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"Lord, show me a Sign"!

Posted by Michael W Sr. on June 11, 2011 at 5:00pm

“Lord, show me a Sign”!

6.10.11

“I need a sign”! “I need a sign”! That seems to be the Christian Anthem of our day; we need conformation from God, we need to be sure that God is showing us what to do and which direction we should go. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be sure of God's perfect will for your life, but it seems as though we spend more time looking for signs, than we do in just being obedient!

If you really need a sign, if you really want to see a sign...go to any street corner in your Neighborhood, and there you will most likely see a sign that says...STOP! Stop asking the God of all creation to give you a sign about something that He has already shown and told you to do! Stop needing conformation from the God that cannot lie..! Jesus said that “This people seek after a sign, and none shall be given them except the sign of Jonas the prophet” (Luke 11:29). Our walk with God is a walk of Faith, not a walk of needing to have a sign for this, or for that...Romans 8:14; For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Are you a son of God...or, a sign seeker?

Let me give you an example from scripture. When the Angel Gabriel was sent by God to Zacharias and Mary, there were two different responses. One that was filled with doubt and needing proof...or a sign if our will, and the other filled with faith and curiosity as to how it would happen...not doubting nor needing any proof. In Luke chapter 1 verses 18-20; And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20

And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

Zacharias' words: “Whereby shall I know this”...implies, “how can I be for sure...I need proof...give me a sign”! And yes, he did receive a sign. Gabriel begin to give Zacharias his credentials and said: I am Gabriel...I stand in the very Presence of a Holy, Righteous and True God...a God that cannot lie. It impossible for Him to lie, and you dare question my words, which are actually, His God's) words!? So, because Zacharias did not believe, his sign was that he was mute until after the birth of John the Baptist.

Now in the case of Mary we read in verses 28-35; And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, [thou that art] highly favoured, the Lord [is] with thee: blessed [art] thou among women.

29 And when she saw [him], she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

At a glance, one might assume that Mary was in doubt and asking for a sign as did Zacharias; but Mary asked “How shall...”! “Tell me how shall it happen”! In other words, she was in total agreement with what the Angel Gabriel had spoken to her. She knew, I believe; that this birth would not be brought about with the assistance of a man, she somehow knew that this would be a miraculous event orchestrated by the Living God to usher in the Savior of the World! And she wanted to know...”how will God do it”?!

Jesus said that “My sheep know my voice”! Are we spending quality time along with the Lord to really know Him? Or, are we Sunday Saints only? Believe me, I am not speaking as if I am “Holier than thou”...this applies to me as well. How much time do we sacrifice for the Lord, to be alone with Him, Praising Him, Thanking Him...just as Mary, the sister of Martha, who thought it more important to be at Jesus' feet, hearing His words, becoming intimate with him, rather than being busy about much service. You see, sometimes we can mistake busyness with Church stuff (Revivals, Conferences, Meetings), as doing God's work or service. We tend to misplace the importance of what is most important in our Christian walk..and that is spending precious and quality time alone in the presence of the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ!

If there is ever a time when we need to know the voice of the Lord and hear it...it is now! Things and events are happening at record speed, and we as believers need to know the will of God and His divine purposes, and direction for our lives. When Jesus prayed that God's will be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven, it is done in Heaven! Think about it...the Angels don't question, nor ask for conformation or a sign! No, they carry out the will of the Father!

There are many voices out there...the voices of our acquaintances, the voices of our own desires and of course, the voices of seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. We must strip ourselves of this world, and let go of everything that is a hindrance to our spiritual growth. As Paul warned to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of your mind...so that we my prove (know or discern ), what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God is! (Romans 12:2).

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be certain about what decisions to make regarding an issue that you may be experiencing, and wanting to know the right path to take, or if this job is the right one that God has ordained for you. Or even wanting to be sure as it relates to a future husband or wife; those things are important. But let's not always require a sign or conformation from God when we know that He has spoken a thing to us....how insulting that is to the Spirit of Grace! Let's be a people of Faith, who as Abraham was, believed God...not knowing where he was going, but walked on by faith and it was accounted to him as righteousness.

B-blessed Saints;

Michael

For Albani, Police get marching order - another cleric in detention

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 7:39pm

A Kaduna State High Court yesterday ordered the police to charge Sheikh Muhammad Awwal Adam Albani, a Zaria-based Islamic scholar, now in police custody, to court on or before 10 am of Monday, June 13. 4ShareThe order came as a result of a case filed at the state High Court 6 under Justice Tukur Mu’azu by the students of Sheikh Albani.In his order, Justice Mu’azu said if the police fail to present Sheikh Albani to his court on Monday, the court would have no option than to grant the cleric bail.Though the Kaduna State Commissioner of police, Ballah M. Nasarawa, has denied that Vice President Namadi Sambo was responsible for the arrest of the cleric, but Albani’s students have insisted that a top government functionary ordered the arrest of the scholar.CP Nasarawa has on Thursday told journalists that the cleric was invited for questioning based on security breaches in Kaduna State. However, Albani students said they have many evidence to prove that the order of Sheikh Albani’s arrest came from a top government functionary.“We don’t want to call anybody’s name now because we are already in court but we have evidence to prove that a top government functionary ordered for Malam’s (Albani) arrest on, purely political grounds. The arrest has nothing to do with any security breaches. I have said this before and I am going to repeat it, if Malam was arrested in respect of security breaches in Kaduna State, how many pastors have they arrested in respect to the massacre that occurred in southern Kaduna.“They are victimizing Malam and the intention was to provoke us. We thank Allah that we are not the type of people that take laws into their hands but nobody can stop us from propagating what we belief are the true teachings of Qur’an and Sunna of the Prophet. If it was not the VP who ordered Malam’s arrest, why is the CP busy defending him? I know that the VP is not the only person in government, therefore why is it that the names of President Jonathan or Governor Yakowa were not mentioned. Allah would reveal the truth for everyone to see,” Dr Abdurrafi’i Abdulganiyyi, spokesperson of the Albani students, told Weekly Trust yesterday.The arrest of Sheikh Albani has generated a lot of apprehension in the ancient city of Zaria especially among Islamic scholars. The cleric’s detention was seen by many as a direct witch-hunt of Islamic scholars who preached against the election of President Jonathan and Vice President Sambo.Sheikh Albani, according to his students, was invited by the IGP to Abuja for interrogation but was asked to report himself to the Kaduna State Police Command of the force.“He was in Abuja on the IGP’s invitation last Friday but was asked to report to the Kaduna Command on Saturday. He was detained at Kaduna since Saturday, June 4, up till today Friday (yesterday), June 10, 2011. At first, we learnt that they were accusing him of having information on the bombs that exploded before the presidential election in Kaduna city. All those arrested in connection with the bomb blast could neither recognise Malam’s voice nor his face when they were asked to do that in the midst of other people,” Dr Abdulganiyyi said.Rumours of the scholar’s arrest began to spread in Zaria on Friday, June 3, 2011, but when Sheikh Albani’s students gathered at his school (Darul Hadith) in Gaskiya layout on Saturday, June 4, for their routine weekend lessons and the scholar failed to turn up, they confirmed that their teacher was arrested.Since the post-election riot, the police in Zaria have been inviting different people for interrogation. Islamic scholars were the most affected. “Our fear is that these incessant arrests can lead to another round of crisis especially if the massacre of our people at southern Kaduna is anything to go by. We didn’t see the police intimidating or arresting the suspects of the massacre, which means they have targeted some for victimisation,” Malam Aliyu Mai Jama’a, a resident of Zaria, told Weekly Trust.The police on Wednesday, 8th June, 2011, raided the Zaria residence of the cleric. Dr. Abdulganiyyi said the police stormed the house around 3:10 pm with three pick-up vans fully loaded with fierce-looking mobile police.“They did not get anything after searching the house and the school. After they had finished the search, they came out to write something on a paper and moved away. It was Malam who led them into the house and when they finished the search, they went back with him. We want to resolve the issue through peaceful means that is why we are patient and taking all the necessary legal steps. They (police) are trying to provoke us but we would not be provoked since we know their intention,” Dr. Abdulganiyyi said.Apart from Sheikh Albani, another scholar who was picked by the police at Unguwan Mai Gwado Sabon Gari, Zaria on the allegation of making bombs was Malam Bala Adamu Askar.Malam Askar is an Imam at Unguwan Mai Gwado. He was picked on the ground that he was involved in coaching some youths on how to make bombs. Malam Askar is also being held at the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Kaduna, according to relatives of the scholar

