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Mutallab : Maybe he didnt do it, Next seat 19B occupant says Accused Christmas Bomber Listened to Music, Slept

Posted by 9jabook.com on February 20, 2010 at 9:30pm
SEE Video

Michelle Norris interviews Jay howard the next seat occupant in the christmas day bombing

click to listen to interview here : http://bit.ly/aDAyUw

The man at the center of this story, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, remains in federal custody in Michigan. It's been nearly two months now since he allegedly tried to blow up Northwest Flight 253. On that flight, Abdulmutallab was in seat 19A. In 19B was Jay Howard, a 21-year-old college student from Grand Rapids, returning home from a semester abroad. He spoke with my co-host Michele Norris about that flight.

MICHELE NORRIS, host:

Melissa, Jay Howard says there was nothing unusual about Abdulmutallab. He said he was just an average seatmate.

Mr. JAY HOWARD (Student): I had gotten in first, so when he came by, I had to stand up and let him in. And then he thanked me for getting up for him, and we sat down together.

NORRIS: Throughout that flight, their interaction was minimal. Abdulmutallab told Howard he felt ill. And he mostly listened to music and slept. Then 10 minutes into the plane's final descent, everything changed.

Mr. HOWARD: Well, there was a large pop - like, almost everyone on the plane, I'm sure, I heard it. So, I was very curious to what had happened because it sounded very close to me. So, I was looking around and I noticed that my neighbor, Umar, had his blanket up over him, up to his chin and but I saw that there was smoke coming from underneath his blanket. And I also noticed a repulsive smell. And so I kind of questioned him, and I asked him about the smoke but he didn't respond. And so, I removed his blanket from him and smoke dispersed throughout the plane.

And he had his hand down his pants. So, when he removed his hands from his pants, fire erupted. And he and another passenger, who had come over from a couple of rows away, tried to put it out together. So...

NORRIS: Well, if I can just reach back for a minute, when you asked him about the smell, when he had the blanket pulled up to his chin, did he just ignore you?


Mr. HOWARD: Well, he didn't exactly ignore me. At that point, I just what I got out of him was that he didn't exactly know either but, of course, he did know. He seemed very surprised and shocked at what was happening, like he didn't know.

NORRIS: As you can hear, Jay Howard is very calm in describing a scary situation, but he says many of the other passengers were quite frantic. And I noticed something talking to him: He kept referring to Abdulmutallab by his first name, Umar, as if they were friends.

Mr. HOWARD: I only call him that because I mean, I don't want to call him a terrorist because he hasn't been treated as a terrorist and it wasn't a national threat, and so using Umar seems to be more human.

NORRIS: You have an interesting perspective - that you choose not to see him as a terrorist, and you don't see what he did as presenting a threat.

Mr. HOWARD: Well, I mean, it was a threat, of course, it was a threat because initially, he was trying to blow up the plane but he didn't succeed. I mainly treat him this way because of how he reacted towards what he was doing. And what his actions told me on the plane was that he was in over his head, and that he didn't exactly know what he was doing would entail.

NORRIS: That plane, of course, landed in Detroit. Jay Howard was questioned by the FBI. He was told not to say much about the incident. His clothes were taken for chemical analysis to help determine what Abdulmutallab's bomb was made of. FBI agents bought new clothes for Howard on the spot, but given the limited retail options at an airport, Howard's replacement ensemble was far from his usual style.

Mr. HOWARD: It's was a long-sleeve, yellow polo with blue stripes across it and blue pants. And they didn't find any shoes for me. And so I actually ended up wearing these enormous slippers that were like, golf-shoe style. It was so funny, it looked like I was just going to go golfing or something. Everyone was kind of giving me a strange look in the airport.

(Soundbite of laughter)

Mr. HOWARD: So, they had no idea what my day was like.

NORRIS: Jay Howard has since put the day behind him. He is focusing on his studies. He's not following Abdulmutallab's case very closely. And Melissa, he says he doesn't dwell on what-if scenarios.

MORE TO COME !



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SHELL: We are not quitting Nigeria,

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on February 10, 2010 at 8:17pm

The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) clarified that the recent divestment from three oil blocks in North Western Niger Delta does not imply it is gradually exiting its operations in Nigeria.

Shell insisted on Tuesday night that it is not exiting Nigeria and it is committed to continuing its operations in the country.

Speculations were rife that the oil major has set in motion plans to leave Nigeria because negotiations for the renewal of some of its expired licenses were stalled. This heightened after Shell announced the sale of its Oil Mining Licenses (OMLs) 4, 38, and 41 to a Nigerian-led multinational consortium.

Some industry watchers argue that the move was predicated on certain aspects of the Petroleum Industry Bill, particularly the new fiscal regime being proposed, which the International Oil Companies are uncomfortable with.

