Featured Posts (3058)
Chief Dokpesi was arrested, following a revealing Short Message Service (SMS) text message sent to the phone of one of the suspects in police custody, asking “if Dokpesi has paid the balance”, and another SMS “inviting another suspect to a meeting at IBB Campaign office”..
Raymond Dokpesi a source revealed brings to seven the number suspects so far
arrested out of the nine on the wanted list of the police.
According to top security sources, Dokpesi was being detained for
questioning by the security agencies, following “a text message found in
the phone of one of the arrested suspects. The text message reads:“have you collected the balance from Dokpesi?”
The source said, “this was said to have sent alarm signals across the
nation’s security apparatus, since the suspect concerned is considered to be
neck deep in the bombing plot.
“It became more dramatic when another text sent to another suspect in our
custody reads: ‘lets meet at IBB campaign office’, this led to what is
called security circles as ‘a high tech sting operation’ which in a matter
of hours, has netted a wider ring of suspects”.
It was also gathered that a suspect who never knew he was already under
surveillance confided in a friend via a text that “na we do am…..meet me make I brief u”, is currently confessing more details to the security agencies.
According to our source, another suspect allegedly confessed that “in the last
two weeks he bought a brand new Nissan Murano SUV from funds received
from Dopkesi”.
The confession, according to the source, includes a directive from
Mr. Henry Okah that they should destabilize the government since Jonathan
“was not ready to put serious money on the table”.
President Goodluck Jonathan has said those behind the twin bomb attacks in Abuja which claimed about 16 lives during the 50th anniversary celebrations were terrorists sponsored from outside the country. He vowed that government would name and shame those involved.
The president said at a dinner held to commemorate the country's golden jubilee at Marina State House annex Lagos, over the weekend that the government was already on the trail of the perpetrators, and they will not go free.
Mr. Jonathan said, "a small terrorist group that resides outside Nigeria was sponsored to carry out the evil act. We are on their trail and will ensure that until they are arrested and brought to book, we will not rest. Government will no longer condone impunity and any culprit no matter how highly placed or connected will not go scot free."
It's a terrorist plot
The President who called for a minute's silence for those who lost their lives, again absolved the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) of any connection with the blast. He said the act was perpetrated by a terrorist group hiding under the umbrella of the movement.
According to him, "We have contacted other members of MEND and they say they know nothing about it. Anybody that hides under the umbrella of MEND to carry out those acts will soon be exposed."
However, MEND had in an earlier statement claimed responsibility and blamed security agents for the loss of lives. In the statement, it said, "The irresponsible attitude of the government security forces is to blame for the loss of lives. They were given five days prior notice which led to the harassment of Henry Okah on Thursday in South Africa." Mr. Okah's house in South Africa was first ransacked by INTERPOL on Thursday and South African security officials arrested him after the bombing, on Saturday.
At another event on Sunday at the National Christian Centre Abuja, Mr. Jonathan regretted that those who carried out the bombings did so at a time many were offering prayers for the nation. "It is the work of the devil, but the people will not die in vain. They have paid the supreme sacrifice to reveal the demons with beautiful names amongst us. We will unearth them," he promised.
He also thanked Nigerians for their orderliness and calm despite the explosions adding that it shows a new Nigeria.
"Nigerians have unanimously declared liberty on our land to move our nation forward. In this year, with the help of God we shall be liberated".
Transformation is coming
He restated his determination to drive the process of transformation by working at all levels and arms of government to reposition the economy.
The Senate President, David Mark, assured the federal government of the support of the National Assembly to ensure the prompt arrest of the perpetrators and ensure they get maximum punishment.
"Whatever may be the reason behind this, it is not acceptable. This is not time to forgive anybody behind this evil, we urge the federal government and we will assist them that the evil doers must get maximum sanction", he said..
Speaking on behalf of the 36 state governors, the Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio,
said they were prepared to support the leadership of Mr. Jonathan. He urged the president not to despair or get distracted by the "blackmail".
The representative of the business community and Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Kola Jamodu, also noted that there has been a significant improvement in the economy because of the positive steps taken by the government. He appealed for more transparency and consistency in economic policies to move the nation forward.
He further asked for tax incentives for private investors who are setting up businesses in the villages and remote parts of the country to stem rural urban migration as well as develop the areas and create more employment.
