Dj Jimmy Jatt Releases New Video ‘E To Beh’ Feat : Banky W, Phyno

Cool DJ Jimmy Jatt has released a smashing video to his track, ‘E to Beh’. The single is from his latest album.

The renowned Disc Jockey, featured Banky W (“Mr Capable”) and the fast rising eastern rapper Phyno in all the glory of his South Eastern swag.

The video was shot with a 90s retro hip-hop cultured background, and opens with an intro from the renowned DJ.

‘E To Beh’, named after the popular Yoruba expression – meaning unstoppable – was shot in Lagos and directed by the maestro short film director, Clarence Peters and produced by MasterKraft.

Dj Jimmy Jatt has a T.V programme called ‘Jimmy’s Jump Off’ currently airing on local and international stations.

 

Genevieve Nnaji Cannot Soar Beyond Her Present Height – Charles Novia

Charles Novia Blatantly Compares Omotola
And Genevieve's Acting Skills

Popular Nollywood critic, Charles Novia is here
again.
Charles Novia
The Nollywood actor and director, who is known for
airing his blunt stance on issues among celebrities,
politicians and issues in Nigeria has taken to His
Facebook page to congratulate Omotola for her
National Award honour which she received yesterday.

While doing so, the movie producer and opinionated
writer Charles Novia compared Omotola and
Genevieve’s acting skills, saying Omotola has more
depth in acting than Genevieve.
Read below and see if you agree with him.
Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde is known to many. Her
acting prowess is arguably in a class by itself and
her being nominated as one of the world’s 100 most
influential persons by TIME magazine a couple of
years back must have paved the way for her present
national recognition by the Federal Government.
Frankly speaking, I personally think she has more
depth in acting than her ‘rival’ Genevieve Nnaji. I
have worked with both of them in the past and also
studied their acting styles. Omotola has the gift of
role immersion.
She gives everything into her characters. There is an
organic style of interpretation she is gifted with. Very
few actors have that. She Is not a Method Actor,
mind you but she has delivered roles which many
method actors would give her a standing ovation for.
Genevieve Nnaji, on the other hand, is a fantastic
actress and a trend – setting one too who was first
honoured by Mr President a couple of years ago. But
she lacks the intrinsic ability to evolve artistically
beyond her present heights in her career. That is my
opinion.

There is an underlying stereotype in her interpretation
of her roles in many of her movies; a linear aloofness
and veiled disdain at the thought of being pushed
further down the exploratory lane. Of course she has
an uncanny screen presence which generally veils her
artistic shortcomings when it comes to acting and
between her and her rivals, she comes tops on the
fan base list.
However, with an attitude which seems to say she
has nothing more to prove, even the fans would
become restless if new artistic exploits are not
offered from her to which they can beat their chests.
And for fans of both actresses, this is a professional
review of their acting abilities and not an attempt to
rekindle old rivalries. Somehow, this post on the
National Honours dove tailed into their artistry. All
well and good.
It would be recalled that just recently, the
controversial Nollywood movie producer, who is
known for being very outspoken and always sharing
his opinion about almost every trending issue,
reacted to the mavins ‘Dorobucci’ video, listing 10
things wrong with the video.

Naij

Ini Edo's Marriage Crashes, Family Returns Bride Price

Heard this one last week but trust me I had to wait to verify before going public with it. Now its own Naij.com and Kemi Filani is confirming it. Its a pity.

It looks like this is a season of divorce for our Nigerian celebrities.

First, it was news about Tiwa Savage and hubby,
Teebillz , and now, it is our beautiful actress, Ini Edo.
Kemi Filani has revealed that the wedding of the
Nigerian actress who started her acting career in the
year 2000 has ended.
Ini Edo and Hubby recently on her birthday
The marriage which was contracted in 2008 was said
to have ended five weeks ago. The actress who has
featured in more than 50 movies since the beginning
of her career is said to be beaten by her husband all
the time because she allegedly cheats on him.

Kemi Filani made it known that the groom’s family
also added to the whole show because the endowed
actress Ini Edo didn’t bear a child. They have
however made sure that the bride’s family returned
the earlier bride price that was paid at the inception
of the lifetime commitment.
Ini and Hubby
Although the Nollywood actress and her American
based hubby Phillips Ehiagwina have split and gone
their separate ways, Ini is said to be releasing a
press statement soon to that effect, but right now
she is in Makurdi shooting a movie.
Ini Edo and Hubby
It would be recalled that just recently, Nollywood
actor, Desmond Elliot asked fans to pray for the
actress who is a Theatre Arts graduate of the
University of Calabar to get pregnant before the end
of the year.

What's really happening to our celebs.

It is well.

Taries brings independence to the people

Taries Beauty Lounge gears up for Taries independence day special offers and prelude to Taries beauty therapy.

Taries Beauty Lounge presents '2014 GREEN AFFAIR'.
Walk into Taries lounge @ #5 Olufunmilola Okikiolu st, off
Toyin st. Ikeja, Lagos from 9am till 5pm, Wednesday,1st
October,
★Purchase any makeup item worth N5,000 and above for
an opportunity to win fantastic Prestige Make-Up range prizes, Free Makeover, photo shoot & lots more.

Makeyour reservations and enquiries call +2348024691790.

★All orders placed ONLINE @ www.tariesworld.com/shop, N5k & above paid for from now till Wednesday 1st October, 5pm will also receive a gift on delivery of their package.
SHOP NOW!!

See prelude photos featuring my own fine girl #Beulah Marshall #taries model (making mouth tins)

Photography by Taries

Tiwa Savage Sacks Husband, Employs New Manager

News just reaching us had it that Popular 34-year-old Nigerian singer, Tiwatope
Savage-Balogun, known by her stage name Tiwa
Savage, has sacked her husband.
The Eminado crooner was said to have relieved her
husband, who also doubles as her manager off his
‘managerial’ duties. The beautiful actress who
recently performed in a controversial attire which
revealed all her body contours was said to be having
marital issues, hence the need to change her
manager, Kemi Filani reveals.
Tiwa and her new manager
The award winning singer-songwriter, recording
artist, performer, and actress who is referred to as
Mavin First Lady got married some months back in a
star studded and a high-classed wedding.
Tiwa’s new manager, Mekka Millions
However, the beautiful singer who cherishes her
mother so much because of the impact she took in
her life while growing up has employed Emeka,
Mekka Millions as her new manager.
Although speculations have been up since she has
been stepping out to functions alone without the
husband, Kemi Filani revealed that the marital crisis
was as a result of Tiwa’s husband, Teebliz beating
her up black and blue always.
She also made it known that although family and
friends have not been able to pacify her not to walk
out of her marriage.
The beautiful singer who is known for wishing every
celebrity a happy birthday and even updating her
Instagram and Twitter accounts praising her new
hubby however raised eyebrows when she refused to
wish her hubby a happy birthday on Instagram some
few days back not until later in the day.

Naij

Boko Haram destroys 500 houses in Adamawa

on september 30, 2014
No fewer   than 500 houses were destroyed in the Kubi and Watu villages in Michika Local Government Areas of Adamawa State as the suspected Boko Haram insurgents operated unchallenged in one of its recent attacks.

Members of the community, who spoke on the telephone from their hideouts said that the absence of military personnel in Michika and its environs was responsible for the heavy damage inflicted on them.
“Since the complete take-over of Michika and Madagali by the insurgents on September 7, 2014, no single soldier has been noticed in the area. The only thing we see are jet fighters which come from Yola, the state capital to drop bombs and go back. Our people are helpless as the insurgents control everything in our local government,” they lamented.
According to them, the insurgents were having a field day maiming and killing people and leaving their dead bodies at the mercy of vultures and pigs.
They further alleged that only Vimtim, the hometown of the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Air marshal Alex Badeh was fortified by the military in the area.
They then urged the Federal Government, to as a matter of urgency deploy military personnel to the affected areas to give the people a sense of belonging.
The people Michika faulted the actions of the political class in the state, whom they accused of abandoning them at their trying periods .

Vanguard

Polymer notes: ex-mint boss faces forgery, money laundering charges

on september 30, 2014
There were indications last night that former Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, NSPMC, Emmanuel Ehidiamhen Okoyomon, might be extradited to the United Kingdom to face trial over the lingering polymer notes scam in Nigeria.

