Former Niger Delta minister, 2 accountants questioned over missing N1.5bn cash

A total of N1.5 billion has been withdrawn from the account of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, but the withdrawal hasn't been accounted for.
Hence the office of the Head of Service of the Federation and security agencies are currently trying to find where the funds were have been kept, retrieve them and bring justice to the culprits behind the missing money.
2 senior accountants in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs have already been queried and suspended from office pending the conclusion of investigation into their roles in the alleged theft of the funds.

They had argued that they withdrew the money on the instruction of superior authorities and that as civil servants they could not disobey their ‘superiors’ who asked them to make the said amount available for official use.

The amount in question was reportedly taken in two withdrawals on the instructions of senior political aide, claiming to be working on the directives of a top presidency top shot.

The first sum of N605 million withdrawn by a minister from the account of the ministry went missing after being withdrawn from the CBN and is the subject of investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, while another withdrawal of over N800 million attracted the attention of the HoS which queried the two accountants and finally suspended them.

There were indications that the suspended accountants had named those who were behind the cash withdrawals and had tried to exonerate themselves from the deal.

It was learned that the Federal Government is bent on inviting a former minister in the ministery to appear before its anti-corruption bodies to explain his role in the missing cash. Already, one of the former ministers and close confidant of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Elder Godsday Orubebe, has been questioned by the ICPC and freed by the commission.

The former minister claimed that he had already resigned before the cash went missing and that he never asked anyone to withdraw such amount for him, knowing that it was against service regulations. Already, the Presidency has been given a brief on the finances of the ministry and the roles played by some senior political actors in the dying days of the last administration.

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Leopard that injured five Indian villagers beaten to death and burnt (Graphic content)

A leopard that injured five villagers in a savage attack in India has been beaten to death with sticks and burned.
 
Forest authorities said that the shocking incident took place in the Kalgaon area, in the Sivasagar district of the northeastern Assam state, as the villagers were collecting firewood.
 
The 7-year-old, fully-grown leopard is reported to have suddenly charged the group in a desperate attack.
The villagers said that to ‘save their lives’, they attacked the savage big cat with sticks and beat it to death.

5 of the group were injured in the attack. 
 

Indian leopards are under threat of extinction due to poaching for their skin. Villagers also regularly kill the cats when they stray near settlements.

A female leopard was beaten to death just weeks ago in a village in West Bengal’s Purulia district.
Villagers were reported to have spotted the animal near the village and attempted to chase it.
But in its fear, the animal ran into the village instead of away from it, and entered a cowshed.

It was quickly cornered by hundreds of villagers and attacked with sticks and axes, and killed.
The leopard’s tail was severed during the attack, and its paws chopped off, after which its body was suspended from a tree.

Leopard populations are often found quite close to settlements and even in semi-developed areas in India as their forest habitat disappears.
 
Under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (IWPA), hunting or attacking a leopard is illegal as it is an endangered species. The offence carries a sentence of up to three years of imprisonment or a fine of 10,000 rupees (£106).
 
The forest department has also been trying to set up traps so the leopards can be stopped from entering human settlements. 

Adams Oshiomhole & wife visit Prof Wole Soyinka & wife (photos)

Edo state governor Adams Oshiomhole and his lovely new wife Iara visited Prof. Wole Soyinka and his wife, Folake, at their home in Abeokuta yesterday Sunday August 2nd.

Adaeze Yobo shares some fun family photos

Check out Genevieve Nnaji's look to 'Dry' movie premiere last night

The actress looked lovely in that outfit to Stephanie Linus' movie premiere last night. She's pictured right with actress Shola Shobowale..

US flies military planes to Kenya ahead of Obama's visit (photos)

Ahead of President Barack Obama's official visit to Kenya next week, military planes have been flown in. The Boeing V-22 Osprey aircraft (which can fly at a maximum speed of 500km or 78 percent faster than the average large helicopter and is used to transport the SEAL Teams) will be on standby to protect the President and his family in case of an emergency during his visit. Here's one of the military plane at the Jomo Kentatta International airport

WHY I SING MORE LOVE SONGS

Halle Emordu is a singer, dancer and performer. In this interview, the Edo State born talented artiste talks about her life and  journey into music.
How long have you been doing music?
I would say that I started doing music professionally in 2007 not as a singer, but as a dancer. I went for a dancing competition where I represented Nigeria in South Africa in 2007. I also contested in Dance Hip Hop International competition in 2008 and I won to represent Nigeria in Las Vegas. When I came back, I partook in the first edition of Maltina Dance hall. After that, I decided to do music to match my dancing career. Before then, I was singing in church but I didn’t really take it serious, because  my sisters were doing that. When I came back from those competitions, I decided to combine my dancing skills with singing because I didn’t see any female artiste doing it. So I officially started singing in 2009. I had the first video called Hallelicious. Then my other single was Dirty shower.
I have a video for Dirtycious which went viral and people started saying that the video is controversial. After that, I went into events. I did Calabar carnival like three to four times and I started doing other shows. In 2013, I dropped my other video Pricky Loving and Nanana. I have not done anything after that. I have been working undercover, watching the industry. I have done stuffs with other artistes but not as a video vixen. I’ve been working till tragedy struck and we lost our boss in the record label. He wasn’t really the owner of the label, the label is like a group of people coming together to form a record label, but he was the face of the label. So, when he passed away last year, we had a lot of challenges. Everyone was traumatised because it was unexpected.
Why did you say Dirty Shower, was a controversial video?
It wasn’t but people said it was because they saw a girl in the shower. I was the person in the shower and it was directed by Seasan. There were many brains behind that video and we sat down and thought about it. It was just like a Caribbean video and that was what we wanted it to look like. The song itself, Dirty shower, means many things. When I say I’m too dirty I need someone to wash me up, it means I am hungry, come and take me out.
You said you started with dancing and now music, have you given up on dancing?