Revealed: US Military’s Code Name for Bin Laden Was Actually ‘Cakebread’

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 7:27pm

It has emerged that though the United States Navy SEAL team which stormed into Osama bin Laden's Pakistan compound referred to the Al Qaeda leader as "Geronimo," Pentagon and CIA officials knew him by a more culinary nickname: "Cakebread."The rare details of the operation that led to bin Laden death and the handling of news of his death by President Barack Obama are contained in a new book published by ABC News called Target: Bin Laden—The Death and Life of Public Enemy Number One.A preview of the book gleaned on an online publication, Atlantic Wire, contain other startling revelations about bin Laden’s death.It became clear that President Obama actually wanted to wait until DNA results came back on bin Laden before telling the world of his death.The code name for Al Qaeda leader’s Abbottabad compound is given asAC-1...According to the book, CIA Director Panetta’s last call to the special forces that killed bin Laden went thus: "Go in and find bin Laden, and if he's not there, get the hell out."Also, the breed of the SEAL dog is a Belgian Malinois and this may bring delight to Belgian Malinois breeders, who have been hoping for a month to claim genetic ownership of the dog accompanying the SEAL team.Other revelations from the book included the first guesses about who was actually living in the Abbottabad compound, why US considered it a risk to tell Pakistan about the raid in advance and how Obama had to be persuaded to announce bin Laden's death before getting DNA evidence.On the compound, US security analysts, according to the preview, arrived at two conclusions: First, the courier was harboring a high-value target (HVT) in Abbottabad Compound One, or "AC1." Second, there was a strong probability that the HVT was Osama bin Laden, code named ‘Cakebread.’Though the case was said to be circumstantial, some questions also reportedly agitated the minds of the security analysts: Could the HVT have been al Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, or Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar? Could the compound have been shielding members of bin Laden's family, but not bin Laden himself? Could al-Kuwaiti have been harboring just some drug syndicate crime boss hiding from the law?On the risk in telling Pakistan about the raid in advance, US security analysts felt such would be a gamble. According to the review, the relationship between the US and Pakistan was not built on trust. “For years the CIA had been conducting attacks on targets in Pakistan using unmanned predator drones, with the agreement that the US would give the Pakistani government prior notice. After too many incidents where the targets had been tipped off, probably by components of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the US government changed the policy to notification "concurrent with" the drone attack,” it said.On why President Obama ultimately decided not to tell Pakistan, the book states, “Theoretically, the president (Obama) was told, the US could try to force Pakistani General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to join the operation with the US, Kayani would be approached the morning of the attack, informed about the information on bin Laden and given twelve-to-twenty-four hours to join forces with the US, the president was told.“Pakistan would only be asked to cordon off the area. ... The president said it would be great if we could trust another country with this and proceed with the raid bilaterally. But, he then said, I don't think we can trust any other country”On the announcement of Obama’s death, “President Obama's instinct was to wait. Yes, this looked like it was a successful operation. But there was no need to rush out tonight to tell the world. Let's wait until we get that DNA evidence back. Let's tell the Pakistanis, make sure they understand our perspective, he said. Let's get all of our ducks in a row”.Mullen was told to call Kayani, the book adds, Panetta called ISI Chief Ahmad Shuja Pasha.The story is going to get out, the president's advisers said.The president didn't care. It wouldn't be official until it came from the White House, Obama reportedly said.But he was told “You can't contain this,” “This is the biggest story of the decade.”Obama was said to be calm and serene. He eventually was convinced. He would later make the announcement that night.

Bauchi: Robbers attack bank, injure cop, 3 others

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 7:13pm

A policeman and three civilians were yesterday wounded when armed robbers attacked the First Bank branch in Misau town of Bauchi State. Bauchi State Police Command Police Public Relations Officer ASP Mohammed Barau who confirmed the attack said: “I am waiting for details of the incident from the Divisional Police Officer of Misau.” 4ShareA senior official of the Local Government who witnessed the incident, said: “The armed robbers stormed First Bank and fired shots randomly at the security personnel attached to the two banks – the other bank opposite First Bank is Union Bank, injuring a policeman and three civilians.The council official who would not give his names said when a unit of Mobile Policemen deployed to the area during the last general elections heard the gunshots they chased the robbers and fired, but the armed robbers fled. He said before they left, they snatched the car of the bank manager, which was later found in Beti, a border town between Bauchi, Kano and Jigawa states.Official said they took the injured policeman and three other people to the Misau General Hospital and the doctors removed the bullets.

