₦airaland Forum

cc Mynd44

Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso has
extended his 32 years in power, winning
presidential elections in the first round with 60
percent of the vote, the interior minister said.
Interior Minister Raymond Zephyrin Mboulou
announced the results on national television at
3.30am local time (02:30 GMT) on Thursday
morning following a tense weekend poll held
under a communications blackout.
The official count gave Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas
15 percent of the vote and General Jean-Marie
Michel Mokoko came in third with a little less
than 14 percent.
On Wednesday, the two opposition candidates
rejected partial results released by the Republic
of Congo's electoral commission, which gave the
country's long-time ruler 67 percent of votes.
Al Jazeera's Haru Mutasa, reporting from the
capital Brazzaville, said the president's
supporters started celebrating the result on
Wednesday after the initial results were
announced.
"In areas where the government enjoys support
the streets are busy and there is hardly any
police or army present. They feel keeping
Nguesso in office is good for Congo," she said.
"Opposition leaders, however, say they will not
accept another win for the incumbent. The
government has extended an order to shut down
mobile phones and the internet to prevent
unrest."
Oil and timber rich Congo has been on edge since
an October constitutional referendum that ended a
two-term limit on presidential mandates, allowing
the 72-year-old former paratrooper colonel to
run for office again.
The long-serving leader is accused by critics of
rampant corruption and nepotism and of stifling
democracy.
Authorities imposed a communications blackout
during the vote to prevent opposition candidates
from publishing their own results. A government
source said they would remain suspended until
after the official results were announced.
www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/03/congo-president-denis-sassou-nguesso-wins-election-160324040212900.html

Members of the Boko Haram sect paraded by security operatives.

Editor’s note: There have been various reactions to President Buhari’s announcement of Nigeria’s inclusion in the Islamic Coalition Against Terrorism. In a bid to still the heated arguments generated in different quarters, Garba Shehu the Senior Special Assistant to the president (Media and Publicity) re- examines the motives behind the move which many still argue defied due process and fear might lead to the Islamization of Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari has been severely criticized for allowing Nigeria’s inclusion in the Islamic coalition against terrorism. Buhari, a misunderstood president A good number of the reactions to President Muhammadu Buhari’s announcement that Nigeria has joined the Islamic Coalition Against Terrorism, show quite clearly that many Nigerians do not fully understand the president’s motives for this decision. With the rise of the Boko Haram terrorist group of the past few years, Nigeria faces a threat such as no other in its entire history and existence. Desperate times require desperate, unusual, measures. The girls in Gwoza who were raped by militants do not care where the help comes from as far as they will eventually be able to move about freely without fear of being kidnapped and used as sex slaves. The mothers in Bama whose sons were slaughtered before their eyes do not worry whether Boko Haram is defeated by a Christian or Muslim coalition. The hundreds of thousands in IDP camps are concerned simply about when they can safely return to their homes and resume their normal lives. For these ones most hard hit by the Boko Haram terrorists, whether the help they so desperately need comes from the United States of America or from Saudi Arabia does not matter. One of the main thrusts of President Buhari’s campaign was the war on terror. He promised that his administration would bring an end to Boko Haram, and set about doing just that as soon as he was elected, travelling to different countries and meeting with various heads of state to discuss the way forward on the issue. At the time, no Nigerian worried that President Buhari was seeking help from the West. No one worried about the ideology of those willing and able to help our country to defeat terror. Nigerians were simply united with their President in a determination to bring Boko Haram to an end so that our brothers and sisters in the northeast can resume their normal lives. Garba Shehu says President Buhari’s intentions are misunderstood. Nigeria, a desperate nation It is on account of these people and their desperate situation, and on the basis of national interest only, that President Buhari accepted the offer, with both hands, of assistance from G7 countries at the commencement of his administration. Religion was not a consideration then. It is also not a consideration now that he has made the decision to embrace help in fighting terror from the Middle-East. The safety of Nigerians and the total annihilation of Boko Haram is of more importance than the unfounded worries of Nigeria’s so-called Islamisation. Those efforts by President Buhari led to several gains, including the technical defeat of Boko Haram by the end of 2015 as he had promised during the election campaigns. Once again, our Commander-in-Chief has sought help where he believes our country will benefit and the religious affiliation or ideology of our benefactors should not be the paramount consideration. It is simply one of those cases where the enemies of our enemy has become our enemy. The enemy of terrorists all around the globe is our friend. The fears that our country’s membership in this coalition will draw Islamic State, ISIS’s attention to Nigeria are too late. As the President has repeatedly maintained, it is Boko Haram that proclaimed allegiance to ISIS, thereby dragging us into the global terrorism network. By pledging allegiance to ISIS, the terrorists already drew the international terror group’s attention to this part of the world. ISIS proudly and openly accepted this proclamation of allegiance. They have their sights set on us already. Nigerians, a people living in unfounded fears Terrorism is heathen and knows no religion. It can only be defeated by the unity of entire humanity. Criticism of the membership of this alliance only shows our disarray and a lack of unity against terror and will only make the terrorists happy. The fears of so-called Islamisation are strange and unfounded, and meant only to feed the fear and suspicions existing among Nigerians. With a precedent as shown above, it will be unkind and uncharitable of anyone to accuse President Buhari of executing deception. In an unusually harsh commentary, this country’s most respected newspaper The Punch on Sunday succeeded in exactly doing this. Read this: “The presidency’s doublespeak on Nigeria’s membership of the Saudi Arabia-led anti-terror Islamic coalition is unfortunate in the extreme. In the beginning, an aide to the president on media and publicity issued a statement to the effect that the president had declined Nigeria’s membership of the coalition and therefore did not attend its meeting while on a diplomatic visit to Saudi Arabia. But barely two weeks after, President Muhammadu Buhari himself confirmed Nigeria’s membership of the coalition in an interview with a foreign television station, Al- Jazeera. Buhari, who never tabled such a sensitive matter before the National Assembly, said there are terrorists in Nigeria who have claimed to be Muslims. So, according to the him, “We are part of it because we have got terrorists in Nigeria who claim that they are Islamic. So, if there is an Islamic coalition to fight terrorism, Nigeria will be part of it because we are casualties of Islamic terrorism. “This explanation is simplistic, to say the least and does not do any good to expected political astuteness of President Buhari. In the main, membership of any such coalition is unacceptable for it offends the sensibilities of Nigerians in their diverse inclinations and should be reversed.” Sensibilities offended? Can anyone face the more than two million unhoused, mostly Muslim refugees displaced by terror now being fed, almost exclusively by Christian charities that it is offensive them, or that it matters to them who, between Christians and Muslims is supplying the next meal? The one who raised a tent over their heads? Media and opposition conspiracy Let me say that the presidential aide in question is no other than myself. Although I write statements emanating from the Presidency, I don’t choose what headline writers will use to caption those stories. To that extent, it is untrue of anyone to say the President had ab initio rejected a membership of the coalition against terror. What the President said, to paraphrase him, was that “we may not be with you, but we will support you in every possible way we can.” This does not presuppose rejection. Even if it was one, nothing says that a government cannot move or adjust its position based on new, superior facts as we individuals do in our daily lives. That some of the criticism against the President is coming from opposition Senators is even more absurd, showing a lack of judgement and discrimination- or even worse. It holds up a mirror to the PDP’s cluelessness and total absence of strategy to defeat Boko Haram terrorism. The party’s projection of itself as better than the APC in this regard is hobbled by their own record of indecision and serial abdication on Chibok girls as disclosed by Ambassador Packock and greed, corruption and a general incapacity to drive the anti terror war. A set of politicians who failed to confront or attack terrorism while in power have no right to challenge President Buhari’s hounding of them. To global acclaim. Trivia smells. There is a need for a new fragrance in the air.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state on
Wednesday, March 23, paid a condolence visit
to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
secretariat over the death of Samuel Dumebi
Okonta, who was killed during the rerun
election in the state.
Okonta Samuel Dumebi, a corps member, was
on election duties in Rivers state rerun
parliamentary elections on March 19, when he
was shot dead by hoodlums.
Dumebi, an orphan from Illah area of Delta
state, was serving as ad-hoc staff of the
Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) at Ahoada West local government area
when he and two of his colleagues were
attacked by hoodlums who were trying to
disturb the conduct of the free and fair
exercise.
The director general of the NYSC, Brig- Gen.
Johnson Olawumi, has vowed that the scheme
would not relent until those responsible for the
killing of Dumebi are brought to justice.
Solomon Dalung, the minister of youth and
sports, Solomon Dalung, said the federal
government would stop at nothing to find the
masterminds of the violence in the Rivers state
elections which claimed the life of the corps
memeber.

