How my son was killed - Pastor

Vol. 1 No. 22, Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

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No gang up against Jonathan will stand - Dokubo-Asari

· Says Amaechi will be treated like a traitor 1 Page

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How my son was killed – Pastor

· Principal suspect confesses, names 4 other accomplices

By Ted Peters · Attempted to abduct victim 4 times · Suspect's father arrested U · Prophetess predicted the killing MUATUGBUOMA community in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, situated about four kilometers from Enugu capital city, recorded yet another abominable act last week when a four-year old boy, Marvelous Ugochukwu Ejim, was abducted from his father's house and slaughtered like a goat.

The Nursery 3 pupil of Central Primary School, Umuatugbuoma, was picked from the home of his father, Rev. Charles Nwachukwu Ejim, who pastors All Nations for Christ Bible Church, Akpugo, by a close friend of the family, 22-year old Chijindu Ewo, who resided a few meters away.

The incident occurred at about 1pm on Thursday, April 25, 2013 but the boy's lifeless body was found the next day, Friday, April 26, 2013 in a nearby bush by a relation who had gone to answer nature's call at 8am. The discovery threw the entire community into confusion and mourning.

According to Rev. Ejim, Marvelous had

Continues on page 3

Angry mob set murderer Chime in London for ablaze in Ebonyi medical checkup · Page 2 Page 27

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Chime in London for medical checkup

By Ted Peters & Uba Ani GOVERNOR Sullivan Chime who reportedly left Enugu for United Kingdom last Tuesday is expected back in Enugu this week, one of his top aides told The Advocate at the weekend.

The official dismissed as untrue and mischievous a media report that the governor was readmitted in a London hospital where he is currently receiving medical attention, saying the governor only travelled for a routine medical checkup and not for any life threatening ailment.

It was also gathered at the weekend that investigations conducted by the governor's aides into last Tuesday rumour that the governor passed on in an Indian hospital, have revealed that the originator of the rumour was the same person who raised such false alarm sometime last year the governor was being treated for nose cancer in London.

“It is very unfortunate that people should pick their Blackberry and post whatever they like about the governor. We have investigated the source of the post on the internet and discovered that it was the same person that raised such false alarm about the governor's death last year that re-posted the same information on the Facebook and we have obtained the Blackberry Personal Identification Number (PIN) of this dubious fellow.

“We can't understand what this man wants from the governor that he should be wishing him dead;

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Gov. Chime he did it last year and he repeated same again last week. We are watching him,” he said.

The aide, who pleaded a n o n y m i t y, c o n f i d e d t h a t Governor Chime travelled to

Abuja last Tuesday with his personal aides and security men “but we heard that he used the opportunity to travel out for a routine medical checkup.”

“You know that the governor came back in February after spending over three months abroad where he underwent treatment for cancer. He must have gone back to see his doctors as he told Journalists while speaking on his ailment sometime ago and it is not out of place for him to do so. What is therefore surprising is the rumour that he passed on or that he was readmitted for an undisclosed ailment. People should leave the governor alone,” the aide further said.

Chime had embarked on a medical trip mid September last year, during which he received treatment for cancer of the nose, known in medical parlance as nasopharyngeal cancer. He had duly handed over power to his

Taraba violence-hit town, protest curfew-induced hunger

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esidents of the town where 39 people died in fierce fighting between Christian and Muslim mobs said on Sunday they were fast running out of food and water as a result of the round-the-clock curfew.

The violence also left 30 people injured and scores of houses were set ablaze and destroyed during the clashes in the town of

Wukari in Taraba state on Friday, police said.

Authorities imposed a 24-hour indefinite curfew on Wukari, a commercial town, as a result of the bloody unrest.

“Life is becoming difficult for us in Wukari. We have been confined since Friday to our homes. Many of us have run out of food and water,” said a

resident on condition of anonymity.

“Nobody anticipated the crisis, and so we did not stockpile food and water supplies,” said the 46year-old cement trader who urged authorities to ease the curfew.

A housewife in the town and mother of four, who identified herself simply as Maimuna, said,

65-year-old fake ASP arrested

olicemen attached to Ilemba Hausa division in Lagos State have arrested a 65-year-old man for allegedly parading himself as an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, to extort members of the public.

The suspect identified as Oshigbemi Marshal, who claimed to be a dismissed policeman with two others at large, reportedly invaded a brothel along Ilemba Hausa Road, weekend, arresting the hotel manager, some staff, commercial sex workers and their male patrons for human trafficking.

They were said to have identified themselves as operatives from the State Criminal Investigations Department, Yaba.

Eye witnesses said that

deputy, Sunday Onyebuchi, as acting governor, before leaving for the prolonged vacation that raised some dusts in the state.

He returned to the country early February this year, with cheering news that doctors certified him cancer-free.

Meanwhile, his latest trip seems to have left a vacuum in governance in the state, as the deputy governor is presently on leave in United States.

However, the governor's absence had dominated discussion in public places in Enugu State as his travel without any official notice has given room to another round of rumour as to his true condition of health.

The governor had since his return attended to official issues in a skeletal manner as he was still recovering from his ailment but the activities of his government was progressing steadily even though his aides always represent him at public functions.

Oshigbemi, a father of 10, led the illegal raid. They were said to have demanded N4,500 from the arrested persons, threatened to take them to the dreaded SCID if they refused.

Some of the frightened commercial sex workers and their patrons were said to have parted with the requested sum after which they were released, while others begged with N1,500 claiming that was all they had realised that night.

It was gathered that the bubble burst after the bar man who out of curiosity demanded for their van with which to convey the suspects to SCID. A staff of the brothel said that Oshigbemi claimed that the driver of the patrol van had gone to fuel the car.

But after waiting without any sight of the patrol van, the curious staff was said to have contacted policemen from Ilemba Hausa,who arrived the scene.

“Immediately they sighted the police patrol van from Ilemba Hausa division in front of the brothel, the fake policemen who came for the raid took to their heels. But one of them was arrested and taken to the station” the brothel staff said.

Preliminary investigation at the station, however, revealed that the men were not policemen afterall. Oshigbemi during interrogation, claimed he was a dismissed policeman.

In his confessional statement to the Police, Oshigbemi reportedly said he was dismissed from the

Police Force two years ago.

According to him, “ I was dismissed for illegal conduct. I was among policemen arrested at road block after it was banned, in Sokoto state Police command. I ventured into this act because of my dismissal and I do not have any regret for it, he said” Police sources revealed that the Delta state born suspect had been arrested for similar offense twice.

But when contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide said the suspect was never a policeman, disclosing that a fake police identity card was recovered from him. She added that the suspect had been charged to court for impersonation.

“We have very little to eat at home. I pray the authorities have mercy on us to relax the curfew to enable us to look for food.”

A civil servant who has a wife and three children in Wukari, told AFP that “food and water have become very scarce. My family has resorted to rationing our food because we have only rice and palm oil left and we are also running out of kerosene for cooking.”

Taraba police spokesman, Joseph Kwaji, told AFP on Sunday that troops and policemen were patrolling the town.

“The 24-hour curfew is still in force and all residents are indoors. Policemen and soldiers are patrolling all the streets to maintain law and order,” he said.

He gave no indication when the curfew will be lifted.

Kwaji said Friday's violence erupted when the funeral procession of a traditional chief from the predominantly Christian Jukun ethnic group marched through a Muslim neighbourhood chanting slogans, which Muslims viewed as an act of provocation.

Tensions have been on the rise in Wukari since February, when a dispute over the use of a football pitch between Muslim and Christian soccer teams set off sectarian riots that claimed several lives.

Friday's violence came a day after the state government inaugurated a committee to investigate the February violence.

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How my son was killed –Pastor Continued from front page returned from school that fateful day and was playing in their compound when Chijindu whom he described as “a very close friend of my family” came around and took him away in the absence of his parents and other siblings.

“When we returned and couldn't find Marvelous, we raised an alarm and immediately sent out people to look for him. We searched everywhere until late in the night but we could not find him and everybody was worried because his disappearance was very strange.

“We had decided to report the boy missing at Agbani Police Division the next day when about 8 am one of our relations living near us went to ease herself in the bush and discovered the Marvelous' corpse dumped in the bush,” Rev. Ejim narrated.

The alarm raised by the lady attracted several villagers to the scene only to discover to their chagrin that Marvelous' throat was cut open with a sharp knife and his blood completely drained.

However, there was no blood stain there, an indication that he might have been killed elsewhere and his remains dumped in the bush behind his father's house by the killers.

The remains of Marvelous was laid to rest at his father's compound Friday afternoon after preliminary investigations by the police, while the bereaved family of Ejim was thrown into mourning. But his father vowed that God must expose his son's killers as the innocent blood spilled by the agents of death would fight for him.

Having accomplished his evil mission, Chijindu went to participate in the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination at a neighbouring town. Pastor Ejim disclosed that shortly after receiving his question paper in the examination hall, Chijindu came under serious torment as he could not read nor write.

He jumped out of the exam hall, rushed back to the village and called Ejim's eldest son on phone to confess that he was the one who killed his younger brother.

Chijindu told the boy that the spirit of Marvelous was disturbing him hence he could not write the examination and pleaded with the family to forgive him.

The police was duly informed of the development and they swiftly came down to Umuatugbuoma and arrested the culprit who was subsequently interrogated at Agbani Police Division before he was transferred to the State Criminal Investigations Department, CID, of the State Police Command for further investigation.

Rev. Ejim’s son, Stephen, who died in a motorcycle accident eight months ago

Father of the principal suspect (Chijindu) , Mr. Stephen Ewo, a barber in the village, was also detained by the police for allegedly misinforming the detectives that his son was mentally ill and therefore could not realize the sanctity of life. He was said to have pleaded for his son's release but his comments angered the detectives who ordered his detention believing that he could be helpful in the ongoing investigations into the murder.

However, Chijindu having realized the implication of his evil act, further confessed to the police at the weekend that he actually took Marvelous to four young men from the village at a hideout where he was slaughtered and his blood drained into a bucket and taken away.

He was quoted to have told the police that when he noticed that they wanted to kill the boy he refused but was overpowered by the killers whom he claimed tied him to enable them carry out the nefarious act.

Sources said the principal suspect could not say what they needed the blood for and who they took it to within the village, but the detectives were said to have swung into action to apprehend the four suspects and their sponsor to determine their level of involvement.

Another source disclosed that the bloodletting was divinely revealed to a prophetess at the

Topland area of Enugu which is about five minutes drive to the village where the bizarre incident occurred.

Prophetess Amaka Okafor, General Overseer of Rock of New Covenant Ministries Topland, Enugu had during prayer session on Thursday, April 25, seen a vision where a boy was abducted and later killed, his blood collected in a bucket possibly for ritual.

She called upon her congregation to pray for all the children in the church that day so that none of them could be victim of the vision she saw.

“But unknown to her and the congregation, what was revealed was actually taking place at Umuatugbuoma and when the sad news of Marvelous' death was broken to the church members by a native of the village, many were shocked and dumbfounded,” the source said.

Umuatugbuoma, which is an autonomous community carved out from the old Akaegbe-Ugwu, had been notorious for violent crimes and mysterious acts in the past, forcing non-natives and natives alike to dread the area.

Serious crimes like armed robbery, deadly masquerades, voodoo practices and killings are usually traced to the area. Though some churches and other religious groups had been battling to eradicate such nefarious activities, such evil practices continued to thrive.

For the bereaved Ejim family, the

Rev. Charles Nwachukwu Ejim and wife death of their little child coming targeted Marvelous for abduction aged 29 years, has once again four times but was unsuccessful. thrown them into serious He was said to have revealed how mourning. he attempted to pick the boy from Oluchukwu, according to his the house in his third attempt but father, Rev. Ejim, had secured a it was foiled by the pastor who visa to travel abroad but a day appeared suddenly in the house before leaving for Lagos, he had a and he had to drop the idea. motorcycle accident within the But he finally succeeded last community and died in a Thursday when the boy returned mysterious manner. from school and was alone in the “His desire for a greener pasture house and the evil desire has was truncated and we are yet to finally landed him in the hands of get over it before this new evil the police. was visited on our little son. I When contacted, the State Police think something is happening Public Relations Officer, PPRO, somewhere but God is alive and Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said our confidence in Him remains following the report of the boy's unshaken,” said the Pentecostal death at Agbani Police Division, Pastor. the police swung into action and When The Advocate visited apprehended the suspect now their home at Umuatugbuoma, being investigated for alleged mother of the deceased, Mrs. murder.

Charity Ejim and sympathizers He said that operatives of the who came in batches, lamented homicide section of the command the killing of their son and prayed had since taken over the investigation and had made God to avenge the dastardly act.

“Can you imagine that this boy serious progress.

(Chijindu) who took the life of “It is a homicide matter which Marvelous had been too close to cannot be handled at Agbani my family? He comes to my Police Division. We are handling house all the time and plays with the investigation with a view to my kids and ate with them finding out the circumstances, the whenever there is meal. Nothing motive as well as those involved could make us suspect that he was in the killing. When we conclude targeting any of our children. investigations the suspects would Only God knows what came upon be brought before the law court. It him and I leave everything to is indeed a very unfortunate and God,” Mrs. Ejim said amidst s a d i n c i d e n t , ” t h e p o l i c e spokesman said. sobs.

It was gathered that Chijindu, as part of his confessional statement to the police, said that he had

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CNPP wants Obasanjo probed over Natural Resource Funds

By Patrick Okolie

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onference of Nigerian Political P a r t i e s , C N P P, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC to investigate and prosecute Nigeria's expresident, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for the alleged corruption discovered in the Natural Resource Funds under his administration.

The CNPP, said the alleged monumental corruption was unveiled last week by the Public Accounts Committee of the Senate.

In a press statement signed by its national

publicity secretary, Chief Osita Okechukwu, the CNPP said the Senate Public Accounts Committee led by Senator Ahmed Lawan last week gave details of how N701.4 billion out of N1.5 trillion slush fund created in 2002, by then President Obasanjo contradicts Sections 80(2) and 162 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was squandered.

Consequently, the group expressed the views that "the Natural Resource Fund was the foundation of the unprecedented corruption which generated unintended fault lines of militants in the Niger Delta, Boko Haram insurgency and kidnapping.

"The slush fund was no

doubt created with the predetermined objective to enrich Chief Obasanjo and cohorts; otherwise where is the N750m Abuja Downtown Mall, N20.2 billion loan among other missing funds?

"CNPP had earlier in 2007 petitioned the EFCC questioning the pervasive and monumental corruption that took place under Chief Obasanjo's watch.

“Now that Chief Obasanjo had openly challenged the anti-graft agencies and the President Goodluck Jonathan Administration t o p r o b e h i s administration; Nigerians expect the EFCC and ICPC to execute their mandate.

His probe will be a lesson for future leaders".

Nigeria is resting on a time bomb that will soon explode – MASSOB

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he Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has dismissed as untrue the speculations that its members were involved in criminal activities in order to obtain amnesty from the federal government.

The group observed that while the government might not want Nigeria to disintegrate, it was glaring that the country might soon crumble.

The Director of Information, MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu, at the weekend, affirmed that with or without granting the region's request to secede, the current situation in the nation could facilitate the break-up.

He said, "MASSOB is not asking for any form of amnesty from the Federal Government

because we don't see what we are doing as a criminal act. We are not expecting such from government; we are not even demanding such.

"We don't need amnesty, but there is room for dialogue; we can allow dialogue with the government, so that we can make known what our demands are.”

Asked what MASSOB's major demand was, Madu said the South-East region would prefer to secede from the country.

"We have only one demand. We want to secede; we want to stay on our own. We know that the Federal Government is not comfortable with our demand, but at the end of the day, they must abide by it because the things that are happening now are a signal that the

nation is collapsing. It is proving that, certainly, Biafra must be.

"Currently, the way Nigeria is, shows that it is heading for explosion.

Nigeria is sleeping on a timebomb that will explode. Every aspect of Nigeria signals collapse," he said.

In a similar development, Ohanaeze Ndi'gbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group has denied the ongoing speculations that it had conflicts of ideology and interest with MASSOB. The body noted that it deliberately distanced itself from political issues.

The National Publicity Secretary, Ohanaeze, Mr. Tony Oganah, described MASSOB as a nonviolent organisation that had not killed anybody or thrown bombs.

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The incredible story of Nigeria's youngest commercial pilot

· Qualified at 20 to fly aircraft

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wenty-year-old Favour Nnaemeka Odozor was recently awarded license as a commercial pilot in South Africa, making him the youngest commercial pilot in South Africa and Nigeria. In this interview, Odozor speaks on his journey to becoming a pilot and what next.

How do you feel being the youngest commercial pilot in Nigeria and South Africa?

It is not a feeling out of the ordinary; it was that of a childhood dream of being a commercial pilot which finally came through and at the age of 20. That I was able to achieve this in countries advanced in aviation like Nigeria and South Africa, is equally rewarding. But I know there are many younger ones out there who do have the wherewithal to achieve this even while younger than I am now.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I was born in Umuoma Amucha in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State by Mr and Mrs Odozor. I attended Adimery Nursery/Primary Oguta, Imo state. I had my secondary education in Lagos and Enugu before proceeding to Caritas University, Enugu State where I enrolled for Computer Science and Information Technology. I deferred this in my second year to go to South Africa's prestigious Afrika Union Aviation Academy to undergo training as a commercial pilot.

This I have completed within a good time and currently licensed on a multi engine airplane with instrument rating.

What were your aspirations growing up?

I'd always desired to become a pilot right from childhood. I remember always running out of the building just to catch a glimpse of an airplane on hearing its cruising sound possibly at 36 38 thousand feet overhead. It usually depressed me the moment it disappears. Then my mother would calm me down by saying 'don't worry one day God will make this a reality but focus on your studies for now in order to obtain brilliant results if you would like to be a pilot'. That motivated me a lot that I made sciences my bread and butter while at school just to achieve this dream.

Can you recall how you felt when you were awarded the license?

I felt very good when being awarded this license. I pursed it vigorously and competed with many other students from all over the world with some

Favour Nnaemeka Odozor dropping from the school halfway into the training. Also the presence of Nigerian dignitaries at the graduation was very heartwarming. I've never been so proud, as a Nigerian achieving what I had. I felt honoured by their presence, meeting and sharing photos with them. They are very humble as against what you would read in the newspapers about them. Yet I felt very accomplished but then also realized that there is even more to do from here onwards.

What did you specialize in and how did you decide on it?

I first obtained my Private Pilot license having successfully passed 8 South Africa's Civil Aviation Authority mandatory examination with all the flying procedures completed. From

there I proceeded with my ground school where I also passed eight exams towards a commercial license involving flying procedures including night rating and instruments flights.

On completion of this process, I progressed from single engine aircraft to multi engine aircrafts where its rating was also successfully completed after intensive and vigorous tests by the designated examiners from the South African Civil Aviation Authorities. At the end of this, your fate would be communicated to you via your academy on whether you made it or not. It's usually a tough moment for pilots awaiting this good or bad news.

How old were you when you were admitted for the course and how long did it take you to finish it?

I was 18 when I enrolled into the program and my parents had to sign consent on my behalf. It took me 17 months to complete all training.

Who would you say had the most influence on you?

My mother had a lot of influence on me while growing up, she always tells me to believe in myself and God no matter what the challenges are. That humility surely shall remain a key to anyone's success. My uncle (Mr. Uche Odozor) has great impact on me during my training; he kept on monitoring and encouraging me during challenging situations. Also, my principal Captain Allan Roebuck who could fly anything so long as it has wings would always advise us that our attitude would always give us our altitude.

Did you have any worries or fears?

I was never worried nor had fears in my ability to do this. Being a pilot is in the mind and passion not necessarily in age. I was just pursuing my dreams and knew that all I needed was just to work very hard. I'm glad it finally paid off. Thanks to everyone who supported me.

Did your parents object to your becoming a pilot?

My parents always supported me, but wanted me to complete my degree first, but when they saw that it wasn't giving me any joy despite my good results they

had to let me go, but constantly prayed for me.

Were there times you wanted to quit?

There were times initially when one would reach almost a breaking point most especially where at about 10 thousand feet mid air, your instructor would intimidate you, cause you so much anger, giving you 100 reasons why you cannot fly.

All these were meant to upset you while carefully watching you blunder or remain calm while flying the airplane. But as the pilot in command, it remains your responsibility to safely fly your aircraft to its destination.

Eventually you'll realize that it's all part of the training. I do not believe in giving up, I just focus on doing the right thing and managing every expectation well.

What airlines will you be flying for?

I have not considered any airline specifically to fly for. I'm focusing now on my further studies towards an instructor rating in order to teach while writing my airline transport pilot license (ATPL) frozen exams.

What other interest do you have?

I have a lot of interests within the aviation space; I also have interest in watching football.

How do you think you can contribute to the growth of the Nigerian aviation industry?

I would really like to give back to my country using my skills and maybe someday as a training Captain

Uncommon transformation:

Who determines; government or electorates?

By Unyime Isemin

I

t is the people that determine whether transformation is uncommon, not the government or its agents, the Managing Editor and chief executive officer of the Daily I n d e p e n d e n t N e w s p a p e r, Comrade Akpandem James, has said.

Speaking during the Press Week of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Uyo, the media icon in his paper presentation entitled ' The Media and sustainability of Development: Issues and Perspectives', said although the phrase 'uncommon transformation' has become a ballad in the state following s o m e n o t i c e a b l e transformation, the media

should always be armed with the code of ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists, which subscribes to the practice of seeking the truth and providing fair and comprehensive account of events and issues.

Comrade James noted with dismay how charlatans are increasing on daily bases in the noble profession of journalism a situation that has created room for some non-performing public officers to suddenly turn t o e m e rg e n c y l e c t u r e r s ; teaching the practitioners, the principles of journalism, referring to the Fairness Doctrine and Equal Time.

He called on the journalists to always shun the urge of following 'on-line publication and bloggers', if they are committed to truth and objectivity in their reportage.

Comrade James confirmed that the primary responsibility of the media to the society is “to serve the people and tell them what they want and need to know; to ensure that government serves rather than exploit the people; to make the people's lives better, to make them better citizens, to unite and strengthen the people, to serve and save democracy.”

However, he recognised media as an institution vested with the responsibility of social reorientation and national development through criticism, but urged the conventional media practitioners to “see it as a possible means to unite and build, as well as a process of assisting in the development of society and nation.”

He stressed that criticism should not be regarded as antigovernment role but a way of

questioning and examining government intentions, policies and actions.

Comrade Akpandem James expressed thanks to the government for granting the freedom of press to the Nigerian media but called on media practitioners to use the Freedom of Information law responsibly.

Reacting to the paper presentation, the General Manager of Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) Pastor Praise Okon expressed utmost thanks to Comrade James for the choice of the topic that dealt indeptly to the current challenges of the Nigeria media, and called on the practitioners to uphold to the lecture for effective reportage in future.

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Prevail on Boko Haram to stop killing Christians, Anglican Primate tells Amnesty Panel

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OR peace to reign in Nigeria, the Boko Haram Amnesty Committee raised by the Federal Government must prevail on the sect to stop killing Christians and destroying their places of worship, the Primate of Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, has

cautioned.

Okoh's admonition is contained in a position paper released by the church entitled 'The rough edges of the amnesty proposition'.

The primate noted with concern the rush to grant amnesty to the BH sect without any form of

truth and reconciliation, which he noted, should have preceded a m n e s t y. T h e A n g l i c a n Communion noted that although the motive of the Federal Government was to achieve peace in the north, ignoring the first steps that should have been taken would only result in the

attainment of what it called 'half peace'. The primate said: “If the Federal Government goes ahead through the amnesty committee to make peace on BH's terms, it would have inadvertently and effectively banned Christians and Christianity from the North. In the amnesty committee, who will

speak for the right of the church, not to be tolerated, but as Nigerian Christians to exist side by side with Islam and Muslims, build churches, worship freely, move about freely without being hunted down with all sorts of weapons? ”Will the amnesty committee ensure that Christians are not merely tolerated in the north but are allowed to live abundant life as Muslims as Christians do in other parts of the country?”

