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Unbelievable :Lagos Ikotun Sodom and Gomorrah. Weird nude club where girls do the unusual

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on October 12, 2010 at 10:00pm

Sodom and Gomorrah: Weird nude club where girls do the unusual.

Monday, October 11, 2010

It could be described as the basest nude joint on the face of the earth. Some people that know the spot refer to it as devil’s parlour. There, girls, naked as Eve, entertain patrons every Saturday, which they call go- go nites. It is a place nude dancing girls do the most absurd things that can always confound your imagination. It is beyond description the low ladies could go for money, and you wonder when these eventually become mothers, what would they produce for the future society.

Our reporter was there penultimate weekend and captured the despicable scenario.

She stood there with a stick of cigarette and a glass of beer. Smiling. Staring into space like a junkie. Alone in her own world, she was wearing a black needle-slim bra, butt-tight G-string and high-heeled shoes. The pendant of her long necklace dangled between her half-covered breasts and a ribbon hung loosely around her waist.

Her presence threw the dance hall into revelry. The tempo of Flavour’s Ashawo remix (a popular debauchery tune of the joint) blasting from the loud speakers increased as the in-house DJ stoke his acts. Some of those who were dancing in the hangout stopped in their tracks. Those who were dozing on their seats shrug off sleep while others loitering outside rushed in. Every eye focused in her direction. Everyone was expectant. The show had begun. Time was 2.45am.

Then she began to serenade the scores of fun-seekers, men and women of various ages, who had descended on the sleazy joint located off Governor’s Road, Ikotun Lagos. Her dance steps and general mannerism were measured and delivered with professional efficiency and accuracy. Making sexy gestures, her dance steps were in tandem with the raunchy music cascading from the high voltage musical equipment. Indeed, everyone inside the seedy joint was mesmerized as she began to strut her stuff, pulling off her scanty clothing in bits.

The lady on the dance floor is simply known as Angela, maybe an anti-angel. Dark, tall and beautifully built. She could be in her late 20s or early 30s. A few years back, she could have been prettier but the edges were hardening, the mouth and eyes betrayed a certain toughness, evidence of living rough, evidence of tough life. And there seemed to be misery in her eyes.

Sex goddess

Angela is a harbinger of sex. She services the dark appetite and/or damaging habits of wild fun seekers. Men paid N1,000 each to gain entry to watch her performance. There is no waiver for female as they are admitted on payment of N500. However, most of the females are commercial sex workers who come to hawk their wares there.

Angela is one of the go-go dancers who entertain guests every Saturday night at the hangout during the go-go nites. She was on duty two Saturdays ago.

Fun without borders

She appeared on stage at 2.45 am and, without much ado, began captivating men with her erotic overtures delivered in dance steps. For a while, she held sway on the dance floor displaying brazen bestiality. That teaser set the mood for the day especially for the early callers who had waited patiently, relaxing with drinks, cigarette or dancing.

At the peak of the ugly entertainment, she went round tables to engage patrons in lap dances. She sat astride men in a mock sex. Some of the men pushed some naira notes into her flimsy pant even as they stole quick caresses.

Decadent

The performance reached a crescendo when the angel of sex pulled off her bra and pant. She was as naked as Eve in the Garden of Eden. Only her long necklace, strip of ribbon hanging on her neck and shoes constituted her clothing. When she bared it all, the patrons began to make catcalls.

Again, she embarked on another round of lap dance with some patrons. Then a piece of brown cloth was brought and spread on the floor for Angela by one of the staffers. It was time for the main course. The spectacle took a stomach-churning dimension. Indeed, the scene was despicable, even sickening.

After some more suggestive dances, she lowered her frame on the floor and her practised fingers began caressing her body. She did some turns and twists and then spread her legs like the pages of a book. Apparently uncircumcised, she began pulling at her well-pronounced clitoris. But her ‘best’ was yet to come.

Smoking parts

Angela took her acts to the hilt when she lit a stick of cigarette, smoked it for a while and inserted it into her private part. Then she lifted her pelvis, showing as it sucked smoke from the burning cigar from her urinal organ.

But she was not yet done. After bizarre cigarette smoking only known to her, she stretched her hand and one of the bouncers handed her an empty bottle of Smirnoff Ice. Then she began to gently push the bottle into the same private part until about half of it was lost inside. Men surrounded the squirming, wriggling body on the floor till her crazy sex stunts ended at 4.30 am.

Saturday Sun gathered that the joint offers such adult entertainment using different girls. In fact, on the notice board screwed to the wall at the entrance, it is clearly stated that go-go dancers are on parade every Saturday night. There are no permanent numbers of performers each night. It depends on the girls available. Most of them are said to be Ghanaians

No price tag

Some flesh sellers also thronged the area especially on go-go nites to ‘hustle’ for customers. Their prices are not fixed. It depends on the depth of a customer’s pocket or his bargaining ability as well as the time a bargain is reached. An all-night dalliance costs between N2,000 and N5,000. Quickie or ‘short time’ goes for between N500 and N1,000. Rooms at the hotel cost between N4,000 and N5,000 per night.

It was, however, gathered that before stepping out, some of the go-go dancers are usually fed a cocktail of booze, marijuana or cocaine to give them the Dutch courage to misbehave.

The go-go dancers go home with N10,000 or N15,000 per night apart from the money they get from appreciative patrons, who stuff such token into their crevices.

Poisonous amala meal

Posted by SaintOkocha on October 12, 2010 at 10:00pm

17 Inmates Hospitalized After Amala Meal

The recent hospitalization of 17 persons in Ibadan, Oyo State, after a meal of yam flour, known in local parlance as amala, has again thrown up the issue of food control and safety in the country.

This is not the first time this kind of incident is happening and it may not be the last if our food regulatory agency does not rise up to the challenge of containing it.

It is sad that many Nigerians have lost their lives through the consumption of lethal and unwholesome food products in recent times. The relevant agency should help prevent a recurrence by ensuring that all foodstuff sold in Nigerian markets meet required safety standards.

The Ibadan incident affected six families in the Hope area of Alakia, in the city. According to reports, the victims ate the poisonous meal between Saturday and Sunday, September 26 and 27. Four of the victims that ate the meal on Saturday took ill before dawn, while 13 who took it on Sunday morning feel ill after some hours. Six of the victims were children.

The yam flour was said to have been bought from a female trader at Gbagi market. All the victims were rushed to Al-Hayyu Hospital after they became unconscious and were treated. They were said to have developed various ailments such as stomach pains, diarrhea, vomiting, convulsion and loss of consciousness, after the meal.

Meanwhile, the woman who sold the yam flour to the families of the victims, Mrs. Aminat Asabi, had denied any foul play in the incident. She told investigators she had been selling yam flour to the families for several years, without any incident.

Dr. Junaid Ogundiran of the Al-Hayyu Hospital, Ibadan, where the victims were treated has suggested that the yam flour might have contained chemicals used in preserving it. He explained that a shrewd trader with intent to make quick money may have pushed the product into the market without waiting for the required period for the neutralization of the poison in the preservative. According to the medic, the poison can last for months, or even years.

We deplore the incessant cases of food poisoning in the country, which, at times, lead to deaths. If it is not yam flour, it is cassava flour or mushroom. It is necessary to put a stop to this kind of unpalatable situation.

Therefore, we call on the Federal Ministry of Health, its Oyo State counterpart and the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to investigate the matter properly. The three bodies should unearth the cause of the incident so that the public can be advised to take precautionary measures to avert a reccurence. We urge that proper scientific analysis be done on the lethal amala to determine what actually went wrong. There is the need to locate the source of the toxic amala with a view to recalling it and halting further sales.

Foodstuff sellers, especially those dealing in foods that require preservatives, should be enlightened on how best to use them to stop the unpleasant situation from repeating itself.

Without preempting the outcome of the investigation of the matter, it is not unlikely that indiscriminate use of preservatives might, indeed, be the cause of the incident. This is the time to educate users of food preservatives, especially market women, on their potential hazards and how to avoid them.

We sympathise with the victims of the ugly incident and enjoin the Oyo State government to foot their hospital bills. NAFDAC should step up its food regulatory and control activities to cover local edibles like yam and cassava flours, beans and other foodstuff that have become lethal of late.

Onitsha "Fela" Shrine Another Kalakuta in the East• Where illicit drugs, sex thrive

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on October 12, 2010 at 9:53pm

From ALOYSIUS ATTAH, Onitsha

Tucked within the boundary between Onitsha and Obosi, behind an Army Barracks is Solar Lawrence Road, the unofficial headquarters of illicit drugs in Anambra State. It was the thick choking smoke of marijuana that announced another dimension of human activity on the narrow road that led to this doppers’ enclave one early Saturday morning..

