WITCH HUNTER: HELEN UKPABIO DEPORTED FROM UK, SHE IS A THREAT TO YOUNG PEOPLE

Few weeks ago it was reported that the popular Evangelist, Helen Ukpabio the founder of Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries and movie producer, may be banned from the UK for her messages on witch craft and wizardry which is said to be a risk to young people in the country.

The 'witch hunter' who wrote in her book ‘Unveiling The Mysteries of Witchcraft’, that "If a child under the age of two screams in the night, cries and is always feverish with deteriorating health he or she is a servant of Satan", was deported last week after campaigners called on UK Home Secretary to deport and ban her from the UK for leading the spread of witch hunting in Nigeria, especially among children, some of whom have suffered torture and even killed. (Read that here) 

Helen, who was in the UK on tour to promote her belief in witchcraft and offer help to those ‘under threat’ from the wizardry, was not only deported, there are also reports that she has been banned from entering the UK until further notice.

FIFA WORLD CUP: OSAZE IN, IKE UCHE OUT

As the FIFA world cup draws closer, Nigerians are highly expectant especially who is going to be on Coach Keshi's list to Brazil. Well, a peek into the list from an insider has shown that Osaze may be in and Ike Uche out. Read full details below from Sunday Sun....

If nothing changes after Tuesday’s NFF technical committee meeting with Keshi, then England based Osaze Odemwingie would be making a return to the Super Eagles for the Brazil 2014 World Cup, just as six home lads get into the 35- man provisional list to be sent to world soccer governing body, FIFA.

Sunday Sunsports exclusively gathered that Keshi has handed the Eagles World Cup list to team scribe Dayo Enebi Achor who would in turn make it available to the technical committee ahead of the crucial Tuesday meeting where it would be discussed and ratified before being sent to FIFA.

According to our source 29 foreign based and six homers got Keshi’s nod. Topping the list of the foreign pros is Osaze Odemwingie, who is making a return to the team, while Chigozie Agbim is leading the homers.


The six home lads on the list are Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United) Dan Akpeyi (Warri Wolves), Ejike Uzoenyi (Rangers), Azubuike Egwueke (Warri Wolves), Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine) and Abdullahi Shehu (Kano Pillars). It would be noted that all the six players were part of the bronze winning CHAN 2014 squad.

Our source further disclosed that Osaze is in the list, alongside injured newcomer Leon Balogun.

One player whose name is conspicuously missing is that of Spain based forward Ike Uche. According to our source Keshi has since explained to NFF bigwigs why he does not want Uche in the team in spite of his current form.
And everything points to the technical committee respecting the wish of the coach in a bid to avoid Keshi accusing the federation of interfering in his job.

“Maigari has started reaching out to the technical committee members to simply ok the list because he doesn’t want any problem as the Eagles begin their final build up for the World Cup,” our source said.

The NFF, we further gathered, has since last week gone ahead to process the travelling documents of the home lads on the provisional list.

“The home based players were in Abuja last week to secure their British and USA visa. The only person that didn’t come to Abuja was Agbim who has a running two year multiple visa to US,” our source said, adding, “the NFF is doing everything to ensure that nothing is amiss from its end. The players will get their visa for the London friendly against Scotland and the camping exercise in USA. Its now up to the coaches to do their job and ensure the Eagles have a decent World Cup outing in Brazil.”

QUESTION: Who do you want to see in Keshi's 35 Man list for the World Cup in Brazil ?

GUNMEN ATTACK STAFF QUARTERS, KILLS FIVE YEAR OLD

Boko Haram men in the early hours of today April 20th attacked the Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Yana, killing a 5year old girl and setting some buildings in the staff quaters ablaze.

The Bauchi State Police spokesperson, DSP Haruna Mohammed while confirming the incident said the gunmen stole a private vehicle belonging to the Principal of the School and also destroyed a bank vault

“Unknown gunmen attacked the staff quarters of GGSS Yana, Shira Local Government Area of Bauchi State, around 2.30am on Sunday. They set the school bus ablaze; and in the process, a five-year-old girl was killed in the fire while they destroyed the vault of a bank,’’ he said

He said a combined team of security forces are on the trail of the attackers.

