She died on Monday. Apparently, her battery was flat so she decided to use the power bank to charge her phone. Unfortunately, she fell asleep.
Friday 29 May 2015
Breaking News: See What Power Bank Cause To This Lady
She died on Monday. Apparently, her battery was flat so she decided to use the power bank to charge her phone. Unfortunately, she fell asleep.
Thursday 28 May 2015
Sambisa Forest: Army dismisses 200 soldiers for cowardice
They were dismissed for laxity and cowardice in the course of duty.
One of the affected soldiers, Aguloye Sunday, an indigene of Ondo State, who confirmed the dismissal to journalists in Jos, said they were arraigned on a two-count charge of “failure to perform military duty and disobedience to standing order.”
He, however, argued that they would seek redress in court as the charges pressed against him and his colleagues were “untrue, false and malicious.”
Denying the claim by the army authorities that the soldiers abandoned their duties and ran away, Mr Sunday explained that sufficient weapons were not provided
Three pastors, herbalist arrested for kidnapping in Ogun
A 70-year-old woman, Monilola Lateef, her son, Modiu, and two others were also arrested for alleged armed robbery in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Parading the suspects, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, told newsmen that the three pastors and one herbalist belong to a five-man gang of kidnappers, who had been terrorising residents of Ijebu area of the state.
Adejobi said the suspects were arrested, Tuesday, at Ita-Marun, Ijebu Ode, by men of the state Anti-Robbery Squad.
He said the suspects, including Ganiyu Olaiya, Segun Makanjuola, Bisi Akinleye and Bayo Adekunle, were arrested for allegedly abducting a man
APC’s mandate must be reclaimed from Wike – Amaechi
Amaechi made the remarks at a special thanksgiving service to mark his 50th birthday organised by his friends at Corpus Christi Cathedral in Port Harcourt on Wednesday while responding to an appeal from the Catholic Bishop of Port Harcourt Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. Camillus Etukudor to settle the row between him and Wike.
The Catholic Bishop had congratulated the governor- elect, Wike, for his electoral victory and urged both former politicians to settle their differences.
He said: “As for the outgoing governor and the in-coming governor, I urge them to work together so that there will be peace. We need peace in Rivers State.
“There can be no reconciliation without forgiveness. There will be no peace without reconciliation. So, it is time for the out-going governor and the in-coming
The Jonathan finale: No fuel, electricity,, adminished PDP
There was no denying the fact that most Nigerians who voted Buhari saw in the man, his lifestyle and avowed commitment to fight corruption amongst other promises, someone who could provide the leadership for the process of change that Nigerians believe was essential to arrest the drift that we have witnessed under President Goodluck Jonathan.
Yet, it is also part of the contradictions of contemporary Nigeria, that Buhari will inherit power at a time when Nigeria’s indices have worsened and the resources available to drive the process of change have drastically reduced. Buhari is about to inherit presidency at a moment of incredible national downturn.
A man carries jerrycans to search for fuel in Lagos, on May 21, 2015. Long queues formed at petrol stations across oil-rich Nigeria on May 21 following a row over subsidy payment to petrol importers as well as sale of government oil blocks to private investors,
14 banks on edge over new cash reserve policy
About 14 banks may have landed at the receiving end of the Cash Reserve Requirement, CRR, harmonisation policy announced last week by the Monetary Policy Committee, MPC, of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
About nine banks are benefiting from the policy change.
CRR simply specifies the proportion of a bank’s deposit that must be reserved, thus specifying the limit of cash banks can lend out of its total deposits.
For this purpose banks’ deposits are divided into public sector and private sector with 75 percent reserve imposed on public sector deposits, while 20 percent was imposed on private sector deposits up until last week.
However, MPC rose from its second quarter meeting last Tuesday harmonising the two by crashing public sector CRR to 31 percent, while hiking the private sector
Why court restrained IG from arresting Kashamu
Meanwhile, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday recanted its stance on Tuesday’s court order by another Federal High Court when it pledged to obey the order of the court and vacate Kashamu’s residence.
Justice Okon Abang in his judgement in a fundamental human rights enforcement suit by Kashamu, challenging plans to extradite him to the US, held that the agencies must comply with the letters of the Extradition Act if they must arrest or extradite the senator -elect.
