Freed Journalists were "bribed" by Governor of Akwa Ibom .Kidnappers deny 3million cash

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 21, 2010 at 10:16pm

There are lingering doubts that various sources are trying to sweep under the carpet the huge sums of money found on the Freed Journalists by their captured Kidnappers who have shown great honour amongst thieves by denying the amounts credited to have been stolen from the journalists.Na 1.5m we collect not 3million

Photo:Fat Cat well fed recently kidnapped Journalists Deji Elumoye, Vice chairman, Lagos NUJ (left), Chairman Lagos Council, Wahab Oba and National President. NUJ, Mohammed Garuba on Oba and others’ arrival at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, yesterday. Photo: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI

Article

The four journalists released by kidnappers in Aba yesterday are now the subject of deep controversy following their disclosure that their abductors robbed them of N3 million ($25,000). In their testimonies to their colleagues shortly after they arrived in Lagos yesterday, the group, led by Wahab Oba, the head of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Lagos state and a staff of the federal ministry of information and communication, Adolphus Okonkwo of the Voice of Nigeria, Sylvester Okere of the Champion Newspapers, and Sola Oyeyipo, another Lagos-based freelance journalist, said the kidnappers took away the money from them as soon as they were carjacked and driven into the bush. In an account captured by the Lagos based Punch newspaper, Oba said, “When we went for the NEC meeting, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Godswill Akpabio, gave us N1m as fulfilment of his promise to bankroll a national seminar which we had in the state three months ago.

“He also gave each NEC official N100, 000 as transport fare. I also had some money on me because I had been travelling recently. Other people had some money on them too.

“The kidnappers collected all the money. If you value what they collected from us in terms of cash and other things, it is almost N5m. We had about N2.6m cash and the car which we bought not long ago valued at N2.4m was also stolen.” 

These explanations constitute the first time that professional journalists are admitting in public to have collected bribes, in this case called “seminar bankroll” or “transport fare.” It is leading to a public gasp about the way journalists do their official business, and the legality of carrying such huge funds around in contravention of the Nigerian money laundering law. The men spent eight days in the den of the armed men in deep forests in the Southeast.  

it had been reported that the journalists, in addition to participating in a National Executive Council meeting in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State two weeks ago, also visited Governor Godswill Akpabio and gave him a special award tagged 'Responsive Governance Award'. It is unclear what Governor Akpabio, a notably corrupt governor, may have accomplished to win the “award,” or even whether the award was officially recognized by the NUJ bylaws.  

Akwa Ibom state government house sources told our reporters that each of the journalists that met with Akpabio received bribes aimed at silencing the media. One source told our reporters that in this particular circumstance, each of the visitors individually received N1 million while the national executives of the National Union of Journalists, including the president, Mr. Mohammed Garba, collected a N20 million gratification from Mr. Akpabio.  Our sources further said that the information leading to the kidnap of the journalists emanated from the state, specifically from persons who were aware that the governor had doled out the bribes to the journalists. That may explain why they were trailed as soon as they left Government House, one source said.   

Recently, spotlight on the penchant of Governor Akpabio to use bribery as an instrument of official policy. In a high profile case meticulously covered by SaharaReporters, we demonstrated the "gift" of a bulletproof Mercedes Benz GL 450 SUV worth $500,000 to the chair of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri. After we concluded the exposé, Mr. Akpabio hired some journalists to visit the state to inspect the vehicle, which he claimed to be a “security vehicle” owned by the state.

Further investigation revealed that the license plate on the vehicle displayed by Akpabio was fake, as it belonged to a different car make which was licensed to one Chief C. Orizu, with an address of Adotolo Nnewi in Anambra State. A few days later the supplier of the vehicle, Charles Ahize, also issued a statement in The Sun newspaper in which he contradicted the governor’s claims, saying he had privately supplied the $500,000 bullet proof car to Mr. Akpabio. This confirmed the car was purchased privately, contrary to Akpabio's alibi that it was owned by Akwa Ibom state.  

The latest jamboree by the NUJ leadership to Akpabio and the granting of a dubious award to the governor was done quid pro quo to help him further evade scrutiny for his corrupt ways. It is instructive that the leaders of the NUJ in Lagos have studiously avoided investigating the source of the car Akpabio gave to the EFCC’s Waziri, even after the licence plate number found on the vehicle displayed by the governor bore a Lagos number. It is even more disturbing that the Lagos press has generally ignored the story even after the Lagos State government declared Governor Akpabio’s licence plate to have been forged.

It would be recalled that in one of our stories last April, following the invitation of selected journalists to Government House in an effort to discredit the story about Governor Akpabio’s bribe car, we wondered why none of the journalists asked any professional questions.  

The possession of huge sums of cash by the journalists was already a source of rebuke by a police officer last week, who wondered aloud why the journalists had not traveled by air, given the long distance to their destination. But a Lagos-based journalist said that his colleagues probably didn't want others to notice when they returned to Lagos, as a quiet return from such trips enable them to hide the booty from politicians from such colleagues who may want a cut.  Also, a Lagos based attorney said that by their admission the journalists have contravened Section 1 of the Money Laundering legislation of 2004, which prohibits individuals from carrying more than N500,000 on them while companies may carry up to two million Naira.

The kidnapped journalists arrived Lagos yesterday in private jet chartered and paid for by the the Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi.

As expected the revelations by the freed journalists have gingered Nigerians on the Internet. Social networking sites, chatrooms and internet forums are buzzing with the story and people are pressing for answers.

As one commentator asked, "Is the Lagos press going to investigate the obvious issues in this case, or are they going to protect their colleagues? Where did the journalists and their driver get a whopping N3 million that they admitted the kidnappers took from them? Under what conditions does the NUJ go around the country to give “awards” to politicians, and what was Governor Akpabio’s award for?

Are members of the NUJ executive immune to the provisions of the Money Laundering Act of 2004?”

Another commentator asked, “Can journalists who collect transport fare and mobilization fees report a governor professionally? This is a big scandal,” he added.

Kidnappers Deny 3m Cash Stolen No Honour Amongst Thieves & kidnappers

Contrary to the widely publicised statement credited to the just released Chairman Lagos Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. Wahab Oba, from kidnappers den that the sum of N3 million was seized from them, the kidnappers were said to have denied the amount saying they only collected about N1.6 million from them.

It will be recalled that Oba on arrival in Lagos from Abia State Sunday evening, told Journalists that a total sum of N3 million was seized from them by the kidnappers.

Oba, who was also taken to the headquarters of the State Security Service SSS at Shangisha, Ikosi- Isheri Local Council Development Area Monday evening, told Vanguard that the kidnappers had put a call across to some people denying ever collecting such amount.

