POLICE DISRUPTS ASUU PROTEST IN KANO

Just like other peaceful protest by  ASUU  has been disrupted in Port Harcourt, Abuja by the Nigeria police, it was no different today in Kano as the Nigeria Police appeared in their numbers to stop a peaceful protest by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Bayero University, Kano (BUK). 

The protest was thwarted by armed policemen, who joined those stationed at the University gate as they barricaded the entrance, forcing the lecturers back into the university campus.
Although an argument ensued when a police officer made threats, the lecturers marched back to the university premises where the protest held peacefully.
The leader of the ASUU in BUK, Dr. Mahmud Lawan, said although they had been denied the opportunity to express their grievances, denied their right of a peaceful protest and that they had written to the police concerning the peaceful march. Dr Lawan, said the strike will continue because the federal government is not ready to listen to them.
Although the protest was peaceful carried out despite the presence of armed police officers, the protesters said there will be no going back on the struggle for a better university system.

SUCIDE ATTACKS IN TUNISIA

A man has blown himself up in front of a hotel in a Mediterranean resort town in Tunisia.
The Tunisia news agency on Wednesday said the man, wearing a belt of explosives, was killed. It was not clear if other people were hurt or killed in the explosion in the town of Sousse.
Sousse is a frequent destination for tourists.
Also on Tuesday, Tunisian police said they captured a man who tried to blow himself up at the tomb of Habib Bourguiba, a former president, in the town of Monastir.
The latest attack comes a day after Tunisia's army launched a "huge" operation to track down armed men in the central Sidi Bouzid region, the defence ministry said.
The armed men had killed six policemen in the area last week.
Tunisia has been battling unrest since the overthrow of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali's regime in 2011, and has seen the rise of self-declared jihadist movements.
In October alone, nine members of the security forces have been killed in clashes with what the government calls "terrorist" groups.
The unrest is particularly worrying because Tunisia, whose revolution inspired many others in the region, is often seen as a model for its neighbours.

ANOTHER BABY FACTORY IN IMO STATE

The Imo state police command has arrested a 35 year old native of Umuoda Isingwu, Umuahia south in Abia state, Mrs. Rose Nwadinaobi, for allegedly running an illegal baby factory where pregnant teenagers are kept till day of delivery and their babies sold to interested buyers.
While parading the suspect and her accomplices at the police headquarters in Owerri, the state capital, the police commissioner, Mohammed Katsina, said the group was arrested during an ambush when a suspected buyer, Mrs Amaka Abuchukwu was on transit from Port Harcourt to Owerri, where she bought a day old baby.
Preliminary investigations by the Police revealed that the clinic she described as a herbal clinic was only an illegal baby factory and as at the time of arrest, 6 pregnant teenagers waiting to deliver were rescued.
A sum of N1.03 million, which was deposited by buyers, was also recovered from the woman.
Mrs Nwadinobi, the operator of the factory, initially claimed to be a certified herbal nurse who had over time treated women who are unable to conceive but while on interrogation confessed that her herbal treatment did not produce desired results in Mrs Abuchukwu and due to her desperation, a pregnant teenager was brought in to deliver and hand over a baby boy in exchange for N250,000.
The pregnant teenagers who were rescued from the herbal home disclosed that they all conceived outside the home but individually approached the operator after they were directed by friends and were promised the sum of N50,000 if they willingly surrender their babies after delivery.
Investigations also revealed that the operator of the factory, who resides in Port Harcourt, has a chain of clients all over the country. The Police Commissioner disclosed that further investigations will be carried out on the matter.


Source: Channels

JONATHAN WRITES THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ON 2014 BUDGET

President Goodluck Jonathan has chosen Tuesday, November 12, 2013 to present the proposed 2014 budget before a joint session of the National Assembly.

The date for the presentation of the Budget followed a letter dated October 23rd which was addressed to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The letters were read in both chambers of the National Assembly at plenary today.
Following the development, the Senate stood down some of the items listed on its Order Paper, which it had scheduled for deliberation at plenary. This gave an opportunity for members of the Senate and House Committees on Finance to meet revenue generating agencies to consider the Medium Term Expenditure Framework.

