Sani Shu'aibu Teidi, one of the suspects standing trial before the Federal High Court, Abuja, for the massive looting of the pension treasury, has alleged that he and other accomplices paid the Senator Aloysius Etuk-led Senate Committee a N3bn bribe in dollars.

The bribe, it was alleged, was to stall the prosecution of the accused persons.

The bribe scandal took another dimension following the mentioning of the name of the immediate past chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs Farida Waziri, who allegedly working with the mindset that the Senate Committee would make good its promise of stalling the case of the accused persons, also got a property located at Parakou Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, as bribe.

The principal suspect further alleged that the Senator Aloysius Etuk-led committee failed to fulfil an earlier promise of helping to stall their prosecution after collecting the N3bn contributory bribe.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the allegations are already causing ripples within the Senate committee.

A source close to the principal accused, Dr. Teidi, said that the cause of the disaffection within the Senate committee was borne out of the discovery that, out of the N3bn obtained as bribe from the six accused, Senator Etuk attempted to outsmart his colleagues by declaring only N500million, a paltry one-sixth of the actual bribe he allegedly collected and also participated in the sharing.

The source added that Dr. Teidi and other accomplices paid the Sen. Etuk-led committee the N3bn bribe in dollars after Teidi was coerced into giving details of his assets/ properties, with the promise to soften the severity of his offence, after which he was asked to give out 50 per cent to them.

An obviously angry Dr. Teidi "felt betrayed by the Senate committee leadership's greed and inability to properly handle our (the accused persons') matter before" it, our source added, and he therefore resolved to make public all information on the botched agreement.

"In fact, the N3bn bribe offered the senate committee was contributed by all the accused persons, each with the amount of N500million. The committee made us believe that when we give the money being demanded, it will give us a safe landing, thereby escaping prosecution, but, to our greatest dismay, they only succeeded in cutting their own share," the source quoted Dr. Teidi.

According to the source who pleaded anonymity, trouble started when the deputy chairman of the committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya got wind of the exact sum offered by the accused from an independent source, who is also his kinsman, a former director of the Police Pension Board and incidentally a relation of one of the accused standing trial before the Abuja Court and confronted Senator Etuk with his findings.

More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1639-n3bn-pension-scam-we-bribed-senate-committee-farida-waziri-in-dollars--suspect

I guess it is safe now to conclude that our inability to correctly translate "I miss you" in Igbo may mean that Ndi Igbos are not in the habit of missing anybody. We simply move on.

odumchi:

I don't know the Central Igbo translation but, in my dialect, "I miss you" is "I mere'm aka nkujo".

Dalu Odumchi,
I guess this your dialect is Aro? I can rarely decipher it.

Still waiting for central Igbo translation

My only reason: I can't stand the commentary, what a bore!

Just as the Goodluck Jonathan administration is facing mounting scrutiny at home over an illegal payment of N155 billion to cronies and associates of government officials on a presidential order, the United States of America has delivered a stringent critique of the government's anti-graft effort.

In its year 2011 report on global human rights released Thursday by the State Department, the U.S. said the three tiers of the Nigerian government was ridden with "massive, widespread and pervasive corruption," that failed to receive appropriate punitive response from the authorities.

"The law provides criminal penalties for official corruption; however, the government did not implement the law effectively, and officials frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity," the report, submitted by Secretary of States, Hillary Clinton, to the U.S. Congress said.

"Massive, widespread, and pervasive corruption affected all levels of government and the security forces," it continued.

The report, an X-ray of human rights abuses ranging from extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrest and detention, free press abuses, to cases of graft worldwide, comes as the Jonathan administration is being linked to a scandalous funneling of public funds to shady associates of officials, amid multiple cases of official corruption in the fuel subsidy and pension funds unearthed by the National Assembly.

In details published by this website, partly based on court papers from the US state of New York and PREMIUM TIMES' investigation of the deal, Mr. Jonathan allegedly authorized the illegal transfer of N155 billion to a former petroleum minister, Dan Etete, convicted of money laundering.

The elaborate corruption scheme, also involving two government ministers, those for Justice and Finance (minister of state) - Mohammed Adoke and Yerima Ngama, triggered multiple disbursement of the money into several account held by figures linked to government officials.

Since the stories broke out this week, government officials have maintained a defeaning silence, refusing to explain their roles in the scandal.

The disclosures came as the government faced growing calls from opposition, rights group, and the media for the prosecution of officials indicted in the fuel subsidy fraud involving more than N2 trillion.