The court further restrained the IG from withdrawing the security
UEFA calls for FIFA election to be postponed
UEFA has called for Friday’s FIFA presidential election to be postponed amid FBI allegations of bribery and corruption.
European football’s governing body has
said that it will also consider boycotting this week’s FIFA congress
following the arrests of soccer officials in Zurich, Sky Sports reports.
UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino
says the corruption investigations into FIFA “tarnish the image of
football as a whole” and said European football associations will debate
on Thursday whether to boycott the Zurich congress.
Infantino
said the executive committee of European football’s ruling body, which
met on Wednesday, wants “a change to the leadership” of FIFA, with the
congress to be postponed and new elections held within six months.
The full UEFA statement, following an
executive committee meeting, said, “Today’s events are a disaster for
FIFA and tarnish the image of football as a whole.
“UEFA is deeply shocked and saddened by them. These events show, once again, that corruption is deeply rooted in FIFA’s culture.
“There is a need for the whole of FIFA to be “rebooted” and for a real reform to be carried out.
“The upcoming FIFA Congress risks to turn
into a farce and therefore the European associations will have to
consider carefully if they should even attend this Congress and caution a
system, which, if it is not stopped, will ultimately kill football.
“The UEFA member associations are meeting
tomorrow (Thursday) ahead of the FIFA Congress. At that point, the
European associations will decide on what further steps need to be taken
to protect the game of football.
“In the meantime, the members of the UEFA
executive committee are convinced that there is a strong need for a
change to the leadership of this FIFA and strongly believe that the FIFA
Congress should be postponed, with new FIFA presidential elections to
be organised within the next six months.”
UEFA’s leadership has supported Prince
Ali bin Al-Hussein of Jordan in the FIFA ballot scheduled for Friday,
where president Sepp Blatter is strong favourite to win a fifth,
four-year term.
By Wednesday morning seven serving FIFA
officials were arrested in Switzerland on corruption charges including
vice-presidents Jeffrey Webb – the current CONCACAF president – and
Eugenio Figueredo from Uruguay, along with Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha,
Costas Takkas, Rafael Esquivel and Jose Maria Marin.
In addition, two former FIFA officials,
Jack Warner – the former president of CONCACAF, who has denied any
wrongdoing – and Nicolas Leoz, have been indicted. All nine are or were
representatives from South America, North America, Central America or
the Caribbean. Five corporate executives have also been indicted.
Amaechi, Jang, others to shun new govs’ inauguration
Two days to the expiration of their
tenure, some governors have jetted out of the country, thereby refusing
to personally hand over power to their successors.
They include Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, and his Katsina State counterpart, Ibrahim Shema.
Also, some governors, who did not travel out, have decided to shun the inauguration ceremonies of their successors.
Preparations for the inauguration of the
nation’s 4th Republic intensified on Wednesday with Nigeria and the
international community gearing up for the ceremony.
The
President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, is expected to be inaugurated as the
country’s Chief Executive and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
while governors are expected to be inaugurated in their respective
states.
Lamido left Nigeria last week after handing over to the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Abdu Babura.
The governor, whose tenure expires on May
29, had before departing Nigeria for Saudi Arabia told newsmen last
week Thursday that he was taking a well deserved rest.
At the conference, Lamido confirmed that he was leaving behind a debt of N2bn.
Putting the debt issue in perspective,
the governor explained that of the N14bn debt in the name of the state,
N12bn, which his administration used in the construction of the Dutse
International Airport, was owed by the Federal Government.
Like Lamido, the outgoing Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, has jetted out of the country ahead of the inauguration.
The PUNCH gathered that Shema had last week Thursday left the state on an official trip to Abuja.
Further checks revealed that the governor
had after performing the official inauguration of the state’s housing
complex in Abuja, last weekend, left the shores of the country on
Saturday night.
It was learnt that the Secretary to the
State Government, Mukhtar Ibrahim, would represent Shema during the
handover ceremonies slated to be held at the new multi-million naira
Karkanda Stadium.
This is coming at a time when it is
becoming clearer that some Peoples Democratic Party governors, who lost
their states to the opposition All Progressives Congress, have concluded
plans to avoid being physically present when their successors take over
the reins of governance.
The Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi
Amaechi, has said that he will not be present at the swearing-in of his
successor, Chief Nyesom Wike.
There had been speculations that Amaechi
may not be present at Wike’s inauguration as a result of the controversy
surrounding the presidential and governorship elections in the state.