Earlier, the Minister of Information and Communication, Dora Akunyili said the dinner was the final stage of the Nigeria@50 anniversary celebration and government decided to go ahead and hold it in honour of those killed in the blast rather than be cowed by the attacks.
The Aso villa chaplain Obioma Onwuzurumba condemned the attacks saying, "The enemy meant evil, but I know that God will turn what the enemy intended to be evil for the good of Nigeria. We are not daunted, we are not intimidated, we simply give thanks to God that the damages were curtailed."
Ex-beauty queen and popular Nollywood actress, Ibinabo Fiberesima, who made headline last year after she was sentenced to five years imprisonment for manslaughter, following the death of a medical doctor, Mr. Suraj Giwa, is a changed woman.
Ibinabo Fiberesima
She has completely turned her life around, bidding farewell to alcohol, cigarettes and partying. The single mother of three is now a born again Christian and spreads the word of God at every opportunity.
Confirming her new faith to HVP on telephone, the actress-turned-preacher said she gave her life to Christ while she was serving her jail term at Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
Ibinabo, who was a former night club owner, said she took the bold step after she realised that the promises of man is fake and also given the need to build eternal peace within herself.
“I got born again when I was in prison. I discovered that the promises of man is fake. Yes, I’m spreading the word of God at every given opportunity. I visit schools in Port-Harcourt to talk to children about Christ. Each time I’m praying, I always ask God that whenever people see me, let them see the glory of God in me,” she muted.
The embattled actress allayed the fear that she would abandon her acting career for the work of God. “I will still be acting. Doing the work of God will not stop me from acting,” she said.
She advised other celebrities to learn to embrace Christ as the only way to find permanent peace in life.
Ibinabo Fiberesima was convicted of murder manslaughter and sentenced to seven years imprisonment by the Igbosere division of the Lagos Magistrate Court last year..
She was alleged to have killed a male medical doctor identified as Suraju Giwa while driving carelessly and under the influence of alcohol along Lekki/Epe Expressway in Lagos.
Ibinabo was said to have been seriously drunk while driving the vehicle ( a jeep) belonging to her erstwhile lover, Daniel Wilson, in which she was with some other girls.
Though the actress pleaded not guilty, the prosecution called five witnesses during the trial to prove its case, and all the five who, included two eye witnesses, gave detailed account of how the offence was committed, to the court.
The presiding magistrate, Mr. A.O. Isaac, thus held he was totally convinced that the actress committed the offence, having looked at the circumstances surrounding the matter as well as the account of the prosecution witnesses. He found her guilty as charged and convicted her accordingly.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has apologised for causing the death of many people in the explosions which rocked the Federal capital yesterday.
In an email sent to journalists a moment ago, Jomo Gbomo, the spokesperson of the group, said the group "deeply regrets the avoidable loss of lives during our bomb attack in Abuja on Friday October 1, 2010. Our hearts go to the families of those killed who we know were sympathetic to our cause"..
The group said the failure of security forces to heed a warning it had given five days before the attack is responsible for the deaths
"The irresponsible attitude of the government security forces is to blame for the loss of lives. They were given 5 days prior notice which led to the harassment of Henry Okah on Thursday, September 30 in South Africa."
It also claimed that an hour before the attack, security forces were reminded of the impending violence but failed to act. It said the email received by journalists a few minutes before the explosions was sent only after the one to security agents.
"The security forces were also warned one full hour to the first bomb blast ahead of the general alert sent to the media and told to steer the public from all parked cars which was not done."
The group's claim of responsibility for the attacks is coming hours after President Goodluck Jonathan said they were not responsible and blamed the explosions on terrorists.
Mr. Jonathan told an ECOWAS gathering in Abuja today that ``What happened yesterday was a terrorist act and MEND was just used as a straw; MEND is not a terrorist group".
"The Niger Delta people are aware of the government's noble efforts to assuage the suffering and deprivation in that region," the President said.
"I am from the Niger Delta, my father's house is few metres from an oil-well, so nobody can claim to be a Niger Deltan than myself.
"It is erroneous to think that my people who have been agitating for good living will deliberately blow up the opportunity they have now".
In a related development, Henry Okah, an alleged leader of the militant group, was arrested by South African police today and is being questioned.
