King's Scribe

BEYOND THIS PRESENT ERA

2017-05-08T20:37:00.001-07:00

An interesting talk by the MD of Daimler Benz a bit mind blowing really
An interesting concept of what could lay ahead. .
In a recent interview the MD of Daimler Benz (Mercedes Benz) said their competitors are no longer other car companies but Tesla (obvious), Google, Apple, Amazon 'et al' are…… There have always been the 3 constants ... Death, Taxes and CHANGE!

Software will disrupt mos

t traditional industries in the next 5-10 years.

Uber is just a software tool, they don't own any cars, and are now the biggest taxi company in the world

Airbnb is now the biggest hotel company in the world, although they don't own any properties.

Artificial Intelligence: Computers become exponentially better in understanding the world. This year, a computer beat the best Go player in the world, 10 years earlier than expected.

In the US, young lawyers already don't get jobs. Because of IBM Watson, you can get legal advice (so far for more or less basic stuff) within seconds, with 90% accuracy compared with 70% accuracy when done by humans.

So if you study law, stop immediately. There will be 90% less lawyers in the future, only specialists will remain.

Watson already helps nurses diagnosing cancer, 4 times more accurate than human nurses. Facebook now has a pattern recognition software that can recognize faces better than humans. In 2030, computers will become more intelligent than humans.

Autonomous cars: In 2018 the first self driving cars will appear for the public. Around 2020, the complete industry will start to be disrupted. You don't want to own a car anymore. You will call a car with your phone, it will show up at your location and drive you to your destination. You will not need to park it, you only pay for the driven distance and can be productive while driving. Our kids will never get a driver's licence and will never own a car.

It will change the cities, because we will need 90-95% less cars for that. We can transform former parking spaces into parks. 1.2 million people die each year in car accidents worldwide. We now have one accident every 60,000 miles (100,000 km), with autonomous driving that will drop to one accident in 6 million miles (10 million km). That will save a million lives each year.

Most car companies will probably become bankrupt. Traditional car companies try the evolutionary approach and just build a better car, while tech companies (Tesla, Apple, Google) will do the revolutionary approach and build a computer on wheels.

Many engineers from Volkswagen and Audi; are completely terrified of Tesla.

Insurance companies will have massive trouble because without accidents, the insurance will become 100x cheaper. Their car insurance business model will disappear.

Real estate will change. Because if you can work while you commute, people will move further away to live in a more beautiful neighborhood.

Electric cars will become mainstream about 2020. Cities will be less noisy because all new cars will run on electricity. Electricity will become incredibly cheap and clean: Solar production has been on an exponential curve for 30 years, but you can now see the burgeoning impact.

Last year, more solar energy was installed worldwide than fossil. Energy companies are desperately trying to limit access to the grid to prevent competition from home solar installations, but that can't last. Technology will take care of that strategy.

With cheap electricity comes cheap and abundant water. Desalination of salt water now only needs 2kWh per cubic meter (@ 0.25 cents). We don't have scarce water in most places, we only have scarce drinking water. Imagine what will be possible if anyone can have as much clean water as he wants, for nearly no cost.

Health: The Tricorder X price will be announced this year. There are companies who will build a medical device (called the "Tricorder" from Star Trek) that works with your phone, which takes your retina scan, your blood sample and you breath into it.

It then analyses 54 biomarkers that will identify nearly any disease. It will be cheap, so in a few years everyone on this planet will have access to world class medical analysis, nearly for free. Goodbye, medical establishment.

3D printing: The price of the cheapest 3D printer came down from $18,000 to $400 within 10 years. In the same time, it became 100 times faster. All major shoe companies have already started 3D printing shoes.

Some spare airplane parts are already 3D printed in remote airports. The space station now has a printer that eliminates the need for the large amount of spare parts they used to have in the past.

At the end of this year, new smart phones will have 3D scanning possibilities. You can then 3D scan your feet and print your perfect shoe at home.

In China, they already 3D printed and built a complete 6-storey office building. By 2027, 10% of everything that's being produced will be 3D printed.

Business opportunities: If you think of a niche you want to go in, ask yourself: "in the future, do you think we will have that?" and if the answer is yes, how can you make that happen sooner?

If it doesn't work with your phone, forget the idea. And any idea designed for success in the 20th century is doomed to failure in the 21st century.

Work: 70-80% of jobs will disappear in the next 20 years. There will be a lot of new jobs, but it is not clear if there will be enough new jobs in such a small time.

Agriculture: There will be a $100 agricultural robot in the future. Farmers in 3rd world countries can then become managers of their field instead of working all day on their fields.

Aeroponics will need much less water. The first Petri dish produced veal, is now available and will be cheaper than cow produced veal in 2018. Right now, 30% of all agricultural surfaces is used for cows. Imagine if we don't need that space anymore. There are several startups who will bring insect protein to the market shortly. It contains more protein than meat. It will be labelled as "alternative protein source" (because most people still reject the idea of eating insects).

There is an app called "moodies" which can already tell in which mood you're in. By 2020 there will be apps that can tell by your facial expressions, if you are lying. Imagine a political debate where it's being displayed when they're telling the truth and when they're not.

Bitcoin may even become the default reserve currency ... Of the world!

Longevity: Right now, the average life span increases by 3 months per year. Four years ago, the life span used to be 79 years, now it's 80 years. The increase itself is increasing and by 2036, there will be more than one year increase per year. So we all might live for a long long time, probably way more than 100.

Education: The cheapest smart phones are already at $10 in Africa and Asia. By 2020, 70% of all humans will own a smart phone. That means, everyone has the same access to world class education.

Every child can use Khan academy for everything a child needs to learn at school in First World countries. There have already been releases of software in Indonesia and soon there will be releases in Arabic, Suaheli and Chinese this summer. I can see enormous potential if we give the English app for free, so that children in Africa and everywhere else can become fluent in English and that could happen within half a year.

Arab Countries Accuse Iran Of Sponsoring Terrorism

2016-11-17T04:48:00.001-08:00

Eleven Arab countries accuse Iran of sponsoring terrorism.
The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Morocco, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Yemen signed a letter to the UN General Assembly in which they decried Iran’s support for Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen and the Shiite Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon.

Eleven Middle East and North African countries accused Iran of sponsoring terrorism and constantly interfering in the internal affairs of Arab nations, sparking tension and instability in the region.

In a letter to the United Nations General Assembly circulated Monday, the 11 countries cited Iran’s support for Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen and the Shiite Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon which has sent fighters to support the Syrian government.

