and abnormal.
If her job requires her to travel abroad on a course, they would have been aware she is married, therefore the duration would be short. But for her to travel in search of greener pasture is not wise . A man alone cannot take care of the children and the home. Proverbs. 22:6 says “Whatever God has joined together, let nothing whatsoever, be it distance, purpose put asunder.
My wife has a role to play in the home, if she is absent, the vacuum is felt and it is a great disaster for the home.
We together can make it in life, not necessarily travelling overseas.
Let us be aware that a home without a wife/mother is incomplete and there are more dangers threatening such homes.
Proverbs. 31:10-31 says “A good wife is always with her family…”. The word of God also points out that “…a wise woman builds her home but the foolish pulls hers down with her own hands”. We should not allow anything to destroy our homes.
For this cause shall a man leave (detach) himself from his parents and cleave to his wife and the two shall become one. Gen. 2:24. Psalm 127:3 says “Children are the reward of this union”

Dimgba

Kai, I won’t allow her, even if it is just for a month. Who would stay and watch over my children when I am not home? I hope not a house help?
Even if her mother comes, I still would not allow her to go. A day without her in my home, she is gone.

Samson

Well, it is very okay, but things can never be the same if she goes there, leaving her family behind. For example, after a long time, she would not have feelings for the children anymore and neither for the husband . By so doing, she starts living immoral life, going after men, or later remarries and forgets those she left behind.

Alao

I do not buy the idea of traveling abroad before one can be employed comfortably or in the search of a greener pasture. Since we have children here in Nigeria, who would be the sudden nanny, I or the house girl? She can proceed , if she does not want to be my wife anymore. As far as I am concerned, my wife will stay with me here in Nigeria where God lives and we shall make it together as one family.

Okoosi

Not at all negotiable, as long as the children are minors.
Together we need to instill discipline in these children; they need parental care and one of us alone cannot be up to the task.
But she can be allowed to go anywhere she wants when the children are all grown or married.

Obina

Why not? It is possible she ravels abroad. As I raise my hands to bid her good bye at the airport, she should know that the relationship ends there . In other words, at the moment she leaves, another lady would accompany me home to take her place as the new wife. I married in my late twenties to check-mate my libido, and an opposite sex has to quench the urge, because Macbeth cannot be murdered twice.

Ojuolape

Yes, why not? This reminds me of a Bible reference which says “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favour from God.” Understanding, trust, honesty keep the family going, but immediately these are lacking, the family crumbles. Allowing my wife to travel abroad is not any issue as I see it, though many people’s imagination is whether their wives would start messing around, as soon as she gets there or not. Would they cope without sex, which is another question people ask.
For me, I would allow her travel because it is for the betterment of the family.

Oneh

It is for sure not possible. I wonder how desperate people can be all in the name of travelling abroad. Anytime away from home, you are given second class treatment, despite the struggle for raising the fare.
It is so unfortunate that majority of our people abroad refused to return to the country in order to cover their shame. Many of them are suffering and cannot afford to feed thrice daily, but prefer to be called and seen as Londoners, Americana and the like.

Many of them unfortunately are street cleaners, house-helps, morgue attendants, drivers while those who cannot try harder go into prostitution while their husbands are here thinking they are living fine and would send some money home.

No matter how hard things are in this country, you are always a bonafide citizen, rather than trying to change your nationality and pay taxes on every little income that comes your way and without having any savings.





http://nigeriannews.com/

Nigeria: Federal Government to Stop Funding Medical Treatment Abroad
Ruby Leo
23 April 2010

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Federal Government will no longer be interested in funding medical trips for its officials abroad, Acting President Goodluck Jonathan has said.

Jonathan said the funds used for such trips have led to loss of the nation's scarce foreign exchange through unbearably rampant trips abroad seeking medical care by teaming Nigerians.

He said the money will be channeled to developing tertiary hospitals to international standards.

Jonathan, who was represented by Minister of state for Health Alhaji Suleiman Bello, was speaking at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Medical Association. "This scenario is no longer acceptable to government and plans are underway in this year's budget to ensure that some designated tertiary health institutions spread across the country upgraded to world class standard," he added.

Jonathan also appealed to the highly skilled health professionals abroad to come home to contribute their quota to development of health system.

"We need their expertise and partnership proposal on health care development framework that will bring the much needed value addition on our health systems," Jonathan added.

President of NMA Dr Prosper Igboeli said doctors must endeavor to change their attitude towards patient, adding that "There is a great need also to restructure our primary, secondary and tertiary levels of care."

We commend the U.S Government for rescinding on their earlier decision to put Nigeria on the Terror list. Please let every Nigerian traveling out of the country try to represent us as a good ambassador. thanks

wowww ooo ibori is ready for efcc & co, he is untouchableble just like the rest of other looters, dead or alive hahaaaahaa, please give me a breake, our security forces can't arest just one man? shame. nigeria is a sorry state.

look at ibori in action shoot & kill

US Unveils New $100 Note
By Emele Onu and Zacheaus Somorin, 04.23.2010

ECONOMY

The United States Consulate has unveiled the redesigned $100 note to Nigerian users of the foreign currency at a ceremony in Lagos yesterday.

The US Consul General, Public Affairs Section in Lagos, Ms Dunna Blair said the unveiling of the currency is part of the public sanitisation programme on the new note as executed all over the world, adding that the essence is to get people familiar with the features of the note before it is put to circulation on February 10, 2011.

The note had earlier been unveiled in the United States by the US Department of Treasury, the Federal Reserve Board and the United States Secret Service.

Blair said at the unveiling ceremony in Lagos that the currency is completely designed with advanced technology for the purpose of combating counterfeiting, with the retention of its traditional look.