OPEN LETTER TO GEJ: NIGERIAN STUDENTS IN MALAYSIA CRY OUT

It seems like the situation concerning Nigerians in Diaspora gets worse everyday.I culled this out from LIB, it is an open Letter written by Malaysian Student body(Nigeria) appealing to President Jonathan to intervene in the ongoing marginalisation against them. Read details below....

Nigerian Students studying in Malaysia have written an open letter to President Jonathan seeking his intervention in what they described as the continued injustice meted on them by the Malaysian police authorities.

The students under the aegis, National Association of Nigerian Students Asia, in their letter which was signed by the President of the association, Prince David O.C Nwaogwugwu, cataloged cases of undue police harassment faced by some Nigerian students and also accused the Nigerian Consulate staff in Malaysian of being non-nonchalant towards the harassment and victimization they have faced in recent times. Continue...

Nwaogwugwu said;

"Nigerians are now constantly being duped of their tuition fees and falsely accused of crimes not committed by the institutions they study in, their apartments being regularly raided even without warrants, blackmailed and set up for the purpose of extortion, falsified evidence accepted by judges against them in courts which are presented by the police and prosecutors, deported by the immigration authorities for the failure of the institutions of learning and the same immigration departments who fail to quickly process the renewal of Visa for these Nigerian students who have handed in their passports for weeks, months and even years.

"There are several cases where police officers in connivance with school security personnel’s, local and foreign agents and lawyers go after students who they believe have financial backing at home. They blackmail such students and threaten to put them in trouble if they do not pay certain amounts of money. Some of the students who refuse to be oppressed by such threats are then arrested, taken to court and false evidence presented against them. In the courts, the prosecutors do not allow the students to speak in protest or self defense. The proceedings in Malaysia courts against Nigerian students are carried out in the Malaysia language of which Nigerians schooling in Malaysia are not mandated by any law to study Malay and therefore do not understand what the prosecutors are telling the judge or what the judge is saying to the court” he said.

