₦airaland Forum

After the 2015 election, I predicted on Twitter that when critical decisions are to be taken, Yemi Osinbajo, the token Southerner in Aso Rock, would be sent to go and buy “guguru and epa.” This has proved prescient. The vice-president was barred from attending a national security briefing on the grounds that he did not have security clearance. But who can have more clearance than a man elected by the people? How did Buhari himself get his?
Read full story at http://reportsafrique.com/flash-buharis-100-days-of-incompetence-and-abject-failure-by-femi-aribisala/

In 418 B.C. Herodotus, the Greek philosopher who is known as the ‘’father of history’’, said “a man who does not know anything about the events that took place before he or she was born will remain forever a child.’’ Not only was he right but one must go a step further by saying that those who refuse to learn from their history are condemned to repeating its mistakes.
In 1957, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Saurdana of Sokoto and the Premier of the North, said the following: “We the people of the north will continue our stated intention to conquer the south and to dip the koran in the Atlantic ocean after the British leave our shores.”
Three years later, on 12 th October 1960, he went a step further by saying the following words to the Parrot Newspaper: “The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great grandfather Uthman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We must use the minorities in the North as willing tools and the South as a conquered territory and never allow them to rule over us and never allow them to have control over their future”.
That same year he said: “I will allow Sir Tafawa Balewa to go and become Prime Minister and lead the unbelievers of the south whilst I will stay in the north and lead the faithful”.

fULL STORY HERE: http://reportsafrique.com/opinion-buhari-nigerian-president-or-king-of-the-north/

Victor Moses (International Footballer) Sends Birthday Wishes to Ifeanyi Ubah, urges him to finalize partnership deal with West Ham United FC


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfwGqe6Kwgk

In this video which was recorded at his pre-election speech at the London Chatham House, President Buhari calls the #First100Days a fraud and distances himself from it saying "Nigerians know that we are in trouble and should not expect miracles".

Details here: http://reportsafrique.com/video-buhari-calls-first1oodays-a-fraud-at-chatham-house-speech/

Watch Video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hl7eS1-cMU

The immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, spent N139m on the drilling of two boreholes at the Lagos House, Ikeja.
An average borehole should not cost more than 1 million naira...

Read Details: /p5TXl6-4ZX

The United States is presently showing displeasure over comments made by the Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that some senior officials of the Department of State had given a name of a former minister who served under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan and alleged the the said person stole $6 billion.
Full story at: http://reportsafrique.com/propaganda-us-frowns-at-oshiomhole-over-comments-on-6bn-theft/

The Nigerian most corrupt governor according to CNN letter reveals that a similar letter was also written to a bank in Switzerland; stating that a similar authorization was made in error.

See details: http://reportsafrique.com/corruption-american-bancorp-bank-writes-to-buhari-plans-to-return-amaechis-loot/

ANY meaningful probe of corruption in Nigeria must begin with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Abia State Governor, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu has said.

Kalu, who alleged instances of corruption against the former Nigerian leader, said the former President fertilized official corruption in the country during his tenure, stressing that it was on the strength of the festering sleaze around Obasanjo that he was moved to draw the former President’s attention to the monumental corruption circulating around his office in 2005.

Orji Uzor pointed direct instances of Obasanjo's direct involvement in monumental corruption with proofs. This is an eye opener!

Read Complete story here: http://reportsafrique.com/news/kalu-writes-obasanjo-you-are-corrupt-sir/

Journalist, Ahmed Salkida, who has reported extensively about Boko Haram, says that Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram is still alive. Shekau was last heard from in March, when he released an audio message pledging allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group. He has not been seen in any of the sect recently released videos, fueling speculations that he might have been killed. Also the Chadian president, Idriss Deby fueled this speculation on Tuesday August 11th when he said a new leader of Boko Haram, Mahamat Daoud, has taken over from Shekau.

‘ Idris Derby is wrong now as before when he deceived Fmr President Jonathan in a phantom
negotiation. Shekau is alive and leads ISWAP orBH’…Ahmed Salkid.

He further claims he can show evidence

See Details at: http://reportsafrique.com/news/boko-haram-abubakar-shekau-is-alive-ahmed-salkida/

The Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, yesterday, slated Monday to decide whether or not to dismiss the petition that was filed against Governor Nyesom Wike by the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The Justice Muazu Pindiga-led tribunal adjourned for ruling on a day APC and its governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, accused Governor Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of plotting to hijack the proceeding of the tribunal.

Wike and Peterside

The petitioners made the allegation following two separate applications challenging the continued hearing of the petition seeking to annul the April 11 governorship election in Rivers State.