On Thursday, Interpol forces raided Mr Okah's home in South Africa but no action was taken against him. It is not clear yet if he will be charged following his latest arrest.
However, the group has exonerated him of involvement in Friday's bombings that killed at least 12 people and injured tens of others. "Okah has never been involved in any MEND operations but has always been blamed for every attack which is strange to us," the group said..
Abuja Bomb Blast: Ben Jessy (wanted)
Huhuonline.com can disclose that barely 72
hours after Abuja bomb explosions, the NigeriaPolice has confirmed the arrest of a suspect.But the identity of the arrested suspect was not disclosed for security reasons.
The police also declared two others, Chima Orlu and Ben Jessy, wanted over the bomb blasts. The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Emmanuel Ojukwu who made the disclosure in a statement in Abuja said forensic experts had already commenced analysis of over 100 vehicles trapped during the incidents. He said 10 people were killed and 36 injured including 11 policemen. He also claimed that the blasts completely destroyed six cars and damaged 18 others.Ojukwu said: “As you are already aware, two cars exploded before noon of 1stOctober, 2010, while the President, Commander-in-Chief was reviewing a colourful ceremony marking Nigeria ’s 50th Independence Anniversary. “Both explosions occurred near a bridge adjacent to the Millennium Park , within a kilometre, East end of the Eagle Square ..
“The ugly incident resulted in the death of 10 (ten) persons, while 36 (thirty-six) others, including 11 policemen were seriously injured. The blasts completely destroyed 6 (six) cars, damaged 18 (eighteen) others, and shattered the glasses of a hotel nearby. “The Nigeria Police deeply regrets the loss of innocent lives and the harm and damage done to the well being and property of fellow citizens. It is clear that the intention of the perpetrators of the evil act was to truncate Nigeria ’s celebration of half a century of her political freedom.“Their motive was to cut short the joy of men and women of goodwill and to pour shame and contempt on our President and indeed the entire nation, in the very presence of dignitaries and eminent persons from around the world. “Certainly, these operators of an evil enterprise had targeted to commit mass murder of innocent children, young and old men and women, and members of the international community who had gathered to partake in our nation’s glorious moment.
Abuja Bomb Blast: Chima Orlu (Wanted)
“To the glory of God, their act of wickedness was frustrated by the tight security put in place at the Eagle Square .
Police investigation has commenced in earnest. Forensic experts are already checking about a hundred vehicles trapped in the vicinity of the blasts to ascertain the make, composition and origin of the explosives. As soon as the forensic examination is over, the vehicles will be released to their owners and the roads re-opened to normal traffic. “The Nigeria Police regrets the inconveniences caused owners of those trapped vehicles and the users of those roads. “Also, an arrest has been made by the Police in connection with the incident. Police detectives are currently hunting for another two Nigerian citizens suspected to be the masterminds of the evil plot. Their names are: 1. CHIMA ORLU, (MALE) and 2. BEN JESSY (MALE) And I have attached their photographs for easier identification. By this release, they are declared wanted by the Nigeria Police, and are hereby requested to come forward and clear their names. Any person who sees them or knows their whereabouts is requested to kindly report to the nearest Police Station anywhere in the Federation of Nigeria, or abroad, or call or send SMS to the following telephone numbers:1. 08033225-349; 2. 0806-2700-000 ; and 3. 0803-8305-707 “Finally, I wish to call on all citizens that the thought and act of bombing any part of this country amounts to a declaration of war against Nigeria . It is our collective duty to stop criminals from destroying our fatherland. “All citizens are reminded that they are obliged by the constitution to assist law enforcement agencies in the maintenance of law and order. And it is indeed a punishable offence to conceal or hide the identity or whereabouts of a wanted person.”
"Toni and I are separated and a divorce is already in the pipeline. We can never come together again. If people are being fed by wrong sources about the possibility of reconciling, they are hearing from me now that it is not possible. We can't come back." 9ice said in a recent interview.
He went further to reveal that he will never get married again, though he plans to have two or three more children. He already has one son, Zion, with his ex, Toni Payne.
A 42-year old man beat his wife to death following a disagreement. TOYOSI OGUNSEYE spoke with the suspect who says he cannot justify his action
The marriage of 10 years ended in just 10 minutes. Olushola Ojaelatan and his wife, Basirat Oluwatoyin, had been married for 10 years. They had three children out of which two are surviving.