Family of man allegedly asked by police to jump in river...‘Cops killed our son’

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 7:06pm

The family of Tochukwu Uzoukwu, a 25-year-old shop apprentice allegedly killed in a controversial manner by men of the Bayelsa State Special Squad popularly referred to as Operation Famou Tamgbe is currently seeking justice and an investigation into circumstances that led to the death of their son. Relations of the deceased want the police to pay the sum of N250 million to serve as compensation for the trauma suffered by the family for losing their loved one.But, the police through its spokesman, Equaveon Emopkae has not made any clear statement as regards the involvement of Famou Tamgbe in the alleged killing of Tochukwu on Wednesday, May 11, 2011. Emopkae, when confronted with the allegation, queried the possibility of the police asking the deceased to jump into the river over an offence, whatever it is, that could have been handled in the light of the law.Late Tochukwu was said to have been caught smoking Indian hemp in one of the public toilets located at the water front.His accuser, Sergeant Benjamin Ogbuagu was said to have handed him to Famou Tamgbe because he had closed work for the day and called the deceased’s elder brother, Mr. Victor Ezekwem to inform him about the arrest. But, rather than heed the elder brother’s plea to keep Tochukwu in safe custody out of harm until his (Ezekwem’s) arrival, the sergeant, it was learnt, committed the late apprentice into the care of his alleged killers.A source who claimed to have watched the unfolding drama from a safe distance revealed that the late Tochukwu pleaded in vain for mercy that his life be spared because he does not know how to swim.According to the testimony of some witnesses documented by the Bayelsa Chapter of the Civil Liberty Organisation (CLO) which is also seeking interpretation of the law on the matter, the late apprentice trader was said to be in the company of his colleague on the fateful day at the close of work when he excused himself to answer the call of nature at a nearby public toilet located in the Shellram waterfront. Before long, the late Tochukwu was said to have been arrested by Sgt. Ogbuagu.Continuing, the witness said the people watching from a safe distance could have rescued Tochukwu but for the uniform men who watched him drown at gunpoint before they entered their vehicle and left the scene.The deceased’s relation, who corroborated the testimony of Chidi Opurum, Tochukwu’s colleague said he put several calls to the Police sergeant few hours later for the whereabouts of his ward who was arrested only to be told that he was dead. As at the time of filing this report, the police has not yet made any clear statement about the issue.

Court Now To Rule On Bankole's Bail Application Monday

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 7:00pm

Dimeji Bankole , Former House Speaker

A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole , who is charged with alleged contract inflation may regain his freedom on Monday, June 13th, 2011.
This is based on the decision of the Federal High Court judge, Justice Donatus Okorowo , Friday to deliver ruling on his bail application on Monday.

Bankole will ,however, remain in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) till Monday
.Justice Okorowo ordered that Bankole be remanded at the EFCC’s custody after listening to arguments on the bail application by his lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo SAN and the prosecution counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo who vehemently opposed the bail application.

The judge said he would have delivered his ruling on the application Friday but said he could not do so because of time constraint and the volume of authorities cited by both counsel.
Arguing the bail application, Awomolo urged the court to admit Bankole to bail on self-recognition as the prosecution had not placed sufficient materials to convince the court to refuse the bail application.
He described as hearsay and speculative the prosecutor’s claim that Bankole was planning to run to the United Kingdom before he was arrested.

Besides, Awomolo said the fear that an accused person will run away or jump bail is not a reason in law for denying bail because to jump bail has its own criminal consequences.
In addition, it was his submission that the world is a global village where criminals have no hiding place.
He supported his argument with a Court of Appeal decision in James Ibori Vs Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Awomolo added that the court could only act on legally admissible evidence either orally or documentary in deciding applications before it.

He cited sections 76, 86, 87 and 89 of the Evidence Act to the effect that ‘all facts except the content of document may be proved by oral evidence.’
Accordingly, he urged the court to expunge some paragraphs in the prosecutor’s counter affidavit which he described as the opinion of the deponent.Responding, the prosecution counsel, Keyamo urged the court to refuse the bail application on the grounds that the applicant did not place sufficient materials to warrant the court to exercise its discretion in his favour.He told the court that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the accused and that many of the paragraphs in the bail applications did not meet the requirement of law in considering bail application.Keyamo particularly drew the attention of the court to paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 of the application where the accused raised the issue of young children and aged parents as reasons for bail.Meanwhile, the embattled speaker has raised the alarm over plans by the EFCC to re-arrest him.In a letter to the Commission by his counsel, Bankole said he heard from competent sources that the EFCC had perfected plans to re-arrest him immediately he was admitted to bail by the court.Excerpts from the letter reads: “We were further informed that the Commission’s operatives will re-arrest our client immediately he is admitted to bail on the ground that the Commission requires him in respect of investigations of other allegations made against him not related to the charges before the court.“We wish to bring to your notice that the Commission as a public authority should not misuse the statutory power of arrest and detention. Our client has no intention to run away from this country or avoid justice.”Bankole last Wednesday filed the application for bail.In the application, Bankole said he should be given bail on self-recognition as the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives.He also stated that he had never been tried nor convicted for fraud either in Nigeria or any other country.He said as a holder of a national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR) he was entitled to bail on self-recognition.Bankole also said he had aged parents who depended on him and that denying him bail would deprive him of the opportunity to cater for them.He also said he had aged parents who were emotionally attached to him.Bankole said the charges were baseless because he had never inflated the any contract.He had on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to the 16 charges levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.Last Tuesday, the commission filed a 16-count charge of contract inflation amounting to N894 million against Bankole.Details of the charges show that Bankole was accused of colluding with some people who were said to be at large to increase the cost of purchasing Samsung television sets, HP computers, Digital Copiers, 2 units of Range Rover Bullet Proof vehicles and 3 units of Mercedes Benz S-600 Cars among others.The offences were said to have been contrary to section 58(4)(a) of the Public Procurement Act punishable under section 58(5) of the same law.Count 1 of the charges reads: “That you, Dimeji Bankole and others now at large on or about the 28th of May, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, being Body of Principal officers of the House of Representatives responsible for the approval of contracts in the House of Representatives, with intent to defraud, did conspire amongst yourselves to inflate the cost of 400 units of 40-inch Samsung (LNS.3410 Television sets by approval the purchase of the said item at the rate of N525, 000.00 per unit, instead of the prevailing market price of N295, 000.00 and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 58 (4) (a) of the public Procurement Act No. 14 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (5) of the same Act.”He was also accused of colluding with other people whose names were not disclosed and with intent to defraud, rigged the bid for the purchase of 100 units of Sharp Digital Copier 5316 by refusal to follow all the procedures prescribed for public procurements in Sections 17 to 56 of the Public Procurement Act N0.14 of 2007, leading to a loss of value to the national treasury.The commission further said Bankole and other principal officers of the House of Representatives responsible for the approval of contracts in the House of Representatives, with intent to defraud, did conspire among themselves to inflate the cost of 800 units of Desktop Computers (HP Compaq dc 5700) by approving the purchase of the said item at the rate of N330,000.00 per unit, instead of the prevailing market price of N160,000.00 per unit.

