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1 -Change something in your routine. For tonight’s dinner, put out your best linens, create a centerpiece, or simply light a candle. A festive setting makes for a festive mood.

2 -Get outside. Whenever you feel bored, antsy, or gloomy, go for a walk. The fresh air, changing scenery, and exercise will boost your mood.

3- Bow out gracefully. The next time you argue with someone, be the first person to relent and acknowledge the other person’s point of view. You’ll both be smiling sooner.

4 -Pat a pet. Rub a good dog. Scratch a cat. Pets love us unconditionally and relieve our stress.

5 -Move your bedtime. Go to bed an hour early tonight. Tomorrow, you’ll wake up with a brighter outlook.

6- Build someone’s future. Volunteer with a local charity. To find a nonprofit or tax-exempt organization near you, read my article:

7- Buy something beautiful. Place a small but exquisite painting, handmade vase, or other piece of art prominently in your home. Admire it often.

8- Take lessons. When you were a kid, did you always want to try horseback riding or sailing? Do you wish you could take up a hobby, like knitting or piano playing? Now is the time to learn how. Hobbies are fun and relieve stress. Look for appropriate schools in the phone book.

Beloved,

The God of heaven shall release rains of abundant blessings upon your life and God by His grace and mercy is taking you higher, and moving your life forward. Yokes of financial limitation, debt, hardship, stagnancy and delays shall be broken. God shall restore that which you have lost in years past and you shall have great testimonies in Jesus mighty name.

LAGOS – Nigeria’s Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, standing trial for attempted bombing of an American airline on Christmas day in 2009 had considered launching the strike in the skies above Houston or Chicago but he could not afford the flight tickets to these cities. He therefore refocussed the mission on a cheaper destination: Detroit, United States, current and former counter-terrorism officials have said.

The report showed that Yemen’s branch of Al-Qaida does not strike at symbolic places but any place of opportunity.

There had been questions on why Abdulmutallab chose to bomb Detroit. Abdulmutallab considered Houston, where he attended an Islamic conference in 2008, current and former counter-terrorism officials told the AP. Another person with knowledge of the case said Abdulmutallab also considered Chicago but was discouraged by the cost. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the case.

While the target and timing were unimportant, the mission itself was a highly organised plot that involved one of the FBI’s most wanted terrorists and al-Qaida’s go-to bomb maker, current and former officials said. Before Abdulmutallab set off on his mission, he visited the home of al-Qaida manager Fahd al-Quso to discuss the plot and the workings of the bomb.

Al-Quso, 36, is one of the most senior al-Qaida leaders publicly linked to the Christmas plot. His association with al-Qaida stretches back more than a decade to his days in Afghanistan when, prosecutors said, bin Laden implored him to “eliminate the infidels from the Arabian Peninsula.”

From there he rose through the ranks. He was assigned the job in Aden to videotape the 1998 suicide bombing of the USS Cole, which killed 17 sailors and injured 39 others, but fell asleep. Despite the lapse, he is now a mid-level manager in the organisation. Al-Quso is from the same tribe as radical U.S.-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who had an operational role in the botched Christmas attack.

In December, Al-Quso was designated a global terrorist by the State Department, a possible indication that his role in al-Qaida’s Yemen franchise has grown more dangerous.

Al-Quso was indicted on 50 terrorism counts in New York for his role preparing for the Cole attack and served more than five years in prison in Yemen before he was released in 2007. On the FBI’s list, al-Quso ranks behind only bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri among the most sought-after al-Qaida terrorists.

After meeting with al-Quso, Abdulmutallab left Yemen in December 2009 and made his way to Ghana, where he paid $2,831 in cash for a round-trip ticket from Nigeria to Amsterdam to Detroit and back.

Rising stand up comedian, CD John, famous for his jokes on an imaginary Igbo female chorister  is dead.

It was reported that CD John died at St. Nicholas Hospital,Thursday morning,  from complications arising  from an accident last night, after his black Gulf 2 car ran into a stationary vehicle  on Lagos Island.