Competent sources at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told Vanguard that the extradition processes were being initiated through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation under a Mutual Legal Assistance request by the British Government.
Okoyomon who holds dual Nigerian and British citizenship was the chief executive of the NSMPC until November 2013 when he was suspended by the board of the Central Bank of Nigeria in the wake of the disappearance of printed N1000 notes worth N1.2 billion from the premises of the company in Abuja.
Before then, he had been under investigation since 2012 by the anti- graft agency following a request by the British National Crime Agency over a different matter, the alleged collection of multi-million Naira bribe from Securency of Australia for the printing of polymer notes for Nigeria.
The request followed discovery by Australian authorities that some Nigerian officials at the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Mint, received bribes and kickbacks from Securency Pty Ltd, a polymer substrate producing company for the contract to produce N20 polymer notes for the Central Bank of Nigeria between 2006 and 2008.
Findings by both British and Nigerian security agents reportedly established that the bribes were routed through offshore accounts in the UK and other jurisdictions
But EFCC sources confirmed last night that its investigations uncovered a web of forgery, identity fraud and money laundering running into millions of naira.
The erstwhile Mint boss allegedly used the names of his driver and clerk to open different bank accounts in which he diverted several alleged bribery funds without their knowledge.
He allegedly forged a driver’s license with the photograph of his driver but bearing a different name belonging to his official clerk, to open the account, in which N368 million, proceeds of laundered bribery funds were traced, with Okoyomon as the sole beneficiary.
Over N750 million is alleged to have exchanged hands between officials of the CBN, the NSPMC and Securency International Pty of Australia, (now Innovia Security Pty Limited.
Earlier this year, the EFCC had served notice that Okomoyon and the former CBN boss, Professor Charles Soludo might be charged to court for their roles in the printing of Polymer notes.
The commissioned had hinted at the time that the embattled former MD, who was forced to resign from the company over missing N1.2 billion printed notes, had been found to have a case to answer by a team that investigated him over the polymer notes scam.
The agency also confirmed that the former Mint boss had been indicted by the panel, which probed him and his activities.
He said that all those who were found to have played roles in the scam would be charged to court before long.

Our Democracy of corruption

on september 30, 2014
My thoughts most definitely align with this one from Sunny Ikhioya. Excerpts:

WE are celebrating another independence day, the same  ritual; razzmatazz and demonstrations. Speeches. Promises and promises, all of the same, so much motion but no movement.
Fela calls it “perambulating and still remaining on the same spot”. We have seen it all, as it was in the beginning- 1960, so it is now, nothing has changed. Will Nigeria and Nigerians ever change? That is the big question.
I was reading through Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s book Travails of Democracy book two, recently; as I made progress from one page to another, my body shivered, it was as if he was addressing  today’s Nigeria. The voice of the opposition, then Action group, can be likened to today’s APC, no difference in language and temperament. The NPC/NCNC coalition is like PDP of today; powerful, not too loud but quietly strangulating the opposition.
It was a battle of northern feudalism versus the south’s free enterprise and adult suffrage. It was a classical match at the eve of our independence and the referee was our colonial master, Britain. Same is happening today as our politicians have started appearing at the British parliament to plead their cause.
The independence of 1960 offered a great hope, but, the hope was short lived and finally cut short by a weak foundation, that was programmed to fail ab initio, coupled with the activities of our gullible politicians.
The foundations of Nigeria were built on corruption and manipulations. No structure can survive under a weak foundation, we have witnessed so many collapsed buildings, including the recent one at the Synagogue church of all nations. What are the requirements for a solid building foundation? We have: cement, sand, gravel, iron rods and water. A combination of the right quantity and quality of these items will give a sound foundation for any building; the higher and bigger the structure, the more materials that will be required. There is no short cut to it.
Taking this analogy further to the nation state, the raw materials needed for a nation state to thrive are; willingness of the various interest groups to live together as one, truth- in the form of accurate statistics and census, visionary and purposeful leadership. All of these ingredients for a correct democratic foundations were lacking, at the inception of this country’s independence in 1960. In fact, it dates back to 1914, the year of the amalgamation of the north and south. They were lacking then and they are lacking now.
Let us not deceive ourselves, unless these foundations are put right, nothing will work right in this country; we can adjust, manipulate, cajole or threaten, use propaganda and even, go to war, the problems will never be solved; a sandy foundation will never last. The Nigerian state foundation was built on corruption and, until we go back to the basics to correct this, our situation will remain the same.
The different nations in the amalgamated Nigeria were never, really, fully integrated. It was a merger that was directed by the fiat of the British authorities, all they were interested in was how it benefit the cause of Great Britain.
The system of administration was even different for the north and southern regions. Culturally, the people are different; while the south are more agitative as a result of their western education exposure and republicanism, the north is more subdued because of their feudal tendencies. The British found it more to their interest to favour the passive north against the restive south.
Therefore, every decision taken in respect of the Nigerian nation, was skewed against the south. It was a conspiracy of the British and the northern ruling class against the south. The geographical mappings were skewed in favour of the north, census were conducted to favour a section of the country against the other. That was the foundation for distrust between the north and the south till date.
That was the beginning of ethnic/religious rivalry and that was the basis for our inability to handle the monster of corruption, as everyone  shouts: ” you want to bring down my brother”.
The damage that tribalism has done to this country can never be quantified.It has encouraged wastages; projects of all types and industries are sited, based on ethnic considerations, without the viability factor. Therefore, there are so many abandoned projects all over the country. Merit does not count in appointments to positions, even, up to the highest levels; the people in public office  today, in all cadres, are not the best that the country has to offer, but, because of such factors, mediocrity is enthroned.
Why, for instance, can’t the presidency be open to all and sundry, irrespective of tribe and geographic location? When you place mediocres in position of leadership, you receive mediocre rewards. Unfortunately, those angling to take over power do  not fare better. Where are the detribalised Nigerians? Do we have them? Men who will be ready to lead Nigeria as a whole, instead of for self and tribal interests, that will be the day.
The Scottish people have just voted to remain in the United kingdom, in a transparent poll, can our leadership afford the various ethnic groups, the opportunity to decide how they want to be governed? There are so many ethnic groups that are been suppressed in this country, for example; we never knew that there are predominantly Christian towns in the north, until the Chibok incident occurred.
Are we ready to allow these small ethnic groups have their say? Democracy favours the majority, but, all ethnic groups must be recognised. Until all ethnic groups are giving a sense of belonging in the affairs of this country, we shall only be pretending to be a nation state. It is not too late to conduct a referendum the Scottish way. Tribalism is evil. It is at the heart of our inability to tackle corruption decisively in this country. Let the people’s voices be heard.

Vanguard

$9.3m arms deal: Oritsejafor opens up

on september 30, 2014

KADUNA —President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, yesterday for the first time spoke on the controversial $9.3m cash allegedly smuggled into South Africa by two Nigerians and an Israeli using his private jet. The money which has been confiscated by a South African court was meant for the purchase of arms for the Nigerian Intelligence Services.  This is just as the #BringBackOurGirls# campaign group, has said it will soon drag the CAN president and the Federal Government to court over the money.
Following the use of his aircraft to convey the money which was not declared in South Africa until immigration officials discovered it, the CAN president was linked to the arms deal with critics condemning his role in the arms deal.