“The new redesigned $100 note includes two new advanced counterfeit –deterrent security features, in addition to effective security features from the previous design which are easy for consumers and merchants to check when verifying authenticity”, she said.

According to the United States Government, the blue 3-D Security Ribbon on the front of the new $100 note contains images of bells and 100s that move and change from one to the other as one tilts the note.
The US Consul General pointed out that the bell in the inkwell on the front of the note is another security feature; likewise the image of the bell which changes colour from copper to green when the note is tilted, an effect she explained makes the note to appear and disappear within copper-coloured inkwell.

‘’As with previous U.S currency redesigns, this note incorporates the best technology available to ensure we are staying ahead of counterfeiters’’ said Secretary of the US Treasury, Tim Geithner.
Blair pointed out that when the new redesigned $100 note is issued on February 10,2011, the approximately 6.5 billion old $100s already in circulation will remain legal tender.

She pointed out however that ‘’US currency users should know they will not have to trade in their old notes when the new notes begin circulate’’.

US Unveils New $100 Note
By Emele Onu and Zacheaus Somorin, 04.23.2010

ECONOMY

The United States Consulate has unveiled the redesigned $100 note to Nigerian users of the foreign currency at a ceremony in Lagos yesterday.

The US Consul General, Public Affairs Section in Lagos, Ms Dunna Blair said the unveiling of the currency is part of the public sanitisation programme on the new note as executed all over the world, adding that the essence is to get people familiar with the features of the note before it is put to circulation on February 10, 2011.

The note had earlier been unveiled in the United States by the US Department of Treasury, the Federal Reserve Board and the United States Secret Service.

Blair said at the unveiling ceremony in Lagos that the currency is completely designed with advanced technology for the purpose of combating counterfeiting, with the retention of its traditional look.

“The new redesigned $100 note includes two new advanced counterfeit –deterrent security features, in addition to effective security features from the previous design which are easy for consumers and merchants to check when verifying authenticity”, she said.

According to the United States Government, the blue 3-D Security Ribbon on the front of the new $100 note contains images of bells and 100s that move and change from one to the other as one tilts the note.
The US Consul General pointed out that the bell in the inkwell on the front of the note is another security feature; likewise the image of the bell which changes colour from copper to green when the note is tilted, an effect she explained makes the note to appear and disappear within copper-coloured inkwell.

‘’As with previous U.S currency redesigns, this note incorporates the best technology available to ensure we are staying ahead of counterfeiters’’ said Secretary of the US Treasury, Tim Geithner.
Blair pointed out that when the new redesigned $100 note is issued on February 10,2011, the approximately 6.5 billion old $100s already in circulation will remain legal tender.

She pointed out however that ‘’US currency users should know they will not have to trade in their old notes when the new notes begin circulate’’.

We'll not endorse past leaders in 2011'



April 23, 2010 01:49AM
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The Arewa Youth Forum (AYF), on Thursday, said it would not support the candidature of past leaders from the north with presidential ambition in 2011.


Addressing a news conference in Lagos, Yerima Shettima, AYF President, advised past leaders to give the younger generation the chance to administer the affairs of the country.

"The North, and indeed Nigeria, has scores of credible and younger people to field in any of the political parties for the 2011 polls.

"We will never endorse them. There are new generation of leaders from across the country that we can endorse," Mr. Shettima said.

According to him, the issue is not where the next president emerges from, but the credibility of the individual and whether he can move the country forward.


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Gunmen kidnap Ezeife’s wife
From NWABUEZE OKONKWO, Onitsha
Friday, April 23, 2010


•Ezeife
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Wednesday evening abducted Onyedi Ezeife, one of the wives of first civilian governor of Anambra, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife.

The hoodlums who operated in two utility vehicles (SUV) arrived Nkwo market, Igbo Ukwu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra and kidnapped Onyedi where she was buying foodstuffs from the market. According to eye witness, the gunmen shot sporadically and scare members of the public, before abducting Mrs. Ezeife, and forced her into the back of one of their jeeps and zoomed off.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka (ASP) also confirmed the incident said the gunmen who operated from Imo State equally killed about four policemen in various places in Anambra state, adding that the police are working round the clock to track down the suspects.

Also, the state deputy commissioner of police, Mr. Oshodi Glover confirmed the incident and identified the suspects as the gang that killed two soldiers and some policemen in Imo State early yesterday, before crossing over to Anambra State.

When contacted, former governor Ezeife told Daily Sun in a telephone chat that the kidnappers were yet to establish contact with either himself or any member of the Ezeife family as at the time of filing this report yesterday evening. He however noted that the people were ignorant of the fact that himself and any member of the Ezeife family had no money to pay for any ransom they might demand,

According to him “do they think I have money to pay for any ransom, I pray they will release her without harm. They should know I don’t have money for any ransom

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/apr/23/national-23-04-2010-009.htm

US de-lists Nigeria, 13 others from terror watch list
By Oyetunji Abioye, Published: Friday, 23 Apr 2010



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Abdulmutallab


The United States has de-listed Nigeria and 13 other nations from its list of terrorist countries, which it came up with earlier this year, following a botched attempt by a Nigerian, Farouk Abdulmutallab, to blow up an American airliner over Detroit last Christmas Day.



The US had come up with a list of 14 countries whose citizens must compulsorily pass through enhanced screening at American borders before being allowed entry. Among the countries were Algeria, Syria, Afghanistan, Libya, Nigeria, Yemen and Pakistan.



Nine of the countries, including Nigeria, were categorised by the US as ”countries of interest,” while six were considered as state-sponsors of terrorism.



Countries all over the world, including Nigeria, had reacted to US blacklist of the 14 countries, accusing the White House of not being fair.



However, a report by the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren, following the visit of the US Secretary of Department of Homeland Security, Ms Janet Napolitano, to Nigeria about two weeks ago, revealed that Nigeria and the 13 other nations had been de-listed from the watch list.



