Homosexual act : 2 men remanded in Prison by Court Order.

An Oredo Magistrates’ Court in Benin on Wednesday ordered the remand of two men, Paul Frank, 31, and Ejimofor Christian, 22, for allegedly committing unnatural offence.
The duo are facing charges bordering on conspiracy, unlawful carnal knowledge and stealing.
The Chief Magistrates, Mrs M.C. Ojobo, ordered the remand of both accused person in prison custody, adding that their bail application would be consider on the next adjourned date.
She adjourned the case until Jan. 4, 2017 for hearing.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, O.A. Enebabor, told the court that the accused committed the offences between Dec. 14 and Dec. 17, at Boundary Road, Benin.
Enebabor alleged that the accused engaged in unlawful sexual act.
He said the first accused also stole one Techno Y6 phone valued at N25, 000 belonging to one Solomon Shaibu.
The offences contravened Section 516, 214 (3), 217 (3) and 390 (3) of the criminal Code.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The mysterious white man captured by Nigerian soldiers during last week’s storming of Boko Haram’s headquarters in the Sambisa Forest is a Frenchman and he specializes in repairing and unlocking armoured Personnel vehicles and other fighting equipment.

The white man’s identity is being concealed by the Federal Government and military authorities for diplomatic reasons, the sources also said.

Defence Headquarters has been silent on the development since the news broke last Friday, shortly after President Muhammadu Buhari announced that Boko Haram’s last stronghold in the Sambisa forest, Borno State had been overrun by troops. Soldiers who took part in the operation told our correspondent yesterday that a white man was actually arrested in the Sambisa forest and that he has been providing “credible information” to military authorities. A source said, “He was arrested along the Bama axis of the Sambisa forest and agreed to give vital information provided he would be spared. I learnt that he is from France but authorities do not want to make his real identity known for diplomatic reasons…They don’t want to jeopardize the success recorded.” Although some sources only said the captured white man is “from Western Europe,” Daily Trust learnt that he is actually a Frenchman. All Nigeria’s neighbours in the North East, namely Cameroon, Niger Republic and Chad are French speaking.

The French embassy in Nigeria did not respond to email and text message sent to it for comment yesterday.

How top officers led Sambisa offensive

The one month long military offensive that led to the capture of Sambisa Forest last Thursday was led by “the best hands” in the Nigerian Army and Air Force, sources close to the operation told Daily Trust yesterday. Before the renewed offensive to reclaim the dreaded forest where Boko Haram fighters held sway since 2013, officers between the ranks of Lieutenants, Captains and Majors normally led operations, sources said. This time around, more senior officers led the operation on all fronts during the final onslaught. It was gathered that the officers, besides various trainings they obtained at home, have been trained abroad and had participated in serious military operations.

The 60,000 square kilometres (23,000 sq mi) vast Sambisa Forest had been the nightmare of the Nigerian security forces, including their foreign allies, who provided various security reports over the years. It was gathered that some of the fighting troops were mobilized with light rocket propelled grenades [RPGs], weapons they did not use previously. The light RPGs, according to one of our sources, could be carried on by soldiers on their shoulders for long distances because of their light weight and were used against far flung targets.

“With the exception of one major of the Nigerian Army, all the commanding officers that led the 4,200 troops into the Sambisa Forest are of the rank of Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel,” a soldier who participated in the operation said. He said “the Bama axis was led by a Colonel who viciously decimated many Boko Haram fighters. Together with his troops, he captured Alafa 1, 11 and 111 in the Sambisa Forest and freed over 1,000 people. He also captured nearly 500 suspects, mostly men who are being interrogated for having links with the Boko Haram.”

According to him, “some of the suspects are claiming that they were forcefully conscripted into the violent group while others have admitted that they belong to the group.” Another source said the Konduga/Aulari axis of the Sambisa Forest was captured by a daring army Major. “This Major is one of the heroes in the Nigerian Army. He was very close to the late Lieutenant Colonel Abu Ali of blessed memory. He knows the Sambisa Forest very well and was therefore directed to approach the forest through the infamous Gate One,” the source said. He added, “The Ngurosoye axis of the Sambisa Forest was led by a Lieutenant Colonel who is also a fearless and versatile officer. His 151 Battalion is known as Blocking Force. His troops recovered many AK47 rifles of fleeing Boko Haram insurgents and they also freed many women and children.”

The real operation

Sources said during the planning to re-take Sambisa Forest, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. General Tukur Buratai frequented Maiduguri almost on daily basis. “Sometimes he passed the night there (in Maiduguri) and sometimes he went back to Abuja. He personally commanded the general operation,” an officer who craved for anonymity said. He said radar with monitors was mounted at the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army and everything, including troop movement; logistics, ground operation and aerial reconnaissance both day and night were closely monitored with precision.

He said, “The close monitoring from Maiduguri helped a great deal in reducing mistakes. This gave the troops the confidence to relentlessly march on during operations. The fact that the mine detectors deployed to the Sambisa forest also demobilized all the bombs planted by the insurgents gave our troops added impetus. The mine detectors normally detonated most of the IEDs with ease and also cleared the terrain for armoured vehicles to move freely.”

The source that added some Boko Haram commanders and foot soldiers who were arrested long ago and “de-radicalized” were also imbedded in the operation. “The repentant insurgents, some members of the civilian JTF and local vigilantes know the Sambisa Forest very well, far better than the maps we used in the operation and therefore, they assisted greatly in helping us to locate hideouts. Also, sophisticated fighter jets and drones that have capacity to monitor things as far as away as 600 meters were deployed to the Sambisa forest and worked day and night,” he said.

The fall of ‘Camp Zero’

A military officer told our correspondent that this was not the first time attempt made to capture “Camp Zero” in Sambisa Forest where the factional leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau used as his hide out on different occasions. “This is the second time Camp Zero is taken. The first was during the JTF (Joint Task Force) in June 2013 before it (JTF) was disbanded and the area was lost completely,” the officer said.

He said despite the success recorded, there is worry among the military high command because some of the things expected to be recovered at the building were not found. “It is likely they (Boko Haram) are somewhere because they moved away with their equipment and prized possessions, including the Chibok girls in possession of Shekau group,” he said.

He said there were other dreaded cells that have been deserted by the Boko Haram terrorists, such as the ones in Kareto and Gudumbali at the height of offensive last year and another one in Kukawa which was reclaimed this year. It was learnt that while some of the Chibok girls and other captives are with the Shekau camp, many of them are with the Mamman Nur faction, led by Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, son of the group’s late Mohammed Yusuf. They are suspected to be held in cells in northern Borno State.

“Camp Zero has for a long time been an objective for our troops but it is not the end of Sambisa in the true sense of the crisis. Boko Haram terrorists have been trained in the art of war, so it is likely they moved away for tactical reasons,” he said. The source said the COAS, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole as well as the GOCs of the army’s 3, 7 and 8 Divisions and other key Army Headquarters officers held a marathon meeting on December 24 and continued meeting yesterday on the operations in the North East. “They had a break on the 25th because of Christmas and they went to open the roads from Maiduguri to Damasak and to Baga. Their main concern in the meeting is the disappearance of Boko Haram leaders with their equipment and lack of trace of the Chibok girls,” the officer said. Sources said beside the equipment found there, Boko Haram fighters had raided many workshops and laboratories in schools around the Sambisa Forest in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states and had fabricated fighting equipment and chemicals with the facilities they carted away.