'Jonathan has no clear agenda for Nigeria' - ACN Chieftain

By Patrick Okolie

A

chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Enugu State, Dr Ben Nwoye has declared that from every indication, President Good luck Jonathan has no clear agenda and vision for Nigeria This is even as he assured that most members of the Peoples Democratic Party including those in the nation's Senate and House of Representatives would decamp to All Progressive Congress (APC) once the party is pronounced.

“I will assure you that once the APC is pronounced, you will see massive defection from the PDP, massive defection from the ward to the local government, to the state House of Assembly and even some serving executive members of this state, you will see massive defection all the way to the senate and House of Representatives,” he stated.

Nwoye, who was the Action Congress of Nigeria candidate in the 2011 Senatorial Election in Enugu East , noted that Nigeria had been facing all forms of political and economic instability as well as insecurity because the president lacked ideas that would enable the Federal Government tackle the numerous challenges.

He therefore pointed out that Nigeria could no longer continue in current mess occasioned by bad governance and called on all progressives and true democrats to embrace the proposed All Progressive Congress.

Nwoye, a renowned human right lawyer, spoke to newsmen shortly after the Enugu State Congress of the party which was observed by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Barrister Barth Ugwoke emerged as the Enugu state chairman of ACN while Barrister Uche Ogbu emerged as secretary .

He accused the Federal Government of deliberate plans to deny people their freedom of speech through its recent alleged plans to embark on surveillance of phone calls.

Reacting to money approved by the Federal Government for the victims of the violence that

President Good luck Jonathan erupted after the 2011 general election , the ACN chieftain stated that PDP was afraid of the next election, hence its decision to approve the money two years after the violence.

Nwoye said though he was not against the fund, he thought that the funds were slush money they

use to perpetrate fraud.

He expressed dismay over the way the Federal Government is handling insecurity in the country, alleging that those indicted for criminality were no longer punished. “ I think when you have a weak leadership, a weak president, you

look for cheap ways to address issues, when you are a Commander-in-Chief, you are a Commander-in-chief for all, criminals are criminals no matter the label you give them, if a militant is a criminal, you treat him or her like a criminal, if a muslim fundamentalist is a

How I organised my petrol station's robbery- Manager

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peratives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, FSARS, Lagos, have arrested the manager of a petrol station located in Ojokoro area of Lagos, for allegedly masterminding the robbery operation in his company where N4. 6 million was carted away, last week.

Preliminary investigation by the operatives showed that the suspect, Ade Ilesanmi, allegedly connived with three members of a robbery gang to dispossess the company's supervisor of the amount, while on her way to the

bank.

The robbers, as gathered, stormed the petrol station on two motorcycles, shooting indiscriminately before snatching the money from the station's supervisor, identified simply as Mary.

But in his confessional statement to the police, the suspect who is a graduate of English Language admitted to the crime, disclosing, however, that the robbers did not give him a dime from the loot.

According to him, “ I gave information about the money

which was to be deposited in a bank to Kolabo, Fasaban and another member of the gang. The station's supervisor and I usually go to the bank to deposit the money. As we were about leaving, I called them. They intercepted our vehicle, shooting into the air.

In the process, they injured the supervisor but they did not touch me. I never told them to injure her.

I only instructed them to take the money.

“My share of the amount was supposed to be N1.5 million. But since the operation, they never contacted me.

criminal, you treat him or her like a criminal, if some Christian in the South resort to kidnapping, you deal with them as a criminal.

“Now the criminals in Niger Delta, I don't mean those agitating for real issues, you gave them amnesty, you are now paying them, now they have set up a committee to take care of the criminals in the North and so there is no doubt the criminals in the east are also going to agitate for a committee to be set up so that armed robbers and kidnappers that killed my friend will also be accepted into the system." He stated.

On a purported court order obtained by some aggrieved members of the party in the state, Nwoye explained that no order issued to the party from conducting congress in Enugu State.

He added that the purported order did not also restrain INEC and members of the Department of Security Services from observing the congress, saying that the injunction only restrained the caretaker committee of the party in the state from parading themselves.

Also speaking the Enugu State Congress Committee chairman and former member House of Representatives, Barrister Uche Onyeagocha, disclosed that the National Executive Council of their party mandated the four man congress committee to conduct congress for the election of state officers , ward and local government officers of the party in Enugu State.

He dismissed the allegation that there was an injunction against members of the committee, disclosing that there was no injunction against holding of the congress.

He stated that one of the objectives of the APC was to bring about improvement in the security of lives and property in Nigeria and wipe out Boko Haram.

The newly emerged Enugu State Chairman of the party, Barrister Barth Ugwoke, who also spoke to newsmen, alleged that PDP has turned the Coal City State into an instrument of mischief.

According to him, the only chance that the PDP has was to agree that APC will have to work.

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Obi: Place of traditional rulers in our democracy

By Prince Oliver Okpala

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he way some governors sometimes infringe on the fundamental rights of the people they took oath to govern has become a source of concern.

It goes without saying that a governor, nay any political office holder, is not a task-master with the citizenry as slaves, or servants. In point of fact, it is the governor who is the servant, the person chosen by the people through the instrument and machinery of the ballot box to work for them and to be at the helm of affairs to take charge of and control the affairs of government and governance.

Some governors are yet to come to terms with this reality of the servant-leader role cast upon them, as some of them are filled with sheer arrogance and even contempt and disdain for the people who elected them into office in the first place.

This is a reprehensible conduct, to say the least. Perhaps, on account of the prolonged period of military incursion into governance in the country, a lot of people are yet to come to terms with the reality of our democracy with the constitution as the grand norm and supreme law.

Take, for instance, a recent development in Anambra State, where Governor Peter Obi threatened to sanction some traditional rulers from the state for honouring a wedding invitation from a son of the state

together a seminar during w h i c h h e threatened to sanction the traditional rulers who made the trip to Lagos at the behest of Ubah. He also asked them to return the sum of three thousand d o llar s each , allegedly given to them by Ubah.

H e a l s o upbraided the traditional rulers for daring to Gov. Peter Obi travel out of the state without i n L a g o s . A t o p f l i g h t approval from him or his Special businessman, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Adviser on Chieftaincy Affairs.

Ubah, who hails from Anambra I am not aware of any law which State, had reportedly extended an m a k e s i t m a n d a t o r y o r invitation to some traditional compulsory for a governor to be rulers, Presidents-General of notified before hand before a town unions and other opinion traditional ruler could travel leaders and stakeholders from the outside the state. state to witness his younger So, I consider the governor's sister's wedding in Lagos. alleged threat or suggestion most indefensible and untenable. It The business icon, as is shows he has a wrong notion of customary in Igboland, hosted his the place of traditional rulers in guest in Lagos and conducted our democracy. His reported them round his office, business action creates a negative and places and facilities in Lagos. disgusting impression that Thereafter, he gave them traditional rulers have suddenly customary Kola in form of money become servants or errand boys for honouring his invitation. For of governors. Governor Obi's this, Governor Peter Obi of hypothesis is, to say the least, A n a m b r a S t a t e b e c a m e absolutely demeaning to the infuriated. He quickly put institution of traditional rulership

in Igbo land. This is the first time in Igboland that a governor would demand that a traditional ruler will not leave the state unless he, as the governor, is put in the know about the trip.

It is interesting that Obi attempted to justify his position by stating that he could not travel out of Nigeria without the knowledge of the President. Now, the two scenarios are wholly and totally different. Obi does not seek the consent of the President before traveling out of Anambra State to another State. In the same manner, a Traditional Ruler from Anambra State need not put Obi in the know that he is going to Lagos. For the avoidance of doubt, Obi did not select or appoint them as traditional rulers.

The traditional rulers are not under Obi. They are not his appointees or aides. In fact, Obi rightly observed that they are 'Primus Inter-Pares' among their subjects and the veritable custodians of the custom of their people. He also opined that their people look up to them for inspiration, guidance and direction. If Obi truly made these observations from his heart (of hearts,) why would he not have seen the futility of his directive, which is akin to an instruction from a master to his servant.

The frivolity and mischief implicit in Obi's reaction to the traditional ruler's trip to Lagos came to a head when he reportedly asked the royal fathers to return the money which they

received from their son, Ubah. He also promised to provide SUV vehicles to the traditional rulers very soon.

There is no need denying the fact that this is an absolute descent from the sublime to the ridiculous. It shows the abysmal level and depth to which governance has fallen in Anambra State. It is strange that a governor should lose sleep over a social visit by the Igwes to Lagos.

Obi's reaction to the trip smacks of psychological defeatism. It paints His Excellency as a man who is unserious.

It is a sad commentary on the way things are done in Anambra State that Obi should abandon his constitutional responsibilities to fret over frivolities.

The SUVs reportedly promised

by Mr. Obi at this time looks like a Greek gift. Of course, it should be rejected outright. It is curious that the governor wants to give the cars to the traditional rulers free of any cost at the twilight of his tenure. Why did he not give them the cars before now? Is Obi afraid of anything? Why did it take the traditional rulers' visit to Lagos for Obi to remember the SUVs? I do not see how anybody would deny the allegation that the proposed car gift to the natural rulers has a political undertone.

So, I join other right thinking Anambra indigenes to urge Obi to leave the royal fathers alone.

Okpala, a Political Analyst, wrote from Enugu

Checking irresponsible carnage on our roads

By Okechukwu Alaku

F

or some time now auto crashes have continued to dominate our roads as if the roads were not properly built and thus causing thousands of deaths as well as incalculable amount of damage to property.

There is no way one can rebuild shattered lives nor can one imagine the emotional tension that follows a tragic accident especially when the entire family is involved.

Obviously the major causes of road accidents are many but in our locality drivers are never patient and as a result create more problems that lead to loss of lives.

Indeed human factors are much more related to accidents experienced in our locality. The rate of road accidents in recent times have become a source of worry that we require to look inwards and device a means of checking these heart rending carnage.

Prior to the establishment of the

Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in the early eighties, there was high rate of road accidents which gave worry to the people, the government and other relevant agencies. The military Government of Gen. Babangida irked by the disturbing situation took the bull by the horns to curb the malaise-thus establishing the FRSC. The nation today appreciates the impact the agency successfully created and desires to adopt a more severe action to further reduce the life threatening factors resulting from human error.

A survey revealed by the FRSC confirmed that a total of 110 travellers died in road accidents between Benin and Lagos expressway and Onitsha and Owerri highway this year. Much as we appreciate the efforts of the FRSC in curbing these excesses, there is still more to be done to curtail these recklessness among the drivers.

Basically impatience, break components and tyres are the main factors rather than seat belts

that lead to accidents. Seat belts are a device meant to protect the driver and occupants in the event of accident. Most drivers ignore the need to check their tyes and breaks before embarking on a journey until finally they end up in roasting innocent citizens. The (FRSC) should stop all buses or trailers and force the drivers to check the level of break fluids or associated fluids on their vehicles especially that had been over 5 years on the road. In the same vein all vehicles with light on one head lamp at night should be detained till the next day no matter where the vehicle is travelling to.

Traffic Lights where they exist should be made functional to enable those unfamiliar with the lights obey and follow its control.

Sometimes impatient drivers overlook them as if the lights are meant for certain categories of people. Happily the Government has stipulated a penalty of N50, 000.00 for the offenders whom we believe should be regularly.

People should be made to follow the code of conduct for driving and not to abuse these rules which help eliminate road crashes.

Overtaking while others are on queue should be checked to maintain discipline among road users. Such offenders should be detained and given adequate education, enlightenment and reorientation to serve as deterrent--- for poor roadworthiness of such vehicles can lead to major crashes on other road users. Driving in such hurried speed has in many cases crashed on other vehicles and sometimes passengers especially in cities where vehicles are often on queue.

However, it is generally believed that speed is the major cause of accidents but when one is driving under the maximum speed limit of 100kph the chances of being able to control the vehicle is likely to become impatient on occasion, but there may be serious consequences when bouts of impatience are an everyday occurrence.

Impatience though can be frustrating, irritating and indeed leads one to loose his temper, the FRSC can help by seizing ones licence temporarily to enable drivers understand that payment of fine or money is not the

primary motive but safety of their passengers. Some drivers are accustomed to driving recklessly without thinking of the fate of the passengers in the event of any misfortune, and so deserve a red card as a temporary measure.

Impatient drivers are more likely to be involved in late night drinks and late night drivers are usually linked to heavy drinking. The slogan which warns drivers--- if you drink don't drive and if you drive don't drink--- is often ignored but the fact remains that these warnings usually attest to reality when they are religiously adhered to. Similarly drug dealers never appreciate what damage these habits can influence them until it is late.

The driver who lost over 60 passengers in one swoop remains unique in our minds and the picture it paints draws the soul as if it was a plane crash.

Impatience can cost you money, friendships, pain and suffering or other consequences but it must be remembered that they are often followed by bad decisions. No one is ever comfortable with the loss of loved ones through carelessness of drivers.

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ANC defends showing frail images of Nelson Mandela

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he South African ruling party, African National Congress (ANC) has said the showing of the frail image of former President Nelson Mandela was done in public interest.

Reports said that many South Africans were not happy seeing their former president looking frail when the leadership of ANC led by President Jacob Zuma visited him on Monday at his Johannesburg home.

The party spokesperson, Jackson Mthembu said showing of Mandela's image is the right thing to do.

“The showing of the images of Madiba was the right thing to do as the world needed to see him.Those who are complaining that Madiba's latest image was a publicity stunt by the African National Congress are eating sour grapes.

We are happy we shared Madiba with the world, even in his frail state,'' Mthembu said.

It will be recalled that in an exclusive South Africa Broadcasting Corporation

Nelson Mandela (SABC) broadcast, Mandela was shown looking blankly at the camera while those around him chatted and laughed. In the

camera with Mandela were Zuma, ANC deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, Chairperson Baleka Mbete and his

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Pakistani prisoner in a local jail in Indian Kashmir was seriously hurt on Friday after being beaten by another inmate, a top police official said, a day after a convicted Indian spy died after being bludgeoned with a brick by fellow inmates in a Pakistani prison a week ago.

The official, who did not want to be named because he does not have permission to speak to reporters, said the prisoner, Sanaullah, was in critical care in a hospital in Jammu city.

Sanaullah, who goes by one name, was imprisoned in 1999 and in 2009 sentenced to life in prison for being a Pakistani militant operating in Indian Kashmir.

The official said Sanaullah got into an argument with an Indian prisoner as the two smoked in the jail compound.

The attacker was identified as Vinod Kumar, a court martialed Indian soldier. It was not

medical team.

Zuma told newsmen after the visit that Mandela was “in good shape'' and that he was “up and about''.

“Our people have not seen Madiba in many years. Now they have seen him with their clear eyes. We are happy with his health. He is no longer a young man, everybody expects Madiba at the age of 95 to be frail,'' Mthembu said.

The footage has been widely criticised by South Africans, especially in the social media. Mthembu said the ANC had invited only the SABC to accompany them during the visit to Mandela's home to avoid “making Mandela uncomfortable''.

“We did not invite the whole crew, because we care about Madiba. The SABC even distributed the images to other broadcasters. This was in the public interest,'' he said.

Mthembu said there would have been an “avalanche of criticism'' towards the ANC if it had not shown Mandela's images to the public after the visit.

immediately clear what charges he faced.

An investigation has been ordered into the attack, police said.

The Indian prisoner, Sarabjit Singh, had been in a prison in Lahore, Pakistan, for more than 20 years. He was arrested in 1990 after bombings killed 14 people in Lahore and Faisalabad, Pakistan.

He was convicted of spying and carrying out the blasts and sentenced to death.

He had been comatose and on a ventilator for days after the prison attack on 26 April. His death led to Indian officials and his family asking why he was left vulnerable inside the prison.

'Obvious retaliation' Indian officials said the incident had hurt relations between the nuclear-armed neighbors, which have fought three major wars including two over Kashmir - since they achieved independence from Britain in 1947. Relations have experienced ups and downs in

recent years.

On Friday, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said his country's mission in New Delhi had contacted Indian authorities and was seeking details of the attack and consular access to Sanaullah.

"This obvious retaliation to the death of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh is condemnable," Chaudhury said in a statement.

"We would also remind the government of India of its responsibility in ensuring the safety and security of all Pakistani prisoners lodged in Indian jails," the statement said.

A spokesperson for India's Ministry of External Affairs, Syed Akbaruddin, said Indian officials were ensuring that Sanaullah gets the medical treatment he requires and would grant consular access to him as soon as his condition stabilises.

US military refueling plane crashes in Kyrgyzstan, Pentagon says

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U.S. Air Force refueling plane crashed Friday in Central Asia, the military said. There was no immediate word on casualties.

The plane, a KC-135, crashed in northern Kyrgyzstan and was based at the U.S. military installation at Manas, near the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek. Its mission is to refuel combat planes on patrols over Afghanistan.

The KC-135 usually has a crew of three.

Military officials were investigating eyewitness reports that the plane was on fire before it crashed. They were also looking into the possibility that the plane

blew an engine or struck a bird.

“I was working with my father in the field, and I heard an explosion. When I looked up at the sky I saw the fire. When it was falling, the plane split into three pieces,” Sherikbek Turusbekov, who lives nearby, told The Associated Press.

On Monday, seven people were killed when an American civilian cargo plane, a Boeing 747, crashed shortly after taking off from Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. It belonged to National Air Cargo, an upstate New York military contractor.

Six of those killed were from Michigan and the seventh from Kentucky, the company said. The

Taliban claimed responsibility, no sign of insurgent activity at the Kyrgyz installation for about $60 but NATO quickly said that the time of the crash. million a year. The contract is up claim was false and that there was The United States leases the in July 2014.

Tunisia hunting 2 armed groups

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unisian security forces were on Thursday hunting two armed jihadist groups near the Algerian border, one in the Mount Chaambi region and the other in Kef further north, the interior ministry said.

"There are two groups, one of about 15 to 20 people in Mount Chaambi...

Another group is in the Kef region near the Algerian border," ministry spokesperson Mohamed Ali Aroui told AFP. A security said on Wednesday that troops clashed with around 50 armed jihadists in the remote Mount

Chaambi border region, with the group comprising both Tunisians and Algerians.

A defence ministry source was unable to give more details about those targeted in the operation, or about the second group in the Kef region, around 100km to the north.

"I have no idea about their number.

The Chaambi region is huge. We are in the process of trying to track them down. For the moment no one has been arrested," Colonel Mokhtar Ben Naceur told AFP. Since Monday, Tunisian forces have been hunting for the group holed up

in the mountainous western region who the authorities have described only as "terrorists."

In the ongoing operation to flush them out, around 10 soldiers and members of the national guard have already been wounded, some seriously, by homemade landmines laid by the gunmen in parts of the region.

Asked about possible co-operation with Algeria, the colonel said that Tunisia's neighbour was assisting but only at the level of intelligencesharing.

"When there is concrete information, it is shared. There is no joint action on the ground," he said.

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Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Governorship of Anambra State: The Ifeanyi Uba factor By Prince Oliver Okpala

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ecently, A Nationalist, Patriot, Philanthropist and Astute Politician took time to invite Traditional Rulers and President-Generals of Town Unions in Anambra State to Lagos for a one on one political chart over his Gubernatorial ambition.

He decided to host his people from Anambra State to a Grand Reception in Lagos. He chartered Buses and Planes for the Good People of Anambra State to move over to Lagos for this all important purpose and also to be treated to his familiar and usual culture of good neighborliness and sharing what he has with others.

We are talking of no other person than Dr. Ifeanyi Uba the man who sits atop the Board of many business organizations, business empires and now turned fire brand politician eyeing the Governorship of Anambra State.

In the course of the visit, Dr. Uba took his Guests made up of a wide spectrum of Anambrarians from all walks of life, Traditional Rulers, Presidents-General of Town Unions, Journalists, Opinions baders and moulders and the ordinary people on a facility tour of his companies and business offices. The good people of Anambra State were able to see the solid and transcendental investments of Uba in Lagos.

He showcased his investments and proved that he was an excellent businessman with unsurpassed acumen, intelligence, expertise, enterprise and industry. The facility tour revealed so much about Dr. Uba. It proved beyond any doubt that he was on ground in business. He is a man who knows his onions in his chosen field of endeavour and business. Who is also a good material for the Governance of Anambra State.

Dr. Uba allowed his people to have a holistic eye-view and make a total appraisal of him as a businessman and a major player in the downstream sector of the Oil economy. He was not afraid to let his people know him inside out. He has nothing to hide. He has no skeletons in his cup board.

He laid all the cards on the table.

He is not a pretender. He showed the good people of Anambra State what he is doing in Lagos and the enormity of his means of livelihood.

It should be mentioned here that this is the first time a business mogul from Anambra State who is interested in the Governorship of the State has conducted his people

Dr. Ifeanyi Uba round his business facilities, investments and activities. There is no doubt that Dr. Uba did this with confidence and panache because he has no cause to look behind his shoulders. He does clean business and he lives by his business. He does not have double identity. He is what he is and what he says he is. Nigeria will be a Great Nation the day when those who aspire to control the reins of power have the confidence and grace to take their constituents to their places of business and offices for an on thespot assessment of who and what they are. The Nigeria political landscape is littered with jobless, unemployed and hungry men and women who are in politics simply as a means of livelihood. Some politicians engage in politics not because they love their people and seek to advance their welfare. On the contrary, these politicians is only seeking the means to ek out a living, to survive and to make ends meet.

No wonder, then, that as soon as such people secure power, they embark upon monumental looting and plunder of the coffers of Government Allocation for the provision of Democratic Dividends and Infrastructural Facilities are pocketed and embezzled with impunity. White elephant projects are kick-started here and thereby as a ploy to siphon public funds.

To a large extent, the crippling corruption, fraud, embezzlement and widespread pilfering prevalent in Nigeria today is from hungry men who suffered great poverty, want and deprivation and who view public office as an

opportunity to recoup what had been eaten by the locust. There are politicians who cannot fight elections on their own either because of lack of influence or resources or absolute poverty of ideas. This, they rely on godless god-father who help and assist them to be given power on the understanding that they will use public funds to settle them. This is the bane of Nigerian politics.

We need a statesman, outspoken, confident, able and ready men who have no psychological problems and other inadequacies to join the political train to turn around the economy of this country. We do not need people who are looking for employment in power. We need men and women of reason who have made it in their chosen fields of endeavor and who cannot be swayed by financial considerations if they find themselves in the corridors of power. We need men like Dr. Uba who are richer than the Government they want to control and who will not misappropriate public funds but will augment the same with their own money. We need patriots in power. We need statesmen. We need goodmen.

The era of godfatherism should be over. The godsons have ruined many States and Governments. A Distinguished Personality and Wealthy Businessman like Uba will not dip hands into the coffers of Government to help himself because he is richer than the Government he will control Dr. Uba is not coming to Government to make money. He is not seeking political office to acquire wealth

or buy private jet which he already has. Dr. Uba is coming to create wealth in Anambra reinvigorate the economy resuscitate ailing infrastructures, provide employment and give hope to the people.

The Leaders in Anambra State have seen it all. They are in a position to assess Uba and his pedigree. For long, Anambra State has been held by the jugular by a group of never-do-wells and political tin-gods. Anambra State has been in neo-colonial bondage of sorts. The State has been in ruins. It has been unable to rise above mediocrity. The State lies comatose. It is a State where godfathers arrested a sitting Governor and detained him. It is the State where ascendancy to Governorship is a function of who you know and how connected you are and not what you know and what you can offer.

Dr. Uba is a Daniel come to judgment. He is coming to wipe out the tears of helpless and hapless Anambrarians who have been suffering in silence and praying that a Messiah will come to save them from their bondage and incapacitation.

The facility tour of Dr. Uba's facilities has another thing to commend it for. It is a testimony to Dr. Uba's willingness to sacrifice all he has just to come and liberate Anambra from the shackles of poverty, penury and deprivation. A lot of people from Anambra State and some NUPENG officials were also there. The tour encompassed all the facilities owned by Dr. Uba. The good people of Anambra State are now convinced that Dr. Uba is a fit and proper person to be the Governor of Anambra State. The good people of Anambra State who honoured Uba's invitation were hosted at the prestigious Golden Tulip Hotel in Lagos. As a lover of the people, the occasion afforded Uba the opportunity to discuss one on one with the stakeholders in Anambra State. In the process, he was apprised of the problems in the State and the aspirations of the people of the State.

