₦airaland Forum

15 July 2016: All staff are emailed to say they will have to undergo a period of clinical supervision in preparation for an external review.

Staff are told that Letby has agreed to go first. The next day, she texts a colleague to say she has done a timeline of the year to analyse her cases. She says some were seriously ill when she took over and "some went off within hours/on handover".

Text message from Lucy Letby on 16 July 2016: "Hoping to get as much info together as possible -if they have nothing or minimal on me they'll look silly, not Me".
Letby was first arrested two years later, in July 2018. It took another five years for her to be found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder another six.

At the end of her 10-month trial, the jury found her not guilty of two further charges of attempted murder and was unable to return verdicts on six further charges, also of attempted murder.

She is the most prolific child murderer in the UK in modern times.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-66120198

Tuesday 13 October 2015 - Baby I falls critically ill
The next morning, Letby texts a colleague who is taking over, saying Baby I "deteriorated a lot this morning" and had to be resuscitated.

In the afternoon, she messages the nurse who is acting as shift leader to ask if Baby I will be transferred.

Letby: I'd like to keep her please

The shift leader agrees, but a little over an hour later she messages to say she had to reallocate. Letby asks if something happened.

Shift leader: No. Was just asked to reallocate so no one has her for more than 1 night at a time.

Baby I died the following week, when Letby was again on an overnight shift. She has been found guilty of her murder.

Short presentational grey line
Over the next few months more babies fall ill. In text messages, she complains about understaffing, and volunteers for extra shifts - including the shift where she attempts to murder twins, Baby L and Baby M.

In early June 2016, Letby connects on Facebook Messenger with a doctor at the hospital. Their messages show a close relationship.

Later that month, she murders Baby O and Baby P.

Friday 24 June 2016 - Baby P dies

Letby murders Baby O on Thursday 23 June. She kills his brother, Baby P, the following day.

A day later, she asks the doctor she had been messaging for reassurance after one of the consultant paediatricians, Dr John Gibbs, had been asking questions following another baby's collapse and resuscitation.

Letby: Do I need to be worried about what Dr Gibbs was asking?

Doctor: No

Doctor: He was asking to make sure that normal procedures were being carried out.

The conversation continues:

Text messages between Lucy Letby and a doctor on 25 June 2016. Letby says: "We've lost 2 babies I Was caring for and now this happened today, makes you think 'am I missing something/good enough'". The doctor replies: "if *anybody* says anything to you about not being good enough or performing adequately I want you to promise me that you'll give my details to provide a statement." Letby says: "Well I sincerely hope I won't ever be needing a statement. But thank you, I promise".

The doctor offers further reassurance:

Doctor: You are one of a few nurses across the region (I've worked pretty much everywhere) that I would trust with my own children.

6 July 2016: The doctor messages Letby giving her details of a meeting which reviewed the deaths of Baby O and Baby P, saying "You need to keep this to yourself".

Doctor: There is absolutely nothing for you to worry about. Please don't.

Doctor: There are going to be some recommendations based on staffing / kit but there was no criticism of either resus.

He also shares an email from neonatal lead consultant Dr Steve Brearey, which mentions that the deaths of Baby O and Baby P will go to an inquest.

The next day he adds: "I know you won't say anything - this email has to stay between us, is that ok?"

"Of course," Letby replies. "100%".

ahnie:
This one strong

Totally horrific, heart and soul-rending. Shouldn't have happened in this age.

Tuesday 4 August 2015 - Baby E dies in early hours

That morning, one of the nurses asks how Letby is and if she had been working with Baby E - as well as his twin brother, Baby F.

Letby: News travels fast. Who told you?

Letby: Yeah I had them both. Was horrible.

[…]

Nurse: I just really feel for his parents but for you too. You've had some really tough times recently

That night, before going back on shift, Letby exchanges texts with a colleague who commiserates, saying "you seem to be having some very bad luck".

Letby: Not a lot i can do really. He had massive haemorrhage could have happened to any baby x

Wednesday 5 August 2015 - Baby F falls critically ill

Four days after attempting to kill Baby F, Letby messages a colleague:

Letby: I said goodbye to Baby F's parents as Baby F might go tomorrow. They both cried & hugged me saying they will never be able to thank me for the love & care I gave to Baby F & for the precious memories I've given them. It's heartbreaking

Nurse: It is heartbreaking but you've done your job to the highest standard with compassion and professionalism.[...]

Letby: I just feel sad that they are thanking me when they have lost him & for something that any of us would have done. But it's really nice to know that I got it right for them. That's all I want.