It will be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan had on September 17, submitted to the Senate, the 2014-2016 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper.
Both documents set the parameters for the medium-term expenditure plan of government before the 2014 budget presentation.

CBN REPLACEMENT: SIX LINED UP TO REPLACE CBN GOVERNOR.

 

Contenders for the top seat of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have started emerging, reports have said.
CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi will step down in June 2014, and the foremost contenders in consideration for his position can be put into two groups comprising three outsiders, according to Thisday.
The first group of contenders are the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mr. Mustafa Chike-Obi; the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FBN), Mr. Bisi Onasanya.
The second group are insiders who share similar views with Sanusi on monetary policies and are expected to ensure continuity. They are the three Deputy Governors of the CBN: Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, Mr. Tunde Lemo and Dr. Sarah Alade.
As specified in the CBN Act 2007, the central bank governor is in charge of the official bank of the Federal Government of Nigeria and provides economic advice to the federal government.

Apart from appending his signature to every denomination of Nigeria’s currency, the governor among other duties, oversees the country’s banking sector.
Alongside the Monetary Policy Committee of the CBN, the governor also determines the monetary policies of the country, which have an impact on the financial system and the macroeconomy.
In a country aspiring to attract investments, create jobs and plug the infrastructure deficit, a major consideration when appointing a central bank governor is understanding his economic philosophical underpinnings.
With the North holding the CBN governorship for four times, it is expected that the post will go to the South.
Who will emerge as the governor remains to be seen, but analysts believe an insider may be favoured in order to continue the good works the incumbent governor has done in Nigeria’s banking sector.

AKHIGE DIES OF CANCER @ 68

 
One-time Chief of General Staff and Vice President of Nigeria, Vice Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe, has died of cancer at the age of 68.
Akhigbe who was 68, battled cancer till Monday when he died in the United States.
Vice Admiral Akhigbe served as the Vice President of Nigeria during the General Abdusalam Abubakar-led military government from 1998 till the termination of military government in Nigeria, in 1999.

He had also previously served as military governor of Nigeria’s Ondo state from 1985 to 1986, and military governor of Lagos state from 1986 to 1988, after which he was appointed Chief of Naval Staff, the highest-ranking officer of the Nigerian Navy, and subsequently the Chief of General Staff, the highest ranking military officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Armed Forces.

NDLEA DISCOVERS FIVE CANNABIS FARMS IN KADUNA

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) said on Monday it had uncovered five cannabis farms in Kaduna State.

The Commandant of the Agency, Malam Mohammed Jibrin, said the farms were located in Zange village, Gwantu of Sanga LGA; Gidan Bello, Kagarko LGA; Fori village, Kagoma in Jema'a LGA  and Gadan Malam and Amaru, both in Zaria.

Mallam Jibrin further said`` We discovered these cannabis farms through information from members of the communities.If you find anybody cultivating certain crops near you for which you cannot identify or you can identify it as illicit plants please feel free to inform us.
 And it is through that way that we have got information on five different cannabis farms we have located in different parts of the state today."
The Commandant assured the public of confidentiality and safety to any persons that provided it with information that could enable the agency curb drug abuse and trafficking.

 According to him, the agency had arrested 300 suspects with over two tons of cannabis sativa, 235 grammes of cocaine and 182 kg of other narcotic substances between January and October.

NIGERIA TO EXPERIENCE PARTIAL ECLIPSE- NASDRA

Nigeria will experience a partial solar eclipse on Thursday the 3rd of November; an astronomical event that will have the earth thrown into temporal or partial darkness as the moon blocks the sun’s rays from reaching the earth.
Briefing journalists on what Nigerians should expect, the Director General of the Nigeria Space Research And Development Agency (NASDRA), Dr Sa’idu Mohammed said the eclipse will come in three phases; a partial eclipse at about 1.00 pm when the moon will touch the edge of the sun, the maximum eclipse shortly before 3.00pm when the moon is expected to be closest to the center and shortly after 4.00pm when the moon will leave the sun’s edge.

