Lynching: UNIPORT students burn houses, cars in protest

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Students of UNIPORT during a protest against the killings of four of their colleagues in Port Harcourt ... on Tuesday, October 9, 2012.
| credits: NAN.

Angry students of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday invaded Aluu community where four of their colleagues were killed on Friday.

By the time security operatives restored order to the troubled community, many houses and cars had been torched and about 30 students injured.

But the students’ action came with a cost: The UNIPORT authorities shut the 37-year-old institution indefinitely.

While the community boiled, the National Assembly condemned the UNIPORT and Mubi Polytechnic killings. The House of Representatives went a step further by summoning the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, over the rising  insecurity in the country.

Four second year undergraduates of UNIPORT – Biringa Lordson of Theatre Arts Department;  Ugonna  Obuzor of the Geology Department;   Mike  Toku of   Civil Engineering  Department;  and Tekema Erikena -were  lynched in Aluu for allegedly stealing a laptop computer and BlackBerry phone. The lynching was also videotaped.

Last week, gunmen had also invaded the off campus hostel of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi  with a hit list and butchered more than 40 students.

A source in  Choba  told our our correspondent in Rivers State that irate students who gathered under the auspices of the National Association of Nigerian Students had barricaded the East-West Road, vowing not to leave until the UNIPORT Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ajienka, addressed them.

Some the students later moved to Aluu and began to set  houses and cars ablaze until security operatives came to disperse them.

The immediate past student union president, Mr. Rhino Owhorkire, said  that 30 students were injured during the incident that took place at about 4.30 pm.

Owhokire, who hails from  Aluu, stated that he tried to calm the students and stop them from going ahead to torch the buildings to no avail.

“I am from Aluu and I tried my best to calm them down and stop them from burning houses . The initial plan was for them to make bonfire on the road and not to burn houses,” he said.

  NANS Treasurer, South East and South-South, Mr. Iyere Onono, urged government to address the grievances of the students.

As the tension rose, the management of the university  ordered the immediate closure of the university to forestall the breakdown of law and order on the  campus.

Its Public Relations Officer, Dr. Williams Wodi, who spoke with The  PUNCH on the telephone, said,  “The University of Port Harcourt has been shut down indefinitely and students have been told to vacate their hostels until normalcy returns to the institution. We will reopen when normalcy returns.”

Reps summon IG

In Abuja,  the House of Representatives ordered  the Inspector-General of Police, to appear before its Committee on Police Affairs to explain what he had done so far to contain the wave of violent crimes in the country.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent national importance moved by the member representing Mubi-North/South/Maiha Federal Constituency of Adamawa State, Mr. Abubakar Wambai.

Wambai complained that up till Tuesday (yesterday), the killers of the polytechnic students had not been identified.

Besides summoning the IG, the House directed its Committee on Police Affairs to visit Mubi and assess the situation.

The Chairman, House Committee on Electoral Matters, Mr. Jerry Manwe, recalled that Mubi used to be a peaceful town where commercial activities flourished.

“Let us set up a committee to visit Mubi so that we can have a report on what really happened,” he stated.

 Mark canvasses state police

At the Senate,  Mark expressed his support for the creation of state police in the face of what he described as the “perceived failure  of  the Police to stem insecurity in the country.

Mark’s comments came during the debate of a motion brought by Senator Ayogu Eze and 98 other senators on the Aluu killings.

  He said, “We are worried that this has happened, and it is a test case for the police because the video is there for them to identify the perpetrators and they should quickly bring them to book.

“I was against state police before, but I have since changed my mind. The frequency with which crimes happen in this country and the difficulty the current police have in carrying out their investigations means that there are real security challenges that we need to address. And to address them, we must make sure that there are enough policemen that can police this country. The benefits of state police outweigh its disadvantages at the moment.”

Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi said the Aluu killing was an expression of an angry nation that was becoming disconnected from humanity, as a result of accumulated years of disappointment and neglect by government.

  Ekweremadu, who said he knew one of the victims’ parents, added that the country should not be allowed to continue on the path of bloodshed.

Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba, described the killing as an “act of squandering the future of the country.”

NANS  ultimatum

Meanwhile, NANS on Tuesday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Federal and Rivers State  governments to apprehend and punish the perpetrators of the killing of  the four UNIPORT students.

