NIGERIA’S first licensed Islamic bank, Jaiz Bank Plc, has commenced full operations of non-interest commercial banking in Nigeria from three branches in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.

A staff of the bank, in its Abuja office, informed the Economic Confidential that most of the early customers were groups of business institutions and private individuals from different religious affiliations making enquiries, as well as opening different accounts.

The officer said the service of the bank was opened to everyone interested in the non-interest products.

The introduction of Islamic banking was part of a drive by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to propel Nigeria’s economy and promote financial inclusion by introducing alternative products.

At its inaugural annual general meeting, chairman of Jaiz Bank, Alhaji Umar Mutallab, said “this kind of banking is for all religions, because no religion wouldn’t want to help, especially funding critical project without using interest elements. Whether it is Christianity or Judaism, every community wants to borrow money without being bugged down with multi-layer interest structure.

LEADERS of the South-West and South-South geopolitical zones of the country on Wednesday met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja, and demanded the convening of a national conference, where the various components of the country would have the opportunity to reach a consensus on the terms of their union in an indivisible Nigeria.

But the president has asserted that the Presidential Committee on Outstanding Constitutional Issues, headed by Justice Alfa Belgore, would bring up areas of national consensus from the 2006 National Political Reform Conference for the National Assembly’s consideration towards effecting constitutional amendments.

He, however, left a window open for a larger body to meet in future, should there be other controversial issues to resolve.

The meeting took place behind closed doors at the First Lady’s Wing of the Presidential Villa, but leaders of both delegations, Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi and Chief Edwin Clark, of South-West and South-South respectively, who spoke with State House correspondents, revealed that the convening of a national conference was one of the issues discussed with Jonathan.

In his address which was made available to newsmen, Gbonigi noted that the vast majority of Nigerians were demanding for a new constitution, which made a national dialogue imperative, saying that the transformation agenda of the administration could not succeed unless it was predicated on a stable and secure polity, with happy and contented citizens.

According to him, “In the absence of these, no agenda can succeed, no matter how laudable. And to achieve peace and stability, there must be justice and equity. The 1999 Constitution is neither just nor equitable to the overwhelming majority of Nigerians; neither does it promote development and good governance.

“The vast majority of our people are demanding a new constitution, which will be of their own making. The changes required to the 1999 Constitution cannot be effected through the processes of the legislature alone, because they are fundamental and extensive.”

The South-West leaders also raised the issue of marginalisation of the region in the present administration, though it applauded the effort of Jonathan in supporting the candidacy of Mulikat Adeola-Akande as the speaker of the House of Representatives.

“We appreciate that you threw your weight on the side of gender and ethnic equity by supporting the candidacy of Honourable Mulikat Adeola-Akande. Unfortunately, however, the conflict resolved itself in government order of precedence,” he said.

He added that “much as we are discomfited by this development, we actually sympathise with you, knowing that it was not your wish to have things that way. All the same, we hope that as president, you will use your considerable powers to apply the soothing balm to the understandably hurt sensitivities of our people, to calm the frayed nerves and the increasingly loud murmurs of discontent emanating from them.”

The leaders lamented the meagre presence of Yoruba in key positions in the presidency and the upper cadres of career and political appointments, including the headship of major federal parastatal agencies.

In his remarks to reporters, Chief Clark also reiterated the need for a national conference, saying that they had discussed with the president on the need for the different ethnic nationalities to discuss their existence within one Nigeria.

He said the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) had been dissolved, adding that militants still active in the area were members of the late John Togo group, who initially refused to embrace the amnesty programme.

In a statement released after the meeting, the president said the Justice Belgore committee was set up in recognition of the demands by Nigerians for a constitutional amendment, to bring up all those issues which have been agreed upon at previous national conferences for presentation as bills to the National Assembly and subsequent passage into law.

Jonathan told the elders that government would strengthen the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigeria Police, to ensure that people were not unduly exposed to corruptive influences.

The president said the probe into the oil subsidy regime had exposed the fact that continued subsidy in the petroleum sector was a catalyst for agencies of corruption.