But Amaechi, who spoke through his Chief
Press Secretary, Mr. David Iyofor, explained that he would rather be at
the swearing-in of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, on Friday, in
Abuja.
“Governor Amaechi at the inauguration
ceremony of Wike? He (Amaechi) plans to attend the swearing-in of the
President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari,” a text message sent to our
correspondent by Iyofor read.
The Executive Assistant to the Plateau
State Governor, Mr. Clinton Garuba, confirmed to one of our
correspondents that his principal, Mr. Jonah Jang, is most likely not
going to attend the handover ceremony.
Garuba explained that Jang was likely to
heed the advice of his close aides to steer clear of the inauguration of
his successor, Mr. Simon Lalong, on Friday.
Garuba explained that since there was no
constitutional role assigned to the outgoing governor during such an
occasion, “it will be unwise for him to be there.”
He revealed that the outgoing governor
had already written a letter inviting Lalong to the Government House,
Jos, to collect the handover notes on Thursday.
Garuba said, “Since it is the Chief Judge
that swears in the governor, Jang has no role to play there. He is more
or less going there as a spectator. So, we have advised him not to go
but he has the discretion to heed to our advice or not.
“But he has written to the governor-elect
to come to the Government House on Thursday, where he will hand over
the notes to him officially.”
Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, who
has not indicated any interest in leaving the shores of the country
before Friday’s inauguration, said he would hand over the mantle of
leadership to the incoming administration on Thursday – a day to the
event – at the Makurdi Government House.
The governor, who spoke through his
Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Cletus Akwaya, said
that the state executive council took the decision after their last
meeting today (Wednesday).
Akwaya said his principal had prepared
the handover notes and was ready to hand over power to the incoming
Governor Samuel Ortom.
The special adviser explained that Suswam
had performed creditably well and deserved the commendation of the
people of the state.
He, however, did not say whether or not Suswam would be present during the inauguration.
One of our correspondents gathered that
civil servants in the state plan to boo Suswam should he attend the
inauguration slated to take place on May, 29 at the IBB Square, Makurdi.
It was learnt that most civil servants in the state are unhappy with Suswam’s performance which they described as abysmal.
His administration is owing salary and pension arrears for four and six months respectively.
His Niger State counterpart, Babangida
Aliyu, said that he had no plans to leave the state before the handover
date. Aliyu said he had concluded plans to hand over to Sani Bello – the
winner of the just concluded governorship election in the state.
The governor, who spoke through his Chief
Press Secretary, Mr. Israel Ebije, told our correspondent that he had
not abandoned his duties as he was still holding council meetings a few
days to the handover date.
Ebije said, “He is even inaugurating
projects. He believes governance is all about service and not
subterfuge. He has no reason to shun a ceremony which symbolises
democratic transition of power.”
According to him, Aliyu has served meritoriously and he will leave office as a hero.
“You know he is not a coward and the
people of Niger are not blind to what he has done. For those who have
turned a blind eye to his achievements, we should be sympathetic to
their plight,” the aide said.
Buhari’s inauguration: Tight security in Abuja
Police and soldiers have beefed up security in Abuja ahead of Friday’s inauguration of Buhari as the president of the country.
Armed policemen and soldiers on Wednesday
started checking vehicles in areas such as the Airport Road, Apo
Roundabout, Asokoro and AYA.
At the Eagle Square, where the
inauguration of the President and his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo,
(SAN), will take place, soldiers, who would parade on Friday, were seen
practising.
There was heavy security at the square as people, including journalists, were not allowed in.
Also, as part of the preparations for the
presidential inauguration, the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon
Arase, has ordered tight security at the Eagle Square.
He has also directed his personnel to
scale up security at major hotels where important dignitaries and
foreign guests would be lodged.
A statement by the Force Public Relations
Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, in Abuja, on Wednesday, said traffic on all
roads around the Eagle Square would be diverted.
The statement added that major places
within the Federal Capital Territory would be manned by security agents
“as well as the mounting of Tactical Operation Points on all the roads
leading into and out of FCT.”
The statement reads, “As part of
preparations for a hitch-free presidential inauguration, the
Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, has ordered the diversion of
traffic on all the roads around Eagle Square on Friday, May 29, 2015.”