Baby factory’Pregnant teens help trafficking probe

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 6:59pm

Pregnant teenagers found at an illegal clinic in Aba, Abia State and accused of trying to sell their babies are helping investigators find the organizers of baby trafficking rings. They had lured the 32 teens to an illegal clinic to provide babies for trafficking rings, said Arinze Orakwe, a spokesman for the National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP). ShareThe girls, about 15 to 18 years old, as well as the director of the Cross Foundation, also known as the Heda Clinic, were arrested during a police raid on the clinic last month. But NAPTIP considers only Hycinth Orikara, the director, a suspect. Two girls have returned home after giving birth, and the rest of the girls are at the agency’s shelter in the nearby city of Enugu are collaborating with investigators. Orakwe says the girls cannot face charges. “They are victims of people who have devised evil means to make money.”Police have accused Orikara of buying the babies from young mothers and selling them for profit to childless couples in a trade that is believed to be fueled by the taboo of childlessness in this African nation. He denied the charge, explaining that he is a volunteer doctor who delivers unwanted babies and places them in orphanages.One of the girls told Abia State Police Chief Bala Hassan that mothers sell their babies by being tricked or forced to give up their babies, which are later resold. NAPTIP officials at the anti-trafficking agency say they are alarmed by growing illegal adoptions which have no control or oversight.NGOs say the young mothers rarely get to see their newborns. Benjamin Mbakwem, a member of the Imo State chapter of the Child Protection Network, says: “They are handed over to the couple waiting outside the delivery room.”“When you adopt a child through the government, everything is done in the open, you have to go through interviews,” Capt. Jide George, chairman of the board of trustees of the Lagos-based Little Saints Orphanage, said. “In most cases, it (illegally adopting a baby) is a conspiracy between the husband and the wife,” George said.

Bomb blast averted at Kaduna market

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 3:02pm

ANOTHER bloodbath was averted as Police oficers successfully defused a suspected bomb at a market in Gonin-gora area, Chikun Local Government Council of Kaduna State yesterday.Meanwhile, there was a bomb scare at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, but the authorities calmed frayed nerves with the disclosure that there was no cause for concern.The men of the Anti-Bomb Disposal Unit from the state Police command acted swiftly, defusing the suspected explosive and saving the lives of hundreds of residents.An eye witness told our correspondent that traders discovered the suspicious item at 11:00 am and promptly alerted the police who stormed the scene along with operatives of the state securtiy outfit, Operation Yaki .The eyewitness said: “If not for the quick intervention of the Police, everyone around the market and the residents would have perished. Many people started running away from the area to a safer place.”The state Police Public Relations officer, Aminu Lawan, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) confirmed the incident and urged the public to always act quickly by alerting the police in state of any strange object.Said Lawan: “The explosive object was discovered by the people and they quickly alerted us. We were able to move to the scene and dispose of the object immediately.”The Bomb Disposal unit of Nigeria Police Force yesterday destroyed some dangerous chemicals believed to have been illegally imported through the cargo terminal of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. There was near pandemonium when rumour filtered into the air that a bomb had been discovered in a shed in the cargo terminal.The arrival of anti bomb squad of Nigeria Police Force attached to the airport at the terminal also heightened the fear.Normalcy however returned when it was discovered that the men of Bomb Disposal Squad were only there to destroy some unauthorised chemicals.However there was no information from the Airport Command of Nigeria Police Force concerning the operation which created apprehension in the airport.The spokesman of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Sam Adurogboye, in a text message confirmed to our correspondent that a detachment of Bomb Disposal unit of Nigeria Police Force was at the Cargo terminal to co-ordinate the disposal.

OORBDA warns Lagos, Ogun residents of impending flood

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 2:58pm

The management of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority on Thursday warned residents in the flood prone areas of Lagos and Ogun states of an impending flood.Some residents of Ogun and Lagos states lost properties worth millions of naira to flooding last year.The Managing Director of OORBDA, Mr. Jimi Omiliki, in an interview with our correspondent on Thursday, attributed the problem to global warming, which is causingd the rise in the water level.‘There is the need to warn people to have pre-knowledge of what to expect. A global occurrence does not exclude Nigeria. We must be prepared so that we are not visited by disasters. If we are not prepared, if we are caught unawares, it means we have learnt nothing from the events of the past,” he stated.He maintained that the flooding of some areas was not as a result of the water released from the Oyan Dam, adding that the management of the dam would soon release water as a precautionary measure.He noted that releasing water from the dam would create greater space so that during heavy rain, it would be able to retain more water and prevent flood from ravaging the communities.In averting the tragedy of the past, he stated that the authority, through the Federal Ministry of Environment, had installed two early flood warning equipment at the flood prone areas.He added that in combating flooding in communities in Lagos and Ogun states, the management of the authority had commenced collaborative efforts with the ministries of environment of the two states.Omiliki said the collaboration became necessary in order to mitigate the effect of the flood expected this year due to heavy rain as from June.“Part of the strategies being put in place by the authority include sensitisation meetings and forums with government agencies and stakeholders, early release of water from the dams controlled by the authority to increase the available capacity of the dams’ reservoir to hold water, thereby mitigate the effect of flood water,” he stated.He warned that because of the predictions by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the National Emergency Management Agency, “Unusually heavy rainfall will be witnessed this year and attendant the flooding may become inevitable in the flood prone areas of Ogun and Lagos states.”He, therefore, called on the residents and developers along the Ogun River flood plain with particular reference to Owode Onirin, Isheri, Ajegunle, Mile 12, Ikosi-Iketu, Ajiliti, Maidan and other areas affected by flood in 2010 to relocate on short notice and stay off the flood plain area.He said that Lagos and Ogun state governments were well aware of the situation and expressed the hope that the governments would take the necessary steps to forestall the loss of lives and property.