There is controversy as to how Camp Zero actually looked like. While some soldiers that participated in the operation said it has two underground buildings and tunnels as well as hardware and equipment for the training of the disbanded National Guards, some officers told our correspondent that the place was actually inherited from the Sambisa Game Reserve.

“The National Guard were to train there but were never there. A team went to inspect the place in the 80s but the movement and training did not hold. The solid structure there belonged to the forest management authority,” he said.

Source : Daily Trust. 

Russian Coordination Center: 966 hectares area cleared of explosive devices in Aleppo eastern neighborhoods

 Since December 5th, Russian experts from the International Mine Action Center have been able to clear a total area of 966 hectares in Aleppo’s eastern neighborhoods of explosive devices that had been planted by terrorists inside schools, mosques, hospitals, and electricity and water facilities.
The Hmeimim-based Russian Coordination Center said in a statement published by RT website that Russian experts from the International Mine Action Center continued their work in the areas which were freed from terrorists in Aleppo’s eastern neighborhoods and over the past 24 hours, they have been able to clear 9 mosques, 4 schools, and a kindergarten of mines.
The statement added that since December 5th, a total area of 966 hectares has been cleared of mines, indicating that the cleared area included 350 km of roads, 2,149 houses, 44 schools, 38 mosques, 10 hospitals, two kindergartens, two electricity plants, a water plant, and a number of bakeries.
The statement indicated that Russian experts from the International Mine Action Center have been able to dismantle 14,700 explosive devices including 6,700 handmade bombs over the abovementioned period.
On a relevant note, the head of the International Mine Action Center detachment told Russia 24 that while carrying out demining in Aleppo, the Russian experts found ammo, small weapons, Grad missiles, and shells manufactured in Germany, the United States, and Bulgaria.

Drake and Jennifer Lopez are Dating!

Jennifer Lopez, 47, and Drake, 30, have confirmed that they're dating.
Their confirmation follows weeks of rumours. The duo confirmed their relationship status by posting 'loved up' photos on their Instagram.