Eight out of ten commercial motorcyclists plying Awada routes in Onitsha along MCC junction may not know the location of Solar Lawrence Road by any other means, but by simply placing two fingers on your lips and feigning smoking they’ll exclaim “oh yes, let’s go” provided you can pay the right fare since the area attracts a special fare on Okada. Apart from being a jungle of sorts threaded only by brave hearts, the route leading to Solar Lawrence Road is deplorable due to erosion and neglect.

In this area of Onitsha, every resident is a smoker. Those who don’t smoke do so passively. Wheeling and dealing in cannabis sativa popularly known as Indian hemp, Igbo or marijuana and other narcotics is their stock-in-trade.

Jamaican reggae legends like Robert Nester Marley, Peter Tosh , and artistes like Prof. Linkin, the jogodo master who sang popular lyrics calling on governments to legalize Indian hemp may have wasted their precious time singing out their hearts, because at Solar Lawrence Road, it’s done with impunity. 365 days in a year, youths “burn down the walls of Babylon” with their lighter and Rizla..

Sunday Sun spent some days in the ghetto and the decadence was quite amazing and depressing .

Startling revelations. Solar Lawrence Road, Awada used to be a thick forest behind an Army barracks inhabited by few poor and homeless individuals . The wheeling and dealing in marijuana along the street was a pastime of barrack boys who saw the bush paths as shields for their indulgence and illicit trade. With the urbanization of Onitsha, residential real estate mostly four storey buildings have been erected in the area thereby attracting families to the area. Since then , the narcotics trade has been flourishing .

A large cartel supplies narcotics from Asaba, the Delta State capital while users from far and near converge in the area unhindered. The narcotics are subsidized in this part of Nigeria. “king size” marijuana for instance sells for N100, the “middle size” goes for N50 while the smallest size goes for N20. Among the users, two fair complexioned ladies were spotted puffing away as if their life depended on marijuana . Though homeowners in the area have a landlords association, the “real landlords” are dealers in narcotics . They’re untouchable . Complementary products in the area include dry gin and other spirits, nylon envelopes for rationing the weeds and various native concoctions including paraga, “cow tail” and dongoyaro laced mixed locally made spirits popularly known as kai kai.

The Army connection

Sunday Sun learnt that the illicit drug business thrives in the area because of the involvement of some soldiers . A resident in the area who identified himself as Anayo said “this place is no man’s land and many people you see here smoking are soldiers and others live in the barracks. Some soldiers bring the narcotics and they will resist any attempt to disrupt their operations tenaciously”. Some men in Army camouflage were spotted puffing way without hindrance. Further investigation revealed that detachments from the Nigerian Army raid the enclave once in a while arresting smokers and dealers and confiscating their “stock” but they have not been deterred. A twisted logic brings them back.

Their greatest enemy

A well-known method the police, including the Special Anti- Robbery Squad(SARS) in Anambra has devised to raise illicit money from hapless citizens in the state is by combing and raiding secluded areas in search of Indian hemp smokers and dealers. Some innocent passers-by are arrested and detained in the process until money “exchanges hands”. Obviously the area is a no-go-area for the police. Any rookies who dared step into the dungeon didn’t live to tell their stories while others had scars to deter them from ever venturing into an uncharted sea.

The boys at Solar Lawrence Road are battle-ready for the police anytime. The Police from Awada Division under whose jurisdiction the area falls have avoided the area like a plague. Some policemen in two patrol vehicles from the station were reportedly overpowered in the area and beaten to a pulp with their vehicles vandalized.

A Corporal attached to the division said he doesn’t go for patrols in the area even when he needed money, because “I need to train my children first before I die so I’m not in a haste to go yonder”

On Sundays

Solar Lawrence Road is not too different on Sundays. In the morning , it’s a replica of Marakana field at Ajegunle in Lagos. It’s not menacing as suchs . Football teams play on the street and sweat-it-out. Narcotics dealers and smokers take turns to play with wraps of marijuana and downing spirits recklessly .

In the evening, the atmosphere turns wild as merry makers block the road with local musical equipment and engage in wild frolicking with a bevy of ladies, food, cheap liquor, cigarettes, and of course narcotics.

Inside Government Restaurant.

One of the hot spots that make Solar Lawrence Road irresistible is Government Restaurant. Owned by a “woman of substance” said to be a local government health officer, it derived its name from her connections among the soldiers. Once you enter the restaurant, there’s no shaking. The place is a haven of sorts for drifters too and they only eat, drink, play snooker and get merrier.

In the night, live bands play and half-nude ladies dance seductively to mapouka music to entertain men of unruly libido.Tables with assorted drinks and meat adorn both sides of the road to accommodate the crowd . Some portion of land belonging to the Nigerian Army was cleared for this purpose.

The 404 Joint

Few meters from Government Restaurant is another joint for lovers of dog meat.

A wooden shack with a red ribbon on top to indicate that meat is ready, this joint is patronized mainly by the Calabar residing in the barracks. At one corner of the shack, a few elderly sip paraga. A local concoction of cheap whisky and herbs. They all look grotesque with bulging yellow or red eyeballs, bloated faces and decayed teeth. Shadows of their old selves and a result of several years of riotous living. Despite this, they appear lively even in their degenerate state. These men don’t have the strength to smoke marijuana again or give lustful pleasures to a woman. Lurid jokes are among their past time. Seated on broken benches, they do not mind the boisterous youths around them who remind them of their heydays.

The orgy of crime

Among the price residents of Solar Lawrence Road pay for cohabiting with these special breed of neighbors is the crime wave. Burglary, bag and phone snatching are rife. A resident, Ekene Okoro told Sunday Sun that life is risky and perilous in the area. According to him, a cleric from Holy Trinity Parish, Awada was shot recently on his way to mass by 5:30am and cases of armed robbery are rampant. “After robbing you, they run inside the bush behind the Army barracks”, he said.

The landlords association employed some vigilante operatives to guard the neighborhood, but not surprisingly they focus mainly on the inside streets while avoiding areas around the barrack areas where crime thrives.

The predicament of residents

Some residents who spoke to Sunday Sun who did not want their names mentioned worry about the fate of children living in the area who may imbibe the life style in the area. For instance, the Chairman of Wisdom Landlords Association, Ozalla Layout, Chief Egojuluoyi Enemuo deplored the activities of these outlaws and lamented the association’s helplessness . He called on Anambra State government to sanitize the area.

Speaking to Sunday Sun on the dangers of inhaling marijuana smoke , the Coordinator, Anti-drug Abuse Movement of Nigeria (ADAM), Dr. Anthony Idimogu said that it can trigger some allergic reactions which can worsen conditions of people prone to cancer and other forms of illness. He urged Anambra State government to take measures to check the nefarious activities of the drug pushers and users in the area and protect lives and property.

Reprieve on the way?

There’s a flicker of hope for residents of Solar Lawrence Road and its environs . Speaking to Sunday Sun on phone, the Anambra State commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA), Timipreye Zikiye said “my boys have raided the place before , but the dealers regrouped . We are strategizing on how to effectively block any loopholes and storm the place to dislodge them and ensure that they don’t come back. Anybody arrested among them shall also be prosecuted .”

Sunday Sun also visited the Onitsha Military Cantonment for comments from the Army. The Commander of the 302 Artillery Regiment, Colonel Patrick Miri was recently redeployed while the Acting Commander, Lt. Col. Akpan traveled on official duty. The Army Public Relations Officer, simply referred to as Mr. Patrick, refused to comment on the matter on phone saying that he will make out time to discuss one on one with our reporter later.

However, a Sergeant in the barracks who craved anonymity told Sunday Sun to expect something different very soon as the command has concluded arrangements to cleanse the area of all miscreants. “Go behind the barracks now and you will see that the clearing of bush has commenced. Remember that the Federal Government through the efforts of Governor Peter Obi recently flagged-off the fencing project of the barracks. When the project is completed, the problem of these smokers and criminal activities within the area will be a forgone issue as there will be no hiding place for them”, he said.

Pastor hacked to death by own brother

Posted by 9jabook.com on October 12, 2010 at 9:43pm

TRAGEDY struck in Asaba, Delta State capital on Friday when a pastor was hacked to death by his own brother.

The sad incident, which occurred at Jarret Street by Cable Point area of the town, threw the area into confusion.

Our reporter gathered that the pastor had wanted to take his brother who was said to be mentally deranged to the church for spiritual deliverance but the brother put up stiff resistance.

Eyewitness said that “at a point, two of them (brothers) went into scuffle and attempts by neighbours to separate them yielded no result. The brother became violent, dashed into the room, took a cutlass and descended on the pastor, cutting him on the neck severally which led to his bleeding to death.”

Meanwhile, the killer brother has been arrested and taken to Police ‘B’ Division while the corpse of the pastor has been deposited at the mortuary.