Oritsejafor
Explaining his own side of the story yesterday, at an emergency meeting of the expanded  National Executive Council, NEC, of CAN in Abuja, Pastor Oritsejafor denied any involvement or knowledge of the deal to buy arms in South Africa, noting that enemies of Christians were fuelling the division of CAN.
He said: “The media has been awash in the past few days about an unfortunate incident involving the movement of funds from Nigeria to South Africa. In the unfortunate news reports, attempts have been made to link me directly with the transaction. So far I have refrained from making any direct public statement pending the time that I would have briefed the leaders of the church and explained my position on the issues to them.
“I believe that the primary institution that I owe any explanation to is the church. Permit me to thank everyone who stood by me these past days by ways of prayers, as well as strongly defending  me even though I have not undertaken any public defence of myself.
“I am particularly appreciative of the valuable support of the Catholic Church in refuting a distorted news item by mischievous elements in the media. I wish to assure you that I will not do anything to tarnish the image of Jesus Christ or compromise the divine standard of the Church.
The aircraft is mine — CAN president
“At the risk of being seen to be defending myself, I wish to confirm to the distinguished leaders of the church that the Bombardier Challenger 601 aircraft in question is mine.
“The aircraft was presented to me as a gift by members of our congregation and ministry partners world wide at the 40th anniversary of my call into the ministry. May I be permitted to stress that the aircraft was not given to me by the President of Nigeria, neither was it a settlement for any political favour or patronage.
“With the benefit of hindsight, the President of the country was a guest in our church during the anniversary celebration when the Jet was presented to me and this has been construed to imply that it was a gift from the President of the country.
“The President of Nigeria  has nothing to do with the gift of the aircraft. By the way, I still wonder why all those saying this, still cannot come out to show proof so that the matter can be put to rest once and for all. Let me say that this might be an issue of the court in the near future.
“In order to ameliorate the cost of maintenance of the aircraft, I sought and got permit to allow the aircraft fly in and out of Nigeria.
“Based on this, I leased the aircraft on August 2, 2014 to a company to run it. It was the leasee that entered into an agreement with the people who carried out the transfer of funds. Having leased the aircraft to the Green Coast Produce Company Limited, any transaction undertaken with the aircraft can no longer be attached to me.
War against the Church
“In as much as I am shocked and distressed by the incident, I wish to appeal to Christians in Nigeria to remember that a war has been waged against the Nigerian Church. This war is being fought on many fronts and this unfortunate incident is another dimension in the assault against the Church.
“It is clear that those who manipulated this conspiracy desire to create a schism in the Church. The media hype and the deliberate distortion of information that followed it confirmed that forces that desperately desire to cause division and disunity in the Church are at work. Even the devil knows that a house that is divided cannot stand.
“As Christians, we need unity in the Church now more than ever. We are witnessing inhuman attacks by religious extremists against Christians in the northern part of the country while Christian infrastructure is being destroyed in hundreds.
“If we permit the enemy to divide us, our chances of corporate survival shall be severely threatened.
“Distinguished leaders of the Church, please permit me to state clearly before God and before all of you here present today, I am not a party to the movement of $9.3 million from Nigeria to South Africa to purchase arms and ammunition. I am not part of the deal. I know nothing about it.
“Let me make a passionate appeal to our heads of blocks, heads of denominations and Christian leaders at different levels and spheres of influence to please use your good offices to caution and control your subordinates and followers from making public statements that will further polarise the Church and strengthen the arms of the enemies of the church.
“If I offend you or you offend me, instead of talking to media, let us talk to each other within the house of God.”
 #BringBackOurGirls# threatens to sue
Meanwhile, the #BringBackOurGirls# campaign group, at its sit-out, yesterday, in Abuja called for more public outcry over the $9.3 million cash found in Pastor Oritsejafor’s private jet in South Africa, saying it has concluded arrangement to sue the CAN president and the Federal Government over it.
According to the group: “We need more pressure more than ever; this is tax payers money, we must speak up any time an injustice is done especially when it is about infiltration of arms because that is what brought us here. There is need for a louder cry about this because quietly people are forgetting about the $9.3 million, it will continue if we don’t do anything.
“By next week you will have something different, we are working with our lawyers to sue Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the Federal Government.”
Also, the House of Representatives Committee on Rules and Business has said that the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Lai Mohammed must have acted out of ignorance for saying that the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha was biased in his ruling over the controversial $9.3million arms deal motion.
Briefing House of Representatives correspondents at the weekend, chairman of the committee,  Albert Sam-Tsokwa said “it is glaring that the APC publicity secretary was not conversant with our House rules when he said the Deputy Speaker manipulated the proceedings on the motion bordering on the $9.3m arms deal in South Africa.
“The DS acted as a patriotic Nigerian as he considered the interest of Nigerians above any political lineage following our House standing Orders to the letter.
“The motion in question was an investigative one seeking investigation into the alleged arms deal in South Africa which does not need any debate as this might jeopardise the proposed investigation”.
Vanguard recalls that in the wake of the arms deal, the matter came up in the form of a motion on the floor of the House last Tuesday, but Ihedioha, who presided over plenary that day, did not allow debate on the motion, citing ‘national security.’ He later called for a voice vote and majority of the lawmakers voted against it.
This development did not go down well with some lawmakers, most of whom are of the opposition All Progressives Congress ,APC, who staged a walk out from the floor immediately Ihedioha ruled.
The motion, sponsored by Deputy Minority Leader Abdulrahman Kawu Sulaiman,APC, Kano sought for a thorough investigation into the matter.
But Tsokwa argued at the briefing that what Ihedioha did was in line with the relevant rules of the House, which do not allow debate on matters relating to infrastructure, security and investigation.
He explained that “the House is precluded from discussing any issue that is pending in court. Our rules also say motions on infrastructure, security and investigation are not to be debated. The motion on $9.3 million seeks an investigation, so it shouldn’t, couldn’t and mustn’t have been debated. That was exactly what happened,” Tsokwa said.
Tsokwa further stressed that “the mover wasn’t supposed to take it that day, because it wasn’t on the Order Paper. He insisted on taking it because he said he was away on the Speaker’s errand. But any matter that is not on the Notice Paper can’t be included on the Order Paper. Some members were against taking the motion, but the Deputy Speaker allowed him.”
The Taraba state lawmaker explained that going by parliamentary rules, if any member is not satisfied with a particular decision taken, such a member would call for the House to be divided based on the ‘ayes’ and the ‘nays,’ saying walking out was not appropriate.
“The decision wasn’t taken on the basis of party. It wasn’t all APC members that voted against it and vice-versa”, he said.

Announce Ebola cure and go to jail, FDA warns

on september 30, 2014
The very act of suggesting or announcing a potential cure for the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, has become riskier than envisaged as claimants of such unverified and “unorthodox” cures now stand the risk of going to prison if threats by the American Food and Drug Administration, FDA, are anything to go by.

EVD, a deadly and currently incurable disorder that has killed over 3,000 persons in West Africa since the beginning of the year, is currently in the global spotlight as local and foreign scientists and researchers as well as top pharmaceutical companies and organisations join the race to find a lasting cure to the pestilence.
But for the World Health Organisation, WHO, Centres for Diseases Control, CDC and other global health bodies there is currently remains no cure for EVD.
From bitter kola to salt water solution and Ewedu among others, the practice of unsupported, uncorroborated and potentially fraudulent claims of unverified and unscientific Ebola cures have made the rounds since the outbreak of the EVD in West Africa and Nigeria in particular.
Regulatory agencies had since gone tough on what is described as moves to prevent people from being led astray and causing more panic in the country.
Just last week, the American Food and Drug Administration, FDA, and the Federal Trade Commission, FTC, threatened three companies – the Natural Solutions Foundation, the Young Living Company, and doTerra Company – with criminal charges for making Ebola treatment claims while marketing their products.
In a copy of the strongly- worded warning letter written by the Agency over the purported fraudulent health claims regarding Ebola treatments, the FDA reprimanded the companies over claims that their products could treat or prevent Ebola.
The latest development is coming on the heels of the threat by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration of Nigeria, NAFDAC, to prosecute a Nigerian Professor of Ophthalmology at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, for unverified cure claim of the EVD, using Ewedu, a native vegetable.
Penultimate week, Director – General of the Agency, Dr. Paul Orhii, who described the development as a national embarrassment, had vowed that the Ewedu cure claimant would face the full wrath of the law to serve as a deterrent warning to others with penchant to perpetuate such bogus claims that had tendency to mislead or create panic within the populace.
Essentially, claims of treatment or cures for diseases are not certifiable without incontrovertible evidence. But the FDA which threatened possible criminal prosecutions including jail, in the event of the failure to immediately withdraw such claims from the public domain, also came under criticism for its hard stance.
For instance, arguments that the FDA and other regulators failed to heed the WHO recommendation encouraging use of experimental and unproven pharmaceutical drugs including herbs or natural remedy continue to make the rounds.
In the wake of the EVD outbreak in Lagos last July, the Federal government set up a Treatment Research Group comprising top scientists and researchers including Prof. Maurice Iwu, whose researches on bitter kola as a potential cure for the Ebola disease have generated tremendous interest.
Prior to this, a Scientific Committee on Verification of Herbal Cure Claims set up last year by the Federal government has been looking into the potential discovery of a local herbal cure for series of ailments in the country.
No verifiable cure for the disease has ever been announced but strong argument has been put forward for herbal medicine which many say may ultimately hold the key to a universally acceptable cure. There are no documented reports of scientific tests with Ebola viruses using hers or other natural products.
The FDA had consistently urged consumers to be aware of unverified products sold particularly online claiming to prevent or treat the Ebola virus. Since the outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa, numerous consumer complaints about a variety of products claiming to either prevent the Ebola virus or treat the infection have inundated the Administration.
Although there are experimental Ebola vaccines and treatments under development, these investigational products are in the early stages of product development, have not yet been fully tested for safety or effectiveness. None of them are FDA approved and the supply is very limited.
There are no approved vaccines, drugs, or investigational products specifically for Ebola available for purchase on the Internet. By law, dietary supplements cannot claim to prevent or cure disease.
According to the FDA, individuals promoting unapproved and fraudulent products must take immediate action to correct or remove these claims or face potential FDA action.

Sack our rep or forget our votes’ Arewa

The lingering battle between the Arewa community in Delta and its representative in the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan-led government has taken a new dimension since the community called on Governor Uduaghan to immediately sack their representative in his government, or forget their votes for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during the October 15 local government election and the February 14 2015 general elections.

