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Adama Barrow has been sworn-in as new Gambia President. Barrow after taking oath of office urged security forces to ‘demonstrate their loyalty.’
Barrow took the oath of office at the Gambian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal.
The Gambia’s new president Adama Barrow called on the country’s armed forces Thursday to “demonstrate their loyalty” in a standoff with Yahya Jammeh, the longtime leader who has refused to step down despite an election defeat.
“I command the chief of defence staff and officers of high command to demonstrate their loyalty to me as commander in chief without any delay,” he said after being sworn in as president in The Gambia’s embassy in Dakar.
“I command all members of the armed forces to remain in their barracks, those found wanting or in possession of firearms without my order will be considered rebels.”
Hundreds of the displaced victims of Olokonla town via Ogombo village in Etiosa local government area of Lagos State, yesterday, stormed the Lagos Island residence of the former Lagos State Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu to protest one month of homelessness brought about by illegal demolition by the state government.
The protesters were displaced on December 16, 2016 when some armed military men in company of some officials of Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development demolished about 200 buildings valued at N15b.
The ministry was said to have embarked on the exercise 48 hours after some of the buildings were marked for demolition and many of the victims were said to be brutalized while salvaging their property.
Two of the victims were said to have died three days ago due to the torture they allegedly received from the soldiers.
Not satisfied with the development, the victims have petitioned the House of Assembly and Governor Akinwumi Ambode about the development without result.
Having waited for a month without justice, the victims staged a peaceful protest at the entrance of Tinubu's residence located at Bourdillon to register their plight.
One of the protesters 70 years old Suwebatu Ayedogbon said the exercise has almost reduced her family to beggars. She said, ''my only son struggled to own a building where I was accommodated for the past two years but this was demolished in December and all of us have nowhere to stay,''
Another protester Mr Akeem Onilekere said he had nowhere to lay his head since the exercise, ''I acquired a loan in my place of work to develop the property hoping to move in by April but I have not finished paying back the loan when the structure was demolished,''
Addressing the protesters, an aid to the former governor Mr Tunde Rahman calmed the protesters and asked them to report to Tinubu's office on Tuesday for a round table discussion. .
Counsel to the victims Oladotun Hassan said the former governor was their last result since various attempts have failed.
From the left, Chairman Senate Committee on Tertiary Education, Senator Binta Masi- Garuba; Wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Toyin Saraki; Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari; Co-Founder Bill/Melinda Gates Foundation, Mrs. Melinda Gates; Minister for Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole and the Chairman Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuoso after a meeting when Mrs. Gates paid a learning visit to Nigeria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi ADESHIDA 19.01/2017
From the left, Chairman Senate Committee on Tertiary Education, Senator Binta Masi- Garuba; Wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Toyin Saraki; Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari; Co-Founder Bill/Melinda Gates Foundation, Mrs. Melinda Gates; Minister for Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole and the Chairman Senate Committee on Health, Senator Lanre Tejuoso after a meeting when Mrs. Gates paid a learning visit to Nigeria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi ADESHIDA
From the left, Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari; Co-Founder Bill/Melinda Gates Foundation, Mrs. Melinda Gates; Wife of the Imo State Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha and the Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun after a meeting when Mrs. Gates paid a learning visit to Nigeria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi ADESHIDA
From the left, Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari; Co-Founder Bill/Melinda Gates Foundation, Mrs. Melinda Gates; Wife of the Imo State Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha and the Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun after a meeting when Mrs. Gates paid a learning visit to Nigeria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi ADESHIDA
Co-Founder Bill/Melinda Gates Foundation, Mrs. Melinda Gates flanked by Wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Buhari and the Wife of the Imo State Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha (4r); the Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun (3r) and others in a group photograph with Wives of Governors after a meeting when Mrs. Gates paid a learning visit to Nigeria at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi ADESHIDA
Here is a timeline of developments in The Gambia since the December election which President Yahya Jammeh lost to his opponent Adama Barrow:
– Jammeh concedes defeat –
– December 1, 2016: Gambians go to the polls to choose their new president from three candidates, including Jammeh, who has ruled with an iron fist for 22 years, and Barrow, representing a large opposition coalition.
A day later the electoral commission announces that Barrow has won, to scenes of jubilation on the streets.
Jammeh concedes defeat, congratulating Barrow for his “clear victory”.
– Opposition freed –Adama Barrow and Yahya Jammeh
– December 5: Gambian opposition leader Ousainou Darboe, who was jailed in July for taking part in a protest, is freed on bail with 18 others.
In the following days some 40 members of the opposition are also freed.
– Jammeh U-turn –
– December 6: The electoral commission says Barrow won the election more narrowly than originally thought, and with a lower turnout. He garnered 43.2 percent of the vote and Jammeh 39.6 percent. A third candidate, Mama Kandeh, took 17.1 percent.
– December 9: Jammeh announces he has changed his mind and says he rejects the results “in totality”.
He lodges a complaint with the Supreme Court to overturn the result.
The defiance sparks global concern, with the UN Security Council among those demanding that Jammeh hand over power.
– Jammeh urged to go –
– December 13: Heads of state from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are sent to The Gambia, but are unable to convince Jammeh to acknowledge his defeat. A new mission takes place a month later.
– On December 31, Jammeh accuses ECOWAS of declaring “war”.
– Supreme Court stalls –
– January 4, 2017: The army chief reaffirms his loyalty to Jammeh.
– January 9: Jammeh dismisses 12 ambassadors after they call for him to step aside. Several ministers have since been fired or have resigned.
– January 10: The Gambia’s chief Supreme Court justice says Jammeh’s legal challenge against the result will not be heard for several months.
– January 13: The African Union (AU) urges Jammeh to respect the results and relinquish power peacefully, warning of “serious consequences”. It says it will not recognise him as of January 19.
Thousands of Gambians, fearing unrest, cross the border into neighbouring Senegal and to Guinea-Bissau.
– Barrow in Senegal –
– January 15: Senegalese President Macky Sall announces he has agreed to take in Barrow until his inauguration on January 19.
– January 16: The Gambia’s top judge pulls out of hearing a bid by Jammeh to halt the inauguration.
– State of emergency –
– January 17: Jammeh declares a state of emergency, saying foreign powers had created an “unwarranted hostile atmosphere, threatening the sovereignty, peace, security and stability of the country”.
– African troops ready –
– January 18: The Senegalese army says it is ready to intervene if there is no solution to the crisis. Gambian vice president Isatou Njie-Saidy resigns along with the environment and higher education ministers, the latest cabinet members to desert Jammeh.
Nigeria and Ghana also agree to send troops.
Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz travels to Banjul in an 11th-hour mediation bid.
– January 19: A midnight (0000 GMT) deadline for Jammeh to step down expires.
Barrow announces he will take the oath in the Gambian embassy in Senegal at 1600 GMT.
UN Security Council to vote on a draft resolution endorsing the ECOWAS effort to ensure a transfer of power in The Gambia.
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) says it has concluded plans to set up security outposts and deploy its personnel along the Abuja-Kaduna road following proposed closure of the Abuja Airport.
The Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, is scheduled to be closed from March 8 for six weeks to allow for repairs of the runway.
The Federal Government announced the relocation of activities within that period to the Kaduna Airport and assured of security beef up along the Abuja-Kaduna route during the period.
The Commandant General of the NSCDC, Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu, at a media briefing on Thursday in Abuja said he had ordered the setting up of 15 security outposts and emergency stations along the route.
He explained that the outposts would be set up along Bwari-Jere to Kaduna, Abuja-Zuba Kaduna routes to enable corps personnel to protect lives and property along the routes. He said that the decision to establish the 15 outpost was to provide adequate security during the six weeks of the closure of the airport.
"We are doing all within our powers to strengthen relationship with relevant stakeholders to achieve the desired result," he said.
Muhammadu said special attention would also be given to critical infrastructure along the route and other passengers plying the road to the northern part of the country.
He stressed the need for adequate security along the route, saying those with nefarious behaviour may take advantage of the temporary situation to perpetrate their sinister acts.
He added that the Crisis Management Department had been directed to station their ambulances along the routes for any emergency and rescue operation.
The NSCDC boss urged Nigerians to remain peaceful and law abiding and report any suspicious movement to the nearest security agency.
Gambian president-elect Adama Barrow was to be sworn in Thursday at the country’s embassy in Senegal as incumbent Yahya Jammeh stood firm, refusing to quit despite threats of military intervention.
A regional force massed on the Senegal-The Gambia border ahead of a UN Security Council vote due at 1800 GMT Thursday expected to endorse west African efforts to ensure a transfer of power.
Barrow’s inauguration was due to take place at the Gambian embassy in Dakar at 4:00 pm (1600 GMT), his spokesman Halifa Sallah told AFP.Adama Barrow
Two giant screens were to be set up outside the small embassy premises and a live transmission provided by state broadcaster RTS.
As Jammeh’s mandate expired at midnight (0000 GMT) with no sign of him stepping down after 22 years at the helm, troops from Nigeria and Ghana were to join hundreds of Senegalese soldiers massing on the front.
Shops were shuttered and streets quiet in and around the capital Banjul, and tour operators evacuated hundreds more tourists from the tiny country’s popular beach resorts.
In off the cuff remarks, army chief Ousman Badjie insisted however that his soldiers would not get involved in a “political dispute” or prevent foreign forces from entering the west African nation.
– Inauguration to go ahead –
Barrow, a real-estate agent turned politician who won a presidential vote on December 1, flew to Senegal on January 15 after weeks of rising tension over Jammeh’s refusal to step down.
Jammeh initially acknowledged Barrow as the election victor but later rejected the result.
He attempted to block Barrow’s inauguration with a court ruling and by declaring a state of emergency this week.
