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Twin Bomb Explosion Rocks Maiduguri

Mohammed Useni
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Twin Bomb Explosion Rocks Maiduguri

Boko Haram sect have again attacked the troubled city of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.

Reports reaching us indicates a twin bomb exploded around 6:15 p.m. were heard in the city at the Ngomari area of the capital.

Our sources say, the explosion has created panic in the capital, as residents are running for their lives.

As at the time of filing this report, it cannot be ascertain the casualties or those targeted, but the confusion greets Maiduguri following the explosion.

The Boko Haram sect has in the past months intensified attacks on the northeast states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, which are under emergency rule

The radical sect, this week slaughtered more than 59 pupils in Yobe, burnt churches, shops and killed civilians in Adamawa.

Fmr US President, Bill Clinton Surrounds Himself With Prostitutes [Pictured]

Mohammed Useni
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Fmr US President, Bill Clinton Surrounds Himself With Prostitutes [Pictured]

Bill Clinton has really whore’d himself out this time by surrounding himself with real prostitutes.

According to TMZ, the women Bill posed with at an L.A. charity event Thursday night are two star hookers at the famed Nevada Bunny Ranch brothel.

“The brunette goes by Ava Adora and the blonde goes by Barbie Girl. According to her bio on the BR website, the blonde is very flexible and specializes in de-virginizing. While the brunette “knows how to please a variety of both men and women.”

The star hookers were at the star-studded Unite4Humanity charity gala, which honored Clinton along with several other philanthropic celebs like Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese.

Despite Security Challenges, HIV/AIDS Prevalence Drops In Borno

Mohammed Useni
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Despite Security Challenges, HIV/AIDS Prevalence Drops In Borno

NAN

HIV and AIDS prevalence in Borno has dropped from 4.5 per cent to 2.6 per cent, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Salma Kolo, has said.

She announced this in her office in Maiduguri, when she received members of the state chapter of the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria.

According to Kolo, the drop is noticed from 2011 to date, adding that it was due to aggressive sensitisation campaign across the state.

“This is due mainly to the efforts of the administration in educating the people on the dangers of the virus,’’ she said.

Kolo expressed the desire of the government to collaborate with the association in order to further reduce the prevalence.

She said that government had paid its entire counterpart funding for all health assisted programmes in the state,

Speaking earlier, the state coordinator of the association, Malam Hassan Mustapha, thanked the government for its numerous assistance to members of the association.

Mustapha appealed to the government to redeem its pledge of donating a bus to the association.

Roger Federer Wins Sixth Dubai Open

Mohammed Useni
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Roger Federer Wins Sixth Dubai Open

AFP

Roger Federer won his sixth Dubai Open title on Saturday with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic.

The 32-year-old Swiss captured his first title since Halle last year and the 78th of his career.

“I train a lot here in Dubai it’s helped me to become heat tough. It’s wonderful and I couldn’t be happier,” said Federer.

Federer, who lost to Berdych in three sets in the 2013 Dubai semi-finals, had knocked out top seed Novak Djokovic in the last-four on Friday.

The world number eight has now moved above John McEnroe to stand alone in third place in the all-time title leaders list.

He has won at least one ATP World Tour title every year since 2000.

Federer now leads Berdych 12-6 in career meetings, having lost his past two encounters with the Czech, in the 2012 US Open quarter-finals and in the Dubai semi-finals last year.

2015 ELECTIONS: The Only Candidate I Can Support Is Buhari – Nasir El-Rufai

Mohammed Useni
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2015 ELECTIONS: The Only Candidate I Can Support Is Buhari – Nasir El-Rufai

Deputy National secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has pledged his support to a particular candidate in the forthcoming 2015 Presidential Election.

That candidate is none other than General Muhammadu Buhari. The former FCT Minister disclosed this via a tweet which may ruffle a lot of feathers within the opposition party as many questions such as the following may arise:

i) Has the upper hierarchy of the APC secretly adopted Buhari as their Presidential candidate for 2015 even without conducting party primaries?

ii) If at the end of the day Buhari does not become the party’s candidate, won’t El-Rufai’s loyalty become questionable?

iii) Is El-Rufai acting the script of his party or that of a personal camaraderie with the ex-military ruler?

