Nigeria Today: December 2013

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Arsenal are likely to be without Aaron Ramsey for three weeks as Gunners manager Arsene Wenger deals with a potential injury crisis heading into the New Year.
Welsh midfielder Ramsey is on the sidelines with a thigh problem suffered in the 3-1 win at West Ham United on Boxing Day, but he is not the only player missing for the New Year's Day clash against Cardiff City.
Striker Olivier Giroud will definitely miss the game because of an ankle problem, while German playmaker Mesut Ozil is also sidelined, with the club awaiting results of a visit to a shoulder specialist.

F1 legend Michael Schumacher's condition has improved after more surgery last night, according to hospital chief.
Michael Schumacher's condition has improved after more surgery, according to the hospital staff where he is being treated.
Doctors treating Schumacher had previously refused to predict an outcome for the Formula One great, who is fighting for his life after a skiing accident in the French Alps.
"The situation is more under control than yesterday but we cannot say that he is out of danger," Jean-Francois Payen, head anaesthetician told a news conference at the CHU hospital.

NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO THE NATION FROM PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR
DECEMBER 31, 2013

Dear Compatriots,
I greet and felicitate with you all as we enter the year 2014 which promises to be a momentous one for our country for several reasons, including the fact that it is also the year of our great nation’s centenary celebrations. I join you all in giving thanks to God Almighty for guiding us and our beloved nation safely through all the challenges of the outgoing year to the beginning of 2014.

Exactly 100 years ago today, on January 1, 1914, the British Colonial authorities amalgamated what was then the separate Protectorates of Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria, giving birth to the single geopolitical entity known as Nigeria. For us therefore, today is not just the beginning of a new year, but the end of a century of national existence and the beginning of another. It is a moment for sober reflection and for pride in all that is great about Nigeria.

ABUJA—In its bid to reposition the Nigerian Army for expected operational challenges in the coming year and beyond, the Nigerian Army Council has commenced issuing terminal letters to over 40 generals preparatory to their leaving the force.

The letters from the Military Secretary’s office said the letters are being issued to officers of the rank of colonel, brigadiers-general and majors-general and the letters take effect from January 2014. Many of the officers are to commence their retirement with immediate effect from this December.
Among the generals who have so far received the letters were some Principal Staff Officers at Army and Defence headquarters, Commandants of Tri-service institutions, Corps Commanders as well as those of Army-owned training institutions. Officers from TRADOC, Divisions and Corps headquarters are also involved.

ABUJA— Defence headquarters disclosed, yesterday, that the Special Force of the Nigerian Army killed 56 Boko Haram terrorists that have been making life unbearable for citizens living in the North-East of Nigeria, while seven other terrorists were killed in the Lake Chad islands.

According to a statement by Major-General Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information, the operations were carried out at Alafa in Borno State and the Lake Chad islands, respectively.

The Federal Government has barred airlines from flying into the Maiduguri airport until March 2014; documents obtained by our correspondent have shown.

According to a Notice to Airmen sent by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency to airline operators, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, the carriers were told that the airport would no longer be available for flights until March 2014.

A 27-man gang on Friday abducted a pastor, Mr. Godson Akubiro, and six of his children from their Adeosun Street residence, Koya Estate, Igbo Olomu, Ikorodu, Lagos State.

Akubiro is said to be the founder of Mountain of Breakthrough Church in the area. The incident was said to have occurred about 1.30am.

Neighbours, who requested anonymity, told PUNCH Metro that the gunmen arrived at Akubiro residence in three jeeps and a Toyota Tundra vehicle. The number plates of the vehicles were said to have been covered. The gunmen, who wore army camouflage, had allegedly gained entrance into the house with the aid of an iron cutter.

The Presidency has mounted pressure on the leadership of the Senate to persuade aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party senators not to carry out their plan to dump the ruling party for the All Progressives Congress, investigation by The PUNCH has revealed.

A source close to the Senate leadership said that the Senate President, David Mark, had personally held a series of meetings with some of the aggrieved senators with a view to making them have a rethink.

Passengers and some crew on a ship stuck in thick ice in Antarctica are to be taken off by helicopter once the weather permits, Russian officials say.

News of the decision came after an Australian icebreaker making a fresh rescue attempt had to turn back.

The Russian-flagged research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy has been stuck in ice for nearly a week. It is carrying 74 scientists, tourists and crew.

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former chief security officer to Nigeria’s erstwhile maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha, on Monday faulted former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s opinion that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan influenced his acquittal, for the murder of Kudirat Abiola, at the Appeal court.