The letter, organized by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was signed by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Sudan, Morocco, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Yemen.

Obanikoro Surrenders Passport To EFCC: Undertakes To Return N480m

2016-11-04T03:10:00.000-07:00

A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has signed an undertaking to return N480m to the Federal Government, The Punch has learnt.

Obanikoro has also submitted his United States of America and Nigerian passports to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

In addition, the ex-minister has provided two sureties who are directors in the Federal Civil Service.
Impeccable sources told our correspondent that these were part of the conditions given to the ex-minister for his release.

A source said, “The EFCC asked Obanikoro to submit his passports. He was only willing to drop his Nigerian passport but he has finally submitted the American one. He was asked to produce two directors, who must also present a three-month salary pay slip.

“He has returned N100m and has pledged to return N480m. The actual balance is meant to be N685m, but he was able to provide receipts for some transactions. He paid N85m to someone and that person has been traced.

“He also bought some bulletproof vehicles when he was minister and they will be handed over to the EFCC. The cost of the vehicles will be deducted from the amount that should be returned. Having met the conditions, he should be released any time from now.”

Obanikoro, who left the country around June 2015, was detained by the EFCC on October 17, 2016, after returning and surrendering himself to the commission in Abuja.

He was detained for his alleged role in the diversion of N4.7bn from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The money was said to have been paid into the bank account of Sylvan McNamara, a company in which his two sons, Babajide and Gbolahan, were directors at the time.

Obanikoro reportedly told detectives that out of the N4.7bn, he paid N3.880bn to Ayodele Fayose and Senator Iyiola Omisore in July 2014, when they were the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidates of Ekiti and Osun states respectively.

However, detectives challenged Obanikoro with evidence that he also received N785m from the money and asked him to return it.

A source at the EFCC said, “Obanikoro claimed that he used part of his own share to do an anti-Boko Haram campaign in Lagos in 2014. However, we found out that he wasn’t telling the whole truth because some of the money was spent on his governorship campaign when he was contesting against Jimi Agbaje during the PDP primary.

“So, we asked him to return his own share of the money and he has promised to do so.”
Part of the money allegedly given to Fayose was converted to $5.377m and handed to him at Spotless Hotel, Ado Ekiti, in the presence of the then Ekiti State PDP Secretary, Tope Aluko, and other party stalwarts.

The Liquid Organic Fertiliser

2016-07-29T12:03:00.002-07:00

ATTENTION!!!!!! ARABLE FARMERS IN THE HOUSE!
Liquid Organic Fertilizer.
The product contains multiple small molecules, amino acids, pesticides , with trace gives natural NUTRITION for plants, and improves the quality of the soil.
It is non-poisonous, non-toxic and safe for the environment, which provides plants like vegetables, fruit trees, flowers and crops, with various nutrients.

BENEFITS OF LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZER
1. Promotes the growth of plant roots, stems and leaves and crops.
2.Significantly improves the quality, taste and flavor of the harvested crops unlike that of chemical fertilizer which cause harvested crops to lose taste and flavor.
3. Enhance drought resistance in arable soil, insect and pest resistance of plants.
4. Help the seeds germinate faster and stronger.
5. It is very versatile: It can be used for any class of plant or crop.
6. It increases yield of fruits and crops which every farmer really desire.
7. It help farmers save overhead costs of pesticides and herbicides.
8. It is non toxic and non caustic.
9. It improves soil structure and enhance the fertility of the soil.

ADVANTAGES OF NON TOXIC LIQUID ORGANIC FERTILIZER
1). Low Capital Investment: After dilution, the acrage coverage is far more than that of chemical and orthodox amonia fertilizer. In addition it helps in maintaining the soil structure and increasing its nutrient-holding capacity. This saves farmers time and land on moving from one land to another - No shifting cultivation.
2) Fertility of Soil: Organic fertilizers ensure that the farmlands remain fertile for hundreds of years. Land located at the site of ancient civilizations, such as India and China, are still fertile, even though agriculture has been practiced there for thousands of years. The fertility is maintained because organic fertilizers were always used instead of toxic chemical fertilizers.
3) Safer Environment: Organic fertilizers do not cause environmental pollution of any form to the internal or external environment. On the other hand, chemical fertilizers contaminate both the land and water and even the plants and crops as parts of it pass to the plant, crops and fruits which consumers eat along, which is a major cause of diseases like cancer, kidney challenges, renal malfunctions, liver diseases, to mention just a few. It is also the force behind the extinction of quite a number of plants on the earth surface.

Shelf Life: 24 Months Suggested Use: Dilute into 1:1000 solution.

THE MAIZE PLANT’S SEED IN THE PICTURE WAS SOAKED IN DILUTED ORGANIC FERTILIZER FOR 30 MINUTES BEFORE PLANTING. WHILE ANOTHER SEEDLING WAS PLANTED WITHOUT SOAKING THE SEED IN THE LIQUID FERTILIZER. THE ONE SOAKED IN ORGANIC FERTILIZER SHOT OUT OF THE GROUND AND GREW UP TO THIS STAGE IN A MATTER OF 5 DAYS, WHILE THE ONES NOT SOAKED IN THE FERTILIZER ARE JUST MANAGING TO APPEAR FROM THE SOIL, YET TO SHOOT OUT LIKE THIS ONE.

Bottomline? That is the speed and rapid space your crops will grow and be nourished and nurtured by this fertilizer with amazing fat and big yields.

Caution: Keep at room temperature. Avoid direct sunlight. Keep out of reach of children.
Inbox me for details or call 08055596726

2016-02-19T21:04:00.001-08:00

Soji Graphics http://sojigraphics.blogspot.com/

posted from Bloggeroid

ADAMAWA APC CRISIS: CHIEFTAIN CAUTIONS. By Tom Garba, Yola.

2016-02-15T10:07:00.001-08:00

Adamawa APC Crisis:Chieftain cautioned against impunity by the NWC of the Party.

An All Progressives Congress (APC) party chieftain in Adamawa state, Alhaji Ahmad Lawal has cautioned the National working committee (NWC) of the party of an impending looming danger awaits the party in the state as a result of imposing an acting state chairman to heads the affairs of the state's party.

Ahmad who is the state Organising Secretary is worried over the possible break up of the party in the state over what he call negligence of members constitutional right to select a leader of their choice.

He accused the APC NCW of super imposing one Ibrahim Bilal a LGA chairman of the party from Michika who the State working Committee (SWC) have not been consulted only to hear of plan of his swearing in.