He asked questions. He received answers. The people also asked him questions and he was meek and humbly in his answers to the questions. And this is the way it should be, for after all, democracy is government of the people by the people for the people. It was a pretty long town hall meeting of sorts which lasted from 8pm till 7am the following day.

This shows that Uba is a man who listens and likes to receive ideas from the people. This cross fertilization of ideas is what drives democracy and leads to good governance.

Anambrarians were opportuned to come close to Uba, to study and understudy him, appreciate his

sport of enterprise and his burning patriotism and love for his people.

Uba's style is definitely revolutionary, it is the first time a public office seeker has arranged to meet the people at close quarters to interact with them and share ideas on how to move the State forward. After the interaction, the people were not only impressed but they were of the firm view that Uba is the man whom God has prepared and positioned to save Anambra State from the ruin and maladministration of yesteryears. The good people of Anambra State do not need to search further or any longer for the Messiah is here.

The people of Anambra State found out from the tour that Dr. Uba's investment is huge massive and outstanding. The facilities included ships, jetties, depots, filling stations, tankers, and a host of other high-tech facilities on ground. It became apparent from findings from the tour that Dr. Uba's Capital and Gas Oil Limited is one of the biggest distributors of petroleum products in Nigeria.

Of great importance is the fact that Capital Oil and Gas has been a major player in the downstream sector ever before the subsidy regime. The company has tankers which supply fuel all over the country. In fact, the activities of the company in the area of supply of petroleum products is one of the reasons why fuel is available everywhere today. This is because while other companies horde fuel in order to make huge profit, Dr. Uba's companies are only interested in making the products available to all and sundry. Profit is not the driving force for the company.

Uba's companies are known for giving back to the society what it got from the society in terms of social responsibility. At least Capital Oil and Gas Co is known to provide employment to more than four thousand persons in Nigeria. On a personal level, Uba awards scholarships to indigent students. There are students who attend various schools in Nigeria, courtesy of Uba's sponsorship. He tars roads everywhere. His filling stations supply fuel free of charge to motorcyclists in Nnewi every Monday. He intervenes in all cases where poor people are being discriminated against or marginalized. He donates money throughout the federation in pursuant of worthy causes.

This may be the reason why his detractors wanted to rubbish him recently by framing him up. To God be the glory that he was vindicated everywhere-by the court, the court of public opinions and by the National Assembly. It became apparent that his adversaries in business were

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Governorship of Anambra State: The Ifeanyi Uba factor Continued from page 9 afraid of his rising profile and success story and they tried to pull him down by tarnishing his image and painting him in black colours as a man who could not settle his debts. The truth has now been revealed and Uba's hands have been adjudged everywhere.

Anambrarians should search no more for a Messiah. We have one already in Uba. All the good

people of Anambra State should now take a decision to crown and elect Uba as the next Governor of the State. Uba is a great Igbo man who loves his people and Nigeria alike with great passion and dedication. His love for the Igbos became even more manifest when he committed a huge sum of money towards giving the deceased Igbo sage and leader, Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, a decent National and

Befitting Burial.

Now that the Traditional Ruler, Leaders of Through, Presidents of To w n U n i o n s a n d o t h e r Stakeholders have had an insight into the pedigree and worth of Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Uba, it behooves them to take the Good News of Uba's interest in Anambra State Governorship to all the nook and crannies of the State, to sensitize Anambrarians and to prepare the ground for his emergence to bring

a new dawn in Anambra. There is no doubt that Uba is God-sent to clean the Augean stable of Anambra's politics of ineptitude, incompetence, bickering, brigandage, nepotism and financial rascality.

The stakeholders have seen, assessed and weighed Uba and they have no doubt that Uba is a man Anambra needs at a time like this.

Uba has come to judgment in

Anambra. He is the True Messiah.

As Jesus was proclaimed by the Almighty God as his beloved son in whom he is well pleased, Anambrarians say with one voice and in unison that Dr. Uba is our beloved son in whom we are not only pleased but in whom we repose great hope and confidence to lead us to the land of promise.

Surely, the cap of governorship of Anambra fits Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Uba. Let him wear it.

PRINCE OLIVER OKPALA is a Political Analyst based in Enugu

was a 100 year experiment INTERVIEW 1914 Amalgamation was found guilty of the country is not helping our would he want anything be it Continued from page 22 independence of Nigeria which the Hausas did not want at the onset. The Western Nigeria disturbances spilled over to the Eastern region and when the question of redressing national question came, the Igbos leaders who saw secession as the best option of the inhuman treatment meted on the Igbos, got an assurance from their Yoruba counterparts that they will support the idea, but they were betrayed as the Yorubas backed out. During the Biafran war that followed, the Yorubas joined to fight and subdue Igbos for three years from 1967 to 1970. Yoruba leader, Awo who was released from prison over charges of treasonable felony, was made the Finance Minister. His fiscal and monetary policies never favoured the Igbos. Even in the course of prosecuting the war, Awo was roundly fingered as the one who suggested the use of hunger as the best weapon of warfare, on account of which there were blockades of routes through which assistance of military arms and weapons and relief materials could get to Igbos who were battered by kwashiorkor and other diseases caused by malnutrition.

Corruption from every indication is the bane of development in Nigeria. Do you agree?

Yes I do. The major problem Nigeria has today is that of corruption which has eaten deep into the fabric of the society.

Corruption has become part of the system in Nigeria and affects development. So many people cut corners including contractors to the extent that they fail to deliver as a result of the need to make extra money and profit. Contract is inflated and ten-percents are c h a rg e d a n d t h e s e a ff e c t development. People no longer deliver on their honour and everything in the country is about making money. Contracts are shoddily done and not to specifications and the country suffer as a result. The problem

Chief Richard Nnadi, with corruption in the country is that corrupt people appear more celebrated than condemned.

Government it is said every now and then does not have the political power to deal decisively with corruption and the tendencies to fight corruption have political colourations. As a result of the fact that corrupt people are allowed to walk the streets like untouchables and sacred cows, the young ones have emulated them and gone haywire. There is today in Nigeria no middle class as what we have is the extreme rich and extreme poor.

Everybody wants to make it from poverty line to the top; even young ones who do not have anything doing. Some of them cruise in sleek cars which prices are mind boggling. Kidnapping and armed robbery cases rise to the high heave because everybody wants to be rich overnight. Corruption indeed has become part of the system in Nigeria and drastic measures, not lip service or cosmetic approach should be used to better the situation, otherwise the country will be wrecked. The EFCC is trying but since the introduction of plea bargaining, some persons are saying that there is no deterrent measures against corrupt persons as all that is required when caught is to pay a percent of the loot. Recently, Nigerians were alarmed by a public servant who was asked to refund about one million after he

corruptly enriching himself to the tune of billions of naira. In short the corrupt practices cut across the three arms and government and private sector. What do you say of jumbo salaries and allowances being received by law makers?

The high unemployment case in the country is as a result of failure to strengthen the private sector as everybody now wants to be a politician in oder to be part of the sharing of public fund. It is a glaring fact that there's failure on the part of people vested with public responsibility to distribute the country's wealth and that has resulted in the gap between the rich and poor widening every day.

What is you view about the oil sector in Nigeria?

Everyone knows that oil accounts for majority of the revenue of our country, but it is annoying to say that Nigeria that produce oil still imports petroleum products. The most annoying thing is a question to NNPC. Why can't they provide to the public workable refineries to refine our crude oil rather than sending it overseas, after it is refined, it will be sent back to Nigeria. The cost of shipping to and fro and other contingency expences make it after all exorbitant for the consumers. If the crude is refine here, all the other off products after the extraction of petrol, Diesel and kerosene will be further used as industrial raw material like resin, etc. Now many of the oil exploration companies are still flaring gas. Why can't this gas be converted for domestic consumption. I think that the process will create more jobs and yield revenue for the nation. If we have refineries here, the fluctuating prices of petroleum products will disappear, because the products will be everywhere. I believe that will help economic growth. The idea of importing petroleum products from outside

economy rather it is siphoning our foreign reserve. Where there's economic growth, there will be more jobs for the people. Now if we must import, why won't government through NNPC import enough products to saturate the domestic market? This will make both supply and price to be steady and thus there will no longer be artificial scarcity anywhere. But today when you go to Lagos to bring fuel, you will incur such huge expenses, will make you no longer sell at government approved pump price of N97per litre. The depots are not working, this is due to lack of security. As you can see the pipelines are regularly vandalized.

Some people were given licenses to build refineries yet we have not seen any coming, what do you think?

I think there's sabotage otherwise since these licenses were given there should have been some completed refineries and that will create more jobs as well as make the products available for consumers at good prices. But let me remind you, building refinery is not a day's job. It requires very advanced technological structures and needs huge financial investment. I think government should support those who have desire to set up refineries.

Sir, you belong to Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN and they are organized. Why can't this organization set up a refinery?

Yes we are organized but not in terms of raising such huge sum of money that is needed to set up a refinery. As you may know our people want to cut corners. The petroleum products importers are into some kind of brisk business.

Most times those who are into importation do not want to trouble themselves with building an oil industry where such product will be refined at home. Let me tell you, there's something here, an importer of petroleum product will make profit for importing and he will also make another profit for selling the same product. So why

policy or regulation to stop his business in that sector?

I think there's a problem here. We should move beyond individual satisfaction. Do you know that any average refinery will create at least a thousand jobs? Yet government still encourages importation of this gift that God blessed our country with.

The various communities where crude oil is produced are crying foul, that they are marginalized even when they are the geese that lay the golden egg. What's your reaction?

Naturally it is very annoying that government will give out these areas to companies for oil drilling and after destroying the means of livelihood of the indigenous people, they will be left with nothing. No, it is not acceptable.

That is why the Niger Delta people took up arms in agitation for government to pay attention to their plight. I think these people from where this liquid gold is dug out deserve fair treatment and should get fair share of the proceed from the oil. You cannot come to my backyard and pick gold after destroying my farm and animals, you do not drop some of the gold for me. No! You will not be fair and that might cause crisis.

If you know the extent of damage done to these communities where oil is drilled, you will shed tears.

Infact they deserve more than mere promises from both government and the oil companies.

The issue of more oil blocks to the northern people of this country is disheartening. It should be looked into and corrected. Assuming that this oil is in the North, do you think they will allow anybody access to it? And if the concession is done as in this case, they will knock off everything and damn the consequences. So I am saying that there should be equity and fair play in our polity. Government should consider the oil producing areas because there is the revenue base of the nation.

THE

ADVOCATE

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Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Marginalisation of Umuogo Community in Enugu South: Insult on Jim Nwobodo

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n the wake of First Republic, while Chief Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo, was in the saddle as the Executive Governor of the old Anambra State. He was well aware of the challenges, his Nkanu Brothers and sisters who, though were qualified to hold any position both in public and private sectors in the state, but were relegated to the background, on the basis of the politics of Anambra North and South dichotomy, which were the pervasive norms of that era.

Though Chief Nwobodo grappled with these problems over time, his plan and efforts were aimed at giving respite to his people through massive developments.

One of such thoughtful efforts to bring developments even closer to his people was the creation of some new local governments, including Enugu South Local Government Authority, as it was not common then, to see somebody from Nkanu in the employment of the existed Enugu North Local Government. Interestingly, various communities and villages were delineated to form its jurisdiction (Enugu South), with her headquarters sited at the present Garikki Awkunanaw for easy accessibility. But later, the Almighty Central Government of NPN with their obsession to take over Anambra State aborted Chief Nwobodo's dream and dismantled most of the structures he put on ground.

Several years after the ouster of that Republic, the military government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, in 1991 saw the wisdom in creating Enugu South Local Government Authority. This time a military decree was invoked and Enugu South L. G. A came back into existence, with it headquarters now moved to Uwani, where it is currently located.

H o w e v e r, s i n c e t h e inception of this Local Government, its governance has been rotationally controlled by Amagugwu, Amaechi Uwani and Obeagu. Jim is from Umuogo in Amagugwu and it is disheartening to say that nobody from Umuogo, his own community has never taken a shot as the chairman of this Enugu South L. G. A, which Nwobodo, their son in his days as the political numero Uno, the primus interpares of Enugu politics, toiled to bring into existence and prominence. A sides, nobody from the said

JIM NWOBODO Umuogo has even been a councilor. The marginalization is so bad to the extent that even in the employment strata of the local government, no Umuogo man or woman has ever or is in the senior cadre of the L. G. A, whereas those in the junior category is not up to four persons.

Like Job in the Book of Job 3:25, “what Chief Nwobodo feared most has today come upon him, and what he dreaded most has befalling him.”

The very enslavement for which reason he forced Wawa man out from the hands of Anambarians, the desire and hope to end the malignant and endemic injustice called marginalization in the polity which he fought to obliterate, has today, laid siege and taken over his own Local Government. Things may fall apart, unless the stakeholders recognize the merits in these view points. Every other communities in Amagugwu has produced a chairman to the said L. G. A. except Umuogo and some have even done that twice; like the Late Sunny Anyanwu and Emma Okenwa, who both hail from Onu-agu. So, what is

wrong in an Umuogo man becoming the chairman of the L. G. A.? Like every other communities in Amechi and Obeagu, Umuogo is blessed with an embodiments of talented men and women, people who are responsible, people who have integrity, people that exudes wisdom of the rare kind and that is why they want to contribute their quota to the development of the L. G. A. and the state.

Morality and compassion some say, have no role in management of power by leaders, but let there be a sense of good justice as a nature in the minds of various stakeholders.

There has been leadership ineptitudes in the L. G. A., but with what its present occupant, Hon. Nwabueze Okafor, has done, he is a change agent, he has re-kindled every hope that good governance is still possible. Already he has set a very high standard for emerging leaders in the L. G. A., his tenure has been purpose driven, his leadership is genuine and impactful.

He is the first chairman, whose regime even remembered Umuogo and a part of Umuogo

is today on the verge of being tarred with asphalt. This is the kind of service; an average good leader from Umuogo is capable of rendering.

Chief Nwobodo, we know is not an ethnic chauvinist, he is a nationalist of note. In the past and present, he has worked tirelessly for the unity and oneness of all. So, such chance ought to be given to his community naturally, so that equity, fairness and justice will reign. Honour should be seen to be given to whom honour is due.

His excellency has experienced various tumultuous travails in the hands of individuals and governments in his efforts to emancipate the Igbo in general, politically.

To this effect, Umuogo youths forum in their recently concluded Easter retreat, were unanimous in thanking the Executive Chairman of the L. G. A., Hon. Nwabueze Okafor. The youths said in their communiqué that if it is in their power to award chieftaincy titles, they should have awarded a chieftaincy title of Mmiri na Ezo-lu Oha to the young chairman, because his government has touched the

lives of all, like rain. More importantly, the youths resolved that there is no going back in their clamour for power shift to Umuogo when next the tenure of Amagugwu will come. The meeting which was unavoidably attended by the youths, both home and in Diaspora was to articulate a common front on whether as a matter of respect, they should still liaise with Chief Nwobodo or they should use every available lawful means to achieve a reversal of this neglect, as issue of high profile marginalization of this nature, will continue to pose a source of concern unless immediate solution are proffered.

According to the youth's president, Mr. Christopher Ngene, who is a business mogul at Nnewi, “Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere, and that many amongst all these who is who today, both in the Local Government and the State, are people whose Chief Nwobodo's political benevolence indeed catapulted them to their present enviable heights.”

He therefore wondered why they should sit in judgment against the development of his own community.

Mr. Christopher Ngene who also described this as a height of ingratitude, is asking for a rethink by the key political players from both Amagugwu, Amaechi Uwani and Obeagu as such action is capable of igniting a flame of controversy and discontent that may threaten the sanctity of peace that has been existing in these communities.

Every oak tree we know starts as an acorn. Jesus began in a stable but He didn't stay there.

David was a shepherd boy with a slingshot but he became Israel's greatest king. Joseph was a prisoner but he became a prime minister. Understand this: There is a seed God has planted in Umuogo, that is capable of producing a harvest of righteousness and peace in the land and the people will be better for it. No wonder, King Solomon said in the Book of Proverbs 29:2; “that when the righteous are in authority the people rejoice.” THIS CHANGE IS INEVITABLE. DAVE CHUKWU Writes from Port Harcourt Call: 08030902448 Or Email:davikerialtd@gmail.com

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Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

FROM THE

ADVOCATE

COURT

Chukwumerije faults S/Court on treason charge for MASSOB

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hairman, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, has described the recent Supreme Court ruling on the leader of Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, and six others as a reprimand against anyone who took the part of non-violence approach to issues.

He also linked the difficulty at tackling the Boko Haram crisis to the absence of a patriotic civil society.

Chukwumerije, who said this in Lagos, regretted that other groups that took up arms against the state were granted amnesty, while MASSOB leadership was being tried for treason, despite

Senator Uche Chukwumerije

being non-violent His words: ''Let me first concede to the Supreme Court because in the wisdom of law, I am not supposed to comment on it, but I will see that judgment as a supreme irony on what is happening in the country today. I see it as a supreme reprimand of any protester who takes the part of peace and peace resolution. ''MASSOB had all its life been against the use of violence. And what it is getting in reward is to be charged for treason and other organisations from OPC, to the Niger Delta militants to the present Boko Haram are now being lionised and given amnesty and rewarded for taking up arms against the country.'' ''I now see what is happening to MASSOB as a continuation of

the civil war and discrimination against the Igbo, but I just want to state that when you continue cheating on people like this because you think they are down and out, you are creating a cesspool which would explode one day. It happened at the end of the first World War among the Germans. ''When you talk about Boko Haram or any other terrorist organisation, they don't come from the moon.

They live among people, so everybody knows everybody. Therefore, if you have a highly patriotic and civil society, you will be able to say that it is Mr A or Mr B that is behind it. But that population has been alienated and it is because of decades of misrule in the country.''

Court remands 18-yr-old, 13 others over robbery

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teenager, Kazeem Adedun, was among the 14 persons ordered to be remanded in Olokuta Prison for armed robbery by an Akure Chief Magistrate Court in Ondo State last weekend.

Three others were ordered to be remanded in police custody by the Chief Magistrates, Mrs Funke Adegoroye and Johnson Adelegan, following their

arraignment in two separate courts in Akure for armed robbery cases.

Two others were granted bail and one discharged.

The offences were committed between December 13, 2012 and March 31, 2013.

At the Akure Chief Magistrate Court II, those arraigned include: A b d u l l a h i A b u b a k a r, 2 0 ; Abubakar Mohammed, 20;

Mohammed Alih, 20 and Umaru Shehu, 25.

Police Prosecutor, Inspector Zakari Ibrahim called for adjournment to enable him duplicate the case file at the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mr Johnson Adelegan, remanded the accused in prison and adjourned the case

2 soldiers, a civilian in court for alleged murder

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he Police on Tuesday arraigned three men, Asovabo Clement, Cpl Alhassan Halidu and Cpl Linus Anthony before an FCT High Court for alleged criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide.

The prosecutor, ASP John Ijagbemi, said the three men were of kabaji Village, Mararaba, Nasarawa State; DHQ DR and D Division, Area 7, Garki, Abuja, respectively.

Ijagbemi said on Feb. 14, 2011 at about 1.30 a.m. in Gaduwa, a settlement within the jurisdiction of the court, the three men committed culpable homicide.

He said the three had beaten up one Ubale Abdullahi of Gaduwa Junction, Abuja, (now deceased) with military belt and blocks. “The deceased sustained injuries on the frontal part of the head and bruises all over his body, as a result he died on the spot.'' He said the offence was punishable under Section 221(a) of the Penal Code.

Section 221(a) states that

“anybody who intentionally causes death or such bodily injury as is likely to cause death…. shall be punishable with death.''

Clement, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges, while Halidu, and Anthony would be court marshalled by the Nigeria Army.

Ijagbemi prayed the court for a

short adjournment to enable him produce his witnesses.

The presiding Judge, Justice Maryanne Anenih, granted the application and adjourned the case to June 20 for further hearing. She ordered the accused to be remanded at the Kuje Medium Prison till the next adjourned date.

Pastor in court for allegedly raping 3 pupils

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ASTOR Emmanuel Matthew (50) was Tuesday arraigned before Justice Husseini BabaYusuf of the FCT High Court for alleged rape of three pupils in his school.

Mathew, who is the pastor and General Overseer of The Choice Bible Church, Mpape, and proprietor of the primary school where his

victims attended, was arraigned on a six-count charge of rape.

He was accused of having carnal knowledge of two seven-year-old pupils and a nine-year-old on different occasions in his school office without their consent, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 283 of the Penal Code.

to May 22, 2013.

Similarly, Police Prosecutor in Court III, Sgt. Olowofeso Martins asked the court to remand all the accused persons to enable him seek legal advice from the DPP. Those remanded at the Olokuta Prison by the Magistrate, Mrs Funke Adegoroye include: 18-year-old Kazeem Adedun; James Sageh, 27; Busuyi Oni, 36 and Isaac

Patrick, 28, : Ifedayo Adanri, 29; Tunde Ojoko, 28; Oladejo Olalere, 25; Abiodun Edward, 24.

Adedun and Oni, were arraigned separately on another five-count charge of armed robbery. The three persons remanded in police custody are Adefare Ifeoluwa, 23; Christopher Moses, 37 and Sule Azeh, 43.

A 19-year-old, Onu Joseph, was however discharged by the Court.

Ghanaian urinates in court over N550, 000 theft charge

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Ghanaian, who was charged with theft of motorcycle spare parts valued N550,000, on Monday urinated in court when a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing was read to him.

Mohammed Daniel, 34, whose address is unknown, sells pastries (puff-puff).

The edgy accused urinated on the floor of the Ebute Meta Magistrates' Court as he was docked.

Daniel immediately pleaded guilty to the charges.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Cpl. Iyobosa Onaiwu said the offences were committed on

March 25 at 12.15 p.m. at No. 23, Coate St., Ebute Meta.

She said the accused went into the shop of one Mr Silva Chinemadu and stole the spare parts.

Onaiwu noted that the offences contravened Section 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

The accused may be sentenced to three years imprisonment, if convicted, under Section 285, while conspiracy attracts a two-year jail term.

The Magistrate, Mr F. J. Adefioye, adjourned the case to May 6.

THE

ADVOCATE

13

Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

ADVERTORIAL LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT DESECRATION OF TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NAY NIGERIA The Igbo Unity Foundation, an umbrella association of Igbo Cultural and Social Groups, deem it germane to bring to Mr. President's knowledge the inanities and timorous breach of the provisions of the constitution of Nigeria by the Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi. This letter is timely as Mr. Obi has decided to denigrate and rubbish the hallowed and revered institution of Traditional Rulership in Anambra State by showing total disrespect, contempt and disdain for the Royal Fathers in the State nay Nigeria.

It is against this backdrop that we want to condemn completely and unreservedly the recent unconstitutional directive by Governor Peter Obi that Traditional Rulers in Anambra State should not travel out of the State without either his knowledge and approval or that of his Special Adviser on chieftaincy Matters, which has attracted adverse comments from the traditional rulers themselves.

This directive was triggered off by the fact that some Traditional Rulers, stakeholders, Opinion Leaders and President-Generals of Town Union and Associations in the State honoured an invitation to a wedding in Lagos extended to them by an indigene of Anambra State resident in Lagos, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah.

As is the Custom in Igboland, nay all parts of Nigeria, Dr. Ubah hosted his Guests, showed them his home, took them on a tour of his facilities in Lagos and made provision for their trip back home. This development did not go down well with Governor Obi who then decided to put the Traditional Rulers to task by questioning their trip to Lagos without his approval and asking them to return whatever money was given to them by Dr. Ubah. In turn, Governor Obi promised to provide SUV Vehicles for the Traditional Rulers as a Greek Gift.