Addressing the press over the weekend, the Arewa community, spoke through three of its members, said that Governor Uduaghan has continued to turn deaf ears to their call for the sack of his Special Assistant on non-indigenes, Alhaji Auwalu Tukur, for allegedly hijacking political appointments for his wife, relatives and cronies, as well as cornering all that is due them from Delta state government.

The Arewa community also accused Alhaji Tukur of corrupt practices, greediness and self centeredness, saying that failure to adhere to their call, they shall have no option than to embark on a mass protest vote during the council and 2015 general elections as well as shunning all government activities in the State.

Alhaji Ibrahim.B. Gero 111, the Sariki of Arewa community in Delta state and chairman of Northern traditional council of Delta state and Vice Chairman of South-South, South-East Northern traditional council, who spoke through, one of his subjects, Habib Mohammed Faruk, stated that they are only repeating what they have told the media few months ago as regards their earlier call for the immediate sack of their representative Alhaji Tukur.

According to the Sariki, “We have said it all the time you people came and everything said that time still stands, so nothing has changed. Right now our people are feeling very restive and agitated because the man representing us in Delta state government is not representing us but his family and cronies.

Delta State government did a very wonderful thing by taking one of us as a member of its cabinet but unfortunately the person they say is representing us, Alhaji Auwalu Tukur is not representing us but his pocket and family.

While lamenting what he called the absence of social amenities in the Arewa community, the community leader noted that, the only MDG’s water project in the community has broken down, no drainage system, no good roads, stating that all the promises, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan made during his visits to the Sariki, none has been fulfilled till date as they talk.

“In all of this, we still have a representative but nobody goes there to remind him. So, we are not been represented by anybody in the government. Most of the time when we have celebrations top government functionaries and the Delta state government do send materials to us and we are very much aware but the unfortunate thing is that these things don’t get down to us.

I will give you few examples, for instance during the last sallah, we are aware that the House of Representatives member, Hon. Ndidi Elumelu sent two cows to the Arewa community, the same Alhaji Auwalu Tukur diverted these two cows to his house and gave to few people he wanted.

“The Speaker sent about 15 bags of rice and other materials to the Arewa community, instead of bringing it to the palace of the Sariki of the Arewa community; he diverted these things to his house.” Faruk also alleged that, four pilgrimage slots given to the Arewa community by the state government were hijacked by the Special Assistant and gave to his daughter, wife, his brother and the sister to his mother.

Also adding his voice, the deputy to the Sariki of Arewa community, Alhaji Madaki Amin stated that there are many things that may have been given to the Arewa community through its representative in Delta state government, but none gets to the people. According to Alhaji Amin, they know that government partners with the Arewa community through gifts and other materials but alleged that they are always hijacked by the SA and his wife.

“I have said this time without number that this same SA hijacked all the Arewa community appointments and give to his wife and today his wife is a member of the Muslim Pilgrim Board, his boy is the councillor representing the Arewa community in the Oshimili South local government, the Hajj slots from government to the Arewa community, the SA hijacked and gave them to his people, the daughter, his wife and those that are close to him are those that are benefitting from the government.

Alhaji Amin also lamented what he described as the neglect of Arewa community by the state government in the areas of social amenities stressing that they lack electricity, drainage system, transformer even as he noted that though they are aware that the state government was trying its best.

He stated that till date, all promises made by Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and other politicians, have not been s been fulfilled. According to him, the Sariki needs a car because the only one he had was bad following an accident the Sariki had and so many of their graduates have no work.

“We want the government to change our representative before the election. Since 1999 till date the SA has been in government and we have not felt impact of government in the Arewa community. He was a former council member, twice board member and twice SA now and the wife is also a board member.”

Alhaji Amin however reiterated his call for the firing of the SA as well as the scrapping of the Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board, saying that for the past years, none of the core Arewa community members have visited the holy ground of Saudi Arabia for prayers which he described as the most important thing any Muslim needed in his life.A former councillor in Oshimili South local government council who represented the Arewa community, Alhaji Hareal Imam Rabiu called on Governor Uduaghan to immediately replace the Arewa community representative in his cabinet. Alhaji Rabiu who is also the chairman, South-South Grassroots PDP members of Arewa Community; disclosed that before now he had led a delegation to the state government on how to tackle the problems facing the Arewa Community in the state but till date nothing has been done.

Reacting to all the allegations levelled against him by the leadership of the Arewa community which he represented in Delta state government, the Special Assistant to Governor Uduaghan on none indigenes, Alhaji Auwalu Tukur, debunked all the allegations saying describing them tissue of lies without any iota of truth.

However, the SA, who had some time ago owned up that his wife is actually a board member of the Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board, disclosed that when the compilation of names were been carried out, her name was the only eligible woman hence she was appointed there.

Alhaji Tukur further stressed that all those complaining and calling for his immediate sack have benefited immensely from the Governor Uduaghan’s led government, especially the from the Delta State Micro Credit Scheme.

National Mirror

Tyler Perry confirms baby news

Movies/TV mogul Tyler has confirmed he's having a baby with his Ethiopian model girlfriend Gelila Bekele.

Tyler Perry confirmed the happy news over the weekend at the New York Film Festival after reporters shouted questions about his rumored girlfriend and impending pregnancy Tyler replied,

"We're good. Very happy. She's excited, I'm excited so we're very happy."

And so I am. Happy for the dude. So TP if its a boy feel free to adopt my name Marshall.

Don Pedro Obaseki @it again.

Don Pedro Obaseki at it again. He just sent this broadcast and when Groove Plus+ enquired what it was all about he says its the idea; suspense. See his post after the cut .

Hey=-)! MORELLO needs your Booty Number!! Watch out on 1st OCTOBER 2014. Get curious!!! ONE MICROSOFT Music & DonPedroMedia say so!

Let's wait and see. I trust him.

CRUELTY: Woman Buries 1-day-old Baby In Shallow Grave

Police in Akwa Ibom yesterday said they have arrested a middle-aged woman who buried her one-day-old baby in a shallow grave.

The state police commissioner, Mr Gabriel Achong, who made the revelation in Uyo during his maiden chat with journalists, said the woman, Patience Sunday was arrested at Afaha Abia village in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area of the state.

Achong decried the attitude of some mothers who just give birth to babies without adequate preparation for their care.

He explained that the woman was arrested by the police after a tip off from a good Samaritan in the area.

The police commissioner, therefore, advised youths in the state, especially girls, to always exercise caution in their dealing with men to avoid unwanted pregnancies.

Achong who regretted the current high level of moral decadence among children, urged parents to watch the movement of their girl- child in order to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Scientists grapple with ethics in rush to release Ebola vaccines

BREAKING NEWS, TRENDING

Normally it takes years to prove a new vaccine is both safe and effective before it can be used in the field. But with hundreds of people dying a day in the worst ever outbreak of Ebola, there is no time to wait.

In an effort to save lives, health authorities are determined to roll out potential vaccines within months, dispensing with some of the usual testing, and raising unprecedented ethical and practical questions.

“Nobody knows yet how we will do it. There are lots of tough real-world deployment issues and nobody has the full answers yet,” said Adrian Hill, who is conducting safety trials on healthy volunteers of an experimental Ebola shot developed by GlaxoSmithKline.

Hill, a professor and director at the Jenner Institute at Britain’s University of Oxford, says that if his results show no adverse side-effects, GSK’s new shot could used in people in West Africa by the end of this year.

Even if a drug is shown to be safe, it takes longer to prove it is effective – time that is simply not available when cases of Ebola infection are doubling every few weeks and projected by the World Health Organization to reach 20,000 by November.

Among questions that scientists are grappling with: should an unproven vaccine be given to everybody, or just a few? Should it be offered to healthcare workers first? The young before the old? Should it be used first in Liberia where Ebola is spreading fastest, or Guinea where it is closer to being under control?

Should people be told to assume it will protect them from Ebola? Or should they take all the protective measures they would if they hadn’t been vaccinated? And if so, how will anyone know whether the vaccine works?

GSK is one of several drug firms that have either started or announced plans for human trials of candidate Ebola vaccines. Others include Johnson & Johnson, NewLink, Inovio Pharmaceuticals and Profectus Biosciences.

The WHO says it hopes to see small-scale use of the first experimental Ebola vaccines in the West Africa outbreak by January next year.

It has convened vaccine specialists, epidemiologists, pharmaceutical companies and ethicists, for a meeting on Monday and Tuesday to discuss the moral and practical issues.

“Normally safety is the absolutely paramount thing when you’re developing a new vaccine, but this time we’re going to have to take more risks,” said Brian Greenwood, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine who will take part in the WHO-led meeting.

“Quite how we do that, and what risks we take, hasn’t really been thought through yet. That’s what people are trying to figure out.”

The chaos caused by the epidemic itself makes it even more difficult to deploy and track use of a new vaccine, said Hill.

