NEWS FOREVER

2012-03-17T15:16:00.001-07:00

2012-02-22T12:58:00.001-08:00

Nigeria’s uneasy equations

Jonathan Power (Power’s World)

23 February 2012

The governor of the northeastern Nigerian state of Yobe, Ibrahim Geidam, where the extremist Boko Haram movement had its origins, told me that the situation is now “under control”.

He pointed to the recent arrest of its spokesman and the way he was cooperating with his interrogators. He also told me of the splits that had developed in the movement. President Goodluck Jonathan in a rare one-hour interview told me much the same. But he added a caveat. Boko Haram still has plenty of destructive power. “Who is to know if they have infiltrated major institutions, even here in the presidential compound? It might be a cook, a cleaner or a driver, waiting for their moment to explode a bomb.”

In his opinion the movement gets support in both ideology and arms from Al Qaeda’s North African affiliate and the extremist movement in Somalia. However, when I talked to former president Olusegun Obasanjo, he told me that the evidence for that was not watertight.

Wole Soyinka, the Nobel Laureate for Literature, has said that the situation is not dissimilar to the one that existed during the civil war of the 1960s when oil-rich Biafra in the east attempted to secede from Nigeria. He points to the years of insurgency, the recent blowing up of the UN mission.

Defeating it is a tricky business, to say the least. The police have often used violent tactics. This has led to a backlash, recruiting more members for the movement.

Some observers compare this with the insurgency that until recently terrified the people of the Niger Delta, including the expatriate oil workers they kidnapped for ransoms. The fighters made themselves rich on stealing oil. Jonathan and his predecessor, Umaru Yar’Adua, managed to win a truce and awarded the fighters handsome “scholarships” so they could train for skilled work. For the most part it seems to have worked.

But Obasanjo decries this. “Once the principle of buying off is established the blackmail will continue and other radical groups like Boko Haram will demand the same. Jonathan disagrees. “One cannot compare the two movements”, he argues. “The Delta militants had to be part compensated for the large amounts they were making from oil bunkering”. “Buying off” will not be used with Boko Haram, an ideological movement not a gangster one.

Most of Nigeria is unaffected by the movement. Despite the departure of frightened Christians to the south most of the country is not perturbed. When the killings have taken place in the north Muslims moved to protect churches and the Christians reciprocated by sending people to protect mosques.

Neighbouring countries have also helped. Cameroon has been a haven for the militants to escape to. Now Chad and Niger are cooperating with the Nigerian police. Besides this the Americans have sent bomb disposal experts and are clearly prepared to do more if asked.

The Muslim north is much poorer than the Christian south, held back for over a century by conservative clerics and leaders. Education is poor and health clinics are scarce and youth unemployment is high. One does not find the rip-roaring economic progress prevalent in the south. Without the drag of the north Nigeria would have double-digit economic growth rate.

The poverty has contributed to the rise of Boko Haram, although the president makes the valid point that there are many countries with dire poverty, including Muslim ones where there is no political violence.

It will take years to defeat Boko Haram, just as it did to defeat the insurgency of the Delta. The country is already judging Jonathan by his ability (lack of it, critics say) to get on top of the situation. It will certainly test the metal of the president who otherwise is making great strides with his domestic economic and social policies. We will see.

2012-02-15T15:07:00.001-08:00

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2012-02-15T14:50:00.001-08:00

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Over 60 percent of Nigerians live in absolute poverty

2012-02-15T14:31:00.001-08:00

Over 60 percent of Nigerians live in absolute poverty

About 61 percent of oil-rich Nigeria's citizens lived in absolute poverty in 2010, existing on less than $1 a day and unable to afford the bare necessities, a report by the National Statistics Bureau stated.

The NBS announced today that the number of impoverished Nigerians "rose to 60.9 per cent in 2010, compared with 54.7 per cent in 2004".

Statistician General of the NBS, Mr. Yemi Kale, said that even though the nation's economy is growing, the proportion of Nigerians living in poverty continues to grow every year in Africa's most populous nation.

Kale explained that the fastest-growing industries in Nigeria - wholesale, retail and oil and gas - "are not significant employers of labour" and without the creation of new jobs, poverty is expected to climb even higher.

Mr. Kale estimates that this trend may increase further in the 2011 report if the potential positive impacts of several anti-poverty and employment generation intervention programmes are not taken into account.

He suggested boosting the agricultural sector, which the central bank estimates accounts for 42 percent of gross domestic product, will aid poverty alleviation in Africa's top oil-producer.

The report further reveals that the northeast and northwest geo-political zones are the poorest regions in the country while the southwest, which hosts the commercial city of Lagos, has the lowest levels of poverty.

Fuel sells at N500 in Bayelsa

2012-02-15T14:28:00.000-08:00

Fuel sells at N500 in Bayelsa

The oil producing state of Bayelsa has being gripped by severe fuel shortage that has left most commuters and motorists stranded and the price of fuel hitting N500 at the black market.

The shortage is allegedly due to the drop in fuel imports caused by the partial removal of subsidies.

Motorists and residents in the state are seen on long queues at petrol stations, while some struggled at various black market points which sold a litre for a staggering N500.

The fuel scarcity has made some residents resort to walking long distances to their destinations and car owners going into neighbouring states like Delta to buy at a cheaper rate of N100 per litre.

Some residents told Channels Television, that they have been at the petrol station for three days.

The Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Product Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) Reginald Stanley had warned about the looming scarcity of petrol in the country.

He had told the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating the management of subsidy that the country may face serious fuel scarcity because banks were sceptical of granting fuel importers fund due to removal of fuel subsidy.

"Banks are not giving credit lines to the importers because they said there is no definite statement on the removal of subsidy, a troubling development since they rely on banks for funding of their activities", he told the panel.

However, the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Austin Oniwon, told the probe panel that corporation has reserve that can last for up to 33 days in the likelihood that scarcity occurs.

FIFA ranks Nigeria low, Zambia high

2012-02-15T14:24:00.001-08:00

FIFA ranks Nigeria low, Zambia high

A February ranking by the world football governing body, FIFA showed that Nigeria has dropped from 45th which it was in January to 56th position.

The ranking also showed that Zambia shot up 28 places, breaking into the top 50 for the first time in eleven years after winning the African Nations Cup on Sunday.