Halle Emordu
No, I do both – it is a 50-50 thing. I still teach dance, I have private classes where I do that and it does not clash with my music time. I have time for my studio and I also have time for dance. I still dance, it is just that I don’t push dancing out to let people know that I am a dancer. People who know what I do, still call me when they need my services. They still ask me to choreograph in their videos. I do not dance in the videos, I teach dancers what to do in the videos and they do it.
Tell us about your song with Patoranking?
Yes, I did a song with Patoranking, titled, Another Day, and it has been released. It is a love song between a guy and a girl. When we were in the studio working on the song, many things came to our minds. We asked ourselves, what are we going to talk about? Do we talk about club or the normal boy/girl thing? Patoranking said we should just do anything we feel like doing. He was just looking at me and was making fun of me. Everything about that song happened that night, we started recording that song around 1 a.m. and we finished around 3 a.m. After that we listened to the song and liked it and that was it.
Did you have working with Patoranking in mind before that time?
Yes, I did, but we didn’t have any music in mind. We just came together that day and worked on that song. We were like eight people in the studio, we started with free-styling and then we did the song. I never had any music in mind when we entered the studio.
What inspires your kind of music?
Everything around me – my environment, my friends and neighbours. Sometimes, ideas come to my mind too. Like in my single

CHANGE IS CHANGE

Change is change …breaking away from the norm…so anyhow he starts at all is the change spirit. Let’s pray that he gets it right.
Joseph Ubiagba, Self- employed at Encino Ltd
They say GEJ’s advisers are bad people. But I say Buhari’s are worse. Now he is re-tracting the promises he made to Nigerians; those things his advisers told him to say to Nigerians in order to win election. We plead with Buhari to find and bring back the stolen funds from wherever he knows they are and use them to improve the economy instead of giving excuses. Arrest anyone you know could have taken it. Buhari, arrest, arrest, arrest and bring the so-called stolen dollars b
Ibrahim Dada Disu Telford College of Arts and Tech, Shropshire, UK

Buhari and Tinubu
Not only the price of oil in world market will affect the change promised by APC, but also the missing billions of dollars of public fund by the current government; money that could transform the whole economy.
Naija Commotion
APC Crisis: Northern leaders move to cut Tinubu to size. Buhari will give Tinubu the Awolowo treatment. Tinubu’s greedy thirst for power will be his greatest undoing.
This is actually expected. Wasn’t it the same thing they did to Obasanjo after Yar ‘adua won? Funny thing, since the beginning of Nigerian history, that same scenario has played out so many times; it is now comical. The North use the Yoruba to get what they want and then drop them when time comes. MKO; Awo, Obj, and now Tinubu.
Awo betrayed the Igbos to please the north, who later turned the heat on him. Northern leaders have given prominent Yoruba men an overdose of humiliation that will last them a life time despite using them to fight the civil war. Awo later died. This is how the scenario will play itself out.
*June 2015……..GMB in power….politics between northern power bloc and southwestern power bloc starts
*2016….full blown crisis leading to South-western APC members decamping to a new party
*2017…South-West politicians start making moves to reconcile with South-East and South-South in order to push out GMB in 2019
*2018…After a lot of deliberations and reconciliations, the stage is set for a North vs South election.
*2019…….who wins?. Will the SE/SS deal with the SW treachery? Yes.
The fact that the Northern oligarchy refused to allow the VP head Buhari’s transition committee should give the Yorubas something to think about. Afonja, Awolowo, MKO, Tinubu; a tribe that fails to learn from history. “Change they said, Change Nigerians Got.” Pity, Nigerians were fooled. Well as I said before, “Nigerians voted in naivety, they shall reap in soberness”
Eyobaba
Change we want and not one chance.
Garden-City Boy
Buhari pleads for patience and most of all for Justice. The justice he demands from Nigerians is for them to show appreciation for lies as “Legitimate Instrument” for winning an election. The plethora of excuses he keeps asking for is to stop Nigerians from holding him to his electoral promises that “swept” him to power. Going further on justice, he admits not knowing what to do as president.
He wants to be allowed indefinite time, may be forever, to “dust books,” take a study program to learn the skills he needs. The presidency has become a classroom of some sort, where politicians are granted the privilege of a learning curve. Buhari has, so early in the day, conceded that he is not the magic-man. Who knows what his supporters will be thinking now that it is clear that he is not a magician. He is now to scout for contractors called “technocrats” to “help” his government.
Akataka, Naija Commotion: Very revealing, can politicians be this mean?
Um2: A welcome write up delivered in the true genre of what the 4th Estate of the realm ought to be. Kudos to Mr. Omoh.
VIP: We must put a stop to the subsidy and importation of fuel. Let us gradually repair our refineries and we should all suffer it all. In two years’ time, we shall have a vibrant economy and a deregulated oil sector.
David Soul: I expected Buhari to b