Speaking to AFP by phone, a senior member of Barrow’s opposition coalition, Isatou Touray, welcomed the army chief’s declaration that his troops would not prevent Jammeh’s removal by force.
“That’s a very positive outlook from him, given that Jammeh’s regime is done,” Touray said.
“We don’t have to risk the lives of innocent citizens.”
In remarks at a hotel restaurant late Wednesday, Badjie said he loved his men and wouldn’t risk their lives in a “stupid fight,” witnesses said.
– ‘Really scary’
Arriving back from The Gambia at Manchester airport in northern England, several passengers could be seen comforting a Gambian national and UK resident who had tried unsuccessfully to get his family out.
Speaking to AFP, Ebrima Jajne described the situation as “really scary for everybody… because this president (Jammeh) doesn’t want to step down and people are fleeing.”
Tourist Ralph Newton said local residents had done what they could to reassure visitors, despite the threat to themselves.
“All the locals were just worried… They said it’s a bad time for us but you’ll be alright… It’ll be us they come for, if they come for anybody.”
And Sara Wilkins, another tourist, said they had struggled to get clear information on the developing situation.
“We weren’t told anything… I kept phoning (tour operator) Thomas Cook and they were just like… don’t worry about it,” she told AFP.
“I rang Thomas Cook again this morning and they said pack your bags, you’ve got to go.”
Despite the build-up along the border, an army source told AFP Senegalese troops were “not yet” present on Gambian soil.
– Eyes on border –
After 11th-hour talks in Banjul, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz flew on to Dakar where he held a meeting with Barrow at which Senegal’s President Macky Sall was also present, the private RFM radio station reported.
It was not clear whether the Mauritanian leader had secured a deal or made an asylum offer to Jammeh.
The last-minute intervention came after several unsuccessful attempts at diplomacy by the 15-nation Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS).
Mauritania is not part of ECOWAS and diplomats have previously reached out to the conservative desert nation in hopes of brokering a deal with Jammeh.
ECOWAS heads the regional force massing on Gambian-Senegalese border.
Speaking to AFP at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Amnesty International chief Salil Shetty hailed ECOWAS efforts to resolve the crisis.
“ECOWAS has stood up, and they don’t always do that, he said.
“It’s an important message to Jammeh, both from the people of The Gambia, the people of Africa, and from neighbouring states, that it’s not business as usual anymore.”
Ekiti State Gov., Ayo Fayose, on Thursday gave a cash reward of N100,000 to a retired Chief Nursing Officer, Mrs Mary Omotosho, for returning the sum of N1.78m wrongfully paid to her by the Ekiti State Pensions Commission.
The governor, who gave the reward at the Government House, Ado Ekiti, described her action as "uncommon and unbelievable".
He urged other citizens to emulate the good example of Omotosho, whenever they might have been wrongfully paid.
Fayose
"I commend your honesty and it is good to appreciate people who do well; when we do that, we are encouraging others to do same. Some people tend to do evil because those doing well are not appreciated. I am calling on those who may have been wrongfully credited with money that is not theirs to pay back," he said.
Earlier, Mrs Omotosho, who is a retired Chief Nursing Officer with the state Local Government Service Commission, recalled that a few days before Christmas, she got a credit alert from her bank paying the N1.8 million sum to her.
"Though I am on monthly pension, I knew that was a mistake as my monthly pension is not up to that.
"I waited for the bank to retrieve the money, but that did not happen.
"A few days after, I got the real alert for my monthly pension, and I went to the Pensions Commission to report the matter and I was given an account number to pay the excess money into.
"I did a bank draft and paid the money into that account. Though I am a retiree, I don't take what does not belong to me. I believe God will always meet my needs," she said.
Omotosho thanked Gov. Fayose for the recognition accorded her, as well as the cash reward.
A Bill for an Act to establish National Agency of Albinism and Hypo-Pigmentation on Thursday passed second reading at the House of Representatives.
The bill which was sponsored by Rep. Linus Okorie (Ebonyi-PDP) seeks to ensure social and legal protection and to improve welfare of people living with albinism.
Leading the debate on the bill, Okorie said albinos were often stigmatised by the society and abandoned by their families, and were often bullied, making them to avoid school.
He said that in some parts of Africa, albinos were killed and their body parts used for rituals.
He said the agency would be largely funded by international donor agencies, adding that some of such agencies had already indicated interest in the programme.
Okorie said that the lower chamber would be a true representative of the people only when it ensured that the most vulnerable were protected to live their lives to its full potential.
In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the house, Mr Yussuff Lasun, referred the bill to the Committee on Health Institutions and Services for further legislative actions.
Meanwhile, some albinos have expressed joy over the progress recorded so far in the effort to improve their living standard.
Ms Oluchi Nwoha, a member of the Albino Foundation commended the progress the bill had made at the legislature.
She said in Abuja that the development had gone a long way to show that the Nigerian Government was ready to invest in the lives of albinos.
Nwoha said when the agency would be established, it would provide a lot of opportunities for persons living with albinism and would enable them live quality life.
She urged organisations dealing with people living with albinism and other skin conditions to form a coalition to support the expected agency to function optimally when established.
The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi, said on Thursday that the introduction of Islamic finance into the nation's economic system would positively impact the rate of its financial inclusion in Africa.
He made the remarks at the Third International Conference on Islamic Banking and Finance in Kano.
"Financial Inclusion is one key component on inclusive development, which is necessarily for sustainable growth. "In this area, Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa are lagging behind several regions and continents with less than one adult in four having access to an account in a formal financial institutions in Africa.
"Based on the survey conducted by the Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA), 39. 5 per cent of adult Nigerians are financially excluded," he said.
According to him, the number is the highest in Africa, with the North East and North West having the highest rates in Nigeria, representing 68.4 per cent and 56.0 per cent respectively.
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Emir of Kano
He, however, noted that many Muslims rejected the formal financial services because of non-compatibility of the services to the tenets of Islam.
"This contributes to the overall rate of financial exclusion in the continent.
"OIC countries with Islamic Banking services have higher level of financial inclusion than those that do not have those services," he said.
He said religious reasons were also responsible for the exclusion of 11.6 per cent in OIC countries, compared to 4 per cent in the rest of the world.
"This shows that self-exclusion due to religious considerations are to some extent being mitigated by the introduction of Islamic financial services."
He said Islamic Banking presence and activity had been found to be associated with greater inclusion in terms of households and firms accessing of bank credit to finance investment.
The monarch therefore stressed the need for the mobilisation of large scale financial resources to support the Sustenance Development Goals.
"Under the UN developmental goal of promoting inclusive and Sustainable economic growth, the concept of risk sharing is a pillar of Islamic finance.
"It is another illustration of the relevance of Islamic finance in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
"The mobilisation of human and material resources and global collaboration are necessary for the realisation of sustainable development, "he added.
He said Islamic finance, based on its principles of risk sharing, prudence and ethics and supported by a robust and resilient regulation system, could without doubt contribute towards the achievemens of Sustainable Development Goals.
A Federal High Court Lagos on Thursday, fixed March 8 for the continuation of trial of an oil marketer, Olaniran Ogundipe, and his company, Petroleum Broker Nigeria Ltd, over N1.3 billion alleged oil subsidy fraud.
Ogundipe and his company were first arraigned before the court on March 19, 2014.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, the trial judge adjourned the matter following the inability of the prosecutor, Mr Dania Abdullahi to furnish the court with the original copies of documents he intended to use for prosecution.
The prosecutor had informed the court that the original documents were with his co-prosecutor who he said had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence department Panti-Yaba.
Consequently, justice Hadizat Shagari, urged the prosecutor to make efforts in getting the original copies he intended to use in the matter.
She then fixed March 8, for the continuation of trial.
In an amended charge marked FHC/L/321c/2013, the prosecution alleged that the accused, his company, and other persons now at large, committed the offence between January and April, 2011.
They were said to have obtained the sum of N1.3 billion as subsidy from the Federal Government under false pretence that they had imported and sold 17,837,160 litres of petrol, into the country via MT Aidin (Ex MT Stena FR8).
They were also alleged to have on or about January to April, 2011, forged import and vessels documents which they used to obtain the said sum from the Federal Government of Nigeria, as fuel Subsidy.
Furthermore, the accused were also alleged to have between January and April 2011, with intent to defraud the Federal Government, forged Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc.
He was also said to have forged Marine Certificate number 0006108, dated Feb. 18, 2011, for 15, 000 metrics tonne of petrol.
The accused was alleged to have forged Certificate of Quality, which they claimed was issued by SGS Inspection Services Nigeria Ltd, and used same to obtained the payment for the Subsidy.
The offences is said to have contravened the provisions of Sections 8(c),1(1)(a),(3) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
It also contravened the provisions of Sections 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17, Laws of the Federation, 2006, as well as Sections 467(1) and 467 of the Criminal Code, Laws of the Federation 2004.
The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges and is currently on bail.
Copenhagen – Facebook will build a new data centre in the Danish city of Odense, the California-based tech company has said at a press conference with local authorities on Thursday.
"The Odense data centre will be one of the most advanced, energy-efficient data centres in the world,'' Facebook's director of data centre operations, Niall McEntegart said.
McEntegart said Facebook already has a data centre in Lulea, Sweden and another in Clonee in Ireland.
"The new facility will be built on the outskirts of Denmark's third largest city, best known as the birthplace of fairy tale writer Hans Christian Andersen.
"It will be powered exclusively by renewable energy,'' McEntegart said, adding that the cold climate could help to cool servers instead of relying on air conditioners.
McEntegart told media that the centre would cost more than 100 million dollars but would not be more specific.
"It would provide 150 jobs when operational,'' he said.
Facebook bought a 0.5 square kilometre plot of land on the outskirts of Odense in October 2016, but had not disclosed the purpose of the site.