No plans to leave Nigeria

“Any suggestion that Shell has divested its asset and is exiting Nigeria is misleading and untrue,” said Mutiu Sunmonu, managing director of SPDC. “We did not sell the asset because of the PIB, neither did we sell the asset as a precursor to closing shop in Nigeria. We have a long-standing presence in, and commitment to Nigeria. We will continue our onshore and offshore exploration and production activities.” The three blocks have a combined condensate output of about 50,000 barrels per day. For a company like Shell, oil blocks which account for less than five percent of its total assets, are insignificant to its portfolio.

Rationale behind the sale

Explaining the rationale for the divestment in the three blocks, Mr. Sunmonu, who also doubles as Country Chair of Shell Nigeria, said: “Shell has a large and diversified global upstream portfolio, which we regularly review to ensure best value for the company.

“I want to emphasise that we did it also in support of government’s aspiration to support local participation in the industry. We believe that these assets are best developed by a third party and the divestment provides an opportunity for local companies to materially increase their participation in the hydrocarbon sector, consistent with the objective of the Federal Government.”

Operating environment

Since 2006, oil installations in Nigeria’s oil industry have come under attack by militants seeking greater access to the oil wealth, which impacted significantly on the operational costs. But despite a recent amnesty deal between the Federal Government and militants, peace still evades the oil-rich Niger Delta.

Mr. Sunmonu acknowledged that, like other oil and gas companies, the operations of Shell in Nigeria have been impacted by this and by several factors. “We recognise that these are challenging times in Nigeria. We’re faced with security, funding and other issues that have severely cut our onshore production and increased our direct costs.”

According to Austin Avuru, chief executive officer of Platform Petroleum, one of the Nigerian companies in the consortium that bought the three oil licenses from Shell: “We know that security is the major risk that we’ll face. It is also a risk we think we can manage better than the multinationals. So, it’s part of the reason we were considered to come in.”

The agreement is subject to the approval of the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), who hold the proprietary interest in the fields.

Aspirations for Shell

Mr. Sunmonu, who took over as Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria effective from January 1, said his primary goal is to “turn around the reputation of Shell in Nigeria,” which has taken a hit in recent months. The company is perceived by many to be taking a lot more than it is giving back.

With a budget of close to $4 billion this year, he said raising production levels will also be one of his key goals.

“Shell and Nigeria have been important to each other for over 50 years and we want that relationship to continue in a sustainable way. A successful oil and gas industry is key for Nigeria to achieve its long-term goals and Shell will continue to explore ways and means to emphasise our partnership and support of government objectives in Nigeria,” he promised.

shell

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Cecilia Ibru : Big Momma's Houses confiscated ! Court says deposit 150Billion Naira and you can go away .Money laundering charges await in US

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on January 27, 2010 at 1:56am
Court says deposit 150Billion Naira and you can go away .Money laundering charges await in US Despite a court order releasing her passport, a former Managing Director of Oceanic Bank International Plc, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, has not been able to travel to the United States for medical treatment. The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Daniel Abutu, had on December 19, 2009 granted the request of Ibru to travel to Washington DC , the United States for medical treatment. But the judge gave her up to January 24 to return to the country in view of her trial which is coming up on January 26. Investigation by The Nation however revealed that the CBN has secured another court order to protect depositors’ funds. The order asked Ibru to deposit N150billion with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Ibru to cover part of her liabilities before she can travel for medical treatment. It was learnt that the CBN made the demand following fears that she might run away from the country under the guise of medical check-up. A highly-placed source said: "Since she has about N235billion exposure, the CBN wanted her to deposit about N150billion as a guarantee that she will return to the country. "Based on the court order obtained by the CBN, Mrs. Ibru asked her counsel to negotiate with the apex bank on the fresh demand. "When Ibru’s counsel met with the CBN team, they said they would go and consider the proposal. But they have not returned since then. "The situation has left Mrs. Ibru stranded in the country as she is legally barred. The CBN is also not ready for any waiver." Asked when the negotiation on the medical trip will resume, the source added: "It is left to Mrs. Ibru if she is ready to part with N150billion. "We have reached a level that suspect standing trial for alleged financial crimes would not be allowed to hide under the law to escape from justice." Another source in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission also said: "Mrs. Ibru is still in the country because we have initially watch-listed her to relevant agencies in the United States . "If she goes to the US today, she will also face a fresh trial for money laundering. I think she chose to stay in Nigeria to bear her cross. Out of 75 properties which Mrs. Ibru allegedly with slush funds, 12 houses are in the United States. Buildings suspected to have been bought by Cecilia Ibru in the United States with the funds of Oceanic Bank International Plc, through Agape Global Real Estate LLC, are located at 4155 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA, purchased for the sum of US$452,508.00 (registered in the name of Anita DaSilva Ibru); 4145 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA, purchased for the sum of US$440,105.00 (registered in the name of Anita DaSilva Ibru); 4139 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA, purchased for the sum of US$451,629.00 (registered in the name of Edesiri Onatejerohene Ibru); and 4149 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA, purchased for the sum of US$473,657.00 (registered in the name of Obaro and Hirut Ibru). Others are 4141 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA, purchased for the sum of US$441,790.00 (registered in the name of Cecilia Ibru); 4143 Chariot Way, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA, purchased for the sum of US$439,362.00 (registered in the name of Cecilia Ibru); 14605 Hawley Lane, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA, purchased for the sum of US$399,990.00 (registered in the name of Janet Ibru); 14630 Hawley Lane, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA, purchased for the sum of US$460,703.00 (registered in the name of Janet Ibru); 14721 Argos Place, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA, purchased for the sum of US$457,950.00 (registered in the name of Janet Ibru); 14719 Argos Place, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA, purchased for the sum of US$451,840.00 (registered in the name of Janet Ibru); 11300 Dappled Grey Way, Upper Marlboro, Maryland, USA, purchased for the sum of US$987,949.00 (registered in the name of Cecilia Ibru).
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Licensed TO KILL: Naija police above the law stance, says Amnesty International