Some of the cases involving Nigerian students includes

Among the cases listed by Nwaogwugwu was that of Nkem Okpa, a research student who was detained for 11 days on mere suspicions three years ago.
There were other cases:
1. Gabriel (2010): Arrested on the street and thrown into a bus with some people who had been arrested for drug possession. He had never met the other people arrested with him before. Gabriel was in Sungai Buloh Prisons until 2013 when the culprit pleaded guilty. Gabriel’s entire life has been ruined for nothing.
2. Oyewole (2013): Student arrested for not being in possession of his passport which had been submitted to his school for visa renewal. The Police went ahead to carry away cloths and electronics in his apartment.
3. Segun (2013): House mate to Oyewole. They were arrested together and their possessions stolen by the police.
4. Adeniji (2013): A student arrested and deported while his passport had been submitted to school for renewal.
5. Victor (2013) Student arrested on the school campus for being in possession of drugs he knew nothing about. His house mate confirmed he was set up. In court, the police presented false evidence against Victor. Victor refusing to be blackmailed by the schools security and the police inspector in charge of the case spent about 3 months in remand until his parents told him to plead guilty and be done with it. The High commission was informed but nothing was done about it.6. Bartholomew (2013): Arrested for a crime he knew nothing about. Evidence and witnesses prove his innocence but he is still locked up in Jail and the Nigerian High Commission is saying nothing.-Body Number : 313….
7. Umar Garkida (2013): Arrested from his hostel, false evidence of drugs presented in court against him. He has refused to be intimidated to plead guilty and has been in jail since November while the High commission and his school are silent.
8. Fahat Sanda (2013): Arrested from his hostel, false evidence of drugs presented in court against him. He has refused intimidation, refused to plead guilty to a crime not committed and so has been in jail since November. The school and High commission are silent.
9. Umar (2014): Arrested from in front of his hostel by the police. Asked for his passport which he had submitted to the school for renewal of Visa, he stated his case and presented his ID as the Student Rep President alongside his student ID, but the police insisted on arresting him unless he paid some bribe. Umar called Mr Banum the head of the school security to come and identify him as the Student Rep President, but he never came. The police officer then arrested Umar and took him to the station and threatened to put him in trouble. Umar then succumbed to the threat and paid Rm300 to regain his freedom on the spot. On returning to the school premises, Umar confronted Mr Banum to know why he refused coming to identify him but there was no response. He then requested that the money he paid be refunded of which Mr Banum said he will refund him and write a petition against the officer in question. Till date, nothing has been heard about the issue.
10.. Several Nigerian students in February 2014 were arrested within their school premises by the police and immigration personnel’s for not being in possession of their documents which had been submitted to the school and hence immigration for renewal. The School ignored these students for about 2weeks to suffer in detention and the High Commission did nothing.
Nwaogwugwu also listed in the letter death cases involving Nigerians
1. Onoche Martins (March 2012): Master degree student. Killed by Malaysian Police personnel’s after he allegedly outraged the modesty of a 43year old lady by hugging, kissing and exposing himself by 11am. These accusations do not make sense to any sane being. Nothing has been heard from the Nigerian High Commission.
2. Solomon Okolo (March 2013): Student from Delta state. Killed by Malaysian citizens in the presence of Malaysian police officers after crashing his vehicle. His wife was at the scene of the incident and to date, nothing has been heard about that case or the culprits. The High commission is silent.
3. Tunde Adelabu (March 2014): A Student Killed by Malaysia policemen who ran away after shooting him. Later on, the policemen came back and arrested Tunde’s friend who had witnessed the shooting. Today, nobody knows where this boy has been taken to or if he is still alive. The school he attended are now denying he was ever their student. The High commission is still silent.
4. In India on the 25th of March 2014, Two Nigerians were found stabbed on Devli Road, New Delhi. One of them succumbed to injuries and died while the other is at the AIIMS Trauma Centre.
5. In Malaysia, a Nigerian died in detention camp sometime in March. The Nigerian High Commission was invited for the burial or which they attended without contacting the family of this Nigerian. The family of this Nigerian back home believes their son is alive somewhere. The High Commission should give reasons for their action

The students are asking that Mr President intervene in the matter.

HAPPY EASTER TO YOU ALL

I wish you all a Happy Easter and a splendid celebration. Remember to pray for Nigeria. God Bless you all.

BOKO HARAM CLAIMS RESPONSIBITY FOR THE NYANYA BOMB BLAST

The leader of Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamists Abubakar Shekau claimed responsibility for a bombing in Nigeria’s capital that killed at least 75 people via a video message.

“We are the ones that carried out the attack in Abuja,” Shekau said in the 28-minute video, referring to the deadliest attack ever in Nigeria’s capital which targeted Nyanya bus station packed with morning commuters.

Seated with a kalashnikov resting on his left shoulder and dressed in military uniform, the insurgent commander spoke in both Arabic and the Hausa language that is dominant in northern Nigeria.

The message was delivered to AFP in a manner consistent with previous videos from Boko Haram.

The bombing at the Nyanya bus terminal on the outskirts of Abuja was the first major attack in the capital in two years.

Most of the insurgents’ violence in recent months had been concentrated in the group’s remote northeastern stronghold, where the military is waging an 11-month-old offensive.

The attack in Abuja underscored the serious threat the Islamists pose to Africa’s most populous country and top economy.

Shekau indicated that Boko Haram has fighters based in the capital.

Referring to President Goodluck Jonathan, he said: “We are in your city.”

Shekau has been declared a global terrorist by the United States, which has put a $7 million bounty (5.1 million euros) on his head.

Hours after the Abuja bombing, gunmen stormed a girls’ school in the northeast and kidnapped 129 students, an attack also blamed on Boko Haram that has sparked global outrage.

Forty-four of the girls have escaped so far, according to officials, and the military has said it has launched a major search and rescue operation.

