Providing All Round News
A 76yr Old Grandma arrested with 10kg of Cocaine
A 76 year old woman was arrested by U.S custom officers as she tried to enter the US with 10kg of cocaine strapped to her body. May God forgive those who put the drugs on this woman. Strange things are happening in the world that we live in.
Jonathan promises more reorganisation in police
President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday stated that there would be further reorganisation in the Nigeria Police to stem the tide of security challenges and restore credibility to the security agencies in the country.
The President added that the international community was committed to assisting Nigeria to deal with the current state of insecurity.
Represented by the Deputy Chaplain of Aso Rock, Rev. Abba Mshela, Jonathan described the attack on St. Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, on December 25, 2011 by the Boko Haram as tragic.
The President said this at the church, during the funeral mass held for victims of the Christmas Day bomb explosion.
At the ceremony, the Senate President, David Mark called on Nigerians to resist intimidation by terrorists.
He said, “It is a tragic incident and as you can see everybody is mourning. We believe that there is going to be an end to the security challenges in this country. The government is doing everything possible concerning the security situation in this country.
“The Federal Government has started what ought to be done. Already, there is a change in the leadership of the police and there is going to be change in the police; there is going to be reorganisation in the police and that will bring about some credibility in what the security agencies are doing.
“Definitely, the government is committed and Nigerians should also be able to provide information on those people they know are questionable and those people who are behind these things.
“It is the concern of everybody now not just Christians. The international community is committed to it, the United Nations, the African Union and all other nations, including United States are committed to it. It will be a collective thing because terrorism is not just a Nigerian issue, it is a global issue.”
Meanwhile, the Senate President, David Mark, has advised Nigerians to resist intimidation by terrorists. Mark, who was represented by Senator Ayogu Eze at the funeral mass, regretted that a group had resorted to killing innocent people in the name of religion.
NUPENG halts strike after face-off with Shell
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers have called off their strike which began on Tuesday.
The strike was suspended on Wednesday afternoon after members of the union and the management of Shell reached an agreement.
The President, NUPENG, Mr. Achese Igwe, told our correspondent that Shell had agreed to the terms of the union, adding that the GMD, NNPC, Mr. Austin Oniwon, attended the meeting.
He said, “We have suspended the industrial action because a commitment has been made by Shell management. It was made by the MD himself and the GMD of NNPC also signed as a witness in the presence of everyone in attendance to see that these issues as regards the Shell branch vis-à-vis employee statements pertaining the nonpayment of those that were retired from Shell or sacked indiscriminately are all being paid.”
NUPENG had accused Shell of anti-labour activities, demanding compensation for contracted employees of the oil firm laid off without benefits after serving the company for over 15 years.
Fayemi advocates investigative journalism
Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has tasked journalists to focus more on investigative journalism with a view to saving the country from drifting. Fayemi, who lamented that the country was drifting given the current security challenges, expressed hope that investigative journalists could help unravel the mystery behind the perpetrators of the violence rocking the northern part of the country.
The governor, who spoke on Monday evening, while hosting the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) National President, Mallam Garba Mohammed, who was on a working visit to the state, said investigative journalism seemed to have disappeared from the terrain of journalism because of these issues confronting us.
Rwanda genocide: ICTR seeks refuge for acquitted
Andre Ntagerura was freed in 2006 and is still waiting to find a country of refuge
The court trying Rwandan genocide suspects is appealing for countries to give refuge for those acquitted, the UN tribunal's spokesman has told the BBC.
Five of 10 people cleared of involvement in the 1994 killings believe they cannot return to Rwanda.They remain in a house in the Tanzanian town of Arusha, where the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) is based, guarded by police.
The ICTR is due to wind up its trials by the end of this year.
Some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were massacred in 100 days in 1994.
'Burden' ICTR spokesperson Roland Amoussouga told the BBC that finding countries willing to accept those acquitted of charges "was one of the key challenges facing the tribunal".