“You’re trying to do two things at the same time: you’re trying to evaluate a vaccine and deploy it – when normally you would evaluate the vaccine first, by doing a randomised double blind controlled trial, and then you’d deploy it if it was shown to be safe and effective.”

Because Ebola virus is so deadly, those who receive a trial vaccine must be told to take all other precautions and protect themselves fully. This could make it harder for researchers to decipher whether the protective clothing and safety protocols, or the new vaccine, is what kept them safe.

Normally researchers testing a vaccine would give some volunteers a placebo, or dummy, to create a “control” group to compare against those who get the real drug. That seems unthinkable in a situation where disease with a death rate of up to 90 percent is raging through villages.

“Would it be ethical to do a trial where some people don’t get the vaccine because they are in the control group? Most people think it wouldn’t be – especially if you have reasonable evidence that the vaccine might work,” said Hill.

Jeremy Farrar, an infectious diseases expert and director of the Wellcome Trust medical charity, said limited supplies of any candidate vaccine could result in a form of natural control group being formed anyway. Researchers can compare populations where the vaccine is available with those where it isn’t.

GSK has said it is aiming to have 10,000 doses of its experimental shot by the end of the year, while Canada has given 800 vials of the NewLink candidate vaccine to the WHO, expected to yield at least 1,500 doses.

Most experts interviewed by Reuters favour the idea of the first doses going to frontline healthcare workers, since their exposure to risk is so high. Researchers could then compare infection rates among health workers who receive the vaccine to those working in regions still waiting for it.

Peter Piot, a co-discoverer of the Ebola virus in 1976 and now director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said that however complicated the ethics, reverting to the traditional years-long process of testing vaccines, and withholding them from West Africa until then, is not an option.

“It may be that without a vaccine, we can’t really stop this epidemic,” he said

3 killed, 30 injured as tanker explodes in Onitsha

Three persons died yesterday while about 30 sustained various degrees of injuries  when a 40-feet tanker loaded with automotive gas oil  skidded off its track  and hit the protector pillars and immediately burst into flames.

Daily Sun gathered that the Tanker experienced brake failure while on top of the flyover near  Nkpor   market in Idemili North Local Government Area .

Witnesses told Daily Sun that when the Tanker hit the iron railing of the bridge  its  tank immediately burst open with fuel gushing inflame fire.

While these were happening, traders and buyers  in the market scampered to safety and in the process no fewer than 30 persons, mostly market women, sustained various degrees of injuries.

Galadima Kano dies at 82

Galadima Kano dies at 82

An influential traditional ruler in Kano, Alhaji Tijani Hashim, who is also a prominent member of the Emirate Council, is dead.
Hashim, who held the prestigious title of Galadiman Kano, died in his Abuja home on Monday.
He was 82.
Thousands of mourners attended the funeral prayer for the deceased at the Emir palace in Kofar Kudu.
He was buried at the popular city cemetery of Dandolo in Goron Dutse area of the city.
The funeral prayer was attended by Vice President Namadi Sambo, who led the Federal Government delegations, Kano state Governor ,Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi.

Nollywood to release film “October 1” for Nigeria’s anniversary

on september 29, 2014
Abuja  - The Nigerian film industry, ‘Nollywood’, on Monday said it would release “a must watch film”, titled titled “October 1”, a dark psychological thriller film for Nigeria’s independence anniversary.
The movie “October 1”, is slated to be released and featured in Nigerian theatres, cinemas and viewing locations from Oct. 1, which is Nigeria’s 54th anniversary.
The film “October 1’’, premiered on Sept. 28, was written by Tunde Babalola, produced and directed by Kunle Afolayan, talks about Nigeria and the verge of independence from British colonial rule.
“This masterpiece, which was directed by Mr Kunle Afolayan, was reportedly made with over N200 million and was shot in Lagos and Ondo states for over forty days, after four months on pre-production.
“Mr Afolayan believes strongly that there is so much potential for this kind of film and that people will start believing in indigenous film projects after watching ‘October 1’.
“One thing is crystal clear; Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike are waiting enthusiastically for the release of October 1.
“It will swarm the cinemas to watch the movie that is poised to leave a long lasting positive impression on all who see it,” a statement on its website; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October _1_(film) said.
“Afolayan, who was also an award winner of African Magic Viewer Choice Award and popular filmmaker, pointed out that ‘October 1’ is not just an entertainment film, but also informative.
“For the older generation, especially those who were part of independence, they will be able to see themselves in this film.
“For the younger generation it’s a platform for many of them who don’t know the story of Nigeria.
“We want the younger generation to know where we are coming from and the older generation to see if we are moving in the right direction,” it explained.
The statement also said: “The film had received sponsorships from Lagos State Government, Toyota, Elizade Motors and Sovereign Trust Insurance.
“The producer though didn’t want to do massive budget projects at the time with the script original name ‘dust’ because it was acted on dusty ground.
“He knew he had no choice, as he wanted to interpret the writer’s vision adequately because it is a `national film with a universal appeal’.’’
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some key Nollywood actors made up the cast crew of the film ‘October1’.
Some of the actors are Kanayo O. Kanayo, who acted as Okafor; Bimbo Manuel, as Canon Kuforiji; Kehinde Bankole as Miss Tawa, and Kayode Aderupoko as Inspector Afonja.
Others include the famous veteran actor and broadcaster, Sadiq Daba, who play lead character Inspector DanWaziri, while Deola Sagoe of Haute Couteur plays the
legendary Funmilayo Ransom Kuti, among others.
Kunle Afolayan, who was not left out in the cast like in his previous films, featured in ‘October 1’ as a farmer with the name Agbekoya. (NAN)

Jonathan appoints Designer of national Flag Special Assistant, places him on salary for life.

on september 29, 2014
Years of neglect of the designer of the Nigerian Flag, Mr Taiwo Akinkunmi came to a dramatic end Monday as President Goodluck Jonathan while conferring him with a national honour award also announced his appointment as a Special Assistant with a salary for life.

President Goodluck Jonathan Presenting Pa Micheal Taiwo Akinkunmi, the designer of National Flag with OFR National Award Today in Abuja.
This was the highlight of the ceremony which saw the conferment of national honours on more than three hundred Nigerians from all walks of life.
Akinkunmi, who is 77 years old also received the National Honours Award of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
President  Jonathan also directed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator. Bala Mohammed to give a flat each to a Taxi Driver, ; Head PresidentIal Steward; Onuh Isaac Michael and a Traffic Warden, Corporal Solomon Dauda who were also awarded national honours.
More details soon

Another church building collapses in Edo state

Barely a week after a building belonging to Christ Chosen Church of God collapsed in Edo state killing three people, another church building has collapsed in the state.

A building belonging to Liberty Power Bible Church a.k.a Power Palace at Asoro Slope, off Ekenwan Road in Benin city, Edo state, collapsed yesterdaySeptember 28th. 

According to reports, the incident happened shortly after members of the church left the building after the close of service. No life was lost.

The owner of the land where the church was being constructed, Ajor Sylvanus, told reporters that the building collapsed because it was not properly built...

“The storm that followed the rain was much but I have been complaining about the building structure. The pastor built the church like a fence, no pillar. The block is just ordinary sand. I have been telling him that no pillar would cause the building to collapse. The building fell on my building and damaged many things. I thanked God that nobody died. When the pastor came, he was concerned about the musical instrument in his church and thanked God that his church members were not around when the building fell. I had to call the police. The building has already cracked and I have been warning the pastor that the building will collapse.” he said.

Ashraf Ghani sworn in as new Afghan president

Ashraf Ghani takes the oath of office
Ashraf Ghani has been sworn in as Afghanistan's new president, replacing Hamid Karzai in the country's first democratic transfer of power.

The Kabul ceremony followed six months of deadlock amid a bitter dispute over electoral fraud and a recount of votes.
Under a US-brokered unity deal Mr Ghani shares power with runner-up Abdullah Abdullah who becomes chief executive.
Two bombs killed at least 15 people as Mr Ghani was sworn in. The Taliban call the deal a "US-orchestrated sham".

One blast near Kabul airport killed at least seven people. A second attack in eastern Paktia province left another eight dead, officials said.
The Taliban said they carried out both attacks.

The bomb near the airport was another reminder of Afghanistan's security problems.

At the swearing-in ceremony attended by up to 100 dignitaries at the presidential palace in Kabul, Mr Ghani took an oath to abide by the constitution.
He said he would work for long-term peace, promised to tackle corruption and said constitutional changes were needed.
"Security is a main demand of our people, and we are tired of this war," Mr Ghani said. "We ask opponents of the government, especially the Taliban and Hezb-e-Islami [another militant group], to enter political talks."