The Chipolopolo (The Copper Bullets) moved into 43rd spot, their highest position since February 2001, after beating Ivory Coast on penalties following a goalless final in Libreville.

However, despite the African Nations Cup title, Côte d’Ivoire moved up to 15th remaining Africa’s highest-positioned team.

Aside from the two finalists, third-placed Mali is ranked 44th, while the host nations of the African Nations Cup, Gabon was ranked 45.

Fellow co-hosts Equatorial Guinea, a team made up largely of Spanish lower league players, leapt from 151st to 110th after surpassing all expectations by reaching the quarter-finals.

Spain stayed top of the rankings while Germany moved up to second and Netherlands dropped to third even though neither side played a game in the last month.

FIFA said the change was "due to the devaluation of matches from previous years."

Similarly, Brazil dropped to seventh and Portugal moved up to sixth while Argentina dropped out of the top ten, losing their place to Denmark.

Rankings (last month's positions in brackets)

1. (1) Spain

2. (3) Germany

3. (2) Netherlands

4. (4) Uruguay

5. (5) England

6. (7) Portugal

7. (6) Brazil

8. (9) Italy

9. (8) Croatia

10. (11) Denmark

Whitney Houston funeral to be held at childhood church

2012-02-15T14:20:00.000-08:00

Whitney Houston funeral to be held at childhood church

It has been confirmed that Singer Whitney Houston will be laid to rest on 18 February in the New Jersey church where she sang as a child.

According to the owner of the Whigham Funeral Home in Newark, the funeral will be held at 12:00 EST (17:00 GMT) at the city’s New Hope Baptist Church.

The home’s owner, Carolyn Whigham, said the funeral service would be by invitation only, adding it would be a “private time” for the Houston family.

In her words, “They have shared her for 30 some years with the city, with the state, with the world. This is their time now for their farewell.”

In confirmation, Pastor Joe Carter of New Hope Baptist Church said he will conduct a small invite-only service. According to him, large screens will be set up outside the church by organizers, so people who cannot get inside can see the funeral proceedings.

New Hope's pastor described the late singer’s mother, Cissy Houston as a strong woman who is managing the occurrence with miraculous strength. At her request, the eulogy will be given by Marvin Winans, a gospel singer and pastor at Detroit's Perfecting Church, who officiated Houston's 1992 marriage ceremony to R&B singer Bobby Brown.

Meanwhile, Whitney Houston's family has been urged by American singer, Janet Jackson to consider therapy sessions for the superstar's heartbroken daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown as she mourns the death of her mum.

Jackson, who is still mourning the death of her brother Michael in 2009, insists she knows what it's like to lose a loved one and she's happy to offer up advice for Whitney's daughter.

In her words, "There's never a day, not one day has gone by where I don't think about my brother. It sounds so mean, but you have to move on. You can't hold onto that because it can be very devastating... sometimes therapy is the best thing.”

Janet Jackson, on revealing her thoughts about the tragedy stated that she couldn’t help thinking about the teenager, who was hospitalized and treated for stress and anxiety at the weekend.

But she can only imagine that Bobbi Kristina's grief is much greater than her own: "I lost my brother, she lost her mother. There's a difference and I don't know what that's like being so young."

Whitney Houston, 48, was found dead Saturday in her suite at the upscale Beverly Hilton, just hours before she was scheduled to attend a pre-Grammy bash at the hotel. Why she died remains a mystery.

2face proposes to Annie Macauley

2012-02-15T14:15:00.001-08:00

2face proposes to Annie Macauley

2face Idibia and Annie Macauley might just be walking down the aisle soon following the super star’s surprising proposal to the actress, Annie during an outing at Club 10, in Lagos on Tuesday.

The pop icon, Idibia who has had an off-and-on relationship with Annie for over a decade finally proposed to her at an arranged get together party to mark the Valentine’s day.

Reports say Idibia’s long term girlfriend and first love broke down and wept profusely when 2face went on his knees to propose to her, she had been kept in the dark about the plan for the night.

Before now, Annie, who featured in 2face’s breakthrough solo video “African Queen’, in many people’s eyes, was just another baby mama, after she gave birth to Idibia’s daughter, Isabella.

Sunmbo Ajaba and Pero Adeniyi also have children for the musician, two each. Meanwhile, 2Face is currently expecting his sixth child with ex-girlfriend, Pero Adeniyi, who is now based in the US.

Lassa fever kills doctor, 12 others in Taraba

2012-02-15T14:11:00.000-08:00

Lassa fever kills doctor, 12 others in Taraba

An outbreak of the deadly haemorrhagic virus Lassa at the Federal Medical Center in Jalingo has killed at least 13 people since its detection a week ago in Taraba state, Xinhua reported.

The outbreak of the virus has forced the management of the medical center to close some of its units.

The virus is transmitted primarily though contact with rat excreta.

Mustapha Hamman-Gabdo, the Taraba state commissioner for health, said some people admitted to the centre for different ailments were later diagnosed with Lassa fever.

He said that a female medical doctor, Aisha Isa died on Sunday at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital while Amina Abdullahi, a nurse died in Jalingo on Monday. Both of them were staff of the center.

The commissioner said that the state government is already taking steps to control the outbreak.

Boko Haram: Secret police declares ex-soldier wanted 1

2012-02-15T14:06:00.001-08:00

Boko Haram: Secret police declares ex-soldier wanted

The State Security Service (SSS) on Wednesday declared an ex-soldier, Habibu Bama wanted for alleged crimes against the state.

According to a statement signed by the Deputy Director, public relations of the security service, Marilyn Ogar, Mr Bama is an ex-soldier, who is Kanuri by tribe and hails from Bama in Borno state.

She said that Mr Bama is also known as Habib Bama, Shuaibu Bama and Habib Mamman.

Members of the public with any information that could lead to his arrest are therefore implored to immediately contact the nearest police station, military formation or any other security agency.

The Nigerian security operatives have in recent weeks collaborated in the arrest of some key members of the fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram that has been staging bomb attacks across the country.

2012-02-15T14:00:00.000-08:00

Mobile phones to outnumber people by the end of 2012.

10 billion mobile phones connected by 2016 - study
Wireless internet usage also expected to expand significantly

ALSO

Machines are on the rise, just like in Terminator 2: Judgement Day.

MOBILE phones will outnumber humans by the end of 2012, according to a report by US technology company Cisco.