Mustapha described the allegation as unwarranted.
The Lagos State Governnment has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the judgement of the Appeal Court.
AL-Mustapha expressed surprise that Obasanjo could make such insinuations in his controversial 18-page letter to President Jonathan, arguing that, after all, the case is still in Court.

Schumacher critical, outlook uncertain after fall

GRENOBLE, France (AP) — Doctors treating Michael Schumacher refused Monday to predict an outcome for the seven-time Formula One champion, saying they were taking his critical head injury "hour by hour" following a skiing accident.

Chief anesthesiologist Dr. Jean-Francois Payen told reporters that Schumacher was still in a medically induced coma and doctors were focusing only on his current condition.

"We cannot predict the future for Michael Schumacher," said Payen, who is also in charge of Grenoble University Hospital's intensive-care unit.

File photo: victims of Boko Haram piled up after being killed

Twelve people died in a suspected Boko Haram attack on a wedding party at the weekend, police and health officials in the northeast Nigerian state of Borno said on Monday.
Two gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire in the mainly Christian village of Tashan Alade, 230 kilometres (over 140 miles) from the Borno state capital Maiduguri, on Saturday, said police commissioner Lawan Tanko.
“The attackers, who were obviously Boko Haram insurgents, arrived at the open-air venue of the party around 2:00 pm (1300 GMT) and opened fire, killing seven people and injuring five others,” he told AFP.

On behalf of himself and the Federal Government, President Goodluck Jonathan extends sincere condolences to Prof. Wole Soyinka and other members of the Soyinka family on the death of the Nobel laureate's daughter, Iyetade at the age of 48.

Noting that Iyetade's untimely death at such a young age must be quite painful for Prof. Soyinka and his family, President Jonathan prayed that God Almighty will comfort Prof. Soyinka and all others who mourn his late daughter.

He urged them to take solace in the belief that Iyetade has gone away from all earthly troubles to rest for eternity in God's bosom.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
December 30, 2013

Nigerian lady excretes hard drugs inside aircraft

Chizoba Anya, a Nigerian lady, has excreted wraps of substance that tested positive for methamphetamine on-board a Qatar Airline Flight from Malaysia to Nigeria, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said on Monday.

NDLEA said the 32-year old suspect was said to have aroused suspicion following her frequent visits to the toilet.

"On arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, three wraps of methamphetamine were found in her possession," said Mitchell Ofoyeju, NDLEA spokesperson.

NDLEA commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, said that the suspect while under observation excreted two additional wraps.

Adetutu Adesida

The first daughter of late Deji of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adegboye Adesida, who died of an undisclosed ailment on the 2nd of December, has been made the he new traditional ruler of Akure Kingdom.

Princess Adetutu Adesida-Ojie's position is said to be temporary pending when a new king emerges. She was installed after several traditional rites for the passage of her late father came to conclusion recently. The 36 years old new monarch lived abroad most of her life and holds a degree in pharmacy from the Texas Southern University, Houston Texas.

Wole Soyinka loses 48-year-old Daughter

A daughter of Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, Iyetade, is dead.

A statement signed on behalf of the family by a former Editor of the Guardian on Sunday, Mr. Jahman Anikulapo and a close aide to Soyinka, stated that Iyetade, a mother of two, died while receiving treatment for an undisclosed ailment at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Born on June 6, 1965, the deceased, according to Anikulapo, attended Staff School and Queens School, Ibadan before reading Medicine at the University of Ibadan.

We have done well in 2013, says Civil Defence Corps

Dr Ade Abolurin

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has done a good job in 2013 and needs the collaboration of all Nigerians for a stronger fight against the activities of vandals in the country, the paramilitary body said in a statement on Saturday.
NSCDC Commandant General, Dr. Ade Abolurin, was quoted as saying that with all the achievements his men recorded this year, the body has justified its existence in Nigeria.
The body disclosed in the statement signed by its PRO CSC Okeh Emmanuel that this year alone, it has arrested over 1,590 oil related suspected criminals and is currently prosecuting 1,549 of them while 44 of the suspects have been convicted already.

CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido To Retire!

Street Journal's findings have revealed that the days of the Central Bank Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the apex bank's Chief Executive are indeed numbered. Sanusi Lamido, who many see as a false alarmist has been ordered by the Presidency to proceed on compulsory retirement on or before March 2014 as his tenure as CBN governor will not be renewed.