We are concerned about Mr. Obi's actions as it is unheard of in the history of Nigeria. It is a dangerous precedent which is capable of bringing the revered institution of Traditional Rulership to ridicule, mockery and disdain in the whole of Igboland and Nigeria. This practice is reproachable and we condemn it in its totality.

In our Country, Traditional Rulers represent their people. They are the Custodians of the Culture, Custom and Tradition of the people. They are the moral forces in the society. Other Politicians have continued to accord them their due respect, including your Government. We, are therefore, taken aback by Governor Obi's attempt to humiliate some of them just because they attended a social function, in Lagos.

We believe that Traditional Rulers are not Civil Servants who should be monitored and checked to ensure that they are at their Duty Posts. Traditional Rulers are Custodians of the Culture of their people. They are not Politicians. Their positions transcend Politics. We do know that you have personal regard and respect for Traditional Rulers and you have even conferred National Honours on some of them. It is, therefore, wholly mind-bogging why a sitting Governor should treat Traditional Rulers as though they are his Personal Staff and Aides.

It is stranger than fiction to ask Traditional Rulers to return money given to them by somebody who appreciates and dignifies them. The directive that they should not travel out of the State without the Governor's approval is also a breach of their constitutional right to freedom of movement and right of association. It is as though they committed a crime by honouring an invitation by one of their own.

We want to complain to you that Obi's action is arbitrary and draconian. It is a breach of the constitution. He pretends to be Your Excellency's friend but he does not follow your footsteps in regard to your relationship with Natural Rulers.

By his directive and action, Governor Obi is toying with the valued and revered institution of Traditional Rulership in Igboland and Nigeria, we shall resist the action vehemently and constitutionally. We cannot sit by and watch our great Traditional Rulers being treated like servants and scums of the earth. It is an abomination.

There is evidently no justification for the directive that there should be official approval of trips outside Anambra State by the Traditional Rulers. This is incongruous with the present democratic dispensation. It is not justifiable either by reason or in law because Dr. Ubah is a Nigerian Citizen. We do not know when it became a crime to visit him.

It is necessary, as insiders, to pose these questions to Governor Peter Obi of Anambra state so that he can explain to us when, it amounted to an offence or crime for any citizen of Anambra State including traditional rulers to visit Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah.

1) Did he, Governor Obi not visit Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah in Lagos with all the members of his Executive Council just like the Traditional Rulers and others did recently?

2) Was Governor Obi and his Cabinet Members not taken round Dr. Ubah's business empire, organizations and facilities after which he, Governor Obi, appreciated and commended Ubah's economic and genuine investment in the

downstream sector of the oil economy just as the traditional rulers and other stakeholders were conducted round the facilities.

3) Did Governor Obi not describe Ubah as an illustrious and worthy son of Anambra State after the facility tour just as the traditional rulers and others were marveled at the ingenuity and business acumen of Ubah?

4) Was, Governor Obi's bills and those of his delegation at Protea Hotel Lagos not picked and settled by Ubah?

5) Did Governor Obi and his team return and refund the provisions made for them by Ubah, including the vehicle given to Mr. Obi by Ubah, during their facility tour of the business organizations owned by Ubah in Lagos? Or put differently did Governor Obi and members of his Executive Council return the huge provisions made for them by Ubah during their visit as customary equivalent of presentation of kola nuts to a guest as he is now asking the traditional rulers to do?

6) When did it become a taboo to host and treat one's guests well and provide something in lieu of the traditional kola nuts to them as was done by Ubah for his cross-section of guests, including traditional rulers, legislators, clergymen and other stakeholders in line with the precedent set by Governor Obi and his Executive Members?

7) Did Governor Peter Obi inform and communicate Mr. President that he and full complement of his executive council were visiting Dr. Ubah as he is now demanding of the traditional rulers?

8) Has there been a time in history when the Governor of Lagos State requested the Oba of Lagos to seek clearance from him before attending a social function outside Lagos State?

9) Has any Governor of Edo State ever demanded approval of Oba of Benin's trips outside Edo State?

10) Have the respective Governors of the States where the Ooni of Ife and the Alafin of Oyo reign supreme ever asked them to seek their leave before trips outside their respective states?

11) In like manner, has there been a time when the Governor of Sokoto State requested the Sultan to seek his approval before any journey outside Sokoto State?

12) Can Peter Obi remember any time when the Emir of Kano was directed to get the nod of approval of the Kano State Governor before venturing out of Kano State?

The answers to these posers bring to the fore the frivolity and naked show of power implicit in Peter Obi's directive. It is a pointer to the dictatorial leadership in place in Anambra State, and the desperate desire to humiliate the traditional rulers. It is a clear testimony that the leadership as presently constituted in Anambra State are guilty of that dreaded abuse of power and authority referred to in judicial circles as Executive Lawlessness.

We are at sea to observe that Governor Peter Obi was conspicuously absent during the May Day cerebrations in Awka whereas President Goodluck Jonathan was in Abuja identifying with workers and cutting the May Day Cake. Because of his lack of respect for other institutions, Governor Obi preferred a private visit to Canada as against identifying with Labour on the occasion of the Workers' Day. Any wonder, then, that the Secretary to the State Government who stood in for him was booed by the workers who felt slighted by the Governor's absence as reported in Punch newspaper of May 2, 2013.

Against the backdrop of the charade in Anambra State, we call for the prevalence of caution, reason, good sense and temperance on the part of the leadership in the State. Our concern is for justice and fair play to be done especially during the Governorship election which is around the corner.

The present way of conducting government business in Anambra State is an ill-wind which will not blow anybody any good. Let justice be done and let it be seen to have been manifestly done.

We, therefore, entreat Your Excellency to rein in on Obi to draw a line of demarcation between Politics and Traditional Rulership as he may ignite confusion of outstanding proportion in Igboland if he does not retrace his steps in this direction.

Okechukwu Ndubuisi National President

Anthony Chukwuka National Secretary

14

THE

Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

ADVOCATE

Nigerian Military Heads of State (1) Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe AguiyiIronsi (3 March 1924, Umuahia - 29 July 1966, Lalupon, Oyo State) was aNigerian soldier. He served as the Head of State of Nigeria from 16 January 1966 until he was overthrown and killed on 29 July 1966 by a group of northern army officers who revolted against the government.

Early life Thomas Umunnakwe AguiyiIronsi was born to Mazi Ezeugo Aguiyi's on 3 March 1924, in Umuahia-Ibeku, present-day Abia State,Nigeria. When he was eight years old, Ironsi moved in with his older sister Anyamma, who was married to Theophilius Johnson, aSierra Leonean diplomat in Umuahia. Ironsi subsequently took the last name of his brother-in-law, who became his father figure. At the age of 18, Ironsi joined the Nigerian Army against the wishes of his sister.

Military career Aguiyi-Ironsi enlisted into the Nigerian Army on 2 February 1942 and was admitted and excelled in military training at Eaton Hall,England and also attended Royal Army Ordnance Corps before he was later commissioned officer as an infantry officer in the rank ofLieutenant on 12 June 1949.

He soon returned to Nigeria to serve as the aide-de-camp to John Macpherson, Governor General of Nigeria and he was assigned as equerry to Queen Elizabeth IIduring her visit to Nigeria in 1956, for which assignment he was sent toBuckingham Palace to train.

During the Congo Crisis of the 1960s, the United Nations Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjรถld, appealed to the Nigerian government to send troops to Congo. Lieutenant Colonel Ironsi led the 5th battalion to the Kivu andLeopoldville provinces of Congo.His unit proved integral to the peacekeeping effort, and he was soon appointed the Force Commander of the United Nations Operation in the Congo.

Congo In 1960 he led the Nigerian contingent in Congo. There he single-handedly negotiated the release of Austrian medical personnel and Nigerian troops when they were ambushed by Katangese rebels. For this he was awarded the 1st class Ritta Kreuz Award. He also single-handedly confronted an angry mob in Leopoldville, disbanding them.This and many other exploits earned him the name

Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi "Johnny Ironside", a corruption of his name "Ironsi" with reference to various British military historical parallels.

Ironsi returned from Congo in 1964 during the postindependence "Nigerianization" of the country's institutions of

Republic The political crisis in postcolonial Nigeria precipitated into a breakdown of law and order in some of the country's provinces.

The inability of Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa to quell the situation incited the military to

Ironsi inherited a Nigeria deeply fractured by its ethnic and religious cleavages. The fact that none of the high-profile victims of the 1966 coup were of Igbo extraction, and also that the main beneficiaries of the coup were Igbo, led the Northern part of the

dealt with fundamental human rights, freedom of expression and conscience. Also the Circulation of Newspaper Decree No.2 which removed the restriction to press freedom put in place by the preceding civilian administration. According to Ndayo Uko, the Decree no.2 was to serve "as a kind gesture to the press.." to safeguard himself when he went on later to promulgate the Defamatory and Offensive Decree No.44 of 1966 which made it an "offense to display or pass on pictorial representation, sing songs, or play instruments the words of which are likely to provoke any section of the country."Also the controversial Unification Decree No. 34 which aimed to unify Nigeria into a unitary state. Even though this decree was abolished when Aguiyi-Ironsi was deposed and killed, the decree was to affect the Nigerian foreign policy decision making system in a significant way: the abolition of "independence" of the regions in foreign policy. Until then the Nigerian regional governments could make their own foreign relation policies independent of the federal government.This decree removed Nigeria's many contradictory tunes on foreign policy and various "miniembassies" abroad were closed down.

Supreme Military Council Counter coup and assassination

government. It was decided that the British General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Nigerian Army, Major General Welby-Everard, would step down to allow the government to appoint an indigenous GOC. Ironsi led the pack of candidates jostling for the coveted position.

A consensus was reached by the ruling Northern People's Congress (NPC) and National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) coalition government, and Ironsi became General Officer Commanding of the Nigerian Army on 9 February 1965.

Politics Fall of the First

terminate civilian rule in a bloody coup d'etat on 15 January 1966. The revolutionary soldiers, led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, an Igbofrom Okpanam near Asaba, present day Delta state, eradicated the uppermost echelon of politicians from the Northern and Western provinces. Though Ironsi, an Igbo, was originally slated for assassination, he was able to outmanoeuvre the rebellious soldiers in Lagos, the Federal Capital Territory. Ironsi then rose from the ashes of the First Republicto become the country's first military Head of State when Acting President Nwafor Orizu officially surrendered power to the military.

194 days in office

country to believe that it was an Igbo conspiracy. Though Ironsi moved swiftly to dispel this notion by courting the aggrieved ethnic groups through political appointments and patronage, his failure to punish the coup plotters and the promulgation of the now infamous "Decree No. 34"which abrogated the country's federal structure in exchange for a unitary one crystallized this conspiracy theory.

During his short regime AguiyiIronsi promulgated lots of decrees among them the Emergency Decree known as the Constitution Suspension and Amendment Decree No.1 suspending the Constitution even though he left intact those sections of the constitution that

On July 29, 1966, Ironsi spent the night at the Government House Ibadan as part of a nation-wide tour. His host, Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, Military Governor of Western Nigeria, alerted him to a possible mutiny within the army. Ironsi desperately tried to contact his Army Chief of Staff, Yakubu Gowon, but he was unreachable.

In the early hours of the morning, the Government House, Ibadan, was surrounded by soldiers led b y T h e o p h i l u s Danjuma.Danjuma arrested Ironsi and questioned him about his alleged complicity in the coup, which saw the demise of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello. Although some have argued that Fajuyi was not a target in this counter-coup, Theophilus Danjuma,William Walbe and others have gone on record to say that they probably wanted him "for questioning" as much as they did his boss, Aguiyi-Ironsi. Fajuyi was seen as a so-called progressive, who had supported the Nzeogwu coup in January of that year. The bullet-riddled bodies of Ironsi and Fajuyi were later found in a nearby forest, and Yakubu Gowon became the new Military Head of State.

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Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Blackberry partners Junior Achievement Nigeria to launch stem innovation camps for students

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lackBerry and non-profit organization, Junior Achievement Nigeria, has launched the Junior Achievement Young Enterprise programme for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Innovation Camps in Nigeria.

Over 55 high-school students from 13 public and private schools took part in the first camp, which focused on business challenges in the field of mobile technology. The Innovation Camp concept was developed through a partnership between BlackBerry and the Junior Achievement Young Enterprise.

The initiative aims to encourage 14 to 18 year old students to consider STEM careers by raising awareness of the field's possibilities and show-casing industry role models. It builds a bridge between the classroom and the workplace by aligning education with business needs.

At the STEM Innovation Camp, students were asked to create an idea for a mobile application that could be used by students in the classroom. Students also created sales plans in support of their mobile app concept to develop business skills, and the winning team was chosen by a panel of judges incliuding: Bridget Chukwuma, Senior Channel Sales Manager at BlackBerry and Kola Ayenitaju , Retail Channel Sales Manager.

At the end of the day, filled with challenges and a tremendous amount of innovative thinking, the Team 11 Young Engineer for Problem Solving (YEPS), which was comprised of: Osamudiamen Azamegbe (International School, Akoka) Nkemka Chidubem (Fountain Heights Secondary School, Surulere), Abin Zorto (Dowen College Lekki) Olise

Cross section of some participants at the event Azum (Akande Dahunsi Memorial High school, Ikoyi), Bankole Ilerioluwa (Redeemers International Secondary School, Maryland), Ipinyemi

Oluwadamilola (Debiruss College Lekki) were selected to represent Nigeria in the Junior Achievement International Finals next month, against thirteen other

schools from around the world.

“This was a good programme in which I learnt many things,” said Bankole Ilerioluwa, a representative of the Team 11

YEPS group. “It made me think outside the box and made me showcase myself and it has enhanced my communication skills.”

“BlackBerry was built on the backbone of innovation and entrepreneurship, so we are committed to helping to develop business, science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills,” said Waldi Wepener, the Regional Director for East, Central, and West Africa.“We are proud to support Junior Achievement Nigeria's quest to develop socially responsible attitudes among business leaders and companies operating in Nigeria. Through regular STEM camps, we hope to help create an environment of entrepreneurial and innovative thinking.”

The Junior Achievement global final will take place on the 13th June 2013 and include winning teams from the UAE, Spain, Italy, India, Thailand, Argentina, China, Sweden, Mexico, Malaysia, South Africa, Nigeria, Columbia and Indonesia.

Glo in massive network upgrade with $750m Huawei deal

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econd National Operator Globacom, has struck a $750 million deal with Huawei Technologies to upgrade its network and expand its current capacity. The deal came just a few days after the launch of Mobile Number Portability in Nigeria. The company said the network enhancement project was part of its tenth anniversary plans to enhance the experience of the millions of subscribers on the Globacom network.

The partnership will see Globacom build new switches,

increase mobile switching centres to ease congestion and construct additional 4,000 km of optic fibre cable which will complement the existing fibre optic facility.

The deal will also include the upgrading of Glo's IP/MPLS and TDM technologies which already has 30 gigabyte capacity to a fully integrated Generalised Multiprotocol Label Switching (GMPLS).

This will help the company meet requirements of enterprise customers, video, voice and data services.

Part of the upgrade will also include installation of new base stations and densification of existing ones; setting up of three new mini call centers across the country to take care of vast increase in subscriber figures and upgrade of the radio access network which will ensure that data customers enjoy unparalleled speed and reliability.

The company's Group Chief Operating Officer, Mohamed Jameel, explained that “it is our 10th anniversary and we have been the network of choice for Nigerians because of the unprecedented manner with

which we pioneered various technologies and products in the market. “We are upgrading in order to continue to serve them better. After 10 years in business, we decided to upscale our network ten- fold to the very latest technology in global telecommunications. The massive expansion project will involve network upgrade and overhaul of infrastructure across the country as well as expansion and densification projects that will on completion in six months enable the network to cater more for its existing and potential subscribers,” Jameel said.

NCC bids to regulate management of telcos

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ROM today, the Nigerian Communications Commission decidedly is moving into management regulation of telcos operating in the country, following its resolution to “immediately enforce and implement Accounting Separation on the dominant operator.”

Not only that, the telecoms regulator bids to fix prices in some segments of the telecoms market by requiring operators to set tariffs within a price cap and price floor to be determined by the regulator.

At the weekend, NCC designated MTN Nigeria as the dominant operator in the Mobile Voice segment of the nation's telecommunications market, which the regulator also said is

“not effectively competitive.”

In a document, Determination of Dominance in Selected Communications Markets in Nigeria, posted on its website, the telecom regulator noted that “the mobile voice market is not effectively competitive and is still highly concentrated with an HHI (Herfindahl Hirschman Index) of 3063. MTN has a 44% market share of subscribers within this market. There is also a wide differential (of about 300%) between on net and off net calls and this is indicative of the likely establishment of a calling club for MTN subscribers.”

As a result of this, the NCC resolved that the Dominant Operator in the Mobile Voice market, in this case, MTN Nigeria, shall be required to adhere to the following

obligations: a) Accounting Separation: The Commission will immediately enforce and implement Accounting Separation on the dominant operator; b) Collapse of On-net and Off-net Retail Tariffs: The differential between the onnet and off net retail tariffs will be immediately collapsed. The tariff for on net and off-net will be the same, and subject to periodic review; and c) Submission of Required Details: The Commission may require the dominant operator to submit details on specific aspects of its operations from time to time as the need arises.

To curtail dominance by another operator, the regulator informed all and sundry in the document that it “shall make a determination of pricing principle to address the

rates charged for on_net and off_net voice calls for all other operators.”

Similarly, in the upstream segment of the market (comprising spectrum, tower sites, network Equipment, Wholesale Broadband/ Internet Access, and Wholesale Leased L i n e s a n d Tr a n s m i s s i o n Capacity), the regulator noted that “ MTN and Glo jointly control about 62% of the public terrestrial transmission infrastructure which is a bottleneck resource in the provision of voice and data services. There are concerns that operators playing in the wholesale and retail sub segments of these markets have the leverage to “squeeze” the margins of their competitors who are also their customers.”

As a result, NCC designated GLO

and MTN “as joint dominant Operators in the Wholesale leased lines and transmission capacity sub segment of this market.”

In respect of this, both GLO and MTN shall be required to comply with the following: a) Price Cap//Price Floor: The Commission will come up with a price cap for wholesale services and price floor for retail services, and subject to periodic review. b) Accounting Separation: The Commission will immediately enforce and implement Accounting Separation on the joint dominant operators. c) Submission of Required Details: The Commission may require any of the joint dominant operators to submit details on specific aspects of its operations from time to time as the need arises.

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Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

ADVOCATE

With gratitude to God for a life well lived the family of Ndukwe wishes to announce the passing unto glory, our beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather, Brother, Cousin and Uncle FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS Sunday 9th June 2013 An Evening of Songs by the family 15 North Second Avenue, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu Time: 5pm Monday 10th June 2013 Social Wake keep by the Coal Camp Family. Ivy Chemists. 6 Arochukwu Street Ogbete- Enugu. Time: 5-7pm Tuesday 11th June 2013 Christian Wake-keep at his residence 15 North Second Avenue, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu Time: 5:00pm

AMOBI NDUKWE (KSC) on Wednesday April 17th 2013 at the age of 87.

Thursday 13th June 2013 Body leaves Eastern Nigerian Medical Centre for a flag stop at 6 Arochukwu Street, Ogbete-Enugu 11:00am: Commendation Service at St Peters (Ang) Church, Ogbete- Enugu

Friday 14th June 2013 9:00am- 11:00am: Lying in state at his residence, Ndukwe’s Compound, Ifite Oraifite 11:00am: Funeral Service at St Matthews Anglican Church, ifite-Oraifite, Ekwusigo LGA, Anambra State

1:00pm: Body departs Enugu for his hometown, Ifite-Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Anambra State

Saturday 15th June 2013 Funeral Ceremonies continues for in laws, associations and groups

7:00pm-10:00pm: Christian Wake keep at his residence, Ndukwe’s Compound, Ifite-Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area, Anambra State

Sunday 16th June 2013 9:00am: Outing service at St Matthews Anglican Church Ifite-Oraifite, Ekwusigo, LGA, Anambra State

Interment follows immediately at his residence, Ndukwe’s Compound, Ifite, Oraifite

May his Gentle Soul Rest in peace Mr. Emeka Ndukwe for the family

THE

ADVOCATE

Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

17

With Chinwe Chukwu E-mail: brownsugarbarbie@ymail.com

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blessing to the West African continent! It's no news telling that Ankara is trending and won't be going out of style very soon. It comes both in western cuts, classic and traditional and can be jazzed up with super accessories. Which ever way you choose to roll, you can take a cue these stylish folk here.

Tips on Good Dressing Sense Dressing well doesn't have to cost you a fortune. In fact, you may already have everything you need in your closet right now. If you pay attention to fit, detail and quality, your clothing should make you look effortlessly chic and will last for years. You don't have to have an ingrained fashion sense to dress well. Just pay special attention to what suits your body, personality and lifestyle.

Master your Wardrobe You should always have a fitted T-shirt and long-sleeve shirt in both black and white. Women should also have tank tops in each of these colors.

Brown and gray are super-versatile staples that you can stock up on. Everyone needs one pair of quality jeans that fit and flatter them. A white button-down shirt will instantly make you look polished as long as it's clean and ironed. Invest in a quality black suit; It's timeless and will make you look instantly professional. A pinstriped oxford shirt goes great with everything from suits to jeans, so keep one on hand. Make sure you have at least one blazer to layer over shirts. Always have one outfit appropriate for black-tie events; you never know when you might need it and it's almost impossible to shop for when you actually do.

Know what Fits Don't buy clothing you don't feel comfortable in, even if it's fashionable. You'll only wear it once and you'll regret passing up that item that made you look good and feel good. If shoes are slightly uncomfortable in the store, they'll be unbearable once you actually wear them. Don't ever buy clothes you hope to fit into someday. Buy what looks good on you now and get it altered or replace it if your size changes. Your jackets and coats should always be fitted; otherwise, it may cause you appear unkempt and heavier than you actually are.

Keep your Style Simple Keep an open mind when it comes to color. While it's easy to spend every day in black and white you'll miss out on some truly flattering garments that way. Use prints, but use them sparingly if you're uncertain. Try to keep the number of colors in an outfit at a minimum. Any more than three and you will look sloppy. It's better to be overdressed for an event than underdressed. If you're unsure about appropriate attire for an event, bring something along that can dress up a casual outfit. Blazers, ties, cardigans and jewelry can all take a casual look to next level in a matter of seconds.

A good maintenance will do Get to know your neighborhood tailor; he can make the difference between an adequate wardrobe and a stylish one. For both men and women, the work of a good tailor can make clothes that looked pretty good in the store look like they were made for you. Have jeans hemmed or taken in at the waist for a perfect fit; it will only cost a few but the effect is priceless. Wash your clothing according to the directions to make them last longer. For quality shoes that you love, resole them when they get worn down. It's cheaper than buying a new pair and it will make them last longer.

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Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

ADVOCATE

Mother slashes daughter with blade for wasting N100

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ngry residents of OnoOdan Street, Ijanikin, Lagos, nearly lynched a mother, Kudirat Abiola, for c u t t i n g h e r n i n e - y e a r- o l d daughter, Precious, with razor blade.

Kudirat made deep cuts on Precious's back, left leg and right arm with the blade to “teach her a lesson.”

Kudirat decided to punish her daughter after she wasted N100 given to her by her father on junk food.

A resident, who pleaded anonymity, said that neighbours were furious after seeing the damage on Precious, adding that the incident was one of many brutalities perpetrated by Kudirat, a mother of two and a trader.

He said, “We wanted to take her to the police, but Precious pleaded f o r h e r. T h e r e s i d e n t s nevertheless searched for Kudirat, but she could not be found.

Precious' father, Dayo, is a customs officer.

A resident, Fasai Sunmonu, said Precious' father was not always at home because of the nature of his work.

It was learnt that Precious, a primary six student of Marvellous Nursery and Primary School, Sele, Ijanikin, had on Monday shown her wounds to a friend, Mosaki Rachel.