His words: "I was surprised when I saw the report today that a sum of N3 million was seized from us by the kidnappers. I must have been misunderstood, what I meant was that the total value of what the kidnappers seized from us would amount to about N2.5 million or N3 million in total value.

"At least about N1.6 million in cash was seized from us instantly while other properties such as Vehicle, a Serena Space bus, Laptop, camera, tape recorder, personnel effects, wristwatches, among other valuables should worth about N2 million.

"We got N1 million from Governor of Akwa Ibom, Mr Godswill Akpabio as a fulfillment of his promise to assist us for a project we are embarking on in Lagos while other money collected from all of us should be about N600,000

Constitiution:lawmakers spend billions change virtually nothing

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 21, 2010 at 9:45pm

A whiff of confusion yesterday heralded the announcement of the take off of the amended constitution as the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, who initially said the section which grants financial independence to state houses of assemblies got the required assent, was forced to back-pedal, few minutes into the news conference. Mr Ekweremadu said he had cross-checked the facts and discovered that the section could not pass through because only 22 houses supported it, instead of the required 26. According to him, Katsina State, initially believed to have voted in favour of the clause, had presented two conflicting versions and its vote was therefore invalidated.

Section 121 of the Constitution which deals with financial independence for state houses of assemblies did not receive the support of the state governors who, as reported exclusively by NEXT on Sunday on July 11, pressured their legislators to vote against it because it would weaken the hold of the executive on the lawmakers..

The new laws

Under the new Constitution, elections are to be held in January next year, which is a slight departure from the past when elections held in April and inaugurations occur on May 29.

The document which is referred to as the first amendment of the 1999 Constitution, and had costs the country some N5 billion, stipulates that elections should hold on a date not earlier than 150 days and not later than 120 days before the expiration of the term of political office holders.

Mr. Ekweremadu, who chaired the senate committee on the amendment of the constitution said, the senate is aware of the little time left before the elections and will assist INEC to achieve a crises-free election.

He said the senate is preparing to pass a new electoral act that will extend the deadline for voters’ registration and submission of candidates’ name to INEC to two months before the actual elections.

All states, except Bauchi, voted in favour of the new electioneering time frame. The state had preferred the old time frame which stipulated that elections shall not take place earlier than 60 days and not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of that office.

Bauchi State voted ‘yes’ on only five of the 66 sections where amendments to the constitution were proposed by the national assembly. However, more than half of the amendments sought by the federal legislators were turned down by their state counterparts. Only 29 of the 66 sections were passed by the required two-third majority of the states.

Other sections of the constitution that were amended in the constitution include sections that grant the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) financial autonomy and section 135(2) which says that, “in the event of re-run election, the time spent in the office before the date the election was annulled, shall be taken into account” for the president. This same rule also applies to all other political offices.

Only last week, a Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State ruled that the tenure of Segun Oni, the Ekiti State governor, ends in 2011, temporarily putting paid to the controversy over whether a fresh four year tenure should start from when he won the April 2009 re-run elections in the state.

Section 145, which deals with the transfer of power between the president and vice president, was also amended. It now reads: “Whenever the president is proceeding on vacation or is otherwise unable to discharge the functions of his office, he shall transmit a written declaration to the president of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives to that effect, until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, the vice president shall perform the functions of the president as Acting president.” The constitution also provided that in the event that the president was unable to transmit a letter over his absence, in 21 days, the vice president will act in his stead. The rule is also applicable to state governors who failed to hand over properly.

This has hopefully saved the nation a repeat of what happened in November last year when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua left the country without transmitting power to the vice president.

The amendments also give the national assembly the power to make laws to ensure that political parties observe the practice of internal democracy in section 228.

A significant departure from the past constitution is Section 233 which now empowers the Supreme Court to hear the governor and deputy governors’ election appeal cases while the court of original jurisdiction for such cases remains the Appeal Court. The High Court is empowered to hear election cases over elections into the Senate and House of Representatives. Under the old order, governorship election cases end at the Appeal Court level.

Rejected sections

The Independent candidacy clause which was the core of electoral reforms promoted by the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was dropped by the states.

The introduction of this clause followed the recommendations of the Electoral Reform Committee led by Mohammad Uwais. The clause stipulates that aspirants for political offices - including offices of the governor and president - need not be members of any political party.

Although the provision enjoyed great support from the federal lawmakers, the state assemblies rejected it. They also rejected the attempt to delete section 68 (g) which prohibits carpet- crossing for legislators from the constitution.

Mr. Ekweremadu, however, said the national assembly will reintroduce the rejected sections in the next constitution amendment process, ”...hoping that state assemblies will be disposed to pass them then.” He added that the next constitution review will focus on state creation, fiscal federation, state police and devolution of powers.

Drugs Nigerians & South Africa

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 21, 2010 at 9:32pm

South African citizens don’t hide their love for Nigerians. They express it the moment they meet you. And the Nigerian Nollywood industry has further endeared Nigerians to South Africans, who are quick in asking one of the likes of Aki and Pawpaw, Ini Edo and Segun Arinze.

That notwithstanding, Nigeria’s image is taking a knock as a result of what the nationals do in the Kwazulu- Natal province especially in places like Durban, Richards Bay and Empangeni among other towns

Any decent South African, has one complaint to make on the kind of business their Nigerian brothers are doing. They are not happy that Zululand has become the haven of drugs no thanks to the activities of a Nigerian “Mafia” that hawks drugs in pubs, restaurants, workplaces, private homes, just everywhere..

A lady, Mphume, who works at the Richards Bay harbour, was the first to draw the reporter’s attention to the drug problem in Zululand and the involvement of what she called “your Nigerian brothers.” To buttress her claim, Mphume urged me to visit any of the pubs in Richards Bay and see things myself.

Though for security reasons, I was reluctant to visit any of the “happening places” in the small, but beautiful city of Richards Bay, I had to hit one of the clubs run by Indians, ostensibly to confirm the claim by the Zulus that a handful of Nigerians had turned their enclave into a land of drugs.

My visit to the Indian pub very close to Richards Bay City Mall was to say the least, a shocking experience. For the first time in my life, I saw what cocaine looks like. Some young men sold the powdery substance in wraps and a wrap went for 300 Rands (about $50). However, one was free to negotiate the price.

To confirm if the dealer I was negotiating with was a Nigerian, I spoke Igbo to him and asked him to come down a bit, since 300 Rands for me was high.

“Nna, iga egbu tu onu ya,” which literally interpreted means: “My brother, you have to bring down the price.” From the response I got, I didn’t need a soothsayer to tell me I was negotiating with a Naija man. I was told by the young man who should be in his early 20s to bring whatever I had in my pocket. I told him that I would be back, but instead of returning, I beat a quick retreat with my South African guide, Thanda, with whom I visited the pub in the light of day.