FUEL SCARCITY

Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited said it was releasing, last night, about 13 million litres, approximately 400 trucks, of petroleum products including premium motor spirit, popularly called petrol, to ease the scourge of the endemic fuel scarcity that Nigeria had been plunged into.
The company will release a total of 70 million litres in the coming days.
The move has, therefore, broken the ranks of oil marketers and depot operators, who have refused to import any more products until their outstanding subsidy claims of over N200 billion is paid by the Federal Government.
The marketers have now become jittery over the development because they are now being exposed as saboteurs, seeing they have enough fuel stock in their depots but have refused to dispense them, even as they are losing billions of Naira daily.

Long queue of jerry cans at a petrol station as fuel scarcity bites harder, yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.
Sequel to the general elections, the country had been experiencing sporadic fuel shortages, until it snowballed into a complete shutdown in the recent weeks, thereby paralysing almost all social and economic activities in the country.
Speaking, yesterday, about the sudden release of the product at the Capital Oil Depot in Apapa, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah, told journalists that the move was meant to reduce the pain Nigerians are experiencing on account of the scarcity.
It’s sabotage
Ubah described the current crisis as sabotage, saying: “We are constrained at this point and have decided that two wrongs cannot make a right. We will not be part of this sabotage against our fatherland. Therefore, from this minute, we shall take the risk of opening our facilities and commence swift loading and distribution of products nationwide.”
He also gave the assurance that once the current stock is exhausted, there are vessels laden with petroleum products at the jetty waiting to berth.
He said: “Our facility has the capacity to load over 13 million litres before dawn. This comes to approximately 400 trucks of petroleum products.”
Urges other marketers to follow suit
Expressing the hope that normalcy will soon return with the resumption of socio-economic activities, Ubah also called “on other petroleum marketers to follow suit and save our nation from this impending economic and social crisis.”
He added that the current situation called for patriotism and service, which is why the Capital Oil truck park, port and depot reception facilities have been opened and have commenced loading of products and ordered to move overnight to every state of the federation.
He recalled that operators were informed of the shutdown of loading activities from the depots via a text message on Saturday May 16, which became effective on Monday, May 18
He noted that since then Nigerians have suffered immense hardship, with petrol now selling at an all-time high of between N500 and N1000 per litre depending on location and outlet.
Marketers and black market operators have been at their best in sharp practices, while the industry regulator, the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, is overwhelmed by it all and helpless to sanction any one for infractions.”
Against this backdrop, the Capital Oil boss argued that the way out of the current predicament is the total deregulation of the downstream petroleum sector.
Breaking of ranks
Other marketers and depot operators have expressed shock at Capital Oil’s action, saying that they will have to wait to see the turn of events from today (Monday), to determine whether or not to join the bandwagon.
A source among the independent marketers told Vanguard on telephone: “For now, it may not be able to join Captal Oil because we may not be able to get the kind of security made available to him to pull this off.”
He agreed that the marketers have enough products to meet the demand, as many of the depots already had ample stock levels before the decision to shut down.

woju drops

After eleven weeks on the MTV Base Official Naija Top Ten, including six weeks at the number one spot, Kiss Daniel’s debut monster hit  “Woju”  finally exits the chart this week as  “Looku Looku”  by the Mavins looks to establish its own dominance after retaining top spot for the third week in a row.
This week’s episode of the weekly countdown show features a surprisingly decent rap freestyle by mega producer Tee-Y Mix who co-hosts alongside weekly host, VJ Ehiz. The week’s other notable track which makes its exit is  “Collabo”  by  P-Square  featuring  Don Jazzy.  Davido’s  “The Sound”  featuring  DJ Buckz  and  Uhuru  falls one place to number three and  “Daniella Whine”  by  Patoranking  replaces it at this week’s number two spot.
“Oringo”  by  Phyno  rises three places to this week’s number three while  MI’s  “Monkey”  featuring  Chigurl  falls one place to number 5. This week’s “Hit Or Miss” track is  “Ketchup”  by  Holy MIC  and the week’s throwback music is  “Tony Montana”  Remix by  Naeto C.
Patoranking strips, gives out jacket, shoes on stage
Reggae-dancehall act, Patoranking shocked many last Saturday while performing at the finale of MTV ‘On Tour With Shuga’ which held at the Indoor Sports hall, University of Lagos.
The 24-year-old visibly overwhelmed at the love shown him by students present, stripped himself off his Louis Vuitton Jacket and shoes and gave it out to one of the screaming fans.
The lucky winner, Austin Anyansi, a 200 level student of Sociology, could not believe his good luck as he kept smiling for the cameras and posing with his latest wardrobe upgrade.

Adama Indimi stunning in new face photos

The billionaire daughter looking stunning in new photos she shared this night on instagram.

At 1,327MW generation, FG says power supply may worsen

The federal government says the epileptic power supply being faced nationwide could get worse by tomorrow May 23rd if the strike action by the Senior and Junior staff unions of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation persist. At a press briefing in Abuja today, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali said prior to the strike action, Nigeria was comfortably producing 4,800MW but this has dropped to 1,327MW due to unavailability of gas.