Posted by 9jabook.com on December 11, 2009 at 10:51pm
Amnesty International exposed the shocking level of unlawful police killings in Nigeria in a new report released on Wednesday. “The Nigerian police are responsible for hundreds of unlawful killings every year,” said Erwin van der Borght, Director of Amnesty International’s Africa Programme. “Police don’t only kill people by shooting them; they also torture them to death, often while they are in detention.” “The majority of the cases go un-investigated and the police officers responsible go unpunished. The families of the victims usually get no justice or redress. Most never even find out what happened to their loved ones.” Police frequently claim that the victims of shootings were ‘armed robbers’ killed in ‘shoot-outs’ with the police or while trying to escape custody. These claims are often highly implausible. Fifteen-year-old Emmanuel Egbo was killed by a police officer in Enugu in September 2008. According to witnesses, he was playing with other children in front of his uncle’s house when three police officers came up to them. One officer pulled out a gun and shot the boy, claiming he was an armed robber. He was unarmed. In August 2009, his family discovered his body had disappeared from the mortuary. As of November 2009, the body is still missing. Amnesty International said that some police officers see the killings of ‘armed robbers’ in detention as acceptable practice. In June 2009, the organization visited the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) detention centre in Abuja, which is located in a disused abattoir outside the city. Suspects are held in a vast warehouse previously used for slaughtering cattle. Chains are still hanging from the ceiling. When Amnesty International delegates visited the building, about 15 people were held in cells. Amnesty International delegates counted at least 30 empty bullet cases scattered on the ground. Unofficially, a policeman told Amnesty International that many “armed robbers” are taken there and shot. Amnesty International said that one of the main problems is ‘Nigeria Police Force Order 237’ under which police officers are allowed to shoot suspects and detainees who attempt to escape or avoid arrest – whether or not they pose a threat to life. “Force Order 237 is so impermissibly broad. It simply gives police officers permission to shoot people. It is against international standards, and is being abused by police officers to commit, justify and cover up illegal killings,” said Erwin van der Borght. “The government must repeal Force Order 237 and publicly announce that the use of lethal force is only allowed when strictly unavoidable to protect life. This simple step could make a big difference to the number of unlawful police killings we are seeing in Nigeria.” Enforced disappearances in Nigeria are rife. Typically, in the first days or weeks following arrest, families are allowed to visit their relatives in detention. Later on, police tell them their loved ones have been “transferred to Abuja”. Other times, they simply deny any knowledge of their whereabouts. The Nigerian government says that they do not condone extrajudicial killings. But they are not doing enough to stop them and bring the police perpetrators to justice. Even on the rare occasions when police officers implicated in an unlawful killing are prosecuted, they are often released on bail or escape custody. Some are simply transferred to other states. “Ending unlawful killings and enforced disappearances by the police will require serious legal reform and commitment and support from the Nigerian police force,” said Erwin van der Borght. “The Nigerian Police Force must introduce a new code of conduct throughout its chain of command – from the very top to the bottom. If not, the cycle of violence will simply continue.”
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Supreme Court says Soludo is Anambra PDP candidate

Posted by 9jabook.com on December 17, 2009 at 8:29pm
Supreme Court says Soludo is Anambra PDP candidate The camp of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Chukwuma Soludo, erupted in excitement this afternoon after the Supreme Court vacated the order barring Mr. Soludo from parading himself as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the February 6, 2010 governorship election in Anambra State. The victory comes a day after the Federal Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, Wednesday, refused to lift its interim order that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should not recognise Mr. Soludo as the PDP candidate. Mr. Soludo was taken to court by some members of the party after the controversial decision of the National Executive Council of the party to choose the former CBN governor without any recourse to a primary election. A lower court in Abuja backs Mr. Soludo’s choice. Although, the Appeal Court is yet to rule on the substantive suit on his candidature, the Supreme Court’s decision means Mr. Soludo will fly the flag of the party in the February elections against other confirmed candidates such as the state governor, Peter Obi; former governor, Chris Ngige and Andy Uba.
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"Pope" : Vampire movie New Moon is deviant, says the Vatican