The applications were filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and Governor Wike.

The two defendants, through their various lawyers, yesterday, challenged the proceeding of the tribunal, insisting that pre-hearing session on the petition by the APC was not properly convoked.

INEC through its lawyer Mr. K.O.C. Njemanze, SAN, applied for an order dismissing the petition as being abandoned in consequence of non compliance with the provision of paragraph 18(1) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act.

INEC’s motion dated July 27, was filed pursuant to section 6(6) (a) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, and paragraphs 18(1) (3) and (47) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act.

The electoral body maintained that the petitioners failed to pay the necessary fees before they applied to the Secretary of the tribunal to issue them Form TF007, which will okay pre-hearing on the petition.

“It is our submission that payment of filing fee for such application is statutory and constitutes a condition precedent for the invocation of the jurisdiction of this tribunal.’’

“In the circumstance we submit that in the eyes of the law, there is no application for pre-hearing session. We therefore urge this tribunal to dismiss this petition as abandoned”, INEC added.

Similarly, Wike, through his lawyer Mr. Emmanuel Ukala, SAN, relied on the case of Ihedioha vs Okorocha and argued that the failure of the petitioners to properly apply for the pre-hearing session rendered the case before the tribunal liable to be dismissed.

Wike noted that the Imo State Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal had in a ruling it delivered on July 22, held that the failure of Ihedioha to pay the N100 filing fee in respect of an application for pre-hearing was fatal to his petition against Okorocha.

“It is clear that the application by the petitioners in this matter bears no receipt of any payment and therefore ought to be dismissed”, Wike argued.

The PDP through its lawyer Mr. Goddy Uche, aligned with INEC and Wike, saying “the petition is dead and should be given a befitting burial”.

The defendants contended that the tribunal could not take any further step on the matter until the competence of the pre-hearing application is determined.

Meantime, counsel to the petitioners, Chief Akinlolu Olujunmi, SAN, yesterday, prayed the tribunal to dismiss the two applications as lacking in merit.

Olujunmi urged the tribunal not to allow the defendants to rely on technicalities to defeat the course of justice, saying there is no specific provision of the law that made payment of N100 filing fee mandatory.

Arguing that the tribunal has the discretion to proceed with hearing the petition or to direct the petitioners to go and pay the fee, Olujunmi, SAN, urged the panel to be wary of plot by the defendants to take over its proceedings.

“I urge your lordships to be extra-vigilant and not allow the respondents to high-jack the proceeding of this tribunal”, the APC lawyer pleaded.

After listening to all the parties yesterday, the Justice Pindiga-led panel adjourned for ruling.

It will be recalled that the proceeding of the tribunal was stalled on Thursday owing to failure of governor Wike and the PDP to respond to the pre-hearing application by the APC.

The application by the APC will allow the tribunal to begin full-blown hearing on the petition seeking to annul the election that brought governor Wike to power.

Both APC and Peterside are praying the tribunal to sack Wike from office on the premise that the Rivers State governorship poll was not only fraught with manifest irregularities, but was also conducted with total disregard to relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.

The petitioners want the tribunal to void the election and order a fresh governorship poll in the state.

So far, four other petitions that were lodged against Wike before the tribunal have been dismissed.

Also drop your comment at: http://reportsafrique.com/nigeria-news/rivers-gov-poll-tribunal-determines-petersides-fate-monday/

Senator Liyel Imoke, the immediate past governor of Cross River State has dismissed an online news report alleging that he is running from pillar to post trying to lobby the Emir of Kano, His Royal Majesty Sanusi Lamido Sanusa to stop EFCC from probing him as the height of falsehood and a ploy ostensibly to smear his image and instigate a war of attrition against him by the Federal Government. Sponsored by his detractors and political opponents, the story seeks to malign the former governor and to portray him in bad light to the reading public.

Titled: “Imoke Lobbies Obol Lopon, Emir of Kano To Escape EFCC Noose”, the story is a mendacious miscarriage of the politics of hate by sociopaths who promote politics of vendetta and acrimony in an era of growing political maturity in the country. The only substance in the story is that Senator Imoke’s chief antagonist, Chief Okoi Obono Obla has written series of petitions to anti-graft agencies urging them to probe the immediate past administration of Senator Imoke. But this after-dinner grandstanding is not capable of causing the former governor his sleep since every activity of the state government under his watch is in black and white for all to see.