 Describing  the killing as “inhumane, barbaric and uncalled for,” NANS said if the Federal and Rivers State governments  failed to meet its demand by the expiration of  the  ultimatum,  its members  would have no other option than to use their  “constitutional powers.”

NANS National Public Relations Officer, Clement Olusegun, said in a statement in Abeokuta, Ogun State,  that the association would soon shift its secretariat temporarily to Port Harcourt to enable it coordinate a peaceful protest  against the killing of the four undergraduates.

The association, however, kicked against President Goodluck Jonathan’s failure to use the opportunity of his national broadcast on Tuesday to condole with the families of the lynched students.

The statement reads in part, “The leadership of  NANS condemns the national address of our President in which he did not mention the incident that occurred at the University of Port Harcourt.

“Realising the fact that “An Injury to One Is an Injury to  All”, we are using this medium to call on the Federal Government and the River State Government to bring the perpetrators of this act  to book without any further delay, within the next 48 hours from today(Tuesday).

“While we mourn the death of our brothers, we are equally pleading with all concerned Nigerian students to remain calm as a seven- working-day mourning period has been declared by the management of University of Port Harcourt.”

I collapsed – Mum

The mother of one of the murdered students  has however petitioned the Senate, demanding that justice be done.

In a petition dated October 9, 2012, which was addressed to the President of the Senate, David Mark, mother of the late Chiadika, Mrs. Chinwe Biringa, said perpetrators of the heinous crime must not go unpunished.

A copy of the petition which was obtained by one of our correspondents in Abuja on Tuesday said Biringa’s father is a senior staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

According to Chinwe, when her son  turned 20 years  this week, he was given money to mark his birthday  with his friends.

The petition reads in part, “On Friday morning, we were called by my second son, also a UNIPORT student, that all was not well; that he was hearing bad rumours that villagers in ALUU,  had murdered four students.

“I immediately rushed to the scene only to see my son’s dead body being taken away naked to a mortuary in the UNIPORT Teaching Hospital. I could not believe my eyes as I collapsed.

“What did my son do? What did the other three young men who died with him do? First, we heard that the four students were alleged to have stolen a BlackBerry phone and a laptop computer.

“This could not be further from the truth. My son has had a BlackBerry phone and in fact, a laptop computer since he was in primary school. No way could my son steal such a common thing as a cell phone which every village woman now owns.

“We have been subjected to several gory videos and pictures on the Internet. This shows that someone filmed the whole barbarism from beginning to end. My son and his friends were savagely beaten and burnt to death while villagers in  ALUU watched. All this has been caught on film!”

Chinwe demanded that apart from clearing the name of her son, justice should be meted out to the killers .

‘Your Excellency, every responsible parent knows what I, my husband, and the entire family are passing through over this beastly murder. We do not want this thing to be swept under the rug like most Nigerian investigations.”

 

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Re: Awo replies Achebe

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The story published in The PUNCH on Monday, October 8 on the explanation by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, made an interesting reading. Prof. Chinua Achebe stated in his new book that Awo said that starvation was a legitimate weapon of war without any qualification or delineation of the circumstances or conditions under which it might be used. Second, it should have been obvious to all that the overriding principle that it serves humanity and justice far better to let a million criminals go free than deny one innocent person his/her right. In any case, what was the strength of the Biafran army compared with Nigeria? Does it mean that if the Igbos had found a way around the food blockade, the Nigerian government would have employed chemical and biological weapons for a quick end of the war?

Ihedioha Obed,

Ebute Meta, Lagos State. ‍

+2347032829

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Ondo – INEC’s next cchool

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WOULD the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, use Ondo State to continue its learning processes? Since INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega came into office two years ago, INEC has promised to be better with every election.

Before the 2011 elections, Jega told a round table in Lagos: “Let me inform you that when the new commission was put in place, there was a retreat at Obudu.

The commission’s report was studied by members of the commission and in the report there was indication that there are about 87 ways of rigging elections that were discovered and since that time INEC has been doing everything possible block those loopholes.”

The 2011 elections either did not benefit from INEC’s knowledge, or the malpractices in the elections were not among the 87 that INEC knew. Jega told the same audience: “It is not our skills, knowledge and experience that will make the electoral process successful.

Instead, it is our actions that will make or mar the process. Consequently, it is our resolve in INEC to be guided by transparency, integrity, credibility, impartiality and dedication.”