Posted by Jane Okinedo on November 20, 2009 at 12:30am
Vampire movie New Moon is deviant, says the VaticanVampire movie New Moon has been condemned by the Vatican as a 'deviant moral vacuum.'The latest film in the Twilight saga stars British actor Robert Pattinson as a blood-sucker who falls in love with a beautiful teenage girl.It is based on the hugely popular series of books by Stephanie Meyer, an American Mormon and mother of three. But that means little to the Catholic Church in Italy.This film is nothing more than a moral vacuum with a deviant message and, as such, is something that should be of concern,' said Monsignor Franco Perazzolo, of the pontifical council of culture yesterday.'This theme of vampires in Twilight combines a mixture of excesses that, as ever, is aimed at young people and gives a heavy esoteric element.'Three weeks ago the Vatican condemned Halloween as 'anti-Christian and dangerous' and it urged parents not to dress their children as ghosts, goblins and vampires.Such statements are not likely to dent New Moon's massive box office appeal. The first Twilight movie grossed more than $550million (£330million) in US box office and DVD sales.
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Lamidi Adedibu says "I am in Hell Fire" I see Adedibu in my dreams once in two weeks –Widow Lagos Jump

Posted by Akin Osunlaja WebLagosian on June 13, 2009 at 1:14am
I see Adedibu in my dreams once in two weeks –Widow Our Sources say this edited version does not contain the chilling news of Adedibus warning from the Grave that HELL IS REAL ! Rumours are circulating in Ibadan that Adedibu appeared to his widow and says he is burning in Hell Fire ! Below is the edited version From AKEEB ALARAPE, Ibadan For upward of 20 years, Alhaja Modinat Abosede Adedibu bestrode the political circles of Oyo State , side by side with her beloved husband, late Chief Lamidi Ariyibi Adedibu. Popularly referred to as ‘Yeye’, Alhaja Bose was a force to be reckoned in the running of Molete political empire of Adedibu. Her words are laws and you dare not look her in the face if you don’t want to curry the anger of the ‘boys’. your advertisement http://www.naijalondon.com http://www.ask9ja.com classifieds At the death of her husband last year, the running of Molete naturally fell on her lap as Adedibu’s hangers-on departed Molete for greener pastures at the homes of other political leaders in the state. Preparatory to the commemoration of the one year anniversary of the death of the strongman of Ibadan politics, Alhaja Bose opened up to Daily Sun on the challenges facing her and how she has been coping with life after the demise of his godfather husband. Excerpts: By June 11, it will be one year that Baba departed to the world beyond. How has life been without Baba? Well, I thank God for everything. It has been okay, no matter what. We still miss him and we will miss him for life. I thank God for everything. Is there any plan to commemorate the one year of his death? So many people have their plans for remembering him, not only on Thursday or Friday; but those that he had touched their lives. They have their plans. I, too, have my plans. The children also have their own. I know my husband loved prayers too much. Yes, I know he loved to pray and I too do pray for him whenever I pray five times daily. But in commemoration of one year of his death, I will organize special prayers for him on Thursday and Friday. The prayers will continue but at least to mark those two days. On the plans by his political children, so many of them have contacted me but until that day I cannot say what they have up their sleeves. I can’t be asking them what they have for the man. But I think they know their responsibilities and rights. They know this man had touched their lives and they want to pay him back after his demise. So, there are too many plans that I cannot go into details. Whoever comes that day will be welcome. What has been your relationship with numerous political children left behind by Baba? Are they living up to expectations? No. No. I mean most of them. There is a Yoruba proverb that says ‘iwon ba ni awon to le se ehin’, meaning; ‘only a few can represent one in ones absence’. Have they been shutting their doors against you? Well, like my husband, I too believe so much in prayers. But those that know God very well among them and who also believe that one day we will all go to where this man has gone, are still with me and the family. Apart from being your husband, who was Adedibu to you? Everything. Did you know him? If you happen to sit down with him; if you happen to talk with him, what will you say about him? That is why I said he is everything to me. There is an adage that says ‘a kii rin ki ori ma mi’, meaning; ‘nobody can be perfect’. The man was a fantastic man. When it comes to prayers, you cannot beat him. In politics, he is yet to be surpassed. Whenever they called him the strongman of Ibadan politics, I just look at them. He was not a strongman of Ibadan politics, he was the strongman of Nigerian politics. Yes, the strongman of Nigerian politics. And he knew what he was doing. You know, he followed his masters faithfully and he learnt a lot from them. I thank God for his life because God was actually merciful to him. If there is room for