A Day With The Gay Community By Reuben Abati

I was invited to deliver the keynote address at this year’s special event on “Human Rights, Sexuality and the Law”, an annual symposium organized to promote awareness on issues relating to the plight of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Intersex (LGBTQI) Community in Nigeria. When this was announced on social media by the organizers, The Initiative For Equal Rights (TIERS) and @YNaija, hell practically broke loose within the LGBTQI community.
I was dismissed as a wrong choice, and the organizers were accused of being insensitive to the feelings of the community. A broad-based protest was launched on twitter and there were essays on the subject on NoStringsNG.com (the online media advocacy platform for LGBTQI issues in Nigeria), with the most scathing objection written by Bisi Alimi, the Nigerian-born, London-based gay rights activist. Bisi Alimi described me as a “homophobe.” He said the invitation extended to me was an abuse of TIERS, and he was offended that a group he had helped to co-found, would offer its platform to an “oppressor.”
Following a pre-event twitter chat with me on the subject, co-ordinated by @YNaija, the attacks got even more aggressive. Someone wrote that having Reuben Abati as Keynote Speaker was like inviting the “KKK to an NACCP event.” An article written by Kritzmoritz and published by KitoDiaries.com (another Nigerian LGBTQI blog) was titled “Of TIERS, Reuben Abati and all that angst.”
The anonymous author reflected the sentiments of the gay community in the following words: “Let me get this out of the way from the onset so we are clear. I don’t like Mr. Reuben Abati. Over the past five years, I have come to view him as a rather unpleasant human being…” Another commentator, Mandy in a piece titled “There is no engaging with a keynote Speaker” took the additional step of launching an online petition and called for signatures to “drop Reuben Abati” because in his or her view: “you cannot invite the person who killed me to come apologize at my funeral; things are not done that way.”
My offence is that I had participated in a discussion of the Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act 2014 shortly after President Goodluck Jonathan signed it into law. Alimi, in particular, was on an Al-Jazeera panel with me. He argued that I exhibited homophobia, defending the law. The complaints by the gay community were so loud and their objection to the possibility of my being allowed to invade “their space” was so trenchant. I called the organizers to ask if they were considering a change of mind about their choice of Keynote Speaker. Their answer was in the negative.
On December 14, I participated in what turned out to be a lively, engaging, open and inclusive symposium on Human Rights, Sexuality and The Law. I did not see any reason to beat about the bush. I opened my address with a response to Alimi and the critics. The labels used to describe me do not fit me. I am neither a homophobe nor an extremist. My views are liberal and I consider the rights of every man to be ontological, interdependent and indivisible. These rights are well-covered in all the major nine documents on International Human Rights, including the Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1948) and its 30 articles, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1965), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979). Nigeria is a signatory to majority of these conventions, protocols and covenants as well as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981). Chapters Two and Four of the Nigerian Constitution, 1999, expressly uphold these rights.
The enactment of certain legislations such as - The Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009, HIV/AIDS (Anti-Discrimination) Act, 2014, Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, the National Human Rights Commission Act, 2015, the Prohibition Against Domestic Violence Law No 15 of Lagos State, 2007, Gender Based Violation Prohibition Law of Ekiti State, 2011, Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act, 2003, the Legal Aid Act, 2011 and the Child Rights Act, 2003 – also point to considerable advancements in human rights legislation in Nigeria since 1999. Human rights are important. They are indeed matters of urgent and high priority because they are at the core of the idea of our humanity. They are indispensable vehicles for achieving peace, stability, justice and development in the world. Every human being is entitled to these rights; to devalue the right of any person is to violate that person’s right to dignity and justice.
Nigeria in spite of acknowledged advancements remains a nightmare where human rights are concerned. The failure of institutional mechanisms and the absence of political will to translate constitutional rights into effective human rights realities has resulted in what is clearly a governance and accountability crisis. The average Nigerian suffers the after-effects in various ways: poverty, lack of access to justice, violence, kidnappings, police brutality, extortion, wanton resort to self-help by both state and non-state actors, and a general regime of lawlessness reminiscent of the brutal days of military rule. Political leaders and state officials are so powerful that they have no regard for the people. They choose when it is convenient for them to respect court orders.
There is a disconnect between Nigeria’s international human rights obligations and what it does at home, creating conflicts and tensions in the implementation of human rights law. Nigeria is a member, for example, of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice, but the government routinely ignores the rulings of this strategic regional court. Non-state actors are emboldened by the negligence of state actors to take the law into their hands, as seen in the conflict between Corporate Responsibility and Human Rights in Nigeria. Nigeria is a member of the International Labour Organization, the enabling principles of which are covered in the Labour Act, 2004, but with the unemployment crisis in the country, employers of labour trample on the rights of workers at will. The non-justiciability of the social, economic, cultural and group human rights goals in Chapter Two of the Nigerian Constitution further compounds the nightmare.
It is within this overall context of the human rights situation in Nigeria, that the issue of sexuality is to be located. Section 15 (2) of the 1999 Constitution talks about national integration without discrimination on the grounds of sex, among others. Section 17 states that the social order is founded on the ideals of “freedom, equality and justice”, while Section 17(3) says state policy shall be directed towards “all citizens, without discrimination on any group whatsoever”, a goal that had earlier been covered also in Section 14(2)(b). Section 42 further upholds every Nigerian’s right to freedom from discrimination. Whereas the Constitution talks about sex, and not sexuality or gender orientation, the principle of equality before the law and the right to be human is without exemption of any persons or groups. Article 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights indeed says sex should be taken to include sexual orientation and gender.
Minority groups are often targets of violence in Nigeria – apart from ethnic and religious minorities, women, children, the girl-child and the physically challenged, perhaps the most targeted and the most violated in recent times are members of the LGBTQI community. Gays in Nigeria have found themselves in a hostile society. There have been reported cases of persons with suspected LGBTQI orientation being subjected to various forms of violence: kidnapping, extortion, rape, assault, inhuman and degrading treatment, denial of access to justice and curtailment of their fundamental rights. The state looks the other way, the rest of society says serves them right.
There is no plan or structure in place for protecting gay persons in Nigeria from outright violation even by the police and the state. Section 214 of the Criminal Code criminalizes “any person who has carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature”. Section 217 thereof frowns at “gross indecency”. Similarly, Sections 284 and 405-408 of the Penal Code, and the Sharia Law in 12 states of the North make homosexuality a punishable felony. Public hostility towards the LGBTQI is widespread. It is risky to reveal sexual orientation in Nigeria. No political party or politician has formally endorsed LGBTQI rights in Nigeria.
The Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act 2014, which is a particular source of anxiety and the target of protest by the Nigerian and global LGBTQI community, establishes a legal basis for formal discrimination on the grounds of sexuality. This law forbids any form of gay marriage, or civil union (sections 1-3), the registration of gay clubs, societies and organisations or the holding of gay meetings (section 4(1)) and the display of amorous relationship between two persons of the same sex in Nigeria (section 4(2). Anybody who enters into a same sex marriage contract or runs a gay club or association or group or is seen to be aiding and abetting homosexuality is considered guilty of a felony. The punishment ranges from 10 to 14 years (section 5). Although the SSMPA deals with marriage or civil union, it is a much stronger law than the Criminal and Penal Codes and the Sharia on gay issues. It is a law fraught with ambiguities, which devalue the gay person’s rights to privacy, dignity of the human person, freedoms of expression and freedom from discrimination.
But it remains a popular law with the majority of Nigerians who rely on culture and traditional values, public morality as defined in Section 45 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, and the fact that Nigeria being a sovereign nation should be free to make its own laws and not subject itself to Western notions of sexuality. Research findings accordingly indicate that more than 95% of the Nigerian population considers homosexuality a sin. Religion and culture remain major barriers to human rights expression as seen in the case of Christians quoting such anti-gay Scriptural passages as Leviticus 18:22, 20:23, the poor fortunes of the Child Rights Act in spite of its ratification by 26 out of 36 states, constructive and continuing gender discrimination, and the disgraceful politicking over the Gender Equality and Prohibition of Violence Against Women Bill, 2016 which has now been reduced pathetically, at second reading, to a bill on violence and sexual abuse.
There are specific posers to be raised in relation to the SSMPA 2014. One, culture to the extent of its dynamism should evolve, and must not be erected into a given barrier to human rights expression. Two, human rights and sovereignty should not be antithetical. Three, who should determine what is right and wrong? Is there an objective universal morality in a world of diverse beliefs and practices? And is morality necessarily as determined by the majority? Can the majority possibly be wrong in a democracy?
Where sexuality is concerned, the insistence on basic rights can only be a continuous and inclusive struggle. The debate can only continue to evolve as society itself evolves. The irreducible minimum lies in the need by state and non-state actors to continue to make efforts to dismantle barriers and extend the frontiers of how human rights are respected, protected and fulfilled. Gay persons in Nigeria are subjected to police brutality and assault, targeted killings, hate crime, and sundry forms of discrimination. Their relatives are stigmatized. The jungle justice that is imposed on the community is outside the province of the law. Enforcing the law as it is, until it is amended, revised, or repealed, should be within the province of the rule of law, not the jungle. The right of all persons to freedom, justice and equality should be considered sacrosanct. Any law, which contradicts this principle, in its operation or expression, is to the extent of its inconsistency, questionable.
The more memorable aspect of the 2016 symposium on Human Rights, Sexuality and the Law, attended by both gay and non-gay persons, was the interactive session where further issues were raised and interrogated. One fellow stood up and insisted that I needed to apologise to the LGBTQI community for views I had expressed in the past. My response was that when I defended the SSMPA publicly in 2014, I was doing my duty as the Official Presidential Spokesperson. In that capacity, it was part of my responsibility to explain and promote government policies and decisions. A spokesman’s loyalty is to country, state, government and principal; he or she is essentially a Vuvuzela. Besides, the SSMPA is not a law about my personal views but the values and the choice of the majority of Nigerians. What people do with their private lives is their business as free human beings without interpreting freedom as absolute, however, but as a guarantee for the equality of all persons.
Someone else wanted to know why President Jonathan considered it expedient and urgent to sign a bill that was first proposed in 2006 into law. The chronology is that the National Assembly rejected the bill in 2007. It was passed by the Senate on Nov 29, 2011, by the House of Representatives on May 30, 2013 and signed into law on January 13, 2014. If President Jonathan had withheld assent, the National Assembly could have exercised its power of veto override. What is required, in all of this, to be honest, is not ex post facto hand-wringing and blame games, but continued advocacy and awareness building. Incidentally, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights has called on the Nigerian Government to consider a revision of the SSMPA given the manner in which it is being exploited to violate fundamental human rights. A day may well come when this would happen in line with the Yogyakarta Principles on sexual orientation and gender identity, as has been experienced in Mozambique, Nepal and Nicaragua.
A lady stood up and added: “Dr Abati, it is important that you realise you are in our space. This is a very sensitive space and community. My husband is your very good friend, but I still think you owe this community an apology because even when doing your job as a government official, there are certain things you should not say.” I thought I already answered that question. Another lady intervened: “Hi, Dr Abati, I am made to understand you don’t believe we exist in Nigeria. Well, now you know we do. I am a citizen. I work in this country. I pay my taxes. My name is Pamela. And I am a Lesbian.” I have never said any such dumb thing as to insist that the LGBTQI community does not exist either in Nigeria or elsewhere in Africa. Having read Bernadine Evaristo and other writers on the subject, I have a clear understanding.
I left the symposium with two special gifts. The 2016 Human Rights Violations Report Based on Real or Perceived Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Nigeria, a 61-page publication by TIERS Nigeria which was formally presented at the occasion and “Tell Me Where I Can Be Safe”: The Impact of Nigeria’s Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, a 108-page publication by Human Rights Watch. Both publications provide detailed and up-to-date information including statistics and the impact of the law with regard to the status of the LGBTQI community in Nigeria, focusing mainly on human rights violations on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. I recommend both publications for general reading and for the benefit of those seeking answers on the subject under review.
Sitting by my side during the interactive sessions was Olumide, the gifted and resourceful activist who runs TIERSNigeria. We reviewed the comments as they flowed forth from the participants in the room. What is clear is that there is a vibrant LGBTQI community in Nigeria led by internationally exposed, media-savvy and knowledgeable young men and women who are determined to insist on their fundamental human rights and their right to be who they want to be. They are aggrieved. They are organized. They have set up platforms for self-expression including the use of technology, publications, movies (re: Hell or High Water, November 2016), the media and other social networking opportunities. Their voice is likely to grow louder as they become more organized. For how much longer can they be ignored?
As the event drew to a close, the microphone got to a young fellow who incoherent at first, still managed to deliver his punch-line killer: “Please, I don’t understand what people are saying. They are saying they are liberal, or that we need to unlearn certain things. Liberal, about what? When you say you are liberal, it is like you are patronizing us. Can you talk about rice when you have not even tasted it?” Yes, I think. One of the privileges of intellection is the right to talk robustly and nineteen to the dozen about rice, without ever tasting it.
Article by former Presidential aide, Reuben Abati