Saturday 26 September 2015 - five days after attempting to kill Baby G

Letby receives a supportive text from a manager in the unit and her reply suggests she has been the subject of criticism or suspicion:

Text from Lucy Letby on 26 September 2015: "That's really nice to hear as I gather you are aware of some of the not so positive comments that have been made recently regarding my role which I have found quite upsetting. Our job is a pleasure to do & just hope I do the best for the babies & their Family."

The next day she messages one of the other nurses:

Letby: It's all just so rubbish lately isn't it. And always seems to happen at night when less people

Letby: This is what we do, as sad and as hard as it can be

Sunday 14 June 2015 - Baby C dies
Letby has a text conversation with the same colleague she had been speaking to the previous night:

Message written by Lucy Letby dated 14/06/2015 It reads: Sorry if I was off just wasn't a great start to shift but sadly it got worse. X/ I was struggling to accept what happened to Baby A. Now we've lost Baby C overnight & It's all a bit much.X / Colleague replies: Hope you're going to be ok. This isn't like you. Sending you biggest hugs. xx / Letby continues: I just keep seeing them both. No one should have to see & do the things we do. It's heartbreaking. But It's not about me. We learn to deal with it. Thank you Bleep

Sunday 21 June 2015 - Baby D dies
The morning after murdering Baby D, Letby sends a message to a colleague:

Letby: We lost Baby D

Colleague: What!!!! But she was improving. What happened.

Colleague: Wanna chat? I can't believe you were on again. You having such a tough time

The conversation continues later:

Text messages from Lucy Letby on 22 June 2015: "…on a day to day basis it's an incredible job with so many positives. But then sometimes I think, how do such sick babies get through & others just die so suddenly & unexpectedly? Guess it's how it's meant to be" and "I think there is an element of fate involved. There is a reason for everything"
Letby tells another colleague "what I've seen has really hit me" but she brushes off the suggestion that she should see a counsellor.

Letby: I can't talk about it now, I can't stop crying. I just need to get it out of my system.

30 June 2015: One of the other nurses messages Letby, saying it is odd that four babies have become dangerously unwell within a short period of time.

Nurse: There's something odd about that night and the other 3 that went so suddenly.

Letby: Well Baby C was tiny, obviously compromised in utero. Baby D septic. It's Baby A I can't get my head around

Text messages sent by Lucy Letby in the hours after she murdered babies on a neonatal unit were a key part of the evidence against her.

They show how she messaged colleagues after she had killed babies, often informing them of the deaths. In turn, she received sympathy and concern.

The texts show how she offered to work extra shifts on the neonatal intensive therapy unit (ITU). And, as her murders mounted, they also reveal how Letby reacted as the net of suspicion closed in on her. Here are some of the messages she sent.

To protect the identities of the babies, and their parents, each baby has been named by a letter.

Monday 8 June 2015 - Baby A dies overnight
The day after murdering Baby A, Letby messages colleagues saying she doesn't want to go back into the nursery or see the parents - who also had another twin on the unit, Baby B.

She attacks Baby B some time before 11 June.

Letby: It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

Letby: Just a big shock for us all. Hard coming in tonight & seeing the parents x x


She messages one of the nurses to say she has asked to be assigned to work with another baby:

Text message from Lucy Letby on 9 June 2015: "I just don't know how I'm going to feel seeing parents. Dad was on the floor crying Saying please don't take our baby away when I took him to the mortuary, it's just heartbreaking."
11 June 2015: Three days after murdering Baby A, she messages a manager of the neonatal unit, offering to work more shifts, saying she needs to throw herself back in:

Text message from Lucy Letby on 11 June 2015: "from a confidence point of view I need to take an ITU baby soon X"

13 June 2015: Five days after Baby A's murder, and the day before she kills Baby C, Letby has an irritable exchange with a colleague over her manager's refusal to let her go back to work in intensive care.

She says when she worked at Liverpool Women's Hospital, she found she needed to go straight back and care for another baby "otherwise the image of the one you lost never goes".

The colleague disagrees, telling her to take a break:

Colleague: I agree with her don't think it will help. You need a break from full on ITU... It sounds very odd and I would be complete opposite.

[…]

Letby: Forget i said anything, I'll be fine, It's part of the job just don't feel like there is much team spirit tonight X

The conversation continues into the evening, until 23:09 when Letby signs off saying "Sleep well xx".

Six minutes later, Baby C falls critically ill.

Letby had been assigned to a child elsewhere in the unit, but that night she enters the nursery where Baby C is and feeds air into his stomach through a nasogastric tube, causing his collapse.

Early one morning in July 2018, Lucy Letby was led away from her home in handcuffs after being arrested for the first time.