Delta State police public relations officer, PPRO, Charles Muka, confirmed the story, saying, “we are handling the matter”..

N70 Palavar: Housewife Docked For Killing Husband

Posted by SaintOkocha on October 12, 2010 at 9:30pm

N70 Palavar: Housewife Docked For Killing Husband

A young woman, Omolayo Rasheed, 18 years who allegedly killed her husband, Afeez Rasheed, over the N70 (less than half a dollar) daily food allowance, has been arraigned before the Iyaganku Magistrate’s Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, charged with murder.
In charge sheet number MI/1343C/2010, the police alleged that Omolayo stabbed her husband to death with a sharp knife.

The charge against her reads: “That you, Omolayo Rasheed (F) on 7 October, 2010 at about 2:05pm at Oloola Compound, Oja-Igbo area, Ibadan, in the Ibadan Magisterial District stabbed Afeez Rasheed (M), 22, to death with a sharp knife and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 306, Cap. 30, Vol. 11, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”

The prosecutor, Inspector Oluyemi Eyiaromi, informed the court that the accused was arrested after the incident.

The presiding magistrate, Mrs. K. Y. Durosaro ordered that the accused be remanded at the Agodi Prison, pending the determination of her bail on the next adjourned date, 25 October, 2010

Halliburton: Police to arraign Obasanjo’s ex-aide today

Posted by SaintOkocha on October 12, 2010 at 3:00pm

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

The Nigeria Police Force has said it will arraign a former aide of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mr. Bodunde Adeyanju, before a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday (today) for his alleged involvement in the $180m Halliburton bribery scam.

Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, who confirmed this in an SMS to THE PUNCH on Tuesday, said Adeyanju was the first among six other accused persons to be arraigned in connection with the case. He said this was because the police had established a prima facie case against all the accused persons.

Ojukwu said Bodunde would be arraigned for his acceptance of several cash payments totalling about $5m from Halliburton officials. He is likely to be prosecuted by a team of lawyers led by the President of the Nigeria Bar Association, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN).

The co-accused include George Mark, Hans George Christ, Heinrich J. Stockhausen, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and Bilfinger Berger GMBH.

The three-count charge against the former presidential aide are as follows: “That you, Adeyanju Bodunde, sometime between 2002 and 2003, did accept several cash payments in the sum of $5m ($1m in five tranches) from George Mark, Hans George Christ, Heinrich J. Stockhausen, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Bilfinger Berger GMBH and thereby committed an offence contrary to sections 1 and 15(d) of the Money Laundering Act 1995 (as saved by Section 23(2) of the Money Laundering Act 2004) and punishable under Section 15(2) and (3) of the Money Laundering Act 1995(as saved by Section 23(2) of the Money Laundering Act, 2004);

“That you, Adeyanju Bodunde, sometime between 2002 and 2003 while being a public official and in your capacity as the Personal Assistant to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, corruptly asked for and received several cash payments in the sum of $5m from one George Mark, Hans George Christ, Heinrich J. Stockhausen, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Bilfinger Berger GMBH for and on behalf of one Jeffrey Tesler (now at large) thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 98B of the criminal Code CAP C38 LFN, 2004.

Choosing the right internet provider.

Posted by Chuks Nkulo on October 12, 2010 at 12:59pm

Rage was all I felt when I woke up that night. It was 10pm on a particular Friday. Before I went to sleep that evening, I had instructed my one and only brother (younger brother) to wake me up after an hour on the internet. I was expecting to have a chat with a longtime friend who only finds time to access the internet when he is not watching movies or playing computer games. After ‘hours’ of convincing on phone he agreed to chat with me online – all thanks to facebook. We were to meet by 11pm.

12:55am, 1 hour and 55mins against the agreed time and “nobody woke me upppppp”. I ran to the desktop computer positioned in the next room with the taught of smashing the 1st thing I see on my brother. Please excuse me; I was furious. I got to my computer only to be more furious. My youngest sister; my 11yr old sister was on the computer, wanting to “join facebook. Two of my classmates are on facebook and I have told all my classmates we have access to the internet.” Can you believe that? Well, I quickly called her to order and warned her against the risk for people her age in a community as facebook. I promised her I would open a mail for her so she could ………

Enough of that. The point I was trying to bring is the popularity of the internet. The internet has become popular in Nigeria – especially from the inception of our CDMA operators (Multilinks, Zoom, Starcomms) and GSM operators (MTN, Etisalat, Glo and Zain). Internet access has become possible, even in the most remote parts of Nigeria. People all over the country are browsing the internet through their PCs and mobile devices. This is one positive result produced by the Obasanjo’s administration. The VSAT services are still very alive to corporate bodies and well to do individuals.

In the mist of all these operators, one might find it difficult to make a choice of which internet provider to work with. Before choices are made, there is one question you need to answer.
Why do I need to access the internet?

There are clearly numerous answers or categories of answer to that question. Everyone has one or two reasons to be in the internet. Having access to the internet cause “I don’t want to be left out” is enogh reason. But these other questions can reconstruct and properly shape your answer.

How much can I pay?

The various internet providers in Nigeria offer varying browsing packages that comes with there own varying prices. Some of these packages are time based. Daily browsing package (just 24hrs), day browsing package, night browsing package, the 24/7 browsing package. All these are data plans. Then you have the pay as you browse package. Here the challenge of choosing which of the internet provider to work with comes in. Another question that would arise in the search of your internet provider is:

What amount of bandwidth speed would I want to enjoy?
I can go on and on – digging into details – only to root out more questions to be answered in the search for your internet provider. And this is the one place I believe I can assist. The assistance is particular to those who are fans or follower of the GSM internet providers; the MTN, GLO, ZAIN & ETISALAT internet providers. To those that enjoy or wish to enjoy their services with the use of the 3G USB MODEMS. I’m offering you the chance of not choosing one or two of these internet providers. A chance to choose not one but all of these internet providers and also being economic as well. I’m offering you the chance to use one 3G USB modem (belonging to any or none of these internet providers) for all the internet providers. You have the chance of being flexible with the varying browsing packages and enjoy all round internet connection. You have the………..

Just follow this link: BROWSE FREE IN NIGERIA USING AN UNLOCKED 3G MODEM

Get to know how you can unlock your fastlink or any other USB modem and use it with any other network.

Also discover how you can browse for free with your phone or PC. This involves no cheat codes and softwares.

The link again is: BROWSE FREE IN NIGERIA USING AN UNLOCKED 3G MODEM

Get this knowledge and earn extra cash unlocking the 3G modems of others.

Thank you. Have a pleasant week.

tinyu

12-year-old girl drowns in Lagos floods, typhoid cases rise

Posted by SaintOkocha on October 12, 2010 at 7:00am

Submerged homes at Agiliti Ikorodu, Lagos

A 12-year-old girl, Ugochi Ude, on Sunday fell in the floods that have been ravaging some parts of Lagos and Ogun states and got drowned.

Ude, a pupil of Aina Memorial Primary School, Agiliti in Agboyi-Ketu Local Government of Lagos, resided at 31, Oriofe Street in the area before she died.

Although none of her relatives was around when one of our correspondents visited her residence, the landlord’s son, James Umoh , told PUNCH METRO on Monday that the deceased and her guardian returned to their home on Sunday after fleeing their apartment when the floods persisted.

Umoh, who said the family came back basically to move their belongings, noted that Ude, who went to fetch water, fell into the floods on her way home and got drowned around 8am.

He added that corpse was later discovered around 11am.

Umoh said, “Earlier in the morning, Ude was swimming in the floods. But when my father saw her, he shouted at her and told her to come out of the water. She listened to my father. Later she went to fetch water.

“But after a while, Ude’s guardian came to ask me if I knew her whereabouts. Since she told us that she was going to fetch water, we searched many places. We could not find her. When we came back, we met her guardian crying.

“I went back to search for her. I waded through the floods but I could not locate her. At this point, her guardian became worried and urged neighbours to join in the search.

“She pleaded with me to cross over to the other side of the water that is a little bit deep. I went there and later touched something. It turned out to be someone‘s head. I screamed that I had found somebody. People joined and helped me to carry her up but then she was already dead.”

A Medical Officer, Herald Specialist Clinic and Maternity, Maidun area of Lagos, Dr. Nasiru Ibrahim, confirmed Ude‘s death, adding that she was already dead before she was brought to the hospital.

He also said cases of typhoid had increased since the flooding and urged the governments to provide potable water, construct more roads and create more awareness on the danger inherent in people living in such areas.

One week after floods displaced hundreds of Lagos residents, Governor Babatunde Fashola on Monday visited Ajegunle on Ikorodu Road where he announced the immediate relocation of 681 victims of the disaster.