More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1625-us-delivers-damning-verdict-on-jonathans-anti-corruption-war

The multi billionaire founder of the Living Faith Christian Church International, Bishop David Oyedepo, has denied slapping a young member of his congregation; stating that neither he nor his church could be sued.

In a notice of preliminary objection filed at the High Court of Ogun State and made available to PREMIUM TIMES; Bishop Oyedepo maintained that he and his church are "non juristic persons" and therefore asked the court to strike out the suit as it lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate on the matter.

Robert Igbinedion, a Lagos based lawyer, had in April, filed a suit on behalf of the young lady, who was slapped during a church service, for the enforcement of the lady's fundamental rights to freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment, human dignity, fair hearing, and freedom from discrimination.

Mr. Igbinedion prayed the court to award the sum of N2bn as 'general and exemplary damages' against the bishop as well as compel him to publish a public apology in two national dailies and one international satellite television.

In a counter affidavit deposed by Olugbenga Adegboye, the church's senior legal officer, Bishop Oyedepo stated that "his ministry is a ministry where the holy bible is preached and people are prayed for without coercion."

The church also said that there is no record of anyone called Miss Justice - a sobriquet given to the young lady for the purpose of the suit - in any of its services organized in the past.

A written address to support the preliminary objection signed by F. B Agbanwu, the church's Solicitor, insisted that the matter is not within the Nigeria constitution or the African Charter on Human and People's Rights.

Furthermore, the church urged the court to determine whether Mr. Igbinedion is capable of "bringing this kind of application" before it and whether "it is proper to bring this application against the 1st and 2nd respondents (Bishop Oyedepo and his church respectively).

Arguing that both Mr. Igbinedion and the respondents cannot sue and be sued, Bishop Oyedepo's lawyers noted that the cause of action must centre on clear infringement of a fundamental right.

"The cause of action or principal claim in this application centres merely on slapping one Miss Justice by the 1st respondent.

"The slapping of Miss Justice is an act that could be described as an assault which is a criminal offence punishable under the criminal code...

"We submit that slapping being an act of assault an item outside the provisions of Chapter 4 of the 1999 constitution and the African Charter, this court therefore lacks jurisdiction over same."

More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1624-bishop-oyedepo-denies-slapping-church-member-says-he-cannot-be-sued

ifyalways: Youngies,kedu ije? I miss you =Anam e-missi gi.A nam eche maka gi is not a direct translation but it fits.Btw,siggygia bu ebelebe igba.

Ify adi m onyi.

A nam eche maka gi = I am thinking about you.

Next try please

Biko nu umu Igbo: HELP!!!

A choro m a direct Igbo translation of "I miss you"

Dalu nu

The Federal Government has refused to explain the role played by President Goodluck Jonathan and other government officials in a scandal allegedly involving government officials, Shell, ENI subsidiaries in Nigeria, a Nigerian oil firm and a former petroleum minister. However, on Thursday, the civil society and opposition parties criticized government's silence, while also calling for a probe.

A report by the United States-based anti-corruption NGO, Global Witness, had said that Nigerian subsidiaries of both Shell and ENI agreed to pay $1.092bn to the Federal Government for oil block OPL 245.

The report entitled, "Shell's obscure payments kill its case for weak US and EU transparency laws", further alleged that the Federal Government then paid the entire N155bn to Malabu Oil and Gas, a company owned by Mr. Dan Etete, a former oil minister under the late General Sani Abacha.

An online news medium, PREMIUM TIMES, in a follow up on its earlier version of a report on Thursday, had stated that money was paid on the order of Jonathan.

It also alleged that the money was a slush fund, "with a huge chunk of it ending in bank accounts of cronies and business associates of government officials."

Global Witness said documents in a New York court, stated that "...it does appear that the FGN (Federal Government of Nigeria) was indeed the proverbial "straw man" holding $1.1bn for ultimate payment to Malabu."

Experts describe the process as round-tripping, adding that it is a tool widely used by corrupt government officials and businessmen for money laundering and tax evasion.

Efforts to get the President's spokesman, Dr. Ruben Abati's reaction to the money laundering allegation on Thursday were not successful, despite the sensitive nature of the allegation.

When called, Abati did not pick his mobile phone neither did he respond to an SMS send to him, asking for the Presidency's reaction on the matter.

The report alleged that the President had instructed the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama, and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN) to pay the money to Malabu.

When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister of State for Finance, Mallam M. Nakoji, said he could not comment on the N155bn money laundering controversy since he was not familiar with the issue.

He said the minister could not be reached because he (Ngama) was in Port-Harcourt attending a meeting.