Rachel said, “Precious told me that her father gave her N100 on Sunday and she spent it. But she did not know that her mother had cooked rice at home. When Precious's mother found out, she beat her first, then used blade to cut her body. When I saw the wounds, I took her to my uncle, Fasai, who has hydrogen peroxide, for treatment.”

Precious, however, told our correspondent that her mummy was just training her.

She said, “I like my mummy, and she likes me too. She is just training me. My father saw the wounds on Monday and got angry. I told him not to fight with my mummy. My father said he would take me to hospital for treatment. But since then I have not seen him.”

Kudirat's friend, Ramat Sunmonu, a teacher, said Kudirat believed in corporal punishment.

She said, “She often beats her children including the younger one, Daniel, who is four years old.

We were closer before, but because of her aggression

Precious towards her children, I don't often visit her anymore.

“I was informed of the incident while coming back from church .

I ran to her house and when I saw

the wounds, I was perplexed.

“I was told that she had run away from home since Monday morning because she was scared that her mother would do more

harm. Precious came home at 9pm.”

Segun Abogun, who resides in a room next to the Abiolas, said, “We have learnt to stay out of her (Kudirat) way.”

Kudirat, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, however, said she inflicted the injury on her daughter because she was fond of coming home late.

She said, “I cut her because she often comes home late at about 11 pm. She doesn't stay at home and she is naughty.

“I did not punish her because of N100, but because of her bad behaviour. I want her to show the mark to her grand children to tell them that disobedience does not pay.”

LOVE GONE SOUR: NSCDC Inspector arrested for posting nude picture on Facebook

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Senior Inspector in the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Bayo Onifade, of the Oyo State Command has been arrested by the police for posting a nude picture of his mistress on facebook after their relationship collapsed.

It was gathered that Onifade and the married woman started their private love affair in December last year in Saki, a major town in the northern part of Oyo State.

While the relationship lasted, Onifade was said to have taken his lover to a location in the town where he took her nude photograph with his mobile phone.

But disagreement broke out when the woman decided to stop the relationship in March. The decision did not go down well with the NSCDC Senior Inspector.

He was said to have pleaded with her to continue with the secret affair but the 27-year old mother of two declined. It was learnt that Onifade consequently posted the nude photo of the woman on facebook .

Facebook users close to the woman's husband were said to have drawn his attention to it, a development that made him send his wife packing. Onifade, 32, has since been arrested by police.

It was learnt that Onifade was

arrested for defamation of character and indecent assault of the woman.

The State NSCDC Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Olusegun Oluwole, confirmed the incident and said that Onifade has been suspended pending resolution of the case.

Lucifer, Christ, Rogue banned as names in New Zealand

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ew Zealand officials released the country's list of banned baby names, including Lucifer, which has been requested six times since 2001.

The Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, which must approve all requests for baby names, said the last 12 years have seen six failed requests for the name Lucifer as well as 62 rejections for Justice, 31 failed

requests for King, 28 rejected requests for princess, 27 failed requests for Price and 25 rejections for Royal, Other names on the registrar's banned list include Duke, Major, Bishop, Majesty, Knight, Lady, Messiah, Christ, Lord and Rogue.

Officials said they also received one request for the name Anal, which was rejected.

The registrar's list also bans the

use of brackets around middle names, which were requested four times, and using a backslash between names, which was requested eight times.

The agency said approved names must not be considered offensive to a reasonable person must not be unreasonably long and must not resemble an official title or rank.

Homosexual stabs partner to death, police arrest neighbours

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he Lagos State Police Command has started investigation into the murder of a banker, Adindu Ohamara, who was stabbed to death by his suspected homosexual lover in Akoka, Bariga Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.

It was gathered that Ohamara lived in a three-bedroom flat with his elder sister, Flora and one Collins, an undergraduate of the University of Lagos.

According to residents, the banker was stabbed repeatedly at his residence located at 26 Obayan Street.

It was learnt that Ohamara, who was believed to be a homosexual, was fond of bringing different men, who were also believed to be into same sex relationship, to his home.

It was learnt that trouble started when he (Ohamara) decided to get married due to pressure from his family.

A resident, who craved anonymity, said after the banker had his wedding introduction, a man, believed to be also a gay came to fight him.

He said, “A few weeks ago, Ohamara did his wedding introduction and shortly after that, one man came to the compound to fight him.There was a lot of noise over the issue and even neighbours had to come to settle the matter.

“The unidentified man complained that he had been jilted and threatened to deal with Ohamara before he left in anger.”

Our correspondent learnt that on April 9, 2013, the banker returned home with a man, who allegedly stabbed him at midnight and left.

According to police sources, hours before the incident, Collins went to Oharama's room where he met the stranger sitting on Oharama's bed, discussing with him.

A domestic worker in the house, who

craved anonymity, said he saw the suspect fleeing with a laptop at midnight.

He said, “It was a Friday evening.

Ohamara came home with the man and they went inside. I went to sleep but at midnight, I saw the man carrying a laptop and then he opened the gate and left. He did not run so I was not suspicious.

“Around 4am, Collins and Flora started shouting for help. A neighbour came to help them and they took him into his Toyota Camry and drove to a hospital.”

It was learnt that Ohamara was taken to Jonken Hospital from where he was referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital Idi Araba where he was confirmed dead.

The matter, it was learnt, was reported at the Sabo Police Division but was later referred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.

Our correspondent, who visited the house on Monday, learnt that the police later arrested all the adult occupants of the building, including the security guard identified only as Kazeem.

The policemen allegedly demanded N350,000 from each of the detained persons before they could be released.

The landlord of the property, Yemi Oketola, said the deceased had issued him two post-dated cheques as payment for his rent.

Oketola on hearing of the arrest of his other tenants, visited the SCID and appealed to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Damilola Adegbuyi, for their release.

He said, “I do not live in the house but immediately I got wind of the incident, I went to the SCID and I met with the DCP in charge. I complained that a neighbour, who took Ohamara to the hospital ,was arrested. The DCP promised that my tenants would

be released.

“When I went to see the Investigating Police Officer, he informed me that the cost of bailing each person was N350, 000. I called the DCP and he was very angry when he heard about the demand. He said he would make sure that the tenants were released.”

When contacted on the telephone, the spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the murder.

Braide however said she could not confirm if the deceased was a homosexual or not.

She said, “According to information I got at the SCID Homicide unit, there are only two suspects in custody, the deceased's sister (Flora) and the UNILAG student (Collins). I am not aware of any other arrests.

“Also, I am not aware of any N350, 000 bail because bail is free.

Investigations are ongoing and we will get to the bottom of it.”

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Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

19

No gang up against Jonathan will stand - Dokubo-Asari

· Says Amaechi will be treated like a traitor

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eader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujaheed Dokubo-Asari, has described Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State as a traitor.

He said that since the governor joined forces with the North to work against President Goodluck Jonathan, he has betrayed the people of the Niger Delta.

Dokubo-Asari, who spoke with journalists on Friday in Abuja, on Jonathan-Amaechi rift among other issues, said the 2015 general elections would “define and decide” the existence of Nigeria.

But the Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, which countered saying even though Dokubo-Asari was entitled to his opinion, the veracity of his claim was questionable.

She said, “I am sure those are Asari-Dokubo's views. It is a democracy and so everybody has a right to abuse; whether those views are right or wrong is irrelevant. I do not think that as a government, we will respond to that; there is nothing to respond to in his allegations.

“Dokubo-Asari has every right to his views. But whatever he wants to say, the veracity of it is a different matter.”

The ex-militant leader said, “Rotimi Amaechi has been making disparaging statements against the person of President Goodluck Jonathan. He went to

MNR worried over state of the nation

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Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi Kano State and declared there that he would contest 2015 presidential election as a running mate to a northern aspirant. He is free to do so, but the South-South will not allow traitors among us.

“If Amaechi has singled himself out as a traitor, he will be treated as a traitor; there is nothing anybody can do about it. Now that we have come out of slavery, nobody can take us back into slavery, it is not possible.

“If they like, let them 'settle him' and Goodluck, but we, the people of the Niger Delta, will not 'settle' and allow a traitor in our midst.”

On the 2015 presidential election, Dokubo-Asari said no “gang up”

against Jonathan would stand.

He said, “I want to say that there will be no peace, not only in the Niger Delta, but everywhere, if Goodluck Jonathan is not the president by 2015, except God takes his life, which we do not pray for.

“Jonathan has uninterrupted eight years of two terms to be president, according to the Nigeria constitution. We must have our uninterrupted eight years of two tenures. I am not in support of any amendment to the constitution that will reduce the eight years of two tenures that Jonathan is expected to be president of Nigeria.”

he National Chairman of the Movement for National Reformation, MNR, Chief Chris Amechi Echukwu, has expressed concern over the present state of the nation, particularly the endemic insecurity in the country with specific reference to incessant state of kidnappings.

He was specifically unhappy with the demise of Dr Chudi Nwike who until his death was a veritable member of the Movement.

Chief Echukwu while condemning the perpetrators of the wicked, barbaric and cowardly act, took a swipe on the government for failing to tackle the endemic security problem in the country.

He contends that in line with the Igbo adage that traces the root of murder to the foundry, the government should take the blame.

He MNR leader said: “The rudderlessness of the government encourages these hoodlums that the end justifies the means. The looting spree further hardens them that money is everything and should be pursued by any means at all cost. The insensitivity of government to lack of employment drives them to crime as the look for, and cut corners for livelihood.

'What a pity that on top of these, the police is now overstretched with protecting our nouvex riches. Just imagine the number of different platoons and battalions guiding and guarding the entourages, and homes (at villages and townships) of our billionaires and trillionaires- and they are now many in the country.

What is now the number of police personnel left to checkmate the kidnappers and protect the innocent citizens? It is a pity that Dr Nwike died in the middle of the struggle to reform the nation.

He was simply wasted by hoodlums. Who knows whose turn is next.”

Coming out from the caucus meeting of the movement, Chief Echukwu assures that the movement is intensifying her activities. The Movement was the arrow head of NADECO and PRONACO. He said the death of their founding father and leader Chief A. Enahoro does not inhibit in any way the activity and struggles of the Movement.

Asked about alliance with any existing party, Echukwu said that contacts and consultations had been going on with patriotic groups and parties with similar objectives. He promised to make known in due course the intentions of the Movement.

Corruption under Jonathan's administration sinking Nigeria - Ezekwesili …As Obasanjo Lampoons FG over ex-Minister's probe Minister

of Education during the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili has again raised the alarm that Nigeria is sinking under the weight of corruption going on under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The ex-minister recently accused t h e J o n a t h a n / Ya r ' A d u a government of squandering a whooping $67 billion from the country's foreign reserves. The comment had generated heated debates from the public and the presidency which in turn ordered a probe of Ezekwesili's tenure as minister of education.

Ezekwesiili who spoke again during a Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) service to commemorate her 50th birthday in Abuja vowed not to keep quiet in the face of bad governance in the country. She denied nursing any political ambition.

According to her: “Actually, there is nothing about being interested in politics if you

u n d e r s t a n d d e m o c r a c y.

Democracy is incomplete without the engagement of the citizens in the process. The demand for accountability and for results is the role of citizens. You don't have to be in politics in order to be an active citizen engaged in the democratic process. The reason that we have lacked results and accountability since our first democratic experiment in the 60s was simply because the citizens failed to play that role. I am not going to be a citizen that acts like a eunuch like there is no capacity to demand accountability.

“So, I am not a politician. The day I decide that I want to be a politician, you don't need to guess, you will see me. I am very candid, I am very frank, I am too honest to play games on things that I believe in. I don't want to be a politician, I am not a politician but I am an active citizen who is basically carrying out the role that every citizen of this nation must carry out.

“My general overview is that we

are going through the throes of challenges that require a very strong sense of sacrificial leadership. The corruption in the society right now is so endemic, it's almost become democratized.

And that is going to sink us. We need not implode under the weight of corruption. We need to tackle corruption and tackle it as you would tackle cancer. It can kill.

“There is no need pretending that this country is not burdened by the weight of a cancerous phenomenon that is called corruption. Every Nigerian knows that we have a problem.

This is a broken society and it has permeated every aspect of our national life. So, we must do something about it. Nobody is going to take my voice. Voice is God-given. God has given every Nigerian the voice in order to determine the kind of results we will get from our leaders.

"In a democracy when you sit quietly and you are murmuring in your home, nobody that is leading will have the incentives to offer

you results. Every one of us must demand for results. The resources that are spent in this country are greater than what 25 countries in Africa spend. There 25 countries in Africa that do not have the equivalent of what we have in this country. So to that extent you can see that if there are no results that are coming out of the spendings of oil money in this country, it must become your responsibility.

The society must be mobilized to play its active responsibility in underpining democracy that works for larger number.”

She said this much even as former President Obasanjo lampooned the Jonathan administration for instituting any probe against Ezekwesili. ”Anybody talking about probing Oby is wasting his time, Nigeria is instead owing her”, he said as he laughed off the issue .

According to him: “actually those who wanted to probe you (Oby), you should have asked them to because if they are honest probers they would find out that government of Nigeria should give you money for what you

Mrs Oby Ezekwesili have done for this country without stealing money.

“I have always said this, whatever you want to blame in my government, blame me. Don't blame any of those people who assisted me. If there is any credit to dispense we share it, but for anything you want to say is wrong, I was the one in charge and I was in charge.”

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Jonathan's Administration steadily descending into despotism, ACN warns

By Our Reporter

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he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has raised the alarm that the Jonathan Administration is steadily descending into despotism with a brazen assault on the freedom of expression and the press, the use of national institutions against perceived enemies and a growing inclination to denigrate opposition leaders.

“The Jonathan Administration is anchored on a Transformation Agenda. But the only transformation that we can see is the one from a democraticallyelected President to an Emperor, a despot,” the party said in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity S e c r e t a r y, A l h a j i L a i Mohammed.

“If the President is not prevailed upon to change course, Nigeria may be in for another season of anomie, reminiscent of the days of the maximum ruler who took the country to the brink before his sudden demise,” it said.

ACN said that the way President Jonathan is handling his political disagreement with a member of his party, Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, has portrayed him as a leader who is willing to jettison democratic ideals and principles on the altar of personal ambition.

The party wondered why national institutions have to be bastardized and compromised just to get at a political enemy, specifically citing the role being played by the M i n i s t r y o f Av i a t i o n , i t s parastatals like the NCAA, NAMA and FAAN, as well as the EFCC and the police, among others, in the presidency's clash with the Gov. Amaechi.

“Like we said before, we are not perturbed by what is happening in the PDP. Our main concern is the fact that the party's internal crisis is overheating the polity and threatening the country's hardwon democracy. After the theatrics of the aviation agencies and their parent ministry, the EFCC has suddenly realized that the cost of the Rivers State's plane was inflated by US$10 million while the police have sacked the Secretariat of Obio-Akpro local government in Rivers. The question is: Who gave the orders for the police to sack the Secretariat, and in the process take sides with the President in the political disagreement with the Governor?

“Which are the other national institutions that will be drafted into this scorched-earth campaign against a perceived non-conformist party member? If the President can go to this length against his own party man, what will he do against the opposition?

Why is it that a democratically-

elected President cannot be challenged by anyone, whether or not he is a member of his party?” it queried.

ACN also expressed concerns at the growing propensity of the administration to stifle the freedom of expression and freedom of the press, citing the report by the media rights group Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), on the occasion of this year's World Press Freedom Day on May 3rd, as a global testimony to the worsening record of the administration as far as press freedom is concerned.

“According to the CPJ, Nigeria has become one of the worst countries in the world for deadly, unpunished violence against the press. Nigeria and Somalia are also the only African nations listed on the CPJ's 2013 impunity ranking. Yet, the government has not relented in its attacks against the media: Gestapo-style arrest of Leadership journalists; Fines slammed on Liberty Radio in Kaduna over a listener's opinion

on the so-called Good Governance Tour; Arrest of two journalists of the Kaduna-based Al Mizan newspaper and the ban on a documentary on poverty in Nigeria, just to mention a few.

“Also, the ferocity with which the Jonathan Administration went after a former minister of education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, for claiming that President Jonathan frittered away the 67 billion dollars in foreign reserves which she said President Olusegun Obasanjo left behind in 2007; and the fate that befell NEMA spokesman Yushau Shuaib for daring to criticize the lopsided appointments in parastatals under the Ministry of Finance, are glaring actions of an Administration that is bent on stifling Freedom of Expression.

“These anti-democratic measures will worsen as the 2015 elections approach. Therefore, all lovers of democracy must join us in speaking out against the Jonathan Administration's descent into

President Goodluck Jonathan despotism. This is the only way to prevent a President's desperation for power from torpedoing our country's democracy. After all, a critical benchmark of a democratic society is the

existence of a vibrant, free and independent media that will give the citizenry a platform to freely and vigorously debate current issues,” the party said

Police Inspector arrested over alleged accidental discharge

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he Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr Umar Manko, has announced the arrest of a Police Inspector for allegedly killing a man with his official rifle.

Manko made the disclosure in Lagos when he met with the newly-elected officers of the Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN) on Friday.

The police commissioner said the suspect allegedly went for a distress call, but later committed the crime under unprofessional circumstances.

“We are not interested in what led to the distress call. But we are interested in the fact that a life was lost in the incident. The Inspector acted unprofessionally.

“He has spent 28 years in the Force, so he should have been more careful.

“Right now, he has been arrested and transferred to the State CID, Panti for investigation.

“He will be prosecuted for murder,'' Manko who said he was ready to expose and deal with any police officer found wanting in the discharge of his duties said.

Until his arrest, the police inspector was attached to the Elere Police Division in Lagos State.

Meanwhile, Manko has emphasised the need for a level playing ground for the police and journalists reporting crime to

interact and exchange views as partners in the fight against crime.

The police commissioner decried speculations in reporting crime, saying journalists on the crime beat should try to cross check their facts before going to press with their stories.

“Let us be objective in our reportage. Let us build on the good relationship we share.

“If I do anything wrong and you publish it, I have no problem with that. But I will not be happy about outright falsehood,'' he said.

Manko then congratulated the new officers of CRAN, asking them to help ensure a better working relationship.

“As long as I remain here as police commissioner, I will

continue to partner with CRAN,'' he said.

Earlier, the CRAN Chairman, Mr Christopher Oji, had said he and his team were in Manko's office to introduce the new executive committee members to him.

“We are also here to intimate you with our yearly programmes,'' he said.

Gunmen rob Yola NNPC Mega station, kill three

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nidentified gunmen suspected to be armed robbers killed three people Friday in the Adamawa State Capital.

The three were killed at a popular shopping centre in Vinikland along the ever busy Yola-Mubi road.

Eyewitness said that the gunmen had earlier robbed a popular NNPC Mega Filling Station and another private filling station before the proceeded to the shopping centre.

According to the eyewitness, the gunmen drove to the filling stations and the shopping centre in Peugeot 406 car as they pretended to be customers before carrying out their operations.

At the two petrol stations, it was gathered that their entire sales for the day running into millions of naira were carted away by the gunmen.

Two of the victims of the robbery incident at the shopping centre were said to be management staff of the new

generation bank in the state, though this could not be ascertained before going to press.

Following the incident, the ever busy Yola-Mubi Federal High Way which also links Borno, Yobe and other parts of the North East sub-region was cordoned by a Joint Military Operation.

It was not clear whether some arrest were made, though Adamawa State Police has confirmed the robbery incidents.

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Jury in Philadelphia abortion doctor case ask for babies' descriptions

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n the fourth day of deliberations in the trial of a Philadelphia abortion doctor, jurors asked Friday for a description of the babies the doctor is accused of killing.

Prosecutors say Kermit Gosnell, 72, killed babies by using scissors to cut their spinal cords.

Authorities allege that some of the infants were born alive and viable during the sixth, seventh and eighth months of pregnancy.

In Pennsylvania, abortions past 24 weeks are illegal unless the health of the mother is at stake.

In addition to asking for the description of the four babies, the jurors asked to be given the written definition of RICO charges, and a property receipt for the medications removed from the clinic and put into evidence. RICO charges extend from the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. After consulting with attorneys, Judge Jeffrey Minehart answered the jury in the deliberation room.

Gosnell and his co-defendant, Eileen O'Neill, 56, were not in the courtroom.

The nature of the questions indicate the jury has completed the charge sheet for O'Neill -who is charged with practicing without a license, not performing illegal abortions -- and have

moved on to Gosnell.

If found guilty of first-degree murder, Gosnell, who is not a board-certified obstetrician or gynecologist, could be sentenced to death.

Gosnell originally faced firstdegree murder charges in the deaths of seven babies and a count of third-degree murder in the death of Karnamaya Mongar, 41. Mongar died of an anesthetic overdose during a secondtrimester abortion.

Minehart threw out three of the seven first-degree murder charges last week.

On the first day of deliberations, the jury sent out questions regarding one of the name of a patient and the definition of "theft by deception." O'Neill, who is a medical school graduate, is charged with participating in the operation of a corrupt organization and theft by deception for operating without a license to practice medicine.

Gosnell also is charged with conspiracy, abortion at 24 or more weeks of pregnancy, theft, corruption of minors, solicitation and other related offenses. He and O'Neill have pleaded not guilty.

The babies Gosnell is accused of killing include one that a former employee testified whined after it was expelled from its mother; one

that a former employee testified was a large baby boy that breathed before having its neck snipped and was placed into a plastic box the size of a shoebox; one whose neck was snipped after an employee played with the baby; and one that was delivered into a toilet and appeared to be swimming before being scooped up and having its neck snipped.

Defense attorney Jack McMahon has maintained that none of the infants was killed; rather, he said, they were already deceased as a result of Gosnell previously

administering the drug Digoxin, which can cause abortion.

In his closing argument, he accused prosecutors of "the most extraordinary hype and exaggeration in the history of the criminal justice system," even adding that they are "elitist" and "racist."

Gosnell, who is AfricanAmerican, has been accused by authorities of preying on lowincome, minority women.

McMahon argued that Gosnell offered access to health care for people who were poor and without health insurance.

Minehart also has tossed out all

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five abuse-of-corpse charges relating to storing the feet of aborted fetuses in plastic containers. The judge dismissed one count of infanticide, the intentional killing of an infant.

Gosnell also is accused of reusing unsanitary instruments; performing procedures in filthy rooms, including some in which litter boxes and animals allegedly were present at the time; and allowing unlicensed employees -including a teenage high school student -- to perform operations and administer anesthesia.

Nine others who worked in the west Philadelphia medical office, including Gosnell's wife and sister-in-law, also were charged.

Eight have pleaded guilty.

Horror: Woman kills 2yr-old boy with bottle, arrested

By Our Reporter

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middle aged woman has been arrested for killing a t w o - y e a r - o l d b o y, Toluwalase Fadahunsi, in Iju, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The deceased was said to have been killed while sleeping in his mother's room last Tuesday.

The suspect, popularly known as Madam Ajayi, reportedly murdered the boy by smashing a bottle on his head.

It was gathered that the deceased was sleeping on his mother, Mrs Iyabo Fadahunsi's bed when Ajayi allegedly sneaked into the room and committed the crime.

Toluwalase's cry attracted her mother who rushed into the room to find him in a pool of his own blood.

Before help could come from neighbours the boy reportedly died as a result of the impact of the bottle on his head.

The mother's cries was said to have attracted neighbours who

rushed to the house. The suspect's attempt to escape was thwarted.

She was reportedly beaten blueblack.

The suspect who was later rescued from the angry mob and handed over to the police in Iju/Itaogbolu said she did not know what she had done nor what made her do it Police image maker, Wole Ogodo, who confirmed the incident said the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, for investigation.

Ali Monguno, Nigeria's first oil minister, kidnapped

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he lingering Boko Haram insurgency in some states of the North had again witnessed a strange trend as gunmen suspected to be members of the sect kidnapped the first Nigeria's Minister of Petroleum, Shettima Ali Monguno. The octogenarian Monguno, who was the Nigerian representative at the United Nations General Assembly, was reportedly kidnapped by four gunmen shortly after performing the Friday Muslim (Juma'at) prayers at Mafoni, a Boko Haram hot spot in Maiduguri.