Meanwhile, the various checkpoints
mounted by armed soldiers, however, have been causing gridlock,
especially in the evenings. The military checkpoints at Abuja City gate,
Kubwa-Zuba Expressway and around Julius Berger Roundabout, Wuse, are
sources of frustration to motorists.
Our correspondent observed that
preparations for the inauguration are gathering momentum as a detachment
of policemen, soldiers and naval officers daily rehearse for the
ceremonial parade that will usher the nation into a new government.
Miniature flags that were mounted on
street lights in different areas of the FCT had changed the face of the
city, giving it a festive outlook.
The Bayelsa State Government will host
President Goodluck Jonathan to a grand welcome reception on Friday and
Saturday, investigation has revealed.
President Jonathan, who is handing over
the reins of power to the incoming government of Buhari, lost his
re-election bid in the March 28 presidential election.
Addressing journalists at a press
conference on Wednesday evening at the Banquet Hall of the Government
House, Yenagoa, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr.
Osueme Kikile, described Jonathan as a worthy son.
He described the outgoing President as a hero worthy of celebration by all.
Kikile said, “The fact that President
Goodluck Jonathan (our hero) is returning home in good stead after
administering the country for close to six years is worthy of
celebration.
“The programme of his reception will
begin on Friday 29. Jonathan will be received at the Government House
helipad by Governor Seriake Dickson and other dignitaries.
“Thereafter, Jonathan will proceed to
Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre for a grand reception. From Gabriel Okara
Cultural Centre, Jonathan will proceed to his country home, Otuoke,
where he will be hosted by his kinsmen.
“In the evening of Friday, he will be hosted at the Government Banquet Hall.”
The commissioner said that on Saturday,
May 30, Jonathan would be the guest at an interdenominational service
scheduled for St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Yenagoa.
He said in the course of the programme, there would be a slight restriction of movement.
Kikile, who said the restriction was for
security reasons, urged the people of Bayelsa to bear the inconveniences
the restriction might cause them.
He stated that the restriction would be
along the road leading to the Banquet Hall of the Gabriel Okara Cultural
Centre and St. Peter’s Anglican Church.
The commissioner, who said the President
would arrive the state by 3pm on Friday, said the restrictions would
begin an hour before his arrival.
He dismissed insinuations that Jonathan might not come with his wife, Patience, saying there were no indications to that effect.
“There is no indication that the
President is not coming with the First Lady. There is also no indication
of any rift between Jonathan and his wife,” he said.
I was a motor park tout —Benue gov-elect
The Benue State incoming Governor, Chief
Samuel Ortom, has described his experience as a motor park tout and his
election as governor as a divine arrangement and the handiwork of God.
Ortom, who bared his mind to The PUNCH in an exclusive chat in Makurdi, said his elevation from grass to grace was due to hard work and his firm believe in God.
He said, “My journey from being a motor
park tout to an elected governor is purely a divine arrangement. I cast
my mind back to when I dropped out of school in Form 2 but I remained
hardworking and I did not engage in crime to survive.
“One
thing I know is that hard work pays and you must keep faith with God;
power belongs to God and He alone gives it to whoever He will.”
The former Minister of State for
Industry, Trade and Investment said he had dropped out of school in Form
2 due to lack of funds but this did not force him to engage in criminal
activities to survive.
Ortom, however, noted that the selection
process of the PDP delegates in the last party’s primary in the state
was manipulated by the party leadership intentionally to thwart his
ambition of becoming the next governor.
He said the party also frustrated the support of the Benue populace who supported him.
He said, “The process of selection of
delegates in the last PDP governorship election was manipulated by the
leadership of the party to thwart my ambition and frustrate the people
who all supported me. But God vindicated me and blessed me, and now I am
an elected governor.”
Don’t single me out for probe, Jonathan tells Buhari
President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday
advised the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, not to single out his
administration in any probe he may want to carry out after his
inauguration on Friday.
He said all those advising Buhari to
probe his administration must also advise him to extend his probe beyond
his regime or else, the probe will be seen as a witch-hunt.
Jonathan made his position known at the
valedictory session of the Federal Executive Council which he presided
over at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He
also said those calling for his administration’s probe should add that
the probe should be extended to the way oil wells and fields were
allocated in the past.
A former Minister of Defence, Gen.
Theophilus Danjuma, had over the weekend joined the growing number of
persons calling on Buhari to probe the Jonathan administration.