A massive manhunt is under way for a suspect
seen with two supposed suicide bombers shortly
before they struck Brussels' Zaventem Airport in
the first of two attacks that also hit the city's
metro, killing at least 30 and wounding more than
200.
Belgian broadcaster RTBF named two of the
suspects as brothers, Khalid and Brahim
Bakraoui, who were known to police for their
involvement in organised crime.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL,
also known as ISIS) claimed responsibility for
Tuesday morning's attacks.
"This is a day of tragedy, a black day," Belgian
Prime Minister Charles Michel said, describing
the bombings as the "deadliest attacks we have
ever seen in Belgium".
But as Belgium began three days of national
mourning on Wednesday, he insisted the country
would not be cowed by the "blind, violent and
cowardly" attacks.
Belgian authorities released pictures of two of the
suspects pushing trolleys with their bombs
through the terminal and said they were "actively
searching" for a third man whose explosives did
not to go off.
Police helicopters hovered over the city late into
the night and raids were under way across
Belgium, prosecutors said, adding that a bomb, an
ISIL flag and chemicals had been found in one
apartment.
Local media said authorities had followed a tip
from a taxi driver who believed he may have
driven the bombers to the airport.
Police were going door-to-door throughout
Brussels searching for suspects or others
planning attacks. The interior minister said 600
additional police were deployed.
Brussels residents held a candlelit vigil in the
Place de la Bourse square on Tuesday night,
where they sang songs and waved the Belgian
flag, while on social media thousands of people
shared images of beloved Belgian cartoon
character Tintin in tears.
"This is an attack against our values, our
freedom, and our democracy," Brussels Mayor
Ivan Mayeur said at a press conference. "We
won't let anyone attack our values in a cowardly
way."
'Fabric of Europe'
Al Jazeera's Dominic Kane, reporting from
Brussels, said many in the country were asking
whether the attacks represented a continuing
threat.
"Belgians feel this is something they'll now have
to get used to...the editor of a prominent Belgian
news outlet yesterday was writing that she
believed this was something that was becoming
part of the system.
"[She said] this was something people have to
get used to and have to explain to their children
that there is a threat and life has changed."
Kane said there was also a sense that the blasts
were a calculated attack on European insitutions
and the "fabric of Europe".
The explosions struck the heart of European
officialdom where NATO headquarters is based,
along with the European Union, and European
Commission.
Witnesses at the airport and metro station
described scenes of terror immediately after the
bombings.
"When I heard the first explosion, lots of people
started screaming and running," Tom, an intern
working at the airport, told Al Jazeera.
"When I heard the second explosion, which was
about 30 seconds after the first one, everything
got chaotic. I could see panic on everyone’s
face, blood on their bodies."
The interior ministry raised the country's
terrorism alert to the highest level after the
blasts.
Belgium has been on high alert since the arrest in
Brussels last week of Salah Abdeslam , a key
suspect in last November's Paris attacks that left
130 people dead.
Governments in Europe and beyond quickly
responded to the Brussels attacks, calling
emergency national security meetings and
stepping up controls at airports and other
sensitive sites.
www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/03/brussels-attacks-manhunt-suspect-airport-video-160323032248510.html

Senators who opposed the election of Senator
Bukola Saraki as the Senate president will
soon ‘sheathe their swords’ and drum support
for the ex-Kwara state governor at the Code of
Conduct Trial (CCT) on Thursday, March 24,
Premium Times reports.
To confirm this, the senators on the platform of
the All Progressives Congress (APC), held an
unusual meeting Tuesday, March 22 with the
Senate president’s key men, where they stated
that their differences would no longer stand
between them and their support for their
leader.
Ten senators reportedly attended the meeting
held at the Asokoro residence of ex-Sokoto
governor, Aliyu Wammako, including five from
each of the camps which had opposed one
another for months.
Recall that Saraki has been at loggerheads with
the leaders of the APC since he was made the
Senate president against the wish of the party
which preferred Ahmed Lawan for the post and
has had to deal with a case of corruption
allegations at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
Lawan, Marafa, Gbenga Ashafa, and Suleiman
Hukunyi stood on the opposing part
while Danjuma Goje, Wammako, Sani Yerima,
Kabiru Gaya and Adamu Aliero represented
Saraki’s interest during the meeting.
Wammako who spoke with Premium Times
after the meeting which ended at about 6.50pm,
explained that they held the meeting to end the
crisis that has hit the APC caucus following.
“Effectively the meeting has brought an end to
crisis in the Senate between APC Senators
who now support the Senate President, Bukola
Saraki,” the senator said.
Saraki is due to appear at the Code of Conduct
Tribunal on Thursday when the tribunal is
expected to rule on his motion for the dismissal
of the case against him on grounds of
procedural error.
Speaking also after the meeting, another
senator (of the Unity Forum) informed that
there were three agreements from the parley,
but of most importance is the fact that they all
agreed to have a united APC caucus.
According to the senator who preferred
anonymity, “The number three point is the
supremacy of our party, loyalty to our leaders
and support for President Muhammadu Buhari.
The meeting was held in the interest our party
and Nigeria.
“It is beyond Saraki, there is no crisis between
us again. This man (Saraki) is in court and
anything can happen.”
https://www.naij.com/774258-read-anti-saraki-senators-apc-will-cct-thursday.html?source=index_main
cc Lalasticlala
Mynd44