re-incarnation and you happen to meet him again as an Adedibu, a politician, will you marry him? Yes. Yes. Honestly. Honestly, I will prefer to marry him if we meet again. Is it because of the fame, or the financial benefit you drive from him? Domestically, are you saying he was also a fantastic husband? Yes. He was a loving father and a caring husband. You people underrated him. With him and the children, you can never quantify him. As he had time for politics, he had time for the children also. I can say he even had time for the children more than politics. And he cared. What have been the challenges facing the family since the last one year of Baba’s death? So far, so good. That is why I say I thank God. So many challenges. So many things. For instance, there is a stupid boy that used to send text messages to my mobile phones even in the mid of the night. He will curse me and curse my children. And we did not know the boy. It was not until Friday, June 5 that we discovered him. I would have reported him but I was told to leave him to God. And I have decided to leave him to God because this particular boy is one of my handwork. So, for him to be sending text messages to me, cursing me in the absence of my husband; if my husband were to be alive, can he do that? That is one of the insults. But the boy will soon know that God is a God of justice. He will soon realize that God will reward his deeds very soon. What was his grouse? Nothing between me and him. He was sending text messages to me because he claimed he heard that I wanted to contest the Federal House of Representatives seat, which Hon. Folake Oshinowo is presently occupying. He didn’t ask me; I didn’t tell anybody I am going to contest. Maybe, he was trying to satisfy Hon. Folake; I don’t know. But Hon. Folake and I are in good terms. She is my very good sister and her husband too is my very good brother. We are very close. I don’t know the boy’s problem. You know, maybe he is benefiting something from Hon. Folake and he has to show that he is doing something in her favour in return. But I am very sure that very soon, he will meet his waterloo. You still look young and beautiful. Do you have any plan to remarry after Baba’s demise or you are contented living as his widow? (Laughs). How can I plan to remarry? Well, if I want to marry, I can still marry but it is not in my plan. My children are enough for me and they are doing fine. Did Baba give you any specific message or instruction before his death or a premonition of his death? No, he did not. He might have known that he was about to die but he did not tell me anything. Maybe, he had known that he wanted to die because his attitude changed even not three days before he died. That was why, before he died, I used to sit beside him; to monitor him and to correct him. What he was saying was the normal instructions and I did not see anything special about them. As husband and wife, we used to discuss a lot. Now that he had died, I tend to reflect on some of the things he told me and now connect them with his death. Then, it dawned on me that he might have seen his death coming. In the last one year, have you had the cause of seeing him in your dream? Yes, all the time. At least, once in two weeks, I will see him in my dream. He will give me instructions on those he used to assist with money when he was alive and that I should go and give them money. He will advise me about matters affecting the children and he will always admonish me not to fight. He also used to ask aftermembers of his political family, especially those who have stopped coming to see us. I don’t know how he got to know all these from his new abode. You have learnt a lot from Baba that you too can now be described as a politician, is it true you are planning to contest or you prefer to remain a godmother? Hmm. I don’t really want to contest. Initially, I wanted to contest before the arrival of my son-in-law, Senator Kamarudeen Adedibu; but since he has been there, I have dropped the idea. You still maintain all the domestic staff left behind by Baba Adedibu, how are you managing to cope with them? Thank God, I am doing my best. But I will say it is to God’s intervention. I am trying to cope. Is there any plan to immortalize Adedibu’s name in view of his contribution to the politics of the state? You mean in terms of a foundation in his name and all that? Well, there is. We are on it. The children and the government are putting something together. But I don’t know what Baba’s political children are doing to immortalize his names. However, the governor and the deputy-governor have been doing their best for the family of Adedibu. If the governor is not coming to Molete again that does not mean he is not doing what is expected of him. You know, he cannot satisfy everybody since the family is a very large one. To me, his not coming here (Molete) does not mean anything. Whenever I want to see him or any member of the family, he sees us at interval. The deputy-governor too has been doing fine. You know, his relationship is not based on politics. He is a son to Baba. So, he cannot afford to forget his father’s house.
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Co-prisoner impregnated me, says Nigerian, Samantha Orobator, 20, jailed for life in Laos, Vietnam