Olumba Olumba Reveals What Buhari Will Do in 2017, Who Caused Nigeria's Recession

Olumba Olumba, spiritual head of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS) Worldwide has prophesied that President Muhammadu Buhari will end Nigeria's recession in 2017.
NAN reports that Olumba made this comment on Tuesday, December 27, in Calabar, Cross River state. The spiritual leader also blamed greed for the current economic recession.
He said: “If there is love there will be no recession; recession is a result of mismanagement of Nigeria’s resources by the leaders.
“Nigeria has abundant resources as a nation, but because leaders lack love with one another, they squander the collective wealth of the people.
“President Buhari will succeed in ending recession, if he continues with his current programs, including the fight against corruption among others.’’

“We will not accept any move to change what Allah permitted us to do” – Sultan of Sokoto Wants Senate to Reject Gender Equality Bill

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III

Speaking at the 20th Zamfara State Annual Qur’anic Recitation Competition, the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar lll , called on the Senate to Reject the Gender Equality Bill before it, TheCable reports.
“Our religion is our total way of life; therefore, we will not accept any move to change what Allah permitted us to do. Islam is a peaceful religion; we have been living peacefully with Christians and followers of other religions in this country. Therefore, we should be allowed to perform our religion effectively,” the Sultan said.
The bill is proposing that widows should have custody of their children except it is against the welfare and interests of the children.
It is also seeking equal rights for male and female children in the sharing of inherited family wealth and properties
It also says a widow should have the right to remarry any man of her choice and should have the right to a fair share in the inheritance of her late husband’s property, and the right to live in her matrimonial home.
The Senate rejected the Bill after second reading in March this year, but it has been reintroduced and has passed second reading. It was sponsored by Senator Biodun Christine Olujimi from Ekiti South Senatorial

Drug Traffickers Excrete 50 Wraps of Cocaine at Lagos Airport

Two suspects – David Achebe, 37, and Daniel Ndukwe , 43- attempting to smuggle cocaine have been arrested at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport .

One of them who was heading to Hong Kong, excreted 45 cocaine wraps, after the arrest.

A statement by spokesman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) , Mitchell Ofoyeju, described the arrests.

“Another suspect, who lives in Athens, Greece, was also apprehended in connection with unlawful possession of wraps of substances that tested positive to cocaine.

The arrests were made at the MMIA, Lagos, during screening of passengers on an Ethiopian Airline flight to Hong Kong and an Egypt Airline flight to Athens.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the suspects had targeted the Christmas holiday to smuggle cocaine out of the country but drug law enforcement officials at the Lagos airport were able to uncover their plan.

The total weight of cocaine seized from the suspects is 1.150kgs. One of them excreted 45 wraps of cocaine he ingested, weighing 935 grammes while the other excreted five wraps of cocaine weighing 215 grammes.

Both suspects tested positive for narcotic ingestion and while under observation; they expelled wraps of cocaine which they had wanted to smuggle out of the country. The suspects are currently under investigation.

The high expectations of both suspects making quick money this festive season from drug trafficking had been dashed by vigilant anti-narcotic officers,” the statement stated.

The statement also reported the Chairman of the agency, Muhammad Abdallah, as saying that those wishing to get rich through drug trafficking would end up in prison.

“This is a warning to drug traffickers that the agency is determined to detect all hidden drugs and prosecute offenders. There are control measures in place to detect narcotics at all exit and entry points. We shall continue to improve on our strategies in line with our mission of providing a safe and healthy society for all.” Abdallah said.

According to PUNCH ,

Achebe, who deals in electronics, reportedly told investigators that a friend contracted him to traffic in cocaine with a promise of N5m for a successful operation.

“I sell electronics at Alaba market. This is my first time of dealing in drugs. My friend in Hong Kong introduced me to cocaine smuggling. He sent the drug to me. The cocaine was in a black polythene bag containing plantain and pineapples. I swallowed the 45 wraps in my toilet without my wife’s knowledge. I was promised the sum of N5m which I had wanted to use in importing electronics. At the airport, they told me that scanning machine indicated that I had drugs on me. That was how I was arrested,” he said.

Ndukwe in his confessional statement said he thought he would scale through the screening due to the small quantity of the drug, adding that he was to be paid N250,000.

“I have lived in Athens (Greece) for over a decade. I lost my job last year and things have been very bad financially. I came to Nigeria to visit my wife and two children. I had no plan to smuggle drugs until a friend called me from Athens that I should bring five wraps of cocaine. Since it is only five wraps, I felt it will be an easy task. He sent someone to give me the wraps in Umuahia (Abia State). I inserted the five wraps in my anus,” he said.

Obama calls Buhari as DSS arrests key terrorism suspect - President Buhari

The United States government had offered $340million (£217m) for about 10 most wanted terrorists, including the leader of Boko Haram, Imam Abubakar Shekau.

Shekau attracts a bounty price from US officials of $7million (£4.4m).

Shekau was reportedly killed about two years ago by Nigerian military but his death was riddled with controversy. He even reappeared in a video to denounce his purported killing by troops.

His fate remains unclear.

Some other wanted terrorists and ransome placed on them include Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, $10million (£6.3m) ; Abu al-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli, $7million (£4.4m); Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, $5m (£3.2m); Georgian native Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili – also known as Omar the Chechen – $5m (£3.2m)

At number seven is the head of Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram, Abubakar ); and Ezedin Abdel Aziz Khalil, $10million (£6.3m) bounty.

The Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday confirmed the arrest of the third most wanted terrorism suspect.

The suspect, who is in the custody of the agency, has been indicted in the killing of expatriates in the country between 2012 and 2013.

Many secret services in various parts of the world have been trooping into Nigeria to interact with the suspect.

Also, the service foiled a terrorist attack on the United States through its active intelligence alert.

The arrest is seen as a significant anti-terrorism breakthrough. United States President Barack Obama telephoned President Muhammadu Buhari to hail the feat, a source told The Nation.

A security source said the arrest had made other security services in various parts of the world to fly into the country to interact with the suspected terrorist.

The suspect is unnamed because he is still “undergoing profiling”.

The source said: “He is still in our custody.

“This suspect was responsible for the killing of some expatriates in the country between 2012 and 2013.

The source also confirmed how DSS intercepted a plot to carry out a deadly terrorist attack on the United States.

The source said: “About six months ago, we burst a terrorist attack that was to happen in the United States. This earned the service a letter of commendation.