"I don't thing our officials at the National level are doing the right thing and in the interest of our good party, they do not consult us for any thing or for any reason at the state level for putting an acting chairman of our party in the state, we can as well say he can not call us for any official meetings or we can decline any of his invitations for any party meetings, ". Ahmad said

"You can recall imposition is One of the things that led to the break down of PDP in Nigeria,today PDP became an opposition party in the seat power, it's imposition and lack of strong adherent to constitutional rights of party members had destroyed the party bringing APC on board, the party many believe is for the down trodden and for common people, I see that problem trying to befall the good people of Adamawa, APC our party is a party of equal right and justice to all and sundry as such our Leaders should not forget that." He added

He also said that :" I can't imagine our National leaders will just bring somebody from Local Government level and without consulting the SWC and to tell us over night he is the acting Chairman of APC party in the state, at least we have our constitution and in article 17 of the constitution is talking of Congresses, fielding of candidates if there is any vacant positions and elections, it does not talk of imposition but talks of consensus".

He further complain that NCW faulted article 17 of the Party's constitution by imposing Ibrahim Bilal who is not a Member of SCW and was not even a consensus candidate that he can become an acting chairman of the party in the state.

He warn that for the sake of peace and unity the national leaders should do what is enshrined in the constitution by conducting a congress that can emerge new officials of field in official that are within the SCW officials. Else this can further degenerate to serious division and hatred among party members.

Before now the party has been into serious political crisis where a faction of late Shuaibu Yamusa who was having the endorsement of the three senators in the state and Simon Dimas receiving a backing up of the Governor are tussling to get hold of the central office in the state.
By Tom Garba, Yola

OBASANJO DECLARES SUPPORT FOR OONI'S UNITY EFFORTS

2016-02-07T05:15:00.001-08:00

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday described Oba Ogunwusi as his father and father of the Yoruba people, saying he was pleased that Ife people did not pick a wrong person to occupy the throne.
He said it was an honour for the Ooni to pay a visit to anybody, advising those Oba Ogunwusi had visited to reciprocate the gesture by supporting him in his effort to bring unity to Yoruba race.
He said those singing ‘Owu Lakokoda’ should stop and not sing it again, especially at the Ooni’s palace, because Ife is the cradle of humanity.
Obasanjo won the admiration of those present when, in his agbada, he prostrated for the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ojaja II, when he paid homage to him in his palace.
He prostrated twice: when he arrived the palace and when he was leaving.
The former president, who expressed support for the unity move by the Ooni of Ife, explained that the move by the Ooni was important for the progress of Yorubaland.
The former president urged the Ooni not to relent in ensuring unity among the Yoruba, adding that Ife remained the source of Yorubaland.
He said: “I commend the role of Ooni in ensuring peace in Yorubaland. Continue what you are doing, especially your unity course. I am happy with the move taken so far.
“It is only a sign of honour for the Ooni to visit anyone. That does not stop Ile-Ife from its position in the history of Yorubaland.”
Obasanjo, who prayed for the progress of Ife and Yorubaland, apologised for not being present at the Ooni’s coronation.
Responding, the Ooni expressed appreciation of the former president’s visit.
The Ooni described Obasanjo as a prominent leader in Africa, saying: “He loves Yoruba culture and had been promoting it.”
The Ooni had visited many Yoruba monarchs, including the Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the Awujale of Ijebu-Ode, Oba Sikiru Adetona, to encourage unity in Yorubaland.
Dignitaries present during Obasajo’s visit included Dr Femi Okunnu, Femi Majekodunmi, Chief Oyewole Faseye, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, Ayo Balogun, and a host of others.

Report: Iran releases 4 dual-nationality prisoners, Post reporter Rezaian reportedly among them

2016-01-16T13:57:00.003-08:00

Iran on Saturday reportedly released Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian and three other dual-national prisoners.

Iranian state television said four dual-nationality prisoners were released, and a person close to Iran's judiciary said Rezaian was among them.

The announcement comes as the International Atomic Energy Agency certifies as early as Saturday that Iran, as part of a landmark deal, has fulfilled its commitments to curb its development of a nuclear weapon in exchange for world powers returning $100 billion in frozen assets.

Multiple sources confirmed to Fox News that American pastor Saeed Abedini is among those Tehran is releasing. And Marine Amir Hekmati is reportedly one of the others being released, in exchange for seven Iranians being held in U.S. prisons.

Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting in Vienna with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and the five other world leader officials involved in the accord.

The Iranian report did not identify the prisoners, and U.S. officials would not immediately confirm the announcement. But they had indicated a prisoner deal would be separate from Saturday's expected "implementation" of the nuclear pact.

"We’re delighted this day has finally arrived,” said Jay
Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, which represents the Abedini family. "Pastor Saeed should never been imprisoned in the first place.

Abedini's wife, Naghmeh Abedini, said through the group, "This has been an answer to prayer. "Thank the millions of people who have stood with us in prayer during this most difficult time.”

The Washington Post said it could not confirm Rezaian’s release and that it has no information about a change in his case.

It was unclear who is the fourth person being released. State TV reported it was Siamak Namazi, the son of a politician from the era of the shah, while the official IRNA news agency said it was Nosratollah Khosravi. The different accounts could not be reconciled immediately.

The prisoner exchange and expected implementation of the nuclear deal and sanctions relief, caps a week of intense U.S.-Iran diplomacy that took an unexpected turn on Tuesday with the detention by Iran of 10 U.S. Navy sailors and their two boats in the Persian Gulf.

They were released in less than 24 hours after Kerry intervened with Zarif in multiple telephone calls that administration officials hailed as a channel of communication opened because of the nuclear negotiations.

Certification by the IAEA would allow Iran to immediately recoup some $100 billion in assets frozen overseas. The benefits of new oil, trade and financial opportunities from suspended sanctions could prove far more valuable for Tehran in the long run.

Kris Coratti, vice president of communications and spokeswoman for The Post, said that "while we are hopeful, we have not received any official word of Jason's release."

Hekmati's lawyer, Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaei, said Hekmati called him earlier Saturday from prison.

"He told me that judiciary officials have called for a meeting with him. But I've not been formally informed if he is free now," he said, adding that negotiations for the prisoners' release has been going on for the past two months.

A report by the semi-official ISNA news agency quoted a statement from the Tehran prosecutor's office as saying the inmates were freed "within the framework of exchanging prisoners." It did not elaborate.