Debates will trail these promises, but most importantly, the software Jega praised in 2010 has not changed anything. Jega has said: “The significance of the new software is that it will tackle many of the lingering challenges that had questioned the credibility of our voters’ register.

The system will no doubt lead to improvements in the accuracy and convenience with which the register can be revised and updated. The new direct data capturing machines is a clear departure from other machines used in the last registration exercise.”

Are the direct data capturing machines still in use? INEC has held one off elections in Adamawa, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Kogi, Rivers, Sokoto states since then, with the challenges appearing more overwhelming each time. Last July’s election in Edo State witnessed late arrival of materials in an unprecedented magnitude that affected even Benin City, the state capital. INEC had no explanation for the flaws.

Updating of voters’ register is an assignment INEC has abandoned. It gave up the attempt in Edo State after complaints about compromise of the process.

INEC should use the Ondo State governorship polls on 20 October — just 12 days away — to showcase improvements it has made, following lessons from Edo which shares similar terrain with Ondo.

Free and fair elections would be challenged in Ondo. The opposition is fierce, and the incumbent governor believes he has done enough to be returned. The contest should remain healthy.

Security of voters should be a priority. Violence has no part in democratic decisions and politicians should advise their followers accordingly.

Comments are moderated. Please keep them clean and brief.

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FMC rewards 90 health workers

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The Federal Medical Centre,Ebute-Metta, Lagos, has honoured about 90 health workers for their exemplary performance at the hospital.
The 90 awardees are distinguished members of staff of the health institution that have served the hospital for between 15 and 25 years.
Speaking during the long service award ceremony, the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Munirah Jinadu, said the award day was in line with the federal public service mandate to recognise and honour workers who had put in over 15 years in service.
According to her, the duty of offering quality medical health care services to the public could not be achieved solely by the management team but collectively by all health workers.
She noted, “The importance of human resources in any organisation cannot be overemphasised because therein lies the mechanism for the growth and development of the organisation. This hospital is not an exception.
“We appreciate the commitment and dedication of our members of staff to their duty within the limited resources of the hospital. We promise to encourage and celebrate productivity, loyalty and dedication to duty.”
One of the awardees, Mr. Ebenezer Akande, while appreciating the management of the hospital for the recognition, noted that it was a positive response to their agitation for improved welfare scheme.

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MetLife builds third-party asset management

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NEW YORK: Metlife Incorporated said Tuesday it will build an asset-management business for outside investors focusing on investments in real estate equity, commercial mortgages and debt private placement.

“Asset management is a capital-efficient business with attractive returns on equity,” Steven Goulart, MetLife’s chief investment officer, said in a statement, adding that, “The strong demand for high-quality private assets among institutional investors makes this an attractive time for market entry.”

MetLife, the largest United States life insurer, which manages some $500bn in general account assets for its policyholders, currently has a small third-party management business focusing on index funds, according to Reuters.

MetLife is reorganising its real estate and private placement groups to facilitate the expansion.

Global head of real estate investments, Robert Merck, will continue to run the group that has been renamed MetLife Real Estate Investors. It currently manages about $43bn of commercial mortgages and $10bn in direct real estate investments, assets that will be folded into the outside management business.

The new equity strategies group will be run by Mark Wilsmann, who has led MetLife’s commercial mortgage business since 2003.

The new debt strategies group, which will raise funds for real estate projects from institutional investors that include other insurance companies, pension plans and sovereign wealth funds, will be run by Brian Casey.

He has been heading MetLife’s Washington, D.C., real estate office.

The company, which says it is the largest life insurance lender, currently manages about $50bn of privately placed debt.

MetLife, which does not break out its individual portfolio investment returns, has no immediate plans to acquire asset-management companies.

“Right now our focus is building on the great strength we have in-house,” said Christopher Breslin, a company spokesman.

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Africa: International Team Makes Progress Against Rare Disease

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Washington — A four-nation research project is bringing some relief to people who suffer a rare muscle disease, and the collaboration may blaze a trail for breakthroughs in treatment of other rare diseases.

The research team found that a drug first released in the late 1990s for treatment of irregular heartbeat eases the symptoms of people suffering nondystrophic myotonia, which causes pain and muscle stiffness. The condition can be so severe that patients are unable to open their eyes after a sneeze, or unable to loosen a grip after turning a doorknob.

Researchers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Italy reached the finding only after bringing together patients and doctors familiar with the rare condition.