It's a burden on us to continue hosting for so many years these acquitted people and we've worked with them and their lawyers to identify suitable countries were they can be sent. So far we have not been successful," he said.
Romney roars back with big Florida primary win
Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney thanks workers in the campaign's "war room" at his Florida primary night rally site in Tampa, Florida, January 31, 2012.
Image by: BRIAN SNYDER / REUTERS
Image by: BRIAN SNYDER / REUTERS
Mitt Romney romped to a blowout victory in Florida's Republican U.S. presidential primary on Tuesday that put him back in front in the fight for his party's nomination to face President Barack Obama and left chief rival Newt Gingrich reeling but vowing to fight on.
With nearly all returns counted, Romney won 46 percent of the vote to Gingrich's 32 percent in the largest and most diverse of the four states to hold Republican presidential nominating contests so far this year.
Romney, the wealthy former Massachusetts governor and private equity firm executive, bounced back impressively from his decisive loss to Gingrich in the Jan. 21 South Carolina primary.The victory put Romney back on top in the race for the Republican nomination to face Obama, a Democrat, in the Nov. 6 election. But it came at a cost.
His team spent millions of dollars on mud-slinging TV ads that lampooned Gingrich, raising new doubts about whether Romney can win hearts and minds rather than triumphing by tearing down opponents. Political organizations known as Super PACs, legally independent from the individual candidates, also poured money into advertising in Florida, adding to the negativity of the contest.
The bitter battle in Florida highlighted the deep divisions in a Republican Party struggling to remake its brand. Establishment Republicans back Romney and conservative voters favor Gingrich, a dynamic that could complicate the party's effort to derail Obama's re-election bid in November.
The intensely personal attacks also took the focus off of what is expected to be the biggest issue in this election and Obama's most vulnerable flank - the weak economy. Florida, with its 9.9 percent unemployment rate and home foreclosure crisis, was a stark reminder of a nation still reeling from its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Senate charges FG to fund new varsities
The Senate, on Tuesday, tasked the Federal Government to adequately fund the newly-established federal universities.The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in his contribution said the establishment of the universities was in fulfillment of the campaign promises of President Goodluck Jonathan, insisting that the institutions, when fully operational, would help meet the aspirations of the youths for a university education.
Senator Ahmed Lawal described the establishment of the new universities as necessary, adding that “there are many talented young Nigerians who are qualified for university education, but cannot get admission because of limited space.”
Fuel subsidy: Inflation to hit 14.5% in 2012 -CBN
THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said Nigerians will experience 14.5 per cent inflation rate in 2012 as a result of the fuel price hike.CBN retained the interest rate benchmark, the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), at 12 per cent. Mallam Lamido Sanusi, who briefed the media at the end of the maiden edition of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held to review the domestic economy in 2011, at the bank’s headquarters in Abuja, commended the Federal Government for the partial removal of fuel subsidy which, he said, was in the interest of the country in the long run.
The CBN Governor also disclosed that the pains Nigerians would go through as a result of the partial deregulation was in the short run, added that Nigerians would experience inflation rate of between 11 per cent and 14.5 per cent in 2012. He therefore reiterated the level of inflation would reduce, when all the palliatives the Federal Government put in place would have started to yield dividends.
100,000 Nigerians applied for US visas in 2011
No fewer than 100,000 Nigerians applied for the United States visas both in Abuja and in Lagos in 2011, Consular Chief, US Consulate General in Lagos, Mr. Carl Cockburn, said this at a Press Conference in Lagos on Tuesday that more than 50 per cent of the number were granted visas.
Oil Bunkering
EFFCC Arraigned eight persons in Calabar
Death Sentence
Al-Mustapha appealed judgment
Nigeria's Youngest Lecturer
Miss Adejoke Ogunlana a Graduate of Chemistry from Tai Solarin University of Education is the Nigeria's youngest Lecturer.
CJN orders Appeal Court justice to respond to ACN petition
Justice Musdapher The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher has instructed the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal, Ibadan to respond within one month to a petition by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its candidate, Chief Lawrence Adewale.