Some of the dignitaries present at the meeting were Chief Clark; Dr Tokunbo Dosumu Awo-lowo; Olorogun Felix Ibru; General Oladipo Diya; Chief Olu Falae; Colonel Tunde Akogun; Alabo Graham Douglas; Mike Okiro; Senator Femi Okunronmu; Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi; Chief Ebenezer Babatope; Dr Frederick Faseun; King E.D. Minoji XII, Aman-yanambo of Nembe; General Tony Etukudo; Chief Dipo Jimilehin; Chief Ekpanika; General Mujakpero, Orodje of Okpe; Professor A.O. Afolabi; Senator Tony Adefuye; Jimoh Ibrahim; Professor Tunde Adeni-ran; Dr Kunle Lajide; Senator Akerele-Bucknor; Edidem E.O. Abas Otu V, Obong of Calabar and Chief Abiola Ogundokun

IN a bid to redeem the battered image of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, the Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar has asked Nigerians to directly report unethical conduct of police officers to him through short message services, SMS, via numbers 08077446699, or 0810255581, for prompt disciplinary measures against such erring officers.

Abubakar said the measure would help curb the excesses of some officers who hide under the cover of the force to unleash havoc on Nigerians.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in charge of Benue State, Assistant Superintendent Ejike Alaribe made this known in an interview with Vanguard in Makurdi, pointing out that the IG gave the directive at the end of the meeting he held with public relations officers of Police Commands.

According to Alaribe, the IG, who lamented the battered image of the force, warned that the era of extortion and bribery by policemen would soon be a thing of the past as the police boss vowed to summarily dismiss any officer caught violating the code of conduct of the force.

Alaribe said the Police boss also directed the immediate resuscitation of the Public Complaints Bureau in all the Commands under the supervision of the PPROs of the commands in the state.

According to him, the IG directed all Police formations to ensure the strict respect of the fundamental human rights of all Nigerians in the discharge of their responsi-bilities, warning that the wilful disregard of the rights of Nigerians would no more be tolerated by the Police high command.

He said: “The IG expressed dismay at the battered image of the force and has vowed to redeem it through complete rejuvenation of the force to ensure international best practices in the act of policing in the country.”

THE recent crisis over petrol subsidy has uncovered the audacity of public officials in perpetrating financial recklessness. So audacious have the officials become that, without parliamentary approval, a staggering N1.05 trillion was reportedly drawn to “subsidise” fuel imports. The scale of the unauthorised spending is matched only by the indifference of the perpetrators to popular outrage. But the way forward is for the culprits to be brought to book and every kobo accounted for.

It was late last year that the House of Representatives got wind of the government’s outrageous spending on subsidy for petroleum products imports, which far exceeded the N245 billion provided for in the 2011 national budget. The government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation were later to admit that, as at October, total payments made to marketers had reached N1.3 trillion. The extra funds illegally drawn down amounted to 23.83 per cent of the entire N4.4 trillion budgeted in 2011. Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, insists the NNPC’s action was backed by the 2011 Appropriation Act, which, she claimed, provided that deductions could be made on domestic subsidy and cash calls. But Section 80 of the Constitution expressly forbids expenditure not charged to the Consolidated Revenue Fund and authorised by an enabling Appropriation Act. As many lawyers and civil society groups have said, it is an impeachable offence that also violates the Fiscal Responsibility Act. Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said neither her ministry nor the government knows who gave the NNPC the authority to spend without approval.

The legal option open to the government after exhausting the budgeted N245 billion was to have asked for authorisation through a supplementary budget and Act. Surely, the tolerance – and frequent complicity – of the legislature for such hanky-panky since the inauguration of the Fourth Republic has emboldened the executive arm to appropriate such a large sum for a project that unfolding revelations now show to be driven by massive corruption. Legislators need to wake up from their slumber as the consensus of informed opinion across the world is that corruption and fiscal recklessness, not subsidy, could destroy Nigeria’s economy. The case presents an opportunity to revive the comatose war against corruption and instil fiscal discipline in the running of the Federal Government.

Official recklessness is evident in the collapse of the Excess Crude Account created by the Olusegun Obasanjo presidency as savings. President Goodluck Jonathan and his predecessor, the late Umaru Yar’ Adua, wiped out the $23 billion they met in ECA. Imprudent management is evident in the depletion of foreign reserves which now hover around N32-33 billion from $51 billion, despite persistently high crude oil prices of $100 per barrel and above. The reserves had been built up by the previous government when oil prices were below $70 per barrel. A yet-to-be-denied report alleges that N114 billion has also been drawn from the Stabilisation Fund – another safety net – by the Presidency under curious headings such as “purchase of cars” and “loan to INEC” while some payments were allegedly not properly documented. No convincing explanation has been proffered by the government for the rising domestic and external debts put at N5.2 trillion and about $5.3 billion respectively as at August 2011 in the face of decrepit infrastructure and poor public services. The Due Process Office, once a vibrant check on reckless spending, has been weakened and financial indiscipline pervades ministries, departments and agencies.