"This study can serve as a blueprint for future rare-disease research," said neurologist Jeffrey Statland at the University of Rochester Medical Center. "The study shows that by bringing together experts and patients around the world and building a common infrastructure, we can tackle rare conditions that have eluded rigorous clinical study up to now."

Other institutions participating in the study were Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston; the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas; the London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ontario; University College London Institute of Neurology in London; and the University of Milan in Italy.

A lot of people suffer from rare diseases overall; there just aren't many in the same city with the same condition, said a Rochester Medical Center co-author.

"Each rare disease might affect only a few thousand people, but there are thousands of rare diseases," said Dr. Robert "Berch" Griggs. "Current estimates are that perhaps 30 million people [in the United States] are affected by some form of rare disease."

In Europe, rare diseases are thought to afflict another 30 million, but a global estimate is difficult to produce given that hundreds of millions of people in rural, developing areas of the world never will see a specialist who might positively identify a disorder.

Neurologists estimate that only about 1 in 100,000 people have nondystrophic myotonia. With those low numbers, it's difficult for researchers to pull together a pool of subjects of sufficient size to conduct a study that might result in a statistically significant outcome.

Pharmaceuticals companies are also reluctant to invest in research in rare diseases because the markets for successful drugs are so small.

The idea that strength in numbers might be the key to success in understanding rare diseases has been gaining supporters beyond the work led by the Rochester Medical Center. The International Rare Disease Research Consortium (IRDiRC) is a joint project of the European Commission and the U.S. National Institutes of Health began in 2009. Canada and Japan have since joined IRDiRC.

This consortium brings together multinational regulatory bodies, researchers, patient group representatives, health professionals and pharmaceutical industry representatives. The consortium aspires to produce advances that will spark the development of 200 new therapies for rare diseases and diagnostic tools for most rare diseases by 2020.

Patients who find themselves diagnosed with a rare disorder are also finding comfort in reaching out to others with similar conditions, wherever they are.

The National Organization for Rare Disorders is the U.S. society where these people find each other. NORD is dedicated to increasing awareness of the conditions and the challenges faced by people living with them. The organization also works to promote research and development of therapies.

NORD is affiliated with the like-minded European Organization for Rare Disorders.

The Rochester Medical Center study is reported in the October 3 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health both supported the research.

Copyright © 2012 United States Department of State. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

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Bayelsa shuts schools over flooding

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Bayelsa State on Tuesday temporarily closed all schools in the state, as a result of rising water level across the state.

Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, gave the order to protect pupils in the state after the flood assumed a dangerous dimension in the state.

Confirming the development, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, told PUNCH that the order was immediate and indefinite.

He said, “The decision was taken to safeguard the lives of children and to keep them away from possible dangers that could arise from the flood.

“Government is by this appealing to parents and guardians to accept the decision as it was taken in the interest of all Bayelsans.

“We want to assure you that, normal academic activities will resume as soon as the situation is brought under control.”

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Video clip of Pres. Jonathan’s visit to wife, belated attempt at damage control – ACN

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Action Congress of Nigeria has described as “a belated attempt at damage control” the Presidency’s
decision to show the video clip of President Goodluck Jonathan’s visit to his wife, Patience, in Germany on the Nigerian Television Authority.

The party said the video had not addressed the demand for full disclosure on the seven-week disappearance of the president’s wife.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the comments attributed to presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, concerning the video also showed that the Presidency either did not understand the issues at stake, or was deliberately playing the ostrich.

“Let’s be clear, there is nothing to be ashamed of in someone being sick since we are all human and anyone can fall ill at any time.

“In particular, people occupying the public space, including the First Lady, who take ill deserve nothing
but our prayers and sympathy.

“However, where information about such persons are withheld or deliberately distorted, people tend to shift their focus to unravelling the truth about the situation, which is the case with our First Lady,” it said.

ACN described as “a shocking irony” the fact that Jonathan, “who is aware that the poor management of information over the illness of his predecessor, President Umaru Yar’Adua, contributed to the erosion of public sympathy for the late
President and instead swung it in favour of his then Vice President (Jonathan), would make the same mistake by hoarding information on the sickness of his wife.”

The party said, “It is a shame that people just do not learn from the past. Irrespective of the cheeky and unprofessional comments by the presidential spokesman, that the video has put paid to all the lies that people who play politics with almost everything have been spreading, the indisputable fact, going by available information, is that the First Lady indeed took ill and was flown to Germany for treatment.