Rezaian was born in California and holds both U.S. and Iranian citizenship. He was convicted in closed proceedings last year after being charged with espionage and related allegations. The Post and the U.S. government have denied the accusations, as has Rezaian. Rezaian was the Post's Tehran correspondent and was accredited to work in the country by the Iranian government.

Hekmati, of Flint, Michigan, was detained in August 2011 on espionage charges. Hekmati went to Iran to visit family and spend time with his ailing grandmother.

Abedini of Boise, Idaho, was detained for compromising national security, presumably because of Christian proselytizing, in September 2012. He was sentenced in 2013 to 8 years in prison.

“We are grateful to the members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who tirelessly advocated for the release of Pastor Abedini," said Tony Perkins, head of the Family Research Council. "Congress and the American people clearly made the difference
in engaging the Obama administration to step up pressure on the Iranian government."

Namazi is an Iranian-American businessman who advocated better ties between Iran and the U.S.

Separately, Robert Levinson disappeared in Iran in 2007 while working for the CIA on an unapproved intelligence mission. American officials are unsure if the former FBI agent is even still alive. Iranian officials deny knowing where he is. Levinson traveled to Kish island and checked into hotel, purportedly investigating cigarette smuggling. He met U.S. fugitive Dawud Salahuddin, the last man known to see him.

The CIA family paid Levinson's family over $2 million and some staffers lost their jobs over his unauthorized work. A proof of life video surfaced in 2011, saying he was held by a group. His family received photos that year, too, of Levinson bearded, shackled, wearing orange jumpsuit and holding signs in broken English. He has seven children. He suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure.

The Obama administration has said the Americans came up in every conversation with the Iranians.I

Tribunal Nullifies Election Of Governor Nyesom Wike

2015-10-24T08:36:00.001-07:00

The Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal has sacked Nyesom Wike as the Governor of Rivers State.

The tribunal, which delivered its ruling in Abuja on Saturday, also ordered that a fresh governorship election be conducted in the state.

The petition challenging the election of Mr. Wike as Rivers State Governor was filed by Dakuku Peterside, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the election.

The Rivers governorship election, which was criticised by local and international observers, witnessed the largest amount of violence both in its build-up and after the elections.

The tribunal team led by Justice Mohammed Ambrosa said the election conducted on April 11 2015 which brought Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to power was substantially flawed as it was marred by violence.

More details later…

Wike: Rivers APC hails tribunal’s judgement

2015-10-24T08:24:00.001-07:00

The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has hailed the judgement of the State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which on Saturday annulled the election of Chief Nyesom Wike as the winner of the April 11, 2015 governorship poll in the State.

Finish The Rest Now!

In a statement issued in Port Harcourt and signed by its Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya immediately after the Tribunal judgement on Saturday, the APC said the election in Rivers State was a sham and that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) erred in declaring Wike governor.

“ We repeat that there is no way under the heavens that Chief Wike can beat our candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, in a free and fair election.

“ Though, we were expecting total ban of Chief Nyesom Wike from further participation in the politics of Nigeria seeing the orchestration of the number of death of Rivers State people in order for him to be installed as a Care-Taker Governor all the same we thank the Justice Mohammed Ambrusa-led Tribunal for restoring hope to the downtrodden people of Rivers State who have borne the brunt of Wike’s illegal and visionless administration in the past five months” the party stated.

“We thank the Tribunal for allowing itself to be used by God to uproot the impostor governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, who has these past five months brought monumental suffering to our people in cahoots with some mischievous and misguided politicians whose only understanding of governance is blackmailing and the looting of our common patrimony,”

PDP's National Chairman - Adamu Muazu bundled out of PDP governors’ meeting.

2015-04-29T04:01:00.003-07:00

The post-election crisis rocking the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) reached a crescendo Tuesday evening when the party’s National Chairman Adamu Muazu was literally bundled or do we call it bounced out of a meeting meant for State Governors, the Nigerian Times was reliably told.
Muazu who was an uninvited guest at the Akwa Ibom State Lodge, Asokoro Abuja venue of the PDP governors’ meeting was shocked when some of the governors began to charge at him accusing him of betraying the party at the just concluded presidential elections.
Nigerian Times also learnt that the angry governors led by a governor from the South-West and another from the South-South began to scream at him: “what are you doing here after you have betrayed us? Leave here now!”

The bewildered party chairman while making attempt to appeal to the governors’ for understanding was pushed out by the two governors who were too angry to pay him any attention.
Stories have been making the round that there are plans by members of the party’s leadership to remove Muazu from his position if he fails to resign voluntarily after leading the party to a woeful outing in the just concluded elections.

It is however not clear what will be the next line of action of the governors, National Working committee, Board of Trustees and even the embattled chairman but pundits believe that Muazu’s days as chairman is numbered.
Recall that he became chairman after such feeling of incompetence greeted his predecessor Bamanga Tukur who was later removed in an inglorious manner.

Nigerian army 'rescues nearly 300' from Sambisa Forest

2015-04-29T02:34:00.003-07:00

The Nigerian military says it has rescued 200 girls and 93 women from an area where the Islamist militant group Boko Haram is active.

However, it said the girls abducted from a school in Chibok in April 2014 were not among them.
The military said the girls and women were freed during major operations ending in the seizure of four Boko Haram camps in the Sambisa Forest.
A military spokesman said they were now being interviewed.
Weapons were also seized at the camps taken in the latest operation, the military said.
In recent months Nigerian security forces have taken back most of the territory previously under the control The Nigeria Defence Headquarters, disclosed the report of the girls, and women's rescue in a tweet.
However the Nigeria Military could not confirm if the over 200 abducted Chibok Girls were among this number. "Troops this afternoon rescued 200 girls and 93 women from Sambisa Forest.

We cannot confirm if the Chibok Girls are in this group," it said. Boko Haram kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls near the Northeastern village of Chibok in April 2014, sparking international outcry.

TOGO’S FAURE GNASSINGBE RE-ELECTED PRESIDENT

2015-04-29T02:30:00.002-07:00

Togo’s incumbent President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe won more than 58.75 percent of the votes in the presidential election, securing another five years in office, preliminary results released Tuesday showed.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), ruling Union for the Republic party candidate Faure won 58.75 percent of the votes, while opposition Combat for Political Alternative in 2015 (CAP2015) alliance candidate Jean-Pierre Fabre won 34.95 percent.
“The national electoral commission states that Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe has been elected based on provisional results which are subject to confirmation by the Constitutional Court,” the commission’s head Taffa Tabiou said.
The INEC will soon transmit the provisional results to the Constitutional Court, which is responsible for examining appeals and electoral disputes before proclaiming the final results.
Gnassingbe came to power in April 2005, following special election after the death of his father General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ran Togo from 1967 till his decease. He was reelected in 2010 with 60.89 percent of the votes.