The marriage was not Ojaelatan‘s first. The 42-year-old man was married for 10 years to another woman who left him after the union did not produce any child. Then he met Basirat who married him just after the first woman had left. Basirat‘s first child died a few months after birth, but she had two other children ages four and one respectively.
Neighbours at their No. 18/20, Laidi Street, Ofin, Ikorodu, Lagos, testified that the Ojaelatans‘ marriage had not been blissful. The landlord who pleaded anonymity said that he always had cause to settle the couple‘s differences. He said, ”I was always in their room settling one fight or the other. If the wife was not screaming, the husband would be shouting. I always told Basirat‘s husband that it was not everything his wife did that he should react to; but he never listened to me. Hardly did any week pass by that I did not have to placate either of them. Their trouble was just too much.”
One of the Ojaelatans‘ troubles that the landlord referred to occurred last Saturday. It was the last scuffle the husband would ever have with his wife. Ojaelatan, a carpenter, said that he returned from a night vigil in his church when his wife picked a quarrel with him. According to him, the woman was angry with him because he did not wait for her or the children when he was leaving the church. He said, ”She started shouting on top of her voice that I left her to bring our children home alone. Her grouse was that while she put one of the children on her back and held one, I did not bother to assist or wait for her after the service.”
Ojaelatan however said that Basirat, 32, had been nagging him for two days before then because he did not give her sufficient money, ”She started her trouble two days before that Saturday. I gave her the little money I had, but she kept complaining that it was not enough. I knew that she was preparing for another fight, so I decided to avoid her.”
The native of Ondo State however did not keep to his resolve to avoid his wife that Saturday. He said, ”I got home before her and our children and was lying down on the bed. She said that I would not sleep for leaving our children with her. Initially, I pleaded with her to let me sleep because we had another church service in the evening; but she did not listen. The next thing my wife did was to jump on the bed. She pulled my cloth and tore it into shreds. I can‘t lie against her.”
The father of two said that he couldn‘t bear it any longer at this stage, so he decided to beat her with his brown leather belt. As if dealing with an unruly child, he turned her face down and started to beat her on her bare back.
Ojaelatan said, ”Before she tore my shirt, she locked the door. I was very angry after she tore my shirt. So, I picked up my belt and started to beat her.”
Basirat‘s screams woke up the neighbours in the compound, including the landlord who ran to the couple‘s apartment. According to the landlord, he begged the couple to open the door and he met Basirat crying on top of her voice. He said, ”Basirat said that she was not going to leave her husband until he killed her. I managed to separate them and told my other tenants to take her out of the room while I admonished the husband.”
The landlord was still reprimanding Ojaelatan for beating his wife when someone shouted that Basirat, an auxiliary nurse, had fainted. Both the landlord and the lady‘s husband hurriedly went to the spot. When all efforts to resuscitate her failed, they rushed her to a nearby hospital but she died on the way.
Immediately, the neighbours reported the matter to the police. Then the reality of Ojaelatan‘s action dawned on him. He said, ”I still cannot believe that my wife is dead. I‘m shocked that she died over nothing. If you ask me what the cause of our quarrel was, I can‘t even say what exactly happened.”
That was not, however, the first time he would be beating her, “Even though we were always exchanging words, the last time I beat her was six years ago and I told myself that it will never happen again. I don‘t know what came over me.”
The spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Frank Mba, confirmed the incident and said, ”Basirat‘s cry for help was said to have alerted other tenants who reportedly discovered that the door was locked from inside, thereby preventing them from quickly saving her. Moments later, she became unconscious. She was rushed to the hospital where, unfortunately, she was confirmed dead. We have started our investigations and an autopsy will be carried out for us to know the cause of her death.”
Mba, a Superintendent of Police, added that the deceased had a caesarian operation less than a year ago. ”She gave birth via a caesarian section barely a year ago, and it is possible that she was yet to recover, health wise. But the autopsy will tell us what went wrong.”
The PPRO advised couples to shun domestic violence.
Like in the movie Catch me if you can with Leonardo di Caprio
A Nigerian drug smuggler who duped authorities to get a job in New Zealand as a hospital psychiatrist came across as friendly and plausible, but secretive, acquaintances say.