The governor, who led members of the State Executive Council on a sympathy visit to the area, was, however, held up for some minutes along the road following the traffic congestion caused by the floods that have taken a major part of the road.

The development prompted Fashola and members of his cabinet to alight from their vehicles and waded through the floods.

The governor, who blamed the Federal Government for the disaster that had rendered no fewer than 1,000 people homeless, said the situation would have been averted if the state had been allowed access to the ecological fund.

Fashola said, “This is a disaster of no small proportion. It is a disaster for the whole country as far as I am concerned, because the people for whom we exist have been displaced by floods.

“I want to say that National Emergency Management Agency contributions have come a little late because we have been corresponding with the Federal Government for three years. Since 2007 when I first visited this area, we wrote to the Federal Government, appealing to them to let us have access to the ecological funds.”

Admitting that the disaster was foretold, Fashola said the solution proffered by his administration to forestall the disaster was hampered by non release of fund by the Federal Government to the state government.

The governor said the 681 people would be relocated to a camp built by the state government, adding that in due course, land would be re-allocated to the affected victims for resettlement.

He appealed for the cooperation of residents and the affected victims who were going through untold hardship as a result of the situation, explaining that what happened was not peculiar to Lagos but a global occurrence.

He said since 2007, the government had been warning the people of the area of the danger of staying along floodplain areas, but regretted that the residents did not heed the warning.

The governor said the area was not approved for residential purposes, advising the affected victims to cooperate with the government on its relocation plan.

He assured the victims that they would be relocated to a more comfortable and safe area at little or no cost.

In his address, the South-West Coordinator of NEMA, Alhaji Mohammed Bida, said all emergencies management agencies in the country had been mobilised to assist flood victims.

He added that NEMA would request for necessary intervention from the Presidency.

Responding on the ecological funds, a top source in NEMA, who would not want his identity revealed, said, “Ecological fund is a special fund in the federation account, but last year or so, Abia and other states went to court to say NEMA does not have the right to withdraw some money as special funds. However, the ecological fund is directly under the control of the Federal Government.

“So, the blames on NEMA about ecological funds does not arise. Our duty is to ensure that we intervene when there is crisis of this magnitude. The issue of ecological fund is highly contentious; the question you will ask yourself is why will some of the state governments be asking for the fund?

“It may have political undertone, but for NEMA we are not politically inclined. We have assured them that we will intervene and the intervention will reach the victim very soon.”

On his part, the Assistant Zonal Coordinator, NEMA, Mr. Tunde Adebiyi, said it was not true that the agency’s response to the disaster was slow.

“On Thursday we were given the signal, on Friday, we were already in town, and on Saturday, we responded,” he said.

He said the Federal Government would soon swing into actions to forestall a recurrence of the disaster.

Meanwhile, a victim, who identified himself as Olamide Ajah, told PUNCH METRO that they did not want to bequeath their lands because they were family heritage.

He said their forefathers had lived in the area for over 200 years, adding that the flood was rare occurrence.

Also, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, who visited the area on Sunday in company with some members of the House, urged the people to remain calm.

One of our correspondents observed that at Okiokio area of Ajegunle in Isheri-Ikosi Local Council Development Area of Lagos State many residents still relied on canoe as a means of transportation within the neighbourhood.

One of the canoe operators, who identified himself simply as Silas, said most canoeists had resorted to canoes because of the presence of reptiles in the floodwaters and the fear of contracting water-related diseases such as bloody urinary bladder, guinea worms, cholera, among others.

He further said this was to avoid the repeat of 2007 when many of them contracted severe water-borne diseases.

Another canoe operator, John Peters, said another effect of the floods in the area was astronomical rise in prices of foodstuffs and other necessaries, as well as transport fares.

Meanwhile, NEMA has ordered the release of truckloads

of relief materials to victims of flood disaster in Lagos and Ogun states as interim measures to address the plight of the inhabitants of the communities.

Man on trial for pouring water into co-tenant’s bedroom

Posted by SaintOkocha on October 12, 2010 at 7:00am

The Shomolu Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, on Monday, commenced the trial of a 30-year-old jobless man accused of pouring water into his co-tenant’s bedroom.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the defendant, Michael Orji, was arraigned on a one-count charge of assault on June 9, but he pleaded not guilty before Magistrate B. O. Osunsanmi.

The prosecutor, Mr Adegoke Akinlebi, said Orji committed the alleged assault against Mrs. Vivian Opodu at No. 2, Olasande St., Shomolu.

He submitted that the defendant had committed similar offences seven times.

Akinlebi said that Orji had been in detention in the past four months because nobody had been able to stand as a surety for his bail.

He noted that the alleged assault contravened Section 249 (d) of the Criminal Code of Lagos State.

Orji’s other co-tenant, Mr Paul Aiyaguw, who testified for the prosecution on Monday said that he was a trouble maker.

The witness said the accused had continued to threaten the lives of his co-tenants.

The court adjourned the case till October 28 for continuation of trial.

BANKS REOPEN AS CALM RETURNS TO ABA

Posted by SaintOkocha on October 12, 2010 at 4:30am

BUSINESSMEN and workers in Aba, Abia State heaved a sigh of relief on Monday as banks reopened for business after shutting their premises for two weeks in protest of the poor security situation in the South-East commercial city.

Our correspondent gathered that few of the banks opened on Saturday while others decided to join them on Monday.

An employee of one of the banks told THE PUNCH that all the banks in Aba opted to open their doors to customers after the state government assured them of the security of their lives.

The source who preferred not to be mentioned, said customers poured into the banks to make withdrawals.

“The Abia State Government has assured us of security and the presence of soldiers in major areas is also an assurance that government is ready to protect its citizens.

“When we opened today, customers trooped to the bank to make withdrawals so that they can continue with their businesses,” he said.

Also, a trader in Aba, who deals in textile, said few banks opened on Saturday and operated for a short time, adding that all the banks in Aba had followed suit.

She also told our correspondent that residents, who fled the commercial city as a result of the insecurity in the area had come back to start work.

“Since they brought soldiers here, those who left Aba are now coming back to do their businesses. Everywhere is calm now because a lot of soldiers are around in the city,” she added.

Speaking on the development, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna, described the current security situation in the state, especially Aba as promising.

"BOMB ATTACKS MAY BE NEW PATTERN OF VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA--OTUBANJO

Posted by SaintOkocha on October 12, 2010 at 4:30am

Prof. Femi Otubanjo

A professor of political science, Femi Otubanjo, in this interview with MUDIAGA AFFE, speaks on the Independence Day bomb attacks in Abuja and their consequences for the nation. Excerpts:

Since the October 1 bomb blasts in Abuja, ex-military President Ibrahim Babangida; former vice-president Atiku Abubakar and others have been at loggerheads with President Goodluck Jonathan. What can you make out of this?

The controversy over the bomb blasts has followed the same line of polarisation on zoning in the Peoples Democratic Party. So, one was not surprised that everybody was trying to make political capital out of the unfortunate incident. It is tragic that a bomb went off. It is more tragic that people are trying to play politics with it. I wonder whether these combatants ever spared a thought for the people that died and those that were injured in their response to the unfortunate situation. I imagine that their initial reactions will give way to a more rational appraisal of this dangerous trend. We do not have this tradition, as a country, of placing bombs indiscriminately and killing one another. We should be more concerned about the danger of sustained terrorism, which means that we should collectively be focused on getting those who are responsible. Well, I guess we can attribute the unusual response to the unusual nature of the situation. We have had 49 celebrations of independence without any unusual incident. The explosion on the 50th came from the blues and it was not something we anticipated or had experience in managing.

But the harsh criticisms that came from a former minister of finance, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, tilted towards regional lines and it is a source of worry. What are your comments on that?

We must avoid every attempt to polarise this country along regional or religious lines. We must also admit that in the political arena, you will find all shades of opinion. Interestingly, Ciroma, in spite of his vast experience and advanced age, has decided to pitch himself, for the purpose of the zoning and rotation of power on the fanatical end of the spectrum and has made statements which have confounded some of us who expect him to be a little bit more circumspect. I am not sure that what he wants to bequeath to this country is not a regional or religious conflagration. Supporters of zoning abound in the north and the south, while those who are against it are also on both sides of the divide. We should not instigate a crisis which will only bring more suffering to the ordinary man. The North held power for over 30 years, in this country yet remains a zone of poverty. The majority of people in the South are also living in poverty. President Olusegun Obasanjo was in power for eight years but is the South-West an Eldorado? We are not living in paradise. Our roads are still bad and other infrastructural facilities are still comatose. These individuals who are jostling for power should not recruit ordinary individuals who are going about their legitimate businesses into their morbid and desperate ambitions. We desire leaders that are responsible and know that what they say can have dire consequences.

What could be the effect of those bomb attacks within and outside the country?