In the January 6 letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Nation, the CJN ordered the presiding justice to furnish his office with his comment on the petition within one month from the date of receipt of the letter.
The party and its candidate for the Oluyole Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives had petitioned the CJN over what they described as “miscarriage of justice” in the determination of the election appeal on the April 9, 2011 National Assembly election.
They also sought a retrial of the appeal petition on the grounds that the three-member panel did not examine the exhibits, and therefore, did not determine the case on merit.
In the petition, which was also copied to the President, Court of Appeal and the Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal, Ibadan, the petitioners expressed grief at the handling of the appeal by members of the panel who are currently serving in the Ibadan Division of the Court of Appeal.
The ACN and its candidate alleged that the justices delivered the judgment to beat the 60 days statutory limit within which to hear and determine election appeals without having enough time to study the records of proceedings, grounds of appeal as well as briefs of arguments of both appellants and respondents.
In the January 6 letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Nation, the CJN ordered the presiding justice to furnish his office with his comment on the petition within one month from the date of receipt of the letter.
The party and its candidate for the Oluyole Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives had petitioned the CJN over what they described as “miscarriage of justice” in the determination of the election appeal on the April 9, 2011 National Assembly election.
They also sought a retrial of the appeal petition on the grounds that the three-member panel did not examine the exhibits, and therefore, did not determine the case on merit.
In the petition, which was also copied to the President, Court of Appeal and the Presiding Justice, Court of Appeal, Ibadan, the petitioners expressed grief at the handling of the appeal by members of the panel who are currently serving in the Ibadan Division of the Court of Appeal.
The ACN and its candidate alleged that the justices delivered the judgment to beat the 60 days statutory limit within which to hear and determine election appeals without having enough time to study the records of proceedings, grounds of appeal as well as briefs of arguments of both appellants and respondents.
EFCC loses bid to transfer Akingbola's trial
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has lost in a bid to transfer the trial of former Intercontinental Bank Group Managing Director, Erastus Akingbola to another judge.
In a ruling on Tuesday, Justice Achibong held that application by EFCC to that effect was frivolous and lacked merit.
The judge upheld Akingbola's argument in his counter affidavit and dismissed EFCC's application.
He fixed February 9 for trial to be conducted on the commission's last amended charge.
The EFCC had filed the application dated last September 28, which sought the transfer of the case to another judge.
It had accused Justice Achibong of exhibiting element of bias in an earlier fundamental rights enforcement suit by Akingbola.
The commission argued that, having allegedly showed element of bias in the earlier case, there was the possibility that he could replicate same in the criminal case.
It prayed the court to return the file to the Chief Judge for reassignment to a new judge.
In his counter affidavit, Akingbola urged the court to reject EFCC’s prayer.
Akingbola said, "As against the prosecution’s claim, the judge has not shown any sign of unfair conducts in his handling of the case."
He argued that the application was predicated on separate case, which the court had decided and which decision the EFCC has appealed.
Akingbola contended that the commission could not choose the judge to hear its case.
The ex-Intercontinental Bank chief is charged with alleged abuse of office, granting unsecured loans, among other offences.
Zambia asks Kenya to arrest Banda son
Photo/FILE Former Zambia President Rupiah Banda's son Henry. Lusaka police have issued an international arrest warrant for the man believed to have flown to Kenya from South Africa.
By MICHAEL CHAWE Nation Correspondent in Lusaka and ZADOCK ANGIRA in Nairobi
Posted Tuesday, January 31 2012 at 19:05
Posted Tuesday, January 31 2012 at 19:05
Police have received an international arrest warrant for the son of former Zambian President Rupiah Banda.
CID director Ndegwa Muhoro received a copy of the request sent to the Interpol headquarters in Lyon France.
Mr Henry Banda is said to have fled to Kenya after he was accused of corruption.
The Lyon office is expected to publish the red notice to all the 190 Interpol member countries and also post it in their website on Wednesday.
That will be the signal for all affiliate police forces to enforce the warrant.