He however stated that there is no cause for alarm and Nigerians should not panic.
 As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun.
This can happen only at new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth in an alignment referred to as syzygy.
In a total eclipse, the disk of the Sun is fully obscured by the Moon. In partial and annular eclipses only part of the Sun is obscured.
If the Moon were in a perfectly circular orbit, a little closer to the Earth, and in the same orbital plane, there would be total solar eclipses every single month.
However, the Moon’s orbit is inclined at more than 5 degrees to Earth’s orbit around the Sun so its shadow at new moon usually misses Earth.
Earth’s orbit is called the ecliptic plane as the Moon’s orbit must cross this plane in order for an eclipse to occur.
In addition, the Moon’s actual orbit is elliptical, often taking it far enough away from Earth that its apparent size is not large enough to block the Sun totally.
The orbital planes cross each year at a line of nodes resulting in at least two, and up to five, solar eclipses occurring each year; no more than two of which can be total eclipses.

However, total solar eclipses are rare at any particular location because totality exists only along a narrow path on Earth’s surface traced by the Moon’s shadow or umbra.
An eclipse is a natural phenomenon. Nevertheless, in some ancient and modern cultures, solar eclipses have been attributed to supernatural causes or regarded as bad omen. A total solar eclipse can be frightening to people who are unaware of its astronomical explanation, as the Sun seems to disappear during the day and the sky darkens in a matter of minutes.
Since looking directly at the Sun can lead to permanent eye damage or blindness, special eye protection or indirect viewing techniques are used when viewing a solar eclipse.

It is technically safe to view only the total phase of a total solar eclipse with the unaided eye and without protection, however this is a dangerous practice as most people are not trained to recognize the phases of an eclipse which can span over two hours while the total phase can only last up to 7.5 minutes for any one location.

Source: Channels

UPDATE: SAUDI WOMEN ACTIVIST CANCELS DRIVE IN

 
The Saudi Women activist has cancelled the drive in planned for October 26 to challenge the male-only driving rule. The  protest was cancelled due to threatening phone calls received by the women activist, also threats by the interior minister that they will face legal actions if they continue with their proposed plan.

Hmmm, Saudi women won't be driving.  please what century is this?


For more information, use this link:http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/10/saudi-activists-cancel-women-drive-plan-2013102517635525438.html

U17 WORLD CUP: NIGERIA THRASH IRAQ 5-0

 



The Nigeria Eaglets beat the Iraq's 5-0 in their last group game played at the Iraq Al Rashid Stadium in Dubai.
Manu Garba's team put up an impressive showing after surviving the Scandinavian scare in their last game to shoot into the lead as early as the third minute courtesy of Musa Muhammed’s well placed penalty kick after Musa Yahaya was fouled in the penalty area of the sians.

PRINCE GEORGE CHRISTENED AT ROYAL CHAPEL

Official portrait of prince George's christening

 This is the official pictures of the christening of Prince George at the Chapel Royal in St. James palace in London. He was christened in a private ceremony with just the immediate family, four members of the middleton family, seven godparents and their spouses, senior royals and 22 other guests. 

Prince George, son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, was born in London on 22 July. The Prince, is third in line to the Throne and was baptized by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Scroll down for more pictures...

Prince George was carried into the Chapel Royal by his father, the Duke of Cambridge

 
The Duchess of Cambridge carried her son out of the Chapel after the Christening

The Prince was baptized in a replica of a gown worn by Queen Victoria's eldest Daughter

The Queen and Prince Philip attended the ceremony

SAUDIS WARN ACTIVIST BACKING WOMEN DRIVERS

The Saudi women are the only women in the world who are not allowed to drive cars. Saudi Arabia bans women from driving cars in the country. There has been a recent uprising by some women activist in the country on the matter challenging the male only driving rules in the kingdom. The women who plan to make their voice heard have planned a protest on the 26th of November being Saturday, this has generated a lot of concern for the kingdom authorities