Chidozie Emmanuel Onovo, 40, lived in Christchurch - next door to a
senior policeman - and worked for the Canterbury District Health Board
from January 2009 until August this year, after failing to disclose he
had been jailed in Britain in 1999 for importing 4.5kg of cannabis.
He has been a member of the Christchurch Skeptics in the Pub group,
which among its core activities studies "mechanisms of deception". Onovo
said the group offered "excellent opportunity to meet like-minded
people".
He had spoken of his desire to bring his wife and children over from
Ireland to live with him, but on Wednesday was jailed for 16 months for
failing to disclose his criminal past.
He obtained a visa to enter New Zealand in January 2009, then a work permit to get the job as a psychiatrist. It was not until August this year, after Onovo applied
for residency, that immigration checks found him out.
He had supplied forged reference letters saying he was working in the medical field in Nigeria over a period in which he was in jail in Britain.
Dawn Catherwood, whose daughter rents a townhouse to Onovo, had him over
for meals and found him to be plausible and a "really nice guy". He
paid his rent on time, but had recently terminated his lease and was
planning to go overseas..
Earlier this year he visited his wife and children in Ireland.
"He had lost a lot of weight since he had been in New Zealand - we
noticed that. And he was hoping to bring his family out here."
Often he was not at home when arranged meetings were meant to take
place, she said. "He's very secretive. He doesn't let anybody into his
flat."
Inspector Kieren Kortegast was a neighbour of Onovo, but said he only spoke to him a couple of times and rarely saw him.
He was surprised to hear of Onovo's deception.
Immigration New Zealand said it was their inquiries that revealed
Onovo's criminal past, while the health board said it went through the
required processes and routine checks before employing him and there
were no concerns about his competence.
The Medical Council said Onovo met all the registration requirements to
work in New Zealand and had references showing he was a good doctor.
Summary:
In the United States, a new law proposal called The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act (COICA) was introduced last week, andthere will be a hearing in front of the Judiciary Committee thisThursday.
If passed, this law will allow the government, under the command of themedia companies, to censor the internet as they see fit, like China andIran do, with the difference that the sites they decide to censor willbe completely removed from the internet and not just in the US.
Please see the following article from the Huffington Post for more information.
Stop the Internet Blacklist
And if you are a US citizen, please take the time to sign this petition
DemandProgress.org - Petition to Stop the Internet Blacklist!
When it really matters to them, Congressmembers can come together -- with a panache and wry wit you didn't know they had. As banned books week gets underway, and President Obama admonishes oppressive regimes for their censorship of the Internet, a group of powerful Senators --Republicans and Democrats alike -- have signed onto a bill that wouldvastly expand the government's power to censor the Internet.
The Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act(COICA) was introduced just one week ago, but it's greased and ready tomove, with a hearing in front of the Judiciary Committee this Thursday.If people don't speak out, US citizens could soon find themselvesjoining Iranians and Chinese in being blocked from accessing broadchunks of the public Internet...
Help us stop this bill in its tracks! Click here to sign our petition.
COICA creates two blacklists of Internet domain names. Courts could addsites to the first list; the Attorney General would have control overthe second. Internet service providers and others (everyone from Comcastto PayPal to Google AdSense) would be required to block any domains onthe first list. They would also receive immunity (and presumably thegood favor of the government) if they block domains on the second list.
The lists are for sites "dedicated to infringing activity," but that'sdefined very broadly -- any domain name where counterfeit goods orcopyrighted material are "central to the activity of the Internet site"could be blocked.
One example of what this means in practice: sites like YouTube could becensored in the US. Copyright holders like Viacom often arguecopyrighted material is central to the activity of YouTube, but undercurrent US law, YouTube is perfectly legal as long as they take downcopyrighted material when they're informed about it -- which is whyViacom lost to YouTube in court.
But if COICA passes, Viacom wouldn't even need to prove YouTube is doinganything illegal to get it shut down -- as long as they can persuadethe courts that enough other people are using it for copyright infringement, the whole site could be censored.
Perhaps even more disturbing: Even if Viacom couldn't get a court tocompel censorship of a YouTube or a similar site, the DOJ could put iton the second blacklist and encourage ISPs to block it even without acourt order. (ISPs have ample reason to abide the will of the powerfulDOJ, even if the law doesn't formally require them to do so.)