Danish Energy Minister Lars Lilleholt said Facebook's decision was recognition of Denmark's strengths.
"We have one of the world's greatest energy systems with large quantities of green energy, high security of supply, good fibre connections and competitive power prices,'' Lilleholt said in a statement.
Apple also invested in a data centre in northern Denmark in 2015.
Report says the Facebook centre, expected to be operational in 2020, will consist of two large data buildings, a building for administration and logistics as well as several other technical facilities.
Tension has mounted even higher as the ECOWAS force, ECOMIG, have now embarked on a Naval blockade and air reconnaissance of The Gambia, following the defiance by the embattled outgoing president, Yahaya Jammeh, to step down for the President-elect, Adama Barrow.
Nigerian Air force Charlie-130 Aircraft and Airmen QRF of ECOMIG at the Senegalese Senghor airport today. pic.twitter.com/nU629fjqMp
Also, Senegalese ground trucks and other ECOWAS forces have mounted at the border between Senegal and Gambia in readiness to launch a military assault on Jammeh’s government in a move to oust him as it has become clear a peaceful resolution has been to no avail.
Yahya Jammeh
A private military contractor(Humint), Naval Intelligence and Counter Terrorism/Insurgency personnel with a twitter handle, @DonKlericuzio, tweeted to this fact.
However, as many in Jammeh’s government have continued to withdraw their support for him, the Gambian Navy led by Rear Admiral Sarjo Fofana, have also abandoned Jammeh while pledging to pass allegiance to Adama Barrow after swearing-in.
The ECOWAS force ECOMIG have now embark on a Naval blockade & air reconnaissance of The Gambia
Recall that both the country’s Vice President, Isatou Njie Saidy, the army led by its chief, Ousman Badjie and a lot of others have also abandoned Jammeh for his refusal to step down for Barrow.
Saidy, who had been in the role since 1997, is the highest level official to abandon Jammeh's camp in his standoff with opposition leader Adama Barrow, who won the election.
Unconfirmed reports said that as tension continued to mount, the wife and children of the outgoing Gambian president, Yahya Jammeh allegedly abandoned him and have equally fled the country’s capital of Banjul on the eve of the deadline given Jammeh by the ECOWAS and the African Union to step down.
The Senegalese Government gave Jammeh till midnight of 18th January, 2017 to vacate presidency seat or he would be ousted militarily. This order was backed by both the ECOWAS bloc and the UN.
However, many hours after the elapse of the deadline, Jammeh has stayed put, undeterred by the mounting troops from the West african bloc at the Gambian border who are ready to militarily oust him from power.
After eating dinner in a tourist district close to the capital, Banjul, the army chief added, "I am not going to involve my soldiers in a stupid fight. I love my men," he added, stopping to pose for selfies with admirers while dressed in fatigues, beret and green t-shirt, according to those present.
“We are not going to involve ourselves militarily. This is a political dispute…I am not going to involve my soldiers in a stupid fight. I love my men. "If they (Senegalese) come in, we are here like this," Badjie said, making a hands up to surrender gesture.
Also, thousands of Gambians and tourists have equally fled the country in droves. Bus parks were scenes of chaos as people boarded buses, packing suitcases onto trucks and hiring canoes to flee the capital of Banjul.
The Banjul airport was also chaotic as many people struggled to board planes to fly out of the country.
Meanwhile, the President-elect, Adama Barrow has declared that Jammeh’s presidency is officially over.
Barrow who took to his twitter handle to also announce that his inauguration will proceed by 4pm in The Gambian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, the neighbouring country where he sought sojourn also told his people that a new era had begun for The Gambia and its citizens.
As many in Jammeh’s government have continued to withdraw their support for him, the Gambian Navy led by Rear Admiral Sarjo Fofana, have also abandoned Jammeh while pledging to pass allegiance to Adama Barrow after swearing-in.
A private military contractor(Humint), Naval Intelligence and Counter Terrorism/Insurgency personnel with a twitter handle, @DonKlericuzio, tweeted to this fact.
Recall that both the country’s Vice President, Isatou Njie Saidy, the army led by its chief, Ousman Badjie and a lot of others have also abandoned Jammeh for his refusal to step down for Barrow.
Yahya Jammeh
Saidy, who had been in the role since 1997, is the highest level official to abandon Jammeh's camp in his standoff with opposition leader Adama Barrow, who won the election.
Unconfirmed reports said that as tension continued to mount, the wife and children of the outgoing Gambian president, Yahya Jammeh allegedly abandoned him and have equally fled the country’s capital of Banjul on the eve of the deadline given Jammeh by the ECOWAS and the African Union to step down.
The Senegalese Government gave Jammeh till midnight of 18th January, 2017 to vacate presidency seat or he would be ousted militarily. This order was backed by both the ECOWAS bloc and the UN.
However, many hours after the elapse of the deadline, Jammeh has stayed put, undeterred by the mounting troops from the West african bloc at the Gambian border who are ready to militarily oust him from power.
After eating dinner in a tourist district close to the capital, Banjul, the army chief added, "I am not going to involve my soldiers in a stupid fight. I love my men," he added, stopping to pose for selfies with admirers while dressed in fatigues, beret and green t-shirt, according to those present.
“We are not going to involve ourselves militarily. This is a political dispute…I am not going to involve my soldiers in a stupid fight. I love my men. "If they (Senegalese) come in, we are here like this," Badjie said, making a hands up to surrender gesture.
Also, thousands of Gambians and tourists have equally fled the country in droves. Bus parks were scenes of chaos as people boarded buses, packing suitcases onto trucks and hiring canoes to flee the capital of Banjul.
The Banjul airport was also chaotic as many people struggled to board planes to fly out of the country.
Meanwhile, the President-elect, Adama Barrow has declared that Jammeh’s presidency is officially over.
Barrow who took to his twitter handle to also announce that his inauguration will proceed by 4pm in The Gambian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, the neighbouring country where he sought sojourn also told his people that a new era had begun for The Gambia and its citizens.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday said that his administration would consolidate on its infrastructural renewal drive with the construction of 181 local government roads in the current fiscal year, saying the process for the award of the contract would commence next week.
Governor Ambode, who spoke at the first Quarterly Town Hall Meeting for 2017, the sixth in the series, held at the Ajelogo Housing Scheme, Ajelogo Market Road, Akanimodo, Mile 12, said the 181 roads, is an improvement on the 114 roads, two in each local government, which his administration promised to embark upon every year.
Acknowledging that most of the requests made by residents during the interactive session at the Town Hall Meeting were majorly on roads owing to the success of the 114 roads delivered in September 2016, the Governor said his administration thought it wise to ensure that the roads captured for 2017 are key roads that would have economic impact on the people living in that axis, hence the increase to 181 roads.
"I want to pronounce here that you should watch out next week in the newspapers, we are advertising 181 roads which would be done in all our local governments.
"What we have found out is that if we decided to continue with two, some of those roads are not linking each other to the main road, so most likely you would see that if we are supposed to do some road in some local governments, it would only make economic sense if there is a linkage. So you would see in the advert that some local governments would have like three, some would have four roads, but the average is that 181 if you divide it by 57 that would be a minimum of three roads from each local governments," Governor Ambode said.
The Governor said that the choice of the roads to be constructed had been made by the local governments in conjunction with the engineers, assuring that before the end of the year when the road would be delivered, the people would be better for it.
Giving his account of stewardship in the last quarter, Governor Ambode said the choice of Akanimodo, Mile 12 as venue for the meeting was to show that the axis has not been left behind in the developmental progress ongoing in the State, saying he had come to listen to the needs of the people and where government intervention was in dire need.
He said in the last quarter, his administration kicked off its "Rent-To-Own and Rental Housing Policy" aimed at providing affordable units across the three Senatorial Districts, disclosing that there are 4,355 housing units available with over 500 applicants prequalified so far, while allocation would commence next week.
On the agricultural sector, the Governor said his administration was already looking to build on the first fruits of its partnership with Kebbi State Government with the launch of LAKE RICE in December 2016, adding that in the current quarter the government would embark on the rehabilitation of the Oko-Oba Abattoir and Lairage Complex, Agege in line with the promise to increase meat production output, develop the red meat value chain and restructure the complex for improved operations.
Governor Ambode also said that the Neighbourhood Safety Corps would become operational in the current quarter with the recruitment of 5700 personnel, while 100 would be deployed to each of the local government to complement the efforts of other security agencies in policing the State.
Expressing optimism that 2017 holds great expectations for Lagos, especially as the State gets set to mark its landmark Golden Jubilee on May 27, his administration would continue with its urban regeneration initiatives, building new infrastructure and maintaining existing ones.
He listed some of the key projects to be done to include Agric-Isawo-Arepo Road in Ikorodu, Ajelogo–Akanimodo Road Rehabilitation, Oshodi to Murtala Mohammed Airport Road, Ketu-Alapere Inner Roads Phase II, Oke Oso–Araga–Poka in Epe, Topo Garage to VIP Chalet in Badagry, Ladipo Market Road and Multilayer Car Park , Mushin and establishment of Bus Terminals and depots in Yaba, Ikeja, Oyingbo, Anthony, Ketu and Toll Gate, while more beneficiaries will receive funding from the N25bn Employment Trust Fund in January.
Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, in his remarks urged the Governor to give priority to the construction of Adeniji-Adele Road and ensure the construction of other roads that deserve utmost attention in the area.
He also urged the Governor to improve the standard of markets in the area to enviable standards, while urging total reconstruction of non-approved and unauthorised buildings already built within major markets in Lagos Island.
Akiolu further urged Lagosians to continue to cooperate and support the present administration as well as desist from any form of clandestine meetings that may undermine the progress of Governor Ambode's administration.