The report - which examines the growth of mobile internet, video, data and smartphones - predicted that there would be more than 10 billion mobile connected devices by 2016 - more than the estimated global population of 7.3 billion.
There were 7 billion mobile-connected devices across the globe in 2011 - accounting for 0.9 devices per capita. That figure will increase to 1.4 devices per capita by the year’s end.
The technology company expects the increase in mobile phone use to come largely from the Middle East and Africa – which are predicted to experience a compound annual growth rate of 104 per cent - along with the Asia Pacific region which is tipped to experience a 84 per cent growth in mobile phone ownership.
Wireless internet usage is expected to expand significantly in the coming years – with traffic multiplying 18 times by 2016, accounting for 130 exabytes of data per year.
This huge increase in internet use is being driven by smartphones and tablets that stream so much music and video that these alone will increase by 95 per cent a year between now and 2016, Cisco says.
The study also examined the rise of the machines - or more specifically machine-to-machine communications (m2m).
M2m technology includes devices like air-conditioning units, smart fridges, telephones and security systems. As consumer demand for devices that can do everything increases, so too will sensor technology that allows singular devices to communicate with other data storage systems to deliver all the information people need onto the one device.
Cisco expects m2m data traffic to increase 22 fold between 2011-2016, representing an 86 per cent annual increase for the next five years.

2012-02-15T13:42:00.001-08:00

More road accidents on Valentine’s day: FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Corps on Monday said about 27 per cent of road crashes recorded across the country between 2008 and 2011 occurred during Valentine’s Day celebrations in the month of February.

The Corps Education Officer, Nsebong Akpabio said in statement that there was an increase in crashes during Valentine’s day by 27 per cent “even as the Corps is projecting a corresponding increase of 1,300 injured persons from this year’s Valentine celebration-related road crashes, in comparison with 1,024 and 661 injured persons recorded in 2010 and 2011 respectively while total cases of road crashes are projected to trend up to 500 this year in view of last year’s figure of 316 reported cases.”

Mr Akpabio said that a comprehensive analysis of road crashes from 12th to18th February, in the last four years “show that 2008 had 86 deaths and 551 injured persons in 268 reported cases of road crashes while 2009 recorded 99 deaths and 428 injured persons in 187 road crashes.”

Similarly, 70 persons were killed with 661 others injured in 227 road crashes in 2010 while last year’s figures stood at 172 deaths and 1,024 injured persons in 316 road crashes.

The Corps then appeal to fun seekers to ensure strict compliance with traffic rules and regulations in order to avoid road crashes.

I am not Jonathan's girlfriend says Ngozi Okonjo Iweala

2012-02-03T02:12:00.001-08:00

I am not Jonathan's girlfriend says Ngozi Okonjo Iweala

Their love saved / destroyed a nation ?

Abuja– The Nigerian minister of finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iewala, has denied the evil rumour being spread by unpatriotic Nigerians claiming that she and President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan are more than just cabinet colleagues.

The rumour mongers insist that the married mother of four and the father of Nigeria have been carrying on with their illicit affair right under the nose of the mother of Nigeria.

They further claim that a love-struck Jonathan has promised the minister anything, to keep the relationship alive, and the one thing his lover has demanded is the removal of fuel subsidy.

Aides to the one-time World Bank managing director have however denied the rumour pointing out that Dr Iweala can never be attracted to someone whose PhD is in Zoology.

Proponents of the theory / rumour are however adamant that the President is abusing his executive powers in the most despicable of ways.

“Look at his wife, the man clearly likes fat women,” said one rumour monger.

Another broadcaster of the false rumour said:

“Isn’t it suspicious that the only thing he has done since he became president is this provocative removal of fuel subsidy?

“If you think about it, every other thing the mumu has tried to do, when people shout small, he has quickly revered. Seven year term, he reversed, banning super Eagles, he reserved, but this subsidy removal thing that is the evil desire of his lover, he has refuse to reverse. Why? Tell me he’s not chopping where he should not be chopping.

“The only hope for Nigerian now is that the first lady should catch them.”

Ngozi A.

Witches found occupying Aso Rock

2012-02-03T01:57:00.000-08:00

Witches found occupying Aso Rock

A room in Aso Rock. There are spirits in their midst Photo: Wikipedia

Abuja - Witches, wizards, demons, and other nefarious spirits have been discovered illegally occupying Aso Rock.

This frightening revelation came to light when spiritualists were summoned to the presidential complex to pray for the first family to protect them against the abuses, insults, and curses made by members the Occupy Nigeria movement.

While going through the customary routine of binding evil spirits, some of the pastors in attendance reported being slapped by unseen hands.

This development led to a majority of the hired prayer-warriors abandoning their mission and even forgetting to collect the $50,000 transport fee per head promised to them to cover their travel expenses to the Rock.

A few hardy prophets however stayed behind, sprinkling holy water and challenging the demons to reveal themselves. They did.

Upon materialization of the spirits, all remaining men of God took to their heels leaving a certain Prophet TB Joshua who did not seem moved by the scary apparitions.

He charged them to tell him who they were and what their mission was at the rock and the spirits promptly responded.

In unison and speaking with one voice, they told the powerful man of God that they had taken up residence in Aso Rock since the times of Babangida and that no amount of prayer could dislodge them.

The pastor rebuked them, bound them, and cast them into Holy Ghost fire, but at the end of the day he decided to advice the first family on other extra rituals to be performed to remove the spirits.

It was at this point that he found the first lady fervently praying in what could only be described as a mixture of English and tongues, and the President out cold under his cabinet table where had been hiding.

It is not known whether the evil spirits were successfully exorcised but what is now clear is that they, the evil spirits in Aso Rock, have been responsible for turning our leaders mad once they, the leaders, enter the Rock.

-

Man creates Social Network for people not on any Social Network

2012-02-03T01:55:00.000-08:00

Man creates Social Network for people not on any Social Network

Ihatesocialnetworksandthepeoplewhojointhem.com

London – A young Nigerian entrepreneur who calls himself the African Mark Zuckerberg has created a new social network for people who don’t belong to other social networks.

According to the inventor, even though Facebook now has over 800 million users, and together with the likes of Twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, etc, the number of social network users is probably well over a billion, there are still people who refuse to join any of these sites and that’s a bigger market to exploit than trying to compete with Facebook.