Saudi officials have warned online activists from backing protests planned by the women in the kingdom.
Friday's edition of the pan-Arab newspaper Al-Hayat quoted Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman Turki al-Faisal as saying cyber-laws banning political dissent could apply to anyone supporting the women driving campaign. Conviction can bring up to five-year prison sentences.
The warning widens the possible fallout from the expected campaign by Saudi women with foreign driving licenses to get behind the wheel on Saturday in defiance of Saudi traditions.
The Internet has been a key tool in organising the protest and reaching out to media.
The women organising the campaign have been posting online footage of themselves driving in Saudi, the world's only country that bans women from driving. 
Though no explicit law in Saudi Arabia bans women from driving, the rules are enforced by the country's powerful Islamic establishment.
On Wednesday, the Interior Ministry issued a statement saying it would crack down against anyone who attempts to "disturb public peace" by congregating or marching "under the pretext of an alleged day of female driving”.
The Interior Ministry spokesman has insisted that "all gatherings are prohibited" in Saudi Arabia, but activists have repeatedly insisted throughout their campaign that no demonstrations will be held.
"October 26 is a day on which women in Saudi Arabia will say they are serious about driving and that this matter must be resolved," Activist Manal al-Sharif, one of the organisers of this Saturday's campaign, told the AFP news agency. 
Rights watchdog Amnesty International has urged the Saudi authorities to respect the right of women to drive.
"It is astonishing that in the 21st century the Saudi Arabian authorities continue to deny women the right to legally drive a car," Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme, said.

Sources:Agencies and Aljazeera

Lets support Saudi women as they drive into the streets tomorrow......

FAKE BOKO HARAM MEMBER ARRESTED IN ENUGU CHURCH

 

 All that is done in the name of religion. I know most of us listened to the taped version of his confession since we could not go to Enugu to see for ourselves  ... Read on to see how he played it out.

A 35-year-old man, Mr. Daniel Danboyi, who claimed to be a repentant member of Boko Haram sect, was yesterday paraded by the department of State Services, DSS, Enugu State Command, for allegedly extorting money from some churches under false pretence.
The suspect, who is also known as Shuaibu Shehu Rabiu, was said to have visited several churches in the country, telling fictitious story of how he was actively involved in the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents before he repented and became a Christian.
Parading the suspect in Enugu, State Director of DSS, Mr. Victor Duru, said that Danboyi, a native of Garshi District, Kura Falls, Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, “has been going about duping innocent Nigerians, using religion as his tool.”

According to him, the suspect was arrested at Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church, Zik Avenue, Enugu, in connection with Boko Haram activities.
“He has been going about with a false testimony, deceiving people, duping and exploiting people in the name of religion.
“He claims that he was a Boko Haram member, who has converted to Christianity,” Duru said, adding that Danboyi began the deceit in 2001 at an Abuja church.

 Source: Infonigeria

ARMY IMPOSES 24HOUR CURFEW IN YOBE

The military on Friday imposed a 24-hour curfew on Yobe following attacks on Damaturu by suspected insurgents on Thursday night.

This is contained in a statement signed by Capt. Eli Lazarus, spokesman of the 3 Division, Special Operations Battalion, Damaturu.

“The 3 Division, Special Operation Battalion, Damaturu, hereby imposes a 24-hour curfew across Yobe state, with immediate effect.

“Law-abiding citizens are enjoined to remain calm as the battalion steps up its operation to rid the state of insurgents,” he said. (NAN)

HOUSE PROBE: ODUAH APPROVED OVER N403M ABOVE BUDGET FOR CARSS

•We followed due process, NCAA insists  

•BPP: We have no record of transaction

Onwuka Nzeshi 

The vehicle purchase scandal rocking the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) got messier yesterday, as it emerged that the two BMW armoured cars and other operational vehicles bought by the agency gulped a total of N643 million, being N403 million above the N240 million stipulated in the 2013 Appropriation Act.

In the initial budget proposal submitted to the National Assembly, the NCAA had requested the sum of N140 million for the purchase of two bulletproof cars at the cost of N70 million per unit.

When this request was turned down, the parliament approved the sum of N240 million only for the purchase of operational vehicles.

