Five months ago, a friend of mine, who edits a national daily, sent me a text message agreeing substantially with my column, ‘The Punch and the rest of us’, except the generalised conclusion that “all (journalists) have sinned and fallen short of the glory of the profession”. There are still some journalists, he submits, who toe the narrow path of integrity. Of course I knew where he was coming from, but I also knew the context in which I had made that statement.

I revisit that statement in light of the stories spewing out of the political beat, specifically on the race for the 2011 presidential elections and how it affects the integrity of news.

As part of the effort to sell his candidature for the presidency, former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) invited as many as 40 journalists to his Minna home on August 14 for an interview. I have heard questions asked about why he should invite journalists to his home instead of a public place if he didn’t have an ulterior motive, and why he should offer monetary gifts to the journalists in the name of paying for their transportation.

One news medium, which has championed this opposition in the open, is the online agency, Sahara Reporters. According to SR each of the journalists received N10 million for heeding Babangida’s call on his presidential ambition. That is N400 million just for one night’s interview from an aspirant yet to win his party’s nomination if it were true. But it was not. When some of the journalists complained about the fictional sum, SR changed the story on August 19, saying it was just “a paltry N250, 000 each”. Rather than admit its initial error SR simply said, “our accountants have told us that going by the number of 40 journalists in attendance, we are still around the same ballpark of N10 million”. So much for credible reporting!

Three days later, SR followed up with ‘IBB and his Rogue Journalists’, accusing the journalists of roguery and professional misconduct; roguery, because they collected money from two sources—their employers who presumably authorised and funded the trip and their news source, IBB; misconduct because it is unethical for them to demand/receive gratification from news sources for their services.

And on August 23 in ‘IBB Nocturnal Press Parley: Punch fires Editorial board Chairman’, SR stayed on top of the story by reporting that Adebolu Arowolo, editorial board chairman of the Punch, had lost his job for going on that trip without his management’s approval..

The man who got a minor he allegedly impregnated, arrested and imprisoned for eight months, has been arrested by the police.

For over seven days, Nadum Nwitua, the man accused of impregnating Comfort Monday, the 17-year-old inmate, who had been incarcerated while pregnant at the Kirikiri Female Prison, Apapa, for eight months, over an alleged theft of N295,000, had evaded all attempts by federal and state government officials catching up with him.

Following the intervention of the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, through the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development in effecting Ms Monday’s release, Mr Nwitua had gone underground. Witnesses said he only returns to his abode at 2 Owode Street, Abule Egba, at midnight and leaves before dawn. Subsequently, police officers attached to the governor’s office and Alausa police station, arrested him on August 20, at about 6am, as he made to leave his compound. He is accused of sexually abusing Ms Monday.

Denies the charge

Mr Nwitua denied ever having any sexual relations with Ms Monday. “I have never touched her,” he said. “I have being arrested for an offence I have no idea; when everyone knows she has a boyfriend, Kennedy, who must have impregnated her. Why has he not being arrested and brought here?.” He also denied being invited by any government agency to answer any of the allegations levied against him. But Lucas Koyejo, the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of the National Human Rights Commission, produced a letter of invitation addressed to Mr Nwitua, dated August 9, 2010, alleging assault, rape, trafficking, child labour and malicious prosecution of Ms Monday, which was signed and received by Mr Nwitua’s niece, Princess, on August 11. “In view of the seriousness of the above allegations, the commission hereby request for your response within seven days of your receipt of this letter in order to make a fair and just decision in this matter,” the letter read..

Different tune

At the Police State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, Mr Nwitua began to sang a different tune. He accused the Lagos State government of conspiring against him; and boasted that the charge of impregnating Ms Monday, if proven, would show he is a man. “Comfort was given to me by her father and brother for marriage,” he said. “I paid them about N25,000. Even if I impregnated her, am I not a man? So what crime have I done? All this allegations are just lies. Everybody that is a Yoruba is a liar. All you Yorubas are all liars.” Vure Kara, lawyer to Mr Nwitua, said his client was willing to undergo medical tests to confirm whether he is the father of the baby, adding if positive, he would have committed no crime since Ms Monday is above 16 years. “Our law is clear, once a person is within the age of 16 years, the issue of having intercourse with anybody is not a crime at all,” he said. “It is only if you have sexual intercourse with any person under 16 that it is a crime. So if that happens, it will be resolved. There is always a way about it..”