To join the new social network, intending members will have to prove that they’ve never been a member of any social network in the past, not even MySpace.

Any one found to have been a member of any social network would be banned for life from joining.

On the network, members would be able to ‘un-like’ each others posts, pictures and status updates. They will also be able to ‘poke’ other members using a selection of icons ranging from daggers to broken bottles – or they may decide to ‘bitch-slap’ them instead.

Upon joining, members will start off being friends with every existing member; they are then able to ‘Un-friend’ people.

When other member’s birthdays are approaching, users can choose from a large range of stuff to send to them. For example they can send ‘I WISH YOU’D JUST DIE,’ ‘YOU ARE TOO UGLY TO BE LEGAL,’ ‘I DON’T KNOW YOU BUT I HATE YOU,’ thingies to them.

The inventor expects his antisocial network, as he describes it, to attract millions of people who are sick and tired of friends asking them if they are on Facebook.

-

Man offers to buy Redeemed Church Franchise

2012-02-03T01:39:00.001-08:00

Man offers to buy Redeemed Church Franchise...

There's no bussiness like Church bussiness

Lagos– An international business man has infuriated the leadership of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, by writing to them asking how much it would cost to buy the Church’s franchise.

The business man made his fortune through spotting opportunities and investing shrewdly.

He recently decided to focus on Nigeria when he learnt that the country is so rich that the president’s food budget for a year is a mouthwatering 1 Billion Naira (£4,000,000).

Said he: “They must be richer than even theU.S.!”

He relocated to Nigeria with his team of business analysts and they set about probing the Nigerian economy to determine where to invest.

Along with his team he identified the Church business as the fastest growing sector in the economy and the safest investment bet as the sector is characterized by low risk and very low barrier to entry.

As a seasoned investor however, he recognized the folly of reinventing the wheel and so, rather than start his own Church from scratch, he decided to secure a franchise from one of the existing trusted brands.

Armed with a business proposal that involved leasing a warehouse in the Ikeja area ofLagos, hiring singers from an African-American Churchin the U.S.A., and an expansion plan that involved Abuja, Ibadan, and Port Harcourt, he approached the RCCG and made his offer.

The Church’s leaders are said to have been shocked at the proposal. They rebuked him and of course, turned him down.

In fairness to the Church, the business man’s excellently prepared business case included a growth path analysis that very well could have seen his business eating into RCCG’s membership, and hence profits in the long run.

Breaking News: Nigeria Threatens to Leave Africa

2012-02-03T01:32:00.000-08:00

Breaking News: Nigeria Threatens to Leave Africa!03 Feb 2012

He plans to run for the UN. Photo: Saharareporters.com

Abuja - Following the expected loss of AU chairmanship to Boni Yayi of Benin Republic, President Goodluck Ebeble Jonathan’s administration today threatened to breakaway from Africa and form an independent continent of Nigeria.

In a terse press release signed by Mr. Reuben Abati, Nigeria stated:

"Since Africa does not consider our President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan good enough for the Chairmanship of the African Union, then Africa does not deserve our presence on the Continent."

Following the statement, Africa's most populous nation has given the AU an ultimatum of 1 week to regroup and crown GEJ the head of the prestigious union otherwise there shall be consequences.

The press release also advised the advisory body of AU not to bother trying to contact GEJ on the matter as it is non-negotiable. The document pointed out that the Nigerian president is currently too busy negotiating with more important personalities like Boko Haram who the AU should not force him to exile to their countries.

Meanwhile, ministers, cabals, and members of parliament are believed to have secretly convened to decide how Nigeria’s breaking away from Africa should be organized to ensure that the Igbos and other Southerners do not use the opportunity to slip away into the Atlantic with their oil and also form their own continent.

- Danger Mouse

Multiple blasts hit Nigerian city, as Boko Haram members are killed

2012-02-02T14:21:00.000-08:00

Multiple blasts hit Nigerian city, as Boko Haram members are killed

Multiple blasts have hit the Nigerian flashpoint city of Maiduguri, as six suspected members of the Islamist Boko Haram sect were killed in an internal feud, an army spokesman said.

A resident said the roadside explosions went off just before the end of a dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed in the city, which is also under emergency rule declared by President Goodluck Jonathan on January 31 in a bid to curb the Islamists' violence campaign Photo: REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde

8:28PM GMT 02 Feb 2012

"Improvised explosive device (IED) explosions occurred in the early hours of this morning in Maiduguri metropolis ... and no casualty was recorded," said Lieutenant Colonel Hassan Mohammed.

Residents said they heard five explosions.

The spokesman said six people were killed in Kabar Maila in a northern area of the city, the base of Boko Haram which has been blamed for a wave of deadly attacks and bomb blasts in northern Nigeria.

"Preliminary investigations reveal that the six deceased persons were suspected to have been slaughtered by persons suspected to be their fellow Boko Haram members," he said.

"The killing may have been as a result of division among Boko Haram sect members."

Angelo Dundee, who has died aged 90

2012-02-02T14:07:00.000-08:00

Angelo Dundee

Angelo Dundee, who has died aged 90, never boxed himself, but became the most famous cornerman in the world as the trainer of Muhammad Ali.

Angelo Dundee with Muhammad Ali at a training session in White City in 1966 Photo: Rex

Hired to train the then 18-year-old Cassius Clay soon after the young Kentuckian’s gold medal triumph at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Dundee remained continually at Ali’s side right up until his crushing, one-sided defeat by the rising Larry Holmes on October 2 1980.

Dundee’s association with Ali tended to obscure the rest of what was a remarkable curriculum vitae: he worked with 15 other world champions, among them Sugar Ray Leonard, José Napoles, George Foreman, Jimmy Ellis, Carmen Basilio and Luis Rodriguez. Explaining his role, he once reflected: “When you’re working with a fighter, you’re a surgeon, an engineer and a psychologist.”

Fiercely loyal and protective towards his fighters, Dundee admitted deliberately ripping open a tear in Ali’s glove to buy precious seconds after his fighter had been flattened by a Henry Cooper left hook in their famous non-title clash at Wembley Stadium on June 18 1963.

More than a decade later, after the 32-year-old Ali had sensationally reclaimed the world heavyweight crown with an eighth-round knockout of George Foreman in Kinshasa, Dundee was said to have loosened the ring ropes to help Ali win the fight by using the so-called “Rope-a-dope” technique. This time, however, Dundee consistently denied the claims.

