us (8)

US Mayor Commits suicide

The mayor of Springfield, Illinois, Tim Davlin, was found dead Tuesday morning from what apparently was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to the State-Journal Register.

Illinois State Police are investigating his death..

Police Chief Robert Williams says officers responded to a 911 call shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday at Timothy Davlin's home and found the Democratic mayor dead.

Williams declines to offer details about how Davlin died, saying the investigation is in its infancy.

Springfield Alderman Frank Kunz, who will take over mayoral duties, tells the paper he is shocked and that "it's a sad day."


Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin released a statement saying he was shocked by the news of Davlin's death.

"I was stunned and saddened by the news of Mayor Tim Davlin's passing. His work with my office always reflected his dedication to our hometown. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this tragic moment."

Mayor Davlin did not show up for a court ordered appearance Tuesday morning in a pending estate case involving his late cousin.

Records show that Mayor Davlin owes the federal government nearly $90,000 in unpaid income taxes and liens have been filed against his home.

The lien notice filed in the Sangamon County recorder’s office shows Davlin owes income taxes for the years 2003, 2005 and 2006.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reports that the mayor blames the problem on a dispute with the IRS over taxes owed on investments he cashed in to buy the home.

Sangamon County property records show that Davlin bought the home for $237,500 in 2004.

City payroll records from earlier this year show that Davlin earns more than $119,000 a year.


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Some repentant Niger Delta war lords today told President Goodluck Jonathan that they had no hands in the dual bombings that occurred last Friday near a parade to mark Nigeria’s 50 years of independence from colonial rule.

They also condemned the terrorist act and promised to assist security agencies in its bid to nail the perpetrators. Photos:GJ with Dokubo others,"Jomo Gbomo",Former Militants at conference#

The repentant leaders of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) also told President Jonathan that Gbomo Jomo does not exist as a person explaining that it was just a name created which members used to create an email account and subsequently sign statements released to the mass media. It said anyone with access to the password of the email account could email a statement using it.

"MEND is not responsible. We have disarmed. We say to the world, these people claiming they are MEND are impersonating. It is a terrorist act. The people responsible for the act should be dealt with accordingly.

"Jomo Gbomo does not exist. If the person handling the media sector has a problem and another person takes over so far he has the password of the email he can use the name of Jomo Gbomo and cover up as Jomo Gbomo. So, there is nothing as Jomo Gbomo; he does not exist," Ebikabowe Victor Ben aka General Boyloaf told President Jonathan.

About 90 former gunmen on a solidarity visit met with Jonathan inside the Presidential Villa Press Briefing room.

Some of those in attendance included Chief Government Ekpomolo aka Tompolo; Alhaji Mujahidin Asari Dokubo; Ebikabowe Victor aka General Boyloaf; Chief Ateke Tom; Comrade Fara Dagogo; Shoot At Sight; Eberi Papa and Buster Ryme.

President Jonathan told his visitors that: "When this happened, the name of MEND was mentioned and I am happy that you are here because I am from there and I know all the actors and leadership of MEND. I am happy that you have told Nigerians and the rest of the world that it is not MEND that did it.

"I have to thank you again that you have brought the region to limelight. I want to plead with you that even though, like most programmes, we might have hitches, but I want to assure you that the government is actually committed and, by God’s grace most of these hitches will be resolved."

While thanking them for offering to assist government in bringing the perpetrators to judgment, the president said: "I want to thank you for coming to reassure us that you still stand by the spirit of amnesty and work with us. I want to pledge here that we will not disappoint you. We would even work harder to see that amnesty succeeds. We will work with you and men and women from the region."

President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and head of the delegation Karomema Mabiye, told the gathering which also had Vice President Namadi Sambo that: "We recognise that we live in a political environment at this time and, all sorts of old tendencies will play out and that is why we regret the recent bomb blast that happened on the day all of us were beginning to believe in this country, putting our hearts and minds in making sure that a responsible leadership emerges from this political system. When that bomb blast came, it was a rude awakening, particularly when it affected ordinary Nigerians.