COICA's passage would be a tremendous blow to free speech on the Internet -- and likely a first step towards much broader onlinecensorship. Please help us fight back: The first step is signing our petition. We'll give you the tools to share it with your friends and call your Senator.
Reading: James 3:1-13, 17
- THAT exactly will be what is going on in the minds of the Koko Master's fans regarding his latest work, Mr. Endowment. After almost three weeks of the song’s release, it has lacked the basic characteristics of D'Banj in popularity and acceptance. Unlike his previous songs like, Why Me, Igwe and others that became anthems of sort within few days of release, many still are not aware the multiple award winning star has a single out. With Wande Coal now the new toast in the Mo'Hits family and taking home five awards at the last Hip Hop World Award (HHWA) and D'Banj going home with none, music analysts are of the opinion that the Kokomaster might have worked in a hurry to no avail to regain his position within the scene.
The 15 kids of Abayi International School, Aba, who were kidnapped on Monday regained their freedom on the early hours of Friday morning after a military task force stormed the hideout of their abductors to flush them out.
The children were later taken to the state government house in a military bus belonging to the task force, "'Operation Restore Hope" They were still in the school uniform they wore when they were kidnapped five days ago.
State governor Theodore Orji told the leader of the military force, Johnson A. O Ochaga, a brigadier, that he was happy to receive the 15 kids who have been subjected to untold ordeal alive and in good shape . He said they would be given appropriate medical attention.
The children were rescued by the Force at Ngwaiyiekwe, a community where the kidnappers had taken them to after they were abducted
on their way to school. The Force on Thusday stormed Ugwati and Ogwe primary schools, both in Ukwa west local government, which the kidnappers had converted to their camp for their nefarious activities. The kidnappers had sacked the people of the communities, who abandoned their houses which the hoodlums then occupy to keep their victims..
Mr Ochaga said the force's next task is to work to encourage the fleeing residents to return to their homes.
He said his force were in the state to assist the police, stressing that the operation was continuous exercise that will continue until the kidnappers were flushed out.
‘My day is made," Mr Orji said. "I was wondering how I would have been standing at the podium in the stadium taking the anniversary salute when my children were under the kidnappers custody.'
He who thanked the president, Goodluck Jonathan and the chief of Army Staff for sending the military on the rescue mission to Abia state to effect the release of the kids. He also said his wife had already cancelled the children's party that would have been part of the golden jubilee celebration.
He said the kidnappers were not human beings and must receive the reward of their evil act in this world.
"God will surely visit them with evil for keeping this children in the bush and denying the warmth of their homes and parental care."
Mr Orji warned the criminals to leave the state as there is no more hiding place for them to operate, even as he warned those sponsoring them that their names were being compiled and that they must at the appropriate time face the wrath of the law. He revealed that the abandoned Army barracks at Ohafia have been reactivated and taken over again by soldiers . He also said the state government has prepared Asa High School, in the centre of the kidnapping prone areas, as a camp for soldiers.
Big relief
Commending the presence of the military, he said they have made the difference in the long battle against kidnapping in the state and promised that the state would sustain the peace and appealed to those that had fled Aba and the environ to return and continue their life.
The Proprietor of the school, Chidi Ikonne, a professor of English at the University of Port Harcourt, said the rescue of the pupils was a very big relief as he had been under trauma since the hostage drama started. "We thank all those who made their release possible," he said.
Mr Ikonne said he established the school to help the poor, stating that about 40 % of the population of the school are on scholarship as part of his desire effort help the poor.
One of the parents of the kids, who said four of her children were among those rescued, thanked God for an end to her nightmares. "The five days have been hell on earth," she said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The children who looked frail, worn out and unkempt, drew tears from the eyes of many people who came to the government house to see them
It was gathered that the abducted students were going back to school when gunmen ambushed their bus at Ohanze, in Obingwa Local Government Area and took them hostage.
According to the driver of the students’ bus, whose identity could not be ascertained immediately, “when it appeared to the hoodlums that I hesitated to stop, they shot at me and one of the bullets hit my hand and I had to stop. They ordered me out of my vehicle at gunpoint and took the students along with it.”