While driving back to my Road Lodge Hotel abode, Thanda told me that what I saw was only a child’s play. He said the drug business thrives more at night alongside prostitution with girls aged between 16 and 25, not just selling their bodies, but also serving as drug hawkers.

Few days after seeing things for myself in the pub, Zululand Observer (ZO) newspaper, carried a front page lead story with the headline: “Drug-drenched Zululand”, with a kicker: “Influx of Nigerian “Mafia” causes mushrooming drug trade”.

The paper, in the special report, disclosed that an exclusive Nigerian cartel of between 20 and 30 dealers had in the last three years established a well-oiled drug distribution network. An insider told the weekend tabloid that the dealers operate with a free hand owing to significant police complicity.

In the words of the insider: “The dealers fear nothing, not the cops, not arrest… They pay the bribes and move on with their business undisturbed.”

The insider, who pleaded anonymity said: “The drug network even has policemen in the loop as part of their transport logistics. The dealers are fed intelligence reports about road blocks when drug runs are planned from the main supplier routes in Jo’burg and Durban.”

On the question of how rife the drug addiction problem in Zululand really is, the insider told ZO that the extent of the abuse would come as a shock to the public.

“It’s everywhere… Apart from teenagers and young adults, the number of well known professionals and businessmen hooked on expensive drugs is alarming. They are busy destroying themselves and their families. Some professionals have already lost their businesses, others are on the brinks and many more are busy secretly raiding business or company funds to sustain their habit.”

As this writer can confirm, and as rightly reported by ZO, the era when dealers hid in dark places to do their trade is gone. A source told the reporter that the Nigerian dealers, who before now sneak in from Durban or Jo’burg, are now residing in Richards Bay and other suburbs like Empangeni, St Lucia and Mtubatuba. Some of them, in a bid to regularise their stay, have gone ahead to marry South African ladies.

“The drug dealers are highly organised. Getting cocaine or heroin is like ordering a take-away pizza. You pick up the phone and they deliver it to your doorstep,” another source told ZO.

The drug barons appear to be having a field-day in Zululand because the local police in the province do not have a drug enforcement unit. In response to public criticism about the perceived lack of police effectiveness, head of visible policing, Col Danie Calitz, told ZO that trafficking depends on detection.

In the words of the police chief: “SAPS (Police) is busy with several drug hot spot observations. We obviously cannot reveal details of that type of operation due to the fact that it could end up in wrong hands. If you do not find drugs on a person when you arrest him, you have no case.

“Our justice system also needs to be incorporated into the problem. As for prostitution, an average of 50 prostitutes per month are arrested, and then released again by the courts and are back on the streets. Many fingers are pointed towards the police as being corrupt, but the society itself does not want to take responsibility. Drug abuse is a social problem and good value systems start at home.”

In any case, what is happening in Zululand may probably still remain a child’s play when compared with the situation in Johannesburg. A taxi driver, Zack, refused taking me on a paid trip to the Highbrow area of Jo’burg when I arrived from Richards Bay after the exit of the Super Eagles from the World Cup.

I had initially decided to stay in Highbrow at the instance of my cousin, who resides in that part of the very massive city. Highbrow, it might interest one to know, is just a stone throw away from Ellis Park, one of the World Cup venues. In fact, the stadium played host to the Nigeria-Argentina Group B opener.

Zack, a Jo’burg resident, did not hide his perception of Highbrow. He told me point blank that the suburb is the headquarters of drug business run by Nigerians, even as he urged me as a tourist to avoid the place like a plaque if I would want to return home in one piece after the World Cup.

It is only a mad man that would have dismissed the wise counsel with a wave of the hand and hit the lions den (sorry drugs den). I quickly put a call across to some of my colleagues, who all along, had stayed back in Jo’burg covering the Eagles from a distance of over 700 kilometers. At the end of the day, I stayed in Randberg, another suburb that is not notorious for drug. Though I would have loved to see things for myself in Highbrow, just as I did in Richards Bay, I was too scared to embark on a “second missionary” journey to a drug land.

“The drug network even has policemen in the loop as part of their transport logistics. The dealers are fed intelligence reports about roadblocks when drug runs are planned from the main supplier routes in Jo’burg and Durban.”

Naval officer rapes infant daughter, say police

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on July 21, 2010 at 9:08pm

Etim Canice Okon, a naval officer, is trying to convince the Nigerian police in Calabar that he had not been raping his daughter, but cleaning her up when her cry attracted people to his house, leading to his arrest.

The 48-year-old officer, who said it was not unusual for babies to cry at that age, allegedly started sleeping with the toddler when she was just one year old and had previously threatened to send his wife packing should she report his action to family members or members of the public.

But news of the alleged assault eventually got out and a representative of the federation of women lawyers in Cross River State, Rosemary Onah, petitioned the state commissioner of Police and commissioner of Women Affairs on behalf of Mrs Etim, the victims’ mother over the rape.

Confirming the arrest of the victim, the state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Baba Ahmed said the suspect had raped his daughter about four times before the act became public, stressing that the incident started when the victim was only one year old.

“Raping of minors, especially one year old girls, is becoming rampant here. Maybe it is done for ritual purposes; if not, how come a man of almost 50 years of age will defile his daughter.

This is unbelievable and abominable”, Mr Ahmed said..

Prepared for court

He said the suspect will not be released until investigation is completed, adding that he will be taken to court as soon as possible to obtain a court order to remanded him in police custody pending further investigations.

“We are not going to release him on bail because the offence is criminal,” he said, “We will take him to court for court order which will enable us remand him in our custody for further investigations.” The Police Commissioner said the family has conducted medical examination on the baby, which confirmed that she had been raped several times.

“Our findings revealed that before now, the father of the victim was living together with the wife and six other children made up of five boys and a girl who is the victim of rape.

The poor girl happens to be his last born. This girl is likely to grow up with this trauma. How will she get over it?” he said.

Meanwhile, the mother and other children have relocated to an undisclosed apartment in Calabar where they are fending for themselves.

The Reality of life

Posted by Dare Ayodele on July 21, 2010 at 10:49am

Soyinka forms new party

Posted by NollywoodMohits on July 21, 2010 at 4:44am

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, on Tuesday announced the formation of a new political party, called the Democratic Front for Peoples Federation (DFPF)..

Kongi, as he is fondly called, seized the opportunity of an annual lecture held in his honour by the National Association of Seadogs to make the announcement. "This party is especially for those Nigerians who do not have a place to lay their heads," he said, adding that the party is the "masses' party."

Mr. Soyinka, who disclosed, to the chagrin of the attendees at the lecture, that he has not collected any amount as pension since he left Obafemi Awolowo University, said the party will be a platform for agitating for the needs of the masses. "Sign up and see what you can make of this party," he said, while announcing that the party will hold its first convention on September 25.