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on June 8, 2009 at 10:30pm
Nigerian-born British woman, Samantha Orobator, 20, jailed for life in Laos, Vietnam, for smuggling drugs, has confessed that a fellow British prisoner, John Watson, 47, is the father of her unborn child. This is coming against the backdrop of frantic diplomatic efforts by the British authorities to ensure quick transfer of pregnant Orobator to the UK, to serve her sentence, as she gets into the third trimester stage in her pregnancy. Reliable sources have also confirmed that Watson, who is also serving a life sentence for drug smuggling and had agreed to father her baby to save her from death sentence, is also being transferred to serve his remaining sentence in UK jail. Orobator, last Wednesday, pleaded guilty to trying to smuggle heroin out of the country, but her death sentence was commuted because she is pregnant. Orobator had been held in Phonthong since she was arrested at Wattay International Airport on August 5, 2008, with 1.5lb (680g) of heroin, and reportedly conceived last December, claiming the father was a Buddhist monk, and later said she had inseminated herself using Watson's sperm. A syringe was found among her belongings. There is, however, palpable fear that Orobator may not be transferred to the UK before her pregnancy reaches term. Although the UK and Laos signed a prisoner transfer agreement last month, it does not come into effect immediately, so she may end up having the baby in Laotian jail. It is gathered however, that she is being visited by medical team to ascertain her state of health and fitness, preparatory to a possible flight home. She has been reported to have expressed her worries that the prison diet will harm her baby and had been described by her mother, Jane, as "very fragile." Caroline Morten, of Human Rights group Reprieve, said: "she's just into her third trimester now and needs to be given a doctor's approval to fly, but we are hoping to get her back in a week. At the moment, we don't want to talk too much about what's going on, but we are optimistic." Confirming the repatriation, a spokesman from the Foreign Office said, "we are working on the goodwill of the Laotian government to repatriate Ms Orobator as soon as possible and Mr Watson would of course benefit from that too, in making an application." Watson was arrested in 2003 and given a life sentence in 2006. His health has deteriorated in jail and he is said to suffer from depression. He has been denied visits from anyone except officials from the Australian embassy, who are able to meet him once a month, and he is able to send occasional emails home. The UK has no consulate in Laos. "I know it sounds like an old cliche," Watson said last year to the Foreign Prisoner Support Service, an online campaigning group based in Australia, "but honestly, being in here, I do truly believe now that you don't know what you've got till it's gone." Meanwhile, following the new development, Watson is facing sanctions in prison as his mobile phone had been confiscated by officials at the squalid Phonthong prison in Vientiane, where the pair are being held He could face further sanctions from the authorities if he was proven to have helped Orobator.
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Fashola Declare Abiola Third Executive President of Nigeria, says Fashola