This is a dangerous trend. We are not a suicidal people. We have political violence, here and there, largely the use of thugs, but we are a humane people who value human life. We should not throw ourselves into a dangerous situation just because we want to make a point. We must pray that this bomb blast is not the beginning of a new pattern of political violence. Those outside our shores must be concerned that we may be entering into a new culture of violence. That is not something they expect from us. They know the usual Nigerian vices and terrorism is not one of them. We have now seen a bomb explosion which does not make sense. If it makes any sense, at all, it might just be that it is the beginning of a new genre of political violence. It would, obviously, send wrong signals to the international community that Nigeria, with all its problems, has added a reign of terrorism to its catalogue of vices; that, of course, will discourage them from coming. The probability of capital flight will increase while foreign capital investment may slow down.

We have had different people aspiring to become the President of this nation. Among these aspirants, do you see good choice?

When you listen to all the people who are aspiring to lead the country, they seem to understand that there is a leadership problem. They seem to think that we have a developmental crisis and that we have not got to where we ought to be in 50 years, given the massive resources available to us. So, to that extent, we can simply say any of them can fit into the mould of the kind of leader that we need. Of course, we know that politicians often make sweet statements and promises which they do not honour when they get to power. However, to begin to draw a picture on the kind of leaders that we need in Nigeria will be like looking for a pie in the sky. It is not something you can wish for, it is something that somebody will need to go out there and get. If you say we need a leader that is visionary, experienced, versatile, transparent in governance, strong, incorruptible, yes that is the profile of the leader we need, but these qualities do not always come together in those who go for political offices. What we can wish for is that whosoever becomes our leader is someone that we have examined thoroughly as the electorate. We are going to choose our leader among aspirants that will come out to canvass for our votes. Among those who are there today, we are hoping that any of them could probably be a great leader but it will depend on us to set and enforce the right agenda for them. We must also bear in mind that leadership failure is a function of many other failures. We have a country that has weak institutions. We have not been able to build our governance around institutions but around people with their whims and caprices. Leadership will always be a problem if the institutions are not working. The Police are not working as a corrective agency. The judiciary is only partially working as a corrective agency. The so-called anti-graft agencies are not working to their maximum. There are people who are walking freely in this country, who have been accused of stealing billions of naira. They are in our National Assembly and other arms of government. Some of them are even aspiring to occupy leadership positions.

How can this be corrected?

That is why we are talking about a leader that can rescue us. When you get into that vicious circle, you begin to think of the idea of a messiah. You begin to look for a messianic leader. If we do not break that vicious circle, our people will continue to look for this messiah. We need someone who has the strength of character, someone who can tell the Police, the Army, the State Security Service, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to do their work. That was what late Gen. Murtala Muhammed did within the short period he was in office. He drove away corrupt people from the civil service, the Police and the Army. The environment is very fertile for poor leadership. It is that of illiteracy, poverty and political complacency. It is fertile for leaders that just do whatever they want to do. But are we to wait until the majority are literate, economically empowered and politically alert? Getting it right is not simple. However, the fact that we can get a Governor Babatunde Fashola in Lagos State means that all hope is not lost. When we get over this noise of zoning or no zoning, we may begin to see the emergence of a new kind of leadership. President Jonathan is promising us transformation. It is my prayer that he should be able to do it because he has the requisite profile to do it. President Jonathan is the first doctoral degree holder to become the President of Nigeria and the Vice-President has a Master’s degree. You cannot get a better leadership team than that. So, we are looking up to them. We need a new generation of Nigerians that will help us to build the institutional framework that will take the country to where it should be. Our country is, right now, in the grip of a culture of impunity. This is the explanation for kidnapping in the South-East; open warfare, with guns, on the streets of Ibadan in Oyo State and nine lawmakers sacking 15 in Ogun State. The people are doing what they are doing because they know they have a high probability of getting away with it. Impunity has so pervaded this country that anybody can become a godfather in his neigbourhood.

Some northern elders have begun moves to pick a common candidate from among Babangida, Atiku Abubakar, Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki and the former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau (retd.). How do you assess this?

I do not see that move as a threat to the emergence of President Jonathan. If you understand the dynamics of primaries in Nigeria, you will discover that Jonathan has an advantage. Primaries are won by governors and their delegates. From all we can see so far, Jonathan has an advantage in that respect and he is not a candidate of the south or the north. There is danger in creating the perception that the North is fighting against the South. That is the danger a consensus candidate will create. It is a disservice to this country for any group of people to sit down and talk about a consensus candidate.

PDP is headed for destruction, says Okotie

Posted by SaintOkocha on October 12, 2010 at 4:30am

Victor Oriola, Ag Politics Editor

PRESIDENTIAL candidate of FRESH Party and Senior Pastor of Household of God Church, Rev. Chris Okotie, gave the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hard knocks yesterday, when he pointed out that the party was heading for destruction.

According to him, the crisis engendered by the controversial zoning arrangement in the PDP will lead to self destruction and emancipation of the people.

“What is happening in the PDP is for the good of the people and it will lead to their emancipation. I think PDP is on the road to self destruct,” he said.

He spoke in an exclusive interview with editors of the Nigerian Compass at his Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos office. At the parley were the Editor, Gabriel Akinadewo; Deputy Editors Steve Omolale-Ajulo and Dipo Kehinde; Acting Political Editor, Victor Oriola and Photo Editor, Tunde Ogundeji.

Okotie observed that the polity is being controlled by three entities: Elitism, Satanism and Mysticism, vowing to employ strategies to deal with them.

Explaining the three entities, he noted that if he is elected President, he would tackle these entities to be able to rule successfully.

His words: “The Elitism is the elite; they control the polity. The Satanism is like the former kingpin of amala politics in Ibadan, they are everywhere, and Mysticism is about those with mystic power and aura around them, I will negotiate with them to rule successfully.”

Okotie said that it would have been better for the polity, concerning credible elections, if all those who had served before, including President Goodluck Jonathan, stay away from the 2011 elections.

Okotie, who described himself as the best choice for Nigerians, argued that Jonathan is not a good presidential material.

He also argued that governance was not about mediocrity, insisting that Jonathan did not possess the requisite character to run for President.

“He’s been in government and never done anything for the people. When Alameyeseigha vandalised the treasury, President Jonathan was his assistant, he didn’t say one word to the people in the state; he didn’t cry out at any point in time. But there was looting going on in the treasury. He didn’t resign in protestation.

“So, there is nothing in his character, as a man in position of authority, which kindles the hope of wholesomeness in our region. And the sentimentality of regional government is not going to save Nigeria.

The only time the cry of the Niger Delta would make sense is if we produce the best. But if we are going to dwell in mediocrity, just because of the fact that it is Niger Delta, then that is not going to help.

“I believe that the reality of the day shows that the agitation of the Niger Delta is authentic and legitimate, but we would show Nigerians that we are not caught in the same web of regional politics that is meaningless, if we do not produce the best that we can offer this nation. So, if Nigerians say give us a leader, we should as a people come together and find someone who can represent us and be a blessing to Nigerian people. And I say with all sense of objectivity, within the confines of conventional propriety that he is not the best that our region can offer,” he added.

Okotie challenged his co-contestants to a live debate to determine their suitability for the office of President, adding that all those who contested with him in 2007 presidential election refused to show up for a live debate organised by Silverbird Television in conjunction with the Vanguard newspapers.

“Please, tell them I am ready to engage them in a live debate,” he said.

On what would be his priority if he is elected, Okotie said: “The President must be the personification of the ideals. I believe if we are going to fix Nigeria, our emphasis must be on human capital development.

“I believe the time has come to elevate the motivation and development of our people to the level of strategy; there must be an emphasis from building things to building our people. After that, there must be re-orientation and the key action, the education; you know that the standard of education has become moribund. And so we must re-activate the educational system. In fact, some people have suggested, the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations requires that nations should upgrade the budgetary allocation to education sector to between 25 to 26 per cent, because Universal Basic Education is one of the requirements of Millennium Development Goals which Nigeria is signatory to.

“Then we talk about healthcare; because there are no more hospitals. And I am not exaggerating, it is very deplorable. And the nation that is ill, that is incapacitated, that is debilitated, cannot blossom. Then we talk about creating a social security, I am talking of revamping our pension scheme and making it contributory for all those who are in position of employment. You have to re-examine the transportation system and then the housing, these are basic things that would enhance the lives of Nigerian people. That is what we are pursuing, not the theory and concepts of governance that are abstracts.”

Okotie, however, praised former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his courage and determination when he was in the saddle.

He said: “But if you take all the governments in tandem, there is no leader as courageous as President Olusegun Obasanjo. He is an example of strength and determination.”