P-SQUARE ON THE VERGE OF BREAK-UP.....FULL DETAILS

Whenever the news breaks we get it to you, so i got this exclusive report on the P-square break-up from LIB. LIB, gave a glimpse of the story yesterday but here is the full details....Read below

Yesterday I reported about the friction going on between the Okoye brothers. I didn't say they'd split, I only asked a question based on all the things I've been hearing and Jude Okoye's tweet. When asked yesterday, P-Square's publicist, Bayo Adetu, said the report is 'baseless and untrue'. Unfortunately, it is not! It's either Bayo is clueless as to what is happening in the Okoye household at the moment or he thinks the best thing to do for now is to deny that there's anything going on. 

I wrote that the twin brothers Peter and Paul engaged in physical combat on Wednesday. If this was false, Peter is a social media person, he would have immediately denied it. He didn't!

Unfortunately P-Square fans, things are even worse than I reported yesterday. According to my findings, Peter Okoye wants out of P-Square and they have even gone as far as inviting a lawyer to divide their fortune. Continue...

Now, let me make this clear. This report is based on what's been happening with the brothers up until right now Saturday April 19th. I don't know what will happen tomorrow, next week or next year but as of right now, Peter Okoye doesn't want anything to do with P-Square. I'm still hoping and many others are, that they will resolve their issues and realize that splitting will do no one good. So hopefully, they will resolve their issues. But I will still go ahead and tell you guys what's happening with the brothers as of now.

First, Peter Okoye has moved out of Squareville mansion in Omole where he lived with his brothers for years and now lives in Lekki Phase 1 with his wife Lola Omotayo and their children. An industry person I spoke with, who knows what's been going on, told me this;

"Yes they fought this week. Peter even left a mark on Paul's left eye. But the fight wasn't during rehearsal, which rehearsal? Peter has refused to do anything P-Square for weeks now. Forget that he was at his brother's wedding, things are not good between them right now. They were even invited to perform at president Jonathan's wedding but they didn't go. Peter wants out. He said Paul and Jude are sidelining him. That if they push out 200 songs, 199 would be songs Paul did. That people are now calling him a dancer in P-Square. Peter is really angry. He's even the cool and friendly one between the brothers but he is not himself right now. And then he accused his brother Jude of disrespecting his wife. Peter and Jude haven't spoken in weeks. Peter said Jude has been disrespecting Lola for years and he was done tolerating the BS. In fact Peter said that not only is Lola older than Jude, but that she's also pregnant and Jude was upsetting a pregnant woman. If you notice Jude didn't attend their wedding last year despite the fact that he was in Nigeria. Jude asked Peter why he didn't marry Lola when their mother was alive. Jude said it's his wife that is pushing him and they will need to pray for him. In fact nobody in the Okoye family likes Lola and they didn't support the marriage. The brothers are really angry at each other. The police is even involved. This week, either the commissioner of police or someone from his office visited their house.

The worst part is that they have invited lawyer to come and share property o. They want to share everything. The lawyer was at their house I think on Thursday. Peter said no more P-Square joint ventures. You know they own everything together, including a house in Omole, Parkview and Atlanta. Except something is done fast P-Square is about to be finished. But I know that people have been intervening and begging them to reconsider, that they are the biggest musical duo in Africa. Nobody will benefit if they split. The power to make money is in their togetherness.

It is Jude people are begging to keep the brothers together, but after what he tweeted yesterday, it may truly be over for P-Square. Jude has really tried for his brothers, for him to give up may mean it's over for them.

He practically put his entire life on hold for his brothers. Even sold his first car to shoot their first video but all that is about go come to an end like he tweeted. The only thing that can save the situation is if by a miracle Jude and Lola settle their differences but I don't see that happening"

I really hope it doesn't happen. P-square please get it together. Super Fans are hoping you guys stay together. 

MOST BEAUTIFUL:CAN WE ALL AGREE ON ONE THING ABOUT BEAUTY?

This is an article written by Dr. Kelly Flanagan focusing on beauty. He throws more light on the inner beauty, looking at it from a needle's eye. Yea, absolutely he made points about true beauty and its existence not only on the physical outlook. On reiterating on the Question of Dr kelly, Where are we most Beautiful?  I also add, Are we all beautiful(whether on the inside or outside)? Before you answer, Read the article below to see Dr Kelly's view point......Enjoy

A friend of my son asked my wife, with the kind of skepticism only a fourth-grader can muster, “Why do they want Mr. Flanagan on the show?” My wife responded, somewhat skeptically herself, “I guess they think he has more to say.” The young lady just laughed, rolled her eyes, and returned to her play.