Badagry killings: I-G under fire for absolving Army

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 2:49pm

Civil society groups and the family members of the police officers killed by soldiers during a clash between the police and soldiers in Badagry have called for the resignation of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Hafis Ringim, over his comments on the incident. Ringim on Friday absolved members of the Nigerian Army from the gruesome murder of the former Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Badagry Police Station, Mr Samuel Salihu, a Chief Superintendent of Police; the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), Mr Samson Okedusi, a Superintendent of Police; and Mr Taofeek Afolabi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, from the crime.He said anybody who had any proof linking any member of the Nigerian Army to the killings should come to him with such evidence.Ringim could not also give a good account of the policemen that was abducted by soldiers to their barracks on the night of the incident.Since the policemen were abducted at Badagry roundabout, nothing has been had about them, and their families are also worried.Some members of their families argued that the four policemen should be handed over to the police for prosecution if the soldiers knew that they were still alive.At the Lagos Police Command headquarters in Ikeja, where the corpses of the DPO and the DCO were laid in state yesterday, some civil society groups described the IG’s comment as that of a coward who was not prepared to defend the people who work under him. At the solemn ceremony which had few senior police officers in attendance, the Commissioner Police, Mr Yakubu Alkali was absent. The President of Africans for Human Rights International, Mr Afolabi Gbajumo, who spoke on behalf of others, asked: "Who killed them? He is supposed to take a courageous position. We do not know where he got his information. If he cannot handle the position and defend his men when duty calls, then he should resign."In an address by a member of the DCO’s family, Dr Michael Okedusi, he said the family would not succumb to intimidation, compromise or any other alternative to justice.He noted with sadness that the families had not heard anything from the police until recently when the IG said that the matter had been addressed.Okedusi said, "I want to ask the Inspector General of Police how it was addressed. Addressed without the culprits being arrested and prosecuted? Addressed in what form? Is it in the area of preventing future occurrence? Addressed by constituting a joint panel? We the families say no to all these plans to sweep the matter under the carpet. All we are asking for is an independent panel that will bring about justice, equity and fair play in all ramifications."We are calling on all human rights groups, both locally and internationally, to come to our aid and ensure that the soldiers involved in this heinous crime are brought to book. Likewise the policeman that fired first. The Presidency, the National Assembly and the National Judicial Commission should, as a matter of urgency, address this case once and for all. Enough is enough. The families will not fold their arms," he said.

Election Petition Tribunal: Akwa Ibom Govt Alerts On ACN Plan To Kidnap Witnesse

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 2:44pm

Akwa Ibom State government has uncovered a plot by the opposition party in the state to eliminate people who served as polling agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election in order to prevent them from testifying at the election petition tribunal scheduled to start sitting in Uyo next week.Governor Godswill Akpabio said in Uyo, on Friday, that there was a security report linking an opposition party in the state to a killer squad hired to attack PDP agents and supporters in order to stop them from coming forward as witnesses when the tribunal begins to hear the case brought by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which is seeking to nullify the victory of the PDP in the last gubernatorial election in the state.Akpabio was reacting to the shooting in Uyo of Dr Francis Udoikpong, who was the governor’s campaign coordinator in the build-up to the election and the PDP agent for Ika Local Council during the election.Dr Udoikpong, a former chairman of Ika Local Council, was shot and wounded in Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo, by yet-to-be-identified men on a motor bike.Deputy governor of the state, Obong Nsima Ekere, said that former ACN members, who defected to the PDP and current members of the ACN, who have accepted the victory of the PDP and congratulated the governor, were also targeted for elimination by the killer squad. The state chairman of the ACN, Aniekan Akpan, who has since congratulated Governor Akpabio on his victory, confirmed the threat to members of the party who have conceded defeat to the PDP.Akpan was said to have been threatened through anonymous telephone calls by people who have vowed to deal with him for congratulating the governor and issuing a statement to say that his party, the ACN, lost in a fair and transparent contest.Obong Ekere, has however, described “the threats and attacks on party members as another desperate and attempt by the opposition to capture power by all means.” He warned that such desperate politicians are bound to fail because “power comes from God, and it is for the electorate to decide who they want as leaders.”“Failed politicians in the state should note that sovereignty rests with the people,” Obong Ekere said, adding that the people have spoken.He observed that those who are behind the renewed spate of violence in the state were the same people who sponsored the mayhem that engulfed the state in the build-up to the last elections.He explained that the opposition has an agenda to instigate a climate of insecurity and fear in the state because they have found that they could not fault the Akpabio administration on the basis of performance given the uncommon transformation that the governor has brought about in the state.