The neonatal nurse, 28 at the time, was to be questioned about truly unthinkable crimes that, upon conviction, would make her the UK's most prolific child serial killer in modern times.

Her arrest followed a painstaking investigation by Cheshire Police that, at its height, involved nearly 70 officers and civilian staff.

The sole focus of Operation Hummingbird was to investigate the alarming and unexplained rise in deaths and near-fatal collapses of premature babies in the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit.

Within hours, news of Letby's arrest was making headlines around the world.

She was initially released on police bail but was subsequently arrested twice more and then ultimately charged in November 2020.

Since October, the now 33-year-old has been on trial at Manchester Crown Court, accused of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder 10 others between June 2015 and June 2016.

She steadfastly denied all of the 22 charges against her but was found guilty of seven counts of murder and seven of attempted murder, involving six babies.

Letby was acquitted on two counts of attempted murder while jurors were unable to reach verdicts on six further attempted murder charges.

The jury of seven women and four men had deliberated for more than 110 hours after hearing nine months of harrowing evidence.

But what have we learned about the woman who murdered and attempted to kill babies she was trusted to care for?

Letby was born on 4 January 1990 and grew up in Hereford with her mother and father, John and Susan, who since October have watched their daughter's trial unfold from the public gallery.

She attended a local school and sixth-form college, selecting subjects she believed would help her achieve her goals and aspirations.

"I have always wanted to work with children," she told the jury, adding she had chosen A-levels "which would best support that career".

Letby, who was the first person in her family to go to university, studied nursing for three years at the University of Chester.

During her studies, she completed numerous work placements. The majority were based at the Countess of Chester Hospital, either on the children's ward or the neonatal unit.

She qualified as a Band 5 nurse in September 2011 and went on to start working full-time at the hospital from January 2012 before qualifying to work with intensive care babies in the spring of 2015.

Letby told the court her workload from that time was "predominately" spent looking after the sickest babies on the unit.

She also revealed how she mentored five or six student nurses and estimated that she had cared for hundreds of new-born babies during 2015 and 2016.

In September 2016, Letby was officially informed in a letter from the Royal College of Nursing that she was under investigation over the deaths of babies.

Earlier that year, she had been removed from clinical duties and given a clerical role in the risk and patient safety office by hospital management.

At the time, she believed this was to check staff were competent to do their jobs and hoped to return to the job she loved.

But six years later Letby - who had no previous convictions, reprimands or cautions recorded against her - found herself sitting in the dock behind a glass screen as the prosecution labelled her a "calculating and devious" opportunist who "gaslighted" colleagues to cover her "murderous assaults".

Her defence team argued the deaths and collapses were due to "serial failures in care" in the unit and she was the victim of a "system that wanted to apportion blame when it failed".

During the trial, jurors were given a glimpse into Letby's life outside of work, with her once-private WhatsApp and social media messages read to the court.

"I had quite an active social life," she told the jury.

"I used to regularly attend salsa class, go out with friends, go on holidays with friends. Gym."

She started to cry as pictures of her home - where she was first arrested - were shown to the jury.

Letby lived in staff accommodation at Ash House before moving to a flat in Chester for about six months.

She moved back into Ash House in June 2015 before moving into the house she bought on Westbourne Road, Chester, in April 2016.

A photo of a noticeboard in the kitchen was covered in pictures and letters and featured a poster, drawn by her godson, which read: "No.1 Godmother awarded to Lucy Letby".

On her bed, she had Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore cuddly toys while a drawer in the living room contained various documents and medical notes for her two cats, named Tigger and Smudge.

Letby has been remanded in custody since November 2020 and has spent time in four different prisons.

Her trial has gripped readers from around the world, many unable to fathom how a neonatal nurse could carry out such heinous acts.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-65058159

Etsetemi88:
Greetings house, please do we have anyone here who lives in Grimsby or nearby towns?,I am looking for accomodation, even if it's a shared apartment I don't mind. Please it's urgent. Thanks as I await your responses

Hi, got your mail and replied but for whatever reasons, it returned undelivered.

labake1:
I have fear of height (Acrophobia), I always run away from storey buildings. In fact I always avoid a situation where someone will carry or lift me. On my wedding day, I will tell the MC to skip that part. I don't know how to overcome the fear.

What are you afraid of?
And have you conquered your fears?

Fear of falling, I had a crash few years back. Since that time, I have phobia for situations that can make me to have a free fall.
I have flown many times after the crash but I cannot ride a bicycle or motorbikes again because there is no side protection on the duo. I can go on a ladder if it has side rails.

labake1:
It's Saturday
Have you done your chores?
From this list, what's the one chore you absolutely hate to do?