When I listen to some statements … I feel sad for Nigeria – Jonathan

Abuja - President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday said that terrorism and kidnapping were still major national challenges because Nigerians had not united against them as they did against the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
Jonathan made the statement at an inter-denominational church service at the National Ecumenical Centre, Abuja, to mark the country’s 54th Independence Anniversary coming up on Wednesday.

President Goodluck Jonathan speaking at the 54th Independence
Anniversary Interdenominational Church Service at the National Christian Center, Abuja On Sunday (29/9/14)
He said the country was able to fight and defeat the deadly Ebola disease because Nigerians united against the virus irrespective of political persuasion, religion or ethnic origin.
The president appealed for unity among Nigerians, noting that there was no problem or challenge that could withstand the force of a united Nigeria.
“Take the case of Ebola for example; this is a good example all Nigerians must learn from.
“When Patrick Sawyer brought Ebola to Nigeria, it was in Lagos that this incidence happened and in terms of politics, Lagos is an opposition party state but the central government is the ruling party.
“From Lagos Ebola moved to Rivers State, also opposition party state.
“But because all Nigerians fought Ebola irrespective of political persuasion, irrespective of religion, irrespective of ethnicity, as individuals we defeated the disease,’’ he said.
Jonathan commended the military and other security services for the successes they had recorded in the counter-insurgency operations despite internal sabotage.
He noted that what the security agencies needed was the support and encouragement of all Nigerians to rid the country of terrorists and other enemies of the Nigerian state.
The president frowned at inflammatory statements and utterances of some politicians and called for restraint in the interest the country.
“We will not require people to come from heaven or other countries to solve our problems. What we require from our brothers and sisters is to encourage our military because it is not easy.
“When people are sleeping in their houses at night, they are busy fighting. Bullets are not badminton rackets or something.
“When I listen to some statements made by some people who call themselves leaders, I feel sad for the country.
“We must believe that we do not have any other country outside of Nigeria,’’ he said.
In his sermon, the President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oristejafor, said that most of the challenges confronting the country were self-inflicted.
He noted that corruption and terrorism, which he described as `the greatest’ problems facing the country were created by greedy politicians and extreme religious ideologists.
According to him, corruption is fed by greed, which in turn is rooted in poverty mentality.
He defined poverty mentality as the thinking that what one had was not enough.
Oristejafor differed with the school of thought that terrorism was caused by poverty.
According to him, terrorism is caused by extreme religious ideology.
The CAN president, who based his message on Mark 4:35 to 41, said that Nigeria was a boat built by God that could never sink.
He said that as Jesus calmed the storm that threatened the boat conveying Him and His disciples across Lake Galilee, God would take the country through its current challenges and restore peace to the land.
Oristejafor warned trouble-makers to either repent and retrace their steps or be ready to face God’s judgment.
Hon. Justice Walter Onoghen, took the First Reading drawn from 1 Samuel 30:1-19.
The Second Reading, taken from Mark 4:34-41, was taken by the President of the Senate, David Mark.
Other dignitaries who attended the service included the First Lady Patience Jonathan; the president’s mother, Mrs Eunice Jonathan and former military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd).
Chief Ernest Shonekan, Head of the Interim National Government; top federal government functionaries, Service Chiefs, state governors, members of the clergy, among others, also attended the service. (NAN)

Chibok girl moved to Abuja

It has been confirmed that the Federal Government has moved the Chibok girl Susan Ishaya, abandoned by Boko Haram to Abuja for further treatment.
Susan was moved from the Police hospital Yola on Saturday to an undisclosed location where she is now receiving treatment in Abuja.
Susan’s identity is yet to be confirmed or her parents identified since the parents who travelled to Yola to meet with her along with the Vice Principal of the Government Girls Secondary School,  Chibok were unable to see her because she was flown out without their knowledge.
Director of publicity,  Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA) Dr. Manasseh Allen stated this yesterday in Abuja, during the usual gathering of the #BringBackOurGirls advocacy.
He said that it will be important to Susan’s recovery if she is united with her parents and not hidden away from them.
 “She has been moved by security agencies to Abuja from  Yola since yesterday,  her location has not been disclosed to us,  they are working on her medical condition first before they can acquire any information from her.
“They have found out that she is still incoherent,  she keeps repeating herself and at times she keeps repeating statements which means that we cannot depend on her words for now.  But our leaders are in touch with the authorities and government.  As I speak to you right now there are people on standby waiting on the military authorities so that they can have access to Susan and ensure that proper medical attention is given to her before before we can go on with whatever can come after.
“No single parent has made any contact with her, as I’m speaking to you,  no one can say categorically that she is from Chibok because no one is yet to meet her.
“My point of concern is that in every rehabilitation family is essential even to the healing process medically, so it is essential that Susan is reunited with her family as soon as possible so that the process of her psychological and psychosocial healing is complete,” he said.

Foto of the day: Actress Eniola Badmus spotted carrying Davido on her back

The Nollywood Yoruba actress was spotted in the UK carrying Davido on her back while the duo got their fun.

Flavour and beauty queen welcome baby

Singer flavour and former Delta soap queen Sandra Okagbue have welcomed their newly born in the US.
Ms Okagbue gave birth on Saturday 27 September 2014, in Houston.

The 'Ada' 'Ada' crooner started dating last year. She is also Mikel Obi's Ex-girlfriend.
From us @ Groove Plus+ we say congratulation.

Truly like Flavour talk  "Ihe bara'aba aba ago...". Don't crucify me for my bad Igbo.lol

Man beheads woman, claims men from deceased’s village raped his wife

32-year-old Chinedu Nweke (pictured above) has been arrested for beheading 45-year-old Philomina Nwega in Ebonyi State. Nweke claimed he committed the heinous crime to avenge the serial rape of his wife by men in the murdered woman’s village.

According to Sunday Sun, the horrible incident happened on September 6th in Umuzeoka village in Ezza North LGA of  Ebonyi State. Recounting the bizarre tale, Nweke, a farmer, said men from the village had raped his wife severally, alleging that the repeated vicious act led to a miscarriage.
“I am a farmer. Villagers raped my wife severally. And it made my wife to have mis­carriage anytime she was pregnant. I never complained about this problem to the police. It was on September 6, in the evening that I saw a woman coming from the farm. I waylaid her and I used my cutlass to kill her. I cut off her head which I dumped alongside her lifeless body into the Ogbor stream. I cut her head into pieces and threw them into the stream. 
Obviously this guy is sick in the head. How are you going to kill an innocent women over an alleged rape of another woman? Continue...

It was at Umezeoka that the people raped my wife and that was where I killed the woman. Each time my wife was raped I bought drugs for her but I didn’t report the incident to anybody, not even to the village head or the traditional ruler.”
When a report was made to the police about the death of the woman, a search was conducted by a combined team of the police and the local vigilance group in Achiagu, Ezza North LGA, where the suspect, Nweke, was arrested with a blood-stained machete and clothes on September 7th.

Nweke confessed to the police that he killed the woman and dumped her corpse in the stream along with the head.

Dikko said the headless body was later recovered and taken to the mortuary of the Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. The Assistant Commis­sioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department, Mrs Justina Ogbodo also told Sunday Sun that detectives had recovered the machete allegedly used by Nweke to kill the woman.

ACP Ogbodo said the command was still finding it difficult to recover the severed head, which Nweke claimed to have thrown into the stream.

While the police continue with the interrogation of the suspect, the husband of the deceased, Mr. Bar­tholomew Nwega said his primary headache is seeing the severed head of his late wife recovered so that she could be given honourable burial. In a broken voice that belied his grief, he said: “I am pleading with the police to help me recover the head of my dead wife.”