Posted by Choochoo Sports Book on June 14, 2009 at 8:00pm
AS eminent Nigerians yesterday reviewed the state of the nation 16 years after the annulment of the June 12 election, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) has called on the Federal Government to declare the late Chief MKO Abiola the winner of June 12, 1993 election with all the paraphernalia of office of Presidency given members of his family.Speaking yesterday in Lagos at a public lecture in honour of MKO Abiola, he said there are non-negotiable pillars upon which democracy will stand. "Those are the pillar of truth and the pillar of justice. The search for the truth will embolden us to ask questions about how we got to this point-over the last 49 years and request that those who are the custodians of democracy explain how they managed the conduct of our elections during their time and once we find the truth, we must be courageous to insist that justice be done," he said.According to him, one of the truths that have come out was that there was injustice in annulling an election by somebody who was not the custodian of that election."He had no business with that election. But the umpire of that election has come out in a book he published on June 12 last year that indeed MKO Abiola won the election. We must then move to do justice and do justice to that mandate. We must acknowledge, even if posthumously, that he was the duly elected president of this country and all the due honour must be given to the family he left behind," Fashiola declared.He regretted that rather than address the real problem of instability, "the whole attention of the nation is focused on issue of succession. How are the leaders going to be produced? Has the process been fair? Increasingly, little attention is paid to the quality or the efficiency of that leader. I made the point that from the June 12 riot. The shut down, the fuel scarcity and the darkness that is still with us today, it produced only a military compromise that we did not prepare for, that led us to a still-born contrivance. And in 1999, it produced a constitution that we have no say about. It led us to a leadership whose goal was to ensure that we did not break up but not necessarily to provide the minimum development objective," he said.He regretted that the government was not talking about water and power supply."We paid lip service to law and justice and attempted to subvert the questionable foundation of his own very existence via a tenure elongation. In 2007 again, what were we doing? We forgot about power and insecurity and about the agitation of the aggrieved members of this federation. The whole nation was faced again with the leadership and succession questions. Anything became better than no change at all. The cycle has been endless and 16 years have passed," he said.He expressed regret that in the process, the desert in the Middle East has become the tourist capital of the world. "Angola has come out of a civil war and is becoming one of the fastest-growing countries in Africa and has transformed into an architectural master piece and an emerging technology centre. In that time, the Asian Tiger whose products we degraded has moved on. South Korea has hosted the World Cup and China the Olympic. South Africa, for whose liberation we stood vanguard has gotten the nod ahead of us to host the first ever Africa World cup."There had been a lot of missed opportunities. Why has the name of democracy has not come true for our people? Why we persevere, we must insist on certain non-negotiable pillars upon which democracy will stand. Those are the pillars of truth and the pillar of justice," he said.Speaking in the same vein, the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Bola Tinubu called on the National Assembly to legislate on how Abiola's birthday could become a national public holiday as a mark of respect for the hero of democracy.According to him, a great leader like Martin Luther King (Jr.) has his birthday celebrated in US for his role in the enthronement of democracy, adding, "I think the best thing for us to do as a nation is to resolve here today that Abiola should be immortalized."Tinubu also called on the government to respect and adopt the recommendations of the Honourable Justice Mohammed Uwais Electoral Reform Committee without amending it to suit the ruling Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) agenda.He said: "For the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be truly independent, the government should agree with the Uwais's recommendation that the Chairman of INEC should be appointed by the National Judicial Council."He said that June 12, 1993 election was free and fair because of the open ballot system that was employed, calling on the Federal Government to return to the method so that sanity could be restored in the electoral process in the country.In his presentation, the Guest Speaker, Professor Bayo Williams said successive administrations after the June 12 saga had indirectly annulled the mandate of the people through rigging and series of manipulation.He said: "1999, 2003, 2007 elections were dented with series of manipulations. This is another way of annulling election and stealing the people's mandate."Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Prof Pat Utomi and Governorship candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Senator Abiola Ajimobi said apart from a credible electoral law, both politicians and the electorates must develop positive attitude and conduct towards politics.They spoke at a seminar to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the June 12 organised by the Nigeria Voters Assembly (VOTAS) in Ibadan.Bankole in his address at the event gave assurance that the National Assembly would do everything within its power to give the nation electoral laws that would best serve the national interest.Bankole who was represented by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kayode Odunaro said rather than the sole reliance on electoral laws for credible election, there must be an enviable electoral conduct on the part of Nigerians.He argued that it was not only secret ballot that produced June 12, but the conduct of Nigerians across all the zones of the country that resulted in that historic mandate.He said: "The challenge facing our nation today is, therefore, not for the leadership alone, which rightly should carry the greater share but all of us at the end of the day have shared responsibility. I am burdened to ask us as a people that our quest for a credible electoral system would not be brought about by legislation alone, no matter how beautifully crafted our electoral laws are. Our electoral conduct is as vital as the laws, if not more vital. I insist that it was not only open secret ballot that produced June 12. Rather, it was with the conduct of Nigerians across all the zones of Nigeria that resulted in that historic mandate, he noted".In his remarks, Utomi expressed regrets that things are still getting worse for Nigeria's democracy since the election was annulled 16 years ago.The ADC Presidential candidate noted that June 12 left a historical consequence and that if things are not done right, it will still come around to us all."Unless we build an ideal situation, the problem will still be with us. June 12 has taught us to get things right. It cannot be wished away like Obasanjo tried to do. It made our country recognised the value of democracy".As a way out of the problem, Utomi said Nigeria is in dire need of politicians who will respect the wishes of the people."What we have today is that we have a political class that is contemptuous of Nigerians. The votes of Nigerians no longer count in the current dispensation. As a result of this, Nigeria is not making progress," he observed.Ajimobi, on his part said the electorate must be ready to ask questions before casting their vote for any candidate irrespective of party affiliation and must be ready to guard it jealously as the late M.K.O Abiola did.Meanwhile, Nigerians Under the umbrella of The June 12 Coalition group yesterday assembled at the ICAN centre Lagos to commemorate the demise of the eminent politician and the June 12 election.Declaring that the June 12 will remain green in annals of history, the group maintained that though Abiola was gone; his footprint remained on the sands of time forever- for he came, saw and conquered. Though not allowed to rule but his sacrifice gave democracy to Nigeria as a dividend.Declaring the anniversary open, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Ayo Opadokun led the June 12 Coalition group on solidarity song with display of placards.Some of the placard read, " 1999 Constitution is a fraud, amendment not an option," End Corruption and Electoral fraud, Eradicate poverty in our country, June 12 never again; Down internal Colonialism."The group disclosed that they are in support of the steps being taken to reject the 1999 Constitution as it makes a false claim in its preamble to have been enacted by Nigerians.They further maintained that the need for amendment does not arise because the National Assembly itself was a product of the fraudulent 1999 Constitution."The Coalition will henceforth mobilize the citizenry to peacefully express their rejection of the imposed 1999 Constitution and to demand its replacement by a negotiated alternative," the group added.Reading the declaration made by the group, Opadokun noted that the emergence of Abiola as the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election collapsed the wall of ethnicity and religious bigotry.
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Shell Soldiers says 200 militants killed in Delta State