"We want to say it here and to the whole world that the act is condemnable and we unequivocally condemn that act. It is dastardly, it is irresponsible and it is morally reprehensible. We reject such incident and we say that the Niger Delta people are in no way in support of that kind of attitude.

Let it go from here and let it go to the entire world, particularly because we read in the media that it was MEND. All the leaders of MEND and all other organisations and we say that MEND was not responsible for that bomb blast. Our struggle is a responsible struggle; our struggle is a moral struggle; our struggle is struggle for fairness, justice and equity. And the political space that is opening is a new opportunity to engage and it is only when this political process disappoints us that we can then say our confidence has been betrayed.

"But we are sure that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has grown and understood the pains of the people of the Niger Delta and that alone gives us the confidence and courage to go after the opportunity that he provides for us and it is the we can address the issues bit by bit."

Making his contribution, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, founder of another group, The Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF) said: "We may have different political opinion, but that does not mean that we do not know our root. We are not going to sell our patrimony. The platform on which our organisation stands and all other leaders have all spoken in unity and one accord.

"We represent the people of Niger Delta. Our past leaders who have died in the process of this struggle, such as Ken Saro-Wiwa and others, will be turning in their graves that somebody who claims that he is part of us will do that which we have not done. We call on the government to investigate properly and fish out those involved and give out the most appropriate punishment. Let there be no leniency. Whoever is responsible for taking the lives of these innocent people. The action is condemnable. We have the rule of engagement in our organization; we do not kill innocent people; we do not kill women, children, nor kill even an unarmed soldier. We do not destroy properties; we do not pollute fishponds, or cut down economic tree; we do not destroy houses and communities. Anybody who is genuinely in this struggle knows that these are the laws that guide our struggle. It may sound stupid, but this is what we stand for and we will not depart from it."
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Dagrin RIP .Terry G take am easy o !
Terry G just announced on twitter that he is ok after the accident, He just needs some rest.


hitmanTerryG

I dey o. Thanks for all the love, God pass them, I wan go rest small!! Ginjah no go die. God guide us and One love my people! I appreciate
25 minutes ago


Previously:


Was He Drunk or high on weed ? With the latest takeaway of our Top indigenous Rap Artist Dagrin by Car Accidents .Terry G almost joined the crew of posthumous talents.See Dagrin here
http://bit.ly/c2R9Xx




Word reaching us, is that Gabriel Amanyi, aka Terry G has been involved in a terrible auto accident and is critical condition.

The accident occured at about 3am saturday morning, when the singer/producer was on his way home from an outing with friends in Ikeja, Lagos. Apparently he ran into a road demarcation somewhere in Ogba.

According to eye witnesses, Terry G was the driver of the vehicle, and had other passengers with him who are also members of the House of Ginja. It is unclear the condition of other passengers, but Terry is currently undergoing treatment at an undisclosed hospital.

No word yet on where he’s being treated. His mobile phone is off, his BlackBerry inactive. And although his manager assures us ‘everything is under control’;

The car- A Toyota Camry – is now lying at the office of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).

Please say a prayer for Terry G and other members of the House Of Ginja involved in the accident.


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IBB "bribes" Journalists

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..

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The two Chinese citizens arrested in connection with unlawful importation of 450.4 kilogrammes of cocaine to Nigeria have begged the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to try them in Nigeria as they may face death penalty in China if deported, a source told P.M.NEWS this morning.


Photo: Mr Wang & Mr Fong

Reacting, NDLEA Chairman, Ahmadu Giade, said this morning that the two Chinese citizens and their Nigerian clearing agent will all be prosecuted in Nigeria.

The suspects include Richard Wang, 62, an importer of textiles and shopping bags and Chiusen Fong, 54, a timber merchant as well as a Nigerian Alhaji Inua Mohammed, 56, who is a clearing agent.