Some of the attendees wondered why the announcement was coming relatively late, but remained optimistic that the new party can still emerge a strong factor in Nigeria's politics. "I had expected this long time ago," said Benjamin Olaiya, one of the attendees, "I don't know why our national heroes do not wake up early to the demands of politics. It was the same with Gani [Fawehinmi]. However, let us hope the party can emerge strongly within the few times remaining till election."

An Ambitious Horse will Never Return To its Old Stables

Posted by Henry on July 21, 2010 at 12:26am

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CERTIFICATION EXAMS AT APTECH SURULERE

Posted by Edet Archibong on July 20, 2010 at 3:30am

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Interview with Goldie: I make passes at men; I'm a shameless flirt! - Goldie

Posted by NollywoodMohits on July 20, 2010 at 2:00am

Golden Girl Susan Oluwabimpe Harvey is the real name of Nigeria's reigning pop queen, Goldie. The Business Management graduate who is now a musician hails from Ekiti State and in this interview with, she speaks about her life, growing up, her interest in music, among other issues.

Tell us about yourself.

I'm the first born of my parents. I hail from Ikole, in Ekiti State; I attended Green-springs Montessori Primary School, Saint Johns College and then went on to get a degree in Business Management at the University of Sunderland, United kingdom.

How did it all start, your journey into music?

I came from a very religious family; my parents are very strict and academic. Though, I was a member of the junior church choir when I was younger, I was never encouraged to take it to a professional level.

I always knew I had a flair for the arts though, even at a very tender age; I was always part of the cultural dance groups in school and stuffs like that. Music for me started in Nigeria not by chance but by God's design, who ordains all things. I released my first video "Komole" in March/April 2007.

How rewarding is the business and what are you doing against your works being pirated?

It is quite rewarding, I thank God for every penny I make, no matter how small and pray that it gets more rewarding, as time goes by. The fight against piracy is not and cannot be a solo effort, it would take my fellow artistes, industry bigwigs, and the government to help combat this problem. Right now, I leave it in the hands of my record label, KennisMusic, to deal with it on a small scale as they deem fit.

What other business do you do?

Music is a 24/7 business for me, I have little time to focus on anything else.

What was your parent's reaction when you decided to go into music and who are your role models in the industry and the artistes you wish to feature in your album?

My parents were like, you can do whatever, but please make sure you go to school and get a degree, so that, not only will you be showing your younger ones good example, you'll also have something to fall back on in terms of getting a job if the music doesn't work out. My dad still has problems with my music, but, its not as bad as when I first started out though.

My mum is my role model, hardworking, highly intelligent, kind, generous and very loving. I really don't have any artiste in particular I'd like to feature, I'll record with any artiste that is in the same frame of mind with me, especially to add value, so to speak.

How many albums have you now? When is your next album coming out?

I have no albums for now. I released a limited edition (CD) compilation late 2007, but it wasn't a full album released for commercial purposes. I'm working on a commercial album now, scheduled for release later this year, hopefully before October, God's willing. I'm going to be expressing myself more in this album, talking about my personal perception of inter-human relations as I see it. I already have tracks with ElDee the Don, Ruggedman, Magnito, Banky W, to name a few.

How will you rate your music in Nigeria, what is the acceptance level?

Oh! So far, so good, I thank God. In the beginning, it was like I was hitting my head against a brickwall, an unyielding mind-boggling surface. Now though, people have come to accept me, my style and my sound. Its great and I feel good about the development.

How has your chosen profession lifted your life?

I've never been proud or snobbish. As a public figure, I owe it a duty to my fans to be polite and sweet even on my "off" days. And oh yes, I've performed in a couple of places in the UK. I learned new things everyday; by and large, I think my fame has made me more of a people-oriented person, I think, where I was more introverted before.

You are no doubt beautiful and I'm sure men will run after you. How do you curtail the rush, the passes? Are you engaged?

I'm flattered if you consider me beautiful. I think I just clean up well. As per the men, I really don't go out much apart from social or entertainment events and I don't get hassled. I literarily don't. Sometimes, I even wonder if there's something wrong with me and I keep asking myself "why don't men toast me sef? na wa o! " As per when I'm going to the altar, don't worry, everything will reveal itself in time, you will surely be in the know when the time comes.

If you see a guy you are fascinated with, can you make a pass at him?

Is it wrong or abnormal for a lady to make a pass at a man? Ah! That's my job oh! I make passes all the time. Yes! I'm a shameless flirt! Its embarrassing, I know, but I can't help it. Making a pass at a man is like going to the market and seeing a dress you like! If you walk by without pricing it, you'll go home and feel bad the rest of the day. You'll never know if it would have been your size, if it would have been available, etc. But if you make a pass and he doesn't accept (meaning the dress wasn't your size or it was too costly), then at least you'll know you've tried and it wasn't meant to be. In my opinion, I see nothing wrong in a woman making a pass at a man. Anybody that says otherwise is old school. Come on, either of the sexes can make the pass.

What dictates your fashion sense, how do you get your clothing because you dress like the Madonnas, Mary J Bliges etc, why?

I think Zizi Cardow isn't doing a bad job. I believe everybody should wear what they are comfortable in. If you like ankara, adire or lace, feel free to wear what looks good on you and what you feel comfortable in.

In my case, I dislike patterns! Too many colours and patterns on a fabric give me headache. My mood and the occasion of course dictate my dressing. Yes I like leather; simple, shiny and strong.

I also feel my stay in the United Kingdom influences my fashion sense; coupled with the fact that when I was growing up, my parents always got us ready-made clothes. I don't remember ever having any native clothes as a child.

A lot of my dresses are Karen Milan dresses. Leather wears. You will find shoes from four to six inches high heel shoes. I prefer wearing shorts. When I wear shorts, I am extremely comfortable. I can do anything in shorts, you feel very free. Naturally, I love shorts because I could go to the market, to the movies or clubbing in shorts but in dresses, one is really restricted. You cannot really be playful and I like being playful, you know jumping around. I love lace underwear, they are sexy. I love perfumes and clothes a lot.

You expose your beautiful body a lot. What is your impression of boobs' exposure, bum and thighs?

My personal opinion is this, if you got it, then flaunt it. If I think I have it, I do flaunt it, but there are some days I think I don't have it, so I won't flaunt. I like to be sexy, comfortable and trendy. To ladies out there, watch your body shape before you follow a trend because it is not everything that you put on that would look good on you.

What is your general perception of the entertainment industry in Nigeria? Do you see known names as a threat?