A copy of the report, which was made available to our correspondent on Thursday, stated that the US had withdrawn the watch list and had come up with a more formidable strategy to tackle threats in aviation security discovered after the failed Christmas Day bombing.



Quoting Napolitano, the NCAA‘s report said, ”Last week, we also announced additional security enhancements that include using intelligence-based targeting to identify potentially threatening individuals before they are allowed to board the aircraft. These enhancements permitted us to withdraw the 14-country screening protocol put in place immediately after Christmas.



”These new, more risk-based security protocols, tailored to reflect the most current information available to the US government, will apply to all passengers travelling to the United States.”



The report, which according to aviation sources, had been presented to the Federal Executive Council, was the outcome of a global aviation safety security forum held in Abuja between April 11 and 13, 2010.



The African regional meeting was attended by ministers in charge of civil aviation in 34 African countries, four non-African countries (Canada, United Kingdom, USA and France), and three international organisations, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, International Air Transport Association and Airport Council International.



The purpose of the conference, according to the report, was to consider recent developments affecting civil aviation worldwide.



The report further quoted Napolitano as saying that the US was ready to work with countries, noting, ”moving forward, we must work together to understand and identify the threat; interdict the threat, and finally learn and share the lessons from that (Abdulmutallab‘s) experience ‘areas.‘”


http://punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100423238581

Faith in God: Africans among world’s most religious people – Study
By Olabisi Deji-Folutile, Published: Friday, 23 Apr 2010



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Secretary-General, NSCIA, Alha


A new study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has grouped Africa among the most religious places in the world. According to the Cable Network News, the study shows that at least half of all Christians in sub-Saharan Africa believe Jesus will return to Earth in their lifetime.



The study, conducted in Washington, notes that it is not only Christians in Africa who express their religion passionately, either. It says nearly one in three Muslims in the region expects to see the re-establishment of the caliphate -- Islam‘s golden age -- before they die.



The study, ”Tolerance and Tension: Islam and Christianity in Sub-Saharan Africa,” is based on more than 25,000 face-to-face interviews in more than 60 languages in 19 countries.



The countries in the survey, according to the study authors, are collectively home to 75 per cent of the total population of sub-Saharan Africa, which are about 820 million people.



According to the report, at least three out of 10 people across much of Africa said they have experienced divine healing, seen the devil being driven out of a person or received a direct revelation from God. ”In many countries across the continent, roughly nine in 10 people say religion is very important in their lives,” the study found.



The report notes that the study puts even the least religious countries in Africa ahead of the United States, which is among the most religious of advanced industrial countries.



For example, only one in five American Christians said they expected to see Jesus return to Earth in their lifetime -- far lower than the African result of more than half -- according to a 2006 Pew survey, which asked a slightly different question.



The Pew Forum also studied how Christians and Muslims feel about each other in a region that has seen religious violence between the two communities, as well as the first spectacular al Qaeda attacks on American targets, the bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.



According to the study authors, the survey shows that Muslims have a significantly more positive view of Christians than Christians do of Muslims.



The study finds that 43 per cent of Christians across the region see Muslims as violent, while 20 per cent of Muslims see Christians as violent.



Making reference to Nigeria, the study also notes that hundreds of people from both faiths have died in violence between Christians and Muslims in the country in the past decade.



Two religions are officially recognised in Nigeria. These are Islam and Christianity. But other religions like the African traditional religion are freely practised in the country because Nigeria‘s constitution guarantees freedom of religion.



The study notes that Nigeria is almost evenly split between the two main religions, and some experts see it as the fault line between largely Christian Southern Nigeria and predominantly Muslim North Nigeria.



Nigeria is the most populous country in the region. It has the sixth largest Muslim population in the world, according to an October 2009 Pew Forum report.



There is some dispute about whether the violence in Nigeria is truly caused by religious differences or stems from struggles over land, resources or tribal or ethnic identity.



Across the 19 countries in the survey, Christians and Muslims both associated positive traits with the other religion.



Muslims see Christians as tolerant, honest and respectful of women; Christians say Muslims are honest, devout and respectful of women.



Many people also said they were more worried by extremists of their own religion than by the other.



Muslims said they were more concerned about Muslim extremism than Christian extremism, and Christians in four countries said they were more concerned about Christian extremism than about Muslim extremism, the report said.



People who said violence against civilians in defence of one‘s religion is rarely or never justified vastly outnumber those who said it is sometimes or often justified.



But substantial minorities in many countries said it was sometimes or often justified, the Pew Forum found. It does not have comparable data for other parts of the world, spokesman Robert Mills said.



Most people across the subcontinent said they do not know much about the other religion. Both religions have grown exponentially in Africa in the last century.



There are approximately 234 million Muslims in sub-Saharan Africa today, up from 11 million in 1900. There are about 470 million Christians, up from 7 million in 1900, according to the study authors.



Including predominantly Muslim North Africa, there about 400 to 500 million members of each religion on the continent as a whole, the report said.



The growth of the two religions leaves only about one in 10 people in sub-Saharan African who are neither Muslim nor Christian, the study found. That implies growth cannot continue at the same rate, because there is little evidence of people switching from one faith to the other.



Sub-Saharan Africa is about 30 per cent Muslim, according to the October 2009 Pew report; the comparable study for Christians is not yet complete.



The growth of monotheism has not stamped out older practices, the new study found.



”About a quarter believe sacrifices to spirits or ancestors can protect them from bad things happening. Sizable percentages believe in charms or amulets, many consult traditional religious healers and sizable minorities keep sacred objects such as animal skins and skills in their homes,” the study authors said.