Ironing clothes for sure. Hated it, still hating it, will continue to hate till end of time.

ideamonster:
OP, Luckily for you, this video that addresses all your concerns was on Nairaland frontpage this monday. Japa. still worth it?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAiqIyuG0hM

Here, fourteen people discussed all the things you have to take into consideration to make your decision to relocate including the three highly controversial pathways to residency. I suggest you listen till the very end. It's a very practical conversation, highly educative and thankfully, they aren't selling you anything. Pay particular attention to what the geologist says he had to do when he relocated. You can thank me later.

All the best.

Thank you.

DISCLAIMER - Those pictures were gotten from Taunton road car centre. That is not my car. Pictures for illustration purpose.

Ok back to the story. after many family meetings, consultation and researches. We decided to pick up the plan. We supplied the necessary details for credit checks. All documents sent via mail. We did not need to attend the shop for the documents. Credit score was satisfactory so the shop called us to schedule delivery dates. The final documents were sent via mail, auto-signed and reverted to the shop. Two days later the Car was delivered to my driveway, few days to Christmas of that year.

I was working that evening, so i did not have time to sit down and study the car. It require rigorous study to master the functions on the instrument panel, it could be easier for anyone else but for me, coming from a Picanto to Sorento, I need to study the manual.

After my night shift. I sat down with the manual, a very bulky and bogus textbook full of diagrams, pictures and instructions. For a large, seven-seat SUV, it doesn't just hide its bulk well, it is truly elegant. The same is true inside, with the pictures revealing a rich palette of materials that would appear to make this a very calming and relaxing place to be. Sitting down in the driver's seat for the first time as the owner brought a different feeling. the sight, feel and sense of it all is totally different.
Anyways to gain entrance, the driver's is soft touch entrance as long as you are with the key, press the black dot on the door and it unlocks itself. You can use the side step or you just hop inside as you like.

Or11:
I still prefer Mazda cars. Japanese that feels like a German.

Check out the new Mazda CX 90

We started to look around at the car lots around our neighbourhood, our town is a port town so there is a lot to visit. After a week of going around in circles. We stopped at Stoneacres, they deal with, Mini, Vauxhaul, Kia and i think Citroen. In the office i told them i need a Sorento. They asked for the year, i said 2019 - 2021. we were shown round the lots, a couple of 2019 and 2020. we decided to take a grey 2019 Sorento Gtline 2.2 Cdri.

• Model: Kia Sorento 2.2 CRDi 4WD Auto GT-Line S
• Engine: 2.2-litre diesel
• Power: 197bhp
• Top speed: 127mph
• 0-60mph: 9.1 seconds
• Average mpg: 37.7
• CO2 emissions: 196g/km
• Warranty: Seven years/100,000 miles

Engine/gearbox: 2.2-litre 4cyl turbo diesel, eight-speed auto -Power: 197 horsepower -Top speed: 127mph -0-60mph: 9.1 seconds -Economy: 46.3mpg -CO2/BIK tax liability: 161g/km / 37% (2018/19) -Boot space: 142 (3rd row up)/605 litres (3rd row down). It produces 197bhp and 441Nm of torque, which delivers quite strong performance. It is a beast on the motorway.

So we were given the contract information, because we wanted to do a PCP ( personal contract plan). The monthly repayment was higher than our budget so we started bargaining. We don't need paint cover, Pet cover. We retained the MOT/Repair plan and the tyre plan.

I am a person that believes in functionality of a device, being fit for purpose is important to me. I was using a Kia Picanto 2009, i have owned the car since 2020. The Picanto Chill is a very good and reliable car, fit for purpose and the maintenance cost is within my budget. The car has taken me every where that i needed to go. The only downsides is space, the boot size is about 157l

This is what, whatcar review has to say about Picanto; Value for money is the most important weapon in the armoury of any city car, but the Kia Picanto offers impressive value even among its peers.

Prices are affordable, and for such a nominal outlay you'll get a car with an impressive load of equipment. And a surprising amount of space.

There's plenty of room in any of the four seats, and six-footers will have no problem travelling in the back the five-door body style means easy access to the rear, and only the tiny boot limits its practicality. The dash is good, too: solidly built and logically laid out, even if the materials aren't particularly appealing.

If there is a problem, it's that the Picanto isn't a car for keen drivers. The engines are underpowered, there's too much body roll in corners and the steering is short of feel. The ride is a bit choppy, too, but for drivers who just want A-to-B city transport, it's fine. https://www.whatcar.com/kia/picanto/hatchback/used-review/n422.