As a way of further destroying the potency of
Boko Haram terrorists, President Muhammadu
Buhari has approved the establishment of a
naval command post in the Lake Chad region.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the
director of Naval information, Chris Ezekobe, as
saying: “There is a presidential directive to set
up a command post in the Lake Chad Region
and that is ongoing.”
The naval commodore, who spoke in Lagos on
Tuesday, March 22, informed that the naval
personnel required for the post are currently
undergoing training in the north east and would
be deployed once it the directive becomes
operational.
Speaking on the three categories of forces
working in the north east, Ezekobe stated that
the navy had acquired 30 repellent boats and
was expecting 50 more by the end of May to
enhance security in the Niger Delta region,
which will make it difficult for the criminals to
operate in that domain.
He said: “We have improved on our
surveillance capability and the regional
maritime awareness capability.
“We have increased the number of satellite
stations along the coasts. Essentially, our
territorial waters are well covered by the
surveillance system.
“We have acquired one Offshore Patrol Vessel
from China and the other will arrive before the
end of May.”
The spokesman added that about 70-80 per
cent of the nation’s wealth comes from the
maritime environment, a development which
makes it necessary to secure the terrain.
According to him, “We need to partner with
other maritime security agencies, the media
and other stakeholders.
“It is a collective effort and we must secure
that environment to make our nation
prosperous and great again.”
The new directive is coming on the heels of
series of conquest by the Nigerian military over
the insurgents in recent weeks, the latest
being the destruction of the terrorists’ hideout
in Borgozo.

umehmj:
saw it this morning. it was just terrible. the whole place smelled like were they were roasting an animal. gawwwd!!!!

OMG.. May God guide and protect us.. Accidents nowadays is bcuming 2much.
Cc: Lalasticlala
Mynd44

About 9 people have lost their lives in a fatal auto
crash that occurred along the Abakaliki-Enugu
expressway on Tuesday, March 22.
The sad incident which left 3 others with injuries
happened when a trailer conveying chippings ran
into a coaster bus on its way to Ikom in Cross
River state from Lagos, Daily Post reports.
According to an eyewitness, the driver of the
trailer lost control when the front tire burst ran
into the coastal bus. The bus immediately went
up in flames burning 3 of the victims beyond
recognition.
James Owo, the director of Fire Services in
Ebonyi state, confirmed the incident, adding that
his men have evacuated victims from the
accident scene.
“We worked in conjunction with the Federal Road
Safety Commission (FRSC) to rescue the victims
and take them to hospital,” he added.
In another development, 6 people have been
confirmed dead after a cement truck belonging to
Dangote Company and a bus were involved in an
accident on the Lokoja-Abuja road. The accident
occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, March
22 at a bend at Ohono village located on the busy
road.
https://www.naij.com/773907-tragic-9-die-road-accident-along-enugu-abakaliki-road.html?source=index_main

rexben:
It might actually be planned by the english side wanting him to join their team rather than joining nigeria team. Hmmm! It was a setup joooor

Now, He will be having concerns over playing for England.

brixton:
Something in me just don't believe the food poison story! The day he scored for Arsenal, there were various reports in England that the English FA want to hijack him from Nigeria. Now he's been rushed to the hospital and, a major doubt for the game that will automatically tie him to Nigeria in international football tourneys.

I agree with u. Maybe the English F.A don't want him to bcum a Nigerian International

@Those of u that wrote Jamb 2016, I hope ur results were okay.. I wish u all gudluck in this year's admission.

– Many Nigerians are currently being held for
various offenses in foreign prisons
– Chinese jails are particularly notorious for
holding large numbers of Nigerians
– Are these Nigerians innocent or rightly
imprisoned?