Not so easy

But indications are that Mr Nwitua, who has being detained over the weekend at Panti, will be charged to a family court. This would mean he will be tried under the Child Rights Law of Lagos State, thus ensuring a stiffer penalty. “It is a criminal matter and there are several allegations against him,” Mr Koyejo said. “First of all there is the allegation of rape because he forcefully had carnal knowledge of an underage under his care and the penalty for that under the Child Rights Act is life imprisonment.”

Ademola Adeniji-Adele, the Commissioner for Youth, Sports and Social Development, whose ministry took over Ms Monday’s welfare since August 17, said both mother and baby were doing fine. He said it would be left to the court to determine when a paternity test would be carried out. “The ministry’s obligation is to the girl and the child,” he said. “Everything other thing is being handled by the police and the court. Ours is to ensure abuse in any form in Lagos State is addressed. This is what we have done and the ministry is grateful to NEXT for bringing this girl’s case to the fore.”

How to make a crocodile smile: Swim in a pool full of deadly salties with just a perspex cage for protection

Tourists to this unusual theme park are sure to get some holiday snaps with a difference.

Inspired by the popularity of cage shark-diving, a tourist attraction has opened that allows adrenalin junkies the chance to swim with killer crocodiles.

And, as these incredible pictures show, participants can get up close and personal with one of the worlds deadliest creatures.

Definitely no running, ducking bombing or petting in this pool: Face to face with one of the 125 stone monsters

All that separates thrill-seekers from the huge saltwater crocodiles is a five-inch thick perspex box that has, we are assured, undergone 'extensive' safety testing.

Fearless participants climb into the clear container - nicknamed the Cage of Death - which is suspended on a monorail track that runs above four crocodile enclosures.

Two grated doors lock into position on the top of the 10ft tall box which is then lowered into the water and comes to rest 2ft beneath the surface.

To ensure that the paying customers get their money's worth, chunks of meat are tied to the bottom of the cage. The crocodiles instantly drawn to it when it enters the water.

The results vary from the crocs 'eye-balling' the swimmer, rubbing against the cage or going into a full on 'aggressive attack' against it.

Snappy snaps: Holiday photos from this resort will be just a little different

Customers pay about £100 to spend 20 minutes swimming alongside the crocs; the largest of the beasts measures a whopping 18ft and weighs over 125 stone,

One of the mighty reptiles at the Crocosaurus Cove park in Darwin, Australia, is named Burt. Film buffs might remember him from the first Crocodile Dundee movie - he's the one who nearly ate Linda Koslowski's character.

Sallie Gregory, spokeswoman for the park, said: 'Many people find the opportunity of getting to within a few inches from the jaws of these crocodiles exhilarating.'

'People often get activity ranging from an aggressive attack to a casual eye-balling and swim past where the crocs are so close that they rub against the cage.'

'Most of the women who take part say they are happy just to watch the crocodiles while guys tend to want the action and attack.'

Smile please: Two thrill-seeking tourists get up close and personal with one of the saltwater crocodiles at the Crocosaurus Cove park in Darwin, Australia

She added: 'One of our directors who has extensive experience with crocodiles wanted a concept that allowed people to get up close to these ultimate predators in a safe environment.'

'The cage runs on a overhead monorail system, suspended over the enclosures and is lowered into up to four separate enclosures as part of the 20 minute experience.'

'The perspex is about 135mm thick and extensive testing in both the manufacturing and the way the crocodiles would react to the cage were carried out prior to the testing team entering the cage.'

The 'Cage Of Death' has been extensively tested for safety. With one of these prehistoric killers just inches away, one might hope so..

'The top of the cage has two grated doors to stop anything entering the cage and a back up motor and separate chain operates to ensure that in the event of a malfunction, the cage can continue to operate.'

'The cage generally allows about two feet from the surface of the water though this can be adjusted if people are not strong swimmers and would prefer to keep their head above water.'

Among the crocodiles people can swim alongside are the mating pair of Houdini and Bess as well as Chopper, Denzel and of course movie star Burt.

But one of the most popular crocs is Wendell - he's the biggest and is named after muscular Australian rugby star Wendell Sailor.