“In fact, President Barack Obama placed a call to President Muhammadu Buhari to acknowledge what we did.

“We did not make it a media issue because before you know it, there will be editorials asking us whether we had addressed security challenges in Nigeria before helping the US.

“But the speed with which things are changing and expanding around us, I can tell you that security challenge is becoming more globalised.

“We have been taken into confidence as a nation better than what it was before.”

Also yesterday, it was learnt that the activities of some politicians are under watch by the secret service.

The politicians include a few who are making inciting statements and “beating war drums ahead of 2019 general elections”.

According to the top security source, such politicians were already “turning truth into falsehood” because of desperation for power.

The source added: “This has been a very wonderful year for DSS. We are being challenged but we are not complaining.

“If there is any one group that is dangerous, it is the politicians. They are more dangerous than Boko Haram.

”The way 2019 is being looked at, many knives and sticks are being sharpened because of some people’s interest.

“A politician now throws decorum to the winds because he wants to be president or governor. He is now dishing out stories that will make this country to be burning…

We want to reach 2019 in peace and not in pieces.

“The way they are interested in power without any plans on what to do gives calls for concern. They are turning truth into falsehood.”

Source :The Nation 

Billionaire Robert Smith to Sponsor Chibok Girls’ Education – Presidency

President Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and the 21 Released Chibok Girls

A black American billionaire, Robert Smith, has said that he will sponsor the education of 24 girls from Chibok Community, including the 21 recently rescued Chibok schoolgirls.

Garba Shehu , the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, made this known to State House correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said beneficiaries of the scheme included the first set of escapees from Boko Haram insurgents.

According to him, the girls will be admitted through negotiation at the American University of Nigeria (AUN) , Yola.

“Smith has offered to pay for the education of the 21 released through negotiations and is offering to take responsibility for all the others who will hopefully be eventually set free. The Murtala Mohammed Foundation in the country is equally interested,’’ he added.

On the welfare of the recently-released 21 Chibok Girls, Garba said “they are being treated as adoptees of the Federal Government but there is a lot of local and international interest in the future plans of the girls.’’

However, some of the parents of the 21 Chibok Girls complained that they did not have enough room for interactions with their daughters brought home for Christmas by the Department of State Services (DSS) .

Reacting, Shehu admitted that there were some hitches arising from a lack of understanding of the objective of the trip on the part of some security operatives.

He, however, stated that following the receipt of this complaint, a directive had been given from the headquarters for the access by the parents to be eased.

“If the situation persists, please let us know so that the higher authorities will make a further intercession,” he said.

Robert Smith

Smith is a 54 year-old businessman, who attended Cornell and Columbia universities. At Cornell, he picked a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and an MBA at Columbia. He lives in Austin, Texas.

He is the CEO of Vista Equity Partners , an investment firm with over $26 billion in assets as of September 2016, according to Wikipedia.

According to a short bio written on him by Forbes , he was the son of Ph.D holders and was bused across town to his school in the early days of desegregation.

“He later convinced Bell Labs when he was in high school to give him an internship typically only available to college upperclassman by calling them weekly for five months. Smith quit Goldman Sachs to open his own private equity shop, Vista Equity Partners, in 2000. Neuberger Berman bought a stake in the $16.9 billion (assets) Austin, Texas firm, best known for fixing up enterprise software outfits, in July 2015. That same month, Smith married 2010 Playboy Playmate of the Year Hope Dworaczyk in Italy,” Forbes reported.

Forbes listed him as the 274th richest man in the United States as at 27 December, with a net worth of $2.5 billion. He is ranked 688th in the world. Some other reports put his net worth at $3billion.

He is a self-made man, who made his money in private equity investments. And before then, he struggled early to get what he wanted.

According to his story, as a junior at Denver’s East High School in the 1970s, he showed a fascination for the geekiest subject there – Computer science.

“The transistor held particular wonder for him. This small device, a crucial valve controlling the flow of electrons within a computer, had been invented at Bell Labs. Bell had a nearby office. Maybe he should work at Bell, too.

After securing the number, Smith phoned and inquired about a summer internship. Yes, Bell did have one, he learned, but only college upperclassmen could apply. Smith had straight As in math and computer science. Would that count? ‘No’, Bell said, it would not. Undaunted by this initial rejection, Smith called back every day for two weeks—HR stopped answering after Day 2—and then cut back on how often he called …to every Monday for five months. Eventually, he was rewarded for his doggedness. After an MIT student didn’t show up in June, Bell called Smith if he could come in for an interview.

“I ran my own race. I knew what I wanted, and my persistence paid off, and I came in and interviewed. They liked me, and I got the internship,” Smith said in a commencement address at American University in 2015.

“In fact, I worked there for the next four years during summer and winter breaks,” he added.

After leaving Cornell, he worked at Kraft General Foods, where he earned two United States and two European patents.

He then attended Columbia Business School , where he graduated with honours. From 1994-2000, he joined Goldman Sachs in tech investment banking, first in New York and then in Silicon Valley.

“As Co-Head of Enterprise Systems and Storage, he executed and advised on over $50B in merger and acquisition activity with companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Texas Instruments, eBay and Yahoo. He was the first person at Goldman Sachs to focus solely on Tech M&A and foreign countries,” the report stated.

In January 2015, based on its performance over the last 10 years, Vista Equity Partners was named the world’s Number One performing private equity firm, according to the HEC-Dow Jones annual ranking conducted by Professor Oliver Gottschalg.

Preqin , a consulting firm that tracks the industry, reported that Vista’s third fund returned $2.46 for every dollar invested, better than every other big fund raised between 2006 and 2010, the boom years for private equity.

In October 2014, Vista closed its Fund V at $5.8 billion, its largest fund to date.

As a successful African-American, Smith has been generous.

In January this year, he announced a $50 million gift to his alma mater Cornell University, which renamed its school of chemical and bio-engineering after him. In June he was named chairman of Carnegie Hall.

In September, he donated $20million to the National Museum of African American History and Culture . His private gift, as reported by Washington Post was the second largest behind Opral Winfrey , the richest African-American, who gave $21 million.

Smith has received the Reginald F. Lewis Achievement Award, the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the

Robert Toigo Foundation , and the Ripple of Hope Award from Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights .

Smith was also awarded an honorary Doctorate of International Affairs from American University’s School of International Service. He founded Project Realize – termed “Free Market Philanthropy”– in order to combine the best elements of the American free enterprise system with the core American ideals of giving back and lifting others up.

No wonder, he is willing to lift the Chibok schoolgirls out of their predicament and give them a dream education.

Mark Zuckerberg - I am Not an Atheist

Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg is not an atheist.
Zuckerberg made the disclosure while responding to comments posted under his Christmas message. “No. I was raised Jewish and then I went through a period where I questioned things, but now I believe religion is very important,” Zuckerberg told a commentator who asked 'but aren't you atheist?'.