Mixing elements of older religions with Christianity doesn‘t happen only in Africa, said Pew researcher Gregory Smith.



In the United States, 29 per cent of Catholics and 21 per cent of Protestants believe in astrology, and similar numbers believe in reincarnation, a Pew study published in December found.



Many Africans also managed to hold two conflicting beliefs on another subject as well: Majorities in both religions support democracy, but at least one in three people in both religions also support making the Bible or Sharia the law of the land.



Reacting to the study, Revd Father Mathew Afolayan of St. John Catholic Church, Ilorin, Kwara State, admitted that Africans were religious in all aspects of their lives. According to him, ”Africans are religious. This, he said, reflects in their food and ways of life, noting that even farmers add religious dimensions to what they do.



”Nigerians particularly are close to God because of the challenges confronting them now. People go to vigil and attend crusades to seek the face of God in the hope of finding solutions to their problems,” he said.



But he said many people were serving God because of economic factors, adding, ”everybody is trying to serve God. If things improve you will see that there will be a reduction in the number of those attending churches.



”Nigerians are very religious, even the Muslims; it applies to us all. That is why churches are growing. People are looking for employment, looking for what to eat. This type of religion is not real and by the time things improve, that is when we‘ll see who is religious.



But, the Chief Missioner, Ansaru Deen Society of Nigeria, Alhaji Abdulrahman Ahmad, said it was a mere assertion that Nigerians were very religious people. According to him, a distinction ought to be made between religious expression and religious experience. ”In terms of religious expression, Nigerians are a seemingly highly religious people to the extent that they go to churches, mosques and shrines but in terms of religious experience they are almost irreligious.‘‘



He queried the intrinsic value of religious conviction that failed to translate into moral robustness and discipline.



”All religions preach faith, morality and love and unless our religious communities are in the vanguard of moral rejuvenation and a spiritual rebirth, their claim to religion, to faith and to being standard bearers of all that is good and Godly cannot stand,” he said.



http://punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201004233254767

wake up - BBC may have a different view for broadcasting this documentary “Welcome to Lagos”, but this should serve as a catalyst, driver and encouragement to positiveness, if our government has shame. The reactions should be tailored towards PRACTICAL CHANGE of attitude, character, institution and environment simply would respond to the changes

Jonathan gives power committee 30-day ultimatum
Cover Stories, Headlines Apr 21, 2010

By Daniel Idonor
ABUJA—POISED to make maximum impact in tackling the nation’s moribund power sector within the next one year, Acting President Goodluck Jonathan, Wednessday, issued a 30-day ultimatum to the presidential committee headed by him to roll out a workable blueprint for the sector.

Jonathan had inaugurated a new cabinet three weeks ago and allocated the power ministry to himself for the purpose of ensuring that his promises to Nigerians in this regard are kept. He appointed and returned the former Minister of State in the ministry, Nuhu Wya to work with him.

Fielding questions from State House Correspondents, moments after a crucial meeting of stakeholders in the industry, after the weekly meeting of the Executive Council of the Federation, EXCOF, Mr. Wya said the expected work plan was being fine-tuned and within the next 30 days the document would be made available to the Nigerian public.

Final documentation

He said:“The meeting was essentially convened by the Acting President with all the stakeholders that would make things happen in the power sector and it was generally agreed that all hands should be on deck to move the power sector forward.

“The final documentation of the programme and the vision are being worked out and it will be announced to Nigerians. Within the period of 30days everything will be made public.”

Wya added that the difference here was that “it is under the directive eyes of the Acting President and it is everybody that is involved in moving the power sector forward.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN is there, Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, Bureau of Public Enterprise, BPE, Ministry of Finance, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and a number of agencies were there.

“The issue of gas that we have been talking, we are going to discuss it centrally. We are discussing security of the pipelines and other things. So the difference here is that everybody involved in value chain, from fuel to distribution of power are put on the same table under the watchful eyes of the Acting President.

“Well I said 30 days because I am talking to journalists and I don’t want to be held by my words. I am not the chairman of this committee, the Acting President is the chairman and he is the one to unfold this plan.”

Speaking further he said “I know that it will be done sooner than the 30 days and already actions are being taking and we have got clear instructions to start some action, but like I said, the Acting President is going to unfold the blue print.”

http://nigeriannews.com/

FG protests BBC documentary on Lagos
By AGENCY REPORTER, Published: Thursday, 22 Apr 2010



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The Lagos State Governor, Mr.


The Federal Government on Wednesday protested against a documentary on Lagos aired by the British Broadcasting Corporation, which portrayed the city as a slum.



The documentary entitled, “Welcome to Lagos,” was broadcast on BBC2 in the United Kingdom on April 15.



Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, conveyed the protest to the BBC just as Nigerians resident in Chicago, United States, advised the government to do more to change the negative perception of Nigeria in the foreign media.



A protest letter by Tafida was sent to the Controller BBC2, Ms. Janice Hadlow, in Glasgow.



A copy of the letter, which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria, reads, “The Nigeria High Commission has watched with dismay and disappointment, the first of the three-part series of your sinister documentary on Lagos which featured on April 15.



“The commission would therefore like to register its strong rejection of this documentary as a deliberate distortion of life in Lagos, and totally unwarranted.”



Tafida also said that the documentary was an attempt to bring Nigeria and its hardworking people to international odium and scorn.



He noted that the High Commission could not comprehend the motives behind the documentary, especially at a time when Nigeria was celebrating the Golden Jubilee of its independence from the British Government.



“Even by your own admission and standards, you have only succeeded in assaulting your viewers with upsetting scenes, that fail to reflect the true and complete story of life in Lagos,” the envoy added.



Tafida, who noted that sites of slums and ghettos were global phenomena, argued that “even in London, it is not uncommon to see people (not Nigerians) scavenge dustbins in search of food and other valuables.‘‘



Tafida stated that by not airing other aspects of life in the city, the BBC demonstrated a lack of balance and fairness.