Crocodile attacks in the wild are quite rare these days. However, during the Japanese army's retreat from Ramree Island in February 1945, saltwater crocodiles are thought to have been responsible for the deaths of 400 Japanese soldiers. .

British troops encircled the swampland through which the Japanese were retreating, resigning the Japanese to a night in a mangrove swamp which was home to thousands of saltwater crocodiles.

The Ramree crocodile attacks are listed as 'The Greatest Disaster Suffered from Animals' in The Guinness Book of Records

Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles on the planet. Their main habitat is northern Australia and New Guinea, Indonesia and Borneo. They have been known to kill and eat horses, water buffalo, and even sharks as well as the occasional human.

Dassault Aviation of France will supply two units of new Falcon 7x Aircrafts, while the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation of United States (US) will supply the Gulfstream G550.

Known as one of the most expensive/advanced Business jets. The Gulf Stream is like the Mercedes G55 of the skies see picture

At a briefing, after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, which was presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, minister of information and communications, professor Dora Akunyili, said that negotiations at the instance of the president led to definite purchase agreement (DPA) signed in May 2010 for the acquisition of the aircrafts..

“The sum of N21 billion has been provided in the 2010 appropriation act for the outright purchase of the two Falcon 7x aircraft and the one unit G550 to be delivered as agreed in the contract”, she disclosed.Akunyuili put the cost of the two Falcon jets at $102 million while the Gulfstream cost $53 million brining the total cost of the three planes to $154 million.

She said that the committee which was set up to carryout the negotiations of the purchase of the aircrafts through screwed negotiations a rebate of $2.9 million on the two Falcon jets and $5.47 million on Gulfstream jet.

The first of the two Falcon jets will be delivered by the end of the fourth quarter of 2010 while the second Falcon and the Gulfstream jest will be delivered by the end of the second quarter of 2011.

The last few weeks have been a nightmare for President Obama, in a summer of discontent in the United States which has deeply unsettled the ruling liberal elites, so much so that even the Left has begun to turn against the White House. While the anti-establishment Tea Party movement has gained significant ground and is now a rising and powerful political force to be reckoned with, many of the president’s own supporters as well as independents are rapidly losing faith in Barack Obama, with open warfare breaking out between the White House and the left-wing of the Democratic Party. While conservatism in America grows stronger by the day, the forces of liberalism are growing increasingly weaker and divided.

Against this backdrop, the president’s approval ratings have been sliding dramatically all summer, with the latest Rasmussen Daily Presidential Tracking Poll of US voters dropping to minus 22 points, the lowest point so far for Barack Obama since taking office. While just 24 per cent of American voters strongly approve of the president’s job performance, almost twice that number, 46 per cent, strongly disapprove. According to Rasmussen, 65 per cent of voters believe the United States is going down the wrong track, including 70 per cent of independents.

The RealClearPolitics average of polls now has President Obama at over 50 per cent disapproval, a remarkably high figure for a president just 18 months into his first term. Strikingly, the latest USA Today/Gallup survey has the President on just 41 per cent approval, with 53 per cent disapproving.

Related link: The Obama presidency increasingly resembles a modern-day Ancien Régime

There are an array of reasons behind the stunning decline and political fall of President Obama, chief among them fears over the current state of the US economy, with widespread concern over high levels of unemployment, the unstable housing market, and above all the towering budget deficit. Americans are increasingly rejecting President Obama’s big government solutions to America’s economic woes, which many fear will lead to the United States sharing the same fate as Greece.

Growing disillusionment with the Obama administration’s handling of the economy as well as health care and immigration has gone hand in hand with mounting unhappiness with the President’s aloof and imperial style of leadership, and a growing perception that he is out of touch with ordinary Americans, especially at a time of significant economic pain. Barack Obama’s striking absence of natural leadership ability (and blatant lack of experience) has played a big part in undermining his credibility with the US public, with his lacklustre handling of the Gulf oil spill coming under particularly intense fire.

On the national security and foreign policy front, President Obama has not fared any better. His leadership on the war in Afghanistan has been confused and at times lacking in conviction, and seemingly dictated by domestic political priorities rather than military and strategic goals. His overall foreign policy has been an appalling mess, with his flawed strategy of engagement of hostile regimes spectacularly backfiring. And as for the War on Terror, his administration has not even acknowledged it is fighting one.