Despite coming across as a fast-talking hustler, Dundee had a reputation as one of the kindest men in boxing. Howard Cosell, the long-time boxing commentator, who famously turned against the sport in the 1980s, once observed: “Dundee is the only guy in boxing to whom I would entrust my own son.”

Dundee was born Angelo Merena on August 30 1921 in Philadelphia. Growing up in a tough area of the city, he quickly became streetwise. “Philadelphia is not a town, it’s a jungle,” he once recalled. “They don’t have gyms there, they have zoos. They don’t have sparring sessions, they have wars.”

He served with US Air Force in the Second World War, by which time he had changed his name. His brother Joe, a boxer, fought professionally as Joe Dundee, and Angelo followed suit (as did a third brother, Chris). Though the moniker was a tribute to the former featherweight champion, Johnny Dundee, some have suggested that the boys changed their names as their parents frowned on boxing as a pursuit.
During the war Angelo Dundee spent time on air bases in England, which helped foster in him a love of this country (he always enjoyed returning to Britain with Ali). He gained experience as a cornerman during military boxing tournaments before, at war’s end, heading to New York, where he learned the finer point of boxing science while working as a “bucket guy” for trainers such as Charlie Goldman, Ray Arcel, and Chickie Ferrera at the celebrated Stillman’s Gym.

Angelo then followed his brother Chris to Miami, where the latter had opened the Fifth Street Gym. Chris had moved on to promoting fights when, newly installed as chief trainer, Angelo was in the corner when Carmen Basilio defeated Tony De Marco for the world welterweight crown at Boston on November 30 1955.
Dundee first came across Ali in 1957, when the 15-year-old newly-crowned Golden Gloves champion of Louisville rang him and, after announcing that he was going to become an Olympic and world heavyweight champion, asked to come up to Dundee’s hotel room and meet him. “I thought there was some nut on the line,” the trainer remembered.

He later supervised a sparring session Clay had with the world light-heavyweight champion Willie Pastrano and, in December 1960, trainer and fighter teamed up together at the Fifth Street Gym. Eight days later Clay knocked out Herb Siler in the fourth round of what was only his second professional fight. “No matter what happened after that, [Angelo] was always my friend,” Ali said. “He was there when I needed him and he always treated me with respect. There just wasn’t any problem ever between us.”

Dundee would later recall the fun of those early days and how training Ali was a totally different proposition to working with other fighters: “It was like jet propulsion — just touch him and he took off.”
Ali (then still Cassius Clay) was on the cusp of a world title shot against Sonny Liston when he travelled to London to take on Britain’s hugely-popular Henry Cooper. In the build-up he had labelled the Englishman “a bum”, a description he clearly had cause to regret when dropped by the famous left hook in round four.
What happened at the end of that round has become part of boxing folklore. “They accused me of cutting the gloves,” said Dundee. “Can you imagine me doing something like that? There was a rip in the gloves. All I did was make it a little bigger. They’re hunting around for gloves and I’m buying my man time.” Clay went on to stop Cooper on cuts in the following round.
For all his brazen self-confidence, “The Louisville Lip” was the underdog going into a world title challenge against Liston in Miami in February 1964. Dundee, however, felt victory was assured so long as his fighter did not succumb to the champion’s powers of intimidation. As it was, Liston had no answer to Clay’s fast hands and lightning reflexes.

At the end of the fourth round, however, Clay suddenly complained of a burning sensation in his eyes, possibly caused by ointment from Liston’s shoulder. Afraid the referee would intervene and stop the fight, Dundee rinsed his man’s eyes and pushed him out towards the centre of the ring with the words: “This is the big one, daddy.”
Midway through the fifth, Clay’s eyes cleared and in the next round he took complete control, hitting the champion at will. At the start of the seventh, Liston failed to get off his stool, claiming a damaged shoulder. Although victory made Clay a world star, Liston was still made favourite for the rematch in Maine, 13 months later, by which time Clay had converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
This fight lasted little over a minute before Liston was sent crashing heavily by an Ali punch so quick that most spectators never even saw it. Inevitably, rumours persist that the fallen champion took a dive, although Dundee himself had no doubts: “He [Ali] hit him so quick the cameras couldn’t take it. He bat him with a shot Liston didn’t see. They’re the ones that knock you out. The ones you don’t see.”
Dundee travelled the world with Ali, and was in the corner for his fights against Floyd Patterson; the famous trilogy of bouts against Joe Frazier; “The Rumble In The Jungle” against George Foreman; and for his rare defeats against Ken Norton and, later, Leon Spinks.

After Ali’s retirement, Dundee saw an emerging star in Sugar Ray Leonard, whom he described as “a smaller version of Ali”. He acted as cornerman for Leonard in many of his biggest fights, including those with Wilfred Benítez, Roberto Duran and Thomas Hearns.
In Leonard’s first bout with Hearns, on September 16 1981 in Las Vegas, Dundee, thinking that his fighter was trailing on the scorecards before the start of round 13, famously reprimanded him with the words: “You’re blowing it, son! You’re blowing it!” Leonard duly unleashed a barrage of blows and was awarded victory in the following round.

Dundee later teamed up with George Foreman and was in the corner for his losing world heavyweight title challenge against Evander Holyfield on April 19 1991, and for his memorable clash against the undefeated Michael Moorer in Las Vegas on November 5 1994, which saw Foreman sensationally reclaim the title at the age of 45 with a 10th-round knockout.
Describing what he looked for in a fighter, Dundee said: “Balance is a must; so is great co-ordination of hands, feet and body. But I guess the most important ingredient is desire: the desire to be a fighter, the desire to win and the desire to be the best there is.”

Angelo Dundee was inducted into boxing’s International Hall of Fame in 1994. Last month he attended the party to celebrate Muhammad Ali’s 70th birthday.
With his wife, Helen, he had a son and a daughter.

Angelo Dundee, born August 30 1921, died February 1 2012

Broken Heart Syndrome (Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy) cure.

2012-02-02T14:01:00.000-08:00

In some cases of emotional difficulty, there can be symptoms caused by an actual medical condition. Broken heart syndrome occurs when the left ventricle of the heart temporarily enlarges and does not pump blood efficiently. According to Harvard Health Publications, the condition was originally described in 1990 and known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy. The name originated because the ventricle enlarges and takes on the shape of a takotsubo, which is a Japanese fishing pot for catching octopus.