It is, indeed, difficult to overstate the scale of what is at stake. For over 10 years, the NNPC has refused to provide detailed (not summaries) audited accounts to the parliament in violation of the law. The legislature was powerless when in 2011 this dubious example was followed by over 35 other agencies that defied requests for their accounts to be produced ahead of the passage of the 2011 Appropriation Act. The defiant claim by NNPC that it can spend its revenue as it pleases without remitting it to the Federation Account should be challenged and the lawlessness curtailed.

The burden of unravelling the fuel subsidy jigsaw falls on the National Assembly. An independent legislature is the critical arm of government in a democracy since the executive and the judiciary exist even in dictatorships. Parliaments jealously guard their power to authorise the spending of state funds and no responsible one will tolerate unauthorised spending by the executive. The National Assembly risks being rendered irrelevant by continued challenge to its constitutional authority to control the purse strings of the state. The risk is real.

The assembly will need to key in to the anger of an increasingly discerning electorate and muster sufficient courage to confront the arrogance of officials who seek to justify their assault on the treasury. Neither the lame excuses of Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, nor the attempt by Budget Director, Bright Okogwu, to wave the illegal appropriation away on the grounds that the budgeted sum of N245 billion for subsidy payment “was a mere estimate” should be accepted. Public funds were drawn without approval, period.

Those who did it should be held accountable. Nothing else will assuage the injury done to the citizens, who, in addition to the lost revenue, are now saddled with a 49.23 per cent hike in petrol price and the attendant rise in the cost of living. It is crucial to the country’s financial health and the sustenance of democracy that this practice is put down.

Punch Editorial

, UTME 2012 is on the 28th of March 2012, get your students busy @ www.utmesuccess.eu.pn, access UTME past questions online and receive your evaluation report immediately, share this link with students preparing for UTME 2012, Wishing you all success.

, UTME 2012 is on the 28th of March 2012, get your students busy @ www.utmesuccess.eu.pn, access UTME past questions online and receive your evaluation report immediately, share this link with students preparing for UTME 2012, Wishing you all success.

, UTME 2012 is on the 28th of March 2012, get your students busy @ www.utmesuccess.eu.pn, access UTME past questions online and receive your evaluation report immediately, share this link with students preparing for UTME 2012, Wishing you all success.

, UTME 2012 is on the 28th of March 2012, get your students busy @ www.utmesuccess.eu.pn, access UTME past questions online and receive your evaluation report immediately, share this link with students preparing for UTME 2012, Wishing you all success.

, UTME 2012 is on the 28th of March 2012, get your students busy @ www.utmesuccess.eu.pn, access UTME past questions online and receive your evaluation report immediately, share this link with students preparing for UTME 2012, Wishing you all success.

In his January 7, 2011, address to the nation, President Goodluck Jonathan appealed to Nigerians to trust him and support his decision to withdraw fuel subsidy which has had predictable multiplier effects on the prices of goods and services, and plunged the country into chaos. In that address, the president said:

“Let me seize this opportunity to assure all Nigerians that I feel the pain that you all feel. I personally feel pained to see the sharp increase in transport fares and the prices of goods and services. I share the anguish of all persons who had travelled out of their stations, who had to pay more on the return leg of their journeys, The interest of the ordinary people of this country will always remain topmost in my priorities as a leader. I remain passionately committed to achieving significant and enduring improvements in our economy that will lead to sustained improvement in the lives of our people… As I ask for the full understanding of all Nigerians, I also promise that I will keep my word.”

Also, since the debate or monologue about fuel subsidy removal began around September 2011, key government officials and supporters of the idea have asked Nigerians to trust the President and to swallow the bitter pill without questioning its rationale. The de facto “Prime Minister”, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and other members of the Jonathan’s Economic Team have traversed the length and breadth of the country insisting that Nigerians just need to trust that the decision to remove fuel subsidy is in the best interest of Nigerians and that the government should be trusted to use the so-called subsidy savings to provide all the good things that are missing in the lives of Nigerians such as: quality education, infrastructure, health care, security, employment etc. ala the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE).

Conversely, most ordinary Nigerians and the not-so-ordinary-but-reasonable Nigerians have wondered how they can trust the Nigerian government – this one, and any Nigerian government – given that they have been down this very familiar road of endless subsidy removal and national plundering so many times. From IBB to OBJ, every fibre of trust in the government has been destroyed by persistent, flagrant and repeated disregard for political and constitutional promises to the Nigerian people.