According to sources, he was returning from Questionmark act,  Harrysong’s album listening party held at Tribeca where he was the MC . He  was  driving back to his Jakande estate, Isolo  home, when the accident occurred ’.

CD John. Photo: Thenetng.

Born John Chijioke, the rib cracker was a refreshing face to burst into the comedy scene in 2010 and will be remembered for his unique style of crafting jokes from popular Christian songs.

It was reported that industry players like Gbenga Adeyinka, Teju Babyface, Basketmouth, have confirmed the accident and reports of his death.

Three presidential candidates have pulled out of a televised debate scheduled for March 29 2011 according to a press statement signed by spokespersons of the campaign organizations of Shekarau for Nigeria, Buhari Campaign Organization and Ribadu Presidential Campaign Team.

See press statement below:

Our Position On President Jonathan’s Refusal To Participate In The Presidential Debate Organised By Nn24

We the spokespersons of the Presidential Candidate of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP); the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) wish to clear the air on the matter of the presidential debate organised by NN24 so that our teeming supporters and Nigerians in general will understand and appreciate our position.
We had held series of clear-the-air meetings under the auspices of the organisers at which logical and other arrangements for the debate were exhaustively discussed.

The representative of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Dr. Doyin Okupe, was in attendance and actively participated in all deliberations.

It was at Dr. Okupe’s instance that the two dates earlier proffered by the organisers; March 8th and 15th  as contained in the memorandum of understanding signed by the three candidates were rejected because according to him, those dates were not convenient for his candidate. Dr. Okupe, on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan, suggested the March 18th date in which the debate was successfully held.

All of us accepted this date not because it was convenient for our Principals, but as our sacrifice to afford Nigerian voters an opportunity to assess and judge the candidates’ programmes as well as personality under the spotlight.

For emphasis, we had to adjust ou

But the there is a limit to which we can subject ourselves to this sheer impunity of the ruling party which they have flunked on our faces as a people in the last 12 years. The PDP has a record of shunning every Presidential debate since 1999.

We are highly suspicious of the celebrated romance with the BON debate by the president Jonathan’s camp which shunned the NN24 debate without an apology. We can only hazard that since most of the agencies organizing the BON debate are government parastatals, the organizers may not be in a position to resist the request for advance questions being given to the debates in which the NN24 agreed with us because they were independent. This does not mean that the men and women running these agencies lack integrity but the awe some power of the presidency may be too much for them.

Our principals being men of dignity with high regard for the people of Nigeria will not be part of such orchestrated charade of a D'Banj's “kokolete” debate.

Like millions of other Nigerians, we consider this behaviour  of the president as egotistical, condescending and unbecoming of a man seeking a mandate to govern Nigeria. Leadership entails humility and respect for others.

A situation where the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation deliberately set out to humiliate other Presidential Candidates by reneging on an agreement it proposed is unacceptable to us and the millions of our supporters.

Consequently, we state without ambiguity that our principals will not honour any debate session with president Goodluck Jonathan in the 2011 elections as he has arrogantly shunned the credible debate for which we made ourselves available.

Future presidents of Nigeria will have to be more careful in dealing with the feelings of others.

r respective campaign time tables at great logistics costs to us as our sacrifices for the growth of the culture of debate as an essential ingredient of the open society.

We indeed bent backwards for the office of the President even when we are fully aware that the occupant is no more than a co-contestant in the context at it were.

From JOE EFFIONG, Uyo

Thursday, March 24, 2011   Akwa Ibom has begun to count the loss of the ethno-political war that engulfed the state on Tuesday when the People Democratic Party (PDP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) supporters clashed in Ikot Ekpene with a spill over in Uyo.