A childhood dream: In search of the golden
fleece
Chukwuemeka Diobi had always had the dream
of becoming a successful business man. He
had grown up to believe in his dream and had
worked hard and stayed focus not to derail
from it.
After secondary school, rather than proceed to
the university, he told his parents not to waste
their time as he had made his mind to go into
business.
His big break came when he arrived Lagos in
the wet season of 2005. His friend had invited
him to try out the Chinese visa at their consulate
in Lagos. He got the visa and the chance to go
on a business trip to China.
“I arrived in China in December of 2005, but that
fateful trip signaled the beginning of my troubles
and my long journey to jail’ ’.
But that was ten years ago. Having been
deported after serving his years in prison,
Chukwuemeka and other Chinese are relating
their ordeals.
After ten years in Guangzhou region, his dream
of becoming an international businessman had
gone up in smoke. His wife of ten years in
Nigeria had left him. Back home in Nigeria, he
was back to square one with nothing to show
for his one decade abroad.
Chukwuemeka’s journey into jail was something
he did not expect. He left Nigeria with a huge
sum of money to buy goods. In China, he said
the police had burst into the apartment he was
staying with others and hurled every one of
them to jail.
“I had protested that I just came into the
country and was showing them my papers. But
they took them from me and threw them away.
We were bundled into a police car and driven to
jail”.
“I requested for a lawyer but they said the state
will provide one for us. When he came, his
English was so bad that I just could not
understand how the lawyer will prove my
innocence’’.
“At the court, they just read the charges and
after some indecipherable arguments, I was
sent to jail for ten years. That was how my life
came crashing”.
“I later learnt that the people I was staying with
had committed credit card fraud. I stayed in
prison and was made to work in their factory. It
was hard labour that I will never wish for my
enemy’’.
Arriving in Lagos in January of 2016 after being
deported, Chukwuemeka had not summoned
the courage to go back to his village in Ihiala,
Anambra state. Many Nigerians in foreign jails
have always claimed that their arrest is due to
mistaken identity.
While Chukwuemeka may have been caught in
the wrong place at the wrong time, the case of
another Chinese returnee was slightly different.
Jones Ebuka said he was accused of beating his Chinese wife by the Chinese authorities.
He also said he was jailed for 15 months under
the most inhumane condition and treatment. His
problem started from a false accusation he
claimed led to an invitation to the police station
and then the courtroom to prison.
His charge was that he allegedly assaulted his
Chinese wife:
“I was detained for a year and three months
without making calls. I was not allowed to
contact my people nor were they allowed to see
me for an issue that I was asked to come and
clear myself”.
“I was accused of violating my wife’s rights;
that I touched her, whereas I didn’t which did
not warrant being detained for an hour. Whoever
wants to go to China should be careful. Those
people are dangerous”.
Recalling his experience in detention he said:
“Nigerians in Chinese prisons are used as
labourers in producing most things made in
China, yet they are not paid up to the minimum
wage. They set targets based on what
machines produce. If you don’t meet the target,
your sentence won’t be commuted”.
Like Chukwuemeka, Jones also confirmed that
due to the challenge of language barriers, some
Nigerians in detention do not know what is
being said during their trial, since it is
conducted in Chinese, adding that after that,
long sentences are handed to first time
offenders.
Jones, who said he attended the rally because
he had witnessed first-hand what Nigerians go
through in Chinese prisons said:
“What is happening there is really scary. I never
pray for anyone to experience it, because it is
hell on earth. What we read in the news is
different from how the Chinese treat Nigerians
there. They treat the black people like animals.
They trade human organs”.
“They subject people to hard labour. If you don’t
work hard enough, your sentence will not be
commuted. For instance if you’re given 20
years, if you’re very hard working, they could
reduce the sentence”.
“There are thousands of Nigerians in Chinese
prisons being used as slaves. Most of them
don’t know when they are coming back home
because the government doesn’t care for
them”.
“China has prisoner exchange programmes with
other countries where citizens return to serve
prison terms in their countries. So, we’re calling
on Nigerians to intervene for our citizens. Many
have died. Sometimes they will execute
Nigerians, claiming the embassy signed for their
death”.
But fate had also played a role in Jones life. He
was released when his Chinese wife, who he
was accused of beating, intervened to save him
from a lifetime in Chinese gulag.
“My Chinese wife helped me. I fired my first
lawyer who wanted to collude with the Chinese
to alter my statement. The Chinese hate blacks.
All they want is our money. My wife used to pay
through her nose for me to be a bit comfortable
in prison – just to get fresh air. Sometimes my
temperature would rise so high”.
Like Jones, another returnee prisoner,
Chidiebere Emeka, said close to 80 Nigerians
died in Chinese prisons in 2015.
He said: “ Our people are going through hell in
those prisons. I spent nine years and a month
there. We’re pleading with government to do
something urgently to release our people or
bring them back home to serve their sentence.
They treat us like animals, some are not even
guilty of the crimes they are accused of. There
is no fair trial”.
Unresponsive Nigerian embassy
“Sometimes our embassy doesn’t believe the
things we tell them. The embassy staff comes
to the prisons once in a while but the problems
persist. The Chinese authorities confiscated
everything I had, all my sweat. I was set up with
a Chinese woman”.
“They discovered foreign currencies in my
place and I was charged with money laundering.
During trial they didn’t even allow me to make a
call. They would intimidate you because you
have nobody there to stand up for you”.
“There’s no human right there. It’s like slavery.
During trial, the people they bring to translate
don’t even understand English. They mis-
translate English to China”.
More sordid tales have been told by Nigerians
who have been found on the wrong side of the
law in China. In 2013, some Nigerians in
Chinese jails had sent an SOS to their families
back home in Nigerian to pressure the Nigerian
government to intervene.
A Nigerian prisoner who had identified himself
as Buchi to the Daily Sun newspaper had
lamented the horrible condition of Nigerian
prisoners in Chinese jails. Another prisoner,
simply named Peter had lamented:
“Please, my brother, we are dying. We are over
700 Nigerians in various prisons here. Our
health condition is very terrible. If you are sick,
nobody takes you to the hospital. The kind of
food they serve us here is better not tasted. It is
tasteless”.
“In fact, I lack the proper word to describe the
kind of food they serve us. We spend heavily on
our feeding from the money our families in
Nigeria send to us. It is really bad and I hope
you understand what I mean when I say it is
bad. What is bad is bad and it is bad”. Peter
had said.
Unlike Jones, Ebuka and Chukwuemeka who
are today free men and have lived to tell their
story, there are still many others like Peter who
are still behind bars in different Chinese
prisons. They say they are victims of unfair
sentencing and trial, delayed cases, and are
being treated as human machines.

Details of how senate president, Bukola Saraki, a
two-term governor of Kwara state looted the
state dry has emerged.
According to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB)
and the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) Saraki allegedly syphoned
Kwara state funds with the help of Guaranty Trust
Bank (GTB) into his foreign account to buy
property in London.
This was contained in a joint response by the CCT
and EFCC is contained in the counter-affidavit
filed by the prosecution in the trial of Saraki on
charges of false assets declaration.
Saraki was said to have borrowed huge sums of
money running into billions from commercial
banks, particularly Guarantee Trust Bank and
used the proceeds of the loan to acquire several
landed property in Lagos, Abuja and London,
while he was the governor of Kwara state.
He was also alleged to have used public funds,
running into billions from Kwara state government
and lodged same in several tranches and in cash
into his GTB account I GRA (Government
Reservation Area), Ilorin, Kwara State.
“Our investigation on the CCB Assets Declaration
Forms for public officers filed by the defendant/
respondent revealed the following:
“The landed property listed as No: 42 Gerald
Road, Ikoyi was visited by Mr. Ikechi Iwuagwu
(Deputy Director, CCB), Miss. Geraldine Longsten
(DSS) and Adamu Garba (EFCC) sometime in 2006
and discovered that the property was under
construction.
“Contrary to the declaration by the defendant that
he was earning an annual income of N110,
000,000 from No: 42 Gerald Road, Ikoyi, Lagos,
there were no tenants in the property as same
was an empty land as at the time of the
declaration.
“Contrary to the declaration by the defendant that
he owned 15A and 15B Mcdonald, Ikoyi, Lagos as
at the time of the declaration in 2003 our
investigation revealed that the said property were
acquaired in 2006 from the implementation
committee on Federal Government Landed
properties through his companies called Tiny Tee
Limited and Vitti Oil Limited wherein he paid the
sum of N396, 150,000 to the federal Government
of Nigeria.
“The defendant made an anticipatory declaration
for the said 15A and 15B, Ikoyi, Lagos. The
defendant acquired the property in the name of
two companies because he could not buy two
Federal government property in his personal
name.
“The defendant bided for and acquired 17, 17A
and 17B Mcdonald, Ikoyi, Lagos from the
Implementation Committee on Federal
government Landed Property and paid an
aggregate sum of N497, 200,000 to the Federal
Government between October 2006 and 2007.
Saraki was also said to have failed to declare his
ownership of No: 3 Targus Street, Maitama, Abuja
otherwise known as 2481 Cadastral Zone A06,
Abuja which he acquired from one Alhaji Attahiru
Adamu in his asset declaration form (of June 3,
2011.) and No: 42 Remi Fani-Kayode Street,
Ikeja Lagos, which he acquired through his
company, Skyview Properties Limited from First
Finance Trust Limited on December 12, 1996.
“Sometime in February 2010 the defendant
obtained a loan of N375, 000,000 from GTB Plc in
Nigeria, which he converted into 1,516,194.53
pounds sterling and gave instructions to the bank
to transfer the entire sum to the united Kingdom in
favour of Forts Bank SA/NV the purpose of which
the defendant stated to be the full and final
payment of mortgage redemption for the property
he purchased in London,” Danladi said.
CCT chairman, Danladi Umar has adjourned to
March 24 for ruling and possible commencement
of trial.
https://www.naij.com/769550-revealed-senate-president-bukola-saraki-looted-kwara-dry-efcc-ccb.html