He, however, promised to get the response of the minister on Friday. Repeated calls put across to the minister was not picked. Similarly, a text message sent to him at 4:03pm was not replied.

Also, efforts to get a reaction from the AGF were not successful as at the time of filing this report.

Our correspondent could not see the Minister when he called at his office in the Ministry of Justice.

More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1610-jonathan-silent-on-role-in-n155bn-oil-scandal

We can reveal today that the N155billion secretly paid to convicted money launderer, Dan Etete, by the Federal Government, on the orders of President Goodluck Jonathan, was actually a slush fund, with a huge chunk of it ending in bank accounts of cronies and business associates of government officials and at least one individual with links to Mr. Jonathan.

Our investigation also indicates that in order to cover up what is clearly one of the most elaborate corruption schemes in Nigeria's history, the president tapped the junior minister in the finance ministry, Yerima Ngama, and Attorney General Mohammed Adoke to hurriedly transfer the funds to Mr. Etete on August 16, 2011, a day before the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, assumed office.

Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala was not available Friday to comment on her knowledge of the transaction. Her spokesperson, Paul Nwabuikwu, said she was away in Zimbabwe on an official engagement.

This website had on Monday reported how the Nigerian subsidiaries of two multinational oil companies Nigeria Agip Exploration Limited (Agip) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (Shell) paid $1.1billion (N155billion) to the Federal Government in April last year for onward transmission to Malabu Oil whose principal is Mr. Etete.

Our subsequent investigations later showed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had indeed investigated the deal, concluding that the transaction pointed at a "cloudy scene associated with fraudulent dealings."

The EFCC investigation also clearly established that Mr. Etete's Malabu only served as a money laundering machine, as substantial parts of the funds was later transferred to various accounts owned by "real and artificial persons" suspected to have links with the presidency and other government officials.

Presidency sources familiar with the matter say the EFCC intimated President Jonathan and Mr. Adoke of its findings.

"But I can tell you that the investigation has suffered a setback since the presidency got wind of it," one of our sources said. "There is high-level complicity in the deal and there is therefore high-level cover up. The report is gathering dust on the president's desk."

Mr. Jonathan's spokesperson, Reuben Abati, could not be reached on his mobile telephones to comment for this story Friday. And so also was Mr. Adoke. Mr. Ngama did not return calls to his mobile telephone.

Relying on court papers in the United States (where some consultants have sued Malabo for breach of contract), checks at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and on its own investigations, the EFCC established that "a prima facie case of conspiracy, breach of trust, theft and money laundering can be established against some real and artificial persons."

The beneficiaries

At the heart of this brazen theft of public funds is one Abubakar Aliyu, a man whom top presidency and EFCC sources described as "Mr. Corruption" and who has very close business ties with Diepreiye Alamiesegha, convicted former governor of Bayelsa state.

Mr. Alamiesegha, the self-styled governor-general of the Ijaw nation, is the man who picked Mr. Jonathan as his running mate in the 1999 governorship election in Bayelsa state and whom Mr. Jonathan succeeded in office after the former was impeached over corruption charges.

The disgraced former governor played a major role in Mr. Jonathan's election last year, serving as both an adviser and a top campaign official.

More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1609-the-n155billion-presidential-scam-how-jonathans-associates-ministers-shared-largesse

Coordinated Attack in Abuja Averted: Suspected Bombers arrested in Force Headquarters and Radio House

http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1581-coordinated-attack-in-abuja-averted-suspected-bombers-arrested-in-force-headquarters-and-radio-house

Writing last week's article was difficult. Having to write a follow-up on the same subject this week has been even more challenging. But for some reason, as the world continues to mourn his death, I just can't seem to be able to get away from the subject. Even the final match of UEFA Club championship this weekend takes a back stage; it is to Rashidi Yekini that my mind keeps wandering.

Unfortunately, the above headline reflects what is likely to happen, or never going to happen with the matter of his death. Even as the world continues to wonder, ponder and cry out about the circumstances surrounding the death of one of Nigeria's greatest football players of all time, it is looking very unlikely that any investigation will ever take place to unravel the mystery. Why?

The consequences of doing so now appear to be too high a price to pay for the indiscretion of those that perpetrated the act that led to his death. In the past one week, following strident calls for an inquest into the death, many people have observed a deafening silence from those that should otherwise have been hollering the most.

As more and more people thronged the Ora village residence of the Yekinis to console the family (his mother, sister and Mariam, the first and only daughter around), close observers have been wondering about the total disregard by the family of the public outcry for an investigation into the unacceptable circumstances surrounding the sudden, unexplained passage of the breadwinner of the family.