BOKO HARAM IS A FRAUD —BUHARI

2015-04-28T03:43:00.000-07:00

Nigeria's president elect - General Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, disclosed that Boko Haram will be denied a recruitment base the moment local communities realise its claim to being a religious group is nothing but a fraud.
"The fraud called Boko Haram can be defeated by denying it a recruitment base," General Buhari told visiting leaders of Nassarawa State, who came to congratulate him on his emergence as president-elect.
"No religion allows for the killing of children in school dormitory, in markets and places of worship. They have nothing to do with religion. They are terrorists and we are going to deal with them as they deal with terrorists anywhere," he said.
Buhari said he was greatly pained by the destruction of schools in the north-eastern part of the country, an action he said could deny thousands of youngsters access to education and a better future unless something was done urgently to avert.

"The worst thing anybody can do is to deny children access to education. That will be destructive to their lives and we are not going to allow that to happen," the president-elect assured.
He announced that his government would help the states to get more money to improve infrastructure, by ensuring that all federally collectible revenues were paid directly into the federation account and each tier of government given its due share.

"As of now, the government does not even know how many revenue accounts it has. We will give all the tiers what is due to them, but will hold them to be accountable as we would the Federal Government," he said.
Buhari described Nasarawa State as his own "political laboratory," being the only Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)-controlled state of the 36 others adjudged as having been a success.
"From one state, I now have 22 political laboratories," he said.
He commended Governor Tanko Al-Makura for surviving his many impeachment plots, saying "without Nasarawa, there would not have been an All Progressives Congress (APC)."

EX-EGYPTIAN PRESIDENT, MORSI JAILED 20 YEARS

2015-04-21T04:56:00.001-07:00

An Egyptian court sentenced former president Mohammed Morsi to 20 years in prison on Tuesday in connection with the deaths of protesters during demonstrations against his rule in 2012. Morsi also faces charges in two other trials.

Morsi supporters attacked opposition protesters outside the presidential palace in December 2012, sparking clashes that killed at least 10 people.
Judge Ahmed Youssef dropped the murder charges against Morsi and said the sentence was instead linked to the “show of force” against protesters and unlawful detentions.
The Cairo Criminal Court issued the verdict as Morsi and other defendants in the case – mostly other Muslim Brotherhood leaders – stood in a soundproof glass cage in a makeshift courtroom at Egypt’s national police academy.
The country’s first freely elected president, Morsi took power after the 2011 overthrow of Hosni Mubarak. Morsi himself was ousted by the army in 2013 and put on trial as the new regime of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi launched a relentless crackdown on the moderate Islamist Muslim Brotherhood.
Hundreds of Brotherhood members have since been sentenced to death and thousands more jailed.
The Muslim Brotherhood issued a statement ahead of the verdict on Tuesday denouncing the judiciary – calling it a tool of repression – and calling for protests.
“The coup commander (Sisi) is exploiting the judiciary as a weapon in the battle against popular will and the democratic and revolutionary legitimacy represented by President Mohamed Morsi,” the statement said.
The Brotherhood called for “non-stop revolutionary marches and demonstrations” starting Tuesday in support of Morsi and demanding his reinstatement.
The Muslim Brotherhood, now blacklisted by Egypt as a “terrorist organisation”, has previously failed to mobilise large numbers for its rallies because of persistent fears amid a continuing crackdown.
Morsi also faces the possible death penalty in connection with two other trials, including one in which he is accused of leaking state secrets to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. He is also accused of escaping from prison during the widespread protests that eventually ousted Mubarak.
Separate verdicts in those two cases are due on May 16.

Henry Okah Attacks GEJ, Calls President “Coward”

2015-03-11T07:41:00.002-07:00

Henry Okah, the assumed leader, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) Henry Okah, the assumed leader, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) Henry Okah, the assumed guerrilla leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND); a title he denies has again lashed out angrily at President Goodluck Jonathan describing the Nigeria’s number one man as “timid and cowardly” Okah, arrested, tried and convicted in South Africa on terrorism charges, said in a recent published interview that he could hardly speak about President Jonathan without “saying something uncomplimentary”. “I have met President Jonathan. I knew him though not closely when he was the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State. My cousin Chief (Diepreye) Alamieyeseigha was then governor. “I had a meeting with Jonathan in Pretoria in 2007 when the late President Musa Yar’ Adua sent him to speak with me. He was accompanied by Chief Timipre Sylva. I have spoken to him on occasions. “In one instance, he was traumatized emotionally by the attack on his country home which he was misled into believing I had a hand in. The last time I spoke with him was in April 2010 when he asked for my support personally. Since my recent arrest, I have had no direct contact with him. “It is difficult to speak about President Jonathan without saying something uncomplimentary. I truthfully find him timid and cowardly. His discussions are unintelligible revealing a lack of intellectual depth. “As governor of Bayelsa State, and a man whose home had been violated, I expected him to be angry and indignant at this sacrilegious act. Rather, he was physically trembling, terrified and incoherent as he spoke weeks after the attack.” Okah compared Jonathan with Alhaji Asari-Dokubo: “I warned Nigerians about Goodluck Jonathan but some people assumed I was speaking in anger and arrogance. Nigerians have now seen President Jonathan for exactly what I told them that he is. There is little difference in his speeches and that of Asari.” Speaking about Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Okah stated: “I was quite young when General Muhammadu Buhari was in power so I am compelled by this fact to look at him in awe. This has nothing to do with his personality. General Buhari kept quiet for a long time and I have not kept up with him since after he was deposed in a military coup. He does not appear vain and would very likely be a more prudent civilian leader. This is not to say that I would vote for him in any elections as much as I respect him. I am disillusioned with Nigerian politics and have never voted or participated in any form of politics at any level.” He also prayed for “a responsible and sensible president who sees the need to properly address the situation of the North and South in the face of Boko Haram and the Niger Delta issue”. Returning to the comments about Asari Dokubo, Okah said: “He is unintelligent and has forgotten the different versions he has given in the past. This man once said I was fighting against Goodluck Jonathan because Jonathan displaced Alamieyeseigha. Another time he said my wife is Itsekiri which was why I supported Itsekiris. My wife is from Enugu. “He has also said in yet another interview that I am not Ijaw. But Ijaw historians and scholars will tell him that I am a purer Ijaw than he can ever be. Even as I say this I must tell you that the issue of tribe is unimportant to me because I am not tribalistic and regard myself first as a Nigerian before an Ijaw.” Finally, he lamented the human rights situation in the country, referring first of all to his own case which no one “has any interest in”.