Responding to questions that bordered on security, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni said with the continued support of the State Government, the Command increased the number of personnel in Ketu-Epe Police Post from two to seventy to effectively combat kidnapping and other crimes in Agbowa, Itoikin and environs, as well as transformed the hitherto abandoned Iyun Police Post to anti-kidnapping unit, while two gun boats were moved to Ejirin.
Owoseni, however, urged traditional rulers and community elders to caution their subjects especially the youths on the need to be law abiding, shun all forms of criminal activities, and only be engaged in lawful means of livelihood.
Unconfirmed reports said that as tension continued to mount, the wife and children of the outgoing Gambian president, Yahya Jammeh allegedly abandoned him and have equally fled the country’s capital of Banjul on the eve of the deadline given Jammeh by the ECOWAS and the African Union to step down.
The Senegalese Government gave Jammeh till midnight of 18th January, 2017 to vacate presidency seat or he would be ousted militarily. This order was backed by both the ECOWAS bloc and the UN.
However, many hours after the elapse of the deadline, Jammeh has stayed put, undeterred by the mounting troops from the West african bloc at the Gambian border who are ready to militarily oust him from power.
Yahya Jammeh
Meanwhile, both Jammeh’s vice, The Gambia’s Vice President, Isatou Njie Saidy has also abandoned him after quitting her position in Jammeh’s government amid rising political tensions as Yahya Jammeh refuses to step down as president despite losing a December election.
Saidy, who had been in the role since 1997, is the highest level official to abandon Jammeh's camp in his standoff with opposition leader Adama Barrow, who won the election.
Also, The Gambia’s army chief, Ousman Badjie has equally said he would not back Jammeh’s fight by ordering his men to fight other African troops if they enter Gambian territory. Calling the fight a stupid one, Ousman said, "We are not going to involve ourselves militarily. This is a political dispute.”
After eating dinner in a tourist district close to the capital, Banjul, the army chief added, "I am not going to involve my soldiers in a stupid fight. I love my men," he added, stopping to pose for selfies with admirers while dressed in fatigues, beret and green t-shirt, according to those present.
“We are not going to involve ourselves militarily. This is a political dispute…I am not going to involve my soldiers in a stupid fight. I love my men. "If they (Senegalese) come in, we are here like this," Badjie said, making a hands up to surrender gesture.
Also, thousands of Gambians and tourists have equally fled the country in droves. Bus parks were scenes of chaos as people boarded buses, packing suitcases onto trucks and hiring canoes to flee the capital of Banjul.
The Banjul airport was also chaotic as many people struggled to board planes to fly out of the country.
Meanwhile, the President-elect, Adama Barrow has declared that Jammeh’s presidency is officially over.
Barrow who took to his twitter handle to also announce that his inauguration will proceed by 4pm in The Gambian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, the neighbouring country where he sought sojourn also told his people that a new era had begun for The Gambia and its citizens.
Arriving back at Manchester airport in northern England, several passengers could be seen comforting a Gambian national and UK resident who had tried unsuccessfully to get his family out. Speaking, Ebrima Jajne described the situation as "really scary for everybody… because this president (Jammeh) doesn't want to step down and people are fleeing."
Tourist Ralph Newton said local residents had done what they could to reassure visitors, despite the threat to themselves. "All the locals were just worried … They said it's a bad time for us but you'll be all right… It'll be us they come for, if they come for anybody."
And Sara Wilkins, another tourist, said they had struggled to get clear information on the developing situation. "We weren't told anything… I kept phoning Thomas Cook and they just like … don't worry about it," she said. "I rang Thomas Cook again this morning and they said pack your bags, you've got to go."
Despite the build-up along the border, an army source revealed that Senegalese troops were "not yet" present on Gambian soil. –
Eyes on border
After 11th-hour talks in Banjul, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz flew on to Dakar where he met Barrow for talks at which Senegal's President Macky Sall was also present, the private RFM radio station reported. It was not clear whether the Mauritanian leader had secured a deal or made an asylum offer to Jammeh.
The last-minute intervention came after several unsuccessful attempts at diplomacy by the 15-nation Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS). Mauritania is not part of ECOWAS and diplomats have previously reached out to the conservative desert nation in hopes of brokering a deal with Jammeh.
ECOWAS heads the regional force massing on Gambian-Senegalese border. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Amnesty International chief Salil Shetty hailed ECOWAS efforts to resolve the crisis.
"ECOWAS has stood up, and they don't always do that, he said. "It's an important message to Jammeh, both from the people of The Gambia, the people of Africa, and from neighbouring states, that it's not business as usual anymore."
The Nigerian Air Force dropped two bombs on the centre of a town where tens of thousands of people were seeking refuge from Boko Haram, according to an aid worker who witnessed the attack.
At least 70 people were killed on Tuesday when the jet bombed the town of Rann, sparking widespread condemnation from organisations working to address a growing food crisis in the war-torn region.
Alfred Davies, a field coordinator with the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF), described the attack as “incomprehensible”.
“The first bomb fell at 12:30 pm (1130 GMT) and landed just a few metres away from the Red Cross office,” he wrote in an account sent by MSF on Thursday.
“The plane circled back and it dropped a second bomb five minutes later,” he said, adding they were “dropped on houses.”
He added: “There are no words to describe the chaos. Some people had broken bones and torn flesh; their intestines hanging down to the floor. I saw the bodies of children that had been cut in two.”
MSF arrived in Rann last weekend to vaccinate children and screen for malnutrition, which has gripped the region and left hundreds of thousands of people in dire need of help.
Between 20,000 and 40,000 people who had fled the Islamist militants were living in makeshift shelters in the town, which was previously inaccessible because of insecurity.
People were dying of hunger and were in urgent need of food, according to Davies.
“The army that was meant to protect them bombed them instead,” he said.
Six Nigerian Red Cross workers were among the dead.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told AFP on Thursday that 61 injured were airlifted to its specialist trauma unit in the Borno state capital, Maiduguri.
Of those, 28 were children, seven were women and 26 were men, it added.
Nigeria’s military has called the bombing a mistake and blamed “the fog of war”. It said its intended target were jihadists reportedly spotted in the Kala-Balge area, of which Rann is part.
Daily newspaper The Nation, owned by the founder of President Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress (APC) party, blamed the bombing on a “failure of intelligence” caused by information provided by a “foreign country”, without elaborating.
Boko Haram has laid waste to northeast Nigeria since it took up arms against the government in 2009, displacing millions and disrupting farming and trade in its quest to establish a hardline Islamist state.
Nigeria recently said it has flushed Boko Haram fighters from their stronghold in the Sambisa Forest of Borno state and claimed the group is in disarray.
Gambian president-elect Adama Barrow was to be sworn in Thursday at the country’s embassy in Senegal, as African troops massed at the border to force incumbent Yahya Jammeh to quit after his election defeat.
The United Nations Security Council was to vote later Thursday on endorsing a west African military intervention as Senegal, Nigeria and Ghana dispatched hundreds of troops and fighter jets to The Gambia’s border with Senegal.
Shops were shuttered and streets quiet in and around the capital Banjul with tour operators evacuating hundreds of tourists from the tiny country’s popular beach resorts.
The army chief however has insisted his soldiers would not get involved in a “political dispute” nor prevent foreign forces from entering the west African nation.
Barrow, a real-estate agent turned politician who won a presidential vote on December 1, flew to Senegal on January 15 after weeks of rising tension over Jammeh’s steady refusal to step down.
At the helm of the former British colony for 22 years, Jammeh’s mandate expired at midnight (0000 GMT) with no sign of him stepping down.
He has attempted instead to block Barrow’s inauguration with a court ruling and by declaring a state of emergency.
– Inauguration to go ahead – But Barrow’s spokesman Halifa Sallah told AFP that the inauguration would go ahead. “It is going to take place at the Gambian embassy in Dakar … at 4:00 pm (1600 GMT),” he said.
Jammeh initially acknowledged Barrow as the victor in December elections, but later rejected the result, this week declaring a national state of emergency.
Speaking to AFP by phone, senior coalition official Isatou Touray welcomed a declaration by army chief Ousman Badjie that his troops would not prevent Jammeh’s removal by force.
“That’s a very positive outlook from him, given that Jammeh’s regime is done,” Touray said.
“We don’t have to risk the lives of innocent citizens.”
In remarks at a hotel restaurant late Wednesday, Badjie said he loved his men and wouldn’t risk their lives in a “stupid fight,” eyewitnesses said.
– ‘Really scary’ Arriving back at Manchester airport in northern England, several passengers could be seen comforting a Gambian national and UK resident who had tried unsuccessfully to get his family out.
Speaking to AFP, Ebrima Jajne described the situation as “really scary for everybody… because this president (Jammeh) doesn’t want to step down and people are fleeing.”
Tourist Ralph Newton said local residents had done what they could to reassure visitors, despite the threat to themselves.
“All the locals were just worried … They said it’s a bad time for us but you’ll be all right… It’ll be us they come for, if they come for anybody.”
And Sara Wilkins, another tourist, said they had struggled to get clear information on the developing situation.
“We weren’t told anything… I kept phoning Thomas Cook and they just like … don’t worry about it,” she told AFP.
“I rang Thomas Cook again this morning and they said pack your bags, you’ve got to go.”
Despite the build-up along the border, an army source told AFP Senegalese troops were “not yet” present on Gambian soil.
– Eyes on border – After 11th-hour talks in Banjul, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz flew on to Dakar where he met Barrow for talks at which Senegal’s President Macky Sall was also present, the private RFM radio station reported.
It was not clear whether the Mauritanian leader had secured a deal or made an asylum offer to Jammeh.
The last-minute intervention came after several unsuccessful attempts at diplomacy by the 15-nation Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS).