Interestingly, the claim by CrossRiverWatch that the former governor was ‘clandestinely’ reaching out to Obla with an appeal to soft-pedal using Abi Chiefs and the Obol Lopon of Ugep, is spurious and fallacious, to say the least. It is pathetic that people could go to any length to pull others down just to score political goals. In fact, since his coronation in June, 2015, Senator Imoke who was out of the country at the time, has not met the Obol Lopon in person and has never had any communication with the monarch. It is simply the figment of the imagination of pimps in the state who have no other means of livelihood than petition writing.

Not only has the publication lied through its news source, that the former governor insulted President Muhammadu Buhari during his campaign tour of Calabar, it also averred that Senator Imoke reached out to HRM Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Emir of Kano to get the ear of the President for him. Imoke has never met with the Emir of Kano since he ascended the throne of his ancestors. Undoubtedly, Senator Imoke has never been known to be arrogant or boisterous in the course of his political career not to talk of insulting anybody.

You may not like his style, and call him whatever you will, but no one can deny the fact that Imoke has handled all his assignments, from national to state levels with uncommon composure, tolerance, candour and patriotic fervour. He believes that criticisms, even ruthless ones are part of the democratic culture provided they are not meant to tarnish one’s reputation.

SIGNED
Dan Amor
MEDIA AIDE to Senator Imoke

More News: http://reportsafrique.com/nigeria-news/imoke-denies-lobbying-emir-of-kano-to-stop-efcc-investigation/

President Buhari with Barack Obama
President Buhari with Barack Obama
by Fisayo Soyombo



This is not the Nigeria that Muhammadu Buhari promised us in the build-up towards the presidential election. Neither is it the one he promised after he had won.

In a nationally-televised speech, hours after his declaration as president-elect, Buhari had told Nigerians: "Boko Haram will soon know the strength of our collective will."

Fast-forward three months, and it instead looks as if it was the Boko Haram commander who directed that statement towards the Nigerian people.

In less than three months of Buhari's reign, the gory era of terrorism is back in Nigeria, and the insurgents are furiously striking the people again and again.


Inside Story: Battling Boko Haram
In the week of July 5, there was not a single day without an attack. In the preceding week, 145 peoplewere murdered in twin raids in the northeastern Borno state.

On July 16, Boko Haram suicide bombers detonated bombs in Gombe, another state in the northeast,killing 49 people at first count.

In its most recent attack, the insurgents killed at least 47 people in Borno in a trademark bomb blast on August 11.

The constant fear of Boko Haram attacks is not only palpable in the northeast.

Attacks and death threats

In July alone, there have been bomb attacks in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Plateau as well.

In the southwest, a Lagos-based journalist, Adeola Akinremi received a death threat from the sect in May.

While Boko Haram may not be seizing territories and controlling local governments at it did under the rule of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, its attacks in the last month - plus a death toll now nearing 1,000 - are a negative turnaround from the victories recorded in the final weeks of Jonathan's presidency.

For much of the Jonathan years, the overriding public complaint about the war against Boko Haram was focused on how the president positioned himself in the aftermath of attacks.

A few weeks before the presidential election, Jonathan - helped by a coalition of Nigerian, Chadian, Nigerien, and Cameroonian forces - seemed to make up for his shortcomings by nearly exterminating Boko Haram from northern Nigeria.

Jonathan may have handed over a battered federal purse with external and domestic debts to the tune of $63.7bn to his successor, but he managed to hand over an insurgency challenge that was lower in scale and intensity than the one he met.

Botched progress

Buhari has no excuse for botching all the progress that was recorded before his ascendancy.

It is not known what spell Buhari has cast on Nigerians, but the loss of nearly 1,000 lives in almost two months has not generated the kind of admonishment Jonathan faced in similar circumstances.

The pattern of recent attacks has been almost monotonous: identify a crowded location, hit it with a suicide bomber.


He may not have danced away at campaign rallies immediately after Boko Haram attacks like his predecessor, but he has yet to personally visit a single blast scene, and official government statements on the killings have been sparse.

Aside from relocating the military command centre to Borno stateon his first day in office, travelling out of the country to solicit the help of world leaders in battling the insurgents, and sacking his predecessor's service chiefs and national security adviser, Nigeria can hardly point to a single Boko Haram success story under Buhari.

Therefore, it is no surprise that questions are being asked in the media if Nigerians are more lenient with Buhari on Boko Haram.

On July 20, Buhari travelled to the United States for what was obviously a very important engagement with Barack Obama, and partnership strategies for combating the insurgents was one of the headlines of their bilateral talks.

It was an important trip. The US remains one of Nigeria's long-standing partners against terrorism, committing at least $34m in equipment and logistics support for Nigerian, Chadian, Cameroonian, and Nigerien forces.