Source: The Sun

If elected, I will not go into office with blonde hair - Tony Tetuila

Singer Tony Tetuila, who is vying for a political post, says if elected into office, his blonde hair will be a thing of the past. He said this while reacting to the recent backlash he received from fans for using his tinted hair for his campaign posters
"I am not going into office to sing, though I am an artiste, I am going to serve my people. I am not going to office with the tinted hair. I was discussing with some youth leaders who said I could leave the hair but now that people are speaking on it, I have to do what my people want" he told tribune. I only used the blonde hair to campaign because everybody knows Tetuila with that trademark" he said
Tetuila went further to state that he is not venturing into politics because he is broke
"How can I be broke? I am not broke, everybody knows where I am coming from. I am not going into politics for the fun of it. We artiste always sing about poverty but rarely do anything about it. If you know songs like "prayer for Naija" and "e go better", you will see that we only complain but we don't do anything about the suffering. We want Nigerians to live a better life. What I am going to deliver matters and not the hair" he said

Source: Tribune

Police arrest woman for burying baby alive

september 26, 2014 at 10:38
Uyo  - The Police in Akwa Ibom have arrested Miss Patience Aaron of Afaha Abia village, Nsit Ibom Local Government Area, for allegedly burying her day-old baby alive.
Briefing newsmen in Uyo, the Commissioner of Police, Gabriel Achong, said the baby, who was buried in a shallow grave, was rescued alive about seven hours later.
He said the woman had been seriously ill since she was arrested and was receiving treatment.
He also said that more than six children who were victims of child theft had been recovered.
Achong said the command had recovered items and N8.9 million cash from hoodlums who trailed and shot the driver of the manager of a telecommunication company who was on his way to the bank in Ikot Ekpene.
“Four vehicles and N30,000 fake currency notes were also recovered from other operations.
“One Andre Moses, a driver with Union Bank Plc, Lagos, who absconded with his manager’s Hyundai Jeep with Reg. No. AKD 381 CY to Oron, was also traced and arrested.
“The suspect confessed to have sold the vehicle to a Ghanaian in Port Harcourt,’’ the commissioner said.
Source: Vanguard

'It feels cool to be a grand mother' - actress Shan George says

Actress Shan George became a grandmother on Sept. 6th after her first son welcomed a daughter with his girlfriend. Shan, who is in her mid 40s, says she's thrilled to be a grandmother. Speaking to Encomium mag this week, the mother of 2 boys says it feels good to have another girl in their family
"It feels really cool, especially the fact that I gave birth to all boys, now I have a girl. I was happy when my son told me about his girl being pregnant. Children are a beautiful gift from God.
The best thing about me being a grandmother is the fact that as a Christian, God’s promise of keeping me alive to see my children’s children has been fulfilled." she said

Shocking video: See what happens to some Nigerians who try to cross to Europe via Sahara desert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3w5GL-rlv0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Shocking video: See what happens to some Nigerians who try to cross to Europe via Sahara desert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3w5GL-rlv0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Shocking video: See what happens to some Nigerians who try to cross to Europe via Sahara desert

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw8OwKFuBm8

Explosives uncovered in Uyo varsity •One suspect arrested

OPERATIVES of Peace on Campus Initiative (PCI), University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Monday, uncovered two improvised explosive devices in male hostel of the institution.

The operatives also arrested a diploma student of the institution, Mr Kufre Anwana, following the discovery.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that two improvised explosive devices, widely speculated as hand grenades, were found in a bag belonging to the suspect by some students, who alerted the operatives of the PCI.

National Coordinator, PCI, Mr Oliver Cromwell, told newsmen that his men in the UNIUYO chapter got information that the suspect was keeping explosive devices in his bag, while they trail him to his room in the hostel.

According to Cromwell, on discovering the devices, which was well packaged in a bag, the operatives apprehended the suspect and invited anti-bomb squad formation of the Akwa Ibom State police command, Ikot Akpan Abia, to the scene for verification and possible diffusion.

He stated that the squad detonated the two improved explosive devices, while it also conducted a search round the other hostel rooms.

“Anti-Bomb Squad was invited to come and ascertain if the explosives were real. When they came, they confirmed that those things were hand grenades and were locally made,” an eyewitness and student of the institution, who gave his name as Inyang, told the Nigerian Tribune.

Inyang stated that Anwana was not in the hostel at the time the explosives were uncovered, but was apprehended and interrogated when he returned.

It was, however, gathered that during interrogation, the suspect confessed to keeping the explosives, but dismissed that he actually bought or made them with intent to disrupting academic activities.

According to him, he stumbled on the explosive devices on the school premises, saying he was planning to hand them over to the security.

“It all started on Friday when I was coming back from the church. Just close to where the construction is going on, I saw two white things on the ground. When I picked them, I saw the inscription ‘hand grenade’,” he said.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Etim Dickson, confirmed the incident, saying that the explosives were homemade devices, which could have been invented by any of the science students in the university.

He added that the police would get to the root of the matter.

The police spokesman urged students and parents not to entertain any fear about possible breakdown of law and order in the university community.

Heritage Bank affirms 20% payment for Enterprise Bank

Monday, 22 September 2014 20:43

HERITAGE Bank Limited has affirmed the payment of 20 per cent initial deposit of the N56 billion it bidded for the acquisition of Enterprise Bank Limited, beating the September 23 deadline.

  According to the bank, the next hurdle, which it expressed confidence of scaling, would be the remaining 80 per cent, totaling over N44 billion, slated for October 13.

  The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ifie Sekibo, who made the disclosure Monday in Lagos, while speaking with journalists, said the strategy in the acquisition processes had worked well because it was a calculated at raising the bar in the industry.

  Fidelity Bank Plc had emerged reserve bidder for Enterprise Bank’s acquisition, which means that in the event of Heritage Bank’s failure to meet its payment schedules, the former would be the preferred bidder.

  But Ifie expressed confidence that its group and investment partners would explore all the available opportunities to ramp up the acquisition processes, allaying fears of failure, as the stakeholders believed so much in the combination that is in the making.

  He pointed out that the consolidated Heritage Bank hopes to absorb members of staff of Enterprise Bank to take advantage of their experience and branch network, but added that the plans would be subject to administrative processes.

  According to him, the absorb workers would work as a family, fusing seamlessly under the Heritage Bank.

  Meanwhile, the bank chief said plans are already underway to launch the 5000 agent banking outlets across the country as soon as the acquisition process are over.

  He said that it is a strategy to further strengthen the brand commitment to regulatory policies, sustain its footprints and contribute meaningfully to the financial inclusion drive through innovative approaches.

  Ifie Sekibo noted that there is no definite timeline at the moment for transition since the acquisition has not been completed.

  He however assured that the bank would enlarge its shareholder base, as the lender would pursue the listing of its shares in the capital market.

  “I want to state for the record that we believe in what our Special Purpose Vehicle- HISL, has done. We believe that they would conclude the process and that the combination will happen. We are committed to being innovative. 

  Heritage Bank commenced operations in March 2013. The deposit money bank was formed from the defunct Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria (SGBN) and was granted a regional banking licence by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

  The bank has continued to portray itself as an SME-focused financial institution.

“Abubakar Shekau” killed was one Bashir Mohammed -

A Nigerian military intelligence source has told SaharaReporters that the top Boko Haram figure killed in a recent operation was one Bashir Mohammed, leader of the Islamist sect’s Uye camp.
Cameroonian authorities yesterday released a photo of a dead man they identified as Abubakar Shekau, the loquacious and attention-seeking leader of the terrorist group that has launched deadly strikes in Nigeria’s northeast zone as well as Cameroon. The Nigerian intelligence source told SaharaReporters that Nigerian soldiers, not Cameroonian troops, had killed Mr. Bashir last Friday in a fierce battle against Boko Haram insurgents in Konduga, Borno State. The late Mr. Bashir, who bore a striking resemblance to Abubakar Shekau and had appeared in a recent video, was killed as he led insurgents who were attempting to capture Konduga and then made a bid to seize Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, as well.
Nigerian soldiers routed the Islamist militants in Konduga, killing hundreds of them and capturing weapons as well as vehicles abandoned by fleeing insurgents. The military as well as Nigerian government-appointed negotiators claim that the original Mr. Shekau had died since last year, reportedly assassinated by his lieutenants. The intelligence source said Mr. Bashir had adopted Mr. Shekau’s nom deguere and had been the person responsible for issuing video messages in recent times. Even though our source said the military was cautious not to claim credit for Mr. “Shekau’s” death, he added that the Nigerian military was buoyed by the capture of the armored tank usually displayed in the background of recent videos issued by the sect’s spokesman.
Source: Sahara Reporters

Katsina governor reportedly orders student detained for criticizing him on Facebook

A student of the National Open University of Nigeria, Abdulmalik Sa’idu, has been languishing in a police cell for over 20 days on the orders of the Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, for posting details of an alleged fertilizer scam in the state on his Facebook wall, Premium Times reports
This was disclosed to Premium Times by Mr. Sa’idu’s family and lawyer. Abdulmalik was first invited to the Katsina Government House on August 28 by a phone caller who claimed he had a message for him. But when Abdulmalik arrived at the governor’s office, he was promptly arrested, handcuffed and taken to Batagarawa Police Station just outside the state capital, Katsina, and detained on the orders of Mr. Shema’s aide-de-camp, Shehu Koko, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP.
According to his father, Maiyawo Sa’idu, while the young student was not charged with any offence, he was accused of cloning the governor’s phone number and using same to call the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affair, Sani Makana, with instructions that Mr. Makana deposit N3 million in his account. Mr. Sa’idu said his son was innocent. He said if indeed Abdulmalik cloned the governor’s number to dupe a commissioner he wouldn’t be tricked to come to the Government House to be arrested. “I think they are trying to frame him. I know my son cannot clone the governor’s number and call a commissioner to put three million into his account,” Mr. Saidu told PREMIUM TIMES.