"As of 12noon on Friday, May 22, 2015, Utorogu, Chevron gas plants are all shut down while Ughelli and CNL Escravos are all isolated already. At the eastern axis, Shell Gas, Alakiri, has also been shut down. This has led to the several power plants being stranded and shut down. These include Egbin, Olorunshogo I and II, Omotosho I and II, Geregu I and II, Ihonvor and Sapele (NIPP) on the western axis and Alaoji on the eastern end. The overall effect is that power supply, which had started picking up steadily since the beginning of the week, following repairs of various vandalised portions of the ELP Line and the Trans-Forcados Gas Pipelines, has fallen to an all-time-unprecedented low of 1,327MW as of 1pm, Friday, May 22, 2015. This situation could get worse if the strike (action) continues.” he said

APA drags Okorocha to tribunal, claims votes cast outnumbered PVCs collected

OWERRI—A new dimension has crept into the current struggle to wrest the governorshipl election victory from Governor Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
According to a petition, EPT/IM/GOV/2/2015, filed before the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal by the candidate of African People’s Alliance, APA, Mr. Charles Osita Nnadi, claimed, among other allegations, that the total number of votes cast in most polling units in the state outnumbered the total number of registered voters, as well as the total number of eligible voters, who collected their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, and the total number of accredited voters.
The petitioners, Mr. Nnadi and his party, APA, claimed, that the total number of votes cast in most polling units, particularly Ideato North, Ideato South, Aboh Mbaise, Oru East, Orsu, Obowo, Mbaitoli,  Ikeduru, Okigwe, Nkwerre, Nwangele and Njaba local government areas of Imo State, were greater than the total number of registered voters, who collected their PVCs and the total number of accredited voters in the areas in question.
The petitioner also averred that the election was invalid as a result of corrupt practices and non-compliance  with the Electoral Act.
According to the petitioner, the governorship election of April 11, 2015, and the supplementary election of April 25, 2015, were marred and vitiated by substantial non-compliance with statutory requirements, irregularities, corrupt practices, fraud, illegal voting and mutilation of election result sheets that substantially affected them.
He said none of the candidates was entitled to be declared winner of the election, and that the exercise should have been nullified.
Nnadi also claimed that there were cases of ballot box snatching, illegal voting and snatching of election result sheets by thugs/agents of the first and second respondents, Governor Rochas Okorocha and APC, respectively.
The petitioner also accused the governor and his agents of indulging in illegal buying and selling of PVCs, through which they allegedly induced and procured illegal and unlawful votes across the state, contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act.
Vanguard recalls that at the last count, no fewer than three cases had been filed in the tribunal, challenging the victory of Okorocha.

My boobs has helped me so far in film industry

Bridget Amos is an upcoming actress with big ideas. Despite coming into the industry in 2008, the Kwara State-born beauty has made films of her own. Unlike many of her peers, who would jump at anything for the sake  of relevance in the industry, Bridget has set certain standards for herself and would not produce more than one film a year.
She’s based in Malaysia and does both English and Yoruba films. Her latest movie  ‘Eko’  is set to be released soon. In this exclusive interview, she talks about her career, life and more.
What are you currently working on?
My movie ‘Eko’ which literally means ‘Lesson’. The film is an eye-opener for people who believe that without travelling abroad they cannot make it in this life. The film is planned to educate them that it’s not until you travel abroad before you make it, just focus on what you’re doing and you can make it anywhere.
Which has been your biggest movie so far?
It’s a movie called Ere; a Yoruba movie. There’s another one called Omo Malaysia. In fact , there are many of them I can’t remember right now
How has the journey in Nollywood been?
Stressful, I will say. For one, there is the issue of location logistics. At times they may lodge you in a hotel without adequate facilities. And because this is a profession you love, you have to manage whatever is thrown at you. Even feeding, at times on location, becomes a problem because adequate provisions are not made. It has not been easy, at all, but we have to stick to it because it is a profession we love.
What has been your biggest challenge so far?
You know Jide Kosoko? There was a time I was supposed to play a role alongside him but he brought someone else instead. He said he wanted the person to play the role in my place. I felt very bad. Along the line he changed his mind and asked me to take the role but I had been so heartbroken that I couldn’t pick myself up again. I eventually lost the role.
How do you get into character when you see scripts?
Since you love it and you enjoy doing it, it’s very easy. If you love acting, once you’re given a role it would be easy for you to act it out.
Who is your biggest inspiration in acting?
Ayo Adesanya
Can you do something sexy in a movie?
Yes, I can be very sexy and very romantic.
Can you flaunt your boobs, stuff like that?
It’s part of acting so I can do it. I can play any role. Once you’re an actor, you should be able to play any role
Have your boobs ever helped you in getting a role?
Yes, they have. In one English movie, though the movie is not yet out, they wanted someone that has big boobs and can flaunt it, so they called me. I was called by Laitan Sugar and it was because of my boobs they called me for that job. I played the role of a bad character in the movie
What has been your most embarrassing moment so far?
There is an actress, I cannot recall the name now, who accused me of not showing respect by greeting. Funny enough, I greeted her but she chose to ignore, the greeting, coming back to embarrass me in the presence of others that I did not great her. That really got me down. She did not just say I didn’t greet her, she also asked me to go home because she was in charge. That was really embarrassing.
Has anyone ever told you to date him for a role?
Yes, but I tell them that I cannot use my body to get roles.
What is your success secret as an actress?
My biggest plan is to be a great actress, well respected and loved. That’s why I watch how I relate with everyone in the industry. I don’t date guys in the industry but I respect everybody because I believe everybody is important. I think that has been helping me for so long.
Why did you choose to become an actress?
Since I was a child I have always wanted to be an actress. As a child I was always so absorbed and carried away watching stars on television. Each time I always told myself one day I would be like them. When I started I got to love it even more than before.
Are you done with school?
Yes for now. I studied Business Admi

