What Happens When US Is After You: $2 trillion spent and 190,000 lives lost to kill one dictator

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On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq on March 19, 2003, the Costs of War Project of the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University released a report on the casualties and expenditures of the Iraq war.

The preamble of the report states, "The United States invaded Iraq on March 19, 2003 on the false pretext that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. The mass destruction of the invasion, occupation, and civil war followed, and amplified the societal and health disintegration caused by the previous decade of sanctions. Iraqi lives and communities remain war-devastated ten years on. American military and contractor families struggle with the loss of loved ones as well as the emotional and economic burdens of living with long-term injuries and illnesses. Total US federal spending associated with the Iraq war has been $1.7 trillion through FY2013. In addition, future health and disability payments for veterans will total $590 billion and interest accrued to pay for the war will add up to $3.9 trillion."

50,000 – 100,000 Babies Born With HIV in Nigeria Annually – Report

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A recent report has shown that between 50,000 and 100,000 of babies born in the country yearly are carriers of HIV.

The report was released on Tuesday in Abuja, when the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, hosted the National Steering Group of the Global Plan towards the Elimination of New HIV Infections among Children by 2015 and Keeping their Mothers Alive.

The group was constituted by President Goodluck Jonathan in April 2012 to help mobilise national leadership for global plan on eliminating mother-to-child transmission, implementation and keeping their mothers alive.

The NSG has since been working across states of the federation, seeking to end transmission of the scourge.

When Business Goes Awry: Woman Sells Niece For N250, 000

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Certainly, Mrs Nkemdilim Ilomuanya is currently having sleepless nights as the business she did with her niece has gone awry.

Mrs. Ilumuanya allegedly sold her niece, Onyinyechi when she was just two years old to her friend, one Mrs Chinyere Nwangwu who lives at 279 Aba-Owerri road, Osisioma, Aba, Abia State at the sum of N250, 000.

Onyinyechi’s mother, 32-year-old Onuabuchi Omata, was said have a mental problem. She is an orphan though she has two male siblings, but they were too young to take care of Onyinyechi. Nkemdilim is their step sister.

Court Orders Taxi Driver To Pay Housewife N55,000

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An Abuja Area Court sitting in Lugbe has ordered a 28-year-old driver, Stanley Oliver of Lugbe Zone 7, to pay N55,000 to a housewife, Mrs. Habiba Timothy. Delivering judgment in the case, the Judge, Haruna Masanawa, said the court passed judgment in favour of the plaintiff after hearing both sides of the matter. Masanawa ordered Oliver to pay the plaintiff in two installments, the first of which must be on or before February 28, and the second payment must be settled by March 31.

He also granted the plaintiff’s prayer for N5,000 cost of action against the defendant and ordered the defendant to pay the cost of action on the same day with the payment of the first installment.

Kidnappers sell boys for N450,000, girls N150,000

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ABAKALIKI — UNIDENTIFIED persons, weekend, kidnapped a three-year-old boy, Ejike Emmanuel, at Akaeze in Ivo Local Government Area of the state.

Vanguard gathered that the boy was abducted in front of his parent’s compound at Obulo-Iyioji village in Akaeze by two suspected kidnappers, a man and woman, who disguised as customers to the mother of the victim, Mrs Nnennaya Emmanuel.

Oshiomhole Retires Perm Sec Over N300,000 Contract

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Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo said on Monday that he retired a permanent secretary over what he described as alleged “irresponsible act”. Oshiomhole justified the compulsory retirement of Mr Alhassan Ikloha, as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Environment , in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Peter Okhiria, in Benin.  The governor spoke at a meeting held with permanent secretaries in the state civil service at the Government House. He explained the retired officer contracted out the Museum Ground at Kings Square at a paltry sum. 

EFCC nabs alleged courier with $130,000

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Lagos -  Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arrested one Bashir Abdu at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport with 130,000 dollars in cash. A statement signed by the Commission’s spokesman, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, which was made available  in Lagos, alleged that the suspect was a Nigerian resident in Dubai. The statement said the suspect was on board Egypt Air when he was arrested by the EFCC for failing to declare the 130,000 dollars on him.

Man Jailed For Shipping 80,000 AK47 Rifles, Ammunition To Nigeria

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An arms dealer who arraigned to sell 80,000 AK47 assault rifles and 32 million rounds of ammunition to Nigeria has been jailed for seven years, just months after a judge threw the case out of court.
Gary Hyde, 42, oversaw the £800,000 shipment of tens of thousands of assault rifles, 9mm pistols, rifles, and bullets, from China to Africa in 2007, according to the Telegraph.
Hyde, who started in the gun trade when he was 14, flouted British legislation designed to control the trade and transportation of the weapons despite being regarded as an “authority” on those laws.

Why we introduced Chinese language in Lagos schools - Fashola •Marks 2,000 days in office

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Babatunde Fashola, on Sunday, explained the introduction of Chinese language as a subject in schools while thumbing-up, with statistics, the all-inclusive security policy being implemented in the state. He spoke at a gathering on the Lagos Television premises in Ikeja, in commemoration of his 2,000 days in office.

Police Arraign Beggar For Absconding With Colleagues’ N250,000

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Lagos – The police in Lagos on Wednesday arraigned a beggar, Aminat Aliyu, 48, before an Oshodi Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly absconding with N250,000 belonging to one Malam Ya’u Yusuf and 11 other beggars.

The accused who resides at Carol market, Oshodi, is facing a two-court charge of obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.

The police prosecutor, Cpl. Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused committed the offence sometime between August and October at 17, Araromi St., Oshodi.He said that the accused obtained N250,000 from her victims at Araromi and Cairo markets respectively.

Maryland Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for Roles in Identity Theft and Bank Fraud Scheme Crimes Caused More Than $90,000 in Losses

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WASHINGTON—Oluyinka Akinadewo was sentenced today to 46 months in prison in connection with his participation in a scheme in which compromised identity information was used to commit bank fraud throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Akinadewo’s co- defendant, Olabimpe M. Olejiya, was sentenced on October 11, 2012, to 35 months in prison for his participation in the scheme and his attempted flight from prosecution.

The sentencings, which took place in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, were announced

Motorcyclist sells nurse to ritual killers for N10,000 ($63)

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A commercial motorcyclist, identified simply as Ifeanyi, has been arrested for allegedly handing over a nurse, Mrs. Helen Ilonge (picture above), to ritual killers after collecting N10, 000.

Punch Metro learnt that Ilonge had on Tuesday last week took Ifeanyi’s motorcycle on her way to Igoli along the Ogoja-Ikom Highway in Ogoja LGA. Ilonge, the coordinator of Primary Health Care in Bekwarra Local Government Area of Cross River State, was coming from a programme at the Assemblies of God Church, Abakaliki in Ebonyi State, and had alighted from a vehicle at Okpongrinya junction before taking the bike.

It was gathered that Ilonge (51) was beheaded while her other vital reproductive parts such as breast and vagina were removed for ritual purposes.