That excludes a $5m contribution to the Multinational Joint Task Force.

Buhari's fight

But it is actually at home that Buhari's greatest work against Boko Haram lies.

The pattern of recent attacks has been almost monotonous: identify a crowded location, hit it with a suicide bomber.

The president will do well to concentrate his greatest energy on boosting local surveillance capacities in the entire northern region in order to pre-empt attacks and foil them.

But Buhari does not need to be told what to do.

This is not the Nigeria that Muhammadu Buhari promised us in the build-up towards the presidential election. Neither is it the one he promised after he had won.

In a nationally-televised speech, hours after his declaration as president-elect, Buhari had told Nigerians: "Boko Haram will soon know the strength of our collective will."

Fast-forward three months, and it instead looks as if it was the Boko Haram commander who directed that statement towards the Nigerian people.

In less than three months of Buhari's reign, the gory era of terrorism is back in Nigeria, and the insurgents are furiously striking the people again and again.


Inside Story: Battling Boko Haram
In the week of July 5, there was not a single day without an attack. In the preceding week, 145 peoplewere murdered in twin raids in the northeastern Borno state.

On July 16, Boko Haram suicide bombers detonated bombs in Gombe, another state in the northeast,killing 49 people at first count.

In its most recent attack, the insurgents killed at least 47 people in Borno in a trademark bomb blast on August 11.

The constant fear of Boko Haram attacks is not only palpable in the northeast.

Attacks and death threats

In July alone, there have been bomb attacks in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Plateau as well.

In the southwest, a Lagos-based journalist, Adeola Akinremi received a death threatfrom the sect in May.

While Boko Haram may not be seizing territories and controlling local governments at it did under the rule of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, its attacks in the last month - plus a death toll now nearing 1,000 - are a negative turnaround from the victories recorded in the final weeks of Jonathan's presidency.

For much of the Jonathan years, the overriding public complaint about the war against Boko Haram was focused on how the president positioned himself in the aftermath of attacks.

A few weeks before the presidential election, Jonathan - helped by a coalition of Nigerian, Chadian, Nigerien, and Cameroonian forces - seemed to make up for his shortcomings by nearly exterminating Boko Haram from northern Nigeria.

Jonathan may have handed over a battered federal purse with external and domestic debts to the tune of $63.7bn to his successor, but he managed to hand over an insurgency challenge that was lower in scale and intensity than the one he met.

Botched progress

Buhari has no excuse for botching all the progress that was recorded before his ascendancy.

It is not known what spell Buhari has cast on Nigerians, but the loss of nearly 1,000 lives in almost two months has not generated the kind of admonishment Jonathan faced in similar circumstances.

The pattern of recent attacks has been almost monotonous: identify a crowded location, hit it with a suicide bomber.


He may not have danced away at campaign rallies immediately after Boko Haram attacks like his predecessor, but he has yet to personally visit a single blast scene, and official government statements on the killings have been sparse.

Aside from relocating the military command centre to Borno stateon his first day in office, travelling out of the country to solicit the help of world leaders in battling the insurgents, and sacking his predecessor's service chiefs and national security adviser, Nigeria can hardly point to a single Boko Haram success story under Buhari.

Therefore, it is no surprise that questions are being asked in the media if Nigerians are more lenient with Buhari on Boko Haram.

On July 20, Buhari travelled to the United States for what was obviously a very important engagement with Barack Obama, and partnership strategies for combating the insurgents was one of the headlines of their bilateral talks.

It was an important trip. The US remains one of Nigeria's long-standing partners against terrorism, committing at least $34m in equipment and logistics support for Nigerian, Chadian, Cameroonian, and Nigerien forces.

That excludes a $5m contribution to the Multinational Joint Task Force.

Buhari's fight

But it is actually at home that Buhari's greatest work against Boko Haram lies.

The pattern of recent attacks has been almost monotonous: identify a crowded location, hit it with a suicide bomber.

The president will do well to concentrate his greatest energy on boosting local surveillance capacities in the entire northern region in order to pre-empt attacks and foil them.

But Buhari does not need to be told what to do.



On April 1, in one of his first interviews as president-elect, BBC's Peter Okwoche asked him if he had thought about how to go about fulfilling all his promises to Nigerians.

And this was his response: "I think I wouldn't have made the promises if I didn't know how to fulfil it".

Now, Boko Haram is asking quick-fire questions of a pledge Buhari made in an interview with CNN to "effectively deal with them in a few months when we get into office".