He said, “What is more galling and most disconcerting is your refusal to document the excellent performance of the incumbent governor of the state.



“Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State is widely acknowledged to be doing his utmost to address the challenges in the state.‘‘



Tafida pointed out that for a television station that prides itself of wider coverage and credibility, one expected a greater demonstration of professionalism.



When our correspondent contacted the BBC reporter in Lagos, Mr. Umar Elleman, he said that he had no right to reply to such an enquiry on the documentary.



“The BBC has a policy. A reporter has no right to reply on behalf of the organisation,” he said.



Elleman advised our correspondent to direct the enquiry to his email address so that he could forward it to the London office of the BBC for a reply tomorrow.



Meanwhile, Nigerians in Chicago have urged the government to promote a positive image of Nigeria in the US to change the wrong perception of the nation in foreign media.



They said at a US-Nigeria Business Forum, that the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications needed to embark on a more aggressive promotion of Nigeria’s image abroad.



According to them, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as well the Ministry of Information and Communications should have been part of the business delegation led by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye, to the US.



The President, Continental Africa Chamber of Commerce in the US, Mr. Ademola Dada, said the forum would help to counter the negative perception of Nigeria created by the foreign media.



“We have to promote many face-to-face meetings like this continually since we cannot influence bad news about Nigeria,” Dada said.



The Managing Director of Air Cargo and Travel Agency, Chicago, Dr. Wale Ajifolokun, told NAN that Nigeria had to boost its ego and write its story.



“If you wait for people to write it for you, they will do that from their own perspectives, which may be wrong,’’ he said.



Ajifolokun said apart from the infrastructural challenges and insecurity, the bad image of the country had been chasing away investors from Nigeria.



An exporter, Dr. Adetunji Oyedele, called on the government to address the problems of insecurity and kidnapping in the country.



He expressed surprise that the ministries of Information and Communication as well as Tourism and Culture were not part of the delegation.



He lamented that the government had not made concerted effort to sell Nigeria to the whole world, saying that the only time “they (foreign media) got to know about us is when something bad happens.”



“If you go to the tourism department in the US, Nigeria is not one of the countries which they have information on,’’ he said.



A business consultant, Chief David Olupitan, said the forum would go a long way to correct some of the wrong perceptions about Nigeria.



He called on Nigerians to come to the US to promote their products through direct advertisements and business meetings.



“Nobody can speak well of you than yourself. We need to start talking and shouting about ourselves and what we are doing,’’ Olupitan said.



http://punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20100422311576

Nigerian governors approve execution of convicted prisoners
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Facebook Twitter Delicious Digg Fark Newsvine Reddit StumbleUpon Technorati Yahoo! Bookmarks Print AFP/File – Prison warders guard arrested inmates in Lagos in 2005. Nigeria's state governors have backed the … by Beatrice Khadige Beatrice Khadige – 23 mins ago
LAGOS (AFP) – Nigeria's state governors have backed the execution of more than 300 prisoners on death row to clear space in the overcrowded jails of Africa's most populous country.

"It was agreed that those people who have been condemned should be executed accordingly," said Theodore Orji, governor of the southeastern state of Abia, after a meeting of the 36 state governors in Abuja late Tuesday.

A total of 330 prisoners are on death row in a country where capital punishment remains on the statutes despite rarely being implemented.

The last official execution dates from 2002, but Amnesty International, which campaigns against the death penalty, said it has found evidence of ongoing secret executions in prisons.

The governors, who have the power to sign execution orders, said also that 80 percent of Nigeria's prison population is awaiting trial and efforts should be made to "leave go" those serving lengthy remands, according to Orji.

Koyode Odeyemi of the Nigerian Prisones Service told AFP that 36,000 of the 40,106 inmates are awaiting trial.

Human rights activist Chidi Odinkalu of the Open Society Justice Initiative said that instead of clearing a death-row backlog, the governors should probe the methods used by the police to tackle crime.

"There is a major problem in Nigeria with the death penalty pending. The police cannot investigate adequately. The only way of investigation the police has is torture followed by confession," said Odinkalu, a lawyer.

"That is why the governors cannot in conscience sign the death warrants," he said.

In an incident that highlighted the problem late Tuesday, two inmates were killed and 41 others, including two warders, were injured in a riot at an overcrowded jail in northern Nigeria.

The prison in Kaduna was designed to hold 524 prisoners but with a population of 790, according to the head of the Nigeria Prisons Service, Olusola Ogundipe. He said 530 of these are awaiting trial.

He said delays in prosecution and congestion in the facility were to blame for the riot.

Human rights groups said some of the prisoners have been awaiting trial for 10 years.

United Nations special rapporteur on torture Manfred Nowak on Tuesday called for the immediate release of 20,000 prisoners in Nigeria "since most had already exceeded the maximum penalty possible in relation to the crime they were suspected of committing."

Speaking at a crime prevention and social justice conference in Brazil, Nowak -- who has visited Nigeria several times -- said that "in far too many countries, pretrial detention, serves as a type of preliminary punishment for all criminal suspects who lack sufficient money to bribe corrupt police or prison officials, judges and prosecutor."

"The decision by the governors is unfortunate because those awaiting execution or trial are not responsible for prison congestion," said Lagos human rights lawyer Festus Keyamo. "Those on death row should have their sentences commuted."

"Under our law, the governors have prerogative of mercy to commute death sentences to life imprisonment. This is what the governors should do rather than to call for execution of those on the death row," Keyamo said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100421/wl_africa_afp/nigeriaprisonjusticeexecutions?