Immediately after the news of his death the mother was reported to have said that her son was mentally unstable. Why would any family member describe their late son in any derogatory term or language that diminishes rather than extols the dead, when the rest of the world is eulogising and celebrating him?

No one, not the surviving and mourning mother, not the grieving sister and brother, not the uncle and his children, not the Kabiyesi of Ora himself, not any one of the family members and beneficiaries of Rashidi's munificence when he was alive and the going was really good, has so far indicated any interest and joined the chorus of those calling on the security agencies to investigate their son's death. That is the surprise.

More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/sports/1570-why-rashidis-death-may-never-be-investigated-segun-odegbami

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isk9wk-O8hQ

CNN) -- It's not a phrase that usually gets said out loud, but you have to feel sorry for Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Real Madrid player has just finished the season of his life, winning Spain's La Liga whilst vanquishing their hated Catalan foes Barcelona.

He scored more goals than he ever has before too, 46 in the league to be precise, and 60 overall. Yet even though Madrid finished nine points clear of second place, it is Barca's Lionel Messi that still gets all the attention.

"Some people say I'm better, other people say it's him, but at the end of the day, they're going to decide who is the best player," Ronaldo told CNN in an exclusive interview before this weekend's Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Chelsea at Munich's Allianz Arena.

"At the moment ... I think it is me," he laughs.

"Sometimes (the comparisons with Messi) makes me tired ...for him too because they compare us together all the time.

Messi breaks Barcelona's all-time scoring record

"You cannot compare a Ferrari with a Porsche because it's a different engine. You cannot compare them. He does the best things for Barcelona, I do the best things for Madrid.

"I think we push each other sometimes in the competition, this is why the competition is so high. This is why Madrid and Barcelona are the best teams in the world because everyone pushes each other, not just me and Messi but other players."

Good cop/bad cop

Perhaps Ronaldo is right. The world needs the "good cop/bad cop" routine of Messi and Ronaldo to bring the best out of both them. It might be the reason why neither has set the world alight on the international stage.

But whilst Messi is hailed as a secular saint, Ronaldo is derided for his self confidence, some would say over confidence. How does he cope with the vitriol he provokes in opposition fans?

"Sometimes, you have to put on a mask. You cannot smile every time for all the people. It's impossible, I cannot do that," he says.

"This is not my type of personality. And people really don't know me. And I do it for that because I don't want every person to know me, just close friends...you know, my friends, teammates. These people know me very well. Other people, to be honest, I really don't care about that."

Still, such has been Madrid's dominance in the league Ronaldo is entitled to feel, if not exactly sycophantic praise, then at least recognition of his and his team's achievements.

"My high point (in my career) is to win the title here in Madrid, La Liga," he explains

More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/sports/1562-cristiano-ronaldo-im-better-than-messi

UPDATE: The Rivers State Police Commissioner has confirmed that two people died on the spot with many injured. He pleaded to Port Harcourt residents to remain calm while efforts are being made to track the perpetrators of the crime.

Reports just reaching Channelkoos indicate that a massive bomb explosion has ripped through the Rumuokoro part of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Details of the incident are still unclear but residents around the area say the explosion was a result of a bomb planted in a commercial vehicle.

Two people are said to have died on the spot and several others injured. But that could not be independently verified at this point.

The Rivers State police Commissioner could not be reached for comments. No one or group has claimed responsibility for the explosion.

More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1553-explosion-rocks-rumuokoro-in-port-harcourt-

In a connected world where privacy is a valued, but diminishing part of daily life, home remains a reliable refuge. But here's one home that intentionally strips away even that illusion for its inhabitants. In this nearly transparent Tokyo home, known as House NA, outsiders can see everything and everyone inside.

Tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood, this three-story, 914 square-foot home was created by an award winning Tokyo architect named Sou Fujimoto. His unusual design, with high glass walls and varying sized modular tables, contains 21 "floor plates" for residents and guests to sit, work, cook, eat, sleep, or play. Some of the floor plates are heated to provide comfort in the winter.

Surprisingly, Fujimoto's multi-level home design wasn't inspired by stacked phone booths but rather by the concept of a tree with perches on both high and low branches. "The intriguing point of a tree is that these places are not hermetically isolated but are connected to one another ... " said Fujimoto, a lecturer at Kyoto University, in a statement explaining House NA.