An eyewitness, Malami Mansur said the foremost educationist was abducted while he was leaving the mosque for his GRA home. “Four young men appeared with guns and asked those who were with him to get out of the car, a peugeot station wagon, and they took him away,” the man said. Family members and relations had gathered at his expansive compound when the news broke out. Many wondered why Ali Monguno who has been advocating dialogue as a way of resolving the Boko Haram imbroglio suddenly became the target of the sect's new kidnap strategy.

“It is sad and ironical. It appears like a twist in the whole insecurity issue,” a senior official of the

Borno State government said.

Monguno's kidnap is believed in the security circle in the state to be an outcome of intelligence report on the insurgent group. The Joint Task Force (JTF) had last week warned of plans by Boko Haram to commence kidnap of senior government officials and rich men ostensibly to raise fund

to finance its activities.

“Intelligence available to the task force has indicated that Boko Haram terrorists have resolved to concentrate more on kidnapping than robbery.

They alleged that kidnapping is more lucrative, less dangerous and requires short time to plan and execute. Similarly, a special

kidnapping squad has been earmarked and tasked by the sect to kidnap persons who could be wealthy relations, politicians, businessmen/women, traditional rulers, senior civil servants and foreigners alike. “The task force wishes to alert members of the public of this trend, urge all to be wary and continue to be security

conscious at all times. The public are advised to avoid or be very sensitive to strangers and friends that have not been in contact for long. “Additionally, members of the public are also warned to avoid isolated areas and shun meetings or friendship organized through telephones or social media,” a JTF statement signed

by Lt Col Sagir Musa had said.

Shettima had advocated an amnesty package for the Boko Haram members when President Goodluck Jonathan visited Borno early March to end the lingering insurgency in northern Nigeria.

Meanwhile, a top official of the state government told reporters that Governor Shettima was “obviously shocked, emotional and disturbed on receiving news about the kidnap of elder statesman and former Minister of Petroleum, Dr Shettima Ali Monguno.

The source further said the governor wondered why “a 92year-old man that has dedicated his life to helping orphans, poor widows and vulnerable children i n t h e s o c i e t y, o f f e r i n g scholarships to children for even Islamic education, building Islamic schools, feeding the poor and even advocating peaceful negotiation and amnesty for the sect members, would be kidnapped”.

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1914 Amalgamation was a 100 year experiment

by Lugard –Nnadi Chief Richard Nnadi, renowned philanthropist, social commentator, member Independent Petroleum Marketers Association IPMAN, and Chief Executive officer of NARCO Oil decries the many imbalances meted to the Igbos since the history of amalgamation of North and South as one entity called Nigeria. In this Interview with The Advocate UBA ANI, the oil magnet bares it all, calling on public officers to give human face to management of oil industry and other national affairs.

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he 1914 amalgamation of Nigeria by the British colonial administration has been described as a union done without the consent or due consultation of the affected peoples who became Nigerians.

What is your take?

The 1914 amalgamation of the Colony of Lagos and Southern Protectorate and the Northern Protectorate was an exercise done without human face. Before the British came, there were multilingual and cultural groupings that have no common identity. But when the British got the mandate to control these areas that became Nigeria, all the peoples and groupings were lumped together for administrative and tax collection purposes. When it came to choice of name, Lord Lugard had to seek the opinion of a journalist, Flora Shaw, who suggested the name of Nigeria from what people know it, from the way she filed her stories, referring to it as people from the “Niger area” hence Nigeria. The coinage of the name Nigeria from people of the Niger area was accepted by Lord Lugard who later married Flora Shaw, hence she became known as Flora Lugard.

One thing with the use of Nigeria was that the British colonists had an arrangement where they decided to use Nigeria as an experiment for 100 years beginning from 1914. What that meant was that if at the end of the period of experimentation with Nigeria, it doesn't work; the people have an option to go for another arrangement whether to remain or to seek for another name and country.

Between you and I, it is not in doubt that a lot of things have been happening in Nigeria which glaringly show that we are not one and the only option left for countrymen and women is to seek for a peaceful way of deciding to remain as Nigeria or to opt out.

Some people have tended to describe Nigeria as a country of many nations, with many of the ethnic groupings too large to become a nation of its own. The population of Nigeria is today not less than 140 million people, meaning that, going by the population of some country like

Chief Richard Nnadi, Gabon, Nigeria ought to have not less than 20 countries in it.

Today in Nigeria, there is no doubt that discordant tunes which are being played are pointer to the fact that some persons are no longer comfortable with the country becoming one. There is the Ijaw National Congress and Niger Delta Movement championing for the cause and interest of Niger Delta region, The Arewa Youth Congress, Arewa Consultative Assembly and terrorist group Boko Haram and Ansaru are working for the Northern and Islamic control of the country. The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, (MASSOB) and Biafran Zionist Movement want an independent Biafran nation that was aborted some 43 years ago.

Ethnic cleavages are today the lot of Nigeria as each ethnic group wants to play dominance in the affairs of the country.

With each passing day, some people begin to feel that the reality of the country's break up is a foregone. Yes, the President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Senate President David Mark and others had spoken, making

commitments to avert any possible disintegration of Nigeria but despite their assurances, political watchers are still alarmed that the happenings in the country that made America predict about Nigeria's breakup on or before the year 2015 could become a reality.

People are of the view that America like Britain, Nigeria's colonial master is aware of the top secret document of possible break up of Nigeria at the expiration of the 100 years of amalgamation of the country.

Some Nigerians have had to call for National Sovereign Conference as against the National Conference to provide a platform for Nigerians to sit round the table and re-negotiate our federal structural defects and skewed fiscal mobilization and distribution. In Nigeria today, we talk about state of origin, and federal character because we know we are not one and we try to satisfy other ethnic groups that may feel cheated from sharing the national cake. Today politicians are first of all ethnic jingoists and tribalists before becoming nationalists. People who get national appointments see that as

an opportunity to be part of the sharing of the national cake. Our leaders and representatives struggle to move projects irrespective of the fact that they are needed in their areas. Today, oil pipelines have been dug to pass thousands of miles from the South where oil is found in commercial quantities to the North where there are stored in the name of one Nigeria. The clamour for rotational presidency is due to animosity borne by some groups and ethnic minorities that they have been cheated from producing the President of the country.

All in all, the 1914 amalgamation was not done with the consent of the people, and that is why Nigeria is described as a British creation and intention for the country, and unless, we tell ourselves the honest truth to revisit our coming together, the problems facing the country will continue to recur like a decimal.

Do you still have faith in the Nigerian Project?

The Nigeria project requires we see ourselves as brothers and sisters, as Nigerians. One cannot believe in a Nigerian project when an ethnic group continues to bear the brunt of nationalism, when only Igbos especially those in the Northern part of the country are killed from month to month and the only consolation from our leaders are lips service threats that enough is enough. No pro-active measures are taken to curb the excesses, as only reactionary options are taken. The Nigeria Project can only work when we embrace issues in the country with patriotic passion. That means that we as Nigerians have to sit down to agree on what we want and what we don't want.

I think the only time we have peace and see ourselves as one Nigeria is when the country's national teams are engaging in international football championships.

The present crop of Ohanaeze is clamouring for Igbo President come 2015. What is the place of Ndigbo in the entire political arrangement?

In Nigeria today, given our ethnic leanings, each group wants to have a president from their own zone. Of all the major ethnic groups, a person from Igbo extraction is yet to rule Nigeria in real term. The North through the conspiracy of the military dominated had leadership in Nigeria. The Yorubas have equally ruled Nigeria for a considerable number of years. It is only the Igbos that are yet to have a reasonable taste of leadership.

Late General Aguiyi Ironsi was killed after few months in office as Head of State. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe after championing for the independence of Nigeria was compensated with just the

ceremonial post of the President while Tafawa Balewa wielded the real power as the Prime Minister.

It is an irony that even when Ndigbo as a major ethic group is yet to serve as the president in Nigeria, the minority South-South zone has taken up the Presidency with overwhelming support by Ndigbo. However, we are all aware of how Jonathan emerged from the unfortunate demise in office of his boss, Yar'Adua.

Following our constitution, somebody can serve for two terms in office. Some persons are of the opinion that Jonathan has not served the two terms meant for the South- South geo-political zone.

Going by that argument, he still has a chance to contest for the presidency, unless a contrary development occurs. I do know that power is not given and from experience over the years, there is no particular time that a zone or ethnic group was asked to field a candidate and others never fielded. We have had situations where people from the North like Abubakar Rimi contested for the Presidency when it was said that the Southern region should produce the President. Similar experiences have obtained when the Southern region was expected to produce the president.

Though we say, Jonathan should run for the Presidency, I don't see the reason why other zones should fold their arms and say, no other person should seek for the post. I don't see that happening. On the move for an Igbo man to become president of Nigeria, I don't think it is a bad aspiration, but I think it is always better to dialogue to avoid hiccups after the election.

The North through some of their leaders opposed Jonathan from contesting and even threatened bloodshed and fire should he win.

What we have been witnessing since he emerged is not far from the threat. Some pundits are of the contention that if somebody makes another person's tenure ungovernable, should the person expect to rule who? Ofcourse, whatever anyone sows, that he shall reap.

In the book, “There Was A Country”, written by professor Chinua Achebe, late Yoruba leader, Obafemi Awolowo and Western Nigeria were roundly accused of masterminding the failure of Biafra. Do you agree?

The Igbos and Yorubas are known to have a long relationship over the years. But along the line, the Yorubas have been known to have worked against the interest of the Igbos like the conspiracy that forced Zik back to the Eastern Nigeria from Lagos, the seat of power in the Western Region. The Igbos and Yorubas were in agreement about the early

Continues on page 10

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End casualisation of doctors, NMA tells Governors

By Our Reporter

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he Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, had appealed to government at all levels to halt with i m m e d i a t e e ff e c t f u r t h e r casualisation of doctors's employment across the country.

The President of the NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, who made the call in Lagos, specifically appealed to the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola to stop the casualisatoion of doctors in the state.

Lagos State Government had in 2012 employed about 373

medical doctors as locum doctors (casual workers). According to the Lagos State Government, the locum doctors were engaged to put an end to doctors strike in the state.

Enabulele, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the 53rd A n n u a l G e n e r a l Conference/Delegates Meeting of the NMA, also urged all state governments, particularly Lagos, that were yet to implement the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to do so without further delay.

Reacting to the ongoing war on

professionalism and hierarchichal order in the country's public hospitals and its H e a l t h S e c t o r, w h i c h h e described as "Pull The Doctor Down Syndrome (PTDDS)", Enabulele said: "This syndrome, which at best is premised on strange efforts to attain equal standing with the doctor in terms of professional calling, status, remuneration and responsibility, is being advanced by some groups of support staff in public hospitals."

He posited that unprofessional campaign and equality beauty contest is being fought with all

forms of manipulative tactics including use of outright blackmail, falsehood, threat and act of intimidation, strike and other unwholly strategies.

“For someone to say that anyone that offers any form of service to a patient in the hospital is a medical doctor is to say the least, a clear expression of mischief and crass ignorance."

Speaking on the theme of the conference "e-Health and its Potentials for Improving Healthcare Delivery in Nigeria", he said: "NMA is very willing to collaborate and cooperate with the federal government through

the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and the Federal Ministry of Communication and Technology to urgently put in place an effective strategy for the implementation of e-health in Nigeria, one that includes a formidable governance and information architecture, as well as adequate resources and finances for its implementation in order to realise its immense benefits."

However, the president of the NMA regretted that Nigeria is yet to develop a national policy on ehealth.

NAFDAC destroys fake drugs worth N400m in Benue

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he National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Thursday, destroyed substandard, fake and adulterated medicines and food valued at N400 million in Makurdi.

The Director General of NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii, who led the destruction, vowed that the agency would continue to destroy harmful items in pursuant to its mandate of ensuring a healthy country.

He said that the items were seized by various NAFDAC units across the North Central zone and explained that most of the items were expired medicines.

“Most of the expired drugs were voluntarily handed over to NAFDAC by officials of the state ministries of health and other stakeholders,'' he stated.

The NAFDAC boss decried the prevalence of fake drugs and described the situation as “economic sabotage and terrorism against public health.

“I have always urged religious and community leaders, traditional rulers and members of the public to support the fight against the cankerworm. I will continue to sing that song,'' he said.

The NAFDAC boss said that the agency was determined to rid the country of all counterfeit and fake drugs via proactive approaches that would combat the menace.

He said that the agency had modern technologies to track fake and adulterated drugs and called for public support toward total success.

Said Orhii: “We have deployed the latest technology in this fight and we are happy that we have results. We are the first medicine regulatory authority in the world to deploy the use of the TRUSCAN equipment to identify counterfeit medicines on the field.

“We have also deployed the Mobile Authentication System, Minilab and Black Eye and they have also greatly contributed to a

significant drop in the percentage of fake and counterfeit medicines in circulation in our country,” he said. He assured Nigerians of the

agency's continued onslaught against fake drug sellers and their agents, saying that surveillance and enforcement operations were

being intensified at the ports, borders and other identified routes used by smugglers.

NAFDAC last week launched its

sensitisation campaign against fake, adulterated drugs and foods in Benue and promised to take the campaign to the rural areas.

Poor sleep reduces sperm count by 33% – Experts

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LEEP problems can drastically lower the fertility of young men, warns a study.

Those struggling to make it through the night have more problems than those enjoying a sound rest. Their sperm counts were cut by a quarter and they also had smaller testicles.

The latest research is the first to look specifically at whether broken rest affects male fertility although links between sleep and health have been well-studied.

Sperm counts have been tumbling in recent years amid fears that male fertility is being harmed by poor diet and lifestyle o r e v e n ' g e n d e r- b e n d i n g ' chemicals in the environment.

But work at the University of Southern Denmark suggests that modern sleep patterns may also be a factor.

The scientists examined nearly 1,000 men in their late teens or early 20s about to do military service. They gave sperm samples and answered questions about how well they slept.

Questions included how often they slept badly and how often they found it difficult to nod off.

The men were also asked if they regularly woke up during the night and found it difficult to go back to sleep.

Those who frequently retired late, woke many times in the night or struggled to nod off in the first place, had a sperm count 25 per cent lower than those who had no trouble.

Tests showed that their testicles were also significantly smaller, according to the study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

It said: “The frequency of sleep

disturbances has increased in the industrialized world during the past few decades, a period in which a decline in semen quality has also been reported.

“The results may have important public health implications.” They added that it was not clear why sleep problems affected sperm levels and that it had not been proven that one caused the other.

The researchers stressed that men

who sleep less tend to have unhealthier lifestyles. They weighed more, drank more alcohol and were more often smokers.

It was also possible sleep problems affect levels of testosterone. At least one other study has found keeping young men awake for longer reduces production of the sex hormone.

The report said: “This is the first study to relate sleep disturbances to semen quality. Men with a poor sleep score had poorer

semen quality and smaller testicles.'

Experts believe the ideal amount of rest is seven to eight hours a night. But the average Briton sleeps for six hours and seven minutes.

A British male fertility expert said that although the study was interesting, men should not worry.

Dr. Allan Pacey, from Sheffield University, said it was unlikely that the poor sleepers would have suffered a major impact on their fertility.

Cosmetic surgery unsuitable for some patients, says Researchers

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greater percentage of p e o p l e w i t h psychological problems or who have suffered from domestic violence undergo cosmetic surgery compared to the rest of the population. A team from the Institute of Education, UK, suggests that in some cases, patients' psychological conditions could get worse rather than better following cosmetic surgery.

The team was commissioned by the UK Department of Health to carry out a systematic review of research into cosmetic surgery procedures in the wake of the PIP (Poly Implant Prothese) controversy which came to a head in 2012.

The researchers gathered and examined data from 192 studies, including 13 systematic reviews and found that many cosmetic surgery patients were (or had been) in an abusive relationship, or had some kind of relationship issue. However, they could not confirm whether their circumstance drove them to opt

for cosmetic surgery.

A much greater proportion of patients who undergo cosmetic surgery have psychological problems, such as depression or BDD (body dysmorphic disorder) compared to people who never underwent such procedures.

Head researcher, Ginny Brunton and colleagues found that cosmetic surgery tended not to improve these conditions. In fact, some people became psychologically worse after their operation.

CBT (cognitive behavior therapy) and medical therapies are better at reducing depression and other mental health issues in patients with BDD than cosmetic surgery, they found.

It is important that patients who are interested in cosmetic surgery, and are known to or appear to have psychological issues, are offered alternative treatments, the researchers said.

Ginny Brunton said: “These issues must be discussed with patients before they

undergo treatments such as face lifts or nose reconstruction. It is crucial that at-risk patients are aware that their mental health may be affected for the worse, rather than the better.

Doctors must be aware of issues underlying requests for cosmetic surgery, who is at risk of poor outcomes, and explore fully with patients the reasons for seeking cosmetic procedures, all potential results, and possible alternative solutions”.

Some of the studies showed that there was a greater risk of death among patients who underwent breast enhancement surgery, including suicide. Further studies should be done on this, Brunton said.

Brunton added “It should be emphasised that while the evidence did not allow us to conclude that the surgery had caused these problems, or that the relationship or mental health issues were what led the patient to seek cosmetic procedures, the findings are strong enough to suggest the need for further investigation.”

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Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

ADVOCATE

Umudike Community, Micheal Okpara University at war

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major land dispute is brewing between the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture (MOAU), Umudike, Abia state and one of its host communities, Amaoba Ime Autonomous community in Ikwuano, over alleged confiscation of land by the university. The community is claiming that the university authority illegally took extra 8 hectares of their land and alleged that the university was unlawfully using the military to confiscate the said land.

Already, the community has petitioned Abia House of Assembly urging it to intervene urgently “to avoid possible explosive situation” because the youths were said to be angry with the leaders of the community whom they accused of conniving with the university authority to take over the land.

In a petition entitled “unlawful encroachment”, addressed to the Speaker of the House, the community said the petition was “to alert you on the clear and present danger existing in our community as a result of

unlawful use of the Nigerian military to confiscate our land by the leadership of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike” “Our community willingly donated to the university 171.14 hectares of land not 179 h e c t a r e s . H o w e v e r, t h e university's Master Plan will require 179 hectares of contiguous real estate. The extra

8 hectares were not in the original agreement. “We are surprised that the university is currently erecting some structures on our land without the consent of Amaoba Ime. To worsen the already flammable situation, the Vice Chancellor in his (alleged) characteristic arrogance refused to dialogue with the Central Governing body of Amaoba Ime autonomous

community over the illegal confiscation. “His action is illegal and unethical and a shame to due process, it is clear that the intrusion poses danger to lives and property of our farming community. We seek your urgent intervention to avoid possible explosive situation. “As lawabiding citizens, we do not take laws into our hands. However, we do not have the luxury of time

UTME: NSCDC arrests 82 over exam malpractice

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igeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ogun State Command, has arrested about 82 candidates of the just-concluded Unified Te r t i a r y M a t r i c u l a t i o n Examination, UTME, in the state for alleged involvement in examination malpractices.

The exam, held last Saturday in about 108 centres across the state, however, recorded no violence. State Corps Commandant, Aboluwoye Akinwande, in a statement by the Command's Public Relations Officer, Kareem Olanrewaju,

said the candidates were arrested from different centres across the state for cutting corners during the examination.

Akinwande said, 30 candidates were arrested in various centres in Abeokuta, nine in Ewekoro local government, while others were arrested at Olabisi Onabanjo University, OOU centre, and MolusiCollege in Ijebu-Ode, Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area of the state.

“Some of them were caught using their phones while others were in possession of prohibited materials like books, palm tops,

Scientific calculators among others.

The Corps will take appropriate action on the candidates caught cheating. ”The first thing is that they have been made to fill relevant forms.

Investigation will be conducted, that will determine their culpability and then we can decide on their trial. necessary information about them have been collected.

“Apart from the arrest, no violence was recorded in any of the 108 examination centres.

JAMB releases 2013 UTME results

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he Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has released the 2 0 1 3 U n i f i e d Te r t i a r y Matriculation Examination (UTME) results.

The board, however, withheld 12 110 results for possible disciplinary action.

The Registrar of JAMB, Prof.

Dibu Ojerinde, announced this at a news conference on the release of the results in Bwari, FCT, on Friday.

The registrar said after thorough processing of answer scripts of the candidates who sat for the examination, the board discovered some forms of malpractice perpetuated during the conduct of the examination. ``However, the results of 68 309 candidates from various centres are undergoing further screening to ascertain the culpability of 12 110 candidates' results.`` A total of 1 629 102 candidates applied to sit for the Paper Pencil Test (PPT), while 15 008 candidates applied for the Dual Based Test, bringing the number of candidates to 1 644 110.

The general performance of candidates in this year's examination shows remarkable improvement compared with last year. ``Ten candidates scored 300 marks and above, while 127 017 candidates scored between 1159 marks. ``About 40 692 candidates' results were invalid due to either

with youths who think we have sold out. We cannot and will not tolerate violation of our freedom and rights”, the petition signed

by Chief Thompson Orji and O. Onuba.

Receiving the petition, the Speaker directed the committee on public petition headed by Prince Ikedi Ezekwesiri to investigate the matter.

multiple shading or no shading at all. After processing all the results, the board also discovered that about 47 974 candidates were absent.`` The registrar assured the

candidates that their results could be accessed on the JAMB Website: www.myjambresult.com using their registration numbers.

He said about 40 centres would

be screened to ascertain their culpability and warned the public against Internet fraudsters. ``Information reaching JAMB shows Internet fraudsters are

The large number of arrest recorded was as a result of effective coverage by Civil Defence.

They were taken by surprise as they thought it was business as usual.

“The Corps will continue to do its best at all time to ensure examination malpractices are reduced to the minimum if not eradicated.

We will continue to appreciate the support of candidates, parents and other stakeholders,” the Corps Commander said.

already telling candidates that their results could be upgraded in one form or the other. `` This is pure deceit, the public and candidates are hereby advised to disregard these fraudsters since they do not have access to our data.

UNILORIN ordered to reinstate sacked teachers

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lorin- Justice Olayinka Faji of the Federal High Court, Ilorin, on Friday ordered the University of Ilorin to reinstate 26 sacked teachers in its secondary school.

Faji, in his ruling, described the sack of the teachers on Aug. 27, 2007, by the Governing

Board of the school as `` illegal and flagrant disregard for due process.'’

The teachers were sacked following their demand for unpaid entitlements and refusal to accept the conditions of service different from that of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities.

The judge also ordered the t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f t h e i n s t i t u t i o n t o p a y a l l University's Act and other outstanding salaries, allowances and other entitlements due to the teachers till date.

He said available evidences showed that the secondary school was a department of the institution and should enjoy

EKSU students continue protest

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tudents of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, on Friday continued their protest against the policy of "No fees, no lecture", which they started on Thursday.

This is in spite of the appeal from their "leaders" that they should stop the protest.

Although it was a peaceful demonstration, as it was on Thursday, they still maintained their position that the fees were outrageous.

They had placards with them and sang derisive songs as they protested.

They also carried symbolic

caskets of the state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Patrick Oladipo Aina, describing them as people who have money to give their children the best education but are denying the children of the poor the right to education.

The Chairman of the Students' Union Transition Committee, Adeoye Aribasoye, told Daily Sun that his Committee and Faculty Presidents of the university met with Fayemi and Aina on Thursday on the way out of the crisis.

The governor, according to

Aribasoye, agreed with their demands that they should be allowed to pay instalmentally because most of them cannot pay the tuition and other required fees at once.

The VC was said to have also accepted their demands on the condition that they should give the university Senate two weeks to decide on the matter since it is a university policy.

The students, however, refused to stop the protest on the ground that they could not trust the students leaders because they were seen as stooges imposed on them by the

authorities since they were handpicked.

All efforts to persuade the students to call off the protest did not succeed.

They insisted that the VC must address them, to be sure that the authorities meant what was promised and not just a device to cajole them.

The students were still at the university gate preventing academic and administrative activities as at press time.

The VC has refused to address the students.

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ADVOCATE Man, 40, murders relative over wedding reception plan

By Our Reporter

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NE Emmanuel Nwegwe, 40, from Umunaga village in Uburu community of Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has reportedly murdered his relative, Innocent Onu, 54, over an unresolved misunderstanding.