The driver said the police at Umuobiakwa, in Eastern Ngwa, were alerted when the incident occured, but the matter was not followed up immediately. He said if the police had acted immediately, the abductors would have been tracked down.
Meanwhile, the kidnappers have asked for N2 million ransom. They also threatened to kill the students if their demand was not met and in reasonable time.
Parents of the affected students have appealed to the kidnappers to release their wards so that they would go back to school and resume academic work. They said they had no money to meet the ransom demand.
When contacted, the PPRO, Abia State Police Command, Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna, confirmed the incident. He said that efforts were on to effect the release of the students...
The explosions came after militants warned there was "nothing worth celebrating after 50 years of failure" in Africa's most populous nation, which is oil-rich but where most live on less than $1 a day.
Friday's attacks would be among the militants' boldest yet, striking in Nigeria's capital during an event with heavy security held hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the Niger Delta region where they are based.
A car bomb detonated just as a military formation began to march at Eagle Square, where President Goodluck Jonathan was on hand for the celebration.
Five minutes later, a second car bomb detonated, killing at least seven people, a police officer told an Associated Press reporter at the scene. At least one of the dead was a policeman, the officer said. The officer spoke on the condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to speak to reporters.
Inside Eagle Square, an AP reporter saw a small explosive detonate before members of the military gathered there. A security agent was seen lying on the ground near that blast.
The 50th independence anniversary ceremony continued without interruption, though attendees clearly recognized something had gone wrong.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, the main militant group in Nigeria's oil-rich southern delta, had issued a threat to journalists Friday morning.
"For 50 years, the people of the Niger Delta have had their land and resources stolen from them," the statement read. "The constitution before independence which offered resource control was mutilated by illegal military governments and this injustice is yet to be addressed."
Upset by the spills and the region's unceasing poverty, militants in the delta have targeted pipelines, kidnapped petroleum company workers and fought government troops since 2006. That violence drastically subsided after a government-sponsored amnesty deal last year, which provided cash payoffs for fighters and the promise of job training. However, many ex-fighters now complain that the government has failed to fulfill its promises.
The militants have used car bombs before. In March, they detonated two car bombs near a government building in the Niger Delta where officials were discussing the amnesty deal, wounding two people in an attack heard live on television.
In April 2006, MEND claimed responsibility for attacks on an army barracks and an oil refinery during which two people were killed. It also detonated a car bomb outside a state governor's office in December 2006.
Nigeria, a member of OPEC, is one of the top crude oil suppliers to the U.S.
The Cameroonian government has blacklisted Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, saying that he is an agent of Satan hoodwinking unsuspecting members of the public with “diabolical miracles”. •T.B. Joshua Cameroon Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Henri Eyebe Ayissi, in an official communiqué he issued this week titled “The Devil Is In the House”, described T.B. Joshua as a “son of the devil” pretending to be “a man of God”. The Minister warned hundreds of Cameroonians trooping to Lagos, South West Nigeria, for miracles in Joshua’s church, to desist from taking the trip or face the consequences as the country will not stand by them. The communiqué written in French reads in part “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs warns those who by naivety or deception of Emmanuel TV’s captivating images, or even those who by hopelessness, envisage taking the pilgrimage to Pastor T.B. Joshua’s Synagogue Church Of All Nations in Lagos, that they will do so at their own risk. “The Cameroonian Government warns these pilgrims that they will face the consequences alone. This is motivated by the painful and shameful fact that Cameroonian men and women, in search of deliverance and blessings, once in that church, find themselves in bestial and pitiable conditions. “Women are raped; pilgrims dispossessed of their belongings by armed robbers and left to sleep in the streets at the mercy of gangs. Many cases of assassinations have even been recorded. And this is without other cases that are not recorded at the Cameroonian Embassy in Lagos with the victims too ashamed to narrate their infernal odysseys once they are out of Hell,” the Minister said. The Minister said that while the bible asks us to be discreet with gifts and donations to the poor, T.B. Joshua is seen daily dolling out bags of rice to indigent people. Cameroonian newspapers which published the communiqué this week tell tales of hundreds of Cameroonians who sold their properties or borrowed money in the hope of getting miracles in T.B. Joshua’s Church, only to be disappointed in Lagos. The newspapers report that Joshua’s TV station has gained popularity in Cameroon and many people are tempted to take the