However, evidence brought before the House Committee on Aviation probing the controversial armoured car deal yesterday showed that though the budget provided for a total of 25 operational vehicles, the NCAA turned around to procure a total of 54 vehicles, including the BMW armoured cars at triple the cost of what was provided in the budget for the vehicles.

Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, expressed anger that the NCAA committed public funds to such a deal in contravention of the budgetary approvals made by the National Assembly.

Onyejeocha and other members of the committee raised a number of questions as to the legality of the transaction and whether it followed due process.

However, at the opening of the investigation, there was some buck passing as the Director General, NCAA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said most of the decisions leading to the controversial purchases were made prior to his assumption of duty as the agency's boss.

The lot fell on the Director of Airspace   in NCAA, Mr. Joyce Nkemakonam, to explain the role of the agency since he was in the saddle when the decisions were made.

Nkemakonam's testimony raised a lot of dust when he insisted that the transaction followed due process as it received the approval of the Ministry of Aviation. He however had difficulties providing evidence for his claims.

He also had difficulties wriggling out of the questions pertaining to the flouting of the Appropriation Act and Section 80 of the Constitution.

In its testimony, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) told the committee that it had no information on the said purchase of the two bulletproof cars.
Mr. Ayo Adegbile, who represented the Director-General of BPP, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, said it had no documents to present because the purchases did not pass through the due process office as prescribed in the Public Procurement Act.

According to him, a procurement of that magnitude ought to have been passed and approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

He explained that going by the extant rules and a circular from the Secretary to the Head of Service of the Federation, procurement from N100 million upwards should be approved by FEC, while only those below that threshold could pass through ministerial tenders boards.

The committee had some initial problems deciding on whether or not to conduct the investigation in the absence of the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, who was away in Israel on official assignment.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. George Ossi, had explained that Oduah would not be available till after next Monday because she was away signing the Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA) deal with her counterpart in Israel.

Other stakeholders such as the Nigeria Customs Service and First Bank Nigeria Limited were also absent, while Coscharis Motors was partially represented but had no presentations because the firm got the invitation late and its top level managers were outside the country.

Given the absence of key invitees and the short notice, the Aviation Committee resolved that Oduah and these other stakeholders should appear before it to give oral and documentary evidence next Tuesday.

SOURCE: Thisdaylive

SEVERAL DIE IN STAMPEDE AS KWARA PDP MEMBERS SCRAMBLE FOR FORMER GOV. SARAKI'S SALLAH GIFTS -PREMIUM TIMES

By Monday Ateboh

A yet unknown  number of members of the Kwara state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, died on Wednesday night as they scrambled for handouts distributed by former Governor of the state, Bukola Saraki.
A source said no fewer than a dozen people were feared dead.
Several others were injured in the incident which occurred at  a venue popularly called PDP Charity House, which is near Mr. Saraki’s Ilorin residence.
Tragedy struck as indigent party members tried to outsmart one another as Mr. Saraki and other philanthropists distributed the yearly sallah gifts.
The dead and the injured were packed into ambulances and rushed to nearby hospitals.
In a statement emailed to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday night, the Publicity Secretary of Kwara PDP, Mas’ud Adebimpe, confirmed the incident and commiserated with the families of the victims.
He, however, confirmed the death of only four PDP members , with many others injured.
Mr. Adebimpe said, “The Peoples Democratic Party Kwara State chapter held its annual Sallah celebration at PDP Charity House where many party faithful were in attendance.
“The event which is an annual activity of the party went on smoothly until the unfortunate incident of a stampede, which led to some people fainting. They were immediately rushed to a hospital few blocks away from the venue.
“While some are currently responding positively to treatment, we however regret to announce that we lost  four of our party members to the unfortunate development.
“Our prayers  go out to the families of the deceased and we pray for the quick recovery of those that are responding fast to treatment.”
The yearly sallah gifts distribution by the Sarakis and the party have of late led to multiple deaths.
On May 27, 2011, several people died at the Mandate House, Ilorin, as they scrambled for rice and other items.
At least 11 others died in a similar fashion in November 2010, but only four deaths were also confirmed by the Kwara government at the time.