NDLEA’s Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, said in a statement this morning that the decision to arraign the suspects in the country have kept the Chinese in high spirits since the law in China stipulates capital punishment for drug trafficking.

The NDLEA boss said the agency is not considering extradition for now, adding that the suspects will be charged to court in Nigeria as soon as investigation was completed.

Meanwhile, more revelations have emerged about the consignment that was filled with drug. The clearing agent told NDLEA investigators that he was contacted by Richard Wang to clear the container and take it to Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, South West Nigeria.

He said: “I am a clearing agent. Richard Wang came to me to clear a container. He told me the container had cigarettes and gave me 3 million naira for the clearance”.

However, Fong, in his statement, told investigators that he gave Wang N5 million to clear the container. When Wang was arrested, he said that he was working for Chiusen Fong who lives in Kano. That was how they were all nabbed.

The seizure of 450.400kg of cocaine imported from Chile at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, agency sources revealed, was masterminded by an international drug syndicate that smuggles cocaine from South American countries to West Africa.

The anti-drug agency had kept tab on the consignment which originated from Chile and passed through Peru, Bolivia and Antwerp to Tin Can Island Port (TCIP).

According to Giade, “the drug was neatly concealed in customised floor wood inside a container which was cleared and taken to a private warehouse at Iganmu, Lagos”.

In June 2006, 14.2 metric tons of similar substance was intercepted at the same port

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Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja


The Programme Director of the Africana Leadership Institute in the University of Kansas, United States, Mr. Aminu Gusau, has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged breach of contract by the Special Adviser and Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Dr. Mohammed Abba-Aji and Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, respectively.

Gusau is alleging in an April 22, 2010 petition addressed to the Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, and received by the commission on May 5, 2010, that Abba-Aji and Ojougboh refused to satisfy the agreed terms for the provision of executive leadership training for a select members of group of the National Assembly.

He alleged that the presidential aides and the management of the Africana Leadership Institute agreed that 20 members of the National Assembly would be given executive leadership training by the University of Kansas at $4,000 per lawmaker..

He noted that the training, which was originally meant for December 6-11, 2009, was rescheduled to January 19-24, 2010.

He explained that the $80,000 was meant for the logistic put in place for the training of 10 members of the Senate and 10 of their counterparts from the House of Representatives.

Gusau further said in the petition that in spite of the agreement that 20 participants were expected to take part in the training, Abba-Aji and Ojougboh reduced the number to five, on January 19, 2009; which, according to him, was unacceptable.

He said that only three lawmakers were presented at the executive training sessions.

He gave their names as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Narcotics and Financial Institutions; Senator Nkechi Nwaorgu, the Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Millenium Development Goals, Mr. Aribisala Adewale; and Mary Laniyan, said to be a consultant, attended the programme on January 20, 2010.

He insisted that Abba-Aji and Ojougboh made a total payment of $20,000 for the programme and had refused to pay the balance of $60,000, as allegedly agreed to in the deal.

Gusau said that the institute would involve the US embassy in Nigeria, US Homeland Security Department and the Immigration service; which could lead to the denial of visas to the affected lawmakers whose names were listed for the training programme.

He called on the EFCC to intervene by looking into the details of the agreement, in the interest of the image of the country and the Nigerian professionals in the US.

But Abba-Aji said that while he was aware of the arrangement, he was not aware of the petition written to the EFCC on the issue.

The presidential aide, who spoke on the issue in a telephone interview with our correspondent, said that the sum of $20,000 paid for the conference constituted the fee for the lawmakers who attended the conference.

He accused Gusau and the university of trying to make money without rendering necessary services.