Sources said that the suspect had been engaged in a feud with the deceased and other relatives on Saturday over the suspects' decision to offload sand inside the compound where the family members had planned to use for a wedding reception of another family member on Sunday.

It was gathered that the family members of the suspect had scolded him over his decision to build a house for his father on a part of the compound different from the one allocated to him for that purpose.

After much persuasion, he agreed to move the sand to another part of the compound and to abide by their decision on where to site the building.

Said the source: “On Sunday morning, when the family members gathered to put finishing touches to their plan for the wedding, he came out with a pump action gun and ordered the elders to lie down.

“He opened fire on the head of one the family members, Innocent, who died on the spot.” a source said It was gathered that the suspect immediately after committing the crime, ran into a nearby forest for refuge as he was yet to be apprehended by men of the Ohaozara Police Division who had already mounted a manhunt for him.

Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr, Sylvester Igbo, DSP, who confirmed the incident said that: “the a case of murder of Innocent Onu, 54, by one Emmanuel Nwegwe, 40, at Umunaga village, Uburu in Ohaozara LGA has been reported to the command” adding that the deceased and suspect were family members.

Also speaking on the incident, the Coordinator of Ohaozara West Development Centre, Bar Roy Umahi Eze, who hailed from the community, described it as regrettable, adding that the body of the deceased had since been deposited at the Presbyterian joint Hospital Uburu.

He warned family members in the community to leave as one and avoid incidence capable of disrupting the peace and unity existing in the area.

Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

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Cousin stabs brother to death after a horrible dream

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BONYI state police c o m m a n d , M o n d a y, confirmed the killing of Chukwudalu Omege, 15, by his cousin, Uchechukwu Nwankwo, 25, after he allegedly dreamed that the deceased was among those plotting to take his life Sources said the suspect who resides at No. 7 Ibe Street, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital, immediately took a knife and stabbed his victim as he woke up from a horrible dream.

Briefing journalists at the Police Headquarters Abakaliki, the Ebonyi Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Sylvester Igbo, said the police got to know about the unfortunate incident when the murder case was

reported at the Ekumenyi Police station by a member of the deceased family (name withheld).

According to him: “A report was made at the Ekumenyi Police Station that one Uchechukwu Nwankwo aged 25 years stabbed his cousin, one Chukwudalu Omege aged 15 and the victim was rushed to the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA). Unfortunately, while the victim was receiving treatment at the FETHA, he died at the early hours of Saturday”.

“On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime. According to him, he was in a dream when he saw three men, and in that dream it was revealed to him that the three men were hatching plans to

eliminate him. When he woke up, he prayed against it and went back to sleep.

“Again, he had another dream where it was revealed to him that two other people were planning to kill him also”.

“When he looked closely in a bid to identify the people planning to kill him, he identified the deceased and immediately he woke up, picked a machete and went after the cousin, while the cousin was trying to raise alarm and run for his dear life, he went after him and killed him with the machete”.

The Police Public Relations Officer explained that the Ekumenyi Division was still investigating the matter adding

that at the end of the investigation, the command would charge those indicted for the murder to court.

Meanwhile, the Ebonyi state Police command has also warned those still using tinted glasses and unregistered vehicles in the state to desist from doing so. He added that those who use improvised or artificially fit tinted glasses on their vehicle should dismantle them forthwith while owners of factory fitted tinted glass vehicle should write to the command for permit.

Igbo noted that the Commissioner of Police Moses Ndagi had constituted a task force for the arrest of those contravening the law and warned that no payment was required for the issuance of tinted glass permit.

“Don't be deceived and violators of this order will be prosecuted by the command”.

Workers dressed in black protest sack by Abia Govt at May Day rally

By Ted Peters

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ome civil servants disengaged by Abia State Government last year for being non-indigenes of the state, yesterday, took their protest to the Enugu State Government during the May Day rally with a plea to get them reabsorbed in their home state without further delay.

Two of the affected workers dressed in black attire participated in the march past in a dramatic style at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu and were cheered by hundreds of participants who expressed sympathy with them for losing their jobs in the states where they have resided for many years.

The workers who carried a black banner with white inscription, knelt before Governor Chime's representative as soon as they got to the spot where salute was taken in a passionate plea to the government to re-engage them having lost their sources of livelihood.

Although both the government representative and labour officials declined to comment about the protesting workers, their participation in the march past appeared to have been carefully arranged by the labour to enable them draw the attention of the state government to their plights.

Those from Enugu State affected by the Abia State indigenization policy are yet to be absorbed into the state civil service, according to sources.

Addressing the state workers at the event, Governor Sullivan Chime commended the partnership and mutual

Gov. Theodore Orji understanding between his government and workers in the state saying that the relationship has contributed to the success of his transformation agenda for the state.

Chime said the administration was committed to building a functional public service system that would continue to thrive long after he has left office.

To achieve this he said, the government has set new standards and continued to meet its obligations to public servants in the state in a prompt and responsible manner while also continuing to make their welfare and re-training a priority.

The Governor who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mrs Ifeoma Nwobodo added that the ultra-modern workers’

secretariat now under construction was designed to help improve the work conditions and environment for workers and restore them the sense of decency, dignity and productivity on the job.

Stressing that the administration was committed to making a break from the past in order to achieve its set goals, the governor enjoined workers in the state to key into this initiative by striving to attain higher efficiency levels in their areas of responsibility.

He assured the workers that the government would work with their leaders to resolve all outstanding differences and ensure that the relationship between them remained strong and cordial.

Earlier in their separate

addresses, the Chairman of the state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Chumaife Nze and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Igbokwe Chukwuma Igbokwe lauded Governor's achievements especially in the infrastructural development of the state and in the prompt payment of worker's salaries and entitlements since the inception of his administration.

They however pleaded with the government to address all existing disputes with the organized labour while pledging their resolve to continue to engage in consultation and dialogue with government to iron out such differences.

The workers specifically called on the government to review upward their salaries in order to produce an acceptable salary chart.

They also appealed to the state government to reactivate some its industries that have gone moribund.

Comrade Nze in his speech called on the government to revamp Enugu State Broadcasting Service,(ESBS) Government Printing Press/Daily Star, stating that the revamping of the parastatals would provide gainful employment for the youths.

He used the opportunity to draw the attention of the government to the plight of volunteer workers, disclosing that they were demoralised because they had not been paid the N18,000 monthly stipends promised them since they were employed years ago.

Highlights of the ceremony were march pasts by various trade unions and performances by traditional dance troupes.

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Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

The Advocate Gospel This Week

THE LAW DEFINES THOSE WHO BREAK IT Text: 1 Timothy 1:8-11 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me. (NIV) Narration

Law, of whatever kind, marks out the boundaries. Step over the line and the law is broken, leading to punishment.

Keep within the line of the law and there is security and freedom from the fear of punishment. So Paul explained that God's law is good, because it defined the people whose attitudes and actions are against God's law. But law can never make people good. All it does is to let people see that they are sinners. Indeed, everybody is a sinner (Romans 3:23). Recognising our sinfulness is the start point for connecting with the Gospel.

Paul wanted the church to be open to the worst of sinners, people whose lifestyle was 'off the scale' of wickedness and social shame. He later admitted that he was also like that before he met Jesus (1 Timothy 1:16). If Jesus could save him, then anybody could be saved. So, people who were obviously sinful should not be shunned by the church; and apparently good people should examine their own attitudes. Timothy would have to confront the false teachers and immoral people, and also challenge the heart-attitudes of believers whose sins were not so obvious.

It is the same today. Self-righteousness is a trap for people who try to live a moral life; it allows the pretence that we are not sinners because we do not commit socially offensive sins. That is wrong. The truth is that we are all sinners. The Gospel is as necessary for those who fall into the sin of self-righteousness as for those who are murderers or perverts. We all need to respond to the Gospel, because only the grace of Christ can bring us forgiveness and a new start in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Gracious and Holy God. Thank You for the Gospel which describes how law-breakers like me can be reconciled to You. I am sorry when I have thought that 'good people' do not need Your grace or that 'bad people' cannot receive it.

Please help me to see my own sin without despair and the sin of others without condemnation as I come to understand the Gospel better and share it with others. May I never consider that anybody is so bad a sinner that Your grace cannot reach and heal them. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

39 killed, 30 injured, houses burnt as Christian & Muslim mobs clash

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hirty-nine people died and 30 were injured in fierce fighting between Christian and Muslim mobs in Taraba state on Friday, prompting a roundthe-clock curfew, police said.

Scores of houses were set ablaze and destroyed during the clashes in the town of Wukari which come amid a surge in religious violence in the west African nation.

“We have so far compiled a death toll of 39 people while 30 others were seriously injured,” state police spokesman Joseph Kwaji told AFP on Saturday.

Local residents told AFP that the death toll could rise.

“Thirty-two houses have also been destroyed in the violence,” Kwaji said of the unrest which has prompted authorities to impose an indefinite all-round curfew in the predominantly Christian city.

He added that 40 suspects were arrested in the aftermath of the violence.

State information commissioner Emmanuel Bello said that extra troops were deployed to the city on Saturday to bolster security.

“We have deployed more troops today to Wukari to ensure that the situation, which has been brought under

control, is strengthened,” he told AFP. The police spokesman Kwaji said Friday's violence erupted when the funeral procession of a traditional chief from the predominantly Christian Jukun ethnic group marched through a Muslim neighbourhood chanting slogans, which Muslims viewed as an act of provocation.

“The state governor has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Wukari which is aimed at restoring normalcy in the town” after the fighting, said Kefas Sule, spokesman for the state governor.

Tensions have been on the rise in Wukari since February, when a dispute over the use of a football pitch between Muslim and Christian soccer teams set off sectarian riots that claimed several lives.

Friday's violence came a day after the state government inaugurated a committee to investigate the February violence.

It also follows a surge in violence and kidnappings in the restive north of Nigeria, the epicentre of an insurgency

by Boko Haram Islamists, in recent months.

In late April fighting between soldiers and Islamic fighters in the remote northeastern town of Baga left 187 dead,

according to the Red Cross, is the deadliest episode since the insurgency began in 2009.

An area Senator put the death toll from the attack at 228, but details remain murky about the clashes which also left nearly half the town destroyed after massive fires.

Human Rights Watch on Wednesday released satellite images showing massive destruction in Baga, voicing concern that the military has “tried to cover up” abuses that should be investigated by the International Criminal Court.

The military has pushed back aggressively against these reports and fiercely denied claims that soldiers fired on civilians or deliberately torched scores of homes.

The global rights watchdog said the insurgency in north and central Nigeria by Boko Haram has claimed 3,600 lives since 2009, including killings by the security forces.

Nigeria's former oil minister, Shettima Ali Monguno, 87, was kidnapped Friday by gunmen who stormed his vehicle outside a mosque in the restive city of Maiduguri, a stronghold of Boko Haram.

Government and security officials met late Friday in Maiduguri to discuss ways to effect his safe release, officials said.

Boko Haram amnesty: FG is legalising terrorism, says complaints against the Christian youths Federal Government, if

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HE Youth Wing, C h r i s t i a n Association of Nigeria (YOWI-CAN) and A n g l i c a n Yo u t h Fellowship, Nigeria have warned that the proposed amnesty to the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram by the Federal Government is nothing but the legalisation of terrorism in the country.

President of YOWI-CAN, Dr. Simon Dolly and the president of AYF, Wuse Archdeaconry Council, Barrister Isaac Harrison, speaking at different fora in Abuja, explained that granting amnesty to Boko Haram “would have been given more muscles to deal with Christian youths”, who in the North had all along been marginalized by the same advocates of the pardon.

Dolly therefore appealed to President Goodluck

Jonathan “not to be cowed by politicians and few misfits and naturally rebellious persons in the North, who are attempting to use the Boko Haram insurgency as a bait to correct what they have failed to do, while they were in power”.

He noted that those citing injustice, poverty and unemployment to justify the violence by the sect were not sincere, wondering if the poverty and unemployment were peculiar to Muslims in the North alone.

According to him, “are Christian youths in the North and indeed all over Nigeria not affected by growing unemployment, injustice and poverty?

Would President Jona-than accede to requests for amnesty from MASSOB, OPC, Middle Belt and other groups with legitimate

tomorrow they pick up arms to advance their causes?”

The cleric added that “the Federal Government should be prepared to face perhaps more dead-ly and sophisticated res-ponse, if amnesty is granted “to willful murderers masquerading as political and religious insurgents, who do not respect the basic tenets of humanity and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

YOWICAN was of the view that the government should consolidate on the progress made so far by security operatives by arresting political leaders whose utterances and actions have implicated them. He maintained that “it is injustice if Almajari schools are built for the Muslim youths alone and funded by tax payers' money.”

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Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Chime urges radical changes in training of policy makers

By Patrick Okolie

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overnor Chime said that the bane of development of the Nigerian nation is the high level of corruption, greed and quest for material wealth.

Speaking when he received in audience participants of the Senior Executive Course (SEC) No 35 of 2013 of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Kuru, Jos, led by Mallam Abubakar Adamu at the Government House, Enugu, the Governor stressed the need for the incorporation of virtues of hard work, honesty and transparency in the curriculum for the training of policy makers in the country.

He opined that the management of the institute should consider middle level officers who are still in the service for their courses and training programme so that they will have more years, to put into practice the knowledge acquired from the institute in the service of the nation.

According to Chime, “the current

practice where very senior officers who have few years in service are selected for the training in the institute is not in the best interest of the nation and her development, since they are almost on the way out of service.”

While commending the institute for her contributions in the areas of capacity building and research, the State Chief Executive however assured them that government of Enugu State would give them all the needed information to make their study tour of the state a huge success and memorable.

Earlier in his speech, the head of the delegation, Mallam Abubakar Adamu who is also the Secretary and Director of Administration in the Institute, told Governor Chime that the Institute was established some thirty-five years ago to train high level think tank technocrats for the nation adding that they conduct research on various aspects of nation's life, including social, cultural, economic,

Gov. Chime security and science among other challenges facing the country and her development.

He stated that each year about sixty-five top level policy makers drawn from various arms of

government, military and paramilitary organizations are selected to participate in courses/training offered by the institution.

The head of the delegation stated that participants in this year's course are currently on study tour of twelve selected states in the country, six in the Northern and six in the Southern States of the federation.

He said that in the state their study will centre on how to strengthen the institutional framework and transformation agenda of the present administration, political economy of the state and legal frame work of the roll of Enugu State in globalization among others.

According to him, they will carry out and obtain on the spot information and data about the state that would help them make their report on the state.

He commended the Governor Chime for his zeal and vision to transform the state through holistic infrastructure development and efforts to ensure peace, security and tranquility in the state.

Angry mob set murderer ablaze in Ebonyi

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40-year old man, Mr. Emmanuel Nwegwe, who allegedly killed his relative, Innocent Onu, 54, with a gun at Umunaga village in Uburu community of Ohaozara Local government area of Ebonyi state over a disagreement relating to a wedding reception venue, had been lynched.

Sources said Nwegwe who ran into a nearby forest in the area after shooting his relative last week in their family compound was allegedly apprehended, killed and set ablaze by some angry youths who mounted close watch on him barely eight days after the incident.

The Ebonyi State Police Public R e l a t i o n s O ff i c e r, P P R O , Sylvester Igbo, who confirmed the death of the suspected murderer, condemned the manner in which he was killed by the youths of the area, stressed that they had no right to take laws into their hands since the case was still under police investigation.

He said: “The youths went into the bush and discover the man where he was hiding; they brought the man out, killed him and set his corpse on fire. Before information got to the police that the man had been seen, they have already killed him and police cannot lay hands on any person but they are still investigating to know who and who actually killed the man.

“The people are not permitted by law to take laws into their hands even though the deceased had used gun to kill his brother and since the case was reported to the police

which is subject to investigation, what they should have done as at the time they saw the man was to apprehend him and take him to the police station; there is no law that permits them to kill the man.

“The team that is investigating the matter had gone to make sure that those that carried out the action against the alleged murderer are

arrested and prosecuted according to the law; we are yet to confirm the number of youths that carried out the dastardly act; when the police rushed to the scene what they saw was the corpse of the man on fire and there was nobody they could lay hands on as being responsible for the act.”

According to the police

spokesman, investigations were on to ascertain and arrest all those who participated in the killing of late Emmanuel Nwegwe on that fateful day.

“However, the police is still investigating to get information through the grapevine source; to know who and who were instrumental to the man's death;

we are right to say that youths in area carried out the act because after the alleged action of the deceased against his relative, the youth had mounted a manhunt for him. Police is working round the clock to make sure that those that killed the man are brought to book. He was burnt to death on Saturday morning”, the PPRO added.

Medical doctor kidnapped, security man shot dead in Ebonyi

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Consultant Paediatrician, Dr. Pius Chuka Manyaike with the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, FETHA, was on Sunday afternoon kidnapped by unknown gunmen, The Advocate learnt.

It was gathered that his security man, identified as Peter was also shot dead by the kidnappers when he tried to stop the gunmen from gaining entry into the premises of the private hospital where his boss, Manyaike, was allegedly kidnapped.

Dr. Manyaike was reportedly kidnapped at No. 15A Owerri Street, Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital by two gunmen carrying AK 47 rifles who drove into his private hospital, St Marks Children Specialist Hospital in Abakaliki in a black coloured BMW car.

Confirming the incident, the Ebonyi state Police Public Relations officer, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP,

Sylvester Igbo noted that the gateman of the hospital identified as Peter who was shot dead by the gunmen had been deposited at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, FETHA, mortuary.

According to Igbo, five empty

shells of AK 47 were picked at the scene of the crime as efforts were on to track down the culprits.

“Today being 5th May, 2013, at about 1300 hrs at No 15A Owerri s t r e e t A b a k a l i k i , o n e D r.

Manyaike Pius, the owner of Saint Marks Specialist Clinic was kidnapped with his vehicle BMW

black in colour by two armed men with AK 47 at his entrance of the gate.

“His gateman by name Peter (surname yet to be known) was shot dead, five empty shell of AK 47 picked at the scene. Corpse was deposited at FETHA; effort is on to trace the culprits”

Adeboye urges NYSC members, students to involve God in their dealings

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astor Enoch Adeboye, the G e n e r a l O v e r s e e r, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), on Sunday urged Nigerian students and NYSC members to involve God in everything they do to ensure success.

He gave the advice at a special prayer session organised for students and NYSC members at the church's national headquarters in Ebute Meta,

Lagos.

Adeboye urged them to always put their trust in God, assuring them that He would bless the work of their hands.

He stressed that unless God blessed a man, his efforts would remain futile.

“Unless God blesses the work of a man's hand, he will be labouring in vain; if God is not involved in any activities you are doing, it will be futile.

“When God is behind you, there is always a success story, anything you touch will become manna,'' he said.

Adeboye, however, urged the students and NYSC members to be hard-working; while resisting any form of slothfulness.

He appealed to them to obey God in totality, saying: “Obey all God's commandments, as the blessing of God upon man is irreversible.''

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he Managing Director, Jovana farms, Prince Arinze Onebunne, has become a role model to many youths and retirees in the country because of his experience in Animal farm, creating minilivestock millionaires.

According to him, the industry has thrived in recent years. And for people who want to make ends meet with animal farming, Onebunne advised them to try raising quails for health and wealth. Quails need little water and food and lays an egg a day, he said.

“The meat is white, tasty and healthy for consumption, however, the eggs by far is the most important product. Speaking further he said, he helps people to set-up farms for quail, grasscutter, snail, fish, rabbit, e.t.c. He has for sale good species of these animals including large quantity of quail eggs.

“British researchers say that quail egg should be pronounced a superfood, as it has a very good impact on our health and even helps to fight obesity. According to nutritionists, the egg as food is one of the richest in good essential ingredients and we all should consume at least two eggs a day.

The researchers emphasize the egg's important role in general health protection as well as losing and maintaining body weight.

Quail egg is simply an elixir of life, we all need.

“To eat quail eggs as part of a healthy diet, it is recommended

Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

that people consume them raw.

But a lot of people don't like the idea. But to make the taste more pleasant you can mix it with orange, tomatoes or pineapple natural juice.

Quail eggs Onebunne said, are considered as one of the best known natural treatment products.

Chinese medical practitioners have been using quail eggs for treatment over decades with brilliant results. As quail eggs are slowly becoming an easy to get product on the market, more people are beginning to show interest in its uses as an active natural medicine instead of the chemical products with many side effects.

“You may be surprised at how

many benefits that come from the simplest foods, and quail eggs is one of nature's big surprises. Quail eggs are valuable little things that have a number of amazing health benefits, and you may be surprised at how valuable the little eggs can

times as much Vitamin B1as chicken eggs do, and you can get double the amounts of Vitamin B2 and Vitamin A by eating quail eggs. Fertile quail eggs are also very rich in calcium and phosphrous, and you can actually obtain 5 times more potassium and iron from quail eggs than from chicken eggs. Jovana farms organizes nationwide sensitization training seminars on the practical ways of making it through small scale animal farming. Attend our nationwide seminars nearest to you and know be at keeping you healthy and free more opportunities in quail and of disease and illness. other small animal farming.

Visit: “Quail eggs contain 3 or 4 times as w w w. j o v a n a f a r m . c o m or much nutritional value as chicken www.facebook.com/jovanafarm eggs do, and they are 13% protein while chicken eggs are only 11% for more details. per cent. They contain nearly three

Call for quick passage of PIB intensifies

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s the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke leads Nigeria's contingent to Offshore Technology Conference 2013 in Houston, Texas, United States this month, deliberations on quick passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill is expected to take the centre stage.

The proposed oil industry reform law currently before the National Assembly for legislative action would form the focal point of global discourse at the forth coming OTC slated for May 6 to 9.

This is expected to complement call for speedy passage of the Bill by most stakeholders in the industry within the country.

Alison-Madueke is billed to deliver the keynote address at the global oil meet described as the oil and gas industry equivalent of the Olympics.

The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture had also called on the Federal Government to ensure the speedy passage of the PIB, adding that the reformation of the petroleum sector was vital if the government really wanted to better the lives of Nigerians.

The National President, NACCIMA, Dr. Herbert Ajayi, had confirmed this in a recent review of performance of the economy last year and presenting the outlook for 2013.

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The President, Association of Registered Insurance Agents of Nigeria, Mr. Kingsley Obuvie, had also supported the quick passage of the bill, saying that the happenings in the petroleum industry were making it imperative for this bill to be passed at this time.

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Union, and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, had also called on the National Assembly to expedite action and pass the PIB into law.

Alison-Madueke had noted that apart from offering a platform for the propagation of the central objective of the PIB, the OTC serves as a ready platform for

indigenous operators to up the ante on technology trends in the industry.

“The OTC being one of the world's foremost gatherings in technology as far as the oil and gas industry is concerned, clearly sets the pace in what happens on the technology front and this is a highly technology driven industry. So participation in the OTC gives us a lot of understanding, provide platform for knowledge transfer and above all exposure for our indigenous operators,” the Minister said.

She said that the experience garnered over the years has impacted positively on the productivity and general output of indigenous operators and service providers.

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Rapper Chris Kelly of Kriss Kross dies

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apo D'banj Oyebanjo as you know him is not going to look the same when his video on new single Don't tell me nonsense drops middle of this month.

The dashingly clean shaven young man would be gone and in his place, a new D'banj!

D'banj shared his new pictures on Instagram. We D'banj in his new look and Kanye's signature beard also know his new series of videos is shot by budding celebrity video director Matt Max. D'banj and his DB Records team have released their compilation album 'D' King's Men' and his new looks only caps it all up.

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ontrary to rumours making the rounds that Terry G and AY.com recently had a fight during Terry's birthday party where blows were exchanged; several bottles broken and people injured while trying to separate the fight , Terry G has refuted the rumour, saying that such incident never happened.

Terry made the clarification while speaking with WG on the matter.

According to Terry G, “although there was indeed a birthday party at my house, nothing like that ever happened.”

