‘I tried to butcher Lee Rigby’ says Michael Adebolajo

The London-based Nigerian, Michael Adebolajo, who is accused of killing Lee Rigby, a 25-year old British military man has told a court in the country how he tried to decapitate his victim after the dastardly act, the Daily Mail has reported.
His description of how he knocked down the military officer and attempted to butcher him made the widow of Rigby run out of the court as she betrayed her emotion.
Adebolajo, 28 and Michael Adebowale, a 22-year old now at large, are accused of murdering Rigby by running him down with a car and then hacking him to death with a meat cleaver and knives near Woolwich Barracks in south east London on 22 May. The incident happened at Woolwich Barracks.

Suspicion of Murder: Housewife, Pastor Arrested

Nigerian police detectives from the Edo State Police Command have arrested and detained a housewife and her lover, a pastor, over the murder of her husband, Victor Nsongbunyo, a Deputy Manager with the Nigeria Petroleum Development (NPDC) Company, in Benin.
It was gathered that the woman and her deceased husband, a native of Cross River State, who was recently promoted to Deputy Manager in the company and was due to retire from service next year, had been having issues with the paternity of their children after he suspected the wife was having an extra marital affair with the Pastor.

Al-Qaeda has infiltrated Nigeria, says NSA

The National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, (retd.) has said that international terror organisation, Al Qaeda, has made inroads into Nigeria’s security system.
Dasuki however said that the country was responding effectively to the threat of terrorism through the making of relevant laws and policies to destroy the terror networks in the country.
The NSA’s comment was contained in a keynote address read on his behalf by Ambassador Layiwola Laseinde, who represented him at a one-week Strategic Communications Plan workshop for counter-insurgency organised by the  National Defence College, Abuja on Monday.

FG WILL NOT INTERFERE WITH PROCESSES OF IMPENDING NATIONAL DIALOGUE, PRESIDENT JONATHAN AFFIRMS

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan declared Monday in Abuja that the Federal Government has no intention of interfering with the structure and processes of the impending national dialogue.

Speaking at an audience with leaders of Ohaneze Ndigbo and the South-East Geo-Political Zone at the Presidential Villa, President Jonathan said that his Administration had left it to Nigerians to determine the framework, content and process of the dialogue.

"If you listen to the radio, watch television and read on-line, you will realize that Nigerians are talking. We listen and read the commentaries. But all the discussions and ideas need to be harmonized. We must come to a point where we can move in one direction,'' President Jonathan said.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN DECLARES THREE DAYS OF NATIONAL MOURNING FOR MANDELA

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has declared three days of national mourning for former South African President, Dr. Nelson Mandela who passed away yesterday.

Flags are to be flown at half-mast across Nigeria during the period and President Jonathan urges all Nigerians to unite in solidarity with the brotherly people of South Africa as they mourn the great liberator, freedom fighter and hero of the black race.

Keshi names Iheanacho, Alampasu for CHAN

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has handed three Golden Eaglets players – Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi and goalkeeper Sunday Alampasu – their first chance to play in the senior team by including them in the squad for the African Nations Championship holding in South Africa next year.
Nigeria, playing in the tournament for the first time after missing out on the first two editions, will face hosts South Africa, Mozambique and Mali in Group A of the tournament.Enugu Rangers duo of Chigozie Agbim and Sunday Mba top the list, with Shooting Stars’ forward Gbolahan Salami making a return to the team.

Cargo Airplane Mishap Aviation Agencies, Firms Count Loses Over Abuja Airport Closure

Airlines, aviation agencies and service providers in the aviation industry are counting their losses following the closure of the Abuja airport to traffic following the aircraft incident involving a Saudi Arabian B747 which overshot the airport runway on Wednesday night resulting in the closure of the airport to traffic.    “The airport has been closed to all arriving aircraft following the incident,” the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) said in a statement yesterday.  

In response to the shutdown directive, all domestic airlines had cancelled their flights into the Abuja airport, just as international flights going into Abuja were diverted to Lagos.  

Bye Bye Madiba

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela, the revered statesman who emerged from prison after 27 years to lead South Africa out of decades of apartheid, has died. He was 95.

“He is now resting. He is now at peace,” South African President Jacob Zuma, announced late on Thursday.

“Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father,” Zuma said, adding that “what made  Mandela great was precisely what made him human.”

According to the Cable News Network, the President, who ordered all all flags in  South Africa  to be flown at half-staff from Friday(today), said,  “We saw in Madiba what we seek in ourselves.”

Mandela battled health issues in recent months, including a recurring lung infection that led to numerous hospitalisations.

With advancing age and bouts of illness, he  retreated to a quiet life at his boyhood home in   Eastern Cape Province, where he said he was most at peace.

Despite rare public appearances, he held a special place in the consciousness of the nation and the world.

FG EVOLVING SPECIAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMME TO BOOST SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE NORTH-EAST – PRESIDENT JONATHAN

President Goodluck Jonathan announced Tuesday in Gombe that the Federal Government is currently evolving an intervention programme specifically targeted at accelerating the pace of socio-economic development in the North-East geo-political zone of the country.
Speaking at the opening of the 2nd North-East Economic Summit, President Jonathan noted, however, that the re-establishment of peace and security in the zone was essential for the successful implementation of the measures and actions envisaged in the intervention programme.
The President therefore urged governments, traditional rulers, community leaders and the people of the North-East to give their full support to the armed forces and security agencies currently operating in the area to ensure the speedy return of peace and normalcy in areas affected by insurgency and acts of terrorism.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN LEAVES FOR SUMMIT ON PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA

President Goodluck Jonathan will leave Abuja tonight for Germany en-route to Paris, France where he is scheduled to participate in the Summit on Peace and Security in Africa.

About fifty heads of state and government are expected to participate in the Elysee Palace Summit which will be hosted by President Francois Hollande of France.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, heads of European institutions and leaders of Africa's sub-regional and continental organizations such as the African Union and ECOWAS will also participate in the summit which has  economic partnerships,  sustainable development and climate change on its agenda as well.

President Jonathan will be accompanied by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, relevant ministers and the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.).

He will stop-over in Germany for a private visit on his way to Paris and return to Abuja at the conclusion of the summit on Saturday.
 
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
December 3, 2013