Though the home is almost entirely transparent, there are curtains that provide some modicum of privacy for occupants. Still, living in a fishbowl might make residents think twice about climbing down to breakfast without first getting dressed.

More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1546-an-amazing-transparent-home-built-in-tokyo

Former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday said President Goodluck Jonathan and the Federal Government were hatching a plot to arrest him.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES via his closest political associate and national secretary of his party, Buba Galadima, Mr. Buhari said the presidency and the ruling party were already preparing the ground to harass, arrest and incarcerate him.

"They are just trying to give us a bad name in order to hang us," Mr. Galadima told this newspaper in a telephone interview. "We know that they are already planning to arrest the General and I, they are just preparing grounds for their actions."

Mr Buhari was reacting to statements issued by the the presidency and the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party describing him as a serial election loser and blood thirsty politician, who is in the habit of inciting his supporters to violence.

The PDP and the presidency issued the statements in reaction to comments attributed to Mr. Buhari on Monday where he said the Nigerian government, led by President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling PDP, is more deadly than the extremist Boko Haram sect and that any attempt to rig the 2015 election would be firmly resisted.

Wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan, has alleged that the rising wave of insecurity pervading the land was orchestrated to discredit her husband by making him look inefficient.

The first lady stated this at Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, at the weekend when she led prominent indigenes of the state to a thanksgiving dance in honour of the speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Kombowei Benson. She urged the sponsors of rising criticisms over cases of insecurity against her husband to desist as the plan to discredit the present administration would fail.

Dame Jonathan, who led the speakers of the Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom state assemblies to the Kingdom of Grace Mission in Yenagoa, said though it was becoming clearer that the cases of insecurity provoked by the rising bomb attacks by an insurgent group in the country and other issues were sponsored, the mission of those involved would not work because the president is a man with good heart who did not vote himself to power.

"My husband is a man of peace. The crises in the country are being handled and it is of great concern to the president. Those involved in these acts should know that the president did not put himself into power and all they are doing to disrupt and derail the peaceful co-existence of the country will fail," Mrs. Jonathan declared.

Lol...More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1527-insecurity-theres-plot-to-discredit-my-husband-dame-patience-jonathan

The Chief Executive Officers of seven Lagos-based engineering, telecommunications, cable television, and trading conglomerates were arrested at the weekend by officials of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) over alleged non-remittance of various taxes totalling N2.17billion.

The companies involved include Pivot Engineering Limited, an Ikeja-based power engineering subsidiary of the Honeywell Group largely owned by Oba Otudeko (owing about N610million); UTC Nigeria Plc, a leading processor and marketer of baked goods (owing about N278million), and John Holt Nigeria Limited, one of Nigeria's leading assembly conglomerate and trading companies (owing about N33million).

The others are HITV Limited, one of Nigeria's leading cable television firm (N310million ); Sweet Sensation Confectionery Limited, one of Nigeria's fast food chain (N156million), Reliance Telecommunications Limited (N593million) and Entertainment Highway Limited, N196million.

The arrest of these top officials was the outcome an enforcement drive by the FIRS to recover arrears of taxes accruing to the Federal Government from Company Income Tax (CIT), Education Tax (EDT), Withholding Tax (WHT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) still outstanding against various companies.

Following series of notices served on the management of the affected companies, some of them had admitted to their outstanding tax liabilities when the enforcement team led by an Assistant Director of Legal and Prosecution Department of the Service, Abu Stephen, called at their offices.

At Sweet Sensation, the Chief Accountant, Opedemowo Olayemi, told the tax team that the company was owing N60 million for VAT alone, Dada Arokoyu of UTC and Muyiwa Fojude of Pivot agreed that their companies had outstanding tax liabilities to settle with the FIRS, though they did disclose the exact figures.

When the team visited HITV Limited and Entertainment Highway Limited, their offices were locked, with only security men at the gates left to attend to the enforcement team. The security men told the tax team that GTBank sealed up the premises following a court order.

When the team visited Reliance Communication it was gathered that the company was sealed on the instructions of its Indian Chairman of the company, Anil Ambani.

"The arrest is a warning to other organisations and individuals in the country on the need to ensure deductions and remittance of their tax obligation as provided by Part V1, Section 40 of the FIRS Establishment Act 2007 are remitted to the government as and when due," Mr. Stephen said.

More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1525-firs-arrest-ceos-of-utc-hitv-john-holt-pivot-over-n217bllion-tax-

President Barack Obama's history-making embrace of gay marriage could send far-reaching political aftershocks through a presidential campaign defined by voter concerns about the economy but likely decided by slivers of the electorate in a handful of battleground states.