Can it get any worse for President Obama? Undoubtedly yes. Here are 10 key reasons why the Obama presidency is in serious trouble, and why its prospects are unlikely to improve between now and the November mid-terms.

1. The Obama presidency is out of touch with the American people

In a previous post I noted how the Obama presidency increasingly resembles a modern-day Ancien Régime, extravagant, decaying and out of touch with ordinary Americans. The First Lady’s ill-conceived trip to Spain at a time of widespread economic hardship was symbolic of a White House that barely gives a second thought to public opinion on many issues, and frequently projects a distinctly elitist image. The “let them eat cake” approach didn’t play well over two centuries ago, and it won’t succeed today.

2. Most Americans don’t have confidence in the president’s leadership

This deficit of trust in Obama’s leadership is central to his decline. According to a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll, “nearly six in ten voters say they lack faith in the president to make the right decisions for the country”, and two thirds “say they are disillusioned with or angry about the way the federal government is working.” The poll showed that a staggering 58 per cent of Americans say they do not have confidence in the president’s decision-making, with just 42 per cent saying they do.

3. Obama fails to inspire

In contrast to the soaring rhetoric of his 2004 Convention speech in Boston which succeeded in impressing millions of television viewers at the time, America is no longer inspired by Barack Obama’s flat, monotonous and often dull presidential speeches and statements delivered via teleprompter. From his extraordinarily uninspiring Afghanistan speech at West Point to his flat State of the Union address, President Obama has failed to touch the heart of America. Even Jimmy Carter was more moving.

4. The United States is drowning in debt

The Congressional Budget Office Long-Term Budget Outlook offers a frightening picture of the scale of America’s national debt. Under its alternative fiscal scenario, the CBO projects that US debt could rise to 87 percent of GDP by 2020, 109 percent by 2025, and 185 percent in 2035. While much of Europe, led by Britain and Germany, are aggressively cutting their deficits, the Obama administration is actively growing America’s debt, and has no plan in place to avert a looming Greek-style financial crisis.

5. Obama’s Big Government message is falling flat

The relentless emphasis on bailouts and stimulus spending has done little to spur economic growth or create jobs, but has greatly advanced the power of the federal government in America. This is not an approach that is proving popular with the American public, and even most European governments have long ditched this tax and spend approach to saving their own economies.

6. Obama’s support for socialised health care is a huge political mistake

In an extraordinary act of political Harakiri, President Obama leant his full support to the hugely controversial, unpopular and divisive health care reform bill, with a monstrous price tag of $940 billion, whose repeal is now supported by 55 per cent of likely US voters. As I wrote at the time of its passing, the legislation is “a great leap forward by the United States towards a European-style vision of universal health care, which will only lead to soaring costs, higher taxes, and a surge in red tape for small businesses. This reckless legislation dramatically expands the power of the state over the lives of individuals, and could not be further from the vision of America’s founding fathers.”

7. Obama’s handling of the Gulf oil spill has been weak-kneed and indecisive

While much of the spilled oil in the Gulf has now been thankfully cleared up, the political damage for the White House will be long-lasting. Instead of showing real leadership on the matter by acing decisively and drawing upon offers of international support, the Obama administration settled on a more convenient strategy of relentlessly bashing an Anglo-American company while largely sitting on its hands. Significantly, a poll of Louisiana voters gave George W. Bush higher marks for his handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, with 62 percent disapproving of Obama’s performance on the Gulf oil spill.

8. US foreign policy is an embarrassing mess under the Obama administration

It is hard to think of a single foreign policy success for the Obama administration, but there have been plenty of missteps which have weakened American global power as well as the standing of the United States. The surrender to Moscow on Third Site missile defence, the failure to aggressively stand up to Iran’s nuclear programme, the decision to side with ousted Marxists in Honduras, the slap in the face for Great Britain over the Falklands, have all contributed to the image of a US administration completely out of its depth in international affairs. The Obama administration’s high risk strategy of appeasing America’s enemies while kicking traditional US allies has only succeeded in weakening the United States while strengthening her adversaries.