These and many more questions would arise from this tweet but the answers would only be gotten in the coming days, weeks and months as political events unfold.

One thing is certain however, assertions and comments such as this will further heat-up the already overheated polity.

Check out the tweets belows: (GMB is an acronym El-Rufai uses for General Muhammadu Buhari)

 

 

N35.8bn To Be Spent On Ex-Militants This Year – Presidential Aide, Kuku

Mohammed Useni
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N35.8bn To Be Spent On Ex-Militants This Year – Presidential Aide, Kuku

Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku has disclosed a total of N35.830 billion has been earmarked for the “reintegration” of Niger-Delta ex-militants enrolled in the Presidential Amnesty Programme for 2014. He made this disclosure to the House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta, chaired by Warman Ogoriba (PDP, Bayelsa).

A vote of N22 billion has also been proposed for the completion of the protracted East West road.

Kuku explained the allocation as he said the sum of N38.909 billion was appropriated for demobilised ex-agitators in 2013. The sum of N546 million was also doled out for the reinsertion/transition safety allowance for 3, 642 transformed ex-agitators and their leaders enlisted in the third phase of the Amnesty programme. This was carried out in compliance with the United Nations Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) Charter Code.

Kuku requested for an additional N23.625 billion for the payment of N65000 monthly stipends to 30,000 ex-militants. He went on to announce that N3.825 billion will also be needed to cover the cost of operations in the Presidential Amnesty Office.

The Presidential aide also disclosed some achievements the programme has recorded as:

The transformation of 2,200 ex-militants, who are billed to be placed in either formal education or vocational training. According him to half of the militants have chosen vocational training; 700 would be trained locally while 400 will be trained offshore. 200 will be placed on foundation/pathway programmes within Nigeria which will prepare them for placements in universities abroad.

Kuku revealed that of the 30,000 statutorily enlisted in the Presidential Amnesty Programme, 18,000 delegates have graduated or are currently in either vocational or educational training facilities within the country and abroad.

“With this figure, we are left with a total number of 11,200 delegates awaiting placements in reintegration facilities”, he said.

In 2013 alone, a total of 2,400 delegates were deployed to vocational training centres within the country and abroad, Kuku revealed

Speaking further on the activities of the Amnesty Office, Kuku disclosed that in 2013, 834 delegates were placed in about 100 universities across the world while a total of 459 delegates were placed in private universities in Nigeria for the 2012/2013 session.

US Report Reveals Nigeria Is Losing Corruption Battle

Mohammed Useni
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US Report Reveals Nigeria Is Losing Corruption Battle

Corruption, poor governance records coupled with discrimination against women, less privileged and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) has led to Nigeria being a labeled a corrupt country by the United Secretary of States, John Kerry.

On Thursday, John Kerry made the allegations at the presentation of his well publicized “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices”. The presentation was made at the Press Briefing Room of the State Department in Washington.

“Even as we come together today to issue a report on other nations, we hold ourselves to a high standard and we expect accountability here at home too. And we know that we’re not perfect. We don’t speak with any arrogance whatsoever, but with a concern for the human condition,” Kerry said.

Speaking about the discrimination of LGBT people, Kerry said:

“From Nigeria to Russia to Iran, indeed in some 80 countries the world over, LGBT communities face discriminatory laws and practices that attack their basic human dignity and undermine their safety.

“We are seeing new laws like the Anti-Homosexuality Bill enacted by Uganda and signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni earlier this week, which not only makes criminals of people for who they are, but punishes those who defend the human rights that are our universal birthright”. 

The document also painted Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies; EFCC, ICPC and the Police poorly.