The order for the Kano born blue blooded CBN Governor to proceed on a forced leave will come months before his term expires in 2014. Mallam Sanusi Lamido had written a fallacious letter to the President, complaining about a missing £50billion, from the funds supposed to be remitted to the Federation accounts by the NNPC. Regrettably after a two-day reconciliation with NNPC, FIRS, DPR and CBN, Mallam Sanusi apologized to Nigerians that he got his figures wrong and blamed his staff for providing him with wrong data.
The Street Journal

Nigeria Economy Rebasing to Displace S. Africa, Renaissance Says

Okonjo-Iweala

Nigeria Economy Rebasing to Displace S. Africa, Renaissance Says
By Chris Kay
Nigeria's plan to rebase its gross domestic production figures next year may boost the assessment of the size of its economy by as much as 60 percent, leapfrogging South Africa as the continent's largest nation in terms of total wealth, Renaissance Capital Ltd. said.
Africa's biggest oil producer may see its economy measured at between about $384 billion and $424 billion in 2014, according to projections by Charles Robertson, the London-based global chief economist at RenCap, in an e-mailed note to clients today. That would compare to about $370 billion for South Africa's economy, he said.

Adams Oshiomhole

Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole survived a motor accident at Ewu Village along the ever busy Benin-Auchi road in Edo State at about 9.45am Saturday, 28th December, 2013 on his way back to Benin City from his Iyamho Village. The incident occurred at about 9.45am at Ewu, in Edo Central Senatorial District, when a Peugeot J5 Bus filled with tomatoes and plantains apparently lost control and rammed into the Governor's Flag Car from the opposite direction before swerving into a road side ditch.

Alexandra Ossai

Following his alleged brutal assault on a woman who worked under him, a manager with Toppan Printing Company, Kaveh Noine, was on Friday arrested by the Lagos state Police Command.
Noine, a Lebanese, allegedly kicked the woman, Alexandra Ossai, in the stomach two weeks ago, over some misdemeanor by those she supervised. His kick caused her to lose her pregnancy.
When news of the incident went viral, especially on social media, Pres. Goodluck Jonathan swiftly condemned the brutality and ordered the police and the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the matter.

Jonathan orders probe into battering of pregnant woman

Alexandra Ossai

President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered a probe into the case of a 34-year-old woman, Mrs. Alexandra Ossai, who accused her Lebanese boss, Kaveh Noine, of causing her to lose her seven-month pregnancy after he kicked her in the stomach.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, disclosed this in his Twitter handle as well as his Facebook page on Thursday.

PUNCH Metro had on Tuesday published the story of Ossai, who until December 13, 2013, was a supervisor with a Lebanese owned firm, Toppan Printing Company. She had alleged that Noine assaulted her many times during her eight months stay at the company.

Lebanese boss beats up pregnant factory worker in Lagos, woman loses 7-month pregnancy

(Explicit photos, readers' discretion advised)
Lebanese boss beats up pregnant factory worker in Lagos, woman loses 7-month pregnancy
OMG! Did this really happen? According to a shocking report by National Daily Newspaper, a 7-month pregnant factory worker was beaten so badly by her Lebanese boss that she lost her baby.
Workers in a Lagos based packaging and printing company, Toppan Packaging Company Limited located on Ladipo Oluwole in Ikeja Industrial Estate could not believe what they witnessed on Friday the 13th December 2013.
When the shift manager, a Lebanese; Kaveh Noine beat up the Cleaning Unit Supervisor Mrs. Alice Ossai in their presence, due to what he deemed negligence on her part, his grouse, a portion of the factory is littered with dirt and she failed in her responsibility to rein in her team to keep the factory floor spick and span.
Frantic efforts by Ossai to explain why the portion of the factory was littered with dirt, even after she was assaulted was rebuffed by Noine who shouted her down and asked her to come with him to his office fuming with rage; exasperated staff members on duty went in with Ossai in a bid to collectively explain the supposed duty breach. Noine rained blows on Ossai and kicking her repeatedly, without sparing her tummy even though she was seven months pregnant.

Reports in a section of the media today which quoted President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as saying at a Christmas church service on Wednesday in Abuja that "terrorism has come to stay" in Nigeria are completely untrue and a mischievous misrepresentation of the President's remarks.

President Jonathan's verifiable remarks at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life Camp Abuja were to the effect that in comparison with some other countries which have experienced the scourge of terrorism, Nigeria has made remarkable progress in dealing with the security challenges posed by terrorism and insurgency.