The collateral losses as each side takes inventory include 20 deaths, 1300 brand new cars and tricycles burnt at the Idongesit Nkanga State Secretariat; three vehicles including a Hummer Sports Utility Vehicle burnt at Senator Aloysius Etok’s Fortune High School Uyo. Also torched was the Goodluck/Akpabio campaign storey building. Four PDP supporters reportedly lost their genitals while 65 ACN supporters are in police net.

Governor Godswill Akpabio who gave the inventory on the side of PDP and state government said the 800 vehicles burnt at the state secretariat were the handiwork of the opposition that wanted to create insecurity in the state so that it could attract a state of emergency. The vehicles, including some tri-cycles were those purchased by the state government to be distributed to okada riders when the commercial motorcycles would have been banned in the state.

“I was in Mkpat Enin LGA and Abak campaigning. When I was coming back I was told not to take Abak road where the ACN candidate lives; that I should divert because I was going to be attacked. You must note that I had been attacked on that road several times by the people holding brooms. Each time my convoy is passing they put dagger inside the broom and rush to scratch vehicles. When they scratch vehicles they break the windscreen.

“What is happening in Akwa Ibom State, to me is an organised attack on the citizens of the state in order to create fear and insecurity in the citizens. This is part of the plan. “They are also trying to see whether they can provoke ethnic rivalry so that it will look as if the various ethnic groups are fighting and call for state of emergency like what is happening in Jos, Plateau State.

“It is the foolishness of the planners because anybody who wants to contest election to rule the people should not kill the people. Anybody that wants to contest election should know that the primary purpose of government is to protect the lives and property of the people and also ensure peace.”

The governor added: “This is no longer politics. You cannot just go and destroy over 800 brand new cars and burn down over 500 brand new Keke NAPEP and burn down all sort of edifices in the place. They went as far as cutting the private parts-genitals-of PDP members and they are in the general hospitals.

“Four men from the PDP lost their private parts yesterday while others are killed outrightly. We will bring them to book no matter who they are. This is no longer politics, it is outright criminality.

“We have given order of shoot-on-sight of anybody that wants to cause destruction and more criminality in this state,” Akpabio said and later departed for campaigns in Etinan and Nsit Ubium local government areas.

But on their side, ACN at a press briefing anchored by its state chairman, Chief Aniekan Akpan, said the attack on their campaign train by agents of PDP, which left 20 people dead, 50 wounded, vehicles destroyed, “was on the order of Governor Godswill Akpabio, who is from Ikot Ekpene federal constituency.”

The party, which postponed its rally for the day due to the crisis, said they had it on good authority that members of the governor’s war cabinet who organised and funded the attack were a serving commissioner in the state; a chapter chairman of PDP in Ikot Ekpene; a local government council chairman in the area; a House of Assembly member from the area; a special adviser to the governor and the chairman of a development authority (all names withheld) all from the area.

“It could be recalled that the PDP government had before now, denied our candidate and party, access to public venues in the state for rallies to frustrate us but our movement has grown in leaps and bounds because the almighty God is on our side and the vast majority of the masses are in our support.

“That the mayhem took place in the home base of the state governor speaks volumes about the current state of insecurity in Akwa Ibom State; it shows the desperation of the governor and the PDP in the state.

“It is very instructive and indeed very disgraceful that this ugly incidence happened at the doorsteps of the governor, in his hometown and a few minutes drive from his country home. It is unimaginable that such a degree of mayhem could be unleashed on fellow citizens of Akwa Ibom State in the backyard of their own governor, who was elected to protect their lives and property.”

According to the ACN chieftain, the incidence showcases the evil that PDP government has brought into the state. “Akwa Ibom used to be shing light in ethnic harmony but Gov. Akpabio has in his selfish aspiration to perpetuate his corrupt and very inept leadership wants to force people to return him to power. This is unacceptable to us and the people of the state.”

The party condemned the security agencies for playing partisan role in the crisis, alleging that despite applying severally, the police had refused to give them police coverage during the campaigns. Rather, they (police) had been operating as a parastatal of the state government, ACN alleged.