Jim Iyke, stop marrying me in my dreams, cries Nigerian — Malaysian student

jim Iyke has never had it easy with the womenfolk. Most issues he has had with them he never bargained for. Just like last Monday, the actor was doing the regular thing everyone would do after meeting with who you consider your favourite governor in Nigeria. He posted a picture of himself with Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, with catchy captions to show how much he respects the governor for his wonderful achievements in his state.
His post was as harmless as it could get but one of the comments he got in return must have stopped him in his tracks. It was from a woman. Whatever Jim had done to them? None would marry him, just yet and this one wouldn’t let him be.

Jackiify Malaysian student

Jim Iyke
“Jim I beg you in the name of God,stop getting married to me in my dreams. For more than three years now I have always seen you in my dreams, married to me. I have been praying every time about it but it always reoccurred.  Even last night it happened again. I am tired of this. If you are his PA show him this text message and if this is you, I beg you in the name of God, to do something about it” she fired in her comment to Jim Iyke’s post of himself and Governor Akpabio in Ikot Ekpene  at the commissioning of Ritman University last Monday.
The comment definitely got attention of Potpourri who decided to seek the girl out who simply signed her name as Jackiify. We got lucky again.
In a BBM chat with her later on, Potpourri found out that the girl is a Nigerian schooling in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She goes by the name Ify Jacob. The first thing that struck me about her comment was that this could be a girl acting out her fantasy and laying it out in a dramatic way. Then I asked her if she had ever had any crush on Jim, many girls do.
“That is where the problem is” she told me bluntly. “ I never had a crush on him before but all of a sudden I started having dreams that I am married to him for more than three years now. You cannot understand because you are not Jim or a pastor. I don’t like it. It is disturbing to me” she says

Man jailed for reckless driving

Abuja – A Kado Grade 1 Area Court, Abuja, on Thursday sentenced a 33-year-old man, Solomon Adesola, to two months imprisonment for reckless driving.
Adesola, who resides at No. 23, Aransu Olu Agege St., Lagos, had pleaded guilty to the charges and begged for leniency.
The Presiding Judge, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq, did not give him option of fine, adding that it would serve as a deterrent to those who do not obey traffic rules.
Earlier, while reviewing the facts of the case, prosecutor, Cpl. Simon Emmanuel of Life Camp Police Station, Abuja, told the court that the convict was arrested on April 24.
He said that the driver drove a Toyota Hiace bus recklessly along Airport Road by Citec Mbora Estate Jabi, Abuja.
Emmanuel said that the driver drove so recklessly that he almost knock down a police officer attached to a check point.
He said during police investigation, the convict confessed to the crime, saying that he was in a hurry.
The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 28 and 29 of the Road Traffic Act. (NAN)

check out Pasuma and his beautiful daughter

she is really cute ®®

10 Canadians arrested for trying to join jihadist groups

Canadian police have arrested 10 young people for allegedly attempting to join jihadist groups in the Middle East, reports said.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a statement, cited by The Canadian Press on Wednesday, that no charges had been laid yet and that the investigation was ongoing.

The RCMP statement did not specifically mention which group they were joining, but said the 10 youths were “suspected of wanting to leave the country to join jihadist groups”.

The youths, whose names and ages were not reported by the police, were arrested at Montreal’s Trudeau International Airport last Friday, the report said.

“These are very difficult times for the relatives and loved ones of the persons arrested,” the RCMP said in the statement.

“As a result, family members often find themselves at a complete loss and unable to understand the decision made by the youth.”

The arrests come months after five boys and two girls from the Montreal area left the country and apparently joined the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant.

Another Canadian teen was arrested in March for aiming to join the armed group that holds sway over vast area of Syria and neighbouring Iraq

I conceded defeat to prevent crisis – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday said he conceded defeat to Muhammadu Buhari in the March 28 presidential election because of his desire to keep the country away from conflict.

He said having been involved in solving many problems in African countries for more than five years, he knew the enormity and cost of conflicts and would not want Nigeria to witness such.

A statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, quoted the President as speaking while receiving members of the African Ambassadors’ Group, who were on a farewell and solidarity visit to his boss at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said he would always be committed to strengthening democracy in Nigeria and Africa.

Jonathan added that his decision to concede defeat was to show example to the world that democracy could survive and thrive in Africa without conflict.

The President said, “I believe that character matters in leadership. And it is not just about who becomes the President of a country, but somebody has to be there and the person needs the support of all to succeed.

“I made a choice to keep the country away from conflict.

“I have always advised other African leaders that we will need to have a country before we can have the ambition to become President.