The young Banda has previously been named in connection with a multi-billion dollar deal for the sale of assets belonging to Zambia’s state telecommunications company, Zamtel.
He is known to be a frequent visitor and at times resides in Nairobi. He has connections with top politicians and their sons.
Zambian authorities allege that he flew to Nairobi through South Africa.
However, police said they cannot conclusively state whether he was in the country, adding that they were liaising with the Immigration department.
“We are not aware of his whereabouts in the country but we are liaising with the Immigration department,” said Mr Muhoro.
Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang’ula, who had just returned from an African Union meeting in Ethiopia, said his office was yet to receive a formal request from Zambian authorities.
Zambia’s Inspector General of Police, Dr Martin Malama, said they were trying to extradite Henry from Kenya.
Henry is wanted in connection with what Dr Malama described as serious cases that could have been committed when his father was in power.
His name and that of a former Communications minister have been linked to a Cayman Islands-registered company that was paid up to US$12.6 million to evaluate the repossessed Zamtel assets whose value it placed at under US$20 million when the market value in two years’ time is expected to peak at about US$5 billion.
Lagos ACN Welcomes Verdict On Al-Mustapha, Sofolahan
The Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has hailed the verdict of a Lagos High Court on the assassination of Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, the wife of the winner of the June 12 1993 Presidential Election, Chief MKO Abiola.The party sees the sentencing of the perpetrators of the heinous act, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and Lateef Shofolahan to death by hanging as meting justice to the victims of the callous acts of Al-Mustapha and his murderous gang which operated unfettered while the Abacha dictatorship lasted.
In a release in Lagos, signed by the Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the ACN, Joe Igbokwe, the party said that the significance of the verdict is that no matter the length of time it takes, the guilty will always pay for his deed.
It says that the death sentence on Mustapha and Sofolahan is a warning to those in power to maintain the sacredness of human life and avoid getting entrapped in the panoply of power.
“After twelve years of waiting for justice to be done, it finally came with its unmistaken notice that no matter how long it takes, the sinner will never go unpunished. Nigerians are sufficiently aware of Al-Mustapha’s many atrocities in the dark days of Abacha’s tyranny where he displayed a seething arrogance that reduced human life to mere pun in his hands.
“Nigerians are aware of how Al-Mustpaha coveted power for the sadism it offers him when he tramples on other people’s lives and liberty and ran a fearful era that is built on exerting maximum pain and suffering on perceived opponents of the junta. We are all aware of how he disgraced and incarcerated army generals and kept them for hours in his waiting lounge; all in a bid to exercise naked power that is built on terror.
“The killing of Kudirat Abiola, a woman who committed no sin than demanding for the release of her unjustly incarcerated husband and the restoration of his mandate, was particularly sad. That Al-Mustapha and his cohorts could order the brutal elimination of an innocent woman in their quest for unquestionable power is a sad commentary on the naked display of brutal power. His sentencing to death by hanging by a court of competent jurisdiction after a long trial is a soothing balm to the spirit of Kudirat and all those killed in this era of criminal display of bizarre power.
“We noted that while the trial of Mustapha lasted, a lot of distractions, in form of hired crowd were procured by his agents to delay the case. We noted that many interests were mobilized to introduce various forms of distractions to the case. We noted that Mustapha deliberately engaged in sophistry and other forms of theatrics to divert attention from the main issue in the case. We noted however that he never really punctured the lead evidence supplied by his subordinate, Sergeant Rogers to the effect that Mustapha sent them on the assignment and indeed provided the armoury that callously felled Kudirat Abiola on Tuesday, June 4, 1996.
“Lagos ACN welcomes the judgment and sees it as a just relief to the spirit of Kudirat and a soothing balm to her family, friends and associates who have been waiting for twelve years for justice to be done on this issue. More importantly, we see the verdict as a timely warning for those in authority who operate with a demeaning attitude to human life that they will pay for their acts. It is a timely warning for those who display impunity while in public office that they would certainly be brought to justice in the long run.”