Kids will keep you humble.

Shyanne Photo Credit: tanya_little via Compfight cc

But I do have a little more to say, because the letter to my daughter wasn’t complete. Near the end of the letter, I wrote about the last question I ask her every night: “Where are you the most beautiful?” And her answer: “On the inside.”

Why do I use the word most?

Because the last question of the night is always preceded by another question: “Are you beautiful on the outside?” And her answer: “Yes.”

Yes, I’m beautiful on the outside and, at the same time, I can affirm I’m most beautiful on the inside.

Can We Agree?

We have to ask both questions of our girls and, frankly, of ourselves. Without both questions, we end up thinking dualistically about beauty, and we end up in unfruitful debates about whether makeup is good or bad, or whether women who wear makeup are really strong or actually insecure. We end up picking sides and fighting it out.

But this is not an either-or debate.

It’s a both-and conversation. And we need to treat it as such, because we need all women together on this one. In fact, if we hope to stand strong against the messages about beauty and worth bombarding us, we need all women and all men together on this one.

Can we stop debating whether cosmetics are good or bad and instead simply agree they will never fully and forever deliver anyone into a sense of beauty and worth?

Can we agree that no fleeting, transient physical attribute or accessory will ever do so?

Can we agree no solid sense of identity will ever come from a focus on what’s happening on the surface of us, even if the surface is very good and very beautiful?

Can we agree that if my daughter tells me she doesn’t like the shape of her body, I won’t try to assuage her shame with compliments about other physical attributes, because then I’m just keeping the focus on her body, and her body will never be an enduring source of her peace?

Finding the Magic Inside

When I was in high school in the mid-90s, “magic eye pictures” went viral in the old fashioned way—everyone bought a book of them and stuck it in their bathroom reading basket. Magic eye pictures had two levels of graphics. The surface level was a random collection of beautiful shapes in a range of colors and patterns. But beneath this beautiful layer, there was another layer—a layer containing an organized, coherent, meaningful image.

If you stared at the surface of the picture, you saw only the random, chaotic beauty. But if you let the surface go out of focus, if you stared past the surface—deeply into the picture—the three-dimensional image depicted beneath the surface would jump out at you.

These were moments of true epiphany.

And we human beings are like those magic eye pictures.

We are physically magnificent creatures. Our surface layer is often a beauty to behold, full of brilliant color and vibrancy. There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, it’s something to be celebrated. But if we allow our gaze to rest there, if we look only at the surface of ourselves, we will feel like the surface of those pictures—a random collection of colors and patterns, with no real meaning or purpose.

But if we can avoid getting caught up in the details and distractions of our surface layer, if we can focus past it and gaze deeply into ourselves—and into others—an epiphany awaits us.

We will discover an image arising out of the chaos.

We will see the shape of who we are and it will bring with it a sense of coherence and purpose and meaning.

We will become three-dimensional creatures, alive in the world, jumping off the page of life, prepared to be ourselves in a world desperately in need of people who simply know who they are.

When we gaze deeply, we discover a self-image that cannot be touched by time or tarnished by age.

Forever Beauty

Several weeks ago, after I had asked my daughter our two questions and was walking out of her room, I heard her voice in the darkness. I returned to her, and with her voice full of curiosity, she asked, “Why is inside most beautiful, Daddy?” I responded with the first thought that came to mind.

“Because it’s a forever beauty.”

Her quizzical look dissolved into a smile and she laughed, saying, “Oh, yeah, I forgot.” As if she already knew it. As if it had slipped her mind. And I believe that might actually be true. I think as children we may be more fully, purely aware of where our real worth and value and beauty lie. As we grow up, we simply forget.

Which is why it’s good to remind ourselves. Over and over again. Are we beautiful on the outside? Absolutely. But where are we the most beautiful?

On the inside.

Forever.