On Babangida’s personality and incursion into the polity 17 years after he quit power, the clergy cum politician said: “Babangida on the other hand, I had always described him as quintessential political art master, he comes from a different approach. He combines Machiavelli with his understanding of the reality of Nigeria’s situation. He synthesis system governance that exhibits a charisma no other leader has exhibited. He is the most charismatic of them all.”

3.8Billion Naira University "Cybercafe" Jonathan to commission N3.8b UNN wireless project

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on October 12, 2010 at 3:41am

ok lets call it ISP but it is still 3.8billion Naira !

VICE Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, UNN, Nsukka, Professor Bartho Okolo said that the N3.8 billion digital wireless infrastructure project which would be launched by President Goodluck Jonathan during his visit to the university on Thursday (today) would increase economic activities through research and enhance learning environment in the institution.

The project is expected to provide international and local Internet bandwidth; optical fibre network and cabling; data centre and network operating centre as hub for management of the system and an ICT Resource Centre.

Briefing journalists on the programmes lined up for the 50th Anniversary of UNN in Enugu yesterday, Professor Okolo said that the internet project would enable the introduction of a Global Classroom that replaces blackboards with white boards and other Internet-interfaced teaching tools, ensure international diversity from increasing numbers of international faculty and students, and enhance the reputation of the institution through higher numbers of PhDs and higher degrees awarded.

The commissioning of the ICT Infrastructure Programme by the president is a highlight of the 50th anniversary celebration of the university on October 7, the VC said. .

According to Professor Okolo, the UNN ICT project would enable the institution further its internationalisation efforts to become a global centre of learning, adding that the project is “special” because “it is the first large-scale implementation in Africa of a university-specific Internet connectivity and ICT infrastructure to enable research and learning.

“It is also the first time that Google Inc, the multinational public cloud computing, Internet search and advertising technologies corporation, is launching forth with its University Access Programme to support and promote e-learning in Africa,” he said.

University of Nigeria is the first full-fledged university in Nigeria, founded in Nigeria’s independence year 1960.

The 50-year old institution runs diverse programmes in arts and sciences featuring 15 faculties, 105 departments, a college of medicine, postgraduate school, and 11 institutes/centres. It has a student body of 40, 000 in four campuses of Nsukka, Enugu, Ituku Ozalla, and Aba.

The main campus in Nsukka houses programmes in agriculture, basic and biological sciences, engineering, arts, and social sciences while the Enugu campus houses professional courses in management, architecture, law, and environmental sciences.

The College of Medicine, with a teaching and referral hospital, is located at Ituku-Ozalla, on the outskirts of the Enugu state capital, while the School of Languages is located at Aba, in Abia State.

Prof. Okoko, who is the 12th Vice Chancellor, said under his leadership, the management of the University had outlined a vision of internationalizing the university by turning it into a world-class institution with the enabling environment of infrastructure, faculty and learning environment, funding and international linkages.

He, however, called for greater collaboration between universities and industry to ensure integrated development of the economy and society.

Dangote donates N100m to flood victims.Billionaire shows his stuff

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on October 12, 2010 at 3:29am

Alhaji Aliko Dangote has donated N100 million to victims of the recent flood in Sokoto State which rendered thousands of people homeless. Dangote also donated N15 million to the Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad

Development Initiative.

Speaking at the Government House, Sokoto yesterday, he said he was disturbed by the disaster and decided to make his little contribution towards cushioning the hardship of the victims.

He prayed Allah to grant them the strength to bear their losses and to compensate them through other ways.

He also described the flood as devastating, saying there was no doubt that it was a national tragedy that deserves the attention of every well-to-do Nigerian. He also prayed Allah to grant the dead eternal rest and their families the fortitude to bear the loses.

Responding, Governor Wamakko thanked him for the gesture and prayed Allah to reward him in abundance, adding that the money would be used judiciously..

While at the Sultan’s Palace, Dangote commended the monarch for the role he has been playing towards making the country a peaceful nation.

According to him, every Muslim is happy with the method evolved by the monarch to strengthen peaceful co-existence among all Nigerians.

He said he was donating N15 million to the Sultan Development Initiative because of its activities which have direct bearing on the less privileged in the country.

Sultan Sa’ad expressed appreciation for what Dangote is doing for those affected by disasters, recalling his enormous contribution to the victims of the recent riot that claimed several lives. He called on other wealthy Nigerians to emulate him and be their brothers’ keepers, for the unity of the country.

Second Nigerian tests positive at Commonwealth Games

Posted by Choochoo Sports Book on October 12, 2010 at 3:24am

A second Nigerian has failed a drugs test at the Commonwealth Games. And he came 6th in the race ! is that 419 or 319 ?

Samuel Okon, 24, who was sixth in the 110m hurdles won by Andy Turner, tested positive for the same drug as women's 100m winner Damola Osayemi.

According to Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennell, Okon is waiving his right to the B sample test but this has yet to be confirmed.

Okon has been provisionally suspended and will attend a provisional hearing later today.

Okon and Osayemi both tested positive for methylhexaneamine, which is a stimulant that was added in 2009 to the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned drugs.

However, it was reclassified earlier this year and from the start of 2011 it can be used with a therapeutic use exception certificate.

CWF chief Fennell said: "We are concerned with the number of incidents that are coming up with the same substance.

"At this stage I cannot speak very definitively as to where it's coming from but it appears that it may be coming from the use of supplements. .

"The supplements industry is by and large an unregulated industry worldwide and it is an industry that is a cause of great concern, not only for the fight against doping but also the protection of athletes. If people think a substance is not on the banned list, they take it, and sometimes they are caught out when it is added to the list

BBC athletics commentator Steve Cram

"There are are all sort of claims as to what is in them and we have found that in many cases the claims are inaccurate. So many are misled into using these supplements."

Asked when the results for Okon's B sample test would be known, Fennell replied: "We have been informed that the athlete is waiving the right to the B sample (test) but this has yet to be confirmed.

"We will confirm this at his hearing this afternoon."

The Nigerian team have been informed and are also investigating.

"We have already had discussions with the leadership of the Nigerian team, who are themselves taking it very seriously. They are very concerned about it," Fennell told a news conference.

Recently, several Jamaican sprinters and 11 Indian athletes tested positive for methylhexaneamine.

The drug, which has some performance-enhancing qualities, is commonly found but often not labelled in supplements and products such as nasal decongestants.

As the BBC's Steve Cram notes, the drug can therefore be taken by accident: "If people think a substance is not on the banned list, they take it, and sometimes they are caught out when it is added to the list."

Four of the Jamaican sprinters were given three-month suspensions and talking about Osayemi's potential punishment, Cram said: "I would expect a ban of between three and six months, which is probably proportionate to the crime."

Menace of police check-points

Posted by SaintOkocha on October 12, 2010 at 1:30am

The man must be the greatest joker of the century! How could he say that knowing full well what his trigger-happy men are capable of doing?” noted John, a commuter in this Mile 2-bound commuter bus in reaction to a statement credited to a bigwig in the Nigeria Police Force, warning motorists and commercial motorcyclists (Okada) to desist from giving the police money at checkpoints.

“So many innocent people have been deleted from the surface of the earth because they refused to part with N20.00 bribe,” he continued.

“It’s a good thing if they can enforce it. We don’t lack good laws in this country. What we lack is the will to enforce the laws. It is all right for him to sit in the comfort of his air-conditioned office and tell us what to do and what not to do, but those who wear the shoe know where it pinches,” said Tim.

“And the way they demand for this money, one would think the motorists and Okada riders owe them a debt which must be paid. The commercial bus drivers are expected to be ready with the bribe money any time they approach a police check-point. The policemen usually get really angry if the driver fails to comply and waits to be reminded to do his ‘legitimate’ duty.

This ‘insubordination’ usually earns him some beating or a bullet through his windscreen or tyres,” said Obi, adding: “From N20, to N50 and now, it is N100, you know, a consequence of the global financial meltdown being experienced the world over.

Narrated John: “I was in a bus one day when a policeman at a checkpoint flagged down our vehicle, expecting the driver to hand over the mandatory N100. The driver brought out N50 to give him and as soon as the policeman saw that it was N50 and not N100, he got furious and asked the driver to respect himself, whereupon the driver told him he could not afford to give him N100 as it was still too early and he had not made much money.

The next thing we saw was that the policeman raised his baton and brought it down heavily on the windscreen which instantly shattered into smithereens. This annoyed the driver and even the passengers. Another round of argument started as the driver insisted the erring policeman must pay for the windscreen.

Passers-by who witnessed what happened were blaming the policeman for causing such damage simply because of N100, saying his action was too drastic. It was like shooting an annoying mosquito with a double-barrel gun; while some blamed the driver for not doing what he was supposed to do. Any way, a female commuter eventually brokered peace between the policeman and the driver.