Mauritania is not part of ECOWAS and diplomats have previously reached out to the conservative desert nation in hopes of brokering a deal with Jammeh.
ECOWAS heads the regional force massing on Gambian-Senegalese border.
Speaking to AFP at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Amnesty International chief Salil Shetty hailed ECOWAS efforts to resolve the crisis.
“ECOWAS has stood up, and they don’t always do that, he said.
“It’s an important message to Jammeh, both from the people of The Gambia, the people of Africa, and from neighbouring states, that it’s not business as usual anymore.”
A coalition of civil society organisations under the aegis, Stand Up for Nigeria (SUN), has urged Nigerians to stop blaming President Muhammadu Buhari for the current hardship in Nigeria.
The South-West coordinator (SUN), Comrade John Blessing, who led a rally, yesterday in Lagos, in solidarity with the anti-corruption fight of President Buhari, said that present government should not be blamed for infliction of hardship on Nigerians.
He said that the economic recession of today would have been averted, if the past government was half sincere as the Buhari government.
Blessing said: "The economic recession is real. The fall in the value of the Naira is real. Inflation that has taken away the purchasing power of Nigerians is real. But these are not the only real things we know in this country. The looting of public treasury by previous administrations is real.
One Million man rally for president Muhammadu Buhari by stand up for Nigeria (SUN), a coalition of civil society organizations.
Why then would some people ignore these realities, these other realities, and take to the streets to accuse the present government of inflicting hardship on Nigerians? Are they saying that they are not aware that the only reality they see, the economic recession they are lamenting about, might have been averted if the past governments, on behalf of which they are now acting, had been half as sincere as the government of President Muhammadu Buhari? Where was the United Action for Democracy (UAD) when different democratically elected governments were organizing bazaars and converting budgetary allocations into personal allowances?"
He advised Nigerians to focus their energy in making contributions towards supporting the government, to deliver the economy of the country.
His words: "Dear compatriots, let us not waste time on these yesterday men. Instead of giving them undue publicity let us focus that energy on making contributions towards supporting Mr President to deliver the Nigeria of our vision. Let us see where and how we fit into the anti-corruption fight, diversification of the economy, supporting made in Nigeria goods, becoming employment creators and doing other things that change Nigeria for good."
Blessing also said that the present administration has alleviated the plight of the down trodden in the country, through the ongoing conditional cash transfer programme.
"His government has not left out the unemployed youth who are now getting monthly stipends of N30000 while they have been matched with work places where they will acquire skills and experiences for future job. 200,000 youths are part of the first batch while more is to follow. While Mr President continues to do the work he was elected to do, we will be educating ourselves on the relationship between the failings of the past government and the economic hardship of today while preparing to be beneficiaries of the years of economic booms that lie ahead because of the sacrifices being made to lay a solid foundation for Nigeria", he said.
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Thursday said that 181 roads would be constructed across the state before the second quarter of the year.
Ambode spoke at the state's quarterly Town Hall Meeting with residents of Lagos-East Senatorial District held at the Ajelogo Housing Scheme, Mile 12, in Ketu area of the state.
He said the construction would be visible in all the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas of the state.
According to him, a minimum of three roads will be constructed in each council area.
The governor said that the state government would advertise bids for the construction of the roads next week to complement the 114 roads constructed in 2016.
"Majority of the questions asked are on roads because of the success recorded with the 114 roads last year, when we did two roads per local government.
"I want to pronounce here that you should watch out next week in the newspapers; we are advertising 181 roads which will be done in all our local governments.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode
"What we have found out is that if we decide to continue with two, some of those roads are not linking each other to the main road.
" Most likely you will see that if we are supposed to do some roads in some local governments, it will only make economic sense if there is a linkage.
"The choice has been made by the local governments in conjunction with the engineers so that we can make economic sense of the road and we think we will continue in that pace," Ambode said.
The governor also said that 5,700 Neighbourhood Safety Corps would be recruited in the next three weeks.
He said that this was part of continued efforts to ensure good governance and safety of Lagos residents.
Ambode highlighted other various activities and projects for the year which include road rehabilitation and construction.
He said others include establishment of bus terminals and depots, as well as creation of jobs for micro, small and medium enterprises, among others.
The governor said that bus terminals would be established at Yaba, Ikeja, Oyingbo, Anthony, extending to Abule Egba, while those under the bridges and illegal car parks would be eradicated.
He said the government would also intensify efforts to make artisans and youths have access to the Employment Trust Fund.
Ambode, while responding to remarks by the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, said that Lagos Island would get a face lift this year.
According to him, the Ebute-Ero market will get a multi-layered car park.
Ambode, while thanking residents for their support, urged them to do more by paying their taxes.
He promised government's unrelenting efforts at ensuring an all-inclusive government and delivery of more dividends of democracy.
Residents appealed to the government for the construction of more schools, health centres and roads, which the governor promised to look into.
The Enugu State Police Command said that it has burst a kidnapping and human trafficking syndicate that abducted and sold a four-year-old girl in Abia for N350,000.
Mr Ebere Amaraizu, the command's spokesman, said in a statement that the little girl's kidnap was aided by a family member from Inyi community in Oji River Local Government Area.
According to Amaraizu, the little girl went missing from school without a trace at about 12:45pm on Dec. 15, 2016 and was only recovered by the police one month later.
"The report of the missing girl threw the entire family, especially the mother, into confusion and sorrow.
"In the course of investigation, one Miss Chinedu Chukwu, immediate younger sister to the mother of the victim, and her boyfriend, Osunkwo Chinonso, were nabbed for their involvement in the dastardly act.
"They conspired and came in from Anambra to the school where little Chinecherem was tricked and whisked her away to Umuahia in Abia.
"They sold the child at Ihe Olokoro community of Abia to one Florence Nwokocha at the price of N350, 000.
"Police operatives on Jan. 16, nabbed Nwokocha who provided information leading to the recovery of the girl from where she was kept at Faulks Road, Aba, awaiting a buyer,'' he said.
Amaraizu said the police had also launched full scale investigation and manhunt for the person who harboured the little girl in Aba.
"All the suspects are assisting the police in their investigations just as little Chinecherem Irechukwu has been reunited with her family,'' the police spokesman said.
The mother of the victim, Mrs Irechuwu, expressed gratitude to God and the police for their prompt action which led to the arrest of the suspects and the rescue of her daughter.
"God is at work,'' the relieved mother said in an interview.
She expressed regret that her immediate younger sister was involved in such a woeful act.
A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
The South South Zonal Head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC Ishaq Salilu, on Wednesday January 18, 2017 called for an enhanced collaboration between the EFCC and the Nigeria Immigration Services, NIS, in checking the menace of criminals and fraudsters in the country.
Salihu made this remark when he received the Comptroller of Immigration, Rivers State , A. B. Yarima who paid him a courtesy visit in his office. "We pray for a deepened collaboration. We are very ready to partner with you" he said.
According to Salihu, the Nigeria Immigration Service is such a critical organization in the country that an enhanced collaboration will enable the Commission track fraudsters who despite having their international passports seized by the Commission are still able to sneak out of the country through other means. "How they disappear remains a mystery to us," he said.
Earlier A.B Yarima, said he had visited other sister agencies and felt it was imperative that he visits the EFCC. He said there was need for a synergy between the Commission and the NIS to rid the society of crimes. "We are ready and willing to continue the existing relationship between NIS and the EFCC," he said.
The Rivers State Comptroller was accompanied by other top officers of NIS including GB Dilosi, S.E. Legglack, both Deputy Comptroller, K. A. Saqiq, Assistant Comptroller, and a hosts of others.
Senegal, a neighbouring country to Gambia has given President Yahaya Jammeh till midnight to step down otherwise military action would be engaged to oust him.
To make true the warning, Senegalese troops have been seen moving towards the Gambian border in what seams a show of might to further signal to Jammeh he would be ousted militarily if he refuses to step down.
“Our troops are on alert… The ultimatum takes effect at midnight,” when Jammeh’s mandate is due to expire, army spokesman Colonel Abdou Ndiaye said. “If a political solution fails, we will engage” in operations in The Gambia, he said, confirming that troops were heading to the border.
Recall that the Gambian parliament has extended Jammeh's stay in office for another 90 days, a move that has further added fuel to Jammeh's clinching to the country's presidential seat eventhough Wednesday is supposed to be his final day in office as the Gambian president.
Yahya Jammeh
However, Nigerian Government has equally sent in some air, naval and will also send ground troops to join forces with the Senegalese troops to ensure President-elect, Adama Barrow is installed as The Gambia's President on Thursday.
Also, The U.N has equally backed the West African nations in the bid to ensure either a peaceful handover in The Gambia or use military force to archieve same should Jammeh insist on clinching to power.
Jammeh who had called Barrow to concede defeat after losing in the December 1, 2016 election held in the country later made a volte face, refusing to accept the outcome of the election and has since voiced strongly that he would not allow the President-elect, Barrow installed as the country's president unless a fresh election is conducted. He claimed many of the Gambian citizens were disenfranchised.
Jammeh has been the country's president since taking power in a bloodless coup in 1994.
Meanwhile, thousands of Gambians have fled the country while UK and Dutch tourists are being evacuated from the tiny West African state, which is popular with European holidaymakers because of its beaches.
Abuja – Some telephone subscribers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Wednesday, expressed displeasure over the inability of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to stop unsolicited calls and messages from service providers.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had directed that Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) from July 1, 2016, activate the 'Do Not Disturb' (DND) facility which gives subscribers the freedom to choose what messages to receive from the various networks.
The NCC had placed a N5 million fine on any MNOs that fails to comply with the directive.
With this directive, the operators have been mandated to dedicate a common short-code (2442), which will enable subscribers take informed decisions.
They said that in spite of the "Do Not Disturb" Code the unsolicited calls and messages had not stopped.