The Picanto is a great small car that’s big on value and interior space. Like all Kia’s it is well put together and generously equipped, while light steering and a tiny turning circle make it ideal for nipping in and out of small spaces. Kia injected new life into the model with a facelift in 2008, giving it new lights and bumpers. As before, it is still available exclusively as a five-door, making it ideal if you have young children.

It’s been a surprise hit as a new car, which means that there’s now a wide range of models available at budget prices. One of the few black marks against its name is a less than impressive three star Euro NCAP crash safety rating. However, all cars sold from the beginning of January 2010 come with a seven-year warranty, making it a great buy.

The dashboard is good-looking with all major controls angled towards the driver. The steering doesn’t adjust for reach but most owners will find the driving position acceptable. All the buttons are big, chunky and easy to find, but some of the radio/CD controls are a bit fiddly. The MP3-compatible CD player does away with the need for a bulky CD multichanger, though iPod connectivity on top spec models will be more appealing to younger buyers.

Considering the Picanto is a small city car the interior is remarkably roomy. The front passenger has a decent amount of head and legroom, although some fidgeting is required if you want to open the glovebox. The rear seats are only really suitable for regular use by children, although short journeys with four adults on board is bearable. The seats are pretty good – firm enough for medium-distance journeys but comfy enough for day-to-day trips. https://www.parkers.co.uk/kia/picanto/hatchback-2004/used-review/interior/

The Picanto arrived in UK dealerships in May 2004, coinciding with Kia's 60th anniversary of vehicle manufacturing. Originally offered powered by either a 60bhp 1.0-litre (with a five speed manual gearbox) or a 65bhp 1.1-litre unit (that gave customers the option of a manual or a four-speed automatic set-up), S, GS and LX models were initially available. They were followed in November 2005 with a luxury leather-trimmed SE+ model. A Zapp! Limited edition model followed in May 2006 offering a year's free insurance and a Zipp derivative with a full length sunroof followed shortly after.

A facelift in the summer of 2007 softened the lines around the Picanto's front end and upgraded its interior with better quality plastics. The new trim levels kicked off with the standard model than run through Picanto 2 before topping off with the sporty Picanto 3 which features a mesh grille, fog lamps and 15" alloy wheels. The Ice launch edition model featured air-conditioning and a number of other features and came at a competitive price.

What You Get
Despite the massive strides Kia have made in recent years, there are still a fair quotient of potential customers who view the marque in rather outdated terms. The Picanto city car may be just the vehicle to change a few perceptions, offering as it does a resolutely modern take on metropolitan motoring. Cheeky, cheap and distinctive, the Picanto nails at least two of Kia's 'young, sporty and friendly' brand aspirations.

As befits a car with a high roofline, front headroom is an impressive 1,003mm and there's 996mm in the rear, which means that there's ample space for taller drivers. Front legroom is also very good thanks to the compact engines, with 1,041mm up front and up to 872mm in the rear. Shoulder room is very good front and rear although this is a car that you may not want to travel in five up. With 19 storage areas dotted about the cabin, Kia have done their homework when it comes to sheer utility, learning lessons from their huge selling Sedona and Carens MPV range.

It would be unreasonable to expect a huge amount of luggage space given the car's urban remit, and the 157 litres of available room won't make the Picanto your first choice for a trip to IKEA. Fold the seats flat and there's a reasonable 882 litres of space but you'll struggle for length. The 60/40 split rear seat back offers a little extra carrying space if you're travelling with three on board. The cabin comes in three different two-tone trims, black/silver, black/orange and black/blue. A fairly rudimentary manual temperature control system is fitted as standard although there is an optional air conditioning system. https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/car-reviews/kia/picanto/picanto-2009/

The only thing that i have changed on the Picanto is the battery, apart from paying for the road tax about £150, Insurance about £350, and the annual MOT which is about £30. I do spend about £35 to fill the tank depending on the retailer.

It was good city car until there was an addition to the family. The car cannot contain two children and another one in a car seat. The family decided that we need a family car. We were considering MPVs and mini vans, we considered Citroen C4 Space Tourer but we changed our minds after wide consultation and research.

Eventually we settled for a Kia Sorento.

Ever8090:
you get mind read d long thing or you just use d headline comment...?

Sure, I read all of it. Can you?

Interference or intervention?

Four weeks before a pivotal presidential election in Nigeria, an Israeli private operative specialising in political “black ops” was preparing his trip to the country. On 17 January 2015 the man, who used the alias “Jorge”, emailed Cambridge Analytica, the political consultancy he was coordinating with on a covert plan to manipulate Africa’s largest democracy.