“The anticorruption efforts of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and EFCC remained largely ineffectual. The ICPC holds broad authorities to prosecute all forms of corruption, whereas the EFCC is tasked with handling only financial crimes. Despite this wider mandate, the ICPC had achieved only 68 convictions since its inauguration in 2000.”

The report also disapproved of the pardon President Goodluck Jonathan’s had granted former Bayelsa State governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. The document also talked about corruption in Nigeria’s police force

“In January, the police released a new code of conduct, which includes provisions on officer integrity. The police did not report any enforcement actions related to the code of conduct.”

The report condemned President Goodluck Jonathan, the vice president, governors, deputy governors, ministers and legislators for not disclosing his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau before assuming and after leaving office.

“The president had not published information on his assets as of year’s end,” insisting the law required declaration of assets but not publication of the report.

The pending cases of former Bayelsa State governor Timipre Sylva for allegedly laundering over N5 billion; John Yakubu Yusuf who is alleged embezzlement of N2 billion from the Police Pension Fund; Farouk Lawan’s alleged solicited bribe from Zenon boss Femi Otedola were also highlighted about the report.

The report said EFCC Boss, Ibrahim Lamorde seems to be guided by “the fact he is being tele-guided by those that put him in office, on who to arrest and prosecute while his efforts at trying 12 prominent public officials met a brick wall with several frustrating setbacks during the year.”

“Despite the arrest of several high-ranking officials by the EFCC, including Dimeji Bankole and Hassan Lawal, who have been left off the hook, allegations continued that agency investigations targeted individuals who had fallen out of favour with the government, while those who were in favour continued their activities with impunity,” the report continued

While concluding, Kerry clarified the reason for the country report exercise:

“This is about accountability. It’s about ending impunity. And it’s about a fight that has gone on for centuries, as long as human beings have been able to think and write and speak and act on their own.

“And so, the United States of America will continue to speak out, without a hint of arrogance or apology, on behalf of people who stand up for their universal rights. And we will stand up in many cases for those who are deprived of the opportunity to be able to stand up for themselves.”

Presidency: Nigeria Is Experiencing A War

Mohammed Useni
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Presidency: Nigeria Is Experiencing A War

Nigeria’s Presidency on Friday declared that the acts of terrorism being perpetrated in the North East shows that Nigeria is at war. The Presidency is seeking the co-operation of Nigerians to put an end to the situation immediately.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs , Dr Doyin Okupe said:

“We are facing a major problem in the North-east. We are in a war and there is no gain saying that fact. I’m willing to admit that we are in a war situation. Definitely, in a war situation, all sorts of things do happen. You can even see that in the centenary celebrations that we were doing yesterday; virtually every speaker who spoke mentioned the issue of insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria”.

According to Okupe, the war against the Nigeria state by the Boko Haram sect was very serious as it had been targeted at the vulnerable women, children and the aged.

“We are dealing with a very serious enemy and until and from what we have learnt now, I believe very strongly that we are in the dying phase of this insurgency. If you look at it from the beginning, there were about 11 states of the federation where these terrorists attacked and they more or less held sway”

“But somehow, our people have managed to push them back. It has been difficult. I mean there was a time they were striking in Abuja at will. Every Sunday, people were even afraid of going to church but today all that has stopped.

“I have the greatest of respect for the Nigerian Military. They deserve that respect because when you want to judge a person or an organization you check their history and record. And you know, when you check the history of Nigerian Army in Nigeria and elsewhere where they have gone to do peacekeeping and UN support for internal problems in other countries, they have done extremely very well.

“I believe that they are professional men and women. I believe that they have the competence to handle this issue and I believe that over the time, they have acquired better training and better equipment but we are dealing with a very serious enemy here. Let us accept it.”

Abductors Of President Jonathan’s Kidnappers Septuagenarian Cousin Demand N500 million Ransom

Mohammed Useni
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Abductors Of President Jonathan’s Kidnappers Septuagenarian Cousin Demand N500 million Ransom

500 million Naira ransom has been requested for the release of President Goodluck Jonathan’s septuagenarian cousin, Inengbite Nitabai by his abductors.