As Nigerians resist the imposition of the fuel subsidy removal through protests and strikes that is now grinding the country to a halt, what is emerging from commentators and observers is that there are more questions than answers on the subject of fuel subsidy. Nigerians have lots of questions that have either not been answered or have indeed been ignored by Jonathan’s officials. Therefore, if indeed the President and his team are honest and sincere to Nigerians, and wants the trust of the people, they might want to answer the following questions:

1. Government officials including the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the CBN Governor, have indicated at several forums over the past months that the cost of subsidy during 2011 jumped from 240 billion naira that was budgeted to about 1.3 trillion naira. Given that this is a sudden and drastic departure from the cost trends in the immediate past couple of years, the question is, what is responsible for this jump and what effort has been made to ascertain the true quantity and cost of fuel that was imported and consumed by Nigerians in 2011? And if nothing has been done, why not?

2. Normally, if a situation arises in which the cost of a service or contract suddenly jumps by about 400%, the logical thing that “normal” people will do is to investigate the jump, find the causes and take necessary actions to identify if any wrong has been done. And if any wrong has been done, the next logical step is to identify person(s) or institution(s) responsible and seek appropriate remedy under the law. Rather than rush to remove the subsidy and trigger the attendant crisis in which we are now embroiled; why has the government not followed this logical approach by first determining the causes and culprits responsible for the astronomical cost of fuel subsidy during 2011?


3. While many Nigerians do not agree that the subsidy regime and fuel importation as constituted since 2006/2007 is the way forward for Nigeria, the annual cost of fuel subsidy from 2007 to 2010 has been “tolerable” - never rising above 240 billion naira. What explains the jump from 240 billion naira that was budgeted to about 1.3 trillion naira in 2011? As many Nigerians will recall, to prosecute the 2003 elections, OBJ, Atiku and PDP connived with Julius Berger to inflate the Abuja Stadium contract in order to fund the war chest for OBJ’s second term in 2003. Mr. President, is it true that this time around the Presidency and PDP has connived with the oil cabals to inflate and divert money from the subsidy funds to finance the PDP Presidential Primaries and the April 2011 Elections which have been adjudged to be the most expensive political exercise in Nigeria’s history? Was the 2011 subsidy funds used to finance the April Elections?

4. Although an official investigation has not been conducted, many government officials including the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the CBN Governor have admitted in the media that the reason the subsidy cost for 2011 jumped to about 1.3 trillion naira is fraud and plundering of monumental proportion by a “powerful cabal” – something that is radically different from the previous years. Why then, is the government reluctant to arrest and prosecute the so-called cabal instead of simply removing fuel subsidy and arguing that its removal is the only solution? Is the government trying to cover the tracks and destroy the evidence leading to the conspiracy between PDP and the cabals?

5. The President has established two committees headed by elders Belgore and Kolade to pursue what might be considered a circus of sort. Many Nigerians would agree that the services of these “credible” Nigerians could have been better utilized as co-chairs of a committee to investigate the “2011 Fuel Subsidy Shame”. The government could then take the outcome of such investigation to chart the way forward on the fuel subsidy regime as well as prosecute the culprit cabals. Why did the government failed to follow this logical approach; is it because they already know the answers?


Richards wrote from Toronto, Canada

http://dailytrust.com.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=152265:mr-president-was-the-2011-subsidy-fund-used-to-finance-the-april-elections&catid=7:opinion&Itemid=12

The Joint admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, yesterday alerted the Police to activities of “some faceless and fraudulent individuals” sending fake text messages in its name.

This was contained in a letter addressed to the Commissioner of Police, FCT Police Command, by Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, the Registrar of the Board.

In the letter titled: “Report of a Fraudulent SMS Credited to JAMB”, Ojerinde said the individuals had been circulating SMS purportedly asking parents and guardians to contact EL’Technologies for non-existing biometric solution for UTME in Abuja.

The message reads: “This is to notify all accredited centres in Abuja with 10 digits access codes that they are to contact EL’Technologies for all their biometric enquiries regarding 2012 UTME offline registration”.

JAMB said it was embarrassed as the message tried to associate its registrar with the faceless individuals’ illegal activities.

“We have tried, to no avail, to establish contacts with the owners of the number with which the SMS was sent.

“We are appealing to the Police High Command in the FCT to help track down these fraudsters,” Ojerinde said.

He explained that there was no problem with JAMB’s Biometric registration, adding that it was unfortunate that some people were claiming to be solving “non-existing problems”.

Ojerinde reminded parents, guardians and their wards of the need to be vigilant as more of such messages could be sent before the conduct of the 2012 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination UMTE.


, UTME 2012 is on the 28th of March 2012, get yourself busy @ www.utmesuccess.eu.pn access UTME past questions online and receive your evaluation report immediately, share this link with students preparing for UTME 2012, Wishing you all success.