NIGERIA SECURES UN NON-PERMANENT SEAT

Nigeria has been elected unopposed into a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council.
Also elected unopposed are Saudi Arabia, Chad, Chile, and Lithuania, however The Gambia recently pulled out of the race.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has welcomed Nigeria’s election today to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council with a total of 186 out of a possible 193 votes.
A statement released today by the Presidency says it is resounding victory for the country, and it also shows that Nigeria’s effort to ensure peaceful coexistence in the African region has not gone unrecognised by a majority of member-countries in the body.
“On behalf of the Federal Government and people of Nigeria, President Jonathan wishes to convey his sincere appreciation of the support of all member-countries of the United Nations who voted for Nigeria’s election to the Security Council.
The President believes that today’s endorsement of Nigeria’s candidature for the Security Council seat by the vast majority of member-countries is a glowing expression of support and encouragement for Nigeria’s active participation in the promotion of  peace, security and political stability in Africa and other parts of the world.
This is the fourth time since it became independent in 1960 that Nigeria is being elected to the UN Security Council. It is also the second time (2010-2011 and 2014-2015) that Nigeria will be elected to the Council under the Jonathan Presidency.
The President is particularly delighted by this historic victory and assures the global community that Nigeria, under his leadership, will continue to make very significant contributions towards the achievement and sustenance of global peace and security.

Source: channels

JONATHAN WOULD VE BEEN BETTER OFF AS A NOLLYWOOD ACTOR NOT PRESIDENT-TINUBU

I came across this story and i thought you all should read it, this is a total political face off over the much awaited national conference. Enjoy it but dont laugh*lol* but really what is your take on the National Conference coming at this time????

Former Lagos State governor and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has told the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe to address the issues he raised concerning the planned National Conference rather than resort to abuses.
Tinubu had on arrival from abroad where he underwent knee surgery about a fortnight ago dismissed the proposed National Conference as a “Greek gift, diversionary and an act of public deception” by Mr. Jonathan but the presidency reacted yesterday saying his conclusion was unjustifiable and went further to lampoon the APC chieftain.

According to Okupe, “Our dear Senator Tinubu wants the Yoruba Nation and indeed the people of Lagos State to believe that he is sincere in rendering public service to the state and the people, whereas he has heavily garrisoned the state political apparatus with a sizeable number of his immediate family members. Nigerians should ignore the vituperations of so-called leaders, who don’t see anything good in anyone or any programme except they are either in control of it or that it is tailored to satisfy their inordinate desires and greed”.
However, in a statement last night by his Special Adviser, Media, Mr. Sunday Dare, Tinubu said: “The reaction of Goodluck Jonathan’s Presidential cry babies to Tinubu’s extensive comments on the proposed national conference was predictable. As usual, rather than deal with the salient and substantial issues surrounding the proposed National Conference raised by former Governor Tinubu, the reaction from the Presidency skirted around them.
“In typical fashion, it resorted to abusive language and name calling. Okupe, like a punch drunk pugilist threw several empty jabs and went on a flight of fancy, praising his boss and flaunting fictional achievements of the administration in the face of Nigerians.

“We leave it to Nigerians to judge. They are the ones, who feel the pains and millions will not be able to relate to all the fictional transformational achievements reeled out by the Presidency. Nigerians are saddled with a President who believes fiction is more important than fact and imagination is more genuine than reality. While we would not mind such a person to be a leading figure in our Nollywood film industry, I am frightened that he is the Chief Resident of Aso Villa and surrounded by a cast of like minds.

“Tinubu’s searching questions about the Jonathan Conference remain fundamental. We urge Jonathan and his cry babies to take time to read through the statement and address the cloud of doubts surrounding the proposed conference. This is a flip-flopping Presidency and on this issue it must provide answers. Tinubu is satisfied that that he has raised the provocative questions that need be asked and no amount of shadow boxing and presidential foul language can change that.”