The demand has not been received properly by Nitabai family who appear confused on what to do next.

 Nitabai  had been abducted on Sunday around 8 – 9 pm after N400,000 had been obtained from his wife.

Nitabai, his wife, his sister-in-law and three of his children were at home when the abductors struck.

The President’s cousin was taken away in his SUV which was later seen at Onuebum waterside. It is believed that Nitabai was taken away through the creeks.

Tonye Princewill: Nigeria at 100, Let’s Take This Country Where It Needs To Go

Mohammed Useni
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Looking around our country, it is not hard to focus first on the differences between us and dwell on the numerous negatives of today. Easy to miss the positives and overlook our strengths. That is why I have chosen to deliver a different kind of message for Nigeria at 100. A message I pray will appeal to our sense of “country”. Nigeria is without question one of the fastest growing nations in the world. With a fast growing population, a steady climbing economy and a very strategic position on the world map; it’s safe to say, Nigeria will one day join the pack of top nations in the world. We are a nation created on the bedrock of God’s blessings, from our encouraging climate, non existent natural disasters, teeming population, vast basin of human and natural resources; our success story when told shouldn’t be a surprise to many. Nigeria is great, but we know it can be greater.

Our build up to greatness will have many challenges; some of which we are facing now. Issues like Corruption, Boko Haram, Politics and Militancy in the Niger Delta, just to mention a few, were not caused by the present administration, but have been gradually evolving though subsequent administrations. Finger pointing is not only immature; it is irrelevant to the solution. We must unite, forget religion, forget location, forget tribe, forget ambition and think of our Nation. We the common citizens in the Niger-Delta were very instrumental to bringing peace to our region; at great cost. Over 2000 killed in Odi by our own civilian government under Obasanjo, hundreds killed in Gbaramatu by the Yaradua government not to talk of the thousands who died in other less noticed conflicts under their watch. Many of us forgave them. Because we found peace.

Now, we as a nation must join forces with President Goodluck Jonathan to move this country forward. We have no other home. Those of you who have forgotten how bad it has always been may not appreciate that it could have been worse, can still get a lot worse. The phrase “In all things give thanks” was extracted from the Bible but in the Quran it is also stated that all things come from Allah so give thanks. Let’s all in our little constituencies, preach the word of Peace, Forgiveness and Sincerity and leave the rest for our creator. Politics should be helping us achieve this, not used as a tool to achieve selfish personal ambitions at the expense of the people. Be not deceived. No one party can solve these problems just as can no one region. We have to work together. Those who abused Obasanjo got Yaradua, those who abused Yaradua got Goodluck and those who abuse Goodluck, will get worse. Only people who do not love Nigeria will resist this call.

Nigeria is 100 and nothing can take that away from us. There have been many obstacles to achieving that and for the first time, I can see hope. A national conference coming yet no major calls for separation. That in itself is a cause to celebrate albeit low-keyed, reflect on the past and plan for the future. Only a stable democracy can give this to us. As we mourn the children, men and women dying in the north from the Boko Haram menace, those in the Niger Delta dying silently from oil spillages and conflicts, those dying on the highways from avoidable accidents and the less privileged who die every day from starvation; let’s us be strong and believe in our victory, because it will surely come. Let’s break all divides of Party, Tribe, Religion and Misplaced Loyalty and celebrate Hope for our Nation. Nigeria is great, and whether they like it or not, it will be greater.
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Article written by Tonye Princewill to mark Nigeria’s Centenary Celebration.

Guus Hiddink Will Guide Orange Boys To Brazil 2014 World Cup

Mohammed Useni
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Guus Hiddink Will Guide Orange Boys To Brazil 2014 World Cup

67 years old veteran football coach, Guus Hiddink is set to take over as manager of the Orange boys of Holland ahead of the Brazil 2014 World Cup.

Hiddink has managed Russia and clubs like Chelsea and Real Madrid in the past. He also coached Holland between 1994-1998.