Controversy trails police, AEPB staff clash

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 2:38pm

It was a tall order for the AEPB (Abuja Environmental Protection Board) officials when they set out to rid the FCT of prostitution last Monday. Residents of Abuja, at the beginning of the week, were greeted with the news of how the Garki Divisional Police Officer and some of his officers forced their way into the AEPB premises at Area 3 to release arrested suspected commercial sex workers. ShareReports had it that the policemen on the orders of the DPO pulled down the gate of AEPB when they were refused entry. Since the story broke out, there have been different versions of the story from both sides.Explaining what happened, Director AEPB, Abubakar Yabu said the board has been mandated to arrest women loitering around the streets of Abuja after midnight and went ahead for operation on Friday, June 3rd at about 2am. The AEPB Taskforce team on patrol that night accosted some suspected prostitutes around Amigo supermarket, Wuse II and took them to the AEPB’s office in Area 3.During investigation, it was claimed by the AEPB officials that one Maryam Olofo was, in the first place, not arrested. According to AEPB, it was some of her friends that were arrested and she followed suite along with some of her friends trailing the AEPB van. He disclosed that it was during documentation of the girls that the said Maryam arrived.Narrating what happened, Mr. Olusegun Olusa said when he was informed of the incident, he rushed down and requested for the girl in question because the DPO Garki had come to rescue her. It was then he was told she was not among the girls that were arrested, rather, she only came to lodge complain about her arrested friends and in the course called the DPO to come to AEPB office immediately. When the DPO came and identified himself, he was made to wait for the policemen attached to AEPB to identify him but he lost patience and started shooting indiscriminately and broke down the gate leading into AEPB’s compound. In the process, everyone started running in confusion and some of the arrested suspects escaped. Unfortunately for the DPO, the lady that called him was still in the compound as he thought she had escaped with the others.“The next day when pressmen asked her why she called the DPO and not her parents she said she did not want her parents to know she was still outside at that hour. She also dismissed allegations that she was his daughter or his girlfriend but that she has had a long cordial relationship with him and it was only coincidental that she was bearing the same name with him. But to our amazement, we read something else in the paper where she said something totally different from what she said here. We have proof of what she said,” he defended.Another issue the AEPB was asked to clarify was the issue of most arrested ladies being dehumanized and stripped naked. “The story is completely false. The story and pictures the DPO is parading about is the one that he came and witnessed here sometime back. There was this lady that has always been caught for the same act and when we caught her for the third time, she decided to strip herself naked saying it was her boyfriend that put her in that situation. Other ladies had to plead with her to cover up. Funny enough, we have her statement where she confessed to doing it deliberately.”“We do not dehumanize people here and so we were surprised when we learnt the DPO was circulating pictures of a naked woman saying that is what we do to them here. He came here and broke down our gates and fired 12 gun shots and no one is saying anything. Our concern is who gave him the authority to come and do what he did here on that day?” Head of AEPB’s Enforcement Unit, Olusegun Olusa queried.Reacting, Commissioner of Police, CP John Haruna said at a press briefing on Thursday that what happened between the police and the AEPB in Garki was unfortunate. He said also that all policemen working with other agencies including the AEPB were told to behave themselves and abide by the established code of conduct. He also said that the police will reorganize its operations within the city and the clash between the Police and AEPB is under investigation.According to the AEPB, nine of the policemen attached to it when the episode took place have been in detention with the force since the unfortunate incidence happened.All efforts to get DPO Garki, John Olofo to give his own side of the story proved abortive as his mobile phone was switched off and there was no reply to a text sent to his phone either.It would be recalled that speaking to the press earlier in the week, DPO John Olofo said he got a distress call from one of the ladies around 3.26am after the lady informed him that they were coming back from a party when some of the people with the assistance of policemen brutalized them and where taking them to an undisclosed location.“Since the AEPB Area 3 is under my jurisdiction, I requested to speak to any of the policemen there when she called back and said they were at AEPB Garki but the policeman there spoke rudely to me”. He then decided to go to the office with his patrol team.The DPO continued, “The policemen in my team were shocked and while waiting for signals after radioing my colleagues, I saw a completely naked lady crying inside the compound and before I knew what was happening, the officials inside the place started throwing bottles at us indiscriminately, while the policemen there shot their guns sporadically. I called my boss to update him with reports and he asked me to pull my patrol team out of the place,” he said.

Glo/CNN’s African Voices features Sultan of Sokoto

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 2:33pm

Television viewers across the globe will have the opportunity of watching the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad, on this weekend’s edition of CNN’s African Voices, sponsored by Nigerian telecommunication giants, Globacom.Sultan Abubakar will be the star guest on the programme which runs on Saturdays, from 9.30 to 10.00 a.m. and 3.30 to 4.00 p.m. There are also repeat broadcasts on Sunday from 9 .00 to 10.30 a.m. And 10.30 p.m. to 11.00 a.m. and on Monday from 11.30 to 12.00 p.m. and 6.30 to 7.00 p.m.The Sultan was born on August 24, 1956 in Sokoto and is the 20th Sultan of Sokoto. He is the titular ruler of Sokoto in northern Nigeria, the head of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (Society for the Victory of Islam - JNI) and the president-general of the Nigerian National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). As Sultan of Sokoto, he is considered the spiritual leader of Nigeria’s millions of Muslims. On November 2, 2006, Sa’adu Abubakar succeeded his brother, Mohammadu Maccido, who died in a plane crash. He is also a younger son of the 17th Sultan, Siddiq Abu Bakar dan Usuman, who held the Sultanate for over fifty years.Sultan Abubakar had a distinguished military career which began in 1975. He was commissioned a second lieutenant two years later. After that, he served in the elite Armoured Corps. He did military training overseas, including in India and Canada. He headed a presidential security unit of the Armoured Corps that guarded then military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida in the late 1980s. Abubakar also commanded a battalion of African peacekeepers in Chad during the early 1980s as part of the Organisation of African Unity’s force and was military liaison officer for the West African regional body ECOWAS in the mid 1990s. In addition to that, he served with West Africa’s peacekeeping force in Sierra Leone and was Nigeria’s military attaché to Pakistan when he was recalled to take office as the 20th Sultan of Sokoto.

N4.7bn pension scam: EFCC seizes 45 houses, freezes 36 accounts of five suspects

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 2:27pm

As part of the ongoing trial of those allegedly involved in N4.7billion pension scam, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has seized 45 houses and frozen 36 accountsOver three million shares in 29 companies traced to the five suspects have been taken over by the commission pending the conclusion of their trial. Also, assets of 41 companies allegedly used for the scam by the suspects will be forfeited. The five suspects are Dr. Sani Teidi Shuaibu, who is currently the Director of Finance in Petroleum Ministry, and Mrs. Phina Ukamaka Chidi, a serving director in the Federal Ministry of Transport. Others are Aliyu Bello; Emmanuel Olanipekun; and Abdul Mohammed. Both Shuaibu and Mrs. Chidi had previously served as Director and Deputy Director in the Pensions Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. But all the five suspects and 27 others are presently standing trial on a 134-count charge at a Federal High Court in Abuja . They have all pleaded not guilty to the 134 charges. Investigation by The Nation, however, showed that the Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, decided to invoke the Asset Forfeiture Clause in the commission’s Act to prevent the assets from being disposed of before the end of the trial of the suspects. A document by the EFCC chairman indicated that the assets, said to be worth over N12billion, were "temporarily seized by the anti-graft agency in line with Section 28 of the EFCC Act. Waziri said: "It is an offence punishable under Section 34 of the EFCC Act 2004 with imprisonment for a term of five years without option of fine to sell, deal with or otherwise dispose of any property or asset without the authorisation of the commission." Some of the assets seized from the suspects are a state of art hotel, an estate of 10 bungalows in Abuja , another ultra-modern estate in Sokoto, and five filling stations. A top source in EFCC, who spoke in confidence, said: "We decided to seize the assets to prevent them from being tampered with. "We have secured necessary court backing for the forfeitures. If the court releases the suspects after their trial, we will release their assets to them. "If they are however convicted, we will sell the affected assets to recover the public funds they had diverted or mismanaged. The court will determine their fate." The Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, confirmed the invocation of the Asset Forfeiture Clause by the commission. Babafemi said: "We have seized those assets in the interim until after their trial. I won’t say more than that." Meanwhile, the EFCC and the Police have started probing death threats from one of the suspects on four star witnesses of the commission in their ongoing trial.The star witnesses are Stanley Iwu, Isa Abu, Mohammed Mohammed and Abdullahi Lawal. One of those involved in the scam had threatened to kill the four suspects if they do not disengage from further testifying in the case. The EFCC source said: "We have identified the suspect threatening our witnesses and we are beefing up security for them in collaboration with the police. "If necessary, we will ask the suspect in question to enter into a bond to guarantee the safety of lives and property of the four witnesses. "But the affected suspect may face a separate trial for death threats after the police have concluded investigation into the case." The pension scam was uncovered during the tenure of a former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsaye. During the clean-up of the Pension Unit in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation by Oronsaye, the government had discovered that there were 106,000 on pension roll whereas the actual beneficiaries were about 60,000. The current Head of Service, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, in January, told the EFCC chairman that the verification of pensioners had reduced monthly pension bill from N2.3billion to N1.2billion. He said: "We have secured about 50 per cent reduction in monthly pension bill. At the end of the second phase of the exercise, we may be able to save N600million monthly."