Causes

Broken heart syndrome appears to develop after an extremely emotional event, such as sudden grief from the death of a loved one. Other intense emotions can also precipitate the condition including extreme surprise, fear and intense anger. Various physical stressors, such as asthma attacks, seizures or a stroke can also lead to the condition.
During an extremely intense emotional experience, the body produces hormones like adrenaline and noradrenaline. It is not clearly understood how the stress hormones affect the heart. Hormones, such as adrenaline, may cause a narrowing of the arteries, which may cause a temporary decrease in blood flow to the heart. In some instances, the hormones may also cause the left ventricle of the heart to temporarily enlarge or balloon. This enlargement leads to symptoms of heart failure.
It is important to understand that while chronic stress can affect the body in various ways, it does not appear to be one of the causes of broken heart syndrome. However, sudden and unexpected stress can be a primary cause.

Symptoms

Symptoms usually develop shortly after a person experiences an intense emotional stressor. Symptoms of broken heart syndrome are often very similar to that of a heart attack. In fact, symptoms are so similar, broken heart syndrome is often initially diagnosed as a heart attack. Symptoms may include:

Breathing difficulty including shortness of breath
Chest pain
Fatigue or weakness
Abnormal heartbeats
Low blood pressure

Symptoms, such as those listed above should never be ignored. It is important to understand the condition does cause the heart muscle to become temporarily weaker. Due to the weakened state of the heart various complications are possible, such as life threatening heart rhythms, shock and low blood pressure. Careful monitoring of patients with the condition is needed to identify serious complications quickly.

Diagnosis

Most of the diagnostic procedures ordered are similar to those performed to rule out a heart attack or other cardiac conditions. A physical exam will be done along with an electrocardiogram to determine if there is an abnormal heart rhythm. A chest x-ray and echocardiogram are also often ordered to check for changes in the heart structure. The echocardiogram will allow a physician to view the left ventricle to determine if it has enlarged.
Blood tests are also performed to measure various cardiac markers. Cardiac markers, such as troponin, usually rise in people with conditions, such as a heart attack. In individuals with broken heart syndrome there may also be a small increase in certain cardiac enzymes.

Treatment

Treatment for broken heart syndrome may depend on the severity of symptoms. With an enlarged left ventricle, fluid retention on the lungs may develop. If this occurs, diuretics may be given to decrease fluid buildup in the lungs and improve shortness of breath. Medications, such as beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, which help the heart pump more efficiently may be given until the condition reverses itself. Blood pressure medication may also need to be administered.
Treatments used for other cardiac conditions, such as coronary artery disease or a heart attack are not used. Since the cause of symptoms is not blocked arteries, treatments like angioplasty are not helpful.

More Common In Women

Although broken heart syndrome can occur in either gender, it is much more frequently diagnosed in women. Women are more than seven times as likely to develop the syndrome, especially women over the age of 55. Although doctors are not sure exactly why it develops more commonly in women, there may be a hormonal connection. According to John Hopkins Medicine, additional research is needed to determine why middle age and elderly women are most prone to broken heart syndrome.
The connection between emotions and physical symptoms is evident in people with broken heart syndrome. Additional research is being done to determine why some people actually develop physical changes within their heart. According to John Hopkins Medicine, having one incidence of broken heart syndrome does not mean it will happen again if a sudden stressor occurs. Although it may be impossible to prevent an intense reaction to extreme stressors, the good news is the condition often reverses itself quickly without causing permanent damage.

10 Bad Habits That Weaken The Immune System

2012-02-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

The immune system is a vital part of a person's body for fighting off outside organisms that can cause diseases and infections; it's the body's primary defense system. A weakened immune system can lead to serious health conditions, like staph infection or the flu, because the body is unable to handle the germs and bacteria you come into contact with every day. It's important to maintain a strong immune system, and one way to do that is to avoid these 10 bad habits that can weaken it:

1. Smoking

Not only does smoking increase your chances of lung cancer, it also weakens your immune system. There are thousands of toxins present in cigarette smoke that can affect the immune cells in the body by either impairing their proper function, or altering your immune cell count. This explains why smokers are more susceptible to severe respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis and even pneumonia. If you smoke and you are looking for a way to strengthen your immune system to avoid these problems, then you should quit smoking immediately.

2. Alcohol

If you suffer from alcoholism, then you are damaging your immune system. Studies have shown the effects of excessive alcohol consumption and how it can destroy your body's antibody cells that are necessary for fighting off cells infected by viruses. Like smokers, those suffering from alcoholism are more likely to suffer from serious infections and diseases like tuberculosis.

3. Not Enough Sleep

It is important to get sufficient rest through a good night's sleep to allow your immune system to function properly. When you sleep, your body is able to restore and refuel its natural functions, including the immune system. If you are limiting the amount of hours you have for sleep on a consistent basis, you are putting yourself at a higher risk of infection and other serious health conditions like:

Heart disease
Stroke
Hypertension
Diabetes
Obesity

4. Lack of Exercise

If you are out of shape because you lack enough exercise, then you are weakening your immune system and increasing the risk of disease or infection. Studies have shown that remaining active through regular exercising can help boost your immune system by increasing the amount of white blood cells in your body to help fight off any forms of sickness. The stronger your body feels physically, the stronger your immune system is; just be sure you don't go overboard on the exercising, and give your body sufficient time to rest.

5. Too Much Exercise

While moderate exercise can help your immune system, studies have shown that too much exercise can cause a great deal of physical strain on your body, which can negatively affect your immune system. Pushing yourself too far when you exercise can cause problems with your cardiovascular system and can overwhelm your immune system. Remember, getting enough rest for recovery is equally important to your immune system than adequate exercise.

6. Stress

If you were wondering how stress can lead to other serious health conditions, here is one explanation: Stress weakens your immune system. High levels of stress can create a hormonal imbalance in your body, impairing immune system function that can affect the way your body recovers from a wound, and can even lead to more serious health conditions.

7. Not Drinking Enough Water

Water is just an amazing fluid that helps the overall function of your body, including your immune system. It has the ability to flush out any harmful toxins that your immune system would have to deal with otherwise. Give your immune system a break and help it do its job by drinking more water, and less soda and other sugar-filled beverages that can be harmful to your body.