39 Die in Pakistan after Consuming Toxic Liquor During Christmas Celebration

At least 39 people died after consuming toxic liquor in Eastern Pakistan, health officials and police said on Tuesday, as over 150 people were rushed to clinics for treatment.
“We have received 105 patients and 23 have died”, said Aisf Saleemi , a doctor at the District Headquarters Hospital Toba Tek Singh .
He said that over a dozen patients were in critical condition.
Latif Ahmed from the Allied Hospital Faisalabad said that of the 49 patients they had seen, 16 had died. Around 10 patients were in the intensive care unit while the rest were recovering, he said.
Dozens of people who drank the homemade alcohol in the district of Toba Tek Singh in Punjab province had fallen unconscious.
“We have started searching for the bootlegger,” said Usaman Akram Gondal from Toba Tek Singh Police, who said the drink was consumed during festive celebrations in a Christian community.
Photo Credit: Dreamstime

EFCC To Spend N6.13billion On New Head Office

The Federal Government will spend additional N6.129bn on a new head office for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in 2017.
This was apart from a total of N7.912bn budgeted for the same project in the 2016 Budget.
The commission’s current head office is located on Fomella Street, off Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.
According to a copy of the details of the 2017 Appropriation Bill currently before the National Assembly obtained by our correspondent, N4.584bn would be spent on the completion of the ongoing construction of the new head office.
The sum of N1.1bn was also earmarked for the furnishing of the yet-to-be completed building while N244.727m was budgeted for consultancy for the new head office.
According to the budget document, the EFCC will also be spending N60m on the completion of its Lagos office building and N10m on consultancy for the same project.
The commission is also expected to spend N737.85m on the training of its members of staff during the fiscal year.
This is against the N111.587m budgeted for the same purpose in 2016.
Out of the sum, N707.85m would be spent on local training while international training would gulp N30m.
N76.587m was budgeted for local training while N35m went to international training in 2016.
Travel and transport for the commission got N415.848m in the 2017 appropriation bill.
Further breakdown shows that local travel and transport (training) gets N41.716m; local travel and transport (others) gets N249.672m; international travel and transport (training) gets N100m while international travel and transport (others) gets N24.460m.
The commission will also be spending N250.536m on legal services during the year.
This is a drastic reduction in the N339.939m budgeted for the same item in the 2016 budget.
A large percentage of the sum is expected to be paid to lawyers handling the commission’s numerous prosecutions.
With the renewed anti-corruption fight of the present administration, the EFCC has witnessed an increase in corruption cases being prosecuted in courts.
Majority of the cases currently being prosecuted by the commission are those related to the alleged arms contract scandal involving a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.); as well as the $115m alleged scam involving a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Former ministers, ex-service chiefs, chieftains of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, bank chiefs among other individuals and firms are currently standing trials in relation to the cases.
There are expectations that the commission will still arrest and prosecute more suspects in connection with the cases.
Various sums have also been budgeted for the commission to cater for industrial and security equipment, stationery, computer and printers as well as library books among others during the year.

IBEDC restores electricity to Magboro community after ’10 years of darkness’

Magboro community on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, popularly referred to as “Second Lagos’’, unexpectedly had electricity restored to the area Monday as “Christmas present’’ after a decade.
Magboro, including Ibafo and Asese on the axis had been without power supply for many years.
The communities had at various times protested the protracted power outage in their communities.
The Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, responsible for the power supply to the affected communities, however, blamed the protracted darkness on the contractors engaged by the Federal Government to build its power project.
John Ayodele, the Deputy Managing Director, IBEDC, said that the areas were not totally cut off but had been getting power supply intermittently from Abeokuta.
He blamed the poor power supply on the uncompleted National Independent Power Project, NIPP, in the area.
“The areas are to get supply from Akute through the NIPP but last year when it was scheduled for commissioning, we noticed that the contractors used sub-standard materials.
“We decided that the contractors handling the project should reconstruct or address the defects in the project, but as we speak they have not done anything.
“When the plant was to be connected to distribute power, it could not carry the loads in the areas,” he said.
The company, however, promised to restore power to the affected communities latest by December.
Reprieve came to the way of the communities as the House of Representatives at a plenary on November 18, urged the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to urgently complete the power project in the area.
The House decried the long neglect by the distribution company handling power in the affected area.
On December 26, Magboro community got what they did not expect as power was restored.
To the surprise of many residents, electricity which was restored at about 10 a.m. was sustained beyond 4 p.m.
A resident, Olayinka Eyiwuawi, who could not hide his feeling, said it was great having power restored to the community.
“Obviously, it is an ecstatic reaction that having stayed in darkness for 15 or more years in an environment, power is restored.
“This is the first day and we cannot really ascertain how effective or good the light will be.
“If it is going to be darkness for longer and light for few hours, definitely it’s going to be a slight improvement.
“My own house has yet to be lit up, but looking at the progress of the work, it will be gradual before they finish the whole area,’’ he said.
Mr. Eyiwuawi urged IBEDC to give some concession to the community over contributions made to augment the speedy completion of the power project.
“I will like to give kudos to all that piled pressure on the company; I also want a relief to the landlords who have contributed to the restoration of light.
“Personally, I paid N80,000 for connection, so, I will expect a lot of reprieve, especially in the usage of the light for a certain period.
“IBDEC has sold pre-paid meter while the power is not available and it looks fraudulent to us,’’ he said.
Another resident, Shefiu Abiodun, said that the power restored to the community was like a dream to him, adding that the community had experienced many failed promises in the past.
“When I saw the light today, I could not believe it because we have had many December promises, but we were caught unawares today with this fulfilment.
“The light is good enough because we have used it to power pumping machines and other electrical appliances. More power to their elbow.
“The protracted darkness has caused many pains to the community as we live on generators.
“If we should calculate the amount expended on fuel, it is enough to put into other things but we are a lot relieved now,” he said.