Lamido, Jigawa Gov Calls for Kidnap of APC Chieftains

2015-03-11T07:15:00.002-07:00

The presidential election campaign in Nigerian took an ugly turn yesterday when Sule Lamido, Jigawa state governor, called for the abduction of leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as a way to break the party. “Kidnap two people in the party and the part is finished” Lamido spoke as People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governors took turns yesterday in Lagos to tell Nigerians why they should re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan Lamido who was on national television like his counterpart PDP governors: Chief Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom); Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); Mr. Bala James Ngilari (Adamawa); Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Chief Jonah Jang (Plateau); Mr. Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti); and Senator Liyel Imoke (Cross River), described APC as a party that thrives on deceit and fraud. In a reaction to Lamido’s statement, Shehu Garba, APC Presidential Campaign Organisation spokesman, asked Governor Lamido of Jigawa State to refrain from making such utterances against APC leaders in the name of politics. Shehu, said he rather hoped that Lamido was joking just as Haram was a serious issue to joke with. He said: “As we were preparing for this press conference, some of the PDP Governors were meeting in Lagos and some of the languages that are coming from that place are not particularly pleasant. I want to consider what the governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido said. I feel it is some kind of morbid joke and I hope that it didn’t come from his heart. There was a time when kidnapping was a very serious plaque nationwide. “I think that it is terribly in bad taste that the governor will stand in the front of the television cameras and announce that to break the APC, all they needed to do was to kidnap two APC leaders and then the party would be broke. “It is like people are not aware that Nigerians have sensibilities and sensitivities that need to be respected otherwise people shouldn’t just ruffle the emotions of the people of this country. “For us in the APC presidential campaign, kidnapping is a serious threat to this country and it is not a matter that people should be joking about as it is with Boko haram. “For our presidential candidate, General Mohammadu Buhari, the key issues are about the security and the lives and property of the people of this country and as you can see from his various speeches, this is a matter he intends to give his all”, Shehu said.

Prominent Russian opposition figure Boris Nemtsov shot dead

2015-02-27T19:09:00.004-08:00

MOSCOW (AP) — Boris Nemtsov, a Russian opposition leader and sharp critic of President Vladimir Putin, was gunned down Saturday near the Kremlin, officials said. Nemtsov was killed just a day before a protest planned against Putin's rule.
The death of Nemtsov, a 55-year-old former deputy prime minister, ignited a fury among opposition figures who assailed the Kremlin for creating an atmosphere of intolerance of any dissent. Putin quickly offered his condolences and called the murder a provocation.

Putin ordered Russia's law enforcement chiefs to oversee the probe. "Putin noted that this cruel murder has all the makings of a contract hit and is extremely provocative," presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in remarks carried by Russian news agencies.

Nemtsov assailed the government's inefficiency, rampant corruption and the Kremlin's Ukraine policy, which has strained relations between Russia and the West to a degree unseen since Cold War times.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Facebook that he was shocked by the killing of Nemtsov, who he called a friend and a "bridge" between the two countries. He said he hopes the killers will be punished.

Nemtsov's lawyer Vadim Prokhorov said the politician had received threats on social networks and told police about them, but authorities didn't take any steps to protect him.

The Russian Interior Ministry, which oversees Russia's police force, said that Nemtsov was killed by four shots in the back from a passing car as he was walking over a bridge just outside the Kremlin shortly after midnight.

Interior Ministry spokeswoman Yelena Alexeyeva told reporters that Nemtsov was walking with a female acquaintance, a Ukrainian citizen, when a vehicle drove up and unidentified assailants shot him dead. The woman wasn't hurt.

President Barack Obama called on Russia's government to perform a "prompt, impartial and transparent" investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice. Obama called Nemtsov a "tireless advocate" for the rights of Russian citizens.

Mikhail Kasyanov, a former Russian prime minister now also in opposition, said he was shocked.

"In the 21st century, a leader of the opposition is being demonstratively shot just outside the walls of the Kremlin!" Kasyanov told reporters as Nemtsov's body placed in a plastic bag was removed on a rainy and cold night, as the Kremlin bells chimed nearby. "The country is roiling into the abyss."

Kasyanov said the opposition march set for Sunday would proceed as planned.

Garry Kasparov, a former chess champion who worked with Nemtsov to organize protests against Putin and now lives in the United States, tweeted: "Devastated to hear of the brutal murder of my long-time opposition colleague Boris Nemtsov. Shot 4 times, once for each child he leaves."

Opposition activist Ilya Yashin said on Ekho Moskvy radio that he last spoke with Nemtsov two days before the killing. Nemtsov was working on a report presenting evidence that he believed proved Russia's direct involvement in the separatist rebellion that erupted in eastern Ukraine last year.

Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of backing the rebels with troops and weapons. Moscow has denied the accusations, but large numbers of sophisticated heavy weapons in the rebels' possession has strained the credibility of its denials.

Yashin said he had no doubt that Nemtsov's murder was politically motivated.

"Boris Nemtsov was a stark opposition leader who criticized the most important state officials in our country, including President Vladimir Putin. As we have seen, such criticism in Russia is dangerous for one's life," he said.

Political analyst Stanislav Belkovsky told Ekho Mosvky radio station that he did not believe that Nemtsov's death would in any way serve Putin's interests.

"But the atmosphere of hatred toward alternative thinkers that has formed over the past year, since the annexation of Crimea, may have played its role," Belkovsky said, referring to the surge of intense and officially endorsed nationalist discourse in Russia since it annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.

Irina Khakamada, a prominent opposition figure who co-founded a liberal party with Nemtsov, blamed a climate of intimidation and warned that the murder could herald a dangerous destabilization.

"It's a provocation that is clearly not in Putin's interests, it's aimed at rocking the situation," she said.

Nemtsov served as a deputy prime minister in the 1990s and once was seen as a possible successor to Boris Yeltsin, Russia's first elected president. After Putin was first elected in 2000, Nemtsov became one of the most vocal critics of his rule. He helped organize street protests and exposed official corruption.

He was one of the organizers of the Spring March opposition protest set for Sunday, which comes amid a severe economic downturn in Russia caused by low oil prices and Western sanctions.

Lady who collected $20,000 to arrange rented crowd for Jonathan in London uncovered.