I don't perceive anyone as a threat, because everybody is different. Fingers are not the same. If anybody sees me as a threat, I wouldn't know about it, nor would I care. I don't like dwelling on negativity; it disrupts my aura. The industry is improving rapidly and that's a plus.

What edge do you have over the known names, I mean what stands you out?

I'm unique I think, my music is different; I dress differently, I also reason differently. Yes, its obvious that my uniqueness stands me out.

Is there any international artiste you admire and wish to feature in you album in future?

Hmmm... I've always loved Ludacris. If God wishes, why not?

Where does Goldie wish to be in the next five years?

To have achieved all God has lined up in store for me, and also to help as many people as I can; within my capability..

What is your favourite food? Colour? Car?

I can eat French fries and peppered snail anyday anytime. I love black, creams, purples, greens, I like down to earth people; this applies to both sexes. I've always been a Mercedes cars lover. I think I'll name my first daughter Mercedes.

Can you remember any embarrassing moment?

I have so many embarrassing moments, day in day out, it's a struggle to keep up with everything. I've had wardrobe malfunctions, where I've unintentionally revealed some parts of my body in public. I sometimes forget what I'm about to say at public functions/meetings. I'm in a roll and all of a sudden, zap! My brain freezes, it can really be embarrassing, you know? It happens to me atimes.

What can you not be found doing?

Goldie can never be found fighting, quarrelling, or raising my voice in public. I made a vow to myself never to degenerate to the level of an animal in public or otherwise. Nothing is solved using violence.

Black Naija couple give birth to white baby girl in London and she's NOT albino see amazing pictures

Posted by jackie webLondonGirl on July 19, 2010 at 4:30pm

A BLACK couple with their new baby yesterday - a white, blue-eyed BLONDE.

British Nmachi Ihegboro has amazed genetics experts who say the little girl is NOT an albino.

Dad Ben, 44, a customer services adviser, admitted: "We both just sat there after the birth staring at her."

Mum Angela, 35, of Woolwich, South London, beamed as she said: "She's beautiful - a miracle baby."

Ben told yesterday how he was so shocked when Nmachi was born, he even joked: "Is she MINE?"

He added: "Actually, the first thing I did was look at her and say, 'What the flip?'"

But as the baby's older brother and sister - both black - crowded round the "little miracle" at their home in South London, Ben declared: "Of course she's mine."

Blue-eyed blonde Nmachi, whose name means "Beauty of God" in the Nigerian couple's homeland, has baffled genetics experts because neither Ben nor wife Angela have ANY mixed-race family history.

Pale genes skipping generations before cropping up again could have explained the baby's appearance.

Ben also stressed: "My wife is true to me. Even if she hadn't been, the baby still wouldn't look like that.

"We both just sat there after the birth staring at her for ages - not saying anything."

Doctors at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup - where Angela, from nearby Woolwich, gave birth - have told the parents Nmachi is definitely no albino.

Ben, who came to Britain with his wife five years ago and works for South Eastern Trains, said: "She doesn't look like an albino child anyway - not like the ones I've seen back in Nigeria or in books. She just looks like a healthy white baby."..

He went on: "My mum is a black Nigerian although she has a bit fairer skin than mine.

"But we don't know of any white ancestry. We wondered if it was a genetic twist.

"But even then, what is with the long curly blonde hair?"

Professor Bryan Sykes, head of Human Genetics at Oxford University and Britain's leading expert, yesterday called the birth "extraordinary".

He said: "In mixed race humans, the lighter variant of skin tone may come out in a child - and this can sometimes be startlingly different to the skin of the parents.

"This might be the case where there is a lot of genetic mixing, as in Afro-Caribbean populations. But in Nigeria there is little mixing."

Prof Sykes said BOTH parents would have needed "some form of white ancestry" for a pale version of their genes to be passed on.

But he added: "The hair is extremely unusual. Even many blonde children don't have blonde hair like this at birth."

The expert said some unknown mutation was the most likely explanation.

He admitted: "The rules of genetics are complex and we still don't understand what happens in many cases."

The amazing birth comes five years after Kylie Hodgson became mum to twin daughters - one white and the other black - in Nottingham.

Kylie, now 23, and her partner Remi Horder, now 21, are both mixed race.

Even so the odds were estimated at a million to one.

The Sun told in 2002 how a white couple had Asian twins after a sperm mix-up by a fertility clinic.

Yesterday three-day-old Nmachi's churchgoing mum Angela admitted that she was "speechless" at first seeing her baby girl, who was delivered in a caesarean op.

She said: "I thought, 'What is this little doll?'

"She's beautiful and I love her. Her colour doesn't matter. She's a miracle baby.

"But still, what on earth happened here?"

Her husband told how their son Chisom, four, was even more confused than them by his new sister.

Ben said: "Our other daughter Dumebi is only two so she's too young to understand.

"But our boy keeps coming to look at his sister and then sits down looking puzzled.

"We're a black family. Suddenly he has a white sister."

Ben continued: "Of course, we are baffled too and want to know what's happened. But we understand life is very strange.

"All that matters is that she's healthy and that we love her.She's a proud British Nigerian."

Queen Mary's Hospital said: "Congratulations to Angela and her family on the birth of their daughter."

Our kidnappers are well connected - Released journalists recount ordeal • Abia govt suspends traditional rulers, places one under house arrest • Jonathan, govs, Nigerians react

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 19, 2010 at 3:21pm

Written by Biola Azeez, Leon Usigbe, with Agency Report

THE Chairman of Lagos State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Wahab Oba and three other journalists, with their driver, who were kidnapped penultimate Sunday in Abia State, have regained their freedom.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that they regained their freedom in the early hours of Sunday, between 1.30 and 2 a.m. at Ukpakiri, in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State.

Narrating their ordeal to newsmen at the Police Headquarters, Umuahia, Oba and the others said that they were released by their abductors in a market.

He said that the hoodlums had taken them to a market square where they were abandoned between 1.30 a.m. and 2 a.m. and that they had to wait till 6 a.m. “and we were there until the police came and rescued us.

“They collected all our personal effects, including laptops, wristwatches and the sum of N3 million and even shared the money in our presence,” he said.

Oba said that they were fed on bread once a day but that at a time they declared a fast “and they asked us if we were fasting against them.

“We explained to them that we are journalists, who were at the vanguard of enthroning good governance, and even told them that we have been in the forefront for the release of Chief (Ralph) Uwazuruike, leader of the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MOSSOB).

“We even requested them to give our phones to us to contact our families for them to bring the money they requested but they said that they were not after our money but that of the government.

“We were not beaten except the fact that they blindfolded us on some occasions.

“The kidnappers told us that they resorted to protest as a result of bad governance in Abia and accused the state government of diverting the money the Federal Government released for amnesty.