“As I am talking to you now, Governor Akpabio is boasting that he has paid N500 million to the police authorities in Abuja to ensure that the former commissioner of police, Mr Magaji, who refused to tag along with him was transferred and that he has gotten someone who will co-operate with him in his bid to rig the forthcoming elections in the state.”

ACN called on the Federal Government to rein in the joint military task force called Operation Oduma in the state because they “too have been corrupted by Governor Akpabio. Today (Wednesday) even though the whole state knows the truth about what happened yesterday, our supporters are being arrested and Gov. Akpabio has ordered that our leaders be arrested and detained until after the election.”

The new police commissioner, Mr Felix Uyanna while inspecting the extent of damage in Uyo said about 45 persons have been arrested in connection with the mayhem.

He told the press at Fortunes High School owned by Alloysius Etok, a senator representing Ikot Ekpene senatorial district, that those arrested would face the full weight of the law. Senator Etok who was around to take stock of his loss said items destroyed in the school premises was worth more than N100 million.

Specifically, Messers Joe Igbokwe and Alhaji Ibrahim Modibbo, both of Action Congress of Nigeria, Yinka Odumakin of Congress for Progressive Change and Cletus Akwaya of the Peoples Democratic Party are being sued for impugning the integrity of the newspaper.

In addition, they are also being sued for imputing wrong motives against the editors of THISDAY in the discharge of their duties as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

According to THISDAY, the four men are trying to intimidate and harass its journalists with a view to stopping them from publishing the results of the ongoing and weekly THISDAY/Ipsos Poll ahead of the 2011 general election because the poll results, in a particular edition, did not favour their principals.

Huhuonline.com understands that the four men are being sued in the sum of N10 billion each in their personal capacities...

As huhuonlone.com published previously,

Two leading opposition parties in Nigeria, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has condemned THISDAY newspapers opinion poll which affirmed that President Goodluck Jonathan will receive 60.3% of the total votes during April polls.

Mr. Joe Igbokwe, publicity Secretary of ACN labelled ThisdayNewspapers “the number one enemy of Nigeria”.

In his words; “This is the fraudulent business Thisday newspaper has been known for since 2003 and it is all about politics of the stomach”.

“This paper did it for a fee in 2003. They did it again in 2007 for N3 Billion Naira and in 2011, these hungry guys are repeating it again. This is impunity taken to a frightening dimension”.

“For a huge fee that runs into several billions of Naira this shameless newspaper is preparing the ground for PDP to rig the 2011 election as it did in 2003 and 2007”.

“This is silly, petty, meaningless and unacceptable”

In the same vein, Engr. Rotimi Fashakin, National Publicity Secretary of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) , said “ the current publications which awarded 60.3% of the votes to be cast by long suffering Nigerians to Jonathan and PDP who are their “Tormentors-in-Chief”, looks like a last ditch effort by the PDP and its candidate to justify the massive electoral fraud they have planned to unleash on Nigerians”.

President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered the indefinite suspension of the director of research and strategy of the Goodluck/Sambo campaign organisation, Mike Omeri. He was suspended for ignoring the president's directive not to engage opposition parties in smear campaigns.

The letter, dated March 22, 2011, which conveyed Mr. Omeri's suspension yesterday, was signed by the director general of the Presidential Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dalhatu Tafida, who said he (Omeri) was making pronouncements without clearance from his superiors.

The letter reads, "In spite of repeated warnings to you to desist from pronouncements on the campaign without clearance from either the Director of Publicity or Deputy Director-General, or Director-General, you have persisted in this direction and thereby embarrassed the campaign with unauthorised statements that are at variance with the values and principles of our presidential candidate.

"You are accordingly suspended from your duties as Director of Research and Strategy until further notice while you are required to respond within 24 hours as to why stronger sanctions should not be applied to you."

It was learnt that Mr Jonathan, during a meeting with campaign directors and committee heads at the Legacy House campaign headquarters in Abuja yesterday, expressed worry over a statement Mr Omeri issued last weekend.