“Friends, hi, I will be on the ground tomorrow for couple days … Who is best to meet there[?]” he asked. “Low profile as we came in on a special visa and we are watched closely (which is part of our plan anyway we need better understanding of the current status, improve communication and coordinate plans, we want to run by you a couple things that we might execute if the stars align. so plz, in very limited circulation, who is best to meet, and whats his/her position, and contact info.”


Jorge, or “J”, as he signed off many of his emails, was operating separately to Cambridge Analytica. But his group was coordinating with, and working alongside, the British political consultancy, which shared a secret mission to help re-elect Nigeria’s then president, Goodluck Jonathan.

On Wednesday, Jorge was unmasked by the Guardian and its media partners as Tal Hanan, a hacking and disinformation specialist operating from an industrial park 20 miles outside Tel Aviv. He calls his group “Team Jorge”, and claims it has worked covertly on more than 33 “presidential-level” election campaigns on behalf of clients.

The reply to Hanan’s email asking who to meet in Nigeria was sent by Brittany Kaiser, a young Cambridge Analytica employee who later featured prominently in the Netflix documentary The Great Hack, about the company’s Facebook data scandal.

She copied in the firm’s chief executive, Alexander Nix, and several other internal and external partners who would be coordinating with one another on the covert campaign to re-elect Jonathan and discredit his rival, the then opposition leader Muhammadu Buhari. “If you are on the ground please meet with SCL [Cambridge Analytica] Nigeria team,” she told Hanan.

Kaiser, who was 26 and based in London, was far from the only person at Cambridge Analytica involved in email exchanges with Team Jorge over the Nigeria campaign. She told the Guardian that her “sales” role at the company meant that she was not involved in any “operational matters with Jorge” in Nigeria in 2015.

Cambridge Analytica and Team Jorge were, she said, working “separately but in parallel” in Nigeria for the same client. “I sent some emails to put everyone in contact with each other and sort out who was doing what as time was short.”

The exchange was one of dozens of emails leaked to the Guardian and Observer that shed light on the covert coordination between Cambridge Analytica and Team Jorge in Nigeria. There is no suggestion that Jonathan knew of either Cambridge Analytica or Team Jorge’s ultimately failed attempts to get him re-elected.

But the emails reveal the covert methods that were used to boost his electoral fortunes and the ways in which two teams specialising in the dark arts of political persuasion liaised with one another, with meetings in London, the Swiss resort of Davos and the Nigerian capital, Abuja. Communications appear to have occurred on encrypted Hushmail accounts, or special devices used for secure phone calls.

Perhaps most significantly, they provide the answer to a mystery that has endured since 2018, when the Guardian and Observer first reported how an “Israeli contractor” had supplied Cambridge Analytica staff working on the Nigerian election with confidential material apparently stolen from the Buhari campaign.

The report was subsequently discussed at length during a UK parliamentary inquiry. The identity of the unnamed Israeli contractor who purloined Buhari’s confidential data has – until now – remained unknown.

Dark arts of political persuasion
Hanan appears to have been involved in the dark arts of political persuasion since 1999 without being detected. That changed on Wednesday, when the Guardian and other media outlets published undercover footage filmed by three reporters who met Hanan while posing as potential clients.

The trio captured Hanan as he gave presentations, slideshows and pitches about the election-influencing services that Team Jorge could deliver to people wealthy enough to afford them. The undercover footage records Hanan demonstrating hacking techniques to access Gmail and Telegram accounts to gain intelligence that could be used against a political adversary.

Hanan did not respond to detailed requests for comment but told the Guardian: “To be clear, I deny any wrongdoing.”

The undercover footage recorded him talking about having worked extensively in Africa, and his presentations included brief references to the 2015 Nigerian election.

In a slideshow called “What we do” he showed a slide with the heading “Wrecking havoc during African election day”, followed by a screengrab from a newspaper article that appeared in Vanguard, a reputable media outlet, which reported how, on election day, leaders in Buhari’s All Progressives Congress party (APC) discovered their phones were rendered useless because they were bombarded with calls.

Lai Mohammed, who was the opposition APC chief spokesperson during the 2015 election, appears to have been a target. Now a minister for information in the Nigerian government, his aide recalled the incident.

“We were at the party’s situation room in the morning of the presidential election, only to discover that his phone line had been blocked,” the aide said. “He could neither receive nor make calls, and that was very serious because he was the live wire of the opposition.”

During his presentation, Hanan showed the undercover reporters another slide featuring an image of women in Muslim attire who were sitting outside a Nigerian polling station. Suggesting Team Jorge had secured the publication of a story about women being excluded from the polling station, Hanan told the reporters he had “created a big scandal”, adding: “They extended the election, which was our objective.”