.UTME 2012 is on the 28th of March 2012, get yourself busy @ www.utmesuccess.eu.pn . Access UTME past questions online and receive your evaluation report immediately, share this link with students preparing for UTME 2012, Wishing you all success.

Gab Technologies, e-learning consultant
07063397940

The NLC and TUC have fixed Wed 11th 2012 for the commencement of national indefinite strike to protest the removal of fuel subsidy,
http://thestreetjournal.org

haka_nai:


^^^^^The bolded seem to contradict!!! Is it xtians or southerners?

both,

I dey laugh ooooo,

The Nigerian Police has dismissed the purported ultimatum given to southerners living in the Northern parts of the country by Boko Haram to relocate from the areas in view of the state of emergency issued by President Goodluck Jonathan as a rumour.

Speaking with Vanguard in Abuja, Monday, the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Yemi Ajayi said that the Nigeria Police was ready to protect every Nigerian irrespective of where they live.

He pointed out that the Police had heard about the rumour of the ultimatum and would like to assure Nigerians not to panic as the Force was determined to ensure adequate protection for lives and property of Nigerians.

He said, “we have heard the rumour but whether it is rumour or not, we want to assure Nigerians to go about their lawful duties. The police is ready and determined to protect Nigerians at all times. It is our duty and we will not shy away from that”

A purported spokesman for Islamist group, Boko Haram, had issued an ultimatum to christians in the northern part of country to leave the place within three days.

According to the spokesman, Abul Qaqa, the group was also ready to confront soldiers who would be deployed to the local government areas where the President had declared State of Emergency.

“We find it pertinent to state that soldiers will only kill innocent muslims in the local government areas where the state of emergency was declared,” he told journalists in a phone conference late Sunday.

“We would confront them squarely to protect our brothers.”

Speaking in the Hausa language common throughout the north, Qaqa said “we also wish to call on our fellow muslims to come back to the north because we have evidence that they would be attacked.

“We are also giving a three-day ultimatum to the southerners living in the northern part of Nigeria to move away.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/01/boko-haram-ultimatum-no-cause-for-alarm-police-assures-nigerians/

Former military President General Ibrahim Babangida has condemned the removal of fuel subsidy by the federal government saying the move is ill timed.

He also wondered why the government had to rush into the policy when it had promised the people that consultation was still on-going with major political stakeholders especially the National assembly.

In a statement issued, Monday in Abuja and signed by his media Aide, Prince Kassim Afegbua, the former President said sticking to April date earlier advertised by government officials would have given the administration enough time to consult and explain the considerations for its proposed action.

He reminded the government that a policy such as subsidy removal is more of a political issue instead of the pure economic matter which the government looks at it.

The Statement titled “state of the nation” further said “On the issue of fuel subsidy removal, it is my opinion that it is ill-timed. The issue of subsidy should be seen more as politics and not economics, because the sole purpose of government is for the good of the people and not to create hardship. It is better to seek political solution to the subsidy discourse than invoking the sentiments of economics. Government should have kept its word till April by which time better explanation would have been given before implementation takes effect.

“The National Assembly should have been made to be part of the decision-making process since the 2012 budget is yet to be discussed and passed by the Legislature.

Every government should ordinarily take the interest of her people at heart so that the reason for its existence would be justified. I will insist that a political solution be sought in resolving the issue so that a mutually agreeable position would be reached between the Leaders and the People. This exclusive decision of the Executive arm of government does not speak well of the tenets and principles of participatory and all-inclusive democracy.

General Babangida also said he was confident of the ability of President Goodluck Jonathan to tackle all the issues and problems besseting the nation if only he distanced himself from those he described as “attention seeking public affairs analysts and advisers”

According to him all the President needs to do is to take time to reflect on issues and through that find solutions to them.

On insecurity in the country, General Babangida pleaded with those drumming for war to desist from it because that course will not benefit them or the country.

According to him, the divide between the ruled and the government is too wide for mutual trust.

In his words: “We must begin to consciously redirect our collective energies in entrenching a culture of strong and enduring moral super-structure as a platform for sustaining our once cherished value system. There is a potential breakdown of social contract between the leaders at all levels and the led. Leaders have failed in their responsibilities at meeting the expectations of the people.

These days, the gap between the rich and poor has further polarized the socio-economic and political discourse on the basis of winner-takes-all thus making public office unethically attractive. This is why there is so much desperation in the contest for public office.

The failure of governments and Leaders at various levels; Local Government, State Government and the Federal Government; religious leaders, Judiciary, political leaders, traditional leaders, Media at providing the much expected dividends of democracy, has further disconnected the people from their leaders; reason why there has been so much angst in the land.