Unhappy president

The president was also said to have demanded to know why Mr Omeri persistently ignored his instruction to the PCC publicity department not to engage in mudslinging with his challengers, and instead focus on issues.

In the statement that got him into trouble, the suspended director had cast aspersion on the integrity of the presidential candidates of the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) and that of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Nuhu Ribadu and Muhammadu Buhari, respectively.

Mr Omeri also threatened to expose the two candidates whom he said were not as clean as perceived by the public.

"The two self acclaimed anti-corruption 'stars' had proved that they had their hands soiled with acts of corruption when they were in government'', Mr Omeri had stated in the statement published in a national daily.

A forthnight ago, Mr Omeri also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disqualify Mr Buhari for allegedly preaching violence.

The director also said that he received a text message from an unknown person threatening to kill him for speaking ill of the CPC presidential flag bearer. He said the threat came from the Buhari camp.

Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State, was, on Tuesday up in flames, following the clash between the supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at Ikpe Annang, Ikot Ekpene Local Government area of the state during political campaigns.

As a result, men of the armed forces have completely taken over security in the state.

It was gathered that the clash resulted in the killing of eight people, leaving many wounded while several vehicles were destroyed.

It was gathered that a reprisal attack led to a stampede in the state capital which led to blockage of all access roads to the city.

Unconfirmed reports said that in the course of the protest, three people were killed on the Olu-Obasanjo Way, former Abak Road, with several government vehicles and billboards belonging to Governor Godswill Akpabio destroyed by supporters of the ACN.

Also at the state secretariat, hundreds of brand new vehicles of the state government meant for the state mass transit scheme were burnt, besides others burnt in the course of the protest at different locations in the metropolis.

The state practically came to a standstill as commercial transporters fled the road while commercial activities were completely paralysed as business owners locked up their shops.

In the midst of the crisis, Governor Akpabio, who would have ordinarily taken the Olu-Obasanjo Way to the state capital and his convoy, while returning from a campaign in Mkpat Enin and Abak local government areas of the state, had to divert to another route; the Idoro Road to the Hill Top Mansion, amidst tight security.

The Director, Media and Strategy of Senator John Udoedehe Campaign Group, Honourable Thomas O. Akpabio, confirmed the attack on his campaign train, saying many of the ACN supporters were wounded and vehicles burnt.

The chairman, media and publicity sub-committee of the ACN, who spoke to newsmen, said “we went to campaign in Ikot Ekpene and some people stopped us on the way from Ikot Obong Edong, near the road leading to Ikono Local Government.”

He said further that “they started throwing stones at us, shooting at us and in the process damaged our cars. We had to return to Uyo because we were empty handed. As I’m talking to you now, we don’t know the whereabouts of our governorship candidate.”

The police in Lagos, yesterday, paraded four suspected cultists who allegedly terrorised residents when they engaged in a fight on March 19.

Osifo Emmanuel, 27, Kelvin Ehiro 32, and Tony Ekpo, are alleged to be members of the Aiye Confraternity in the Apapa area of the state; while Amechie Obodike, 25, confessed to be a member of the Eiye Cult also in Apapa.

The suspects were arrested on March 19 during a fracas between the rival cults at the POP Restaurant at Apapa. Witnesses said the cultists engaged one another with dangerous weapons like cutlasses and axes and terrorised residents of the area. The police were alerted, and the youth got arrested.

Their confessions

Mr Emmanuel is alleged to be a leader of the Aiye Cult. He said members of his cult had gone to relax at a popular drinking spot, called Malamido at Apapa, when members of the Eiye Cult attacked them with dangerous weapons. “I am a deejay at POP restaurant at Apapa, and I am a member of the Aiye Cult,” he said. “I graduated from the Polytechnic, Ibadan, and since I came back to Lagos, I have been doing deejay.