“Had the information managers at the Presidency lived up to their billing, there would have been a full disclosure immediately
the First Lady fell ill.

“Instead of the unnecessary controversy over her whereabouts, the good people of Nigeria would have
offered prayers in torrents for the First Lady and her family.

“Now making it look like the First Lady went to Germany on holiday ‘to rest’ or she is on a pilgrimage of sorts when indeed she is recuperating from an illness is another testimony to the increasingly legendary incompetence and cluelessness that permeate this Presidency, and we expect all those involved in this amateurish attempt at cover-up to be ashamed of themselves, instead of engaging in empty bravado and pointing fingers at imaginary enemies,” the party said.

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Abuja-bound Aero Contractors plane packs up before flight at Murtala Muhammed Airport

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An aircraft engine packed up shortly before take-off at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

The early morning Abuja-bound Aero Contractors plane was set for take-off at 6:45am when the flight was aborted because one of the engines had stopped working.

There was panic inside the aircraft whose door had been locked in readiness for take-off.

A woman shouted for the door to be opened for her to disembark.

A pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Olumide Adeleye, who was aboard the plane, relived the experience in Abuja yesterday.

He said: “We had already boarded the plane scheduled for 6:45am. It was filled to capacity, ready for take-off when the pilot announced that one of the engines had packed up. There was panic, but people also thanked God that the engine did not fail in the air.

“A woman was just shouting ‘please open this door before I break it!’. I was travelling with my wife and within me I was saying, ‘God it is not my portion and that of my wife to die’. I immediately remembered the Dana crash that happened, also on a Sunday. 

“The Murtala Muhammed International Airport , Lagos, was thrown into confusion as some passengers were contemplating on refund of money. Even when another airline was ready to fly, passengers were insisting that the authority must properly check the plane, test-run it, before take-off.

“I booked the 6:45am flight so as to get early to church as the pastor of my parish in Abuja, to preach and preside over the thanksgiving service and dedicate a set of twins, which I did.

“I thank God for a successful journey back to Abuja. I was just imagining what people would have been telling my children about their father and mother.”

The airline said the action of the pilot was in order.

A spokesman of the airline, Mr. Simon Tumba yesterday said as a safety curious carrier, the airline withdrew the aircraft to safeguard the interest of the passengers and crew.

Tumba said such precautionary steps were necessary for the safety of the passengers and crew, which is part of the routine in the safety measures at the disposal of the airline.

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FG doles out N17.6bn to flooded states, government agencies…sets up fund-raising committee

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The Federal Government has approved N17.6bn as direct financial intervention in the cases of flooding currently ravaging many parts of the country.
While affected states would share N13.3bn according to the level of the flood’s impact on them, Federal Government agencies saddled with the responsibility of providing relief would share N4.3bn.
President Goodluck Jonathan disclosed this in a nationwide broadcast on Tuesday morning.
While commiserating with the victims of the floods, Jonathan said his administration was prepared to do everything possible to mitigate the impact of the natural disaster on the people.
For the purpose of sharing the N13.3bn government intervention, Jonathan said affected states had been categorised into four groups with the states in the first, second, third and fourth groups getting N500m, N400m, N300m and N250m each respectively.
According to the President, the states that will get N500m each include Oyo, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Adamawa, Delta, Bayelsa and Anambra.
States that will get N400m each are Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarrawa, Taraba, Cross Rivers, Edo, Lagos and Imo.
Kwara, Katsina, Gombe, Ogun, Ondo, Eboyin, Abia and Rivers States will get N300m each while Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Yobe, Enugu, Ekiti, Osun, Akwa Ibom, Borno and the Federal Capital Territory will get N250m each.
Jonathan said as part of the financial intervention, Ministry of Works will get N2.6bn; the National Emergency Management Agency will get N1.16bn while the Ministry of Environment will get N350m.
He added that the National Commission on Refugees will get N150m while the presidential committee he set up on the disaster will get N100m.
Since the disaster broke out, the President said NEMA had so far spent N1.314bn to provide relief materials for the victims.
He added that the Ministry of Works on its part had spent N568m on the repair of collapsed bridges and construction of bye-passes while the Ministry of Environment also spent N95m on sundry relief efforts.
He said, “Over the past few weeks, unprecedented flood has ravaged many parts of our country rendering tens of thousands of fellow Nigerians homeless and causing massive destruction of properties, farmlands and infrastructure across the country.
“I wish to express our deep commiseration with all those who have lost loved ones, those who have lost their property as well all the affected communities and institutions.
“It is sad that this global phenomenon of devastating flood has come to Nigeria at this time.
“I want to reassure all Nigerians that the Federal Government is prepared to do everything possible to mitigate the impact of this natural disaster.”
He recalled that he had earlier set up a presidential technical committee to visit all affected areas with a view to properly assessing the impact of the floods.
He said copies of the interim report submitted by the committee had been made available to critical stakeholders including the leadership of the National Assembly as well as governors of the affected states.
He said the committee would continue to go round the country while himself and Vice President would also visit some parts of the affected communities.
Jonathan promised that whenever he receives the committee’s final report, the Federal Government would further initiate medium and long term measures to check future flood disaster.