Mrs Amina Kabiru, a resident of Lugbe in the FCT told NAN that the "Do not Disturb'' code was not working as she had tried severally while still receiving such messages and calls.
"I don't understand it, if I need service from the network provider, I should be able to say I need this service from you, can you provide it?
"A lot of people have more important things to do than being disturbed by unsolicited calls and messages, so I think they need to work on it and stop disturbing people,'' she said.
On his part, Mr Obi Chika a trader at UTC, Area 10 said that he was tired of being distracted with incessant calls and messages by the MNOs.
Chika said that sometimes they send some promotional text messages "that your number has won something; I want to believe these messages are fake because I did not subscribe to any promo.''
"So I want to advise the regulatory body to take this issue seriously as subscribers are bored with these calls and messages.
"Sometime they send `to opt out send Do Not Disturb to 2442′ at the end of the message and if even you do, they keep sending the messages,'' she said.
Miss Henritta Ogbodu also a trader in UTC, Area 10 however said that the frequency of the messages and calls had reduced a bit.
She said that though she still received such messages and calls but it was not as frequent as before.
She however called on NCC to put in more efforts to end the act so that people could be at peace, adding, "it can be quite disturbing and distracting."
Miss Ene Baba, a stylist in Lugbe said that she still received unsolicited messages and calls, adding that network providers should try and address the issue.
"I still receive a lot of these messages and calls and it is not fair on us, please I want the network providers to address the issue quickly.''
However, Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, had assured that the Commission was at the stage of enforcing the DND directive given to MNOs.
"When the commission gets the report, it will do two things; ensure the credit deducted from the consumers for the unsolicited services is returned to the consumers and invoke the N5million fine on the MNOs to ensure total compliance,'' he said. (NAN)
Many get into the New Year with different Resolutions and I am sure you have one or more already for 2017 as you're reading this. The problem with resolutions is that they often fail because we’ll never reach these unreasonable and unrealistic goals. We're entrepreneurs; we always try and conquer the unconquerable!
However, if you set goals that are achievable and you stretch yourself, New Year Resolutions can help you gain perspective and achieve goals that can make you a stronger individual both personally and professionally.
For me, New Year Resolutions can be a valuable assist in determining my long-term success. Here are 10 New Year Resolutions that every entrepreneur should consider as they journey through 2017.
Understand your finances: Don't think that understanding the basics of accounting is unnecessary just because you have an accountant or even your own accounting department. The thing is, all entrepreneurs should familiarize themselves with at least accounting basics since this will help them;
Make financial predictions by examining future revenues, future operating costs, and assets needed to service future demand.
Pay off your bad debts: Lower your expenses as much as possible (both personal and business). Measure the progress of your business so that you know whether or not you're hitting targets.
File: Entrepreneurs
Improve your health: How do you expect to effectively run a business if you're exhausted and burnt out? You need to be healthy mentally, physically and emotionally. Give your immune system a boost. When you eat healthy and exercise; you are more productive and happier. That means you'll have fewer sick days and get tasks accomplished on time. Good health habits help you avoid chronic diseases including hypertension and type 2 diabetes.
Become a stronger leader: One of the biggest challenges that entrepreneurs face is being an effective leader. This means delegating tasks, rallying the troops when morale is low, creating an environment that welcomes creativity and outside-of-the-box thinking, never losing sight of where you want your business to go.
Get more social: If for some reason you believe social media is unimportant, Ive got some bad news for you — you're 100% wrong! Social media is one of the best ways to engage and interact with customers, spread brand awareness and connect with influencers and investors in your industry. If you have a Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn account that is dormant, spend the next year being active and optimizing these channels. It is very necessary.
Spend less time in the office
Working 60 hours per week might work for someone, but for most of us, that is just not feasible or desirable. Spending almost every waking minute in the office is a surefire way in getting burnt out and losing sight of why you became an entrepreneur.
Make time for yourself, friends and family. Step out of the office from time-to-time to clear your head, refresh and improve your overall health. Trust me. The place isn't going to burn down just because you took a vacation or a long weekend.
Keep up with current events: Paying attention to the news keeps you cultured and assists in starting conversations. It provides entrepreneurs with insights into their markets so that they can make more informed decisions. Remember, we live in a small and connected world now. Whats going on around the world impacts your business. So stay updated!
Hire smarter: Hiring the right people is crucial for business owners. They'll bring out the best in you and your current team. They'll help your business grow because they'll be your biggest brand advocates. And, low turn over keeps costs low.
Hiring isn't easy, but attracting and retaining talent that fits in your company's culture greatly increases your chances of success.
Be more empathetic: Empathy is the feeling that you understand and share another person's experiences and emotions; and the ability to share someone else's feelings. It is one of the most beneficial traits an entrepreneur can possess. Communicating empathetically with customers, employees, shareholders and investors helps your business succeed. You'll understand whats important to them and they will appreciate that you care enough about them to make that a priority.
Social media is a big deal today especially if you are using it to market your business and get potential customers. Regardless, you will want to ensure that your social media marketing efforts get to the right audience. This will no doubt make it very effective.
Expectedly, since you are not paying to sponsor or promote your business, you will still want your message to get to your target audience. Jumia Travel gathers ways you can effortlessly create a social media buzz for your brand and it will get to the persons interested in the message.
You have to define your target market
This will largely depend on the service you are offering. You have to first of all determine or decide who the people who need your services are. What gender? Age? This is the first thing you should do. So, if you want your social media campaign to bring results, you have to define your target market.
Determine where to find them on social media
Since you have defined your target market, the next thing you should probably do is to determine where you will find them on social media. Are they on twitter, Facebook or Instagram? After you have found them, you can now develop interesting content targeted at them.
Check what your competitor is doing
Competition is good for any business. It encourages you to do something different and you can also get sterling ideas from them. How is your competitor reaching their market? You can determine this by looking at their followers on twitter and the groups they joined on Facebook. On your part, you can also follow them or join the groups.
Don't stop refining
Social media is very dynamic. It keeps changing and if you don't keep tabs with these changes, you may discover that your present target audience is outdated or a whole lot of people who need your service have joined social media. So, if you don't refine your target audience, you will miss out. The rule of thumb is that you should regularly refine your target search.
By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has revealed that plans had been concluded to launch the economic recovery plan of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration in February.
He also stated that the federal government was critically considering the option of tapping into the Pension Funds for massive investments in infrastructures.
Osinbajo spoke while fielding questions at two separate panels tagged “panel of Building Africa” and “International Business Interaction Group of investors” focused exclusively on Nigeria on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday.
He said that massive investments in the people and their skills would bring about economic prosperity.
Osinbajo’s presentations were encapsulated in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Laolu Akande.
“The Vice President noted that the Buhari administration is “committed to investing more in infrastructure,” than in previous times by ensuring that 30% of the budget goes into capital expenditure.
Vice President Osinbajo“Besides, he disclosed that the government is working on how to tap into Nigeria’s huge Pension Fund to finance infrastructure in the country.
“To do this he stated that “we have to first derisk” such financing models for infrastructure.
“An active engagement with, and encouraging the private sector, he said, is also of a great deal, referring to the example of the 650,000bpd refinery project of the Dangote Group, which is going to be the largest single-line refinery in the world.
“Assuring that the Buhari administration is very confident about the recovery of the Nigerian economy, Prof. Osinbajo said “it is not difficult to get out of where we are if we understand why we are where we are.”
“He reminded his audience that the Nigerian economy remains indisputably the biggest in terms of size of the economy.
“Speaking at the Business Interaction Group attended by several international and local investors and business interests, and hosted by the Nigerian delegation, the Vice President assured that the newly developed Economic Recovery Growth Plan of the Buhari administration has been specifically designed to take the country out of recession and in the long term continue to grow the economy.
“He said the planning of the 2017 was based on the ERGP, which he said would be formally launched next month.
“Prof. Osinbajo gave the example of the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programme where for the first time half a Trillion Naira is being budgeted by the Federal Government for Social Investment Programmes.
“It is about investment in people, in their skills, in youths, that we have a N500B allocation in our budget last year and proposed for this year also.
“It is an investment in education and educating large numbers of people in a short time, it’s a radical thing to make that kind of serious investment in education.
“He also referred to the planned N100,000 supporting grants to students of higher institutions in Science, Technology, Enginerring & Maths, STEM”, the statement stated.
Abuja – The National Judicial Council on Wednesday tendered the petition it received against Justice Adeniyi Ademola from a litigant in an FCT High Court.
Ademola was among the seven Justices in the sting operations carried out by the Department of State Services (DSD) on Oct. 8 and Oct. 9.
He is standing trial alongside his wife Olabowale and Mr Joe Aji (SAN) on a 16-count of criminal conspiracy to receive gratification in various ways.
The offences contravened Section 8(1)(a) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000.
On the resumed hearing, Mr Eugene Odukwu, Director of Administration in the National Judicial Council (NJC), tendered a copy of the petition filed by Mrs Fatima Shaibu against Ademola.
The NJC is an executive body established by Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution as amended to enforce discipline among judicial officers. Odukwu also tendered a certified true copy of the proceeding of the Council arising from the petition and their report.
Odukwu is fourth in the 14 prosecution witnesses that the prosecutiing counsel, Mr Segun Jegede, intended to call to prove his case. All the defence counsel did not object to the documents tendered.Justice Ademola and his wife, Olabowale at Abuja court recently.
Also, Ojima Etuh, a research assistant in the Federal High Court who worked under Ademola in his court that she had never received any gratification from anyone on behalf of Ademola.
Etuk said under cross examination Ademola's counsel Onyechi Ikpeazu that she never paid any proceeds of any gratification to his principal's account. She said that Ademola presided over anti terrorism case against Sanni Shaibu Teadi, which led his wife Fatima to petition the NJC.