Man arraigned for issuing N6m dud cheques

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 2:19pm

A 52-year-old-man, Christopher Ejinkonye, was on Wednesday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for allegedly issuing two dud cheques of N3m each to Danjuma Abubakar in January and February 2011 respectively.The charge sheet read in part, “That you, Christopher Ejinkoye, on January 30, 2011 in the Lagos Magisterial District, issued a United Bank for Africa Plc cheque of N3m with No. 00053644, dated January 30, 2011 and another cheque of N3m of the same bank with No. 00053643 dated February 27, 2011 to Danjuma Abubakar, which were dishonoured on presentation.”Ejinkoye was alleged to have conspired with others now at large to steal 1,200 bags of fertiliser valued at N6m and belonging to Danjuma Abubakar, at Tin Can Island Port, Apapa, Lagos.The accused is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy to commit felony, theft and economic crime. According to the charge sheet, the offences are contrary to and punishable under sections 516 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap C-17 Vol. II Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003, as well as Section 1(1) (b) (i) of the Dishonoured Cheque Offences Act, Cap 102 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2003.However, when the plea of the accused was taken in court, he pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.The counsel to the accused, Olukayode Balogun, told the court that the charge against his client could not prevent him from being granted bail.He subsequently applied for Ejinkoye’s bail in the most liberal terms.Balogun’s bail application was, however, opposed by the complainant’s lawyer, Mr. V.C. Gadi, who told the court that Ejinkoye had in a similar circumstance jumped bail granted him at the Zone II Police Headquarters in Lagos.The magistrate, Mrs. O.A. Ogunbowale, explained that the case was an entirely different one, stressing that the court was in a better position to decide on the next line of action.Ogunbowale eventually admitted Ejinkonye to bail in the sum of N2m with two sureties in like sum.She added that the two sureties must be the blood relations of the accused and must furnish the court with evidence of gainful employment, affidavit of means and tax payments for two years as well as verifiable residential and office addresses.The case has been adjourned till June 30, 2011 for mention.

Crisis brews in Ondo over appointment of High Chief

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 2:00pm

A chieftaincy crisis is brewing in Ondo kingdom, in Ondo West local government area of Ondo State over the installation of a High Chief in the town.Specifically, some youths faulted the installation of Chief Ambrose Boluwaji Akinsade as Jomu, who is one of the kingmakers of the kingdom.The youths under the auspices of Ondo Youth Coalition for Justice and Equity in a statement by their Secretary, Mr Eniitan Marcus said the appointment of Akinsade as Jomu would lead communal conflict if not redress. According to him, whoever that wants to occupy the office of Jomu must not only be popular, he must be refined, cultured, credible and above board.Marcus said the selection of Akinsade did not meet the criteria laid down for the office of Jomu and as such it was ultra vire, null and void.According to him, it was wrong of Chief Robert Omoyele acting as the Chairman of the family unilateral endorsed the report of the Otun Jomu to the monarch of the town without the consent of the Jomu family.

Bandits kill 1, shoot 3 in Sapele

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 1:57pm

A four-man robbery gang operated yesterday morning at Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area , Delta State, shooting and killing one person and injuring three others at a neighborhood Bureau De Exchange on Hausa Quarters, Market Road. They carted away an undisclosed amount of money in a less than three- minute operation.There was pandemonium in the area over the incident, as people ran helter skelter for their lives , while the bandits fired indiscriminately into the air to make good their escape in a Jetta car with which they trailed a victim to the local money market.Two of those who received gunshot injuries were identifed as Alhaji Abu and Alhaji Ibrahim, both foreign exchange dealers and an Igbo man who was shot on the chest. As at the time of this report, they had been taken by the police to the General Hospital, Sapele for medical attention.A source said the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Sapele, Emmanuel Iguodala not only deployed his men to the scene when a call was put to him, but led a separate team to confront the gangsters but they had escaped before the team arrived.It was gathered that a policeman who was on duty at the Bureau De Exchange engaged the robbers in a shootout, but he was apparently overpowered.The gangsters, according to our informant, followed the owner of the money, who came to transact business at the money market from a nearby community, probably Jesse, and ambushed him as soon as he got to the place.

Jonathan’s Supporters Allege Hidden Agenda

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 1:43pm

SUPPORTERS of President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo, on Friday, raised the alarm that the denial of the South-West of the speakership of the House of Representatives was part of a grand design by some political forces to move against the presidency.They claimed that the first stage of the plot, which they said appeared accomplished, was for some fifth columnists to ensure the election of Honourables Ahmed Tambuwal and Emeka Imedioha as Speaker and deputy Speaker in disregard of the zoning policy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).According to the president-general of the Jonathan/Sambo Support Group, Prince Adekunle Kingsley Obolo, in a statement made available to Saturday Tribune, the injustice meted out to the South-West on the matter must be quickly addressed in order to promote political harmony.“The Yoruba supported Jonathan based on their convictions which is based on the principles of fairness, justice and appropriate political balancing; if the current conspiracy against them has been done with fair- mindedness, it would not have raised any eye-brow, but a situation where the people of the zone were subjected unjustly to political privations and/or deprivation is unfair to God and good conscience.“The decision of the House of Representatives to scheme out a most vibrant, articulate, politically sophisticated, well-cultured and refined segment of the country out of reckoning and contention is unfair and smacks of insensitivity,” they stated