NAN

Primate Ayodele's 2017 Prophesies On Politics, Economy, Sports, Others

At the INRI Evangelical and Spiritual Church, Lagos State, renowned cleric and founder of the church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, shares his prophecies for 2017 and beyond.
The polity
The Spirit of God says there will be series of political consultations in the country, the outcome of which may ruin the political fortunes of some politicians. If this government wants to succeed, it has to declare three days of fasting and prayers in order to rebuke the curse which is affecting the country. The situation on ground now needs a lot of prayers.
President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term ambition will cause chaos. Atiku Abubakar’s political machinery will collapse. As things stand, it is not yet the turn of the Igbo to rule Nigeria. [/b]However, in all sincerity, an Igbo person should be in charge of the country’s economic affairs. That is when we can get a bit of change in the economy. That is also subject to the fact that they must pick the right Igbo person. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Makarfi-led and Sheriff-led factions will not unite.
[b]The APC will still split into two factions and it will affect President Buhari because that break in the APC will cause division at the villa. Buhari will have issues with Obasanjo, Tinubu and some other core northerners. The residuals of APC and PDP will come together to form another major party. Some governors of the APC and PDP will have issues with their respective parties. The 2019 elections will cause confusion, even within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Buhari should take the issues of the Niger Delta militants and those agitating for the state of Biafra very seriously. Even the Shiites under el-Zakzaky should be taken very seriously.
I foresee the re-emergence of the herdsmen troubles in Igala land (Kogi), Benue and Taraba states. I foresee killings in Nigeria and this will affect the offices of the service chiefs. The following states: Zamfara, Adamawa, Benue, Plateau, Jigawa, Gombe, Kogi, Anambra and Delta must be careful to avert untoward developments.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will not be scrapped but I foresee reforms that will affect its modus operandi. Let us pray against school collapse. Let us pray against killings in our schools. I foresee that kidnappers will invade schools.
Let us pray against explosions in some states, namely: Oyo, Kwara, Lagos and Ogun. Let us pray to rebuke a major accident in the country that will shock the people. I foresee that some governors will be indicted on charges of corruption while some people earlier charged for corrupt practices will be given clean bill of health.
If Anambra State governor leaves the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), he will be rubbished. The Anambra election will be very tough but it is God who will help the governor retain that seat. I also warn Mimiko not to change parties, else he will be rubbished. PDP senators will go against some bills. There will be constitutional amendment. Enugu, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Delta should pray against attacks, especially at their Houses of Assembly.
We must be careful as there will be jailbreak. The prison controller must be careful so that he will not be rubbished. I will advise Buhari to release Sambo Dasuki and Nnamdi Kanu. There will also be issues with regard to electricity distribution companies in many states. Some states may be in darkness for as much as 24 hours in 2017. Tariff will also increase and there will be several moves by the government to provide stable electricity but it will not go as expected.
There will be issues of corruption in the army and the chief of army staff should pray not to have issues while in office. We should also pray for the air force. The issue with Boko Haram should not be assumed to be over as a major attack is being planned for the coming year and the military should be on alert. Some ministers would be indicted for corruption.
There would be redeployment of some DSS directors. There would also be retirement of some DSS officers and that may not go down well with some of them. Nigeria needs prayers against bomb attacks in the South-West. Abuja must also be careful to prevent explosions. Adamawa, Abia should pray for God to maintain their states. Our judiciary will face many issues and we should pray against court strikes and the death of a judge. Let us also pray against train accident and boat tragedy in Nigeria.
Nigeria will spend money on weather problems and pollution. We should pray against gun attacks and external aggression as it relates to our borders. Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto, Taraba, Jigawa, Adamawa, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun states should pray against political tension. We should pray against religious crisis. There will be some changes to INEC’s regulations. The card reader will still disappoint many Nigerians. Nigeria will want to attempt electronic voting for the 2019 elections but it will cause a lot of problems. There will be moves for state policing but it will cause a lot of problems. New train stations will be inaugurated.
I see flood. Herdsmen will be on the rampage. Let’s pray Nigeria doesn’t have problems with Iran. Let’s pray that a major shipment of oil being imported does not sink. I see fishes dying and as such, cost of fish will increase in 2017. Rivers, Cross River, Oyo, Kwara, Kogi will have their commissioners of police changed. Some traditional rulers in Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti may be dethroned. Alaafin of Oyo, Olubadan of Ibadan, Emir of Kano, Emirs of Niger, Taraba, Ilorin should pray not to have challenges with their health. Let us pray not to lose any of our traditional rulers. Alhaji Aliko Dangote should pray against fire outbreak and other challenges. There will be rumours concerning Dangote. The entertainment industry should pray for unity and pray against accidents, court cases, and debts. There will be change in the process of taxation. JAMB will make changes to its process for admission, as well as entrance for secondary schools. NUJ should pray as there will be issues in the association and there may be a gang up against the NUJ president. Government may want to ban tricycles and motorcycles in Lagos and Oyo states. We should pray against building collapse. Let’s pray we don’t lose a former first lady. We should also pray not to lose a frontline politician. Government must not be at loggerheads with religious institutions in 2017 because it will be as if they are going against God. The new Ondo governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, will face challenges, but with divine intervention and focus, he will succeed.
Emeka Ofor should be careful. [/b]One Oyo market will be razed by fire. Onitsha market should pray against explosions and rebuke leadership troubles. Let’s pray we don’t lose any journalist. Nigeria Union of Teachers will embark on strike. Some obas will be indicted for criminal activities while some obas will be taken to court. I foresee changes in vehicle number plates and the process of motor licensing. The Speaker of the House of representatives may be indicted if care is not taken.
I[b] foresee that some very close aides of former President Jonathan will betray him and even the former Vice-President Namadi Sambo. Let’s pray we don’t lose a former and a present first lady in Nigeria.
Workers of the Lagos transport system will embark on strike. Forte Oil must pray so that any of their trucks will not be involved in a fatal accident
Jonathan will be involved in moves to bring the PDP back to political reckoning. I foresee that President Buhari and Bola Tinubu will hold meetings on ways to re-strategise concerning the All Progressives Congress but the outcome may not work as expected. President Buhari will hold consultations on ways to appoint new ministers or reshuffle his cabinet but I foresee that he will still not get it right. Exxon Mobil will experience troubles as the company will be forced to make some payments. The government will embark on reconstruction work on the Abuja-Lagos-Okene highway.
Economy
The economy will improve a little but will later get worse. This will continue until the government is ready to do the right thing. I foresee fluctuation in the way our economy will respond to the current recession in line with the economic indices. There will be ripples in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) because the CBN would not be able to proffer solution to the economic recession. It will proffer ideas which will be temporary and in the long run, not bring any lasting solution. CBN should pray against fire outbreak at any of their offices. Banks such as Fidelity, Diamond, Access, Stanbic IBTC and Zenith should take note. CBN will also want to take over two banks. Managing Directors of Fidelity Bank, Access Bank, Stanbic IBTC must be very prayerful. There will be retrenchment in some banks. If care is not taken, there will be merging of some banks in 2017. Zenith Bank and First Bank should also pray against fire outbreak and robbery attacks. Next year will be worse than 2016. Nigeria will struggle with recession and it will affect a lot of things, including foreign investment, unless the president changes his economic team. To say that what is affecting the current state of things is not spiritual is a waste of time.
The Nigerian Labour Congress will protest because of the inability of some states to pay salaries, in spite of bailouts. Some states will collapse. Nigeria will borrow. Our economy needs a lot of prayers. As many as 26 states will not be able to function properly next year. [b]Let us pray that we don’t exchange dollar as high as N600 and pounds for N700 or N800. [/b]We should pray against rise in the prices of foodstuffs. Price of flour will increase and that of rice and garri will fluctuate. Moreover, some insurance companies will have issues with their licences. Government will not get it right with the attempt to diversify into agriculture. Some new telecommunication companies will want to register but they will have issues. Visa procurement for the United States of America will change procedure. MTN may have issues and will face court trial. Airtel will have ripples among its management. Etisalat should pray against connection problems. Also, if care is not taken, Nigerians may begin to pay tax on phone calls. Let us pray against bridge collapse. Toll gates will return. There will be network trouble around April/May for all telecommunications networks. Some of their staff will also be relieved of their jobs. MTN should pray against fire outbreak. Let us pray that frontliners in the telecommunications sector would not experience sorrow. Cement prices will not be stable. The embargo on rice importation will be partially lifted and later returned. Some companies will face challenges with stock exchange. APCON will be taken to court.
Sports
Nigeria will lift a cup. The technical adviser will have issues with the NFF. Let us pray against death of a former player, referee, linesman and that there will be no crisis. The NFF should pray against probe because money will cause problems. Some Nigerian players should pray fervently not to have problems in their clubs. Victor Moses and Kelechi Iheanacho should pray against injuries. Alex Iwobi should be careful and prayerful about changing clubs. NFF will have issues with sponsors.
Aviation
There will be changes in various management authorities in the aviation sector. Let us pray against unexpected emergency landing at the airports. Lufthansa should pray that their workers would not go on strike. Air France should pray against emergency landing. There will be a major plane crash in the world in which a lot of people will lose their lives. Arik Air should be careful not to have crisis. Let us pray for all our cargo airlines. I see sack in Arik Air, Aero Contractors and Air Peace. Arik, Lufthansa and Dana workers will go on protest.
Health
I see a kind of disease coming up. Lassa fever is not yet over in Nigeria so the health sector should be on the lookout.[b] I see a disease which will give the World Health Organisation (WHO) a lot of problems. [/b]Solutions to cancer, HIV and Hepatitis A will begin to take major shape next year. Let’s pray against hypertension and cholera outbreak.
International
Incoming Ghanaian President should not probe past leaders because if he does, it will collapse his government. President Donald Trump of the United States of America will take some wrong steps and he should be careful so his life will not be threatened. America will lose that place they have held as one of the top countries of the world. There will be flood in Brazil and India. America will have problems which will extend to the whole world. There will be a major train collision – Spain, Germany and France should be very prayerful.
Let us pray against shipwreck in international waters. Germany should pray against troubles. France and UK also need prayers. Some European countries will face recession. In the United Kingdon, BREXIT will cause much problems. We should pray against problems at Buckingham Palace. The US will experience economic meltdown. I foresee that there will be flooding and serious erosion in the United Kingdom and some European countries. I foresee crisis and absence of peace in some parts of the world. There will be problem in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Singer Orezi Gets 500k Gold Plated Watch From Veteran Comedian Alibaba [PICS]