Etuk said that Teadi allegedly forged birth certificate to perfect bail condition when cross examined by Mr Jeph Njikonye, counsel for Aji. She also said that the case was later dismissed by NJC.
The fifth witness, Christie Ende, Deputy Registrar, Litigation, Federal High Court, Abuja, also tendered some documents which were not objected to by the defence.
The sixth prosecution witness, Mr Malik Babatunde of Guaranty Trust Bank could not tendered the document from the bank due to objections from all the defence counsel.
Ikpeazu, Chief Robert Clarke (SAN) and Njikonye counsel to the defendants all argued that the witness was not front loaded in the prosecution's proof of evidence.
Jegede submitted that the prosecution has met the requirements of Section 379 of ACJA
The judge, Justice Jude Okeke, said " considering the fundamental nature of the case, the court will give considered ruling on the matter" Okeke adjourned the case till Jan. 30 for the ruling on the tendering of the document and continuation of trial. (NAN).
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted for the second time in as many games but Africa Cup of Nations hosts Gabon were again held to a 1-1 draw by Burkina Faso in Libreville on Wednesday.
Prejuce Nakoulma silenced the Stade de l’Amitie as he gave Burkina Faso an early lead but Aubameyang soon levelled from the penalty spot after he had been fouled inside the area.
Gabon had chances to win the game late on but this was the third 1-1 draw in as many matches in Group A, with Cameroon and Guinea-Bissau meeting at the same venue later on Wednesday.
Regardless of what happens in that match, qualification for the quarter-finals will now be decided in the last round of group games on Sunday.
Gabon had been dealt a blow ahead of the match with the loss of Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina to an injury that could rule him out of the rest of the tournament even if the Panthers were to go all the way.
Gabon’s forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (C) walks off the pitch at the end of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations group A football match between Gabon and Burkina Faso at the Stade de l’Amitie Sino-Gabonaise in Libreville on January 18, 2017. / AFP PHOTO
Burkina Faso lost one of their key men, Jonathan Pitroipa, to injury early on but it was his replacement Nakoulma who grabbed the opening goal midway through the first half.
The Kayserispor player latched onto a long punt downfield and held off both Johann Obiang and Merlin Tandjigora as he charged into the box before poking the ball past Didier Ovono in goal.
Obiang then went off hurt for Gabon but Jose Antonio Camacho’s side were back on level terms seven minutes before the interval.
Goalkeeper Herve Koffi came charging off his line and took out Aubameyang. The Borussia Dortmund star appeared to have pushed the ball too far in front of him but the Gambian referee had no choice but to point to the spot.
Aubameyang coolly converted the penalty for his second goal of the tournament after his effort against Guinea-Bissau at the weekend.
The match was drifting towards the draw in the second half before Gabon rallied towards the end.
However, when Denis Bouanga met Aubameyang’s knockdown with a first-time effort eight yards from goal, Koffi made a superb block with his foot to divert the ball behind.
Substitute Serge Angoue then headed wide from Bouanga’s cross as the game ended level.
Abuja – The Federal Government on Wednesday in Abuja assured of the full implementation of its 2009 agreement with the non-academic staff unions of Nigerian universities.
They are National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), Non – Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU), and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, gave the assurance at a reconciliatory meeting with The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the unions.
The unions had jointly declared their intention to embark on a five – day warning strike effective Jan. 16, 2017.
Ngige said the issues in contention were not different from those of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), adding that government was handling the issues holistically.
"The essence of this meeting is for us to agree to suspend your strike; we are doing so because, we know that you are very patriotic citizens of the country.
"You will understand that man hours lost in any industrial disputes is never easily recoverable. You know that a lot of the issues in disagreement and in contention are being addressed by the Ministry of Education.
"But what was just lacking was that you were not communicated that a formal meeting where these issues will be discussed as par social dialogue as recommended by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), did not take place.
"I want to assure you that I have no doubt that after we have discussed the issue in contention; you will find that it is very necessary for you to suspend the strike as the issues raised by your unions are being addressed.
The issues raised by the unions are poor governance and administrative lapses in the university system, poor funding of universities, shortfall in payment of staff salaries and increasing corruption in the university system.
Also listed were inadequate physical infrastructure and abandoned projects, lack of adequate teaching and learning facilities and the non-payment of Earned Allowances being product of the 2009 Agreement, among others.
Mr Sani Suleman, Acting Chairman of JAC said that the unions decided to embark on the strike because "we have written letters to the Ministry of Education but no response or acknowledgment.
"The last one we wrote was on Dec. 8; we gave 35-day ultimatum so as to allow them to have enough time and even call us for a meeting but to no avail.
"So, after consultation with our principals, we decided to express our displeasure to government by declaring a five-day warning strike.
"We also want to express our displeasure on what was allocated for education in 2017 budget, it has continued to drop.
"It is our responsibility to ensure that we have resources for education so that our universities can be recognised worldwide", he said.
He called on the minister to ensure that all issues in the 2009 agreement were fully implemented.
Mr Peters Adeyemi, Deputy President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said the strike declared by the unions was to draw government's attention to issues in the university system.
Adeyemi said that the unions were willing to collaborate with the Federal Government in ensuring that the issues were resolved.
The representatives of Ministry of Education and National Universities Commission, among others, attended the meeting.
A 15-year-old boy shot at his classmates at a high school in northern Mexico on Wednesday, injuring at least five people including himself, officials said.
The pupil opened fire at Northeastern College in the city of Monterrey, civil protection official Oscar Aboytes told AFP.
He said the school initially told the civil protection service that three people had been killed, but when experts arrived at the school, they found those victims to be “extremely seriously” injured.
The shooter unsuccessfully tried to kill himself, Aboytes said.
In total five people were hurt, four seriously, including the shooter, state security secretary Aldo Fasci told reporters.
He said there was a video showing the boy shooting at a teacher and another pupil before shooting himself.
Mexico suffers regular gang violence but so far nothing appeared to indicate that the school shooting was gang-related.
“It is an unprecedented situation. Nothing like this has happened before” in schools in the surrounding state of Nuevo Leon, Fasci said.
Wednesday’s attack came as the northeastern state of Quintana Roo, hundreds of miles from Monterrey, reeled from two shootings, thought to be linked to gangs or drug dealers, that left nine people dead.
In 2014, 43 students from a teacher training college in southern Mexico went missing and are believed dead.
*Army’s over 500 troops depart for Senegal By Joseph Erunke ABUJA-THE Nigerian Air Force, yesterday, airlifted 200 personnel to Senegal to join troops of the Economic Community of West States for onward movement to Gambia for the enforcement of the country’s December 1 presidential election where the incumbent president, Yahya Jammeh reportedly lost to his Adama Barrow.
The airlift of the Air Force personnel is expected to be followed by the Nigerian Army, which Vanguard gathered, would airlift more than 500 troops today (Thursday) for the Gambian task.
A military source said the Army troops will be airlifted by the C-130 transport plane.
Recall that the Nigerian Navy had on Monday, in like manner, deployed its newest battle ship, NNS Unity to the tiniest West African nation.
The troops’ deployment to Gambia was a mandate of the Economic Community of West African States,ECOWAS, to enforce the results of the December 1,2016 presidential election in that country.
The Air Force personnel were airlifted from Kainji to Dakar in Senegal. The troops which included the Special Forces, Combat Support Group, Technicians, Medical officials, among others, were airborne in the Hercules C-130 military transport plane.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who addressed the troops, urged them to keep Nigeria’s flag flying by being professional and to conduct themselves to the Air Force high standard.
“You have been given the task which is very well defined, and we have put together all the air assets that we think are necessary to ensure that we are able to to successfully conduct this operation and that is what we have on ground here,” Abubakar said.
Among the platforms being deployed to the Gambia included fighter air planes, helicopters, C-130 and the large utility helicopter which will also be useful in the conduct of the operation.
“What we have here are men that are highly trained, highly skilled they know their job and they know their task, and as a professional service the commander of the air assets will work together with other commanders and they will come up with what is required in terms of plans, to be able to execute their tasks and come back home,” Abubakar said.
Member House of Representatives and Chairman, House committee on Rural development, Honourable Oladipupo Adebutu has referred to as wild speculation rumours that he has defected to the All progressive Congress.
A statement by Arole Afeez Bello, the legislative aid to Adebutu debunking the rumour reads: “Our attention has just been drawn to an online publication which purports a planned defection of Honourable Oladipupo Adebutu, Member House of Representatives, and Chairman, House Committee on Rural Development to the All Progressive Congress (APC).
“For the avoidance of doubt, and especially for the sake of our teeming supporters who might be hoodwinked into believing the said story to be true. The publication is false in all matters particular, there is no iota of truth in it and the suggestion or assumption can only exist in the wild imagination of the writer.
Ladi Adebutu
“We are not unmindful of the political undercurrents behind this false publication, and this goes on to confirm the rising profile of Hon. Adebutu in the political landscape of Ogun State and Nigeria in general. We need to remind our people about the obvious missing links in the said write up; it does not add up logically that Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu who was elected popularly on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), holding an unprecedented overwhelming mandate of the people, did not join the APC even when there was hope of a successful governance by the ruling party, and it fails logic and reasoning that he will do so now that the party has demonstrated lack of capacity to govern.
“Perhaps this wild speculation would have looked possible and plausible if the APC had shown compassion for humanity which is the hallmark of Hon. Adebutu’s brand of politics, but sadly the welfare of the people appears not to be on the core agenda of the ruling party.
“It also needs reemphasizing that in his over thirty years in politics, having been elected into the House of Representatives on the platform of the Social Democratic Party, in 1992, Hon. Adebutu does not play politics of convenience. As a progressive politician, his brand of politics is governed by social Democratic ideals and ideology which are encapsulated in the social and economic freedom of the people and general improvement in the people’s welfare.