“In order to arrest this ugly trend and refocus our country on the path of peaceful co-existence in spite of our manifest tribal configurations, we must begin to revit our value system and provoke platforms where this becomes the central theme of our collective discourse.

Rather than leaders competing on the basis of who owns the latest house, automobile or jet in town, they should compete in the faculty of ideas to drive good governance and accountability. Any government that is able to deliver the tangibles and intangibles to stimulate wider audience participation in governance will be on the positive reckoning of the people.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/01/ibb-condemns-fuel-subsidy-removal-says-its-ill-timed/

MEMBERS of the church that lost 25 worshippers on Christmas Day were struggling yesterday to free themselves from the terrible hangover of the horror.

St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, near the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, was the scene of the Sunday bombings by Boko Haram.

A church member, apparently still shocked by the horrific scene, yesterday relayed how it all happened.

Mr. Francis Raphael said a suicide bomber actually ran into part of the congregation.

His account contradicted that of the National Security Adviser, Gen. Azazi Owoye, who said the perpetrators of the explosions threw bombs at the members of the church who were coming out after an early morning mass.

Raphael, a member of the church’s Security Committee, said the suicide bomber came in a “clean” Toyota Camry Car.

The church allowed Raphael to speak with reporters because he is perhaps the only surviving member of the security team on duty on Sunday.

A policeman, who also survived, was still regarded as a “living victim” because he is in a critical condition.

Raphael, who is injured in the head, said the suicide bomber died with scores of congregation members.

The survivor, who was at the gates of the church when the explosions occurred, said the bomber defied police and church operatives when he was flagged down.

His head bandaged, Raphael narrated how three policemen and a church security worker, Peter Ehis, made a desperate bid to stop the bomber for a check, but he accelerated and rammed into scores of parishioners trooping out of the church.

He said he was sure that about 90per cent of the members of the congregation were at the entrance of the church when the bomber ran into them on top speed.

Raphael said: “It was an impact bomb. The incident happened few minutes before 8am when the first mass ended and people were coming out. I was under a cashew tree, directly under the fence of the second gate.

“Immediately after the first mass, we were trying to disperse and there were many people outside the church.

“The suicide bomber came with a golden colour Camry car. The flashy and clean car was coming from Suleija end. The car was almost like new and the glasses were clear, not tinted.

“The suicide bomber wound up all the side glasses. He must have been playing music or making some incantations or saying his last prayers.

“We had two security personnel and a youth member at the first gate. The policemen tried to stop him but the car refused to stop. The youth member did the same thing to stop him, he refused. The youth member decided to follow him, to monitor him.

“Instead, the man wound up the glasses, drove slowly. After about five seconds, he turned the vehicle with one of his back tyres almost stepping on the youth member. He turned the vehicle, facing the parish and the culvert.

“As soon as he turned, he accelerated, as if he wanted to fly and ran into them. As soon as he crashed, the bomb exploded. It was after the crash that the thing exploded. So, he moved the car and entered into the scores of parishioners.

“The traffic man and the youth member died. The youth member, Peter Ehis, was so close to the car. He was directly behind the car. They said he also died alongside an Inspector at the first gate.

“The suicide bomber died with his victims. I cannot recall whether he was in the car with any other person. But the car was brand new golden colour Toyota Camry.

“I was thrown aside. I stood up thrice. After, I was treated at the Daughters of Charity Home but could not be admitted. I had to go back to the hospital this morning for treatment.

“I still have some shock. I thank God that I am alive. The suicide bomber was not on speed; he drove slowly, then he stopped, but with great acceleration, he ran into those coming out.

“If I am to say, let me say that about 90 per cent of the parishioners were outside the church when the suicide bomber struck.

“The death toll of 25 was far from it. I said scores of persons died in the explosions.”

Responding to a question, Raphael said: “We beefed up our security in the church long tome ago. Before you go into the church, we use scanners to screen you. We have always taken precaution.

“The precaution was not based on any information but when we had the celebration last year, some came with bangers that were so loud. To manage the situation, we had to check all these.”

Concerning the arrest, Raphael added: “I was told two strange persons were caught. I may have to find out the true position.”

Asked if it is true that the bombs were planted under a car on Saturday, he said: “The vehicle there was a green Mercedes Benz car owned by a parishioner.”