He coached Russuan club, Anzhi Makhachkala until last year. Since then, he has been acting as an adviser at PSV. He now says he has agreed a deal which will see him succeed Louis van Gaal as the coach of Holland.

“I am working with the KNVB [Dutch football association] to create a coaching team around me. We will need a few days or maybe a couple of weeks,” 

“It will be a great team. I will not be a free-wheeling coach. When I do something, I want to do it as well as I can. Otherwise I would not do it,” he told NOS

The likes of Jaap Stam, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Giovanni van Bronckhorst are being earmarked to work with Hiddink

Centenary: Jonathan Has Restored Nigeria’s Unity – PDP

Mohammed Useni
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Centenary: Jonathan Has Restored Nigeria’s Unity – PDP

The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for the successful Centenary Celebrations saying the events have ushered in a new and beautiful era of oneness, brotherliness, unity and peace in the nation.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Saturday said the party is very proud of President Jonathan for organizing the events which “not only succeeded in putting the nation on the international arena to showcase our best but also fostered unity and genuine reconciliation among our leaders and the people.”

“The Centenary celebrations have ushered in a new era. They have rekindled the Nigerian spirit in all of us. They have revived our sense of patriotism; our inner love for one another as one people under God.

“The Centenary Concert not only reminded us of our common root but also pointed us to our rich heritage which comes alive only when we combine our energies as a people. It showed we are indeed one people determined to succeed and that our divisions are as ephemeral as they are artificial.

“The PDP and indeed all well meaning Nigerians appreciate President Goodluck Jonathan for organizing the centenary prayers and the Award Nite which for the first time in contemporary history brought together all our living past leaders under one roof despite their differences, perceived or real.

“Nigerians were moved and their hopes of a peaceful great nation was rekindled when they saw former President Shehu Shagari, General Muhammadu Buhari, General Ibrahim Babangida and General Abdusalami Abubakar come together. Nigerians were moved when they saw General Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan together irrespective of their perceived misunderstandings. This shows that our differences and disagreements as a nation do not get to the bones and can always be resolved.

“We remain eternally grateful to President Goodluck Jonathan for using the event not only to awaken the spirit of patriotism by honouring outstanding Nigerians but also to engender genuine reconciliation among our leaders; a feat which has opened the portals for a new era of peace and unity among the people irrespective of political, religious, ethnic and sectional affiliations.

“We also salute our leaders for this show of statesmanship and urge that such understanding, maturity and patriotism should trickle down to all other leaders at all levels. We cannot agree less with Nigerians in their insistence that this would not have been possible but for the humility, candour and the forthrightness of President Goodluck Jonathan in handling national issues in spite of the challenges we face as a nation.

“Those who believed that the Centenary is not worth celebrating can now see their mistake. Through the Centenary celebrations, Nigeria is now in a new era where brotherly love, peace and unity have been revived. We have moved into a new era where we must eschew all forms of bitterness, crucify all that divide us and focus only on those things that bind us together as one people.

“The entire world is watching us. We are now in a period where the unity, prosperity and happiness of our people must be our collective priority; where the shedding of the blood of the innocent must stop and where our dear nation and our people are no longer defined by political, tribal, religious and sectional considerations but as a united people with a common destiny.

“Our nation has for long been under attack by sectional interest and this is the time to silence such interests and build a strong and united country. The challenges we face are transitory and cannot defeat our collective spirit. We must learn to support our leaders and in this regard, our criticisms must be constructive and all forms of bigotry must end.

“We therefore call on all Nigerians, irrespective of political affiliations to stand up and defend our common destiny as a nation. If you have ever benefitted from the soil of this country; if you have ever drank from the waters of Nigeria; if you have ever been refreshed by the cool and fresh air God has blessed us with; if you have ever eaten of the fruit of this land, then the time has come for you to give back to the land. Let us stand up and collectively establish and defend the unity and greatness of our dear nation so that labours of our heroes past shall not and shall not be in vain.”

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