She asked the driver the price of the windscreen and he told her. She then said that the police must not collect money from the driver any time he passed that route until it equalled the amount for a new windscreen. Everybody was satisfied.”

Commented Yinka: “That was a wise decision. Thank God his colleagues did not come to defend him, otherwise, the whole thing would have escalated.”

“Actually some of them came but when they saw what he did and saw the crowd, they couldn’t say a word,” stated John.

“The funny thing is that the more the Police authorities tell us that they have banned those illegal roadblocks, the more they spring up. Does it mean those who give the order don’t see the order being flouted?” asked Nike

“It’s all gimmicks. Forget what is written on the body of the vehicle and just enter the vehicle. The orders are just to confuse the ordinary man on the street. Is it not the same high ranking officers that send these ones out in the streets to make returns? And they must meet their targets or else they are removed from there and sent to offices where they would not see money,” stated Joe.

Said Jide: “But haven’t you noticed that the number of check points have reduced drastically since the new I-G came in?” “Hmm,” scoffed Oby, “Let’s wait and see. Just give them a few weeks and I bet you, they will flood the roads again. Even now, I’m aware that some of them come out as early as 4.00am and as late as 9.00pm under the cover of darkness to extort money from drivers.”

You Don't Need Jason Bourne For A Bourne Movie, Apparently

Posted by NollywoodMohits on October 11, 2010 at 10:04pm

Matt Damon in Bourne UltimatumUniversal Pictures Matt Damonvowed, after director Paul Greengrass left the "Bourne" franchise, thathe'd never do another "Bourne" movie unless they let Greengrass return.Tony Gilroy, screenwriter of two of the films and director of "Michael Clayton," has taken over the franchise, and he's found a way out of the Damon problem: Get rid of Jason Bourne.

The next film will be called "The Bourne Legacy," but even though the name's in the title, the film will have no Jason Bourne. Thus, no Matt Damon. Interestingly enough, the book "The Bourne Legacy" does have Jason Bourne (though it wasn't actually written by Robert Ludlum, the creator of the book series). Gilroy explained to Hollywood Elsewhere's Jeffrey Wells that he's just taking the title and running with it.

"The easiest way to think of it is an expansion or a reveal. Jason Bourne will not be in this film, but he's very much alive. What happenedin the first three films is the trigger for what happens. I'm building alegend and an environment and a wider conspiracy…the world we're makingenhances and advances and invites Jason Bourne's return [down theroad]. Everything you saw in the first three films actually happened,and everyone who got into will be rewarded for paying attention. We'regoing to show you the bigger picture, the bigger canvas. When you seewhat we're going and see what we're doing it'll be pretty obvious….butJason Bourne's actvities in the first three films is the immediatetrigger."

When Gilroy says he's only using the title of the book, not the plot, he's not kidding: "The Bourne Legacy," which came out in 2004 and iswritten by Eric Van Lustbader (who took over the franchise from theLudlum estate for six more books), is all about Jason Bourne. Picking upwhere "The Bourne Ultimatum"left off, "Legacy" features Bourne back as David Webb (his birth name),teaching classes at Georgetown. He survives an assassination attemptand is -- all together now -- drawn into a complicated web of intrigueand deceit. Considering the whole book -- and the rest of the bookswritten by Van Lustbader -- is about Bourne's adventures, Gilroy'sadaptation will be anything but: He's essentially inventing a brand-newcharacter and hitching it to the Bourne franchise.

The new direction may jibe well with Gilroy's "Michael Clayton" sensibility, though basically it sounds like Jason Bourne started somesort of "movement," which doesn't seem like Bourne's style. Curiously,Gilroy leaves the door open for Bourne's - that is to say, Damon's -return at some point, presuming the films are so good he just couldn'thelp but want to be a part of them. So, we have another entry in thecasting couch speculation derby: Who's playing the newBourne/not-Bourne? Horizons should be expanded; when they cast the firstBourne film, no one considered Matt Damon an action star either..

Man Strips Naked in Front of Obama for $1 Million

Posted by jackie webLondonGirl on October 11, 2010 at 9:00pm

If billionaire Alki David is an honest man, the man who streaked in front of Barack Obama at the president’s rally today in Philadelphia will be paid $1 million for his stunt. The man who
performed today’s stunt, which captured the attention of the Drudge
Report , is 24-year-old Juan James Rodriguez, THE WEEKLY STANDARD has learned..

Photo Credit: Joey "Boots" Bassolino

David is a billionaire shipping and bottling magnate who is known to carry out stunts, mainly by paying others to perform them.
"A WACKY billionaire has offered $1million (£638,700) to the first
person who streaks in front of US President Barack Obama. Loaded Alki
David has promised to pay out the cash — providing the streaker writes
the name of his website 'Battlecam' across their chest."

“When I see the video and it’s confirmed...it won’t be check [that Rodriguez receives], it will be cash,” David, reached by phone tonight, told THE WEEKLY STANDARD..

The requirements of the streaking stunt, David told me, are that the streaker must have been within “eye-shot and ear shot of the president, they have to scream the name ‘battlecam’ six times, and they have to be nude.”

a_obama_streak3_blurr_crop.img_assist_custom-640x299.jpg

Two men involved in the stunt, Glen Zolar and Joey “Boots” Bassolino, assured THE WEEKLY STANDARD that Rodriguez met the requirements.

Zolar, who spoke with me on the phone earlier tonight, is a moderator on battlecam.com. Zolar was cruising the website when Rodriguez contacted him and asked whether he’d be able to
facilitate this stunt. Seeking personal gain – primarily, monetary gain –
Zolar agreed.

When asked how much he would get paid from Rodriguez’s payout, Zolar said, “I’d rather not disclose the figure, but it would definitely be more than $5,000 … and less than $25,000.”

Zolar says he has done freelance producing for the Howard Stern Show. Bassolino is a frequent guest on the show, which is well-known for conducting stunts just like the one carried out today in
Philadelphia. Zolar asked Bassolino to film the stunt this evening. The
two say it has been recorded but has not yet been broadcast on the
website. No payment has yet been made, and though it has not yet been
given David’s approval, it appears Rodriguez met all of David's
requirements.

“I am on the record as saying that it needed to be done in a place where it’s legal to be nude,” David said. But “it’s a suggestion, not a rule.”

In that case, the requirements appear to have been met. .

Commonwealth Games:Women's 100m champion fails doping test

Posted by Choochoo Sports Book on October 11, 2010 at 7:47pm

The Nigerian's sample contained the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine, which was added to the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) list of banned substances for the first time this year.

The 24-year-old's suspension was extended after a hearing on Monday and she will keep her gold medal until after her B sample is tested.

"(The) B Sample result is expected within 48 hours from the time of the request so further details are not expected until Wednesday morning," said a Games Federation statement..

Oludamola took gold after Australian Sally Pearson, who crossed the line first in Thursday's race, was disqualified for a false start three hours after the finish.

Natasha Mayers, who crossed the line third in the blue riband sprint to take St Vincent and the Grenadines' first athletics medal, will be elevated to gold medallist if Oludamola is stripped of the title.

Mayers herself served a two-year doping ban after testing positive for testosterone in 2005.

The online edition of Nigeria's Vanguard newspaper (www.vanguardngr.com) quoted the president of Athletics Federation of Nigeria as saying that they would back the athlete as they believed she took the substance inadvertently.

"She took medication for her toothache and we strongly suspect that it was that which led to her failed drug test," Solomon Ogba told the paper.

'Shocked and disappointed'

Elias Usman Gora, chef de mission of the Nigeria team, told Reuters he was "shocked and disappointed."

"We brought our athletes here to compete and in the right spirit," he said. "It is very unfortunate if the second test also comes out positive.

"We had done out of competition testing on most of our athletes before coming here, except a few who joined us directly from the United States and Canada. Osayemi happens to be one who joined us from the United States.

"She has been a good athlete and had no problems with doping ever. I just don't know what happened."

A world championship 100 metres finalist in 2007, Oludamola reached the semi-finals of the sprint at the Beijing Olympics a year later."Any positive test, whether it is in a high-profile event or not, is something that is very much regretted because we all are striving for clean Games, clean sports and clean competitions," said Fennell.

Organisers have conducted over 950 tests since the start of the Games, Fennell said, with Oludamola's the first positive in more than 700 results.

"We just want to let everyone know that we are very vigilant," Fennell added. "This is something we have to work with and do a part in monitoring and eliminating doping in sports."

-REUTERS

Dokpesi: Bomb Blasts This Is My Story I am innocent IBB strongman "confesses"

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on October 11, 2010 at 7:36pm

My hands are clean
By Henry Umoru, Abuja

The Director-General, Ibrahim Babangida Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Raymond Dokpesi said yesterday that security agencies now investigating the Abuja bomb blasts should look elsewhere for the brains behind the explosions as he knew nothing about the blasts that killed at least 10 Nigerians on the occasion of the nation’s 50th Independence Day anniversary..