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/31228-how-we-were-bombed-by-church-security-chief.html

Access JAMB/UTME Past Questions online

Attempt any of the questions and receive your answers immediately,

visit - http://www.utmesuccess.eu.pn/

Hello friends, I am posting massive e-books @ https://www./ebooksresources/ , don't miss out, Get set for the challenges ahead in the new year by empowering yourself with knowledge, stay ahead, read ahead, JOIN US

kaysy:

Jamb Online Registration 2012/13 with Biometrics Now Available at 39, Eleduwe Str, Off Kemberi Road, Okoko, Lagos.


Experience the Best Service Ever,
Especially to Candidates Around Okoko, Badagry, Ojo, Iba, & also UNILAG & Yabatech Applicants.


BENEFITS INCLUDES

Get Guidelines against Application Error

Know Your School & their Catchment Area

Get Your JAMB Result via SMS for free

UNILAG and Yabatech Applicants gets further Support against Post UTME & more.


To make online registration please call: 08122363117

Visit us for Experienced Online Registration by a Nigerian Graduate who knows exactly what you want.

UTME 2012 holds on the 24th of March 2012 nation-wide. Registration closes on the 2nd of February 2012, Prospective students preparing for the examination are advice to visit www.utmesuccess.eu.pn to access past questions online, attempt the questions and receive your results immediate, START NOW!

Testdabrain:

Pls. I have been given my jamb confirmation slip but there is a mistake in the university they filled. Is it possible to change anything. Even if its changed, wont it affect my postume?

visit the nearest JAMB OFFICE for clarification, but I think you can change your University, Hope you visited our website - http://www.utmesuccess.eu.pn/

Gab Technologies
07063397940

UTME 2012 holds on the 24th of March 2012 nation-wide. Registration closes on the 2nd of February 2012, Prospective students preparing for the examination are advice to visit www.utmesuccess.eu.pn to access past questions online, attempt the questions and receive your results immediate, START NOW!

Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Rt. Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah, and the National Union of Textile Garments and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTW, have accused President Goodluck Jonathan of allegedly blackmailing Nigerians with his claims that the country would collapse in two years, if fuel subsidy was not removed.

Bishop Kukah asked the Federal Government to address the issue of insecurity in the country which according to him is more serious than the proposed removal of fuel subsidy just as the NUTGTW said there was no difference between the current debate on fuel subsidy removal and the same sex marriage debate which Nigerians were unanimous in rejecting.

Kukah spoke in a sermon at the 2011 Christmas carol jointly organized by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, and Voice of Nigeria, VON, at the National Christian Centre in Abuja while the textile workers made their feelings known in a statement in Kaduna Monday.

According to Bishop Kukah, dividends of democracy cannot only be measured by the number of infrastructure a particular administration is able to provide for its citizens but by the level of fundamental rights of the citizens.

His words,”Democracy is not about infrastructure. If democracy is measured by infrastructure then South Africa should have continued under apartheid because most of the infrastructure in South Africa were put in place during the apartheid regime in that country.

‘’So also in Germany, If democracy was about infrastructure, the Germans should apologise to Hitler because Adolph Hitler developed Germany.

‘’The citizens must be allowed to have a say in the social, economic development of their nation. The issue of fuel subsidy is minute compared to the level of insecurity that the nation is going through now. Lots of innocent lives have been lost; there is need for this present administration to concentrate more on how to tackle the issue of Boko Haram and leave fuel subsidy for now”.

However, the textile workers in a statement signed by the General Secretary Comrade Issa Aremu who is also the Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in commending Jonathan on the way he has engaged Nigerians on the issue, said that if the President had engaged his seemingly abundant energy and “sweat capital” on other economic issues, the country would be a better place to live in.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/12/leave-subsidy-for-now-face-boko-haram-kukah/

Residents of Umuahia and environs have been thrown into darkness since Dec. 1, following a clash between some uniformed men and PHCN workers, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Investigation by NAN on Monday, showed that the affected areas were: Ndume, Olokoro, Ibeku, Ossai, Amakama and Ubakala in Umuahia North and South local government areas.

The blackout followed the Dec. 1 invasion of PHCN office on Bende Road, Umuahia by some persons in military uniform.

An official of PHCN had disconnected a building occupied by a female soldier on Factory Road, Umuahia, resulting to the invasion PHCN office by no fewer than 15 men in military uniform.

After the invasion, the National Union of Electricity Employees in Abia, directed its members to stay away from duties due to the beating of members and arrest of others by the invaders.

Mrs Lucy Njoku, who operates a drinking joint, told NAN that she had been using her generators to power her refrigerators in the last four days.

She said that her worry was that the officials of PHCN in the area had yet to make an official statement on the problem.

Another resident, Mrs Adamma Ubochi, said that the food she kept in her deep freezer had spoilt as a result of the outage lasted, and appealed to PHCN to restore supply in the area.