9. President Obama is muddled and confused on national security

From the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq to the War on Terror, President Obama’s leadership has often been muddled and confused. On Afghanistan he rightly sent tens of thousands of additional troops to the battlefield. At the same time however he bizarrely announced a timetable for the withdrawal of US forces beginning in July 2011, handing the initiative to the Taliban. On Iraq he has announced an end to combat operations and the withdrawal of all but 50,000 troops despite a recent upsurge in terrorist violence and political instability, and without the Iraqi military and police ready to take over. In addition he has ditched the concept of a War on Terror, replacing it with an Overseas Contingency Operation, hardly the right message to send in the midst of a long-war against Al-Qaeda...

10. Obama doesn’t believe in American greatness

Barack Obama has made it clear that he doesn’t believe in American exceptionalism, and has made apologising for his country into an art form. In a speech to the United Nations last September he stated that “no one nation can or should try to dominate another nation. No world order that elevates one nation or group of people over another will succeed. No balance of power among nations will hold.” It is difficult to see how a US president who holds these views and does not even accept America’s greatness in history can actually lead the world’s only superpower with force and conviction.

There is a distinctly Titanic-like feel to the Obama presidency and it’s not hard to see why. The most left-wing president in modern American history has tried to force a highly interventionist, government-driven agenda that runs counter to the principles of free enterprise, individual freedom, and limited government that have made the United States the greatest power in the world, and the freest nation on earth.

This, combined with weak leadership both at home and abroad against the backdrop of tremendous economic uncertainty in an increasingly dangerous world, has contributed to a spectacular political collapse for a president once thought to be invincible. America at its core remains a deeply conservative nation, which cherishes its traditions and founding principles. President Obama is increasingly out of step with the American people, by advancing policies that undermine the United States as a global power, while undercutting America’s deep-seated love for freedom.

Forget candlelit dinners, bouquets of flowers and endless compliments.

The way to a woman’s heart lies in wearing a red shirt, it seems.

A chap becomes instantly more desirable to the opposite sex if he has on a scarlet shirt or crimson tie, research shows..

Even a pair of pillar-box red socks could do the trick. The finding could help explain the appeal of Tiger Woods, who sports the colour on the final day of a golf tournament.

And a red suit may have helped Muse singer Matt Bellamy

Photo:One of the photos used in the study, (with the faces in focus) which worked out that the men in red are seen as more attractive by women

The researchers showed women from around the world, including some Britons, pictures of a ‘moderately attractive’ man.

The photos had been doctored to show him wearing shirts of different colours or standing against several backgrounds.

Others were framed in various colours. A dash of red led to the man being viewed as more attractive and desirable. He was also seen as having a higher social status, the Journal of Experimental Psychology reported.

Researcher Andrew Elliot, of Rochester University in the U.S., said that red is associated with power, passion and fertility in the animal kingdom – and people are no different.

‘This suggests that women’s thoughts and feelings toward men are, at least in part, primitive,’ he said.

‘The question “What do women want?” with regard to sexual attraction and desire has puzzled men and scholars for many years.

‘Our research suggests that the answer may be more provocative, than anticipated.’

Wearing red may also make a man feel more self-assured.

Dr Elliot added: ‘The red shirt that Tiger Woods adorns on the final day of golf tournaments likely provides him with a confidence-boosting reminder of his alpha status in the golf world as it simultaneously reminds his competitors they are probably facing another long day.’

Red is also associated with dominance on the football pitch, with previous research finding that teams wearing red strips win more matches.

Its association with dominance and aggression may enhance players’ game. Or perhaps red shirts are simply easier to see, improving their accuracy of passing.

1.MY ADVICE TURN OFF INTERNET BANKING ON YOUR ACCOUNT !

2.ATM Withdrawals Have one account for only Daily transactions of minimal amounts

Customers have expressed dissatisfaction in the manner in which some banks have been handling reported fraud cases on internet banking and Automated Teller Machines (ATM).

Tochukwu Onyiuke, a lawyer at Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors, said of the over 1,000 internet banking fraud and ATM scam cases his firm is handling, “none of the banks involved has shown genuine interest in rendering assistance to the victims.”

Mr. Onyiuke said many of these victims are customers of Intercontinental Bank, Bank PHB, and Union Bank.

Moses Adeogun, a postgraduate student in a university in the United Kingdom and an Intercontinental customer, recently narrated how he lost all his savings of N429, 000 in the bank to online fraud.

“On Tuesday, 27 July, I just discovered that all my savings at Intercontinental Bank to the tune of N429, 000 had been stolen through internet banking,” said Mr. Adeogun.