“They told us that they were giving the state government one month to either complete the amnesty programme or face their wrath and that they will come out openly to shoot at people,” he said.

Oba said that the hoodlums accused the government of insensitivity to the plight of residents of the state and threatened to disrupt the 2011 general election.

Mr Silver Okereke, a Daily Champion correspondent, said that at a point the kidnappers blindfolded them and took them to a point they were to be slaughtered.

“They told us to say our final prayer,” he said, adding that it was a sad experience.

“I don’t know whether government paid any money but they told us that they did not collect any money and that they were releasing us due to our profession so that we will go and right the wrongs in the society,” Okereke said.

He said that the hoodlums had the best of communication networking, adding that all the information that transpired in the course of their captivity were at the finger-tips of the kidnappers.

“These people are well connected and are aware of every bit of police movement both internal and external,” he said....

Okereke said the kidnappers’ colleagues outside the country were also communicating with them to give them information.

Meanwhile, Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mr Jonathan Johnson declined comments, saying that the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ogbonna Onovo, would be in Umuahia to address journalists on the issue.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has welcomed the release of the four journalists, and their driver.

According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Mr. Ima Niboro, in Abuja, on Sunday, the president noted that their release brought to closure “a sordid criminal incident, which, however, must be uprooted once and for all in Nigeria.”

While commending the police and Nigerians in general “for turning sufficient heat on the kidnappers and causing them to abandon the victims,” President Jonathan charged Mr Onovo, to ensure that the criminals were apprehended by all means.

He felicitated with the freed journalists, their families and the NUJ, saying “even as we celebrate freedom today, let us insist that this spate of criminality must stop. In every way possible, we must say no to these vices, and assist the authorities to expose perpetrators and bring an end to these vices as quickly as possible.”

However, the Abia State government has said that the traditional ruler of Amauba-Ime Oboro Autonomous Community in Ikwuano Local Government Area of the state, Eze Vincent Okezie Uche, has been placed under arrest and has been charged to court for allegedly aiding kidnapping and armed robbery.

The state government also said the monarch had been dethroned as the traditional ruler of Amauba-Ime Oboro Autonomous and his staff of office withdrawn.

The Abia State government, in a press statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kingsley Emereuwa, also said that other traditional rulers, namely, Eze Okechukwu Atulobi of Osusu Abala Autonomous Community; Eze Nwabiaraije Eneogwe of Abayi Autonomous Community, and Eze S. Onwukwe of Abala Ibeme Autonomous Community, all in Obingwa Local Government Area of the state, had been suspended as traditional rulers of their communities.

The decision to suspend the three royal fathers, the statement said, “followed security reports of their alleged serious involvement in sponsoring kidnapping and armed robbery in the state, for which they are currently under investigation.

“The state government wants to assure the entire citizenry that it will not stop at anything to eradicate the shameful manace of kidnapping and armed robbery in the state, as any person/s suspected to be behind this ugly vocation, no matter how highly placed, will be summarily dealt with,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State and Mr Onovo have promised kidnappers in the state total onslaught henceforth if the kidnappers refused to lay down their arms.

Speaking while receiving the freed journalists and their driver at the executive chambers of the Government House, Umuahia, on Sunday, the governor urged kidnappers in the state to partner with the government rather than go into criminality to attract attention. “No development can take place in a state of insecurity,” the governor said.

Governor Orji said that the youth of Ngwa area, particularly Obingwa, had hindered development projects by kidnapping either the contractors or expatriates handling projects in the area, adding that they refused to key into the recent amnesty programme of the state government.

The governor said the state government had not received any money from the Federal Government with regard to the amnesty programme as being rumoured by the kidnappers. “If we receive any such money we will give it to them,” Orji said.

He congratulated the South-East governors, the Nigeria Police and all those who assisted in securing the release of the abducted journalists, adding that kidnapping should be fought nationally.

He also charged journalists to fight kidnapping with their pens and also fight for freedom in all its ramifications, adding they should also join in he campaign for a better equipped police.

Also speaking, the IGP said that rescuing the journalists was a big challenge to him and the Nigeria police, since their ultimate goal was to rescue them alive, adding that the kidnap of the journalists had brought out the fact that everybody was a potential victim of the kidnappers.

The police boss thanked the governor for his assistance, saying that security was the business of everybody and that police operation in the South-East to rout criminals had just started. He said the police would go after the criminals, warning that many innocent people would be inconvenienced.

In a vote of thanks, Mr Oba expressed his appreciation to all Nigerians, their families, the police force and the Abia State governor for all the sacrifices they made to ensure their release.

Oba called that the police to be properly equipped, saying that their weaponry did not compare favourably with what the criminals were flaunting.

Ukpakiri town, where the four kidnapped journalists were rescued, on Sunday, was calm, but there was still a heavy presence of security men in the area.

A NAN correspondent reported that the people carried on their normal activities but they expressed joy that the journalists regained their freedom unhurt.

Chief Okoro Kalu, a community leader, told NAN that he was happy that the journalists, who had helped to shape the country positively, regained their freedom.

Chief Azuka Alagwu, the president of Aba Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, said the kidnap of the journalists had drawn the attention of the Federal Government to the sufferings of the Aba business community.

He urged the government to eradicate kidnapping to save businesses in Aba, which is 10 kilometres from Obingwa.

Also, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, expressed gratitude to God over the release of the journalists by their abductors.

The commissioner told NAN in Port Harcourt, on Sunday, that it was a thing of joy that the journalists came out unharmed.

Mr Akinola Ariyo, the Financial Secretary, Lagos State council of NUJ, told NAN on telephone that journalists in the council were happy over the freedom of their colleagues.

He added that the families of the journalists received the news with joy.

Ariyo thanked the federal and state governments, the security agencies and the NUJ president, Muhammad Garba, for their roles in the release of the journalists.

He also thanked other members of NUJ, religious leaders and Nigerians for their prayers over the incident.

The Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili, charged Nigerians, on Sunday, that they should stand up against the kidnappers.

Akunyili told NAN that payment of ransom had encouraged kidnapping, which, she lamented, had now become an industry.

In his reaction, the president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr Gbenga Adefaye, recommended that kidnappers should be punished to put an end to the act.

Why I left Abacha in govt after stepping aside in 1993 - Babangida

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 19, 2010 at 3:19pm

Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, on Sunday, in Minna, explained why he did not retire General Sani Abacha, when he stepped aside in1993, following the annulment of June 12 presidential election of that year, insisting that he was concerned with the future security and peace of the nation.

Abacha was the only senior military officer holding political office, who escaped the mass purge in military that preceded the stepping aside of General Babangida.