"The politics, it's not clear how they cut in some places that are going to be pretty important in this electoral map. It may hurt me," Obama told Robin Roberts of ABC News in an exclusive interview Wednesday as he announced his change of heart. "I believe marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman," presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney said as he campaigned in Oklahoma.

A Democratic senator who supports Obama's re-election as well as gay marriage told Yahoo News that the president could face "significant electoral risk" if his announcement is merely a check-the-box exercise with no follow-through.

"If the president simply makes an important commitment to equality and moves on, and does not challenge the network of people nationally, activists and others, who favor marriage equality, to speak up from now through the election, he is taking a significant electoral risk," said the senator, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified by name.

"When you move from 'civil union' to the word 'marriage,' it reaches people differently," the senator said in a telephone interview, warning that highly motivated foes of gay marriage will unleash a campaign of "public speeches, sermons, newsletters, websites, that will darkly suggest a negative future."

Obama echoed that sentiment, telling ABC News: "I had hesitated on gay marriage in part because I thought civil unions would be sufficient, that that was something that would give people hospital visitation rights and other elements that we take for granted, and I was sensitive to the fact that for a lot of people, you know, the word 'marriage' was something that evokes very powerful traditions, religious beliefs, and so forth."

Richard Socarides, a leading gay activist who served as President Bill Clinton's top adviser on issues like same-sex marriage, said Obama "can help build a national consensus."

Read on: channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1509-will-gay-marriage-decision-help-or-hurt-obama

The British Government may soon begin to bar children of corrupt Nigerian politicians from its private schools.

This follows last month’s conviction of a former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, by a London crown court for stealing millions of pounds from the treasury of his state and spending the same to acquire luxury items around the world.

Ibori was convicted and sentenced to 13 years in jail after he pleaded guilty to stealing and laundering over $80m.

In an interview with Cable News Network, the Unit head of the Proceeds of Corruption Unit of London’s Metropolitan Police, Detective Chief Inspector Jonathan Benton, gave the hint that some measures would be applied against corrupt Nigerian politicians in the wake of the Ibori conviction.

He said, “We hope that, by tackling the likes of James Ibori, we’re saying to those stealing from the state purse, you can’t have your children at private school in London. You can’t have a multimillion pound house in one of the most affluent areas of London. You can’t drive around in top of the range vehicles. We won’t let you move money around to buy multimillion pound jets.”

The unit, staffed by a dozen or so detectives, traces the flow of foreign politicians’ money through London, and is funded by the UK government’s Department for International Development, which also delivers aid to Africa.

The unit investigated the Ibori case for seven years.

In the special report, CNN writes, ” Ibori employed a range of methods, some straightforward, some devious. He inflated contracts, took kickbacks, and simply transferred cash out of state accounts. He was helped by his family, wife and mistress, as well as by London-based professionals, who set up shell companies, assisted in purchases and provided false due diligence.

“As governor of the oil-rich Delta State in Nigeria, James Ibori’s salary was only $6000 a year, yet he managed to afford luxury properties, fleets of Rolls Royces, a Bentley and a Maybach, first class travel, private boarding school fees and a private jet worth $20 million.”

The report also examined the role played by British banks in aiding Ibori to loot his state’s treasury as well as why Nigerian politicians find London an attractive location for laundered funds.

More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1497-britain-may-bar-corrupt-politicians-children-from-british-schools

@Mod

Front Page please, because of the High Sensitivity.

FOLLOWING the death of two ladies from Benue State after being treated with the banned Gentamycin 280mg injection, the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered all hospitals, pharmacies and other outlets still stocking the product to immediately surrender them to the nearest NAFDAC office for destruction.

According to him, anyone found using the banned product would be prosecuted for homicide. Gentamicin is an antibiotic used to treat many types of bacterial infections. NAFDAC on October 7, 2010 banned Gentamycin 280mg injection from circulation by informing healthcare providers and the general public on deregistration and subsequent withdrawal.

The agency said the regulatory action was consequent upon recent safety data associating the use of high dose, single unit Gentamycin injection with ototoxicity (causing deafness), nephrotoxicity (kidney damage) and increase incidence of endotoxin (a toxin kept within the bacterial cell and to be released only after destruction of the bacterial cell wall) reactions.

Endotoxin reactions include anaphylactic shock (difficulty in breathing and shock ultimately leading to death), haemorrhage (bleeding), fribinolysis (a process that prevents blood clots from growing and becoming problematic), hypotension (low blood pressure), inflammation (localised reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a result of infection, irritation, or injury), vascular coagulation (a serious disorder in which the proteins that control blood clotting become abnormally active) among other unpleasant side effects.