“I have two accounts at the bank, one is current and the other is savings. I have been using these two accounts since 2008. I activated internet banking on both of them so that I can have access to my accounts while I am away for studies,” Mr. Adeogun said.

He said, “It happened that I was trying to log into my account on 27 June; a Sunday night, but I couldn’t. So I kept on trying until the account was locked. I then sent a mail to the internet banking office that my access has been locked.. The following day, I got a message from the office that my account has been unlocked. That was on Monday, 28th of June.”

However, he said that on 4 July, somebody transferred N100, 000 from his account to another person’s account named Olufunmi Olusanya. Two days later, another N100, 000 was removed. It went on until the last N29, 000 was removed on the July 14.

Mr. Adeogun said while all these was happening, he didn’t receive any alert from the bank as he usually do on any transaction. He said he didn’t touch his account after it was unlocked until July 27 when he tried to confirm his statement of account after transferring money into it that he discovered all his money had gone. “I have mailed the bank severally since it happened but all I get from them is we are investigating. I was hoping that the matter would be resolved on time so that I can use my money. But as it stands, the bank is only dragging the issue,” he said.

Pushing blames

Experts say the perpetrator must have had access to Mr. Adeogun’s username, password and transaction code -the three details needed in internet banking -before money could be successfully transferred from his account.

Meanwhile, the victim said he never disclosed any of those information to anyone as “all these details are only known by me and the internet banking office.”

Findings revealed that the Olufunmi Olusanya’s account belongs to a female youth corps member. A transaction was made from Mr. Adeogun’s account to hers and she later withdrew the money through an ATM.

However, Mr. Onyiuke said how fraudsters managed to get into people’s accounts through internet banking is a question banks should answer since the position of law says “banks have a mandatory duty to protect customer’s fund.”

The legal practitioner said banks are to protect their customers’ money by ensuring that there is no manipulation on customers’ account or unauthorised withdrawal. “In the event that customer losses money, or occasions that the bank fails to protect the fund, the customer can bring a legal action of a breach of contract against the bank,” he said.

“Banks in Nigeria are fond of pushing blames to the customers even before investigating. Banks always claim that the customers compromised their passwords. But most times, we have discovered through investigations, that the claims were false,” said Mr. Onyiuke

Contacted over Mr Adeogun’s allegation, after several phone calls and electronic mails to the Intercontinental Bank went unreturned, Bridget Chinasa, a receptionist at the bank front office who tried to cover her name tag, said a reporter cannot speak to any official in the bank’s Corporate Communication office since no appointment was made. “Just keep trying the office number to book an appointment,” Ms. Chinasa said.

Suspicious move

Meanwhile, Mr. Adeogun said he suspects insider abuse. “I really believe that she (Ms. Olusanya) colluded with someone at the Internet banking office to get into my account for the reasons being that the person who unlocked my access on the 28th of June failed to attach his or her name,” he said, adding that “most times when I receive messages from the bank, there is usually the name of the sender attached to the message. But the message I got after unlocking my access just read: Good day, your account has been unlocked now. Thanks. Internet Banking Unit, Web Services/I-Mobile Dept., Intercontinental Bank Plc... Happy Customer Happy Bank.”

Another suspicious act, according to Mr. Adeogun, was that the perpetrator disabled the alert on his transaction so that he won’t get any message while the theft was going on. “All these can only be done by an insider with priority access,” he said.

Last October, at a consumer advocacy forum, Akeem Awe, a business man and a customer of Zenith Bank, also shared his experience on how he lost his savings of v1. 06 million to an ATM fraudster in less than 20 minutes, and how the bank failed to fully investigate the matter.

Forbes List billionaire, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has learnt that in indeed the law is no respecter of persons. For failure to show up in court today, as prescribed by a Lagos federal high court presided by Justice James Tsoho, the billionaire was declared WANTED

Delivering his ruling, Justice Tosho said that Alhaji Dangote, who stayed away from the court’s last deliberation, was in perpetual contempt of court and ordered him to be arrested and detained till October 26^th.

Huhuonline.com checks reveal that the once powerful Dangote has fled to Dubai, a country that has no extradition treaty with Nigeria. However, sources told that the court may enlist the services of Interpol, if necceasy, to execute its warrant.