2015-02-26T13:59:00.003-08:00

The lady who organised the rented crowd that protested at the Chatham House in London on Thursday on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan has been uncovered. The lady, who gave her name simply as Adijatu towards the end of the video attached to this report, said she organised the 100 persons from Manchester in the United Kingdom for the purpose of the pro-Jonathan protest.
The rented crowd also protested against the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Major General Muhammadu Buhari. As earlier reported, a member of the President Jonathan campaign team and the Assistant Director of Civil Society and Support Groups in the Diaspora, Chief Peter Mozie, had requested for $20,000 to mobilise some Nigerians in the United Kingdom to protest at Chatham House where Buhari was to deliver a speech on Thursday.
A memo, addressed to the Director of Civil Society and Support Groups, Prof. Nick Eze, and copied to the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Political Affairs, Prof. Rufai Alkali, said different persons at the venue of the anti-Buhari rally will have various talking points.

Adijatu confirmed on video that she mobilised the persons who came to the venue. She said they came in six buses. She said unlike Buhari with low spending power, Jonathan was a heavy spender. She equally said she could organise such crowd for anyone in need of such. Asked if she was the one who pocketed the $20,000 budgeted for the rally, she simply laughed and moved on to other discussions.

JAMAICA LEGALISES MARIJUANA

2015-02-26T13:25:00.002-08:00

Jamaica’s Rastafarians and reggae artistes have won a protracted battle to get marijuana use, legalised.
On Tuesday, the small island nation, long associated with a vibrant pot-smoking culture, passed a law decriminalizing possession of small amounts of the leaf it calls ganja, joining more than 15 states in the United States that have legalised medical or recreational use of the drug.
“Ganja law gets green light,” the Jamaican Observer said in its online version.
Minister of National Security Peter Bunting said the change came after an “elephantine” slog through parliament that took decades.
“To describe this Bill’s development as elephantine, is to label it in euphemistic terms since the Parliamentary deliberations on it commenced as far back as 38 years ago,” he said in a statement.
He added: “It eliminates an unnecessary source of friction between police and citizens, and ensures that our young people are not gratuitously shackled with criminal records.”
The new law makes possession of small quantities of pot a non-arrestable offense that can instead result in a fine.
It will also permit the use of marijuana for religious, medical, scientific, and therapeutic purposes.
Finally, it will provide for regulation through the granting of licenses to permit the development of a lawful industry for medical ganja and industrial hemp, the minister’s statement said.
“It is significant because it begins to correct decades of criminalizing tens of thousands of Jamaicans, mostly poor young black males, for possession of a little ‘spliff’,” Bunting said.
“This progressive legislation also begins to correct the victimization of our Rastafarian brethren which started in colonial times and continued after Independence,” he added.
Rastafarianism, the religion followed by late Jamaican reggae star Bob Marley, includes the ritualistic use of marijuana.
In the United States, states such as Oregon, Colorado, Alaska, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, Ohio have legalised the use of marijuana for either medical or recreational use, in small quantities.

Ministerial Nominee Obanikoro Confesses He Was At Ekiti Rigging Meeting, Says Jonathan Sent Him

2015-02-19T12:38:00.001-08:00

Contrary to earlier denials, embattled ministerial nominee, Musiliu Obanikoro, has confessed to several Senators in Abuja that he did participate in an election-eve meeting in Ekiti in June 2014 in which a group of politicians and government ministers met with a Nigerian army general to rig the governorship election in favor of Ayodele Fayose, the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The meeting, which is now known as “Ekitigate”, was secretly taped by an army captain who was subsequently forced to flee for his life.
Despite the scandal, President Jonathan went ahead to nominate Obanikoro into his cabinet for the second time, and the nominee is lobbying the Senators to give him a pass during his upcoming nomination hearing. It is in the process that he has confessed to some of them that he was indeed present at the rigging meeting in Akure, on behalf of the President, to ensure that everything went smoothly.
Obanikoro’s story is that he was simply making “peace” between the army and Ayo Fayose at the meeting, claiming that he was not party to any conversation about rigging. On the contrary, Obanikoro, who was at the time junior Minister for Defence, is overheard clearly on the tape bragging about the authority granted him by President Jonathan.
Prior to admitting his involvement to the Senators, the former minister met with President Jonathan to discuss the tape and his role. A presidency source said Obanikoro told President Jonathan he was present at the meeting but that a part of the audio-recording was “doctored”.
They said President Jonathan had called him to the meeting to discuss how to mitigate the damage created by the leaked tape. He told the Senators categorically that it was Jonathan himself who had sent him to Ekiti to help Fayose win the election. On the tape, Obanikoro says, at least twice, that he is on a “mission” for the President.
He also reportedly told President Jonathan at their meeting that he had asked his US-based lawyers to do a separate voice analysis of the tape and that the lawyers came back with “proof” that certain aspects of the tape had been doctored by SaharaReporters to make the regime look bad. Counting on that assurance, President Jonathan told a team of reporters from the Wall Street Journal during an interview that the tapes were not real and that he would not investigate the incident.
Obanikoro also told President Jonathan that his US-based lawyers had assured him that they could file some cases against SaharaReporters in the US to “teach SaharaReporters and its publisher, Omoyele Sowore” a lesson. He explained to the president that with enough financial support, his lawyers would file the case and also employ private detectives to take down SaharaReporters. President Jonathan reportedly nodded at the idea, and asked Obanikoro not to worry.
Following that meeting, the former Minister began a series of legal threats last week claiming to have sued SaharaReporters, as well as The Punch newspaper and Premium Times, both in Lagos. Up until now, those newspapers are yet to be served copies of the lawsuit.
On Tuesday night, Obanikoro, who is also a US citizen, assured some of the Senators that his US lawyers had already filed the libel suit against SaharaReporters in New York.
On Wednesday, Obanikoro deployed a small rented a crowd of protesters to hold placards in front of the National Assembly to denounce the All Progressives Congress.
It is to be noted that two other key participants at the meeting, Police Minister Jelili Adesiyan and Ayo Fayose, the beneficiary of the Ekiti governorship rigging, have admitted that they were at the meeting that was taped by the army captain.
For Obanikoro’s role in the rigging of the election, APC has advocated his being banned from holding any public office, and asked the Senate not to confirm him. Mr. Jonathan is known to have re-nominated Obanikor as his prize for stepping down from the PDP governorship race in Lagos.