UPDATE ON CHIBOK ABDUCTION: 14 CHIBOK GIRLS REUNITED WITH THEIR FAMILIES

The Borno State Government announced yesterday that fourteen more students of the state-owned Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, are presently are out harm’s way following their escape from Boko Haram’s camp.

The state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Musa Inuwa Kubo, who gave an update on the abduction, said 11 of the girls escaped to a town on the Damboa/Biu Road, while the remaining three found their way to the school.

The commissioner, who has temporarily relocated his office to the school to take charge of the situation, said: “I am glad to say that fourteen (14) more students have escaped from their abductors.

“Out of this number, three are currently with me at Government Girls’ Secondary School,Chibok, the scene of the unfortunate abduction, while my Governor, Kashim Shettima, has confirmed to me today that 11 girls have escaped to a town along Damboa/Biu Road in Borno State after they escaped from captivity.

“The 11 ladies were immediately moved from the location to other parts of the state to reconnect with their families.

“The remaining 33 students in Chibok have also been moved out of the school to different parts of the state to join their families. The steps were taken to safeguard them.

“Meanwhile, with this development, we have 44 out of our 129 students at the hostel on the day of attack on the school. This means that we have 85 students yet to join us”.

Thirty students had returned from the custody of the terrorists by Thursday.

Of that number, 14 escaped from their abductors, while 16 were returned by their parents and guardians after they ran home on the day of the attack. The 16 were not abducted, he said.

The commissioner pleaded with parents/guardians whose children and wards ran home to return them to the school so “we could take proper account of our 129 students to know the number of those missing”.

85 of the abducted students are believed to still be in captivity.

Mr. Kubo said that the combined efforts of the security agencies and youth volunteers also known as civilian JTF for the intensive search “may have piled up pressure on abductors and possibly contributing to the escape of 28 students from captivity”.

He added: “We continuously pray that all our students return in good health as well as all the security agents and volunteers safely return.

“We are indeed grateful for the patriotic efforts being displayed by all those involved in the search and rescue operations. We are also very grateful to all Nigerians, institutions and governments within and outside our country for their unflinching support that has remained indelible to us in the education sector of Borno State.

“We once again call on parents and all sympathises to remain prayerful and hopeful that by the grace of God all the students will safely return to school.

“Once again, on behalf of the Borno State Government, my ministry, staff and students of the affected school, parents and relations of affected students, I very well appreciate the Nigerian and international media organisations for their most helpful support.

“I will keep updating any time there is something new which I hope will be positive”.

INDEFINITE STRIKE: HEALT WORKERS SHUTS DOWN LAUTECH

Workers at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH), Osogbo yesterday declared an indefinite strike action.

The decision was taken at a congress held by various workers unions at the institution on Wednesday. The workers complained about their unpaid salaries between October and December 2013, and March 2014.

The Medical and Dental Union in the Institution had commenced strike action a day earlier, Tuesday, 15th April 2014.

PHOTOSTORY: YOUTHS IN ONDO RIOT AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT

According to  Sahara Reporters, the Young people in Akure, Ondo State took to the street to protest cancellation of their annual festival by Governor Olusegun Mimiko over what they described as flimsy excuses by the governor.
The rioting started after heavily armed anti-riot police chased the youth from two venues where they had converged for the carnival.

The youths, claimed they had already taken permission from the State government through a written letter and there was no objection from them prior to today. Fuji Star Saheed Osupa was already in town to play at the festival as well as other guests who had come into town to celebrate with them. Continue to see more photos..

 

According to government officials, they stopped the youths from holding the carnival for fear of the event being hijacked by hoodlums or exposing the state to other security challenges such as an attack from the dreaded Boko Haram.

NIGERIAN MILITARY LIED ABOUT RESCUED GIRLS SAYS PRINCIPAL, PARENTS IN CHIBOK

Yesterday, the military released a statement that about 107 of the students have been rescued that only 8 of the girls are missing, but the principal of the school has said that the statement issued by the military are lies. When she spoke to Premium Times, this morning she said the girls are still missing and the military should stop deceiving the world about the issue on ground. Read what she said to premium times below:


“There is nothing in the military statement that is true about our abducted girls,” Mrs. Kwambura said. “Up till now we are still waiting and praying for the safe return of the students; all I know is that we have only 14 of them, and the security people especially the Vigilante and the well meaning volunteers of Gwoza are still out searching for them.”