Nevertheless, Aliko Dangote becoming a fugitive from Justice, will negatively impact Dangote Groups, as he must sign approvals above five thousand naira. said a company source.

It is recalled that Justice Lambo Akanbi had on March 12, 2010 , nullified the election of Dangote as the President and Chairman of the Council of NSE following an application by some shareholders of African Petroleum (AP).

The shareholders had argued then that after a court had on August 4, 2009 , ordered all the parties to maintain the status quo in a suit they instituted, challenging Dangote’s membership of the Council of NSE, the NSE went ahead and conducted its election on August 2009, where Dangote allegedly emerged president. An action that made the shareholders, in a form 49 (motion for committal) filed a suit against Dangote, Okereke-Onyiuke and Igbinosun, saying that the trio conspired by allowing Dangote to preside over the affairs of NSE despite the existence of the order.

At the court proceedings, counsel representing Dangote, Ricky Tarfa (SAN) had argued that before the court can consider the issue of contempt, it must first entertain a motion challenging its jurisdiction to entertain the case by citing the judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of Ebhodaghe and Okoye..

But in his response, Aniakor, counsel for the shareholders, flawed Tarfa’s argument, saying it was not the true position of the judgment of the apex court and urged the court to issue a warrant for the production of Dangote and Okereke-Onyiuke, who were absent in court.

“The Supreme Court added a proviso to the judgment to the effect that in the event that if there was an application seeking to protect the integrity of the court and another one challenging the court’s jurisdiction, the court would have to first determine the one that had to do with its integrity.”

After reviewing all the arguments by both counsels, Justice Tsoho upheld Aniakor’s submissions, and held that the contempt proceedings must take precedent over any other application, being the one seeking to protect the integrity of the court.

In addition, the court has struck out the name of Ndi- Onyuike from the case.

Former World Boxing Council (WBC) heavy weight champion, Samuel ‘the Nigerian nightmare’ Peter, is confident his upcoming fight against three times world heavyweight champion, Wladimir Klitschko, will not last the distance.

Peter, who lost his WBC crown to the older of the Klitschko brothers, Vitali, in Berlin, Germany, back in October 2008, had in September 2005 fought against Wladimir in an elimination bout for the International Boxing Federation (IBF) and International Boxing Organization (IBO) world titles.

The Nigerian, however, lost the bout on points, despite knocking Wladimir down on three separate occasions over the course of the 12 round contest.

That inherently makes the September 11 rematch in Germany one of the more interesting fights that can be made in the heavyweight division, especially since Wladimir has not been involved in a tough fight ever since their 2005 bout.

Five years in the making

It’s almost five years since Peter’s painful loss to Wladimir in Atlantic City and the Nigerian now has a chance to get back at the Ukrainian for inflicting what, back then, was his first career loss. He has promised his fans that “it’s going to be a short night” this time around.

“You are going to see a very good exciting fight this time around,” said Peter. “No bullshit, I’m ready. I’m ready to go. I know my fans are going to be really happy with me this time around because it’s going to be a short night.”

Following his loss to Vitali, Peter went on to suffer defeat at the hands of Eddie Chambers in March 2009, but returned with a bang afterwards by recording four straight wins, with the longest of them lasting just four rounds, against journeyman, Gabe Brown, in September 2009.

The underdog

Irrespective of that, Peter will be coming into the bout against Wladimir as the underdog. He, however, insisted he is not bothered by that.

“I like when people keep on thinking like that because some people, they are thinking with their legs,” he said.

“They are not thinking with their heads or brains. They don’t see what I see. They don’t know what I know. Let them keep on thinking. I love that,” added Peter, who then went ahead to boast that he would be prepared to give Wladimir the opportunity of fighting him all over again right after their upcoming rematch.

“Definitely,” exclaimed Peter. “Even that same night, they better be ready because it’s not going to be long. I would still beat him again that same night,” said Peter, who represented Nigeria at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

Wladimir, a gold medallist at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, hasn’t lost since his April 2004 loss to Lamon Brewster, and knocked out Chambers in his last title defence in March this year.

He, however, admitted in a recent interview that he will be prepared for the hardhitting Nigerian by the time they meet in Frankfurt next month.

“The first fight against Samuel was one of the hardest combats in my career. He is a hard puncher who developed further. I know what to expect at the 11th of September, but I will be prepared,” Wladimir said.