WE’VE RECAPTURED 11 TOWNS, KILLED 300 INSURGENTS –Defence Headquaters

2015-02-19T12:19:00.005-08:00

The Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, has said that troops of the Nigerian Army and personnel of the Air Force have killed over 300 fighters of the Boko Haram sect.
Olukolade said in a statement on Wednesday that the insurgents were killed during a combined operation of the Air Force and ground forces put in place to liberate 11 communities captured by the Boko Haram sect.
According to him, the communities liberated by the troops are Monguno, Gabchari, Abba Jabari, Gajigana, Gajiram, Damakar, Kumaliwa, Bosso Wanti, Jeram and Kabrisungul.
He said that troops had commenced a cordon and search operation in the areas involved in the latest operation.
He stated further that some of the terrorists and their weapons were captured by the troops.
Olukolade also said that the military captured “five different types of armoured fighting vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun, about 50 cases of packed bombs and eight different types of machine guns, five rocket-propelled grenade, 49 boxes of various types and calibres of ammunition, as well as 300 motorcycles destroyed in the fighting.
He added that “a total of six Hilux vehicles including those mounted with anti-aircraft guns were also destroyed.’
The Defence spokesman said that two soldiers lost their lives while ten others were wounded in the encounter with the terrorists.
Olukolade said that various phases of highly coordinated combined operation involving the Air Force and ground forces were ongoing in the mission area within and outside the country.
Meanwhile, about 30 civilians were killed when an unidentified airplane dropped a bomb on a Nigerian border village, military sources based nearby in Niger said on Wednesday.
“We don’t know whose plane it was. We understand that the victims are residents who were gathered for a ceremony but who were mistaken for terrorists,” said a military source based in the town of Bosso in Niger.
He added, “Around 30 people perished.”

THOUSANDS PROTEST AGAINST BOKO HARAM IN NIGER CAPITAL

2015-02-18T05:11:00.002-08:00

Thousands of people have marched in Niger's capital to protest against Boko Haram, which has launched deadly raids into the country from Nigeria. The demonstrators were led by Niger's Prime Minister Brigi Rafini and protected by a heavy police presence. There were fears that the Nigeria-based Islamist group, which is known for suicide attacks, would target the march but it passed peacefully. Boko Haram has intensified attacks in Niger's border areas in recent weeks.

The march ended outside the parliament building in Niamey, where President Mamahadou Issoufou told the crowds that "Niger will be the tomb" of the Islamists, according to the AFP news agency. "Nobody attacks Niger without punishment and Boko Haram learned that to its cost last 6 February," Mr Issoufou said, referring to the group's attack on Niger's Diffa region, which was repelled. "That day, our defence and security forces crushed Boko Haram," he said. Niger's Defence Minister Mahamadou Karidjo said at the time that 109 Boko Haram fighters were killed in the fighting in Diffa, with four soldiers and one civilian losing their lives.

Demonstrators in Niamey told the BBC they believed Niger's military could prevent Boko Haram gaining a foothold in the country. "What worries us most is that they are killing our brothers, our sisters, our parents and friends," said one. "That's why we support our military 100% to fight them, to kill them." Another warned the jihadist group: "Don't touch our country." He added: "Boko Haram cannot be above a state, it's impossible.

They have some showing in an area of the country, but they cannot beat our armed forces." Boko Haram continued to attack targets within Nigeria over the weekend, overrunning the town of Askira in the country's north-eastern Borno state. Residents said the militants first attacked Askira on Sunday, shooting at civilians and razing homes, before returning on Monday to occupy the town.

Army Reluctant to Fight Boko Haram over Low Morale, Poor Weapons

2015-02-17T03:15:00.004-08:00

A Nigerian soldier in the frontline of the battle against Boko Haram, the radical Islamic militants has accused Nigerian leaders of treating the war on terror like a football game where it is important to "support the home team" and armchair patriots can kick back in their houses while soldiers put their lives on the line.
The soldier whose name and location were withheld, said he willing to lay down his life for his country, but wants the country’s leaders to first solve the problems of low manpower, obsolete warfare ammunition and underwhelming morale of soldiers In an interview with BBC, the soldier, lamented that the authorities were not doing enough to boost the morale of the troops. “If the things I need for battle are provided, I am ready to go and fight those idiots,” he said. “I am ready to fight for my country because I don’t have any other country.
We can defeat them anytime, but logistics fail, weapons fail, morale of the soldiers will fail because many things are wrong. “Anytime they attack, they must kill us, because we don’t have support weapons and we are usually outnumbered. “The Boko Haram fighters are many. About 116 soldiers are asked to fight 3,000 people, you see the problem, how can you fight? “We once needed reinforcement and they sent just 20 soldiers and they (the 20 soldiers) refused to come because they didn’t have weapons. “They (Boko Haram) are using RPG, anti-aircrafts weapons, many support weapons.
We have only Kalashnikov and the tanks that we have been using are since 1976.” Speaking on the challenges at the battle front, the soldier accused his senior colleagues of being insensitive to the plight of their subordinates. “Many soldiers die in the (battlefield), there are many widows in my barracks; they are suffering,” he said. “You die one month, the next month, they would stop your salary, the senior men do not think of we soldiers.
They are thinking of themselves alone.” When asked if he agreed that the current regional force can defeat the sect within six weeks, he had this to say; “I don’t agree. I can look on, but I can’t agree. Things are wrong; that’s what I am telling you; that’s the truth.”

Police Declare 10 Bankers Wanted over Alleged N125m Fraud

2015-02-17T02:40:00.000-08:00

The Zone 2 Police Command in Lagos on Sunday declared 10 suspected bankers wanted for alleged N125.1 million scam. The names and photographs of the suspects between the ages of 34 and 48 were pasted on the command’s notice board. Gbenga Adeoye, command’s spokesman, who confirmed this to NAN in Lagos, said it was normal for the police to declare wanted anybody suspected of crime. It is normal for the police to declare wanted anybody who refuses to make himself available after committing crimes such as fraud, jump bail or murder, he said. “When we declare anybody wanted, the photograph, names and contact address of the suspected fellow will be pasted in the police formation for easy identification of his or her arrest,” Mr. Adeoye said. According to him, the suspects now at large were being investigated for alleged forgery and obtaining money by false pretence. “A warrant of arrest has been duly obtained from a Magistrates’ Court in Lagos state against the suspected fraudsters,” he said. It was gathered that the suspects conspired with others to obtain financial facilities of N15,055,541; N10,894,478 and N24,597,628. Other amounts were N9,983,195, N11,114,992, N12,231,958, N8,663,833, N10,827,561, N5,657,937, and N15,054,383, respectively, from a bank.