She continued, ”The military people too are in the bush searching. So we have not received any information that they have gotten the students yet. So let it be clear that all the information passed on the media by the military concerning 107 girls is not true.

“I, as the principal did not tell any body any figure on released students other than what our Governor, His Excellency Kashim Shettima had informed the media.”

The Principal said she was contacted by the military headquarters in Abuja yesterday and some person was asking her to confirm the number of girls released.

”I told them that I don’t want to be seen to be contradicting myself on that because what the governor said was what we know about; and I told them there may be additional rescue of the girls, but up to this moment we have not received any of them apart from what we had before,” the principal said.

” What the governor said is still the true picture of the whole issue and that information given by the military is totally wrong.”

The military spokesperson at the Defence Headquarters, Major General Chris Olukolade, had Wednesday issued a statement claiming that 107 abducted girls were freed; adding that only eight of the girls were still missing and the military was searching for them.

He also claimed that a member of the Boko Haram sect that participated in the abduction was also nabbed by the military.

Borno state Governor, Kashim Shettima was also quoted by the BBC Hausa service this morning faulting the claims of the military.

He reportedly said, “We have recovered 14 of the girls and we have announced a N50 million reward for any credible information that will help us get our girls released and rejoined with their families.”

PREMIUM TIMES also enquired from a top official of the Department of State Service (DSS) in Maiduguri who ordinarily should know about the rescue of the girls.

“We have no such information apart from the 14 that escaped; if there is anything like that, no one would want to hide it from the media; may be the military have their own intel on that, which we probably are not aware of for now,” he said.

Some relatives and parents of the abducted girls said they were not happy with the way the military “is misleading the world about the innocent girls”.
A female senior Civil Servant with the Borno state government, who requested not to be named said, “What kind of nonsense is this for God sake? Why are they playing politics with the lives of these innocent girls; I had just called some of my relatives in Chibok and they told me none of the girls had been released apart from the 14 that escaped back to town. We hope the military is not doing some thing funny with this very sensitive issue”.

When contacted late last night, Mr. Olukolade insisted it was the principal of the school who told the military that only eight girls were now missing.

NIGERIAN ARMY RESCUES ABDUCTED STUDENTS

More students from the Government Girls' Secondary School, in Chibok, have been freed this evening in the ongoing Search & Rescue operations to free the abducted students.

On Monday, members from the Boko Haram Islamic sect had kidnapped upwards of 200 students in a nighttime raid on the school. They were heavily armed, and some wore military uniforms in an attack that included several fires, with an exchange of gunfire on the state run school.

With this new development, the Principal of the school has confirmed that only 8 of the students are still missing. 16 of the reported 200 students had escaped as one of the vehicles driven by the Boko Haram sect had broken down during the Monday evening raid. One of the terrorists who carried out the attack on the school has also been captured.

The military remains in hot pursuit of Boko Haram militants in their intervention and search and rescue operation. A Nigerian military spokesman had said the operation will continue to ensure the safety of the remaining students is ongoing in the suspected areas.

BOKO HARAM KILLS 18 TRAVELLERS IN BORNO

Barely few hours after the dreaded boko haram sect abducted some 100 girls they went on killing about 18 travellers yesterday in borno state.

The incident occurred in Gwoza when travelers in a convoy of cars into the sect's road block, well armed sect members in military uniforms repeatedly opened fire on the helpless passengers and fled before Nigerian troops got to the scene.

According to the soldier, only few passengers escaped to the forest and later appeared when the reinforcement got there.

"We picked 18 corpses back to mortuary. They are very heartless and inhuman boys (Boko Haram) but we are advancing towards their base."

BOKO HARAM KIDNAPS 103 FEMALE STUDENTS FROM BORNO

According to reports, members of the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, have abducted 103 students in a daring raid at the Girls Secondary School in Chibok, a town on the border between Borno and Adamawa States.