Unions petition EFCC over FAAN-Maevis agreement

Posted by ndy on June 10, 2011 at 1:30pm

Three apex aviation unions have written a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to intervene in the lingering airport concession crisis between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and one of its concessionaires, Maevis Nigeria Ltd. The unions are Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, National Union of Air Transport Employees and National Union of Pensioners. The national president, ATSSSAN, Mr. Benjamin Okewu, at a news conference in Lagos on Friday, said the move became necessary to save the aviation industry from imminent crisis. He was accompanied by the chairman, ATSSSAN, FAAN chapter, Mr. Elkanem Elkanem. The ATSSSAN leaders insisted that there was no going back on the revocation of the FAAN-Maevis contract. They called on the government to begin a new bidding process if she would reconsider the private sector management of the airport revenue system. On the interim, they said that FAAN officials would handle the system. The unions had, about two weeks ago, staged a two-day protest, which was aimed at shutting Maevis operations at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. While claiming that FAAN had terminated its concession pact with Maevis, the unions alleged that the concessionaire was short-changing FAAN, a situation, they said, had made it difficult for the agency to pay its workers’ salaries. The unions’ protest was, however, disrupted by policemen, who insisted that Maevis was in possession of a court injunction restraining FAAN from terminating the agreement. Maevis had insisted that it was paying as and when due money collected on behalf of FAAN at the Lagos and Abuja airports. The firm said that it had continued to keep to the terms of the contract. On Thursday, Maevis said it had remitted N32.5bn to the coffers of the agency, adding that the shortfall of N8bn was debt owed by airlines. The Director of Finance, Ms. Bosede Owolabi, had denied that it was short-changing FAAN, stressing that the campaign against her company was not justified. The General Manager, Maevis, Mr. Wale Soneye, had said that the firm remitted over N1bn to the coffers of FAAN in May 2011. Also, he said that his firm had collected over N200m from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, last month. But the ATSSAN leaders faulted the firm’s argument. They claimed that certain indices showed that the firm had been short-changing FAAN. Specifically, Okewu said that before Maevis came onboard in 2007, FAAN was generating more than N1bn every month. He said, “We must take into cognisance that the exchange rate at that time in 2007 was about N127 to a dollar. The exchange rate now as we speak is about between N150 and N155 to a dollar. So you can put that together and see whether it was different from what FAAN was generating.” Okewu faulted the FAAN-Maevis agreement, which allowed the concessionaire to pocket 37 per cent from additional revenue it generates for FAAN.

Brand Evaluation: The Omogo Reloaded Logo

Posted by ResQ Records/PiKture Time Films on June 4, 2011 at 8:24am

According to O'Guin, Allen and Semenik in their book Advertising and Intergrated Brand Promotion, the new world of advertising is full of companies who are looking for new ways to get their brand across to audience and potential consumers. In this seemingly ad cluttered environment, small businesses are caught in the struggle between big corporation on how to make their brand visible and recognizable, send out culturally relevant in a refreshing way and become top-on-the-minds of audience and potential customers. How can new small businesses favorably compete considering the criteria listed above. Let us examine one of ResQ Records brand: The Omogo Reloaded Logo. The Omogo Reloaded logo is good because it is simple, representative and fresh.

Omogo Reloaded brand, Yahoo, Disney and Taco Bell brand all have something in common: Simplicity. When encountered, they are supposed to evoke some sort of feelings in the minds of audience. In comparison, the 4 brands have visual simplicity. These brands employ texts and sometimes an image (as seen in TACO BELL). In the music industry, ResQ Records is a new player with a relatively new genre of music called Afrofusion. The logo just spells the brand out in bold uncomplicated type-face, the smaller font well spaced to hold the weight of the larger ones on top. There are just two colors: Green and black plus the neutral white. The task is to clearly communicate the essence of the music to potential audience and customers and keeping the new logo simple will make recall and association easy for music enthusiasts, potential industry business partners and customers. Simplicity is synonymous to recall and easy recognizability and the Omogo Reloaded brand has that quality.

As Disney appeals to the fun-loving population and Yahoo to the instant messaging internet users, the Omogo Reloaded logo is packed with cultural appeal. The text is set in white background with green on either side. Green-White-Green is the flag of Nigeria, where Afrofusion originates evolving from Afrobeat. According to WorldFlags101.com, " The green stripes represent Nigeria's agriculture industry and its lush vegetation and the white stripe represents the desire for peace and unity within the country". In relation to Afrofusion blend of music, the green and white mean flourishing in harmony. Brand logos do not just represent names, they carry meanings. Here in North America, almost everyone is familiar with the recycle symbol. It is also used as part of the brand. Representation is what makes the Omogo Reloaded logo better. It is packed with meaning of cultural relevance that an African, American and global audience can relate to.

Notice that the "G" in Omogo has been slightly and intentionally rotated to imitate recycle symbol and the refresh button. This symbol is common on the internet and eye-catching. It represents giving vitality to something that may be worn out. Refreshing, starting afresh and new are the intended messages. At the same time, the rotated "G" also represent ResQ Records consciousness of the diminishing state of the world's resources and our support for the green revolution like encouraging dowloads and reading electronic copies instead of print-outs. The world craves new and refreshing ideas and the Omogo Reloaded brand represents just that. The word, "Reloaded" is implied in the rotated "G" and along the line of brand evolution, all other elements on the logo will be dropped. Like the NIKE swoosh, the slightly tilted G with a arrow head will come to identify Afrofusion music by Omogo Reloaded, percieve as something new/fresh and infigurating.

It's lunch time and you're driving on highway 33, when you spot a fast food restuarant sign. Almost immediately, you're feeling hungrier. Result and that's what an advertisers in that industry desire.

For the Omogo Reloaded brand, the composition is created to stimulate ones imagination by arousing one's curiousity. A look at top ranking national and international brands will reveal their simplicity, their struggle to be very represnetative and relavant in meaning transmission to audience and strive to stay fresh. The Omogo Reloaded brand possesses the above-mentioned qualities, making it very easy to recall. Upon immediate recognition and recollection, certain subtle cultural messages are conjured and a sense of affiliation with the brand is established. It is easy to support a brand that customers have a connection with. This connection is importnat to the survival of a brand.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.