On Thursday last week, I was relaxing at the POP restaurant when I heard that our guys were attacked at Malamido. I rushed to the scene and I saw one of my friends, Ovie, in the pool of his own blood. Some people had stabbed him and I rushed him to the hospital. We later found out that the people who attacked that day were Eiye members. We left and on Saturday, I was in POP restaurant where I work and my friends were with me. So that was how police came and pick me up saying that we are planning to attack, so I don’t know anything.”

Mr Obodike also confessed to being a cultist. He said he was forced to join the Eiye cult last December, and was on his way with members of his cult to cause mayhem when he was arrested. “I am a auto mechanic at Apapa,” he said. “One of my friends called me that we should go to POP, he was carrying a cutlass. My friend’s name is Taju and he was the who introduced me to Eiye Cult. That Saturday, we were going to POP when we heard that something was happening and before we escaped, police came and arrested us. Taju ran away but before I could flee, the police held me and brought me to their station. I feel bad involving myself in this kind of thing.”

Police response

Patricia Amadin, spokesperson for the police, said the police is on the trail of the other suspected cultists, and urged members of the public to provide the police with useful information that will lead to the arrest of trouble makers in their community. “The case is under investigation and the suspects will be charged to court soon,” she said.

The Ondo State police have arrested five persons in connection with the kidnap of Mafe Ibrahim, the mother of Jimoh Ibrahim. According to an assistant commissioner of police who prefers anonymity, the suspects were arrested in the environs of Igbotako and are helping the police in their investigations. The police officer told NEXT that the kidnap was not politically motivated.

The state police command had recently announced that the case has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.

Playing politics with the kidnap

While the PDP, Mr Ibrahim’s party alleged that the ruling Labour Party was behind the abduction, the state government advised Mr Ibrahim and his party men to look within themselves for the kidnappers.

The state government through the commissioner for information, Ranti Akerele, accused Mr Ibrahim of “playing politics” with the kidnap of his mother.

The commissioner faulted Mr Ibrahim’s account of the kidnap saying, “Ibrahim presented the case as if the kidnap was masterminded and executed by the state government, hence his demand for the declaration for a state of emergency in the state.” Mr Akerele added, “the security agencies that have already been drafted to effect the release of this woman should look beyond the ordinary and search the confines of Jimoh Ibrahim’s household.

“They should look among his political associates who seem to be rejoicing at the sad development and his myriad of business associates.

“It is the height of immorality for anybody to think of scoring cheap political goals with the kidnap of a 65-year-old woman.

“If a beneficiary of the kindness and love of one earlier victim could organise and mastermind the kidnap of his benefactor, who says desperate political rookies cannot plan and execute the kidnap of a poor old woman?” He asked.

The commissioner also noted that the act could be carried out by the PDP, “in order to create a band of phantom stakeholders whose only tangible solution to the incident is to call for a state of emergency in Ondo State.” He said: “With all the powers at the disposal of the peace-loving government of Ondo State, issues of security have been pursued with unprecedented focus since April 2009. Such that in all the reported cases of kidnap, not only have the victims returned to safety but the culprits have been apprehended to the eternal shame of those who cry wolf when there are none.”

They wanted Jimoh out

But the PDP in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Ayo Fadaka, alleged that the Labour Party carried out the act, “to discourage Jimoh Ibrahim from further participating in politics.” Mr Fadaka said, “Our attention has been drawn to the kidnap of Madam Ibrahim, the mother of Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim who is a solid pillar of our Party both in this state and nationally. It will be recalled that our state has been going through lots of security challenges in recent weeks and this is occasioned by the garrulity of Labour Party leaders and rank and file whose concept of politicking is to stand the laws on its head and use under the table tactics to secure victory. Their approach so far has led to the death of Emmanuel Adebayo in Ose and scores of brutalised and wounded people across the state. Their latest action is the kidnap of this old woman, this development is not only evil, but sadistic, comprehensively wicked and unacceptable.