Speaking in Minna on Sunday, Babangida took a critical look at the pacts he had with the two former heads of state, Generals Olusegun Obasanjo and Sani Abacha that enabled them to assume power at various periods in the country, insisting that he was concerned with the future security and unity of the nation.

He spoke at at interactive session with members of the Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Niger State.

Babangida explained that General Abacha was spared from the mass retirement that hit the rank of senior military officers at the time he was stepping aside in 1993, based on the calculation that General Abacha would help to stabilise the Interim Government and douse the political tension that had mounted over the annulment of June 12 1993 election..

He explained that at the time he “stepped aside”, the situation was very fragile, adding that if the military profession was left in the hands of the young inexperienced officers, they would have tore the nation apart in coup d’états.”

Yes, Jega, your students are watching

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 19, 2010 at 5:30am

Academics are such an incomprehensible lot. As they sit in the classroom and reel out various normative theories, they make their students think that everything is that easy. They assume an indescribable air of infallibility as they criticise every government policy.

But whenever they cross over and join the government they leave you wondering if they were really the same people, who just months ago, were lambasting every government policy. We have had so many of such academics at the state and federal levels.

To be fair to them, some had found themselves in government and refused to change their principles, maintaining those high standards that made many of their students see them as role models.

For instance, there was a certain Professor Eme Awa (of blessed memory) who was appointed chairman of the then National Electoral Commission in the early 1990s by then military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. Being a man of proven integrity, Awa’s appointment was lauded by many Nigerians who knew him.

But Awa’s integrity, as later events proved, was only being used by the fox in power then to give credibility to his bogus transition programme. The old professor assumed office and was told to follow a script. But he refused to tow the line of the dictator and his cronies but instead resigned with his integrity intact.

Indeed, Awa must have remembered his students; those young men and women who saw him as a role model. He didn’t want to disappoint them and today, history is very fair to him.

Perhaps, that was why rgb(54, 99, 136);"">President Goodluck Jonathan told the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to remember his students while administering the oath of office on him and the commissioners of the electoral body.

The President said: “I was quite excited when people described you (Jega) as a radical and I am happy that a radical is going to INEC to do positive things and make sure that you don’t compromise that belief.

”Luckily, you are a professor of high repute; your students are all watching you whether you will stand by the principle you have been talking in the classroom. Your colleagues that you have left are also watching you.

That was a big challenge from the President. Indeed we have heard a lot about Jega’s radical tendencies; how as the President of the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities during Babangida’s regime he challenged the dictator and pulled lecturers out of the classroom.

With such pedigree, he cannot afford to fail. Luckily, he is not a southerner like the President and as such, we are not expecting some southern ‘porapo’ camaraderie rather we are expecting him to be independent-minded and firm.

Thank goodness, Jega appears to understand the magnitude of his task, hence he said in his acceptance speech, “We also know that, to succeed in this assignment, we need the goodwill, support, cooperation and assistance of all stakeholders within our country and all friends of scroll 0% 0% transparent; cursor: pointer; border-bottom: 2px dotted rgb(54, 99, 136);">Nigeria and its development partners globally.”

He said the new INEC was “willing and ready to partner with all stakeholders who are genuinely interested in contributing positively to bringing about free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria in 2011”, even as he acknowledged that, “ this assignment given to us is an enormous and profound challenging one.”

If the truth must be told, only the prof cannot give us credible elections as he needs the support of all stakeholders. But his demeanor and attitude , sooner or later,will surely reveal his intentions and dream for Nigeria.

However, it is now left to the acclaimed radical to maintain his integrity- like Awa- or enter that black book where history has consigned those who conspired with the authorities to give us execrable elections. He cannot escape it, for in less than 10 months we will surely know where his name will be found. .

4 Tips For Unconditional Love

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on July 19, 2010 at 5:12am

Unconditional love becomes possible when you practice cultivating these four states of mind:

1. Friendliness or loving kindness is the heartfelt wish for the well-being of oneself and others.

2. Compassion is a virtue —one in which the emotional capacities of empathy and sympathy (for the suffering of others) are regarded as a part of love itself, and a cornerstone of greater social interconnectedness and humanism

Ranked a great virtue in numerous philosophies, compassion is considered in all the major religious traditions as among the greatest of virtues.

3. Joy is an essential spiritual practice growing out of faith, grace, gratitude, hope, and love. It is the pure and simple delight in being alive. Joy is our elated response to feelings of happiness, experiences of pleasure, and awareness of abundance. It is also the deep satisfaction we know when we are able to serve others and be glad for their good fortune.

4. Equanimity – is one of the divine states. It is also considered as one of the steps to enlightenment. In this state, there is no fear. The “I” is vanquished, all actions arises from the state of equanimity, fully aware and fully present, and thus completely keeping with the situation

These four tips are the qualities of true, authentic, and unconditional love. Both Patanjali, the Indian sage who compiled the Yoga Sutra in the second century BCE, and the Buddha taught the importance of cultivating these four states of mind...

How To Spot An argumentative boyfriend stand aside divas here come the divos !

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on July 19, 2010 at 5:01am

The male dominated media loves to promote the image of irrational, emotional, drama queens who are at constant odds with each other. Reality television shows keep us inundated with the “cat-fights” and foolishness of these so-called ’real’ women, who thrive on negative energy and attention. Yet no one ever talks about ‘Divos’ the drama kings of this world who equally have a flare for the dramatic. I dated a man who loved to argue; he would say anything to get a rise out of me. I should have known that something was up when he said “if I wanted to, I could get with your sister.” When I looked at him like he was crazy, then he tried to shrug it off, as a ‘just a joke.’

It is not as socially accepted for men to behave in such a way, like Jay-Z said “males shouldn’t be jealous that’s a female trait,” which I completely disagree with because there are plenty of men who are just as guilty of bringing on the drama. Here are a couple of tips to let you know if your new guy is a Divo:

1. Every time you talk to him he has an elaborate story: Who knows why he does this or maybe his mom never gave him enough attention so he has to have your undivided attention– always. These stories will get grander and grander over time but dealing with his fantasy life can be a huge task, so just be ready to put in the work.

2. He tries to pull you in on act: He needs this fix so bad that he decides to pick a fight with you. He will say anything to push your buttons. Or he may pair himself up with a drama queen, when I was in college, there was this guy who seemed really laid back and nice. he would purposely talk to other girls on campus so that his girlfriend would want to fight him, while he just sat back and laughed under his breath as she created a huge scene on the yard. Who knows, maybe it was his time of the month so he needed to transfer that negative energy to her. That’s an extreme case but if this happens on a smaller level even once it will happen again..