Headlines such as "Terrorism Has Come to Stay" and "Insurgency Far From Over – Jonathan" are therefore most incongruous with the thrust of the President's remarks and amount to taking extreme editorial liberties with his comments at the church service.

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO THE NATION FROM PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO THE NATION FROM PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR
Dear Compatriots,
I greet and felicitate with you all as we celebrate Christmas once again.
I join our Christian compatriots and all other Nigerians in giving thanks to God Almighty whose Grace and Benevolence has helped our nation to overcome the many challenges it has had since we celebrated Christmas last year.
The annual commemoration of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ is a most auspicious time for us, as individuals and as a nation, to rededicate ourselves to the virtues and ideals which the Messiah preached and exemplified during his earthly ministry.

Let us all therefore resolve this Christmas to make the ideals of peace, harmony, tolerance, love and goodwill to all even more manifest in our interactions with others.

John Mikel Obi

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has again singled out his midfielder Mikel Obi for praise. Barely two hours before the big match against Arsenal on Monday at the Emirates, Mourinho told Chelsea FC website that even though the Stamford Bridge had not done exceptionally well in their last few games, they have been able to retain some respect and points because of the work rate of the Nigerian national player.

Mourinho said, “We have a lot of possession but are not killing opponents, they are killing us and we are exposed. Mikel (Obi) gives us balance.”

This is the second time within two months that the Portuguese has specially mentioned the Nigerian preparing to lead the Super Eagles midfield at the Brazil 2014 World Cup. In November Mourinho attributed Frank Lampard’s quality attacking display largely to the presence of Mikel on the pitch.

“Frank is able to attack freely because we have John (Mikel Obi). His good covering enables Frank to effectively push forward,” the former Real Madrid coach said.

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday arrested the Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, Gambo Sallau and 10 other principal officers of the house.

The PUNCH gathered their arrest followed a petition over the N25bn supplementary budget presented by the governor, Rabiu Kwakwanso to the lawmakers on December 5.

There are suspicions that the supplementary budget is a cover up to financial misappropriation.

Striker Emmanuel Adebayor has accused Tottenham of disrespecting him.

He scored twice on his first Premier League start of the season as Spurs beat Southampton 3-2 on Sunday.

But the 29-year-old forward was not included on the club’s official photograph and trained on his own while Andre Villas-Boas was manager.

“It was difficult,” said Adebayor. “When I come to train and see the team picture, which I’m not involved in, that shows me a lot of disrespect.”

Abati blasts Obasanjo, says ex-president turning self to ‘Headmaster’

Dr. Reuben Abati, President Goodluck Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity this morning lambasted former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent letter to President Goodluck Jonathan on the state of affairs of the nation, describing Obasanjo as a ‘Headmaster’ trying to treat Nigerians like ‘pupils’
Abati spoke this morning on Yoruba live programme on Faaji 106.5 FM, Lagos tagged ‘Oyela’. He frowned at Obasanjo’s unwarranted incessant meddling into the government and governance of President Goodluck Jonathan administration. Saying such interferences is becoming self-serving and not to the best interest of Nigerians

Agbani Darego

Nadia Buari

The Glitz Africa Magazine has unveiled its 2013 Fashionista issue and inside it, they profiled the 20 Most Beautiful Women in Africa which has Genevieve Nnaji, Tiwa Savage, Nadia Buari and others on the list. Nigeria and Ghana took the lead.

See the full list,
Leila Lopes (Angola), Vimbai Mutinhiri (Zimbabwe), Oluchi Orlandi (Nigeria), Yvonne Nelson (Ghana), Dillish Mathews (Namibia), Agbani Darego (Nigeria), Tiwa Savage (Nigeria), Stephanie Linus (Nigeria), Genevieve Nnaji (Nigeria), Joselyn Dumas (Ghana), Yvonne Okoro (Ghana), Jackie Appiah (Ghana), Millen Magese (Tanzania), Omotola. Jalade-Ekeinde (Nigeria), Zainab Sheriff (Sierra Leone), Naa Okailey Shooter (Ghana), Nadia Buari (Ghana), Lerato “Lira” Molapo (South Africa), Babalwa “Barbz” Mneno (South Africa), Elham Wagdi (Egypt).

Chimamanda Adichie

A book written by award-winning Nigerian author, Chimamanda Adichie, 'Americanah' has been named by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as the 2013 Best Book.

The reputable broadcast medium recently released its top 10 books in the outgoing year and the Nigerian claimed the number one spot on the list.