Nigerian governors approve execution of convicted prisoners
Buzz up!0 votes Send
Email IM Share
Facebook Twitter Delicious Digg Fark Newsvine Reddit StumbleUpon Technorati Yahoo! Bookmarks Print AFP/File – Prison warders guard arrested inmates in Lagos in 2005. Nigeria's state governors have backed the … by Beatrice Khadige Beatrice Khadige – 23 mins ago
LAGOS (AFP) – Nigeria's state governors have backed the execution of more than 300 prisoners on death row to clear space in the overcrowded jails of Africa's most populous country.

"It was agreed that those people who have been condemned should be executed accordingly," said Theodore Orji, governor of the southeastern state of Abia, after a meeting of the 36 state governors in Abuja late Tuesday.

A total of 330 prisoners are on death row in a country where capital punishment remains on the statutes despite rarely being implemented.

The last official execution dates from 2002, but Amnesty International, which campaigns against the death penalty, said it has found evidence of ongoing secret executions in prisons.

The governors, who have the power to sign execution orders, said also that 80 percent of Nigeria's prison population is awaiting trial and efforts should be made to "leave go" those serving lengthy remands, according to Orji.

Koyode Odeyemi of the Nigerian Prisones Service told AFP that 36,000 of the 40,106 inmates are awaiting trial.

Human rights activist Chidi Odinkalu of the Open Society Justice Initiative said that instead of clearing a death-row backlog, the governors should probe the methods used by the police to tackle crime.

"There is a major problem in Nigeria with the death penalty pending. The police cannot investigate adequately. The only way of investigation the police has is torture followed by confession," said Odinkalu, a lawyer.

"That is why the governors cannot in conscience sign the death warrants," he said.

In an incident that highlighted the problem late Tuesday, two inmates were killed and 41 others, including two warders, were injured in a riot at an overcrowded jail in northern Nigeria.

The prison in Kaduna was designed to hold 524 prisoners but with a population of 790, according to the head of the Nigeria Prisons Service, Olusola Ogundipe. He said 530 of these are awaiting trial.

He said delays in prosecution and congestion in the facility were to blame for the riot.

Human rights groups said some of the prisoners have been awaiting trial for 10 years.

United Nations special rapporteur on torture Manfred Nowak on Tuesday called for the immediate release of 20,000 prisoners in Nigeria "since most had already exceeded the maximum penalty possible in relation to the crime they were suspected of committing."

Speaking at a crime prevention and social justice conference in Brazil, Nowak -- who has visited Nigeria several times -- said that "in far too many countries, pretrial detention, serves as a type of preliminary punishment for all criminal suspects who lack sufficient money to bribe corrupt police or prison officials, judges and prosecutor."

"The decision by the governors is unfortunate because those awaiting execution or trial are not responsible for prison congestion," said Lagos human rights lawyer Festus Keyamo. "Those on death row should have their sentences commuted."

"Under our law, the governors have prerogative of mercy to commute death sentences to life imprisonment. This is what the governors should do rather than to call for execution of those on the death row," Keyamo said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100421/wl_africa_afp/nigeriaprisonjusticeexecutions?

Jonathan appeals to lawmakers to pass anti-corruption law

By Ini Ekott


April 21, 2010 01:58AM
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The Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan, has urged the National Assembly to quicken its delivery of two key executive-sponsored legislations, namely: the anti-corruption bill and the anti-terrorism bill, which are expected to help turn around his brief administration.

In a fresh correspondence with the Senate and the House of Representatives, Mr. Jonathan expressed his concern that the two bills be passed into law before the end of June.

“Given this administration’s commitment to combat corruption and terror and boost the country’s economic development, a blacklisting by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will no doubt seriously hamper these laudable efforts,” the acting president wrote in a letter read yesterday in the House of Representatives. The letter is dated April 8, 2010, a few days before he travelled to the United States of America where he made renewed commitments to combat the two issues. “Mr. Speaker and the respected Honourable members of the Federal House of Representatives are therefore, kindly requested to ensure the passage of the two bills into law before the end of June, 2010,” Mr. Jonathan concluded.

The two bills were introduced at the National Assembly in 2009 and have both reached the committee stage after passing the second reading.

Getting back on track

Mr. Jonathan recalled that in October 2009, ailing President Umaru Yar’Adua constituted a Presidential Inter-Ministerial/Agency Committee to engage the global task force and review Nigeria’s deficiencies in tackling money laundering and possible funding of terrorist activities. The engagement, according to the acting president, observed a lack of comprehensive anti-terrorism laws in the nation, as well as an absence of the FATF’s recommended standard provisions in the existing anti-money laundering law.

At its last meeting with the FATF in Bahrain in February this year, Nigeria promised to address the issues raised before June 30 2010 through the passage of the two legislations currently at the National Assembly. Mr. Jonathan noted that this was not the nation’s first attempt at complying with the FATF’s strictures. An earlier promise by Mr. Yar’Adua had assured the bills would be ready before the end of 2009.

Close to deadline

With about two months to the deadline, the acting president told the lawmakers that if Nigeria defaulted on its latest vow, it could be blacklisted again by the FATF and face potentially stifling economic consequences. “It will frustrate and hamper legitimate international financial transactions flowing from Nigeria. Some countries will not honour international financial instruments emanating from Nigeria, including letters of credit,” the acting president explained. “International investors will be scared to invest in Nigeria, and those willing to do so will request for the most stringent conditions. Nigeria’s international image will be highly dented as a country without the political will to cooperate in the global war on terror.”