Itsekiri Women Shut Down $800m Gas Project

Posted by 9jabook.com webmadam on July 19, 2010 at 4:39am

The new Escravos/Warri Gas Pipeline embarked upon by the Federal Government in Delta State has been shut down by Itsekiri women of Ugborodo Community in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
photo: nollywood interpretation of an itsekiri woman
The project being funded by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation/Chevron Joint Venture was designed to produce additional gas for the operation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that the American energy giant was expected to fund the project to cross the Escravos River while the Nigerian Gas Company, a subsidiary of NNPC, was to sponsor the execution of the project from the creeks of the coastal Popo Community to the Warri base of NGC.
The project was valued at $800m. This includes the cost of procurement of pipes, pig launchers, valves and obligation to contractors.
The women seized the site of the contractors, Zakhem Nigeria Limited and Fenog Nigeria Limited, in the early hours of Saturday. The aggrieved women chased away the workers who were operating on the part of the project being funded by Chevron, Escravos River Crossing Gas Pipeline Project, and took over the place..

It was learnt that about three hundred women had turned the site to temporary abode on Sunday.

The women, including the aged, prevented the contractors from demobilising their equipment, especially drilling rods worth $50m, from the site.
the women were aggrieved that Ugborodo community was not being considered for the provision of electricity even though that the project was meant to enhance the efficiency of PHCN and improve power generation and distribution in the country.
They vowed to frustrate the project unless the Federal Government made a convincing arrangement for a steady electricity supply to the community.
The leader of the women, Mrs. Mercy Olowu, said they embarked on the action because of the insensitivity of the Federal Government, adding that the government had consistently ignored the peaceful overtures of the community for the provision of electricity and other life support facilities in the community over the years.

Mass transfer of police in kidnap zones

Posted by Akin Osunlaja WebLagosian on July 19, 2010 at 4:28am

The Nigeria Police have commenced the transfer of some of its officers in the South-East in an effort to combat the increasing spate of violent crimes in the zone. The News Agency of Nigeria,in Awka, on Monday, gathered that the transfers affected mainly officers in Anambra and Abia States commands because of the rampant cases of kidnapping in the areas.

Police Public Relations Officer in Anambra, Emeka Chukwuemeka, confirmed that the transfers had started, but said he could not ascertain the number of officers transferred from the state. “The exercise is ongoing and involves officers, who have spent five years and above in one location,” he said.

A police source, who asked not to be named, said that policemen who had stayed long in the states were either abetting crime or sabotaging the efforts of the command. The source said that in Anambra alone, more than 3,000 officers and men were affected by the transfer to other states, including Sokoto and Borno. “More than 500 senior police officers are also affected,” he said...

Lagos BRT Transport authority announces fare increase

Posted by Akin Osunlaja WebLagosian on July 19, 2010 at 4:13am

The management of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) - operators of the Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT) in Lagos, Nigeria on Saturday announced its intention to increase bus fare from the current N50 per drop.

In a letter signed by its managing Director, Dayo Mobereola and distributed to passengers of the transport authority said the ‘marginal increase in fare' is to assist it in ‘recovering some of the costs of operation as well as give members of the commuting public efficient services'.

The authority said effective from Sunday, August 1, 2010, .the new bus fare will be:

*** Mile 12 - CMS -------- N120.00

*** Fadeyi - CMS ----------N70.00

*** Mile 12 - Fadeyi ------N70.000

*** Moshalashi - CMS ------N70.00

Wear T-shirts With ‘police’ Inscription And Go To Jail

Posted by Akin Osunlaja WebLagosian on July 19, 2010 at 4:00am

What if i wear A tee shirt with "The police is your friend" will Mr Olopa still beat me ?

My question is how is this going to help us catch kidnappers and armed robbers as most of them actually wear the real thing. The full Police Uniform !

Individuals who wear T-Shirts on which the word ‘Police’ is inscribed will be arrested and prosecuted, the leadership of the Ogun State Police Command said at the weekend.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said in Abeokuta, the state capital, that information at the disposal of the police has established that the T-Shirts are being use to commit various crimes in the society.

Similarly, the command warned that shops where such materials are being sold will be closed and the owners prosecuted. “The Command will beam its searchlight on dealers of shops where T-Shirts with Police inscriptions are stored or sold, for these shirts are being used to commit crimes in the state and enough is enough. The Command wishes to warn that anyone found in possession of these shirts or clothing will be arrested and charged to court accordingly,” Mr Adejobi said.

He also appealed to the public to understand that these steps taken by the police are meant to ensure more effective policing in Ogun State.

Or Maybe I should wear T shirt with "F...K the Police " I mean the Musical Band the Police ! I no dey olopa wahala ...

Falconets too much for Japan

Posted by Choochoo Sports Book on July 18, 2010 at 11:09pm

Nigeria took a major step towards advancing to the second round of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Japan in Augsburg. The Falconets, who had drawn England 1-1 to open Group C, now have four points and are sure to be in a good position no matter what happens in the later match between England and Mexico..

The Japanese drew Mexico 3-3 in a thrilling come-from-behind encounter in the first round of matches, but there was not enough drama for them on Saturday as Nigeria made Amarachi Okoronkwo and Desire Oparanozie’s early goals stand-up despite Mana Iwabuchi’s second half consolation.

The west Africans scored the opener in just the 6th minute after Ebere Orji’s tricky cross caused a miscommunication between Shoko Yamada and goalkeeper Erina Yamane. With a race to the ball Okoronkwo proved the fastest to touch in her first goal of the finals.
The discouraging defensive lapse was multiplied just minutes later from what was just Nigeria’s second shot on goal. As have all of the Falconet’s goals in the tournament, it was created by Orji, in this case bursting with menace down the left flank. And again it was the same combination that struck against England, with Oparanozie finishing coolly at the back post.

Japan were then two goals down for the second match on the trot, and just as they did against the Mexicans, they showed great spirit in their fight-back. Before half-time the impressive Iwabuchi created a chance - but Nigeria goalkeeper Alaba Jonathan denied Natsuki Kishikawa - and spurned one of her own when she dwelled on the ball when all alone in the area in injury time.

With Japan pushing and the Nigerians comfortable in attack, the match came to life in the second period, with Iwabuchi and Kishikawa going close in the early going, and the Falconets showing how dangerous they could be as Esther Sunday played a quick one-two with Orji through the heart of the Japanese defence. Iwabuchi was the next star to shine, and she found the net thanks to her clever speed of thought and being quickest to take advantage of some shaky goalkeeping moments in the 62nd minute.

But the Japanese sputtered on the rocks of Sunday and Orji, who continued to dominate proceedings through the last half hour, and the best chance to score in the final moments fell to Oparanozie at the end of a lightning-fast African counterattack..

Nigeria will next face Mexico on Wednesday in Bochum, while Japan take on England at the same time in Bielefeld.

A BLACK couple with their new baby yesterday - a white, blue-eyed BLONDE.

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