-The Nation

N255 ARMOURED CARS: MY LIFE WAS IN DANGER SAYS AVIATION MINISTER

After an initial denial by the General Manager, Corporate Communications of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Datti that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, purchased two armoured BMW cars worth N255 million for the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, her spokesman has come out to explain that indeed, the cars were purchased for the minister.

According to her Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Joel Obi, threats to Ms Oduah’s life over reforms in the aviation sector and the general insecurity in the country, led the Ministry to purchase the automobiles which cost tax payers a whopping N127. 575 million each.
Mr. Obi affirmed that when the minister came on board with her reforms, which included reversing some concessions and agreements that were not in the interest of the people and government of Nigeria, “a lot of entrenched interests felt that they had been dislocated from the sector. The minister began to receive series of threats to her life, but because of the general lack of security in the land, she did not want to raise an alarm but kept it quiet and then decided to protect herself. So those vehicles were purchased in response to the general state of security in the land and the personal threats to her life because of the giant steps she has taken to reposition the sector.”

He further added that several times, the minister had been trailed and that there were clear and present dangers to her life but they were averted or neutralised.
On the huge sums expended on the vehicles, Mr. Obi argued that they were special purpose vehicles, even as he noted that they were bought in the name of the Minister of Aviation and not in the name of Stella Oduah.
“Normally, you don’t buy one utility vehicle but you buy two at a time because you must have a back-up for public officials. The level of exposure which came with her job warranted the purchase of the vehicles. As a private citizen, she never had these vehicles,” he added.

It would be recalled that an online news portal, Saharareporters, had first broke the news to the world when it claimed that it had obtained documents which showed the paper trail of the transaction involving Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), First Bank and Coscharis Motors.

But Mr. Datti, in his denial of the report said it was all “rumours” suggesting that it was even politically motivated.

“I don’t respond to rumours… [and] as we approach 2015, people are bound to make up all sorts of stories,” he was quoted as saying just as he argued further that “This is a woman (Mrs. Oduah), who is successful and established. A woman that made her mark in oil and gas, who owned trucks, barges, and so on. What is two cars?”



-LEADERSHIP

NIGERIA TOPS LIST OF PEOPLE LIVING IN MODERN SLAVERY

 
  In a time where slavery is supposed to be either abolished or extinct, nearly 30 million people are still living in slavery across the globe,many of them men, women and children trafficked by gangs for sex work and unskilled labour, according to a global slavery index.
The index, released by anti-slavery charity Walk Free Foundation, ranked 162 countries on the number living in slavery, the risk of enslavement, and the strength of government responses to combating the illegal activity.
It found that 10 countries accounted for 76 percent of the 29.8 million people living in slavery - India, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Russia, Thailand, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Modern slavery was defined as human trafficking, forced labour, and practices such as debt bondage, forced marriage, and the sale or exploitation of children.

Blame corruption
He dismissed the view that poverty was the key factor behind slavery and instead blamed corruption, calling for laws to stop organised gangs.
"Consistently when we analysed the statistics we found that corruption came out as more powerful than poverty in driving slavery," said Bales, a professor of contemporary slavery at the Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation at the University of Hull in northern England.
"Fundamentally this is a violent crime issue."
The report found Mauritania in West Africa had the highest number of slaves proportionately, with up to 160,000 enslaved in a population of 3.8 million, due to culturally-sanctioned forms of chattel slavery and high levels of child marriage.
The highest absolute numbers were almost 14 million in slavery in India and 3 million in China.
"By far the largest proportion of this problem (in India) is the exploitation of Indian citizens within India itself, particularly through debt bondage and bonded labour," said the report.
In China there was forced labour of men, women and children, including domestic servitude and forced begging, sexual exploitation of women and children and forced marriage.
Coming last in the index were Iceland, Ireland and Britain although Bales stressed they were not slavery-free.
Up to 4,400 people are estimated to be enslaved in Britain, the victims mainly from Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe.
They are forced into sex work, domestic servitude, or low-paid jobs in agriculture, construction, restaurants and nail salons.
"Hopefully this report will be a wake-up call for rich countries as well," Bales told Reuters.

Source: Aljazeera