Chimamanda was recently featured in Beyonce's album, which hit the market few days ago and broke iTunes record and also went ahead to hit the platinum few days after release.

'Americanah' beat the likes of 'The Good Nurse' by Charles Graeber, 'The Flamethrowers' by Rachel Kushner and 'The Good Nurse' by Charles Graeber to grab the BBC's 2013 Best Book' number one position.
NigeriaFilms.com

Sunday, December 22, 2013

'BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE' PRESIDENT JONATHAN REPLIES OBASANJO

December 20^th 2013

His Excellency,

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR

Agbe L’Oba House, Quarry Road,

Ibara, Abeokuta.

RE: BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE

I wish to formally acknowledge your letter dated December 2, 2013 and other previous correspondence similar to it.

You will recall that all the letters were brought to me by hand. Although both of us discussed some of the issues in those letters, I had not, before now, seen the need for any formal reply since, to me, they contained advice from a former President to a serving President. Obviously, you felt differently because in your last letter, you complained about my not acknowledging or replying your previous letters.

It is with the greatest possible reluctance that I now write this reply. I am most uneasy about embarking on this unprecedented and unconventional form of open communication between me and a former leader of our country because I know that there are more acceptable and dignified means of doing so.

Girls freed in Nigeria 'baby factory' raid

Latest in a series of raids targeting traffickers rescues 19 pregnant women and girls, between the ages of 15 and 23.
Nigerian police have raided a home in the southeastern state of Abia where 19 pregnant women were staying with the intent of selling their newborn babies.

Police suspect the owner of the house is a broker in a child trafficking ring, police spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna said on Friday.

Couples looking for children should go through the legal adoption process.

Geoffrey Ogbonna, Police spokesman

"The proprietress fled before our men got to the place," Ogbonna said. "We met her son and his wife. They are in custody."

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN (M) SUPERVISING MINISTER OF MINISTER
OF DEFENCE, MR LABARAN MAKU, SERVICE CHIEFS AND THE NEWLY DECORATED GENERALS IN ABUJA ON FRIDAY (20/12/13)

A body found in a church cemetery is that of missing teenager Jayden Parkinson, police have confirmed.

Post-mortem tests on the body, found in a newly-disturbed grave on Wednesday, failed to find the cause of death.

Jayden, 17, was last seen on 3 December. Her body was discovered in the Great Western Cemetery All Saints' Church in Didcot, Oxfordshire.

Her ex-boyfriend Ben Blakeley, 22, from Reading, appeared in court earlier this week charged with murder.

Sgt Rogers Testimony On How Major Al Mustapha Ordered The killing of Kudirat Abiola

by Saharatv

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EFCC Press Release: Oil Thief Bags Two Year Jail Term

A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted one Suleiman Abdul for illegal dealing in Petroleum product. Justice U.N Agomoh convicted the accused and sentenced him to two years imprisonment on each of the two-count charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The court also ordered that the truck with registration number XA 179 MWA containing thirty three thousand (33,000) litres of petroleum product be forfeited to the Federal Government.

Former tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has been released from jail following a pardon from Russian President Vladimir Putin, his lawyers say.
Mr Putin signed a decree earlier pardoning Khodorkovsky on the basis of “the principles of humanity”.
The president said on Thursday that the former oil magnate had asked him for clemency because his mother was ill.
Khodorkovsky – in custody for a decade – was jailed for tax evasion and theft after funding opposition parties.

A 28-year-old man, Nonso Egbuzobi, who was recently arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad during a robbery operation in Lagos State, has pleaded with the police to release him, saying he was just an informant and not a member of any robbery gang.
Police authorities had said Egbuzobi and three others were part of a gang that killed three policemen during an ATM robbery at an Access Bank branch in Ayobo, Ipaja area of the state on November 20, 2013.

Nigeria Unveils Locally Made Drone

Nigeria unveiled its own drone on Tuesday, appropriately named “GULMA,” (Hausa word for gossip).
The unveiling was done by President Goodluck Jonathan at Nigeria Air Force base in Kaduna, North central Nigeria
The unmanned aerial vessel was designed and constructed by the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) in collaboration with other local institutions. The President described the launch of the UAV as a ”landmark moment” in Nigeria’s history.
He also supervised the winging of 11 locally trained UAV pilots at the occasion.

Jonathan unveils Nigeria’s own drone

”Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, with a deep sense of pride and accomplishment, I now unveil the Nigerian-made Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, also known as GULMA,” President Jonathan said at the occasion.