“However, one thing we have been able to take away from this false report is that Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu has climbed to such high pedestal in the politics of Ogun State so much that his name must be drawn into an obvious political propaganda warfare by all aspiring politicians, and we have no option than to wish them luck as we have strong faith in the capacity of the very enlightened people Ogun State to discern truth from falsehoods at all times”.
Enigmatic Nigerian electro-funk musician William Onyeabor died in his sleep this week, his record label Luaka Bop announced on Wednesday.
Onyeabor, a Nigerian star who exploded onto the international stage late in his career, was 70 when he died at his home in Enugu, in the country’s southeast.
From 1977 to 1985, Onyeabor released nine albums of electro-funk, which he recorded, pressed and printed at his personal pressing plant, Wilifilms Limited, according to Luaka Bop.
An old photo shows Onyeabor, dashing in a pin-striped suit and a black fedora decorated with a white feather, sitting in a nest of recording equipment with each hand on a different electronic keyboard.Late William Onyeabor
Onyeabor, referred to as “The Chief”, stopped making music in 1985 when he found religion and retreated to his mansion in the country, refusing to talk about his former life.
One of the songs by Onyeabor
But his career made a comeback when Talking Heads frontman David Byrne’s label Luaka Bop, which specialises in world music, reissued a compilation of his hits in 2013.
A film documentary followed along with a global tour of a band playing Onyeabor’s tracks on US late night talk shows and in London’s Barbican.
Despite his newfound fame, Onyeabor didn’t speak much in public.
In a rare interview with the New Yorker in 2014, Onyeabor said: “I’m happy that a new generation is discovering my music.”
A pro-Biafra group on Wednesday announced its intention to hold a rally in Nigeria in support of Donald Trump on his inauguration day as US president.
Hundreds of protests against Trump are expected to take place around the world on Friday when the billionaire businessman is sworn into office as 45th president of the United States.
But the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement is bucking the trend, choosing instead to rally on the Republican’s behalf in Nigeria’s southern oil hub, Port Harcourt.
IPOB released a statement inviting people to participate in a “peaceful solidarity rally for the United States president-elect Donald J Trump,” saying they “welcome civil and pragmatic democracy anywhere we find it”.
IPOB is part of a wider secessionist movement that advocates an independent state of Biafra, a region in southeast Nigeria that unsuccessfully fought for independence in a brutal three-year civil war that ended in 1970.
Early on in the US presidential race, IPOB threw its support behind Trump in the belief he would recognise their independence movement.
Soon after Britons voted to leave the European Union in a referendum last July, the group pushed for its own version of “Brexit” from Nigeria that it dubbed “Biafrexit”.
Prince Emmanuel Kanu, the brother of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, who has been held by the Nigerian government since October 2015 on treason charges, said of Trump: “He supports the right to self-determination.”
Separatist sentiment has grown in the months since Kanu’s arrest and sparked bloody clashes with security forces that have since been condemned by human rights groups.
Former Governor of Abia, Dr Orji Kalu on Wednesday urged Nigerians to stop killing one another, as the country cannot afford another war.
Kalu gave the advice while speaking with newsmen in Minna in response to a question on the killings in Southern Kaduna, shortly after a condolence visit to the family of the deceased former governor of Niger State, Abdulkadir Kure.
He urged both the federal and Kaduna State governments to find a lasting solution to the crisis in the Southern part of the state.
The former Abia governor, who said Nigeria could not afford another war, urged politicians to desist from making utterances that were capable of causing disunity in the country.
"What is going on in Southern part of Kaduna is not right. People should stop killing each other.
Orji Kalu
"We are all Nigerians; politicians should manage information properly and stop dishing out rumours.
"People should stop writing all kinds of nonsense on social media to impress anybody.
"Nigeria is our home and we have no other place to go,'' he said.
Speaking on the late Kure, Kalu said the deceased made meaningful contributions toward nation-building.
"Kure was one of the people that fought against then President Olusegun Obasanjo's 3rd term bid.
"Kure and I stood up and said no to the 3rd term agenda. We went through a lot with the state security service just because we stood against it.
"Kure was a great partner in that fight. Without that fight, there wouldn't be former President Goodluck Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari administrations.
"There were people, who supported the 3rd term bid.
"I lost everything in the process, because I fought for democracy; but I give thanks to God, because everything that glitters is not gold,'' he added.
Kalu described the late governor as more than a friend, a relationship, which he said led to his being honoured with a traditional title in the state.
By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA – Apparently irked by criticisms of its violations of its own constitutional timelines, the ruling All Progressives Congress APC has finally kowtowed to demands to convene a National Executive Council NEC meeting where the decision to hold the party’s second national convention would be taken.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi in a statement issued Wednesday in Abuja, said the decision to ensure that the convention holds not later than April was taken at a meeting of the National Working Committee NWC of the party held earlier in the week.
“The National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will hold not later than April 2017”, Abdullahi declared.
He said the meeting of the NWC which was chaired by the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has outlined the processes leading to the National Convention which will commence with the Congress to fill vacancies in the State Party structures across the country.
The the party also described as regrettable, Tuesday's accidental bombing of an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Rann, Borno State.
Party spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi in a statement offered “deep condolences to the families of IDPs and humanitarian aid workers affected by the unfortunate accident”.
APC urged aid workers as well as the military not to be deterred by the incident.
The party also sympathised with the Borno State government, praying God to grant the souls of the dead eternal rest and the injured speedy and full recovery.
“Although Tuesday's accident is regrettable, the Party urges humanitarian aid agencies not to be deterred in their noble and selfless mission to bring succour to the IDPs in the Northeast.
“We also urge the Nigerian military to remain focussed on its ongoing final mop-up operation of Boko Haram terrorists in the North East so that inhabitants of the insurgency-ravaged areas can quickly return safely to their normal and productive lives”, APC advised.
The Edo Commissioner of Police, Mr Haliru Gwandu, said the command would recommend a serving Inspector being investigated for extra-judicial killing for `discharge' from service if found guilty.
Gwandu, who stated this at a news a conference on Wednesday in Benin, said "there is no sacred cow in the force''.
He also disclosed that the command had in the last one week arrested 27 suspected criminals in different hideouts in the state.
He said police detectives arrested the suspects with various dangerous arms and ammunition.
The commissioner said those arrested included six suspected armed robbers, five suspected kidnappers, 13 suspected cultists and three cyber crime suspects.
He listed some of the arms and ammunition recovered from them to include cut-to-size guns, cartridges, pistols, locally made short guns, double barreled gun and pump action gun.
He restated the command's preparedness to combat crime in the state and stressed that Edo was no longer a safe haven for criminals.
Gwandu enjoined all residents of the state to be law abiding and cooperate with the Police by volunteering useful information that would assist the command in taming criminal elements.
He said all the suspects would be arraigned in court as soon as investigations into the cases were concluded.
The commissioner further disclosed that the command had arrested no fewer than 40 persons for flouting the state government's directive on the ban on collection of illegal taxes and revenue.
A good marriage is best friends with passion. Without the passion, you just have a friendship. For some, being companions is sufficient. But for most, it is not. One of the major casualties of the harried pace of modern marriage is the loss of sexual intimacy. It is too steep a price to pay. Many marriages collapse because the couples had shy away from one of the most vital issues in marriage, that is sex. You need to know that sex is what cements a marriageand keep the couples together even if they having other issues. Having the right sex will help them trust each other and overcome their challenges. Problems in the bedroom can lead to deep dissatisfaction. A marital sex problem is like a canary in a coal mine — a warning alarm that danger lies ahead.
Start with arousal patterns. Men are quick to be aroused and relatively quick to achieve orgasm. The "spike" rises sharply and drops off just as sharply. Men are especially aroused visually; brain research documents this. So looking at other women, at magazines, videos, and online pornography play a much bigger role in the sexual life of men; Women are aroused more slowly and after achieving orgasm, tend to remain at a high plateau of arousal before dropping off. These are very different physiological patterns. No wonder it is a challenge for couples to really experience mutual satisfaction. These differences must not be ignored; instead they must be incorporated into the lovemaking process.
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The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has described as utterly tragic the accidental bombing of a civilian community in Rann, Borno State, by a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jet, causing deaths and injuries.
In a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister sends his condolences to the families of those who died in the unfortunate bombing and prays for quick recovery for the injured.Minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai mohammed (M); a leader of the Bring Back Our Girls Organisation (BBOG), Dr Oby Ezekwesili (R); and a member of BBOG, Aisha Yusuf, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja on a trip to Sambisa forest and some parts of the North-East on Monday (16/1/17).
Alhaji Mohammed, who recently led members of the BBOG and the media to Yola, where the Air Component of the fight against Boko Haram is based, said he was particularly saddened because the accidental bombing is not a true reflection of the level of professionalism that he witnessed during the visit
”One of the things we went away with after spending about 48 hours at the Tactical Air Command in Yola is the strict adherence to operational guidelines and the high level of professionalism of the officers and men, especially the young pilots who fly high-risk missions day and night.
”Among others, we witnessed pre- and post-mission briefings for the pilots, the high attention paid to details, especially concerning emergencies and weather, and the evacuation plan in case of accidents. We heard that on several occasions during their sorties, fighter pilots have had to hold their fire after observing the movement of women and children in Sambisa. We also witnessed the same careful disposition when we flew to Sambisa with the pilots.
”It therefore came to me as a rude shock to learn, a few hours after leaving Yola, that one of the fighter jets has accidentally bombed civilians, including aid workers,” he said.
The Minister urged the NAF to continue to take the necessary measures to avoid civilian casualties, as it carries out its challenging task of keeping Nigerians safe.