“We don’t have to expose our people to deaths because we want to stay in power. Some people hold on to power, may be, for fear of the unknown.”

The President recalled working extensively for more than five years with other African leaders to forestall crisis in some African countries, especially in the West African sub-region.

He also said he led peace efforts in some of the countries like Cote ‘d’Ivoire, Mali and Guinea Bissau.

“I have been involved in solving many problems in African countries for more than five years and I know the enormity and cost of conflicts, especially on the citizenry. We cannot afford that in Nigeria.

“If we were to have a political conflict in Nigeria, I am not sure the sub-region will be able to accommodate our citizens.

“My commitment is to always put the country before my personal ambition and that is what I have demonstrated,” he added.

Jonathan then called on the global community and Nigerians to support the incoming government of Buhari.

He said the incoming government would need the cooperation and commitment of the global community and Nigerians to effectively deliver on its promises to the people.

“The President-elect is not new to governance in Africa so I want you to show the same commitment to him as you have to me. The President-elect knows that our commitment is always to project Africa. I am urging you to extend the same warmth and solidarity you have shown to me to him,’’ he said.

The President further enjoined African leaders to encourage trade within the continent by building infrastructures and institutions that could promote trade and relationships.

In his remarks, the Dean of Diplomatic Corps in Nigeria, Oubi Bochir, commended Jonathan’s high sense of patriotism, statesmanship and transparency in the last general elections.

He noted that the President won the heart and minds of all Nigerians and Africans after the elections.

FOURTEEN people were killed in separate violence that rocked Ekiti, Plateau and Benue states on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning

FOURTEEN people were killed in separate violence that rocked Ekiti, Plateau and Benue states on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Three of the deaths were recorded in Ado Ekiti during a clash between transport workers and Hausa traders   while six were   in Plateau State where     gunmen invaded four villages in the Barkin Ladi Local Government Area.

The third incident which was also by gunmen left five persons dead in Jooter, Ukum Local Government Area of   Benue state.

The Ado Ekiti fracas was said to have started building up on Tuesday night when   a bag belonging to the wife of a chieftain of the road transport workers was snatched by unknown persons along the ever-busy Ijigbo-Old Garage area of the city.

The victim was also allegedly raped, a development that irked the drivers who, engaged the Hausa in a fre-for-all in Erekesan Market, Oja Oba in the state capital.

An eyewitness said the victim’s husband reported the matter to his colleagues after his efforts to   identify the perpetrators failed.

He added that butchers who, are mainly Yoruba, fought on the side of the Hausa against the transport workers whom they accused of undue harassment and unprovoked attacks.

“The fighting was made worse by hoodlums who joined the transport workers. They were fighting with   guns, bottles, charms, clubs, cutlasses and knives. At least three people died. Some were also injured,” he told one of our correspondents.

Our correspondent in the state   reported that the violence spread from the market – Old Garage – Mugbagba axis of the city to Atikankan area, a converging point for many Hausa traders in the state.

As of the time of filing this report,   Ajilosun, Okeyinmi, Okesha and Irona   were no-go areas .

According to our correspondent, the hoodlums vandalised many vehicles and set many shops at the Erekesan Market ablaze after looting them .

Banks and other business outlets operating in the city were forced to shut down to avoid being looted by the hoodlums.

Sunday Adigun, a cameraman with the Core TV, who was beaten to a pulp, had     his camera   smashed for trying to cover the fighting which was hijacked by hoodlums.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Alberto Adeyemi, did not confirm the deaths but he said that four persons wounded during the fracas were taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment.

The state new Commissioner of Police, Etop James, who spoke with residents of the affected areas, expressed regrets over the incident and promised to restore normalcy in the city.

Our correspondent in Plateau State   gathered that the attack on the four villages in Barkin LGA – Jong, Lobirin, Rabuk and Zim – was a reprisal by some armed youths for similar incidents   in some Fulani communities.

Police Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Abu, who confirmed the attack, said no arrest had been made.

Abu added that the Commissioner of Police, Nasiru Oki, had ordered the redeployment of more policemen   in the LGA to prevent further attacks.

He urged the affected communities to remain calm and report any suspicious movement to the police.

The PUNCH gathered in Benue State that about 10 gunmen in a Toyota vehicle shot sporadically at people at a drinking spot in Jooter, Ukum LGA, killing five of them.

The gunmen were said to be looking for a target who was said to have gone to the place to have a drink.

An eyewitness who did not want his name in print said that the “target” was   among the injured.

The state Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Austin Ezeani, who confirmed the incident,     said that   three people were killed and five critically injured.

We’ll inherit worst economy in Nigeria’s history – Osinbajo

The Vice President-elect, Prof. Yomi Osinbajo, has said the Muhammadu Buhari-led government will inherit the worst economy ever in the history of the nation.

Also, a former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, has advised Buhari to take advantage of the country’s current level of public support for him to take hard decisions.

Osinbajo and Blair spoke during the opening of a two-day Policy Dialogue on the Implementation of the Agenda for Change, which began in Abuja on Wednesday.

Osinbajo put the nation’s local and international debt profile at US$60bn with a 2015 debt-serving bill of N953.6bn, representing 21 per cent of this year’s budget.