He explained that only three lawmakers attended the event because the period coincided with the failed alleged bomb attack by Nigerian student, Umar AbdulMutallab, on an American airline, in December; which made it difficult for Nigerians to travel through international airports at the time.
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Are You Feeding Your Soul? Are you happy with what you see when you look in the mirror? And I’m not talking about your physical body when I ask this question — I’m talking about your spiritual body. Has your soul been getting the nourishment it needs to grow in health and strength, or have you deprived it from the Word it so desperately needs? If what you see in the mirror doesn’t even begin to reflect what you know you can be, it’s time to make a change, time to dive into God’s Word and receive all the love and forgiveness He has been waiting to give you . . . a time to release your life into God’s hands. The Word tells us, But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image (2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NLT). You may not like what you see now, but just wait. Rely on God’s faithfulness and perfect timing and begin to make changes when God shows you it is necessary. And soon, you’ll be able to look back and say, “Look where God moved me from. Look what He saved me from. I stand blessed where I am all because of the transforming grace of God.” An Evangelistic Tool The following is an evangelistic tool. Feel free to use this tool to lead someone to the Savior. It can also be used in your church. Tony lead the members of our church through this process, and then commissioned them to offer the good news to those they come in contact with in the course of their day. This is one of our outreach programs for this year. OPENING QUESTION: Has anyone ever shown you from the Bible how you can be sure you are on your way to heaven? Would you allow me to show you? I. First the Bad News a. The Problem: Every person is a sinner before a Holy God and unable to save themselves (Romans 3:10, 23). b. The Penalty: Every person is under the sentence of death and will be forever separated from God because of their sin (Romans 5:12; 6:23). I. Now the Good News a. The Provision: Through the substitutionary sacrificial death of Christ, God has addressed the sin problem for us (Romans 5:8, 17-21). b. The Pardon: God offers a free pardon and eternal life to all who place faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation (Romans 10:9-10; 4:4-5). CLOSING QUESTION: Would you like to trust the Lord Jesus Christ right now as your personal Savior? PRAYER: Lord Jesus thank You for dying on the cross for my sins and rising from the dead to save me. By transferring my total trust to You alone as my Savior, I now receive the forgiveness for my sins and the free gift of eternal life that You offered me.
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THE continued fall of naira against international currencies, particularly the dollar and pound sterling is having a serious consequence on Nigerians living in Dubai, United Arab Emirate.A survey carried out by TTH in Dubai and other Emirates of the UAE, recently, showed that Nigerians are migrating out of Dubai to other Asian countries in their thousands "because the fall of naira has been making mince meat of our efforts here".Investigation revealed that Nigerians were having a rosy time in Dubai, until June 2008, when the value of a dollar was being exchanged for N118, “since then, we have never have peace for the naira continued to slide while the dollar continued to wax strong and stronger.”Speaking with TTH, Abiodun Taiwo, a Nigerian and an HND, Marketing graduate of The Polytechnic, Ibadan “I came to Dubai in 1999 and because the naira was strong then, I had good reason to thank God. And so with many of us. But since June last year our stories have changed from better to worse."Most of us have started migrating back home. Some of us have left for China, Bangkok, Malaysia, USA.“In fact, the fall of naira is not having its consequences on Nigerians in Dubai alone, but on Dubai government too because as a Cargo Manager, the volume of trade between Nigeria and Dubai has dropped drastically. Just because the profit margin of goods and services is no longer encouraging.”Another Nigerian, Christopher Okey, who operates an African Kitchen at the back of a mosque at Deira District in Dubai, was full of lamentation about the fortunes of the naira. "My brother, (covering his head with his palm) we are suffering here. Our suffering is not in the hand of the Dubai Authority or their policy or police, no. We are crying under the yoke of the free fall of naira at the foreign market."Most of us are closing our shops and heading somewhere else. I am looking for a buyer for this place. Immediately I get a buyer, I am off, either to Nigeria or Japan."Last year when you were here, you saw how busy I was. This place, (pointing to the upper floor of his restaurant) was always full. I always have hectic time attending to thousands of customers, but you can see for yourself now. How many customers have been here since?"Our fortune is dwindling because less people are coming from Nigeria to trade here".He appealed to the Federal Government to do “some arithmetics and tinker with the value of the naira and prevent its further slide at the international market.”
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