Controversial agreement means that any
refugees arriving on Greek shores from Sunday
would be sent back to Turkey.
Turkey and the EU have reached a draft deal that
European leaders hope will stop the flow of
refugees to the continent, sources at talks in
Brussels told Al Jazeera.
"We're hearing from sources that have been
attending the EU meetings that a major
breakthrough has been reached," Al Jazeera's
Neave Barker reported from the talks in the
Belgian capital.
"Turkey has accepted the deal put forward by the
EU 28 after three rounds of bilateral and trilateral
meetings between the Turkish prime minister and
the EU council president."
Officials told Al Jazeera that the deal, once
officially confirmed, would come into force at
midnight on Sunday.
"That means that refugees, migrants, asylum
seekers who are arriving in Greece, on the
islands or the mainland ... will find themselves
subject to processing and then, in due course,
they will be sent back to Turkey," Barker said.
The Finnish prime minister, Juha Sipila, tweeted
that the deal had been approved. The Czech
prime minister also used Twitter to annouce that
an agreement had been reached.
The details were now awaiting final approval from
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, EU
sources said.
Leaders of the 28-member bloc had agreed on
Thursday on a common plan under which Turkey
would be given financial and political concessions
in return for taking back all refugees who reached
Greek islands off its coast.
Speaking from Brussels before the meeting,
Davutoglu had said the refugee emergency was
not something to be bargained over as he
attended an early meeting with senior EU officials.
"We are working here in Brussels for
humanitarian issues. For us, for Turkey, the
humanitarian issue is not a bargaining issue, but
an issue of value," Davutoglu told reporters.
"Of course the EU and Turkey have the same
goal, the same objective, to help Syrian refugees
especially," he added. "This is our purpose. I am
sure, I hope we will be achieving our goal."
A senior Turkish official told the Reuters news
agency that Davutoglu would press the EU to
open up new areas of negotiation on its long-
stalled bid to join the bloc, despite a veto threat
by Cyprus.
"We're on the right track but we're not there yet,"
French President Francois Hollande told
reporters after the first day of talks in Brussels.
"I can't guarantee you a happy ending."
Thursday's EU discussions revealed
considerable doubts among the Europeans
themselves over whether a deal could be made
either legal in international law, or workable.
Over dinner, leaders gave EU negotiators a
mandate to conclude an accord with Turkey by
which it would take back all refugees who
reached Greek islands off its coast. In return, the
EU would take in Syrian refugees direct from
Turkey, increase aid for Syrians there, speed up
Ankara's EU membership process and a scheme
to let Turks visit Europe without visas.
Much of the debate, Merkel said, had focused on
ensuring that a plan that has outraged human
rights agencies could ensure that those returned
to Turkey, a country with a patchy and worsening
record on the matter, would have rights to asylum
protected.
"An agreement with Turkey cannot be a blank
cheque," Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel
warned, echoing many colleagues who face
complaints that Europe is selling out to anti-
refugees nationalists at home by outsourcing its
problems to the Turks.
'Stop the deal'
Outside the summit, rights group Amnesty
International had placed a large screen in the
middle of Brussels' European quarter proclaiming
"Don't trade refugees. Stop the deal".
A major sticking point in the negotiations was
Turkey's four-decade-old dispute with EU
member Cyprus, whose President Nicos
Anastasiades insisted there could be no opening
of new "chapters" in Turkey's EU membership
talks until Ankara allows Cypriot traffic to its sea
and airports - a result of a refusal to recognise
the Cypriot state.
After EU leaders told Tusk where they could give
ground and where they had "red lines",
Anastasiades said he was ready to veto a deal if
necessary.
There is anger in Nicosia at Merkel for appearing
to make Davutoglu an offer last week without
having consulted Cyprus at a time when talks on
reunification with the Turkish-backed north of the
island are at a delicately hopeful stage.
Tusk, a former Polish prime minister, made it
clear that Cypriot interests must be respected.
Within a year, more than a million people have
arrived in Europe fleeing war and poverty in the
Middle East and beyond.
www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/03/refugee-crisis-eu-pitch-plan-turkey-160318041007574.html

Pro-Biafrans claim Coca-cola-
Biafra partnership

According to photos making the rounds on
social media, the Biafran movement seems to to
have found a new way to keep their awareness
in the minds of the Nigerian populace.
Photos have been released, showing coca-cola
cans customized with the name of the self-
acclaimed Biafran leader, Nnamdi Kanu, or
‘Biafrans’ inscribed on them.
According to some Biafran media outlets,
several shops across eastern Nigeria now
stock and sell the customized coca-cola drinks.
The Biafran Times reportedly had this to say:
“Many noted this as unprecedented as some
also declared their interest of getting at least a
few. Biafrans are exploring every available
avenue to promulgate the gospel of the
restoration of Biafra.”
“No one can stop the sun from rising.. We are
hitting the world with truth and taking our
struggle to another level. If a worldwide
beverage company like Coca-Cola will join the
struggle it’s a clear picture that Biafra is here”
https://www.naij.com/768616-controversy-coca-cola-partners-biafra-photos.html

princemillla:
Name any past president that has the highest crude oil price among our past presidents.