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http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5557754-146/jonathan_appeals_to_lawmakers_to_pass.csp

proof that the man ibori is now a gangster, he don turn to osama bin laden now, james bond please show yourself

For peace to reign, Jonathan must run in 2011
By EMERSON GOBERT, JR.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010


•Elder Asu Beks
Photo: Sun News Publishing
More Stories on this Section
Those who threw banters at Libyan leader, Maummar Ghadaffi, describing him as mad for recommending that Nigeria be split may be in for another shocker coming from within. In a review of the state of the nation, a veteran journalist and Niger Delta activist, Elder Asu Beks defended Ghadaffi’s call describing him as the famous seer, Nostradamus and said that Nigeria should be divided into four for peace to reign.

In a very robust tackle, the president of Ijaw Media Forum berated the north for Nigeria’s woes because of bad leadership. “We are where we are today because of the rudderless leaders we have had from the North,” he said, adding that the North has recycled their leaders to the extent that nobody else exists hence their consideration of former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida for 2011.

He condemned the political imbalance between the North and the South and the opposition to a Goodluck Jonathan presidency. Describing Acting President Jonathan, as the beautiful bride for 2011 as far as the presidency is concerned, Beks said if the PDP insists on not fielding him then Jonathan has the power and the right to fly the flag of another party.

However, he said he was being cautious in his current position because surprises may spring up any moment.
Excerpts:
How do you see the process that produced Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President of Nigeria?
Well, the process is flawed because it didn’t follow laid down constitutional process but given the situation that we had at that time, it was just the only alternative to save the soldiers from moving in and so what is now left is for us to fine tune that process to convert him from an Acting President to a full-fledged president.

When you say “fine tune”, what exactly do you mean?
We are expecting that the new Federal Executive Council or Excoff (Executive council of the federation) will start the process of invoking the relevant sections of the constitution and since it is very obvious that Mr. President is incapacitated, in fact, since they smuggled him into the country, even the Acting President has not seen him. That shows clearly that the man is incapacitated. That is enough so that we can move forward because the way it looks now, the Acting President still doesn’t seem to have all the powers that he needs to work. The man is still working, looking at his back afraid that perhaps, one day the President will just spring up.

So what happens if the new Council fails to invoke the relevant section of the constitution? What is likely to happen?
I don’t expect that kind of a scenario because, one, as they take their oath of allegiance, their oath of allegiance naturally will be to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not to Jonathan or to Yar’Adua and so they take over, the first thing that should come for them to handle is the issue of invoking that section of the constitution so that all of them will have a free hand to run so that the cabinet will be one. We won’t have pro-Yar’Adua and pro-Jonathan anymore. All the cabinet members will be pro-Nigeria because we need a new lease of life in the country. For almost six months or thereabout now, the country has been in a limbo because of our missing president.

Some observers have described the new federal cabinet as cabinet of old ministers. What is your assessment of the cabinet?
Yeah, we still have a lot of dead woods, non-performing ministers that found their way back. If I were Mr. Acting President, the only criteria that would have made any minister to come back is, I look at his past performance; whether he is my brother or my friend is immaterial because if you look at Nigeria today, we have had in the past two decades or thereabout, between 20 to 25 percent budget implementation, so if you are going to come back as a minister, perhaps, I would have looked at your record to say, okay, this minister is an exception. In the past one year or two years, when he was a minister, he was able to move budget implementation in his ministry to about 40 or 50 or 60 percent. So those were the only considerations that were but now,

We saw a situation where most of the appointments were still based on political consideration and not on performance. That is where I express some serious doubt as to how effective the new cabinet will be. I’ve gone through the list and I don’t see more than four or five ministers that you can say, yes, these men will deliver. For instance, there was no point picking ministers and sending their names to the Senate without attaching portfolios. You go round this country, even outside the country; you look at Nigerians who you know can drive the power sector to where Nigerians are expecting then you pick somebody like that and as you are sending his name, you tell the Senate, this man is going to drive the power sector to a conclusion. Then you go to the issue of Niger Delta. Go round and look at somebody who you think is capable to drive the Niger Delta project to a logical conclusion. So also for other sectors.

When you say that the Acting President is till watching his back, hence can’t do certain things, is it supposed to be so?
The situation is where we have found ourselves today. In the almost 50 years of Nigeria’s existence, no president has found himself in a situation where a president will be missing for about six months and where also the National Assembly refuses to do what is proper by impeaching the president that is on AWOL. As far as I’m concerned, President Yar’Adua is on AWOL so we have never found ourselves in this situation but the Acting President is also very cautious, conscious of the fact that maybe, one day, the man may just spring up like we heard two weeks ago that some imams from the North went to see him and I don ‘t know what that was meant to achieve. As far as I’m concerned, it was also irresponsible for any newspaper to report that kind of story because we are tired of all these speculations about President Yar’Adua so any newspaper that is coming up with stories about him should be showing us specifics - you are reporting that and you are also showing photographs of where they went. As far as I’m concerned, that story was meant on hearsay because it is not a factual report and professional ethics demand that the reporter who wrote that story ought to have confirmed.

We have heard that Yuguda also went. Yuguda is a governor. He belongs to a Governors’ Forum. Of all the 36 governors in Nigeria, it is only Yuguda that is permitted to see Mr. President meanwhile even the Acting President has not seen him. So why has the Governors’ Forum failed to call him? How come you are the only one seeing Yar’Adua? Other governors cannot see him. Senate president cannot see him. The Chief Judge of the Federation cannot see him. The Acting President will not see him. The Speaker of the House of Representatives will not see him. Only you Yuguda. Is it a family affair? It is wrong and it is unprofessional for any newspaper to report that kind of story the way we are now. It is unprofessional.

What powers do you think are actually available to the position of Acting President that Jonathan finds himself in?
We are told that the Acting Powers have conferred all the powers that a substantive president should have and so that is why we saw that he was able to dissolve the Federal Executive Council. That was why he was able to sack the National Security Adviser so I don’t think that there are still things left. It is just that because it is in an acting capacity, the man is still being cautious, afraid that one day, like I said earlier on, his boss may just show up to say, my friend, can you give me back my seat? I’m now hail and hearty to continue as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but if the new Federal Executive Council immediately addresses that issue, but time is also short. How much time does he have to do all these because as far as Nigerians are concerned, he has all the powers to do whatever he wants to do.