Nigerian singer, Orezi spent his Christmas at the home of veteran comedian and actor, Alibaba who gifted the youngster a gold wristwatch reportedly worth over half a million naira as an Xmas present.
Orezi took to social media to gush about his new gift...

Tekno Helps Wizkid Ex' Tania Omotayo Sell Out As She Launches Clothing Line [PICS]

Nigeria music star, Tekno was on hand with another singer, Lola Rae as they provided support for ace model and fashion stylist, Tania Omotayo who launched her own clothing line, yesterday, Boxing day.

The creative analyst and style star, who was also a long time girlfriend of international music export, Wizkid officially launched her Ziva Lagos collection at the “Cocktails & Shopping” event at Sao Cafe, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos. .

According to singer Lola Rae, one of Tania’s closest friends, she “basically sold out everything in ONE DAY!”.

A fan who was at the launch commended Tania; “The girl is hardworking, you have to give it to her. She has a 9-5 and is putting her popularity to good use with all the modeling and now her own clothing line. Congratulations!” .

Tania also got commended by other top stars who also came out in her support like movie actress, Rukky Sanda who admired her hardwork and simplicity while stating that Tania looked a good match for Tekno.

“They look sooo cute . Congrats Tania Really hard to hate on her, she is pretty nd yet looks simple”

Tania talking about her successful launch, said;

Wow... God is amazing!!! I've been wanting to do this for so long and something or someone always discouraged me. But I finally did it, we had about 600 pieces on the shop floor yesterday and I'm just here looking at the 18 pieces we have remaining.

Every blessing in my life started with someone telling me what I cannot do, but my God is a faithful God. I've exceeded my own expectations and I cannot be more thankful. Barely 25 and making my dreams a reality. 

FG Punishes Arik Air for Delaying Passengers' Luggage

The federal government Nigeria has fined Air Air N6m for delaying the luggage of passengers on one of its flights.
According to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, passengers complained of delay and inability of Arik Air to ferry their luggage from London to Lagos from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of December, 2016.
Arik Air was also ordered to pay each affected passenger $150 in 30 days as compensation for inconveniences suffered as a result of their inadequacy.

Orji Uzor Kalu's Daughter, Neye's Wedding Postponed Till February 2017

Neya Orji Uzor Kalu's traditional wedding to Lawrence Iyere which was scheduled to take place tomorrow Dec. 28th at her father's home town in Igbere, Bende LGA of Abia state, has been postponed. According to a source close to the couple, the cancellation doesn't mean the couple have broken up, for personal reasons, the wedding was postponed till February 2017.

PHOTOS: Man killed by policeman five days to wedding

Owerri - A police Inspector, Mike Edem, allegedly shot dead one Friday Nduka in Owerri, the Imo State capital, five days to his wedding, Punch reports.
The victim, who returned from Malaysia for his wedding in Owerri on December 27, 2016, hailed from the Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State.
He was reportedly shot dead on December 22 by the trigger-happy policeman, who is now at large, in the presence of his fiancée and younger brother.
An eyewitness said that Nduka got into in a serious argument with one of the pump attendants over his missing iPhone 7.
He said the argument degenerated into a fight and Nduk
a, inflicted injuries on the attendant.
The witness said the manager of the station, Ruth Enemmuo, who is now in police detention, intervened, adding that as soon as Nduka entered into his car, the police inspector fired, killing him instantly.
It was learnt that the inspector fled the area and had not been seen.
The manager later went to the police station to report the killing, but was detained immediately.
See photos below:

Man stabbed to death during vagina celebration

A middle-aged man was at the weekend stabbed to death at Omotosho in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State during the celebration of annual ‘Obo’ (vagina) Festival in the town.
The victim, Mr. William Adesoji, was killed in a bizarre manner at Flasher Hotel during the celebration of the strange festival dubbed ‘Obo Festival’.
Since the initiation of the festival by the owner of the hotel in 2013, it was learnt that customers were gathered once in a year to celebrate the Yuletide amid all kinds of promiscuity.
A source said that every customer was feted to wild and unending entertainment by buying only a bottle of beer, which qualified him or her to drink others freely to his or her satisfaction; all on the management’s bill.
While others, who don’t drink, would join the climax of the festival where sex becomes a free-for-all competition for the strongest and bravest; also with rewarding prizes for the competitors.
“The real game is that a mattress would be placed in the open, while a male customer would engage one of the prostitutes in a marathon bout of sex.
“Both would be rewarded with cash gifts ranging between N5,000 and N10,000, depending on performance,” another source said. The source added that the deceased was in a frenzy mood before the tragic incident.
“The game was on when the wife of the proprietor asked one of the customers to stand up from a chair, claiming that she was sitting on it.
The argument degenerated into the woman slapping the man. “Not knowing what had transpired, the deceased rushed to the scene, grabbed a bottle, broke it and dealt it on the head of the customer (name withheld) now in the hospital under police surveillance.
“A friend of the man, who was with her (the proprietor’s wife) also picked up a bottle, broke it and stabbed William in the stomach, bringing out his intestines.
He died on the spot.” The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Femi Joseph, however, said he had no details of the incident. Joseph promised to speak with our correspondent after contacting the police post in the area for confirmation.

Soldier Who Was Killed In Sambisa Forest Laid To Rest In Maiduguri.

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A gallant Nigerian soldier, Sergeant Aliyu Bello, who was killed by suspected Boko Haram fighters during a recent operation in the dreaded Sambisa forest, has been laid to rest. The slain officer was buried today at the military cemetery in Maimalari barracks in Maiduguri, Borno state. May his soul rest in peace.