He was arrested and detained for 24 hours by the State Security Services, SSS, to explain how an SMS message purportedly from him was found in the handset of a suspect in security custody.

Chief Dokpesi, speaking in Abuja for the first time since his release by the SSS, said he had never met or discussed with MEND leader, Henry Okah or anyone suspected of involvement in the Abuja bomb blasts.

“I have never corresponded with him through either directly or communicated with him through any third party. Nor has my principal, General Ibrahim Babangida in anyway associated or collaborated with anybody”, he said.

“Let me say that I am still at a loss myself why I was invited. Because I have nothing to do with the bomb blast. But let me simply state the fact that on Monday, the 3rd of October, I received a telephone call on my way from Jigawa asking me to report at the SSS headquarters at 10:00 am in the morning.

“And I asked the name of the person that was calling and he gave me the name that he is an official of the SSS. I was at the SSS headquarters diligently at 10 a.m. on Monday, 3rd October. When I came in, I was shown a handset where somebody was asking whether he had collected the N4 million from Dokpesi. And whether I knew anything about this text message.

“And I said, to start with, I am not the owner of the handset. The message was not sent to me. I don’t even know who the party, who and who is exchanging this text message. I was told that it is one Edo Aroh from Bayelsa State. And I was asked if I have any financial contact or any financial agreement with anybody that bears that name. However, I have appointed in Bayelsa State Hon. Okokeno as the IBB 2011 State Co-ordinator in Bayelsa State.

“And with Okokeno I have a relationship. I released the sum of N4 million to him to be able to secure an office in Bayelsa State. And that is the extent to which I have had a contact and they called me further to say do I know the Niger Delta Renaissance Network and I said Yes. I do recall clearly that when I was still Chairman of Daar Communication PLC, about the 26th of August prior to my acceptance of being the Director General of the campaign of IBB 2011, that a group, about five gentlemen wrote a letter, seeking an appointment to see me.

“And that these five gentlemen said they were representatives of the Niger Delta Renaissance Network. They had placed advertorials from the end of July in The Nation, Daily Trust, This Day. They had appeared on AIT and on Channels TV. And the main trust of their advertorial was that they are in support of the PDP zoning. They are in support of the fact that we should have justice and fairness in the polity that PDP members should respect the zoning formula of the party. And these their views they have been promoting. They have appeared twice on AIT and on Focus Nigeria.

“And each time they have paid the sum of N1 million. Now that they were speculating in the papers to the effort that I was going to be DG of the IBB 2011 presidential campaign and coupled with the fact that I am a leader of the South-South that they were stranded in Abuja and that they wanted some sort of financial assistance to be able to go back.

“I went ahead and I said yes as a leader of the South-South I can try to see how I can help you, but the truth of the matter is that what you have paid to AIT you have paid to AIT I cannot go and call anybody to assist. And I called my Executive Assistant to explain to him and I said my assistant should give N500,000. So that everyone of them could have N100,000. I had a concurrent meeting going on in my main office, so I met them in my guest waiting room.

“So I left them and that was all the discussion. There was no politics, there was nothing that was there apart from the fact that they needed financial assistance and I gave them N500,000. Thereafter I never had any contact with them until 1st September when I was appointed DG of the IBB campaign organisation”.

Reflecting on what happened before then he said: “And by 1st September I had cause to write a letter to the then Inspector-General of Police drawing attention to very unfortunate developments that were taking place in the polity. The South –South Leaders and Elders Committee had met under the chairmanship of Chief Clark. According to newspaper of reports, I understand that the former Chief of General Staff, Admiral Mike Akhigbe (rtd), Minister of Petroleum, Alison Madueke, former Deputy Speaker of House of representative, Mr Chibudum, Chief Graham Douglas was present, former Governor of Edo State Prof Osunbor, Minister of environment, John Odey and Minister of State work were present at the meeting where I was purportedly expelled or suspended from the South-South Peoples Assembly as advertised in the papers.

“This was a statement. I am not saying these people were the ones plotting to kill me. I never said so. My letter to the Inspector General of Police has been very explicit to the effect that I did state very clearly that I understand from newspaper report, that these people were the ones present at the meeting where I was said to have been expelled. Less than 24 hours later a joint Revolutionary Council (JRC) which says it comprises of an alliance of MEND, active combat unit of the Niger Delta People Volunteer Force declared me persona non grata in the Niger Delta. And that publication that was sent was signed by Cynthia Wyte and it was widely published throughout Nigeria and on the wire services across the whole world .

“Having taken this position against me, I wrote to the Inspector General of Police coupled with the fact that my son and members of my entire house hold started receiving telephone calls and threats; I wrote to the IGP asking that I should be protected, that the members of my family be protected. That my company , AIT and anybody who transact with it, should be protected.

“That the people who deal with Daar Communication should also be protected. It is worthy of note that letter to the IGP was on 1st September 2010. I also addressed it to the Director Central State Security Services(SSS). I also directed it to all National Security Adviser, the NIA and all the security agencies. But up till today, they have not invited me or responded to the matter, only for me to now get the invitation to come in for interrogation. Now that was squarely on the issue of interrogation. After the questioning of my giving money to the members of the Niger Delta Renaissance Network, I again asked questions about my relationship with Henry Okah. And said Henry Okah I have never met before

“Henry Okah I have never dealt with. I have never communicated with him. I’m not even sure that if I see him I will recognise him. I have never had any transaction with him either directly or through a third party.

“I think on Wednesday at about almost 10 or 11 in the night, they brought one Eduware before me. And I said yes, I have seen this face on three or four occasions. I have seen him when he came with the Renaissance Network Group people. I have seen him when he came with my coordinator in Bayelsa State, Hon. Okokeme.

“ I also saw him when I was to meet with the lawyer of the Renaissance Network at General IBB’s Guest House in Maitama, he came along with him. I saw him alight from a taxi together with the lawyer and I invited the lawyer in. And that is the only time. I have never had any type of financial transaction with him or exchanged any other thing order than the fact that he was in the company of these people I have mentioned.

“The N4 million that is being referred to is money that was released for the acquisition of the office in Bayelsa State. And it was not only Bayelsa state that benefited from that initial grant of getting offices and furnishing. In some states, some people donated buildings. So all we needed was to try to do some furnishing. That is the only financial transaction I have had. On Wednesday I was asked to write my statement.

“I wrote my statement within two hours, I remained there for several hours thereafter, almost about 7 or 8 hours later. On Thursday I went down there I was there for almost another 10, 11 hours doing absolutely nothing. Apart from people coming to say sit down here and I sit down nobody said good morning or good night to me from morning till almost about 10 to 15 minutes, they would ask me one or two questions, “can you help us put down this your explanation.”

On his discussion with Eduware, Dokpesi said, “Eduware confirmed those were the only moments he met with me and that was the basis of the contacts he had with me and no more.

Asked whether Eduware ran errands for him, he said, “No I never said I sent him on any errand or had anything at all to do with me. Then they insinuated that “But Eduware you told us that you met him at a meeting with IBB and chief which you attended”. And I said there couldn’t have been such a meeting which he attended with me. It was September 29th it was LEADERSHIP 50th anniversary ceremony which General IBB came as a special guest of honor.

“We attended that ceremony and they wanted to reach me earlier before we left for that ceremony but I was not available. I had to go to his guest house to wait for him because immediately after that ceremony he was going back to Minna and the venue of the function would not be a proper place for us to meet and discuss what ever it was he wanted to see me for.

“So I went to his guest house to wait for him. While I was waiting for him, a lawyer called me from Port Harcourt which coincidentally is the same lawyer to this Renaissance Network telling me that he wanted to see me urgently on the PDP nomination /election primary guidelines which had been issued. That there were some sorts of lacuna that he was not aware whether I had taken note of. So I said come and see me.

“When he came in I was not able to see him the day he came in. He called one the next day that he was going to be going back to Port Harcourt that it was very painful that he came all the way from Port Harcourt and he had not been able to see me. And I told him I was somewhere in Maitama. So he came in a taxi with this Eduware to the gate. So I asked the lawyer inside to be able to have the discussion.

“And we had the discussion it was not an issue we could finish on that day, not on the next day but on the third day. So I asked him to come and meet me in the house. He came with two other lawyers to the house, on the third day. So I asked him to come and meet me in the house. He came with two other lawyers to the house. On the third day, he met me with four lawyers at me office and we reviewed the implications of the points he had raised. So there was not time that I had any type of contact, any type of message or errand for that gentleman called Eduware.

On whether Eduware was at the meeting with the lawyers, Dokpesi said, “No”

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