8. Bad Hygiene

While proper hygiene may not affect your immune system directly, it does prevent infection and illnesses by eliminating germs and bacteria. If you lack proper hygiene, you are only making it more difficult for your immune system because you are inviting more harmful organisms into your body. At some point, these organisms can overwhelm your immune system leading to disease or infection.

9. Being Overweight

Scientists have found that obesity can weaken a person's immune system. While further study is required to find the direct link between obesity and an increased risk of infection due to a weaker immune system, it is still important to eat healthier and get more exercise if you are obese to reduce the risk of any health complications.

10. Too Much Sun

A little tanning out in the sun with some properly applied sunscreen isn't bad every so often, but being exposed long enough to get a sunburn is. Studies have shown a correlation between UV radiation and damage to the body's immune system. Plus overexposure to sunlight can increase the risk of skin cancer.

Al-Mustapha, Shofolahan Appeal Death Sentence

2012-02-02T01:34:00.000-08:00

Al-Mustapha, Shofolahan Appeal Death Sentence

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha

By Davidson Iriekpen

Twenty-four hours after he was sentenced to death by hanging by Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos High Court, the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, has filed an appeal against the judgment at the Court of Appeal in Lagos.
He described his conviction as unreasonable, unwarranted and a clear travesty of justice.

In the notice of appeal, which was filed at exactly 2p.m. yesterday, Al-Mustapha wants the appellate court to set aside the judgment and discharge him of all the count charge of conspiracy to murder and murder.
Justice Dada had in a judgment which lasted for about seven hours on Monday, sentenced Al-Mustapha to death by hanging for conspiring with others to kill Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the presumed winner of June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola.

Justice Dada had, while handing down the verdict, held that the prosecution successfully proved that Al-Mustapha and a former protocol officer to Abiola, Lateef Shofolahan, conspired with others to kill Kudirat on June 4, 1996.
But Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan are insisting in the notice of appeal filed on their behalf by their lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, that Justice Dada erred in law by arriving at the conclusion that they conspired to kill Kudirat.
While Al-Mustapha’s appeal was anchored on four grounds, that of his co-convict (Shofolahan) was hinged on five grounds.

In ground one, Al-Mustapha submitted that the lower court erred in law by holding that the contradictions in the evidence of Barnabas Jabila (a.k.a Sgt Rogers) and Mohammed Abdul (a.k.a Katako) were immaterial, when the same judge had earlier held that both Sgt Rogers and Katako recanted their evidence-in-chief under cross-examination, and also when the prosecution had conceded in its final address that the two key witnesses were not credible, having repudiated their earlier testimonies.

Qaqa: We’ll Bring Nigerian Government to Its Knees

2012-02-02T01:28:00.000-08:00

Qaqa: We’ll Bring Nigerian Government to Its Knees

……..Interview with Boko Haram spokesman, Abu Qaqa

On January 27, this year, the Guardian of London published an interview it had with Boko Haram spokesman, Abu Qaqa…Excerpts:

By Monica Mark in Abuja

“We will consider negotiation only when we have brought the government to their knees," the spokesman, Abu Qaqa, said in the group's first major interview with a western newspaper. "Once we see that things are being done according to the dictates of Allah, and our members are released [from prison], we will only put aside our arms – but we will not lay them down. You don't put down your arms in Islam, you only put them aside.”

Qaqa, whose name is a pseudonym, said the group's members were spiritual followers of al-Qaida, and claimed they had met senior figures in the network founded by Osama bin Laden during visits to Saudia Arabia.

The Guardian was able to contact Qaqa through an intermediary from the group's home state. The go-between has been in contact with the group since its inception, and met with its founder, Mohammed Yusuf, several times before he was killed in 2009. For most of the interview he used a voice modulator, but local journalists confirmed that his undisguised voice matched recordings of previous interviews.

Qaqa said Shekau and others had travelled to Saudi Arabia for training and funding. "Al-Qaida are our elder brothers. During the lesser Hajj [last August], our leader travelled to Saudi Arabia and met al-Qaida there. We enjoy financial and technical support from them. Anything we want from them we ask them."

He said recruits from neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger had joined the group. A recent UN report said weapons from Libya may have been smuggled to Boko Haram and al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb via Chad, Niger and Nigeria.

In recent weeks, Christian institutions have increasingly come under fire. A Christmas Day bomb attack on a packed church just outside the capital claimed almost 40 lives.

But Qaqa said the rights of the country's 70 million Christians, who represent half of Nigeria's population, "would be protected" under the group's envisioned Islamic state. "Even the prophet Mohammed lived with non-Muslims and he gave them their dues." But he said everyone must abide by sharia law: "There are no exceptions. Even if you are a Muslim and you don't abide by sharia, we will kill you. Even if you are my own father, we will kill you."

Speaking fluent but non-native Hausa, the lingua franca across the Sahelian belt on the cusp of the Sahara desert, he said: "It's the secular state that is responsible for the woes we are seeing today. People should understand that we are not saying we have to rule Nigeria, but we have been motivated by the stark injustice in the land. People underrate us but we have our sights set on [bringing sharia to] the whole world, not just Nigeria."

Sharia law is already in place across 12 states in the Muslim-majority north. Few believe the group's radical ideology has traction in Nigeria's mainly Christian south, which is also home to millions of Muslims and has so far been out of the group's reach.

Raising his voice for the only time during the interview, Qaqa denied reports that some governors in northern Nigeria paid the group monthly allowances in exchange for immunity from attacks. "May God punish anyone that said so," he said, before adding that the group has popular support in the north.

"Poor people are tired of the injustice, people are crying for saviours and they know the messiahs are Boko Haram.

"People were singing songs in [northern cities] Kano and Kaduna saying: 'We want Boko Haram'," Qaqa said, describing how the group can blend into the communities in which it operates. "If the masses don't like us they would have exposed us by now. When Islam comes everyone would be happy," he said.

How Qaqa, Boko Haram Spokesman, Was Arrested

2012-02-02T01:17:00.000-08:00

How Qaqa, Boko Haram Spokesman, Was Arrested

National Security Adviser, General Owoye Azazi (rtd)

By Ike Abonyi , Michael Olugbode and John Shiklam

In a joint operation involving the military and officials of the Department of State Security (DSS), the spokes-man of Boko Haram, Abu Qaqa, was arrested at about 4 O'clock Wednesday morning at Kaduna, Kaduna State.