Are you aware that some people faulted his dissolution of the FEC, describing it as illegal?
Yes! I also read especially from Alhaji Yakassai who has been in the forefront of the condemnation of the actions of the Acting President but as Acting President, he is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, so he has the right to sack anybody that he wants to sack because what he is doing is acting not on behalf of himself but he is acting on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So I don’t see the case of anybody saying that his actions are illegal or that he has no constitutional powers. What other constitutional powers does he need as commander- in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? He acted according to the constitution. He is the Acting President. He is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. He has the power to hire and fire.

But looking at his new cabinet, some people say that he has already made a blunder by bringing in “deadwoods”?
You don’t understand that the man is also a politician and as an Acting President, there are certain things that he sees that you and will not see because he is also trying to see how he can consolidate on power and so there are certain appointments that he will make and they will say, ah, no, if you do this, you’re going to step on so, so, so number of toes so this is the way to go. He is the Acting President but he still doe s not have the absolute powers to do everything that he would have loved to do because of course, you must understand that the elections are around the corner and nobody knows, perhaps, if he does very well, they may consider him for some higher responsibilities in 2011 to continue as president. So he is also strategizing. The ma is a politician, you must understand this.

But his party, the People Democratic Party has also told him to forget 2011 because the party’s constitution zoned the presidency to the North for eight years. How do you see that development?
I remember when Chief Ogbulafor said that but if you look at recent comments, I think that that issue has not been foreclosed because I’m not aware that there was a NEC meeting or National Working Committee meeting in which that decision was made. But I think it would be stupid of the PDP to come to that conclusion because, for God’s sake, we are saying that we want Nigerians to move to the next level. So if Goodluck Jonathan was the Vice President and of course, something happens and then he now steps in as Acting President, naturally, the whole world will expect PDP to adopt him for the 2011 elections and I have seen in some places, especially among the Northern elders have insisted that they have four years and that the North West under Yar’Adua was supposed to have eight years and they have done only four years and they have eight more years. So one begins to ask, is it the birthright of the North to continue to produce the president of this country?

When Babangida stepped aside, Shonekan was put. For only a couple of months. Abacha came and pushed him aside and took over. So the only time we have had perhaps, a fair deal was just during the two occasions when Obasanjo took over from Murtala after his assassination. That was in 1976 and of course, in 1999 when the PDP picked Obasanjo as president. So in the almost 50 years history of Nigeria, the North has had control of power for close to 40 years. But now, look at Nigeria, what is there to show for the consistent control of power by the North? That we are where we are today is because of the rudderless leaders we’ve had from the North. What’s also the guarantee that the man you are going to ask to take over from Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 will stay there for only four years? Don’t forget that this same zone they are talking about produced Shagari. This same zone produced Gowon.

This same zone produced the likes of Buhari, Babangida, Abdulsalam, Sani Abacha and of course, Yar’Adua. So it means that all of us in this country have been working for one particular zone. So when is it going to be the turn of the South South? Don’t forget that the South South produce the oil which sustains this great country. So when is it going to be the turn of the South South where Goodluck came from? I think all these amount to greed and that is why I would want to use this opportunity to recall what Asari said the other day, that the North is made up of very greedy leaders and they are responsible for where we are put in this country. If you look at most of the key parastatals in this country, they want to go to where there are juicy appointments, heads of juicy parastatals. They want to be Director-General of NIMASA. They want to be MD of NPA. They want to be head of Nigeria Customs. They want to be head of Shippers Council. They want to be head of PTDF. They want to be MD of NNPC. Or what is good for the goose is not good for the gander?

The purported stance of the PDP raises questions in some circles. Does it mean that the party constitution supercedes the federal constitution or it is the case of a one-party state established?
These are the questions that people have been asking and of course, I have said it and I will continue to say it. If the PDP insists that hey are going to field another candidate from the North, as an incumbent president, Goodluck Jonathan has the powers and the right to fly the flag of any party. Of course, don’t forget that right now, he is the beautiful bride as far as the presidential race is concerned. The North has been there for almost 40 years if not more and they have not taken us anywhere so we now need the likes of Goodluck Jonathan to take this country to another level. We are tired of their corrupt, directionless rule in this country.


http://nigeriannews.com/

Court upholds marriage of 18-yr-old man to 55-yr-old woman
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Written by Muhammad Sabi’u, Gusau

The presiding judge of the Tudun Wada Shari’a court in Gusau, Zamfara State, Alhaji Bashir Maisule, has dismissed acase brought before it by Hajiya Aisha Umar against her 18-year-old son, who tied the nuptial knot with a 55-year-old woman, Hajiya Ai Mai Kare.

In his judgment, the judge disclosed that from the available evidence presented in court, the couple actually married according to the Islamic law.

He said in Islam, it was not compulsory for the young man to notify his representatives, stressing that he could nominate a slave to stand for him as a representative.

According to him, what is compulsory is only for the woman to inform her relations before a marriage is contracted.

Quoting a Koranic verse, (Suratul Nisa’i), the judge contended that the issue of age was not a barrier among couples who wanted to get married pointing out that the same verse allowed a man to marry as many as four wives if he could do justice to them.

Alhaji Danmaisule remarked that the 18-year-old defendant was mentally mature to marry the woman.

On the allegation of charm, the Shari’a court judge said the mother of Bashir failed to establish the fact that her son was charmed.

However, the judge asked the teenager to apologise to his mother for disobeying her wish.

http://nigeriannews.com/