Mr Joseph Onovo, the PHCN Public Relations Officer, said, “it is correct that soldiers came to our office over a minor problem between a customer and some of our people last week.

“Police is still handling the matter. The issue of power outage is basically caused by logistic problem and as soon as that is taken care of power supply will be restored in the areas,“ Onovo said.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/12/clash-puts-umuahia-residents-in-darkness/

They are rapist, they raped our economy with the co-operation of our half-baked leaders,

Canada on Thursday criticized the decision of the Nigerian Senate to ban same sex marriage in the country.
The Canadian government said in a statement released by the country’s high commission in Nigeria that the bill would infringe on basic rights and fundamental freedoms of Nigerians.
“If the bill is passed into law, it would infringe on basic human rights and fundamental freedoms of some citizens, “the statement quoted Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister, John Baird, as saying on the issue.
He warned that his country would continue to condemn Nigeria's position on the matter at the Commonwealth and other international summits if it goes ahead to pass the bill into law.
The Senate had on Tuesday passed a bill banning same-sex marriage and prescribed 14-year jail term for offenders.
It also recommended 10- year sentence for individual or groups involved in the formalisation of such relationship in Nigeria.
While passing the bill, the Senate President, Senator David Mark warned Britain and other Western countries to stop their promotion of same sex marriage in the country.

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news-update/28255-canada-condemns-senate%E2%80%99s-ban-on-gay-marriage.html

To all,

The meeting eventually held this afternoon with the senate behind closed door, no communique was issued after the meeting

Following the controversy trailing the status of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke, yesterday requested a secret meeting with the Senate on the issue.

Allison-Madueke made the request at a meeting with the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream).

This followed a question by a member of the committee, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who wanted to know why the minister did not mention the PIB in her submission to the committee.

The Minister had given the committee an overview of what her ministry planned for the next fiscal year.

But Abaribe felt that the minister should tell the committee what the government wanted the Senate to do with the Bill that lapsed with the Sixth Senate.

Specifically, Abaribe wanted to know whether the minister planned to forward a fresh PIB to the Senate.

Allison-Madueke described PIB as "highly topical and very sensitive."

She noted that issues connected with PIB "are issues we would want discussed in a closed door session."

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/business/28042-minister-demands-secret-meeting-with-senators-over-pib.html

An Ilorin Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday remanded two secondary school students over an alleged attempt to violation a school girl.

The accused, Afolabi Sanni, 19, and Qudus Alaya, 20, were arraigned on a five count charge of criminal conspiracy, assault, intimidation, theft and attempt to commit violation.

The offences contravene sections 97, 265, 397, 287 and 95 of the Penal Code.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr Godwin Azua, told the court that the accused and others still at large, criminally connived to torment the life of the school girl.

He said that the school girl was forcefully abducted by the accused to an unknown destination, where they attempted to violation her.

According to him, they tore the girl’s dress and snatched her school bag.

However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Azua objected to bail for the accused and urged more time for the police to complete their investigations.

He argued that releasing the accused on bail might prejudice police investigation by influencing in their favour, a medical report which had yet to be released.

The prosecutor also said that granting the accused bail would equally make it difficult to arrest the other  suspects.

Messrs Olagunju Jamal and Tunde Abdul Gegele, counsel to the accused, told the court that there were no legal factors and merit in objecting to the bail.

They pleaded with the court to grant the accused bail.

Jamal argued that the accused would neither interfere with police investigations nor pervert the cause of justice.

In his ruling, the Magistrate, Adam Bello, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 and two sureties each in like sum.

Bello adjourned the case to Dec. 20 for further hearing. (NAN)

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/11/two-students-remanded-over-alleged-attempt-to-violation-school-girl/

United States Marines have been deployed to Nigeria to help fight Islamic militants known as Boko Haram, sources have told SaharaReporters

The Special Forces, consisting of 10 units from Fort Carson in Colorado, will move into Nigeria through the borders of Chad and Niger Republic. Our sources said the US military gave the Fpecial Forces only 48 hours notice to deploy. That narrow timeline suggests some urgency in the operation.

Two weeks ago, the United States warned of imminent Boko Haram attacks on some luxury hotels in the federal capital, Abuja. Nigerian security forces have largely been helpless in the onslaught of the militants especially in Borno and Yobe States, but their heads were given National Honours by President Goodluck Jonathan this week.

Intelligence sources in the US believe that Boko Haram is a group of about 10 smaller groups of militants mostly bolstered by Al Qaeeda connections.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/us-special-forces-deploy-against-boko-haram