Compare the prices and compare their left over reserves

He even removed fuel subsidy and we didn't see what d money was used for.

– Lawmaker in the 7th and 8th assembly dies
– Dogara says the House has just lost a
hardworking, committed and dedicated
colleague
– Musa Baba Onwana dies at the age of 50
Hon. Musa Baba Onwana, lawmaker
representing Nasarawa/Toto Federal
Constituency of Nasarawa state under the
platform of the All Progressives Congress is
dead.
According to a report on Leadership, Onwana
died on Thursday, March 17 at the age of 50.
In a tribute to the late Onwana, the Speaker of
the House of Representatives Hon. Yakubu
Dogara, says the House has just lost a
hardworking, committed and dedicated
colleague.
Dogara expressed deep shock at the sudden
death of a member of the House.
A statement issued by Turaki Hassan,
Dogara’s spokesman, quoted the Speaker as
describing the late lawmaker as calm, peace
loving and a good family man.
“Hon. Onwana was a patriot and a true Nigerian
who was always championing the cause of his
people in the House. We have lost a
hardworking, committed and dedicated
colleague and our hearts go to his immediate
family, constituents, government and people of
Nasarawa State.
“I pray that almighty God grant them the
fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”
As at the time this report was prepared, the
cause of Onwana’s death is still unknown.
The late Owana was elected to the House of
Representatives in 2011 and re-elected in
2015.
He was senior manager, General Services/
Logistics at MTEL between 1997-2010, and a
lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa,
between 1993-1997. Before then, he was a
tutor at Government Secondary School,
Nasarawa between 1991-1993.
https://www.naij.com/768513-reps-member-dies-dogara-mourns.html

– The burial rites of Nigeria’s former minister of
state for labour and productivity, late James
Ocholi are still ongoing
– The Kogi state high court, today, March
17, honoured the late Ocholi, his wife, Blessing,
and his son, Joshua
– The trio recently died in a car accident that
occurred on the Kaduna-Abuja expressway
It’s tribute galore today at the Federal High
Court, Lokoja, Kogi state as the late James
Ocholi was honoured by his colleagues in the
law profession.
The event which witnessed the presence of so
many legal luminaries and Senior Advocates of
Nigeria (SAN) was an emotional event.
In his remarks about the late Ocholi,, the chief
judge of Kogi state high court, Justice Nasiru
Ajanah, said: ”Our solace lies in the fact that it
is not how long a person has lived on this earth
but what legacy he has left behind.”
He continued: ”Ocholi lived a pious life and
fufilling life. He was true to himself and his
creator. He was my friend of over twenty
years.”
Paying homage to the late Ocholi, the president
of Kogi state Customary Court of Appeal,
Justice Ibrahim Atadoga Shaibu said: ”The
testimony of your life and times has shown that
life essentially is not about longevity but about
quality and beneficial impact.”
On his part, the Kadi of the Sharia Court of
Appeal, Lokoja, Justice Ibrahim Ohu said: ”His
death was a rude shock and an irreparable loss
to Kogi state and Nigeria.”
Among those who attended the event were the
governor of Kogi state, Alhaji Yahaya Bello; his
deputy; Simon Achuba, magistrates and area
court judges, chief registrars of the high court,
the Sharia and Customary courts, traditional
rulers, local government chairmen, solicitor-
general of Kogi state, members of the Kogi state
house of assembly and members of the Judicial
Service Commission.
https://www.naij.com/767725-happening-now-kogi-state-high-court-honours-late-james-ocholi-photos.html

– Gunmen stormed the home town of the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress – The gunmen killed and severed the head of a 28-year-old man in Mgbuitanwo community – The assailants also abducted another resident of the area News just coming in from River state indicate that gunmen on March 17 stormed Mgbuitanwo, in Emohua Clan, Emohua local government area of the state. INEC ad-hoc staff during election. Vanguard in its report says the gunmen in the early hours of this morning stormed the home town of chief Andrew Uchendu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate in the March 19 rerun election in the state. The gunmen reportedly killed a 28-year-old man identified as Mr. Ukeoma and beheaded him. The assailants also abducted another resident who is yet to be identified. The residents of the community are currently in apprehension as news of the incident filtered in. There has been apprehension following series of killings that have accompanied the announcement of rerun state and national legislative elections in the state. Recently the acting national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Segun Oni at a media parley in the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, alleged that these killings were politically motivated because most of the casualties are members of his party. The state government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) refuted the allegation and hinted that the said killings were as a result of the ongoing cult war between rival groups. The deputy inspector-general of police in charge of operations, Sotonye Wakama, in a bitter reaction to the situation, warned that the force would not spare anybody or “any sacred cow” who would want to disrupt Saturday March 19 election in the state. “We are going to stretch the law to fullest elasticity. Let me explain it, if it would require us to use a mortal pestle to kill a mosquito whatever challenge that might truncate the Saturday, March 19, 2016, national and state assemblies re-run elections in Rivers state,” he said. In a bid to make real the threat of the DIG, the force headquarters has declared wanted the chairman, caretaker committee of Asari-Toru local government area of the state, Ambassador Soboma Jackrich, for his alleged involvement in the recent killings. Despite the happenings in the state, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recruited the services of 24,930 ad- hoc staff, 379 collation officers and 37 returning officers for the exercise. The ad-hoc staff are to lend a helping hand in the rerun election scheduled to hold in three senatorial districts, 12 federal constituencies and 22 state constituencies.

– Goodluck Jonathan reportedly insisted that he
will not bail out any minister or public officer
involved in the deal
– Some members of the committee have also
threatened to reveal other public funds made
available which were diverted by some
stalwarts of the party.