If he truly had a plan for fulfilling that particular promise, now is the time to unleash it on the beasts of Nigeria's northeast.

On April 1, in one of his first interviews as president-elect, BBC's Peter Okwocheasked him if he had thought about how to go about fulfilling all his promises to Nigerians.

And this was his response: "I think I wouldn't have made the promises if I didn't know how to fulfil it".

Now, Boko Haram is asking quick-fire questions of a pledge Buhari made in an interview with CNN to "effectively deal with them in a few months when we get into office".

If he truly had a plan for fulfilling that particular promise, now is the time to unleash it on the beasts of Nigeria's northeast.

More Details: http://reportsafrique.com/news/boko-harams-return-this-is-not-the-nigeria-muhammadu-buhari-promised-us/

A University of Michigan professor who describes himself as a ‘boy lover’ traveled 1,300 miles to meet a father and young son he had met online for sex – but was caught in an FBI sting, police have said.
James Cavalcoli, 51, an assistant professor at the university’s department of computational medicine and bioinformatics, reportedly started chatting with the father, ‘Jim’, on a child pornography website.
He arranged to meet Jim – whom he believed to be a fellow ‘boy lover’ – and Jim’s 14-year-old son for sex and traveled from his Ann Arbor home to Florida, armed with condoms and lubricant, it is said.

But after making the 1,350-mile trip to Broward County, Cavalcoli discovered the father he had been speaking to was actually an undercover officer working with the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force.

Cavalcoli, who also allegedly sent naked photographs to Jim ahead of the trip, was arrested and booked into Broward County Jail, pending transportation to a federal court in Fort Lauderdale.
He immediately confessed to his actions and said he ‘regretted’ his trip, police said. He is now facing a federal charge of traveling across states to have sex with a minor.

Cavalcoli, who has never been married and has no children, first met Jim in November 2013 via a website that allows men to discuss child pornography, fetishes and sex with young boys, it is alleged.

Over a 20-month period, he apparently established that the officer was a fellow ‘bi’ (boy lover) with a then-13-year-old son, and frequently discussed his fetish for boys aged ‘tween’ or ‘teen with older’.
He also sent sexually explicit messages to Jim – who works for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement – and eventually asked him if he and his son wished to meet him for sex, it is said.
In response, Jim agreed to meet him, but warned him that there would have to be ‘no pain’ if he had sex with the young boy. Cavalcoli allegedly told the man: ‘I’m glad you’re looking out for your boy!’

The former Pfizer employee then packed condoms and lubricant for his illicit trip to Weston, it is alleged. He also took along several digital devices, including a laptop,said.
Shortly before he arrived at his destination, Cavalcoli allegedly sent Jim a panicked text message saying he was ‘nervous’ and asking for reassurance that the man was not ‘police or FBI affiliated’.

However, he also said he was ‘excited’ and decided to make the trip despite the risk.
The pair had arranged to meet at Bonaventure Resort & Spa in Weston last Friday evening before traveling to Jim’s home, where Cavalcoli would engage in sex with the young boy, it is alleged.
However, when Cavalcoli arrived at the spa, FBI agents, officers and deputies were waiting.

During his arrest, Cavalcoli’s digital devices were confiscated from him to be used as evidence.
They are now subject to a forensic examination, it is reported.
Cavalcoli had worked for the University of Michigan for around 13 years at the time of his arrest.

According to a bio on the university’s website – which has now been deleted – the professor is an ‘enthusiastic teacher’ who has ‘broad experience’ in computational medicine and bioinformatics.

Details: http://reportsafrique.com/world-news/meet-the-professor-who-traveled-to-meet-boy-14-for-sex/

In a renewed drive to crush the fighting will of Boko Haram insurgents, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has deployed additional combat platforms to the North East in support of the ongoing counter-insurgency operation codenamed ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’.

The new deployment came on the heels of the recent visit of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar to the operational areas.

The newly deployed platforms include the F-7Ni fighter aircraft, Mi-24/35 attack helicopters, Agusta 109 LUH, Supa Puma Combat Support helicopter and ATR-42 surveillance aircraft, which had been away for scheduled maintenance.

The provision of additional platforms in the North-East is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s mandate to bring an end to insurgency in the North-East.

The new deployment is aimed at boosting existing military efforts to defeat the Boko Haram terrorists.

It is also expected to enhance the capability of the Nigerian Armed Forces to fight in a more proactive and efficient manner.
Details: http://reportsafrique.com/nigeria-news/boko-haram-air-force-boosts-operations-with-combat-aircraft/