THISDAY checks revealed that Qaqa, who has been evading arrest and has been changing names, finally fell when the operatives intensified their operation and trailed him from Maiduguri to Kaduna.

At Kaduna, he was traced to his house and was found hiding under his bed. However, the DSS has not issued an official statement on the arrest because the agency is still carrying out a thorough identity check.

But several military sources told THISDAY last night that Qaqa has been arrested and taken to custody.

But Boko Haram has not debunked the news of the arrest of its spokesman, which has littered every news medium.

A source within the intelligence circle said: “He was arrested in Kaduna around 4 am on Wednesday. He was trailed from Maiduguri to Kaduna.

“He has been evading arrest by changing names. The arrest was effected by a team of DSS and the military. He has been brought to Abuja for questioning,” he said.

It was also gathered that the arrest of Qaqa was made possible with the use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite facility.
The GPS is a space-based satellite navigation system that provides location and time information in all weather situations on a given subject.
Also, the Arewa Consul-tative Forum (ACF) has said it is prepared to broker talks between the Federal Govern-ment and the sect to end the crisis.

A top official of the DSS in Maiduguri told journalists on the telephone that “we have finally picked him (Abu Qaqa) up and he is currently in our custody. You can report that as a confirmed development”.

It was also gathered from a security source that Qaqa, who has been speaking on behalf of the group that identified themselves as Jamaatu Ahlil Sunna Lidawati wal Jihad, but known to many Nigerians as Boko Haram, is an Igala, a tribe in Kogi State.

Qaqa, according to the security source, was responsible for the issuance of all threats that came out from the hidden enclave of the sect, including the ones that preceded the bombings of the Police Force headquarters building, the UN building, both in Abuja, the recent attack on Kano, and last weekend’s threat of a possible attack on Sokoto.

The security source also said that Qaqa had not only been the spokesman of the group, but had equally coordinated several attacks and bombings that took place in most parts of the North.

Meanwhile, ACF, in issuing the pre-conditions, asked the Federal Government to commit itself openly and unambiguously in guaranteeing the security of leaders of Boko Haram if they eventually come out for dialogue.

The forum also said it was ready to offer itself to broker peace with the fundamentalist group in order to bring an end to the orgy of bombings, killings and destruction of property being perpetrated by members of the sect.

Responding to questions at a press conference on the state of the nation in Kaduna, Chairman of the forum, Alhaji Aliko Mohammed, said since the Federal Government had indicated its willingness to dialogue with the sect, the government “should give them some guarantee” so that they could come out for dialogue.
Besides, Mohammed said contrary to widely held views, the Boko Haram is more of the enemy of Northern Muslims than the rest of Nigerians, maintaining that over 90 per cent of the about 2,000 people said to have been killed by the sect were Muslims.

He also defended the recent ultimatum by the sect asking Southerners to leave the North, arguing that it was the South-south that first issued a three-day ultimatum to Northerners to leave the South.

“Actually we have said that there is no religion that approves killing of people neither Muslims nor Christians and I really think that the question of Boko Haram giving notices to Southerners to leave the North; I think the media was not fair.

“It (the ultimatum) was started from the South-south who said Northerners should leave and gave them three days’ notice and looking at the number of the people in the South-south and in the North, then some others can say why not the other way round as well.

“We are not speaking for Boko Haram actually, we were the first to go to Maiduguri; we went to Maiduguri and saw the Governor of Borno State and appealed to Boko Haram to come out and dialogue with the government. Now that the Federal Government has said that they want to dialogue, they should give them (Boko Haram) some guarantees so that they could come out and dialogue.

“Actually, we have offered ourselves, if need be we may be able to broker that sort of peace; we want people to know that there are more Northern Muslims killed out of this 2,000 that we are talking about. More than 90 per cent of them are Northerners that have been killed by Boko Haram. So Boko Haram is really more of our enemies than the rest of Nigeria,” the ACF chairman said.

Also contributing, the Vice-Chairman of the Forum, Senator Joseph Waku, declared that Southerners who were leaving the North were free to do so.

“If Nigerians, living anywhere in this country and on their own, they decided that they are going to leave without the clear instructions in the North, we have not given any instruction to anybody, group or organisation to ask any Nigerian that is leaving within the confines of the North to leave and go anywhere. So it is part of the problem that the Federal Government is also facing.

“So we are calling on the Federal Government to come out with a clear statement inviting those people who are accusing Northerners that they are driving out other Nigerians from a part of their country to another part. But if Southerners decided to leave on their own constitutional freedom of movement, freedom of association, they are free,” Waku said.

Earlier in the state of the nation statement read by Mohammed, the Forum regretted the recent mayhem unleashed on Kano by Boko Haram, noting that the attacks by the sect had reached a level that threatened national security with a potential anarchy.

The statement reads in part: “Having reviewed the horrendous attacks on Kano and the spate of attacks on many parts of the North which, at the last count, have claimed the lives of over 2,000 people, Muslims, Chris-tians, Northerners, Southerners – everyone - and an unquantifiable amount of property across the North, the meeting came to the conclusion that unless addressed quickly and decisively, the threat posed by these attacks have reached such a level that threatens national peace and order and has the potential to cause the collapse of peace, security and public order in the North in particular and the nation in general.

“In this regard, the ACF makes the following recommendations: Government should continue to persevere, uncover the true identity of these people, to be able to determine their demands or grievances and address those that may be genuine and in accordance with our laws.

“ACF calls upon all people of good conscience who may have access to members of Boko Haram to urge them to take advantage of secure channels of communication to be provided by the Federal Government towards achieving a resolution of the current bloody impasse.

“Similarly, ACF calls upon and enjoins the leaders and members of Boko Haram to realise that no religious doctrine permits the killing of innocent lives. It is important to point out to them that they are inflicting terror, death and destruction upon people not in any way responsible for whatever injustice they believe have been done to them.

“While it is true that the actions of Boko Haram are condemnable, it is also necessary to call upon the Federal Government and all our political leaders as well as all those in positions of authority, to recall the UN Resolution 1963 of 2010 which urges governments around the world to address underlying causes of civil unrest and social conflicts rather than resort to hard military power which rarely solve them.”

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More Common In Women

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5. Too Much Exercise

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