trip and receive healings and sudden blessings. It says that Joshua is now in many households in Cameroon and many people believe the flashy images they watch on television. One newspaper writes in French “witnesses who come back from that pandemonium reveal that to secure an appointment with this Jesus-Christ-reincarnate, they had to spend 150, 000 FCFA (about N50, 000) and the amount keeps going up, depending on the treatment and the case. “This has led to confusion and disillusionment from Cameroonians, who on their way to Damascus, now find themselves refugees at the Cameroonian Embassy in Lagos.” The newspaper report says further: “There are many here in Cameroon, convinced of the power and the blessings of this “man of God”. However, they forget that Jesus Christ is in our hearts through faith and with our practice of the Ten Commandments and our relationship with one another. Before the publication of the communiqué by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the bible said over 2000 years ago, ‘And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceives you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many’.” When contacted this morning, T.B. Joshua denied that he has been blacklisted in Cameroon. He said that Cameroonians who come to his church only heard about him in Cameroon and started trooping to the church in Ikotun, with most of them without accommodation. He said that had he been aware of their presence around his church, he would have provided accommodation for them. He invited P.M.NEWS to visit his church for detailed information over the matter. | ||
Eighty-one percent of eligible Nigerians are willing to vote in forthcoming elections, according to a poll released yesterday.
The poll, ‘Current Pulse of Nation’s Survey’, carried out on topical national issues, sampled 5000 respondents, aged 18 years and above, from across the country.
‘Current Pulse of Nation’s Survey’ is conducted by Research and Marketing Services (RMS), an affiliate of TNS Global, a market research company and Gallup International’s representative in the country.
Adeola Tejumola, the CEO of the company, during a press briefing to announce the statistics, said the polls was centred on the forthcoming general elections because it is the most topical issue as the country celebrates its 50th Independence Day Anniversary..
‘More Nigerians will vote next year’
Mr. Tejumola said the reason for the high figure could probably be attributed to the “one man, one vote campaign”, or INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) administration suddenly improved, or just a reflection of the governance of the day.” “The challenges people raise concern for the most were the epileptic power supply, the increasing crime rate, coupled with the regular kidnapping going on, and corruption continues to rank high on the list,” he said. “For me, the fact that people are beginning to be aware that corruption is an issue, that they acknowledge that it does exist and the need to eradicate corruption in itself, is welcoming news.”
Another problem identified as major by the respondents, were low education quality and poor state of basic facilities.
Only 35 percent of the respondents were, however, confident that the forth coming elections will be free and fair, with half of the respondents expressing concerns about the success of the elections, in spite of the 81 percent willing to vote.
Aggrey Maposa, the company’s chief operating officer (COO), said the difference shows that people think the election process has improved, “though not yet perfect.” “Compared with the previous challenges that INEC used to have, people have seen improvements in the process of the elections. Even though, they understand that the process is not yet perfect, they are willing to vote and express their opinion,” he said.
‘Poor power is killing businesses’
Mr. Tejumola also said 81 percent of Nigeria’s eligible voters support President Goodluck Jonathan’s candidature in the race, noting that the polls was conducted before the presidential aspirants announced to run for office. “But it’s not just one-sided; if 81 percent are saying that President Jonathan should run, in the same report, 54 percent are saying they are not happy with the crime rate, 24 percent are saying that corruption is killing them, and 67 percent are saying that the epileptic power supply is killing their business,” he added.
The report also states that 63 percent of Nigerians will consider character in voting for a presidential candidate, while 33 percent would consider political affiliation. Thirty-one percent will consider political ideology and 27 percent will put the content of the manifesto ahead of other things. The poll also shows a slight popularity advantage for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), going into the next elections, while Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) had marginal drops in the number of respondents planning to vote for them.
Mr. Tejumola, however, advised presidential aspirants to consider Nigerians’ expectations going into the next elections. “Expectations of Nigerians include generation of employment opportunities, dependable electricity to drive national development, poverty eradication and free qualitative education, amongst others; a serious government would want to concentrate on doing these things for the people,” he said.
Mr. Tejumola also said the research was carried out by the company as “its Corporate Social Responsibility”, and promised that the company will continue to sample public opinion on “topical issues affecting the nation.”