The Nigerian presidential election, which had been due to be held on 14 February, was indeed postponed. The six-week delay was linked to alleged security concerns over the Boko Haram insurgency. The announcement about the delay was made by Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission on 8 February.

One of the leaked emails between Hanan and Cambridge Analytica suggests he had advance information about that postponement.

“I have received strong indication that the elections will not take place on the 14th, and that plans are made to postponed them in few weeks,” Jorge wrote on 7 February, the day before the official announcement, saying the information came from “a top source” and adding: “Plz be carful circulating it.”

Other emails suggest Team Jorge produced YouTube video content to support Jonathan’s campaign and shared it with Cambridge Analytica, which in turn asked the Israeli outfit to help promote its videos on the platform.

However, it is the elliptical references to Team Jorge sourcing “information” for use by Cambridge Analytica that raise most questions.

‘Our clients must see results’
The different roles for Cambridge Analytica and Team Jorge in Nigeria are laid out in the emails. The British consultancy was tasked with securing coverage by international media during the election that would benefit Jonathan’s election campaign, and discredit Buhari.

Team Jorge was responsible for “opposition research”, or finding the material that could be leveraged to undermine Buhari. When one staffer met “Joel”, another Team Jorge operative, in Switzerland in January, the imminent poll in the west Africa country was apparently on the agenda.

They emailed Joel: “We can meet in our apartment or a restaurant here to discuss what we can accomplish for Nigeria in the short term.”

In another exchange, Joel said he would be the main point of contact to Cambridge Analytica and suggested the two sides “synchronise on a regular basis”, adding: “There will be a lot of info which we’ll have to share.” Cambridge Analytica provided Joel with a Hushmail account – projectliaison@hushmail.com – and introduced him to the consultancy’s staff in Abuja.

Cambridge Analytica, which worked on Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign for the White House, would later be forced to close amid the fallout over revelations it had harvested 87m Facebook user profiles to help target political advertising. But in 2015, the company was much more low-profile – one of many western political consultancies that sought to monetise its services on developing world elections.

Team Jorge and Cambridge Analytica were not the only forces seeking to help get Jonathan re-elected. One leaked email lists “Jorge’s Team” among four entities working in partnership on the Nigeria project: “We are working separately but must collaborate together in order to maximise our effectiveness. Our clients must see results.”

Two days later, some at Cambridge Analytica appeared to harbour concerns about whether Hanan’s team was pulling its weight.

One staffer asked: “What are Jorge and Joel doing? Now is the time to deliver, I am now led to believe by Jorge that we would not get anything from them until a few days before the election. This is too late for our client … As you are aware they are being paid to do opposition research, and as of yet we have received nothing of substance.”

The same staffer added: “The two secure phones that we are to purchase from Jorge (have not seen invoice) do not work and we spoke to them about this last week, these are very expensive and so far we have had no use from them at all.”

It is not clear from the emails what exactly Cambridge Analytica expected Team Jorge to do on the campaign or how the Israelis would do it. What is clear is that staff at the British consultancy anticipated the Israelis would be providing a package of information.

In another email, a staffer working on the campaign asked a colleague for “an email address for Jorge”, whom she wanted to contact “for some assistance in sourcing information for the campaign”. The reply copied “Jorge and Joel for coordination” and added: “I believe the package will arrive this coming week for you.”

In the end, it appears that Team Jorge’s information was transferred to Cambridge Analytica at a meeting at the London office.

Clandestine footage of election rival
An account of what happened next was given by Kaiser to a parliamentary committee three years later. She told MPs that the Israeli contractor – now known to be Team Jorge – visited Cambridge Analytica’s offices in Mayfair.

“They came to the office for maybe an hour one day, and plugged something into a computer to show some pieces of information that they had obtained from the opposing campaign,” she said.

That included, she added, a video from inside Buhari’s campaign meetings, apparently filmed by a mole planted by the Israeli team. She recalled being “shocked” and “surprised”, “because they were actually sitting there with the candidate campaign manager and other high-level individuals on the campaign. I had never seen that before from campaign consultants.”

The Israeli contractors had also obtained documents, some of which Kaiser told the MPs were then leaked to the press. She told the parliamentary committee that she had found the activities of the Israeli contractor “concerning” but stressed: “I did not know what they were up to until it had already been done.” When asked for the name of the Israeli team behind the black ops campaign, she replied: “I don’t remember, to be honest.”

Tal Hanan.
Tal Hanan.

Two months after Jonathan lost the presidential election in Nigeria, Cambridge Analytica was again considering working with its Israeli partners.

Nix, the Cambridge Analytica chief, emailed Kaiser a question. “What is Jorge’s (from Israel black ops co) surname please and also the name of his company[?],” he asked. Kaiser replied: “Tal Hanan is CEO of Demoman International.”