“In their imagination it is the needed trump card that is needed to disorientate, disorganise and discourage Jimoh Ibrahim in his quest to join others in leading the party to victory in the forthcoming elections in Ondo State. But we want to assure them that their calculation is not only shallow but will fail to achieve their desired goal.” Mr Fadaka called on the law enforcement agents to treat the matter with urgency, adding that the culprits and their sponsors should be brought to book.

Mr Ibrahim’s mother was kidnapped from her Igbotako home on Sunday evening by four unidentified gunmen. It was gathered that the gunmen arrived at the house, a one-storey building located in the outskirts of the town around 8pm, and pretended to be customers who wanted to buy some locally made mats which the woman was selling.

comments: We just bought that jet last year from China!!! Dont you see the "new" trains(locomotives) we just bought from Brazil as well? Brazil is currently modernizing their railways, the old 1914 locomotives the country is disposing were what Nigeria is importing and calling it their own modernization of rails, this is a sick country. 

A Nigeria Air Force fighter jet crashed yesterday at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport following an alleged equipment malfunction killing the pilot, the only passenger on board.

An eyewitness account at the airport said the fighter jet; took off from Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on a training mission. The Nigeria Air Force, later in a statement confirmed the crash. It added that the F7-Ni aircraft was on a routine training exercise from Makurdi and relocated to Kano on March 18 for a routine training exercise for two weeks. The statement added that Air Force headquarters has set up an accident investigation panel to investigate the crash while further details on the crash “will be made known as soon as the family of the deceased pilot is informed.” Meanwhile, the Chief of the Air Staff, Mohammed Dikko Umar has already sent a delegation of senior Air Force officers to commiserate with the family.

Sources say the jet fighter caught fire while trying to land and crashed on the runway, where the pilot a Group Captain (name withheld) died instantly.

Immediately the crash occurred, authorities of the airport, drafted fire fighters to the scene as they battle to put off the flame which engulfed the fighter jet. The plane crashed occurred around mid day when the Aviation Minister, Fidelia Akuabata Njeze was about rounding off her official visit to the airport. Subsequently, the airport runway was immediately closed to traffic, making passengers to be stranded for hours.

Interim Measure

However, as an interim measure, the Nigeria Air Force Base runway in Kano is being used as an alternative for flights to land and take off.

Last week, bush burning around the airport claimed the life of a fire fighter attached to the Airport fire service while others were severely burnt.

At the time of filling this report, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) personnel and other agencies in the airport were on the scene trying to clear the debris for flight resumption.

Twenty-First Century

The Chengdu Jian-7 (Chinese: 歼-7; export versions F-7) is a People's Republic of China-built version[1] of the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21. Though production ceased in 2008 it continues to serve, mostly as an interceptor, in several air forces.

A Nigerian Chengdu F-7 taking off In 2005 it was reported that Nigeria has approved $251 million USD to purchase 15 Chengdu F-7 fighters from China. The deal includes 12 F-7NI (NI = Nigeria) single seat fighters, and 3 FT-7NI dual-seat trainers.[2] The $251 ($252?) million package includes $220 million for 15 aircraft, plus $32 million for armaments, including 20 live PL-9C AAM, 10 training PL-9 rounds, unguided rockets, and 250/500 kg bombs. Nigerian pilots began their training in China in 2008, with delivery of the aircraft to begin in 2009. [2]Nigeria had previously considered a $160 million deal to refurbish its fleet of MiG-21's by Aerostar/Elbit Systems, IAI, and RSK MiG. However, with the new F-7 purchase, the government of Nigeria has decided to suspend the refurbishment option and grounded its fleet of MiG 21's.In September 2009 it was reported that U.S. Air Forces Africa and 118th Airlift Wing personnel had managed to make one of the Air Force's C-130s flyable again, and that it would be dispatched to Germany for further repairs.[3]On March 22, 2011, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas told The Associated Press that the Chinese-made F7 fighter crashed near Kano's airport. Anas said the pilot died in the crash and no other details were provided.