He said Abdulmalik was arrested because he posted details of an alleged fertiliser scam by the governor on his Facebook page. Mr. Saidu said prior to his son’s illegal detention, some officials of the state government had warned his son to desist from criticising the governor on Facebook. On one occasion, the General Manager of Katsina State Road Maintenance Agency, Jamilu Umar, threatened to pay N2 million to thugs or policemen to kill Abdulmalik if he doesn’t stop criticising the governor publicly, Mr. Saidu said. Governor Shema’s Chief Press Secretary, Sani Malumfashi, rejected repeated calls made to his mobile phone after this reporter told him he was calling about Abdumalik’s case.

Mr. Sa’idu said he is worried about the wellbeing of his son after relatives were abruptly stopped from seeing him a week into his being detained. “For the first week they used to bring him out to me. He would eat in front of me and they would take him back to the cell but for more than 12 days now, we have not seen him. They told me that they have a directive from above not to bring him to me,” he said. “The DPO (Divisional Police Officer) told me they have a directive from the Government House not to bring him out for his family or anybody in Katsina to see him.”

Akin Ajayi, a Kaduna based lawyer, who is helping the family on the case, said the DPO of Batagarawa Police Station told him he had order from above not to release Abdulmalik on bail. “I spoke to the DPO of the Batagarawa Police Station and he said he cannot do anything because it was an order from above,” he said.

Mr. Ajayi said as a lawyer, the governor should realise that he was breaking the law by holding the boy beyond 48 hours on a “frivolous claim.” “The governor is a lawyer, his deputy is a lawyer and the attorney general is a lawyer and they all know that it is wrongful of them to arrest someone and keep him in detention for more than 48 hours on a frivolous claim that the boy cloned the governor’s number and wanted to collect N3 million and some other concocted allegations which are not proven. And they now kept the boy incommunicado. His family cannot reach him, and these days because of the security situation in the north, he could be killed,” he added. Mr. Ajayi warned that if Abdulmalik was not released he was going to send a petition to the National Human Rights Commission and the Inspector General of Police. The DPO of Batagarawa declined to talk to Premium Times after he was asked on whose orders Abdulmalik was being held beyond the 48 hours stipulated by law.

 The Police PRO, Abubakar Sadiq, also refused to return several calls after promising to find out the details of the case.

Culled from Premium Times

2015: PDP cancels Primaries

Check out @NigeriaNewsdesk's Tweet: https://twitter.com/NigeriaNewsdesk/status/513583504299278337

The Cash, The Jet And Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor

Much ado has been made about recent events in South Africa concerning the Nigerian-owned jet that was found loaded with millions of dollars and that was in the process of procuring arms and a fighter helicopter for the Nigerian military and security agencies. As a former minister of Aviation, I wish to assure the general public that flying large sums of cash by security and intelligence agencies for the purchase of arms, in a time of war and conflict, is something that is quite normal and that happens quite often. As a matter of fact, it has happened under successive Nigerian governments, both military and civilian.

Obviously, in the case of the jet that flew to South Africa with 9.3 million USD, there must have been a breakdown of communication between the South African authorities and ours and a few lapses in procedure here and there, which is what has led to the seizure of the money and all the ensuing suspicion and confusion. However, the idea that there was anything untoward or sinister about the whole transaction has no basis in logic, sense or rationality. Perhaps, the only failing was the fact that the cash was not declared to South African customs as is required by law.

The fact that our intelligence agencies have said that they were the ones that sent the money and that they have told us what it was meant for is good enough for me. It appears to me that this was a lawful and legitimate exercise and that there is nothing for anyone to worry about. I am aware of the fact that the British, the French, the American, the Chinese, the Israeli, the Saudi Arabian and the Russian intelligence and security agencies, amongst many others, have indulged in such covert “cash for arms” transactions on numerous occasions in different parts of the world.

They either sell such arms at short notice and off the cuff or they procure them for themselves or for unknown third parties. Even the South Africans themselves have done so on numerous occasions in the past. These are legitimate transactions that are covert and secret in nature but they are, certainly, not illegal.

Such is the murky and dark world of intelligence and security worldwide. There is plenty that we do not know about their day-to-day operations and they have their own unique way of doing things. We should not assume the worse or constantly denigrate them simply because we are not familiar or comfortable with their modus operandi. Suffice it to say that anyone that is in the process of getting arms to help our boys at the war front to fight Boko Haram and protect our citizens and our country ought to be regarded as heroes and not villains.

The attempt by certain elements in the opposition and the Nigerian media to stigmatise all those involved in this transaction and make the whole things appear like something that is out of the ordinary or sordid and criminal in nature really does nauseate me. Those that know no better ought to appreciate the fact that this is how the real world operates and they should learn to live with it.

The Nigerian intelligence services operate in no different a way to their colleagues in the international community and they do so with as much patriotism, professionalism and commitment as their counterparts from other parts of the world. And yes, we do have our very own ‘’James Bonds’’ in our intelligence services even though, more often than not, they are not recognised, celebrated or appreciated. I counsel that we should cut these men and women that work in the shadows and in secrecy some slack and that we should not be too quick to label them as sleazy rogues who are attempting to indulge in all manner of criminal activities.

Since we are on this topic, I would like to take this opportunity to say one or two things about the way in which Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been villified, maligned and treated with the utmost disdain and contempt in this and other matters by elements within the leading opposition party in our country.

The truth is that contrary to what some of the leading lights in the opposition would have us believe, he is not an arms smuggler, a money launderer, a murderer or a Boko Haram sponsor. Going to a foreign land and telling the parliament of that country that the President of CAN in Nigeria is the head of Boko Haram, as one or two of them have just done, is not only a pernicious and vicious lie but it is also utterly shameful and disgraceful. Worst of all it is an affront to the Christian community in Nigeria and a reckless provocation.

On the South African matter, it is clear that Pastor Oritsejafor was not the owner of the 9.3 million USD and neither was he aware that the cash was being flown on the plane. Though he has confirmed that he was the owner of the plane, he has also pointed out the fact that he had leased it out to a company on a long term basis, who were themselves subleasing it out to other companies for regular trips.

He has also said that he had no idea about who they were subleasing it to, where they were flying it to or who or what they were carrying in it in any of their operations. The two companies that were involved, both the one that leased it from Oritsejafor and the one that subleased it from them for the journey to South Africa have since confirmed and corroborated what he has said. In my view, that ought to settle the matter. Yet some people, fuelled and egged on by a ravenous and desperate opposition with a dark and sinister hidden agenda, have refused to let go of the matter and allow sleeping dogs to lie.

Those in our land that are trying to divide our ranks and denigrate us by alleging that Oritsejafor is involved in gun-running, money-laundering, Boko Haram or any other filthy and unsavory criminal activity are the lowest of the low. They are wicked and cruel and I have no doubt that such people are in desperate need of prayer.

They need deep intercession and deliverance from the demons that have taken control of them and that are using them. The truth is that it is a grave insult to the Christian community for anyone to suggest that the leader of the umbrella organisation of the over 80 million-strong Christian faithful in Nigeria is a sponsor of a vicious and barbaric Islamist sect that has killed and abducted more Christians and burnt more churches than any other terrorist organisation in the history of the African continent.

The same people, may as well, tell us that the leaders of the Christian community in Syria and Iraq are the ones behind ISIL and ISIS. They can also tell us that the Christian leaders in their respective countries are the ones behind Al Shabab, the Taliban, the Al Nusra Front, Islamic Jihad, Al Qaeda, Daesh, Hamas, the Janjaweed, the Islamic Brotherhood and all the other terrorist organisations that have recently afflicted the world with their vile inhumanity, their sheer evil and their venal barbarism.

It is only in Nigeria that the leadership of the Christian community would be accused, by a supposedly serious-minded opposition, of wanting to wipe out the Christian faith, wanting to kill all the Christians and moderate Muslims in the country and wanting to establish an Islamic fundamentalist state where 6th century sharia law applies, where little girls are subjected to serial rape and where women are enslaved.

Calling the President of CAN a money-launderer and arms-smuggler and accusing him of murder and sponsoring terror will not help to create religious harmony in our country. As a matter of fact it will completely destroy it. Those that are doing so and the Janjaweed political party, that is stirring up the hornet’s nest and encouraging them, ought to think very carefully about the implications of what they are doing.

We know that they have a religious agenda but they should not take this too far or push us to the wall. Our meekness and humility should not be taken for weakness or stupidity. It is in their own interest and in the interest of the unity of our nation for them to leave the president of CAN alone before matters get out of hand and before all hell breaks loose.

He deserves to be accorded the same level of respect from the Muslim community in our country as the Sultan of Sokoto, the leader of the Muslims in Nigeria, is accorded by the Christians. What is good for the goose is surely good for the gander. A word is enough for the wise.

Cov/Leadership