Nix did not respond to questions from the Guardian, other than to say the newspaper’s “purported understanding is disputed”.

Kaiser told the Guardian that her parliamentary testimony had been a “daunting experience”, adding: “I didn’t remember the name of the Demoman company when asked.” She said that she had no prior knowledge of the methods Team Jorge would end up using in Nigeria.

“Clearly, the making of a political sausage is not pretty in many of its aspects, and I understand how those who have not seen and experienced it at close quarters could look at what are regarded as ordinary political behaviours in democracies around the world and hold a position of moral criticism,” Kaiser added. “But I do not believe that criminality (with some notorious exceptions) is rampant.”

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/16/team-jorge-and-cambridge-analytica-meddled-in-nigeria-election-emails-reveal

Leaked messages show failed plan to discredit Muhammadu Buhari and get Goodluck Jonathan re-elected in 2015

Hello old friends and new ones, I am happy to be back. We started this thread before the current Japa wave. 'The great Exodus' from Nigeria.
I know some of you have moved from Nigeria, can you please write something on the thread or create your own thread, just tag me so that I can read. As you know, the story will always glorify the hunter until lions learn to write. Write your story. Life is in stages and achievements are in phases, document each phase. So can you share the 'what, why, how and when'? It will be useful for someone one day. Cheers and happy new year ya'll.

rinzylee:
Anyone in North Walsham or Norfolk here??

Hope you were able to get a contact in the stated towns.

[quote author=rinzylee post=109602333][/quote]Just seeing this, I am fine, trust you are well.

wayodude:


The level of delusion here is alarming.

He is chasing clout, no doubt.

coconat:
Pls how about someone who is technically sound in fixing phones and laptops? Any hope for such an individual? If the services of technicians are needed as such, na to remain for naija dey hustle na. God dey...

I don't know if anyone has answered your question. Yes, such skills may come handy but most people especially the citizens don't repair gadgets. They'd rather trade faulty gadgets for a new one since there is insurance for almost everything. There is insurance for phones, televisions, microwave ovens, blenders, watches, necklace, printers, laptops, desk tops. You name it.

post=120216347:
A sane society.

We will get there soon someday in our darling nation.

God help Nigeria.

Yes, we will get there as a people not just the Government. The PM is being investigated for not wearing seat belt.
No group of people is shouting, marginalisation, victimization or dramatisation after the fact. But here there will be lots of noises online and offline on why the PM should be left alone. We have a lot to think and work on.
We must allow the institutions to work properly if we want impunity to end.

envoymedia:
https://igberetvnews.com/1436645/10-die-road-accident-lagos-ibadan-expressway/

May they rest in peace. One of many problems with Nigeria is impunity at every level.
The driver of that truck will run away, nothing will happen to the owner of the truck, no one will be held responsible. So pathetic.

Catalytic converter has nothing to do with fuel efficiency but Car efficiency.
In some countries, your car will not pass MOT test without it as your car's emissions will be above scheduled limit.

RIP Edson Arante do Nascimiento
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/brazilian-soccer-legend-pele-dies-age-82?intcmp=tw_fnc

benardtotti:
You are wise , there is something up north that the west want and will keep destabilising that region till they get it and control it ,I strongly believe Shekau was a CIA agent .

The West always have an agenda.

ycat:
You know well that this is not something pulled from nowhere, anyone who has been on nairaland for a week can tell that igbos are ethnic bigots and will never give 1% of what they demand or get from others. I repeat, no non pure igbo will ever be a deputy of any igbo state let alone governor. [b]No non pure igbo has been governor in igboland [/b]but Yoruba have at least 3 sitting governors that are half right now as we speak. With governor postion comes a lot of pecks and that is what igbos are after and Adeleke can choose to give half of Osun state state to his mother's people. It would be a big benefits to igbos if Adeleke uses Osun's money to invest in igboland as Peter Obi did with a brew company, it would boost SE economy and count as southeast IGR. This is just an example, not to talk of waste in govt. Like i said earlier, I can't blame igbos for this, Yoruba allowed this to happen.

May be no non-igbo person has contested to be a Governor in the south-east. Until that happens, we don't have an objective data to back up that claim.
My main point is we should stop judging a whole race/ethnic by the actions if a few, whether Yoruba or Igbo.
Governor Adeleke is half Igbo. Whether a few misguided souls try to rub that in your face or not, he remains the Governor but the important thing is what he does with the position.
Lastly, The Yorubas that I know, are deep thinkers. We don't allow the sneers and jeers of a few distract from the bigger picture. At the moment, there is no bigger picture than the development of our land and people.