According to him, AY.Com was not at his party. He stressed the story was the handiwork of his detractors and jobless bloggers.

“AY didn't come to my birthday party and he doesn't even know where I live. Please disregard the

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rimming with excitement for being selected as judges in the Globacom's music reality TV show, X Factor, pop diva, Onyeka Onwenu, rapper, MI, and father of Ghanaian Hiplife, Reggie Rockstone have all pledged to be fair to all as they set for work in the auditions coming up tomorrow in Ghana.

While commending Globacom for offering a rare opportunity to African youths to explore their talents, Onyeka, popularly called the Elegant Stallion, said: “I am greatly excited to be part of this great show and I will definitely have fun while the competition lasts.

I promise to be fair in my judgment, add humour to the game, be a good ambassador of Glo and display the greatest form of integrity which Globacom is known for.” MI also commended Glo for making history as the first company to bring the show to Africa.

“I am very happy about this. It

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apper Chris Kelly, who shot to fame as part of the 1990s duo Kriss Kross, has been found dead at his home in Atlanta, reports said Thursday. He was 34.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on its website that Kelly's death was being treated as a possible drug overdose.

The rapper known by fans as “Mac Daddy” was found unresponsive at his home on Wednesday and rushed to Atlanta Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy has been scheduled for Thursday.

Kelly partnered with Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith to form Kriss Kross in 1990. The duo's best-known hit was 1992′s “Jump” which sold four

million copies in the United States and topped the Billboard Hot 100 charts for eight weeks.

Kelly and Smith were known for wearing their clothes back-tofront, a quirk referenced by the singer's mother Donna Kelly Pratte in a statement reported by several US media outlets early Thursday.

“To millions of fans worldwide, he was the trendsetting, backwards pants-wearing one-half of Kris Kross who loved making music,” she said.

“But to us, he was just Chris the kind, generous and fun-loving life of the party. Though he was only with us a short time, we feel blessed to have been able to share some incredible moments with him.”

story because it's the work of my enemies and bloggers who want to feast on innocent people like me.”

Earlier in the week, the internet was awash with gist that AY.Com who went to celebrate with Terry G on his birthday, landed in hot water when Terry G suddenly pounced on him. According to the story, because of the age-long battle between the two on copyright issue, where AY.Com accused Terry G of stealing his song, upon sighting AY.Com at his residence, the Ginger Master decided to take his pound of flesh by throwing caution to the wind on his birthday. And as a man to the core, AY also put up a tough front but the 'fire' was quenched by friends who immediately dragged AY out of Terry's compound.

is going to be the biggest ever reality show in Africa and that's the truth. It's more than just about Nigeria or West Africa.

It's about the whole of Africa.

I'd be glad if another great artiste comes out from this pack to upstage people like us but such a person has a lot of work to do because he needs the X Factor to get to the top of the pack,” he said. Equally speaking on his selection, Rockstone said he was excited because X Factor is designed to find new talents.

“I am optimistic because there are a lot of talents here in West Africa. I have seen them and I am delighted I am one of the judges. The $150,000 prize money for me is very enticing and the opportunity to have new talents stimulated my interest in the show. I can only be scared about new comers, and the part I love is that I'll double as judge and coach.

That is awesome,” he declared.

Beat FM's Tolu Oniru a.k.a Toolz, who emerged as the

presenter of X Factor, was also full of excitement.

He said: “It's the biggest ever reality show that Nigeria and Africa have ever seen. N24 million isn't a child's play; no other musical show has beaten that. And you know this year marks the 10th anniversary of Globacom and this programme, I believe, is part of the company's modest way of thanking its numerous subscribers.”

Meanwhile, after hugely successful outings in Port Harcourt and Abuja, the auditions for the show will this weekend move to Ghana.

According to Globacom, the Kumasi, Ghana auditions was held, May 4, and Sunday, May 5, while the Accra auditions have been scheduled for next weekend, May 11 and 12, 2013. However, after the Ghana auditions, the judges will return to Nigeria for the Lagos auditions slated for Saturday, May 25, and Sunday, May 26, 2013.

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Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

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NSA: South-East elects representatives Stories

By Okey Anyichie

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he National sports commission zones at Enugu and Umuahia on Tuesday conducted elections into National Sports Association members from the South East zone were elected to serve in different sports associations based in the federal capital city of Abuja. Among some of the members that were elected to represent the south-east zone in the national association were Chief Osondu Ogbu from Enugu state in boxing. In athletics, Dr. (Mrs) Gloria Chukukere from Imo State will represent the zone.

Others are for Handball, Mrs Amarachi Dede, from Abia State, Cricket has Mr Olisa Egwuatu from Anambra state, Mr Tobechi Ejezie from Anambra State will represent the zone in Tennis association, Mr Obinna

Ufomadu from Imo was elected the zonal representative in Badminton Association, Barrister Arum from Enugu State was elected for Taekwando, Basket-ball has Osita Nwachukwu from Imo State.

Mrs. Philomena Egbuniwe from Anambra state was elected for Volley- ball association, In weight-lifting, Mr Chindi Ejiogu got elected for the second term from Imo State, Chief Austin Edeze from Ebonyi retained his position in the Wrestling association. These were some of the zonal representatives in the national sports associations from the South-East.

The election which took place at the sports hall of Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, Enugu was very peaceful with losers congratulating the winners at the end of voting exercise. The south-eastern states involved in the election are Abia, Anambra,

Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo. Those elected to represent the zone in the National Sports Associations

will serve for four years. in these national sports bodies football is the only association that election

into the body that was not conducted by the sports officials from the zone.

Volley Ball Players in action

Bayern Munich, Dortmund to meet in UEFA Champions League final

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ayern Munich completed its domination of FC Barcelona with a 3-0 victory in Spain on Wednesday to a d v a n c e t o t h e U E FA Champions League final against German rival Borussia Dortmund, which advanced Tuesday by eliminating another Spanish league

contender in Real Madrid.

Although Bayern Munich advancing to the final was a mild upset, the fact that it walloped Lionel Messi's team, 7-0, on aggregate was a surprise, even if Messi was hobbled the last month with a hamstring injury that sidelined him Wednesday.

When the Champions League

final is played May 25 at Wembley Stadium, it'll be the first time two German teams have met for the title. Bayern Munich is seeking its first championship since 2001 and fifth overall. Dortmund won its only banner in 1997.

"I'm sure we'll celebrate with a few beers tonight," Bayern captain Philipp Lahm said.

"I've always said we have special characters in our squad, and that we are capable of great things."

Although the Spanish teams were favored to meet in the final, Bayern Munich will be the heavy favorite after already clinching the Bundesliga title. Oddly, Munich and Dortmund meet Saturday in a league game.

"Wembley will be one of the greatest moments in our lives, but whichever team we meet,

we will not be the favorite," Dortmund Coach Juergen Klopp said Tuesday. “In Wembley, everyone will see we are not going to be satisfied with just being a finalist."

Bayern Munich, which won, 4-0, in the first leg of the semifinals, received goals by Arjen Robben in the 49th minute and Thomas Mueller in the 76th minute.

Barcelona's Pique had an own goal in the 72nd minute.

Rangers FC beat Kano Pillars to top NPL table

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he week nine premier league soccer matches were played across the country last week end. In Enugu, Rangers football club trashed the visiting Kano Pillars football club by 4-0. Playing without spectators at Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, Enugu, Rangers were at their best in this week nine premier league soccer competition last Sunday as the visiting Kano football club could not find their feet in the game in both two sessions of the encounter. With the out-come of last Sunday's match against Kano Pillars at Enugu, Rangers football club is leading the other nineteen club-sides in the league competition with seventeen points. In another development, Rangers football club last Tuesday at Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium also walloped Global football club of Enugu by 8-0 in the quarter final of the state challenge cup soccer competition.

Ingas FC has qualified for the final of the same state challenge

cup soccer competition. The Enugu based club-side defeated inter football club also of Enugu by 5-4 penalty-shoot out. Scores at full time stood at 1-1 .

Meanwhile, Rangers FC will fly to Angola this week to engage the Angolan club-side Recreativo Libolo for the second leg for the second leg of Africa league soccer encounter this week-end. It would be recalled that Rangers and their visiting Angolan club-side played a barren draw in the first leg of the league encounter. The match was played at Nnamdi Azikiwe stadium, Enugu two weeks ago.

The out-come of this second leg encounter will determine whether Rangers will qualify for the round-robin of the Africa league soccer competition. Rangers football club of Enugu is the only Nigerian club-side remaining in the competition as Kano Pillars failed to qualify for the third round of the competition to be decided this weekend.

Rangers football club

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Ferguson plans retooling Manchester United

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anchester United manager Alex Ferguson will only 'tweak' his squad in the close season in a bid to retain their Premier League title next term, he said on Friday.

Incoming United chief executive Ed Woodward said Thursday there was no need for “a major retooling” of the Premier League champions.

But Ferguson admitted he will need to make additions to ensure United remain in front of rivals Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal who are all likely to bring in fresh faces in a bid to catch the Red Devils.

“Tweaking is the right word, we will look at one or two bodies,” Ferguson explained. “We have to take the fact that other teams are going to strengthen into consideration. You also have to consider ages of some players but in the main we know where we are in regards to players.”

Ferguson warned bringing in too many players could cause him problems, with an already large squad at his disposal.

“We have great strength in depth,” he said. “We don't want to confuse

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frica Cup of Nations star Sunday Mba could not save Nigerian club Enugu Rangers from CAF Champions League elimination this weekend.

Enugu lost 3-1 at Recreativo Libolo of Angola in a last-16 second leg after a goalless first encounter and instead of a place in the lucrative group phase, dropped to the secondtier Confederation Cup. Midfielder Mba was a revelation of the 2013 Cup of Nations in South Africa, scoring the winning goals in the final against Burkina Faso and the shock quarter-finals triumph over hotly fancied Ivory Coast.

But a transfer wrangle between Warri Wolves and Enugu prevented him playing for his new club until this weekend and he scored on debut at the Estadio Municipal in Calulo 380 kilometres south-east of Luanda.

Goals from Senegalese Henri Camara and Dario Cardoso gave

ourselves and have too many players. Any time I have asked the Glazers (Manchester United's USbased owners to sanction a transfer) they have delivered.”

United face Chelsea on Sunday and Ferguson said there would be no slacking despite the Old Trafford club having already secured the Premier League title.

Libolo a two-goal half-time advantage and Mba halved the deficit on 57 minutes with a scorching shot from outside the box.

But Cardoso converted a controversial penalty after goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim collided with Dorivaldo Dias 18 minutes from time to take Libolo into the mini-league stage for the first time.

“I am happy with my performance against Libolo and scoring was great,” Mba told reporters.

“However, the value of the goal was diluted by our failure to reach the group phase.”

Enugu coach Okey Omordi, who led Enyimba to the 2004 Champions League title, had mixed feelings after the last Nigerian hope of glory in the premier African club competition this season vanished.

“There were some questionable calls from the referee particularly the penalty but I am satisfied with

our display and we must prepare for the Confederation Cup play-offs.”

AC Leopards became the first Congo Brazzaville club to reach the last eight of the Champions League thanks to a 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Entente Setif in Algeria.

Leading 3-1 from the first leg, 2012 Confederation Cup winners Leopards lost the return match by the same score with Mourad Delhoum taking the game to spot kicks by netting two minutes into stoppage time.

Esperance of Tunisia, champions once and runners-up twice in the past three editions, endured 77 anxious minutes before Khalil Chammam converted the penalty that earned his club a 1-0 win on the night and on aggregate.

Sewe San Pedro of Ivory Coast are also through the last eight for the first time after a 0-0 stalemate against Moroccan visitors FUS

United went to Arsenal last weekend and could only manager a draw which ended their hopes of overhauling Chelsea's Premier League record tally of 95 points in a season.

But veteran Scottish manager Ferguson said United had an obligation to the other teams battling Chelsea for a top-four spot and Champions League qualification.

“Chelsea are chasing a Champions League position too so we should be playing as strong a team as we can,” Ferguson said.

“Chelsea have done fantastically over the last few weeks and they have reached the Europa League final so it should be a good game.

We have not done well against the team over the last few years.

Hopefully we can put that right on Sunday, it is time for us to play with enthusiasm and enjoyment and try to finish off the season.”

Before this season started, Chelsea who completed a 5-2 aggregate Europa League semifinal win over Basel at Stamford Bridge on Thursday were tipped to challenge United for the title but the Blues find themselves 20 points behind the champions.

“You can be surprised by these things but you can also say our consistency has created that gap,” Ferguson said. “When Roberto di Matteo (the former Chelsea manager) left it took them a long time to get going again. They only got consistency in the last few weeks.”

Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho hinted Tuesday, following Real Madrid's Champions League exit, he may return to Stamford Bridge in the close season.

“I think going back is a big attraction for him, but I don't know what his plan is,” Ferguson said of Mourinho.

Chelsea's current boss Rafael Benitez has finished the season strongly, despite fans' initial anger at his appointment, and Ferguson thinks the Spaniard, with whom he has enjoyed a sparky relationship dating from Benitez's time in charge of Liverpool, will be hungry to add to his personal trophy tally.

Ferguson added: “I think he is very concerned about his CV but you cannot hide the fact he has done a good job. Fans settled down a bit and they have let him get on with his job.”

Rabat in Abidjan gave them a place on the away-goal rule.

There were no goals with between Stade Malien of Mali and 2008

Champions League runners-up Coton Sport of Cameroon in Bamako, leaving the visitors convincing 3-0 overall victors.

Sunday Mba

Leading scorers in Spanish La Liga MADRID-Leading scorers in Spain's La Liga after Sunday's matches: 46: Messi (Barcelona) 33: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid) 26: Falcao (Atletico Madrid) 20: Negredo (Sevilla) 19: Soldado (Valencia) 16: Ruben Castro (Real Betis) 15: Piti (Rayo Vallecano) 13: Aritz Aduriz (Athletic Bilbao), Higuain (Real Madrid), Jonas (Valencia), Riki (Deportivo La Coruna), Vela (Real Sociedad) 12: Oscar (Valladolid), Postiga (Real Zaragoza) 11: Agirretxe (Real Sociedad), Aspas (Celta Vigo), Molina (Real Betis) 10: Fabregas (Barcelona), Hemed (Mallorca)

Federations Election: How Fasidi K.O. George Taylor, Adeniji – Adele

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easons have emerged as to why former Lagos Yo u t h a n d S p o r t s C o m m i s s i o n e r, A d e m o l a Adeniji- Adele lost out in his bid to win a seat into the board of the Nigeria Boxing Federation in Zone one elections held in Ibadan.

The election results jointly signed by Peter Nelson, the electoral chairman and Steve Olarinoye, the electoral committee secretary, and made available to Vanguard showed

that in the particular boxing federation matter, the ticket went to Rotimi Fasidi of Ondo State against what stakeholders spoken to described it as “greed” on the part of Lagos in presenting two perceived two juggernauts as candidates.

Those who spoke on point of anonymity asked questions why the impeached ex-president of Nigeria boxing federation, Rotimi George Taylor's name came up on the electoral sheet, as candidate of Ondo State when he

had always been know as chairman of the association in a Lagos State.

“There was no convincing proof that he had been dropped by Lagos,” said one delegate.

Taylor however, won one vote against Fasidi's four votes. In the case of Adeniji Adelele, it was authenticated on the result sheet that he was absent from the election, hence had zero vote, as the rules had barred voting by proxy more-so he had dabbled into a terrain one delegate said “he was perceived a total

stranger” In another upset, former board member of the Nigeria Weightlifting Federation, Navy Captain Babatunde Adedimeji, rtd, who also had contested for presidency of the federation in the past, was clearly beaten in the zone by new comer, Sylvester Ikuejamoye, the ex- chairman of Association of Federal Civil Service Sports Unions, who is from Ondo State by four votes to one.

By the same token, the zone also effected a change in taekwondo,

as the long standing national federation board-member and it's vice president, Popoola Temitayo Kuburat of Lagos was beaten in the polls by Ogun State's George Ashiru who won with three votes, leaving Fasesin John Olusesan in second place with two votes while Popoola placed a distant third with one vote.

Meanwhile, Babatunde Ogunade and Francis Orbih won the basketball and badminton federation seats respectively.

Vol. 1 No. 22, Wednesday, May 8 - Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Victor Anichebe Back page comment

Border Security, Arms Proliferation And Terrorism In Nigeria

By Lt Col Sagir Musa

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roliferation of small arms and light weapons is increasingly and dangerously becoming a transnational organized crime in Nigeria with Boko Haram's insurgency, reemerging Niger Delta crisis and escalating kidnappings, communal crisis and armed robbery in the South East serving as hubs or impetus for arms trafficking. Some border towns particularly in the North Eastern flank serve as locus for trafficking of arms as well as centers for stolen goods, drugs and hostages perpetrated by criminals, terrorists and their collaborato rs.

The recent kidnap of a French family at a border t o w n between Nigeria a n d Cameroon i s a n example.

Similarly, many arms and ammunition of various types, sizes and caliber have been intercepted and confiscated by security agencies. The recurrent detection and recovery of cache of arms, ammunition and Improvised Explosive Device Materials by the JTF further buttressed the point. So also is the occasional recovery of stolen goods and hard drugs from criminals and terrorists' camps or hideouts. Despite efforts of security agencies, the “merchants of Death” continues to engage in arms trafficking/ trading through covert and deceptive use of porous Nigerian borders of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Recently, the Comptroller General of Nigerian Immigration Services stated that the Service has discovered hundreds of illegal routes in Nigeria that link or lead to some neighboring African countries. Nigeria's borders are massive with hundreds of footpaths crisscrossing to neighboring countries of Cameroon, Chad and Niger with links to Mali, Libya and Sudan.

From conservative estimate by locals, there are well over 250 footpaths from Damaturu/Maiduguri axis that link or lead direct to Cameroon, Chad or Niger. These paths are mostly unknown by security agencies, are unmanned, unprotected and thus serve as leaky routes for arms and ammunitions trafficking in to Nigeria.

It is disheartening and unfortunate that the “merchants of death” have since devised methods use to beat security agencies at the borders and through the footpaths. These

methods include the use of camels, donkeys and cows to traffic arms, ammunition and drugs, like cocaine into Nigeria. The fact that the weapons are small, light and collapsible makes it easy to be concealed and moved on camels and donkeys' back in a specially crafted skin or thatched bags mainly meant for the illegal “expedition” unexpected, unsuspected and therefore undetected.

Similarly, some cows and grains merchants in the North- East sub region of the country, devices, means of hiding cache of arms and ammunition in empty fuel tankers, under

vehicles' engines and inside bags of grains mostly undetected by security agencies at the affected border posts. The “grains” are transported in large numbers via trucks, trailers, Lorries and old model pickup vans and jeeps with little attention given to them by security agents.

The use of Jega type of tricycles ( KekeNapep) as well as camels, donkeys, and cows (moving in flocks) to deceive, hide and conveniently traffic arms in some parts of the North are ways hitherto unknown, not well exposed or documented. Their capacity for arms trafficking is beginning to be uncovered and are being curtailed by security agencies.

The security situation in JTF Operation RESTORE ORDER Area of Responsibility forced the Task Force to take on additional responsibility to trace sources of arms and ammunition to Boko Haram Insurgents, how the arms are trafficked and are also taking measures to block or curtail it. This is one way of effectively checkmating terrorism in Nigeria destroy its centre of gravity! And this seems to be a task that has so far proved difficult but necessary to be accomplished if the war against insurgency is to be effective and successful.

Similarly, the Libyan and Malian rebels are desperate to exchange arms for money to Boko Haram Terrorists, their financiers and collaborators as the Sect has since been affiliated to Al-Qaida in the Maghreb. This has added to the overwhelming challenge of the influx of illegal aliens, arms, ammunitions and sophisticated IED

materials into the country and an efficient and effective fight against terrorism.

Additionally, the water ways/ seaports provide havens for arms trafficking through ships and speed boats on high sea and the use of canoes in the creeks. The exchange of stolen crude oil for arms/ ammunition is a well known “trading activity” nurtured and ferociously protected by militants or sea pirates and their financiers and collaborators with the possible connivance of unscrupulous law enforcement agents in the Niger Delta. This is one major source of arms and ammunition that strengthen militants' arms and ammunition holding not only in the Niger Delta but also in the South East and South Western parts of the country.

Security agencies at the borders and seaports have severally complained of the porosity of the nation's borders and water ways. The problem of porous borders is compounded by inadequate personnel, patrol vehicles, surveillance helicopters and equipments.

Consequently, most of the borders are leaky and this makes effective control of intruders, smugglers and “merchants of death” a mirage. The vastness of the nation's borders in the face of these challenges bring to the fore the need for a rethink on the management and security of the Nigeria's borders and seaports without which effective fight against insurgency, arms trafficking and proliferation will remain an optical illusion. There must be innovative technology; sound policies, proficient process that will help protect our borders. It is worrisome that the exact number of illegal routes and means through which illegal aliens, arms and ammunition are brought in to the country is largely unknown by the nation's security system.

The use of innovative technology, radars and alarm systems are major ways modern nations utilize to monitor and secure their borders. Some radar can be used as primary detection sensor for long range remote surveillance platforms. The ability to detect slow moving targets, even in complex mountainous, thickly forested terrains and large open areas make some radars such us Blighter Radar ideal for remote surveillance and detection of vehicles and people trying to cross borders illegally. In remote areas, it is common for intruders to follow natural routes across the land, valleys, mountain paths or animal tracks. In these instances, Mobile Surveillance System provides a cost effective way of monitoring key areas with limited resources. Similarly, Blighter Radar, unlike traditional Air Surveillance Radar can effectively surveil both the land and low air zone simultaneously.

Correspondingly, the fundamental problem of border security, arms trafficking, efficient and effective fight against terrorism in Nigeria can be linked to what Mr Olusegun Adeniyi tersely identified as institutional fragmentation, intelligence and policy non coordination between and among security agencies. These challenges are real and must be addressed for the fight against terrorism; arms proliferation and border security to be effective.

Anichebe (born 23 April 1988) is a Nigerian footballer who plays for Everton. He has been described as a fast and powerful player, in the mould of a "traditional" centre forward, although he has played on the right of midfield.

Club career Anichebe made his reserve team debut as a 15year-old and his first team debut less than two years later on 27 February 2006, as a substitute in the 89th minute of Everton's FA Cup 4th round tie against Chelsea, replacing Simon Davies. He signed his first professional contract with Everton, a two-year deal, in April 2006. On 7 May 2006, he scored his first Premier League goal against West Bromwich Albion. He was awarded Everton's Reserve Player of the Season for the 200506 season.

Anichebe scored his first two Premier League goals of the 200607 campaign in a 30 win against Newcastle United on 30 December 2006. His contract was extended by four years towards the end of the season as Everton qualified for the UEFA Cup. In the UEFA Cup Anichebe scored four times, against Metalist Kharkiv, Larissa, FC Nuremberg and SK Brann of Norway after coming on as a late second half substitute in many of the games. At the end of the season he was voted by Everton fans as their Young Player of the Season.

Anichebe suffered a groin injury while on international duty in September and did not play for the rest of 2011. He made his return as a second half substitute on 1 January 2012, against West Bromwich Albion and scored in the 87th minute to give Everton a 10 away win. he scored the opening goal in a 30 win over Swansea with a left footed effort from close in. On his return from injury on 22 December 2012.

International career Anichebe made his debut for Nigeria on 26 March 2008 in an Olympic games qualifying match against South Africa. Anichebe came off the bench to score the final goal in a 30 victory for Nigeria. He made his first start for Nigeria alongside fellow Everton player Yakubu in a friendly against Austria on 27 May 2008 being replaced at half time.

He was not selected on the final 23-man roster for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa despite a good performance during a friendly against Saudi Arabia. He scored his first senior team goal in the March 2011 friendly against Kenya.

Anichebe suffered a groin injury during a 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifying match against Madagascar in September 2011, with Nigeria's coach Samson Siasia blaming the poor pitch The Super Eagles won the match 20, but would miss out on qualification for the tournament a month later, with the injured Anichebe unable to take part in the deciding group game against Guinea