Home and land owners in Ogun State have gotten what could be described as Christmas gifts as Governor Ibikunle Amosun slashed land title fees from N430, 000 to N100, 000.
Before the generous reductions, a building approval cost N275,000; survey plan was N60,000, stamp duty was N45,000 and the C of O was N50,000.
The new land title regime tagged Homeowner’s Charter now provides a sharp reduction in the cost offering building plan at N20,000; survey plan N20,000, stamp duty N20,000 and C of O N35,000.

ASUU Ends Strike

The National Executive Council of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called off its five-month old strike.
The strike was suspended after the NEC met at the campus of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State today.
The suspension of the strike followed the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the federal government and leadership of ASUU last Wednesday.
National President of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Fagge Isa had last week told journalists that the union would consult with its National Executive Council and will within one week intimate Nigerians of its decision on the strike.

PIC 1. FROM LEFT: FORMER HEAD OF INTERIM NATIONAL GOVERNMENT, CHIEF ERNEST SHONEKAN; FORMER PRESIDENT SHEHU SHAGARI; SPEAKER HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AMINU TAMBWAL; VICE-PRESIDENT NAMADI SAMBO; PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN AND SENATE PRESIDENT DAVID MARK AT THE LAUNCH OF 2014 EMBLEM FOR THE ARMED FORCES REMEMBRANCE DAY CELEBRATION IN ABUJA ON MONDAY (16/12/13)

BE READY TO PAY THE PRICE OF TREASON, PRESIDENCY WARNS APC

We have noted with utter disdain, the reckless and irresponsible call by the APC on Sunday for the National Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against President Goodluck Jonathan.
Ordinarily, we would not have dignified Alhaji Lai Mohammed's latest vituperations in the service of his paymasters with a response, but we thought it necessary to warn that the Federal Government will not standby idly and let the nation be plunged into unnecessary crises and political instability because of the desperation and apparent readiness of the APC spokesman and his gang of power-seeking desperadoes to sacrifice the well-being of the country on the altar of their selfish personal ambitions.
The Presidency totally condemns the decision by Alhaji Mohammed and his party to move further beyond the bounds of honourable and acceptable political conduct with the senseless call for the impeachment of a President who continues to sincerely devote himself to the discharge of the sacred mandate freely given to him by Nigerians.

Prince Harry and Team reach South Pole

LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry and his fellow adventurers have made it to the South Pole.

Harry, 29, is a member of one of three teams involving injured soldiers that set out two weeks ago on the 200-mile (320-kilometer) Walking with the Wounded South Pole Challenge.

The charity said Friday that the teams arrived at the South Pole at 13:25 GMT (8:25 a.m. EST).
The challenge was initially a race but organizers suspended the competitive element last week due to harsh conditions.
Actors Dominic West and Alexander Skarsgard also were on the trek with teams from Britain, the Commonwealth and the U.S.
Harry, an army Apache helicopter pilot who has served in Afghanistan, spent several days in 2011 trekking with wounded servicemen on a similar expedition to the North Pole.

Letter to Jonathan…Al-Mustapha replies Obasanjo

the former Chief Security Officer to the late Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Al- Mustapha

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha yesterday challenged Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to produce evidence on his claims that President Jonathan interfered with the murder trial of the late General Abacha’s former chief security officer.
Al-Mustapha, who is abroad, also denied being used to run an assassination squad to target Jonathan’s political opponents ahead 2015 elections.
In his December 2 letter to the President, Obasanjo said Jonathan interfered with the court process to set a murderer free, and organised a presidential reception for him.
The former president did not name names, but it was obvious he was referring to Al-Mustapha who was freed by the Court of Appeal in July over the murder of the late Kudirat Abiola.

Jang Song Thaek, with his hands tied with a rope, is dragged into the court by uniformed personnel in this Dec.13, 2013

(Reuters) - North Korea has executed the powerful uncle of young leader Kim Jong Un, state media said on Friday, the biggest upheaval in years as the ruling dynasty sought to distance itself from responsibility for the isolated states's dire living standards.
Jang Song Thaek, considered the second most powerful man in the secretive North, was killed just days ahead of the second anniversary of the death of Kim Jong Il, the father of North Korea's current ruler.

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Monday, December 30, 2013

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Friday, December 27, 2013

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Monday, December 23, 2013

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Friday, December 20, 2013

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Monday, December 16, 2013

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Friday, December 13, 2013