He noted that an estimated 110 million out of the nation’s over 170 million population, were living in extreme poverty while the largest chunk of the benefits of the nation’s wealth was going into the pockets of a small percentage of the population.

According to him, the nation’s dwindling oil revenues has made it difficult for 24 of Nigeria’s 36 states to pay salaries.

He said, “We are concerned that our economy is currently in perhaps its worst moment in history. Local and international debts stand at US$ 60bn.

“Our debt servicing bill for 2015 is N953.6bn, 21 per cent of our budget. On account of severely dwindled resources, over two-thirds of the states in Nigeria owe salaries.

“Federal institutions are not in much better shape. Today, the nation borrows to fund recurrent expenditure.”

Osinbajo said the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress “offers a vision of shared prosperity and socio-economic inclusion for all Nigerians that leaves no one behind in the pursuit of a prosperous and fulfilling life.”

According to him, the goal of the policy dialogue is to interrogate the positions and propositions before a wider audience and to launch a robust public conversation on policy directions and priorities that would help inform the incoming administration’s approach in the next four years.

He added that the “forum exemplifies the sort of consultative and consensual approach to policy-making that the APC and the new administration intend to model in office.”

The Vice President-elect also declared that the dialogue intended to explore a wide range of policy priorities including the diversification of the economy in the wake of dwindling oil revenues.

To achieve this, he said, the administration would engender job-led growth through the revitalisation of the agricultural sector in pursuit of job creation and food security, improving the regulatory frameworks in the most strategic sphere of economic activity.

Blair, who was represented by a former Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Mr. Peter Mandelson, explained that with the current state of affairs, the task ahead of the incoming administration was indeed a daunting one.

Drawing from the experiences of the Labour Party in Britain, Blair said the first rule of governance “is be true to your word; be true to your mandate.”

He urged the Buhari-led administration not to be afraid to take hard decisions but said it must remain mindful of the timing of such decisions.

Blair also advised the administration not to attempt to do everything at once but to ensure that things were done with proper planning along with a commitment to deliver.

He said, “You will have more goodwill and moral authority to do the difficult things at the beginning of your term than at the end. President (Joko) Widodo of Indonesia was elected in July last year, with huge public support.

“One of the first things he did when he was inaugurated in October was to smash Indonesia’s hugely expensive and inefficient, yet popular fuel subsidy.

“A policy decision which had toppled a previous administration and consistently brought people out on the streets, he decided to do it straight away when he had the authority that was the time.”

This, Blair explained, cushioned the effect of the recent fall in oil prices in the world market on the Indonesian economy
SOURCE-PUNCH

NLC Threatens To Shut Down NIPOST Offices Nationwide

The president of The  Nigeria Labour Congress Mr. Ayuba Wabba and the employees of The National Union of Post and Telecommunication on Wednesday shut down the operations of the Nigerian Postal Services in Abuja to protest an alleged decision of the management (of NIPOST) to compel Level 07 members of staff, numbering over 4,000, to join the Senior Staff Association of Communications, Transport and Corporations, against their wish

Wabba said that the NIPOST management wrote the Accountant General’s Office to send check-off dues deducted from Level 07 officials of the organisation who have been in NUPTE for over 30 years to the SSACTAC.
He said the NIPOST management violated the rights of workers to belong to unions of their choice.
The NLC President also denied a claim by SSACTAC that the matter was before the court and that a prevailing court order had been issued to restrain the NLC from further action.
 
He said: “Section 40 of our Constitution says there is freedom of association. These workers have been members of NUPTE for over 30 years. Overnight, the management transferred them to SSACTAC. Is that law? Freedom of association means workers should decide which union they want to belong; it is not at the whim and caprices of the management.
“The management wrote a letter to the Office of the Accountant General, ceding those members to SSACTAC. They have belonged to NUPTE for over 30 years. These are of our grievances.
“ILO Convention says the workers have a right to the freedom of association. They belong to a union; you must seek their consent. The workers here are protesting because they have ceded them to another union so as to undermine their interest.
“Well, we have not been served. I have not seen any court injunction. That is why we are here. We are respecters of the law. Once we are served and put on notice, we would abide by the law. Nobody told us about any court order.
“Over 4,000 workers were ceded to another union. They belong to NUPTE before now. That is the reason for this picketing.”
The President of SSACTAC told journalists that the affected NUPTE members were members of SSACTAC who were on loan to NUPTE to beef up its finances.
 
He said that the matter was being resolved within NIPOST hence was surprised at the action of the NLC.

On the other hand, the President of NUPTE, Sunday Alhassan, said NIPOST management forced the workers to join another union and went ahead to pay their check-off dues to that union.
 
He said NUPTE had called on the NIPOST management to reverse the decision before the action to picket the office on Wednesday.
 
He said that if the decision was not reversed, NUPTE would be compelled to shut down NIPOST operations all over the country.
 
The Deputy Postmaster General, Human Resources, Mr. Chabiri Ndahi, told the labour leaders and workers that the Postmaster General stayed away from the office during the protest because of concerns over his personal security.
 
The workers, who turned up at the NIPOST headquarters as early as 7am, carried placards which read, ‘Remit our check-off dues to NUPTE’, ‘NUPTE is my union’, ‘It is the exclusive right of NIPOST workers to chose the union they wish to belong’, ‘Postmaster General is violating our right to association’, ‘Anti-labour policies against NUPTE in NIPOST now’, among others.