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on May 17, 2009 at 5:00pm
At least 200 militants have been killed in the recent clash with the Nigerian military in the oil rich southeast Delta State, security sources said on Friday. "The militants gave a feeble resistance but cave in to the firepower of our boys, there is no doubt that about 200 of them must have died in the engagement," the sources said. An all-out war broke out on Friday between militants and operatives of the Joint Task Force (JTF) taking a military action code-named Operation Restore Hope. Security sources told 9jabook sources that the soldiers moved into Camp 5, the major base of militants in Delta State axis of the Niger Delta, by 10 a.m. local time and bombarded the place with shells from gunboats. Soldiers also used artillery on the ground while the air force covering the operation headed by the new commander of the JTF, Sarkin Yaki Bello, who was at the JTF headquarters with his deputy Wuyep Rimtip when the militants launch an attack on Wednesday. The operation began at Oporoza where there was little resistance to the military entry. Exchange of fire was reported after the militants moved to Camp 5. "The battle was simple for our boys, they had been spoiling for action against that Tompolo and his boys in that camp who always claim they have more strength than them," the sources said. After the Oporoza raid, the soldiers then moved to the nearby Kunukunuma and Okerenkoko, all around Chanomi creeks where the militants held sway. The leader of Camp 5 militants is feared to be killed, but could not be verified. The Management of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has reportedly started evacuating their personnel from the troubled area while Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) restricted the movement of their workers within their facility. With the battle going on, there was fear that residents in the region of Warri were caught up in the crossfire between the soldiers and militants in the town. Rabe Abubakar, the spokesman for the military, said soldiers launched the operation to weed out the criminals that attacked their soldiers and hijacked two vessels in the area. He said it was the responsibility of JTF to fish out the hoodlums that attacked their men. Meanwhile, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta(MEND) said one of the hostages was killed by stray bullets from the Nigerian army who attacked an area they were being held in Delta state. The hostage was a Filipino sailor seized from the boat, the MV Spirit, on Thursday morning, militants said. The Nigerian military clashed with the MEND in southern Delta State on Wednesday morning.
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Rawlings says Ghana inspires many countries

Posted by Charles Attah AccraNews on May 21, 2009 at 8:17pm
Accra, May 20, GNA – Former President Jerry John Rawlings has observed that directions taken by countries such as Ghana have served as a source of inspiration to many countries in Africa and beyond.“As leaders of our countries, we have a responsibility to gauge the mood of the people and always move the political train in a direction that ensures that the electorate feel their interests have been served,” he said in a lecture he delivered on “Democracy and Security in Africa” under the auspices of the Oxford Research Network on Governance in Africa in London on Tuesday.The former president said in his lecture, a copy of which was e-mailed to GNA, that democracy made true meaning when it was the kind of governance that advertised true people power.He said security and political stability were key for real socio-economic development and that security relied on a genuine democratic culture.Former President Rawlings said the multiparty system of governance “prescribed and inflicted on us by some Western powers did not factor the social cultural fabric of our traditional political system that existed before Western multiparty democracy.”“It is not the absence of military interventions, which we seem to have achieved, that will restore democracy, freedom, justice and development. What is required is the integrity of leadership and ability to empower the people. Leadership should have confidence in our people and not feel intimidated by empowering them,” he said.The former president said corruption had persisted because leaders had used state machinery to terrorise the people and silence the opposition.He also noted that “vested interests from outside” had also contributed to perpetuating this by whitewashing such corrupt and autocratic governments.Former President Rawlings said while national security involved protecting the state, its institutions andsovereignty, human or political security entailed issues of poverty, basic amenities, employment, and abuse of human rights.The former president said it was most unethical and politically unwise to attempt to govern a people by resorting to a high ratio of physical security as opposed to political/human security.“Are we not violating people's human rights, sensibilities and sensitivities with the use of the coercive machinery of the state by terrorising people into a State of subjugation?” he asked.Former Rawlings said on the other hand, a high ratio of political/human to physical security was a mark of good leadership and a demonstration of confidence in the sense of responsibility of people as this empowered the people.“If we have the courage to empower our people, it then demands of us a leadership that will necessarily be accountable to the people, be transparent and maintain a high degree of integrity.”Former President Rawlings also said the use of the judiciary to jail innocent people contributed to instilling fear and emasculating the populace.“In effect, it creates a false and intoxicating sense of security for the leadership at the expense of the security and the empowerment of the citizenry. We then get away with being corrupt dictators. Integrity, transparency and accountability become meaningless in our leadership. Fear, intimidation and terror tactics are the tools of corrupt dictatorships.”Former President Rawlings said security could not exist in a vacuum but always overlapped with the political environment.He said in Africa, democracy and security had always been bedfellows, saying the democratic system of governance related to the free and equal representation of the people in the management of a country.Former President Rawlings said democracy worked only when it had evolved within a specific socio-cultural environment and fused into the traditional political systems such that it was seen as an indigenous product, but unfortunately Africa had not been given the opportunity to develop this.Turning to Ghana, the former president traced his rise to power and said the country underwent political and economic metamorphoses that every true proponent of democracy had to concede, laid the fertile framework for what was regarded today as a stable democracy
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