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President Goodluck Jonathan pays secret visit to wife in Germany

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President Goodluck Jonathan paid a secret visit to his sick wife, Patience,in Germany on Saturday.

A short news item aired on the Nigerian Television Authority at 9pm showed the President’s visit to his wife, who is reported to be sick of an undisclosed ailment in Germany.

The news item was accompanied by a short video clip showing the President and his gorgeously dressed wife.

Patience, who was in high spirit was heard saying,  “Let me take picture with my husband.”

When contacted, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity,  Dr. Reuben Abati, confirmed that the President visited his wife in Germany on Saturday and that Jonathan returned to the country on Sunday.

He said the video clip aired by NTA was a confirmation that the President’s wife was hale and hearty contrary to what some people wanted Nigerians to believe.

He said, “What that video has proved is that the President’s wife is hale and hearty and she is not in bad shape like people will want Nigerians to believe.

“The video has put paid to all the lies that people who play politics with almost everything have been spreading.

“It was clear from that video that the scene was not an hospital scene.”

The Presidential spokesman said government had been quiet since because it could not afford to be “jumping into the fray” with everybody.

When  asked when the President’s wife would likely return to the country, Abati said he did not have an idea.

Independent investigations conducted by our correspondent revealed two verdicts.

It was gathered that Jonathan was accompanied on the trip to Germany by the chaplain of Aso Villa Chapel, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba.

It was gathered that Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Usman Abubakar, was also with the delegation.

Unconfirmed report however had it that unlike in past trips when the President was always accompanied by NTA reporter and cameraman, the video clip that formed the backbone of the television report was actually sent to the station on Sunday.

That claim fuelled the speculation that the clip might have been recorded during the President’s stop over in Germany during his recent trip to New York for the last United Nations General Assembly.

Since she left the country early in September, the Presidency has kept mum on the nature of her sickness and her state of health.

In fact, her spokesman, Ayo Osinlu, claimed that the President’s wife was only resting in Germany.

Speculation was rife over the weekend that Patience might return to the country anytime from now.

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Stop allocations to Ekiti LGs – PDP

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The Ekiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has asked the Federal Government to stop allocating fund to the local governments in the state following the indefinite strike embarked upon by their workers.

The party’s Director- General, Information and Strategy, Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, made the call in Ado Ekiti on Monday at a press conference.

He said there was no need funding the councils since their workers were no longer working.

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees had embarked on the strike to press for the implementation of the new minimum wage for its members.

Aribisogan said, “In the face of this, releasing more funds to the LGs that have no elected chairmen, with their workers on indefinite strike, will only allow Fayemi to do whatever he likes with the funds. If the cases are resolved today, then the funds should be released immediately.”

But the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Funminiyi Afuye, while reacting to the call, described the PDP’s request as strange.

He said, “When has it become the the duty of the Federal Government to stop allocation to councils based on industrial dispute? The PDP, who is behind the allocation, has nothing to occupy them.”

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ALUU-4 SLAUGTERS APRENENDED: It Was All A Prank! Pictures

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Hey guys, please dont get it twisted, this is just a prank played on our intelligence from some people in uniforms. Earlier on, some social media carried the news that one of the Aluu killers was caught and paraded on the streets; well this is not true because from the pictures below you can see that he is a friend to these guys in camouflage. Can you see how people can make light of issues that calls for sober reflection of how deteriorated our society has become.. what a silly joke on such a horrible death: Two out of the four of them were cousins. Ugonna and IIyod. Both of them were upcoming rappers.