Reports says confusion has hit the camp of ex-
President Goodluck Jonathan over the N3.1
billion allegedly shared by six Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) chiefs.
Recall that beneficiaries named so far include a
former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-
Kayode (N840m); a former Secretary to the
Government of the Federation and leader of the
Social Democratic Party, Chief Olu Falae
(N100m); Mrs. (N36.9m); a former Imo State
Governor, Chief Achike Udenwa and a former
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Viola
Onwuliri(N350m) and Okey Ezenwa(N100m).
The EFCC said it uncovered how N3.145b was
paid into the accounts of six PDP chieftains and
the Goodluck Support Group (GSG) by the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the build-up to
the last presidential elections.
Fresh report says some of the beneficiaries ran
to Dr Jonathan but he insisted that he will not
bail out any minister or public officer involved in
the deal.
According to The Nation newspaper which
quoted a top source said: “There is confusion in
Jonathan’s camp. Many top members of the
campaign committee were dazed that such
huge cash was shared without any general
information.
“Some of them have volunteered to testify
against some of the beneficiaries if the EFCC
digs deeper. They have been threatening to
expose other dirty deals.
“Also, ex-President Jonathan has stayed away
from the matter. One of the beneficiaries went
to the ex-President for a bailout but the former
leader said he will ‘not assist anybody but they
should go and return whatever was given to
them’.
“The beneficiary was said to have diverted
N500million out of the N2billion, which he was
to remit to the committee. He only gave out
N1.5billion. The case of some public officers
involved in the deal was worse because the
former President has asked everyone to bear
his or her own cross.
“As it is now, those given the cash will have to
look for ways to refund it.”
Also, some members of the committee have
also threatened to reveal other public funds
made available which were diverted by some
stalwarts of the party.
https://www.naij.com/767172-n3-1b-fraud-confusion-hit-goodluck-jonathans-camp.html

JUVENTUS COUNT THE COST AS COMAN INSPIRES BAYERN MUNICH'S REVIVAL By Chris Davie Karma has had its revenge on Juventus, who were punished for a similar strategic error to that which allowed Paul Pogba to leave Manchester United for the Bianconeri COMMENT There’s an irony around Kingsley Coman’s inspired performance which rescued Bayern Munich and Pep Guardiola with a 4-2 extra- time, second-leg win over Juventus in the last 16 of the Champions League. Juventus have been afforded the luxury of having Paul Pogba in their team due to one the biggest mistakes in Sir Alex Ferguson’s career. But it was their own summer transfer blunder - letting Coman join Bayern on loan - which led to elimination in the Champions League this term. Juventus blitzed Guardiola’s men in a whirlwind opening 45 minutes at the Allianz Arena, and appeared on course to reach the quarter-finals after Pogba’s early opener was added to by Juan Cuadrado. But Bayern roared back in the second half and Guardiola’s decision to introduce Coman to his parent club in the 60th minute was the turning point. 7 - Kingsley Coman has been involved in 7 goals in CL this season (2 goals, 5 assists), more than any other French player. Diamond. — OptaJean (@OptaJean) 16 March 2016 If his pinpoint cross to set up Thomas Muller’s injury-time equaliser was a sight to behold, then his goal to solidify Bayern’s revival was something else. From midway in his own half, Coman needed only three touches to get into Juve’s area before showing composure and technique beyond his years to check back on his left foot and rifle past Gianluigi Buffon. For Bayern, the 19-year-old has looked unrecognisable from the winger who failed to break through at both Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. At PSG, his path to the first team was blocked by the likes of Lucas Moura, Javier Pastore, Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi. It was a similar story in Turin, as more senior stars and Massimiliano Allegri’s reliance on wing-backs limited starting roles in his favoured position. Despite his star turn at the weekend, bagging three assists in the 5-0 win over Werder Bremen, Coman was again a bystander for much of Wednesday evening. But he was given enough time to come off the bench to steal Juve’s chances of completing a remarkable comeback and potentially reaching their second successive Champions League final. Coman now has six goals and 10 assists in 24 appearances in the Champions League and Bundesliga this season. His loan move will become permanent if Bayern utilise their right- to-buy option for £21 million - practically a steal in today’s market. And Juve could be counting the cost for years to come.

– Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki
attended the plenary in Made in Nigeria attire
– Some Nigerian made cars were also spotted at
the National Assembly.

In keeping true to his promise of patronizing
made in Nigeria goods, the President of the
Senate Bukola Saraki on Wednesday, March 16,
appeared for plenary fully dressed in made in
Nigeria attire.
Saraki who is usually seen on suit and `agbada’
was seen today wearing a traditional igbo
chieftaincy attire and a red tradition cap, all
made in Aba, Abia State. Senate president, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki,
who had been stressing the need to patronise
Made-In-Nigeria products received some locally
made trendy outfits from Adic Designs as gift a
few weeks ago.
Saraki said that such patronage can help reignite
the textile industry that once contributed over 2
billion dollars to Nigeria’s GDP in the 80’s.
However, the Innoson cars were also seen at the
National Assembly. See some photos below.

– Buhari said the anti-corruption war will be
relentless adding that he would not entertain
any fear in his quest to rid the nation of
corruption
– The President disclosed that establishing a
new national airline was not currently on the
Federal Government’s list of priorities
– He condemned recent political violence in
Rivers State, saying the killing of people over
political differences was primitive, barbaric. Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari
has reiterated that his administration will deal
with any in its ongoing anti-corruption war.
Buhari said the anti-corruption war is will be
relentless adding that he would not entertain
any fear in his quest to rid the nation of
corruption by bringing those who compromised
their positions to book.
According to a statement by his special adviser
on media and publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, the
President spoke during an interactive session
he had in Malabo with Nigerians resident in
Equatorial Guinea.
“We will be merciless and relentless in
pursuing all those who abused public trust.
Nigerians will see how some of the elite
conspired to run the nation down,” the
President said. He also condemned recent political violence in
Rivers State, saying the killing of people over
political differences was primitive, barbaric and
unacceptable.
He promised to deal decisively with those
responsible for the development.
“We will deal decisively with all sponsors of
violence. I have given the security services
clear directives in this regard.
“We will show that violence in any form will no
longer be tolerated before, during or after
elections,” he stated.
Buhari promised that the Independent National
Electoral Commission would be encouraged to
explore the possibility of Nigerians abroad
participating in the 2019 general elections by
casting their votes wherever they might reside. “I want all Nigerians to know that I respect
them and their right to choose their leaders,”
he said.
The President disclosed that establishing a new
national airline was not currently on the Federal
Government’s list of priorities.
He said his administration’s main area of focus
was reducing the level of poverty, developing
the infrastructure needed to boost production
in all sectors of the economy and creating
more jobs for young Nigerians, as well as other
actions that would directly enhance the living
conditions of ordinary Nigerians.
Meanwhile, Buhari has unveiled his plans to
develop the oil and gas industry around the
Lake Chad Basin in the north-east as well as in
the coastal states.
The president also announced he will launch
several initiatives to ensure Nigeria hits a
production target of 2.8 million barrels per day
of crude oil.

petkoffdrake2:
When will the match kick off?

I don't knw yet but match is going to be played on d 25th day of March.

petkoffdrake2:
Choi! Our own don finish b that!


Is Mhares from Egypt? Is El Nenny included?