The group’s assault on the all-female high school took place on Monday night. A security source disclosed that members of the extremist Islamist group killed a soldier guarding the school and inflicted injuries on several villagers before abducting the students.

The police commissioner in Borno State, Lawan Tanko, confirmed the kidnapping of the students to reporters in the state.

The mass abduction lasted between 9PM -3 AM as sect members made several trips picking and choosing their victims out of the 250 students enrolled in the school. The militants also razed 100 homes because some of the residents initially resisted the militants.

14year-old child-bride charged with killing husband, 3 others in Kano

Wasila Tasi’u, the 14 year old bride who killed her 35 year husband Umar Sani, and three others in Kademi village in Gaya Local Government Area in Kano has been charged with murder.

She was charged today April 14th before a Rijiyar Zaki Magistrates Court in Kano for alleged culpable homicide.

The prosecutor, Inspector Yusuf Sale, while testifying before the Magistrate, Binta Muhammad, said the accused killed her husband and three others with food mixed with local rat poison. Sale said her husband and the three others died on the spot while six others who ate the meal fell ill immediately and were rushed to General Hospital Gaya, but were later treated and discharged.

The girl however pleaded not guilty and was remanded in prison on the order of Magistrate Binta.

This me writing now,she commited a crime punishable by law but is there no way this child can escape jail terms, i mean there should be Juvenile rehabilitation centre . what do you all think?

PHOTONEWS: MORE PHOTOS FROM THE BLAST SITE

FIRE GUTS PDP PRESS CENTRE IN ABUJA

The headquarters of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was engulfed in fire around 7:30 PM according to eyewitnesses.
Two portakabin stacked on top of each other which the party uses as its press center were completely razed to the ground.
 The party’s publicity secretary, Olisa Metuh, said the fire started from an air-conditioning unit in one of the cabins and had been put under control.
A short statement he issued in Abuja said the party rules out sabotage.

PDP BLAMES APC FOR NYANYA BOMB BLAST

This is so much like them, throwing tantrums at each other instead of finding solutions to the already existing problems. Well, Yesterday, the PDP called out Apc blaming them for the Nyanya Bomb Blast


Apportioning the blame in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the bomb explosion as barbaric, monstrous and extremely wicked.

The party said the blasts could not be justified under any guise, insisting that they were politically motivated and can be traced to the utterances and comments of desperate persons, especially in the opposition, who seek to undermine and discredit the present administration and make the nation ungovernable for President Goodluck Jonathan by creating an atmosphere of terror against the people.

The statement said: “We stand by our earlier statements that these attacks on our people are politically motivated by unpatriotic persons, especially those in the All Progressives Congress (APC) who have been making utterances and comments, promoting violence and blood-letting as a means of achieving political control.

“Nigerians are also aware of utterances by certain APC governors which have been aimed at undermining our security forces and emboldening insurgents against the people.

“Those who have been promoting violence through their utterances can now see the monster they have created. They can now see the end product of their comments; a country flowing daily with the blood of the innocent.

“The question is; how do they feel when they see the mangled and blood-soaked bodies of their victims? How do they feel when they hear the voices of the dying and the injured?

“Of course they feel nothing. Their hearts have been hardened and they are embittered by the fact that they have been rejected by the people. They are bitter because the people have chosen to rally round the government they love and voted for; but must they choose the path of violence and bloodletting as a response to the wishes and aspirations of the people?”

The ruling party said it was shocked and grief- stricken since it received the news of the gruesome attacks and killing of Nigerians pursuing their legitimate endeavors.

“The PDP weeps. We are indeed grief-stricken. Our hearts go out to the bereaved, especially those who have been orphaned and widowed and those now deprived of their bread winners by this evil act”.

UPDATE: JONATHAN CANCELS TRIP TO IBADAN, VISITS VICTIMS AT THE HOSPITAL

President Goodluck Jonathan cancelled his scheduled trip to ibadan to visit the scene of the deadly bomb blast in a suburb of Abuja today where he saw firsthand, the damages caused by the explosion as well as injured survivors, who he also visited at the hospital.

More Photos of the Visit Below:

President Goodluck Jonathan addressing the media at the Bomb explosion site