Vanguard

Check out Sean Tizzle's new ink

Sean Tizzle got a new tattoo on his arm and shared this photo of 'Angel of Life' tat on his IG page and captioned it:

OMOTOLA AND DAUGHTER BECAME #AMBASSADOR

One of The Best Nollywood Actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and her daughter, have attained new heights.

The stunning actress and her daughter, Meraiah Ekeinde, have been made brand ambassadors for Knorr season cubes.

Touching moment 5yr boy begged his mum to buy a homeless man dinner... and then said grace with him

How heartwarming is this? 5 year old Josiah Duncan (pictured with his mum) brought brought a group of Waffle House diners to tears when he asked his mother to buy dinner for a homeless man he saw outside - and then sang a blessing with him at the table.

Ava Faulk said her son wouldn't stop asking her questions when he spotted a disheveled man holding a bag with his bike outside the restaurant in Prattville. When Faulk explained the man was homeless, little Josiah asked 'What does that mean?'  Faulk told Josiah that it meant he didn't have a home, to which her son responded, 'Where is his house? Where is his family? Where does he keep his groceries?'

But Josiah was most concerned that the stranger didn't have any food, and he begged his mother to buy the man a meal at the restaurant, she told WSFA 12 News. 

The mother agreed, but when the man sat down at the restaurant and 'nobody really waited on him', Josiah decided to take matters into his own hands. 

He 'jumped up' and asked the man if he needed a menu, telling him 'you can't order without one', Faulk said. 

When the man insisted he would be fine with a simple cheeseburger, Faulk made sure he knew he could have anything he wanted. 
The mother remembers that, when he asked if he could have bacon, she told him 'get as much bacon as you want'. 

And before the man could dig in, Josiah said he wanted to 'say the blessing with him', singing loud enough for the other 11 customers in the restaurant to hear.
'God our Father, God our Father, we thank you, we thank you,' he sang. 'For our many blessings, for our many blessings, Amen, Amen.' 

Faulk said everyone, including the man, teared up. It's a moment the mother said she will never forget. 

'Watching my son touch the 11 people in that Waffle House tonight will be forever one of the greatest accomplishments as a parent I'll ever get to witness.'  

Source: UK Daily Mail/WSFA 12 News.
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AJALA THE TRAVELLER

He was a Nigerian called Moshood Adisi Olabisi Ajala. He was a renowned globe-trotter, socialite and free lance journalist, who was described in many Nigerian songs as Africa's greatest traveler. He was born in Ghana, then moved to Nigeria to school and went to the US at age 18 where he started his travels in the 50s. He supposedly went to 87 countries in six years and mostly on his bicycle. Hear Ajala in his own words after the cut...

Excerpt from his book
From America I went to Canada (where I spent a couple of years) and later on to Britain. In 1957 I began my one-man Odyssey around the world. It is still going on as I write this in Sydney, Australia. In nearly all the eighty-seven countries I have visited during the course of my six-year jaunt around the world (ranging from North America to Eastern and Western Europe, through Africa and Asia and as far east as Korea, Indonesia and Australia), I have observed many different political regimes both in democratic and communist states. I have met with brutality and racial intolerance. I have felt the bitter evil of man's inhumanity to man, and have marbled at the goodness of the humane-hearted"

Did President Obama tap his wife's behind in this photo?

What do you think? Omo na war

Pic: 60yr old pastor arrested with hard drugs worth N609m at Lagos airport

A 60 year old resident pastor of the Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim at Agodo-Egbe, Ikotun Lagos, Prophet Micheal Raji, has been arrested by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA over unlawful attempt to export of 174 kilogrammes of hard narcotic drugs worth N609 million to South Africa.

Prophet Raji, believed to be a member of a drug trafficking syndicate, concealed 91kg of Methamphetamine and 83kg of Ephedrine with an estimated street value of N609 million in different foodstuffs tied in polythene bags.

According to Vanguard, Prophet Michael Raji was arrested with the drug at the cargo section of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) during pre-shipment examination.

A statement by NDLEA says he was found with three international passports bearing his name with his picture
“Preliminary investigation has indicated that the 60 year old suspect Michael Raji is a top member of a drug syndicate operating in Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. The pastor had three international passports bearing his photographs. One of the passports bears the name Michael Raji while the other two bear the name Kadigun Fatah Ola. It was equally discovered that the church premises where he ministers also serves as a warehouse for narcotics,” NDLEA said. Speaking on his arrest, the NDLEA commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar said “I can tell you that this suspect is a smooth operator but we have uncovered his bag of tricks. The drugs were brought to the airport for export to South Africa where it was detected. Investigation eventually traced the movement of the drugs to his church premises where he was arrested,” Hamza stated.

Dear SOB readers: My husband said he can't go for more than a month without sex

During a discussion with his friends last night, my husband said he can't go more than a month without sex, that he has never done it in his life. I'm not sure if I was supposed to hear that, but I did. I'm worried about this statement because I gave birth just five months ago and for about three plus months, from when I was seven months pregnant till about 6 weeks after I gave birth I didn't have sex with him. So does it mean he cheated in this period? Should I confront him about this? I've not been able to stop thinking about it since he said it