Investigation by NAFDAC team, which was made public at a press conference yesterday in Lagos by the Director-General, Dr. Paul Orhii, revealed that Miss Florence Bagidi, a final year student of Benue State University, died following intravenous administration of Gentamycin 280mg injection by Mr. Reuben Obasi, a secondary school certificate holder and patent medicine store operator.

The NAFDAC boss said Obasi, who is currently being detained at the homicide section at the Police Headquarters in Makurdi, has been interrogated and he admitted administering the drug on the late Bagidi. Orhii said the agency was collaborating with the homicide section of the police to conduct thorough laboratory analysis on the drug.

The Batch Number of the Gentamycin 280mg injection is 110102; Manufacturing Date, 01/2011; and Expiring Date, 01/2014.

More Details: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/health/1499-nafdac-alerts-on-killer-gentamycin-injection

Reports reaching us from Potiskum in Yobe State say youth in the town are rioting in protest of last week's attack on the cattle market which led to the death of over 60 people.

A resident of Potiskum, Adamu Mohammed, informed us that the riot started when a group of cattle traders convened at the site of the attack to pray to "God to expose those behind the killings".

Mr. Adamu told us that shortly after the cattle rearers started the prayers, soldiers from the Joint Task Force (JTF) arrived and surrounded them.

"There is a general feeling in town that Boko Haram are not behind the killings and people believe that the JTF people have been compromised, otherwise, there is no way an attack of this magnitude will take place without any form of assistance from the security agents considering their number in Potiskum," Mr. Mohammed said.

The witness also said the arrival of the soldiers at the market today raised tension in the town, and the youth started burning tyres and blocking the roads in defiance of the soldiers.

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See: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1468-pictures-of-legendary-rashidi-yekini-being-buried-in-ira-kwara-state

Osun State Government has threatened to institute a suit against the Alowa of Ilowa in Obokun Local Government Area, Oba Adebukola Alli, who is standing trial before a state High Court for allegedly mobilizing people to draw support for him during the hearing of his case on Wednesday.

The monarch is standing trial over alleged rape of Miss Helen Okpara, an ex-corps member who served in his domain between 2010 and 2011.
Oba Alli who had since last year been standing trial over allegation of rape was alleged to have mobilized his subjects, many of who were school children to the court during the continuation of hearing on his case.

The monarch was said to have facilitated and sponsored the protesters who almost disrupted the court hearing with their protests within the court premise.
However, the state Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Bashir Ajibola, said the state government had concluded arrangements to sue Oba Alli, stressing that the action of the traditional ruler was against the laws of the land.

He noted that the monarch had through his action tampered with the peace of the state, adding that the school children used for the protest were supposed to be in their various schools in Ilowa when they staged the protest in Osogbo.

He disclosed that the state government had no interest in the case of alleged cape of the 23-year-old ex corps member levelled against the monarch as being speculated by some subjects of the traditional ruler. The commissioner said the government would not hesitate to prevent further occurrence of such protest in the premises of the court.

Justice Oyejide Falola on Wednesday adjourned the case till May 21, 2012.

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The unrest situation in Bamako, Malian capital, took another dimension in the early hours of yesterday as the Malian Government soldiers stormed and searched Hotel Columbus where the players and officials of Sunshine Stars are lodged.

The Mali's military junta that stormed the hotel about 2a.m (3a.m Nigerian time) knocked at the door of goalkeeper, Segun Oluwaniyi (Room 218), and thoroughly searched the room and asked for his identity. Other players whose doors were knocked did not open as they were jittery of the soldiers who were fully armed.

Speaking exclusively from Bamako, after the incident, the Shooting Stars Football Club of Ibadan former goalkeeper, said he nearly pee when he saw the junta at his door at that odd hour.

"I have never experienced such in my lifetime. They (military junta) knocked at my door about 2a.m and I asked who it was and they said they were securities, I summoned the courage and opened the door and I saw battalions of soldiers in front of my room with load of ammunition, I was scared but one of the soldiers, who speaks English, said they were there because of the situation in the country that they want to see my identity and I brought out my passport and they searched all my belongings.

"They checked the bathroom, ward rope; I told them we are still in Bamako because we missed our flight because of the situation in the country. He asked me how many we were and I told him we were 10 trapped in the hotel and I told him to go to other rooms for him to know that we are not rebels; that we are footballers and after checking, they left my room and told me to be calm and I shouldn't be worried." "It was a scary experience but at the same time, I gave thanks to God." Alaba Adeniyi and Ofem Inah said when the military men were knocking at their doors they nearly jump out through the window out of fear.

However, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports in Ondo State, Alhaji Yekini Olanipekun, and the Chief of Staff in the state, Dr. Kola Ademujimi, have both stepped up bid to get the players and officials out of their present predicament in the landlocked country of West Africa on the directive of the state Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, to arrange for the Nigeria Army jet to rescue them out of the trouble country.

Mali's military junta said it had arrested about 240 persons allegedly associated with an attempted coup earlier this week The government soldiers were shooting guns into the air as a warning in their bids to round up more persons they were blaming for the chaos.

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The extremist group, Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihadl, popularly called Boko Haram, today named more media houses and staff as targets of its attack.

In an 18-minute video, the group threatened to attack more media houses, naming Voice of America (Hausa), Radio France (Hausa), Daily Trust, Guardian Newspapers, among others.

The group also gave reasons why it bombed Thisday office in Abuja and other media houses last Thursday.

"This is a message from jamaatu ahlis sunnah lil daawati wal jihad, and we wish to inform Nigerians our reasons for attacking some media houses," the group said.

The video also shows that the radical group carried a live coverage of the bombing in Abuja and filmed the explosion at Thisday.

The group created the new Youtube video under the name Alhaji Mani.

Click to watch the video: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1442-boko-haram-threatens-to-attack-voa-guardian-daily-trust-others

Terence McCulley is United States (U.S.) Ambassador to Nigeria. In an e-mail interview with Assistant Editor (News) OLUKOREDE YISHAU, the envoy bares his mind on multi-lateral issues.Excerpts:

Boko Haram challenge

I think that Nigerian government faces significant challenges and that requires a multi-faceted response. We have an ongoing dialogue with the Nigerian government on this matter. Clearly, there is a significant security threat that prevails across the North. It was previously confined to Borno but we have seen attacks in Bauchi, Niger, Kano Plateau and Kaduna. This kind of insurgency requires a response by the security forces but it also requires a lot more, and I think the Nigerian government does understand that. We believe the Nigerian government needs to have a strategy which addresses these acts of violence which reassures the Northern population there is a plan to ensure their security. Our hope is the actions by the security forces will target extremists and perpetrators of violence in a way that does not inflict civilian casualties or damage properties and violate human rights. It is incumbent upon government to react with a broad-based strategy by addressing security as well as the questions of development and poverty which feed underlying grievances that can promote acts of violence.

Ministry of Northern Affairs

There are also some who say that Boko Haram is comprised mostly of non-Nigerian foreigners, and that the group is being funded by a handful of resentful politicians nursing their wounds from the last election. This would be deeply unfortunate if true, but I have not seen any evidence to support either of these theories.

To fix the Boko Haram problem, the government will have to develop a new social compact with its Northern citizens. It will have to develop an economic recovery strategy that complements its security strategy. It will have to draw on the support of Northern governors, traditional Hausa and Fulani leaders and local officials and organisations. The Nigerian government should consider creating a Ministry of Northern Affairs or a development commission similar to what it did in response to the Niger Delta crisis.

Northern populations are currently trapped between violent extremists on one hand and heavy-handed government responses on the other. They need to know that their President is going to extraordinary lengths to fix their problems.

Achieving this will not be easy. Although the problems are not the same, it has taken the central government in Abuja nearly a decade to bring the problems in the Niger Delta under some semblance of control. Resolving the problems in Northern Nigeria will require the government to act more swiftly and to make a strategic course correction. It will need to adopt a comprehensive strategy, and remain disciplined and committed to its implementation, especially at the state and local level where accountability is low and corruption high.

Despite the challenges that Nigeria faces with Boko Haram and other issues, Nigeria is simply too important to be defined by its problems. Nigeria must be defined by its promise and its enormous potential, as well as the resourcefulness of its people.

Transparency, public funds

We encourage the Nigerian Government to take steps to ensure greater transparency in the use of funds and to prosecute public officials who misuse public funds.

Petroleum subsidy

The United States supports measures by the Nigerian Government to remove the subsidy on gasoline. Further, we welcome the statements made by the Nigerian Government in January regarding reforms in the energy sector, in particular swift passage of the PIB (Petroleum Industry Bill).

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Kano Police say 1 person killed, 4 arrested, 4000 AK 47 rifles, 6 drums of explosion recovered. More details here...

http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/1438-fresh-multiple-explosions-in-kano-one-killed-four-arrested