Jonathan said, “Some people are even
calling for the probe of this government. I agree that in Nigeria, there
are a number of things that we will probe; very many things.
“Even debts owed by states and this
nation from 1960 up to this time. They are saying it is Jonathan’s
administration that is owing all the debts.
“I believe that anybody calling for
probe must ensure that these probes are extended beyond the Jonathan
administration, otherwise to me, it will be a witch-hunt. If you are
very sincere, then it is not just the Jonathan’s administration that
should be probed.
“A number of things have gone wrong and
we have done our best to fix them. The Attorney General is aware of the
massive judgement debts, if we aggregate all of them, it is about $1bn.
How did we come to this kind of huge judgement debts? These issues
should be probed.
“How do you allocate our oil wells, oil
fields, marginal wells and others? Do we follow our laws? All these
should be probed. I believe all these and many more areas should be
looked at.”
Jonathan said regardless of what critics
might say about his administration, he and his team had done well under
a difficult situation.
He advised those who criticise him to
endeavour to compare his administration’s performance with those of the
administrations before him on a sector-by-sector basis.
The President listed some of the
daunting challenges faced by his administration to include the prolonged
industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, terror
attacks and the ongoing fuel scarcity.
Jonathan described the ongoing fuel scarcity as an act of sabotage.
The president claimed that those who felt they must bring his government to its knees were the ones behind the scarcity.
He wondered why marketers would choose to go on strike a few days to the end of his administration.
“Even this last fuel scarcity, to me one
can clearly say it was an act of sabotage. This government has few days
to go, that is definitely not the time you expect massive strikes,
using marketers and unions. Unions asking for increase in salaries at a
time oil prices have dropped and volumes have dropped,” he said.
The President made it clear that he had
not dissolved his cabinet as all ministers were expected to attend the
inauguration dinner on Thursday in their official capacity.
Earlier, the Vice-President, Namadi
Sambo, had thanked Jonathan for finding him worthy to be his running
mate in 2011 and 2015. He said he did not at any time lobby the
President for the position.
He promised to remain a member of the Jonathan family and his ambassador anywhere he found himself.
The Attorney General of the Federation
and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN), said the
administration had impacted on the lives of millions of Nigerians.
Wednesday 27 May 2015
Research discovers that lack of exercise can disrupt the body rhythm
Exercise may affect how and when we move, even when we aren’t exercising, according to a fascinating new study in mice. The findings suggest that, by influencing our built-in body clocks, exercise may help our bodies to recognize the optimal times we should be moving, and when we should be still.
Most of us have heard of circadian rhythms. Our heartbeats, hormones, hunger, alertness, digestion, fatigue and other bodily functions move through regular cycles on a schedule that is both predictable and syncopated, changing as circumstances demand.
But probably few of us realize that physical activity, both
We shall obey court order on Kashamu – NDLEA
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has expressed its readiness to obey the court judgement, which ordered its operatives to vacate the Lagos residence of Senator-elect for Ogun East Senatorial district, Mr. Buruji Kashamu, in Lekki.
The agency said this in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Mitchell Ofoyeju, on Wednesday.
It, however, failed to specify when its operatives would leave.
The NDLEA had on Tuesday said it was not in possession
Kogi Judge kidnappers request N150m ransom
The kidnappers that abducted the Kogi State High Court Judge, Justice Samuel Obayomi, has demanded N150m before they will free the judge.
Obayomi of Ebogogo High Court in Adavi Local Government Area of the state was kidnapped at gunpoint on Monday morning on his way to his office in Ebogogo area.
His orderly, Mr. Usman Musa, was shot dead in the encounter.
A source, who pleaded anonymity, told journalists in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, on Wednesday that the kidnappers cotacted the victim’s family on Wednesday afternoon
We closed Benin, Asaba airports for safety reasons – Minister
The Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, on Thursday said the Federal Government downgraded and closed down the Asaba and Benin airports, respectively, as a result of safety concerns.
He spoke while riding a bicycle on his way to the Presidential Villa for his last Federal Executive Council meeting with the President in Abuja.
Asked to state what legacy he would leave behind as minister, Chidoka said, “The legacy I want to leave behind is a legacy of safe and sustainable transport. In my bid as minister of aviation I have promoted the safety of airports and on my departure I had to take two decisions to downgrade Asaba Airport and to close down Benin Airport because of safety issues.
“I believe that other agencies involved in
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