Mahrez is from Algeria. Elneny is Included.. He is among d forwards.

SALAH, ELNENY TOP EGYPT'S SQUAD FOR NIGERIA By Shina Oludare Coach Hector Cuper has named a strong squad to face the Super Eagles in March’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Egypt have announced a sturdy 23-man team to face Nigeria in the double-header Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Coach Hector Cuper’s squad is made up of five foreign based players and 18 local based professionals [Nine players from Zamalek and Al Ahly each] with AS Roma’s Mohammed Salah leading the pack. The first leg holds on March 25 at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium with Alexandria staging the return leg four days later. The north Africans lead Group G with six points from two games while Nigeria is second with four points from same number of games. FULL SQUAD Goalkeepers : Ahmed Elshennawy (Zamalek), Sherif Ekramy (Al Ahly) Defenders : Ramy Rabia (Al Ahly), Ahmed Hegazy (Al Ahly), Sabry Rahil (Al Ahly), Mohamed Hany (Al Ahly), Hamada Tolba (Zamalek), Ali Gabr (Zamalek), Omar Gaber (Zamalek), Mostafa Fathi (Zamalek) Midfielders : Amr Warda (Panetolikos FC, Momen Zakaria (Al Ahly), Momen Zakaria (Al Ahly), Ramadan Sobhy (Al Ahly), Hazem Emam (Zamalek), Ayman Hefny (Zamalek), Mostafa Fathi (Zamalek) Strikers : Mohamed Salah (AS Roma), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal), Ahmed Hassan (SC Braga), Abdalla El-Said (Al Ahly), Amr Gamal (Al Ahly) Ahmed Hassan Mekky (Zamalek).

– Popularly called Mama Taraba, Nigeria’s minister of women affairs, Senator Aisha Alhassan is currently attending the 60th Session of the Commission for the Status of Women in New York – Among those in the minister’s delegation are Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu Tagged #CSW60, the session is taking place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from Monday, March 14 to Thursday, March 24. Representatives of Member States, UN entities, and accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world are participating in the session The theme of the session is Women’s Empowerment and its link to Sustainable Development. Senator Alhassan has been championing the advocacy for women empowerment in Nigeria and according to her ”it is the surest and fastest route to sustainable development.” Tinubu is attending the session in her capacity as the chairperson of the Senate committee on women affairs. Senator Alhassan also made Nigeria proud when she chaired the Commonwealth Annual Consultation of National Women’s Machineries at the UN headquarters yesterday, March 14. Mama Taraba chaired the Commonwealth Annual Consultation of National Women’s Machineries at the UN headquarters The meeting was critical to discuss what has worked and what has not worked in gender equality from 2005 – 2015 worldwide.

Rotimi Amaechi, the minister of transport was
spotted on a queue while awaiting to board a
flight at the Murtala Muhammed International
Airport on Tuesday, March 15.
The minister of transport was frisked like every
other person.
The minister of transport, was pictured in a
queue as he underwent security check.
Amaechi was not given any preferential
treatment as he was frisked like every other
passenger at the airport.
This is not the first time the former Rivers
state governor would be sighted at the airport
among crowd who wants to travel.
Rotimi Amaechi at the Lagos international
airport.
Is it safe to say the change mantra on
President Muhammadu Buhari is gradually
showing?
Meanwhile, Amaechi has continued his war of
words with the incumbent Governor Nyesom
Wike. The minister of transport, has accused
the ex-president Goodluck Jonathan for hating
the people of Rivers state.
He made the accusation during an interview in
Port Harcourt. He said: “Jonathan hated Rivers
people so much that ordinary $1bn to clean up
Ogoni land, he refused to pay.”

President Vladimir Putin has ordered for the withdrawal of Russia's military from Syria.

Russia's defence ministry has announced that
the first of its aircraft has departed Syria
following the surprise pullout order from
President Vladimir Putin.
The statement came just hours after Putin
announced the withdrawal of most Russian
forces from Syria, timing his move to coincide
with the resumption of Syria peace talks in
Geneva.
The start of the negotiations in Switzerland on
Monday offered Putin an opportune moment to
declare an official end to the five-and-a-half-
month Russian air campaign.
The Russian involvement has allowed Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad's army to win back
key ground and strengthen his positions before
the talks.
Russia did not indicate when the first planes were
scheduled to leave, nor how many aircraft and
troops would be withdrawn.
The number of Russian soldiers in Syria has
never been revealed, but US estimates suggest it
varies from 3,000 to 6,000 military personnel on
the ground.
Putin made it clear that Russia will maintain its
airbase and a naval facility in Syria and keep
some troops there.
Syria's state news agency also quoted Assad as
saying that the Russian military will draw down
its air force contingent but won't leave the
country altogether. Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr said Russia's move
should be viewed as a message to the West that
it does not want open-ended involvement in the
five-year conflict.
But she noted that Russia's military presence
remains significant.
"We have to remember this is not an end to the
military presence. The fact the S-400 defence
system is still on the ground means Russia is
still the main external player in Syria," she said.
Assad's office said he and Putin spoke on the
phone on Monday and jointly agreed that Russia
would scale back its forces in Syria.
It rejected speculation that the decision reflected
a rift between the allies, and said that the
decision highlighted the "successes" the two
armies have achieved during fighting in Syria and
restoring peace to key areas of the country.
Putin said on Monday that he hoped the
withdrawal of Russian troops from Tuesday
would be a stimulus for a political resolution of
the conflict.
"I hope today's decision will be a good signal for
all conflicting parties. I hope it will sizeably
increase trust of all participants in the process,"
he said.
Russian forces have killed more than 2,000 rebel
fighters, including 17 rebel leaders, since the
start of the operation in late September.
Those Russian soldiers who stay in Syria will be
engaged in monitoring the ceasefire regime, Putin
said. Donald Jensen, a former US diplomat who
worked in Moscow, told Al Jazeera that despite
the pullout announcement, Russia still fully backs
its ally Assad.
"I think Russia is committed to keeping him in
power. There are conceivably circumstances
where they'd throw him under the bus. But in
their own mind they are fighting for a principle,
which is the sovereignty of nation states from
outside intervention.
"However, I think this action is also sending a
message to Assad that 'you still depend on us',
and I don't think the Russians have been
particularly happy with Assad's reluctance to talk
to the opposition."
The Syrian conflict has killed more than 250,000
people and displaced almost half the country's
prewar population of 23 million since it began in
March 2011.
A fragile ceasefire has largely held since
February 27, and humanitarian aid deliveries
have resumed in recent weeks.