 Big L was the winner of a popular Rap Contest show on Silverbird TV PH called ‘Turb Show’. I have listened to some of his songs.. We the youths of this country demand that the River State Government look into this matter and arrest everyone in that video. Except the government want to tell us that they have given the youths of Aluu power to arrest and kill indiscriminately. The Rivers government MUST make a scapegoat of the people who did this so it doesn’t repeat itself. Next time, it could be my brother or your brother. My child or your child! We can’t let this happen again. So let’s unanimously start a campaign #justice until the Rivers State government and FGN Look into this matter…the murderers of these four promising youths must be brought to book, yes.

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INEC to prosecute worker arrested with voter cards

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INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega
| credits: File copy

INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission has urged its officials to be above board during the October 20 Ondo State governorship election.

Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, warned that any INEC official arrested for electoral offences would be dealt with.

Orebiyi, in a statement on Monday, said the INEC employee allegedly caught with voter cards, would be prosecuted.

According to him, the man was serving as a security personnel at the Ondo West Local Government INEC office until his involvement in the criminal act.

He said the suspect was on Friday arrested by the police for “making available about 1,000 unclaimed voter cards to some politicians apparently to facilitate unwholesome activities during the election.”

Orebiyi, who refused to disclose the identity of the suspect, however said he was arrested by the police following a tip-off.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Danladi Mshelbwala, who confirmed the arrest said the man and his collaborators would be prosecuted for being in possession of sensitive materials.

The development has fuelled political tension in the state as the opposition political parties have accused the ruling Labour Party of being the brain behind a plan to use the unclaimed cards on Election Day.

There were also rumours that about 100,000 ballot papers on thumbprints in favour of a political party were found with the suspects.

However, Orebiyi denied that ballot papers were part of the documents seized from the suspects.

The REC said, “There is no way anybody could get hold of the ballot papers which are very sensitive materials before the election.”

More Stories in Ondo decides 2012

Source : punchng[dot]com

Outraged Nigerians launch campaign to identify students’ killers

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Uniport lynching: faces of killers?
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Nigerians outraged by the lynching of four University of Port Harcourt undergraduates in Aluu, Rivers State, have launched an online campaign to have the killers identified and punished.

Although it was learnt that the community has been deserted following the arrest of the village head, Alhaji Hassan Walewa, and 13 others by the police, users of social media argued that some of the killers could still be traced.

Already, photographs of some of the suspected killers, have surfaced on the Internet.

The photographs were frozen from the video tape of the killings.

One of the suspects was believed to have poured petrol on the students and lit the fire. For instance, a blog, AmeborTalk.com, has the photographs of two of the suspected killers and a crowd at the scene on its page.

A contributor on Nigeria Online Community wrote. “The guy holding the plank was an especially enthusiastic BEAST and deserves capital punishment.

“The video appeared to have been shot by the woman in purple/jeans. If you know anyone of them on this picture, have them reported to the police.”

Popular blogger, Linda Ikeji, wrote, “If the Rivers State government thinks this is an incident that will eventually die off, then they have another thing coming! They must prosecute and jail the people who committed this dastardly act before we let it rest!

“We the youths of this country demand that the River State Government look into this matter and arrest everyone in that video. Except the government want to tell us that they have given the youths of Aluu power to arrest and kill indiscriminately.

“The Rivers government MUST make a scapegoat of the people who did this so it doesn’t repeat itself. Next time, it could be my brother or your brother, my child or your child! We can’t let this happen again.”

A blogger, identified simply as Kel, warned that the United Nations would be alerted if any attempt was made to sweep the matter under the carpet, adding that “if our government can’t help us then I guess we’ll get help elsewhere.”

It was also being claimed on some blogs that some policemen were allegedly at the scene of the incident and when the mob told them the young men were killers, they gave their ‘go ahead.’

Some bloggers were enraged that contrary to claims in some quarters, neither arms nor “stolen items”were found on the four young men as confirmed by the JTF who brought their bodies to the mortuary.

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Source : punchng[dot]com

FG to spend N251bn on repair of three refineries

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An oil refinery in Port Harcourt. Inset: Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke
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The Federal Government plans to spend N251.2bn on the repairs of three refineries.

The Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke made the disclosure  on Monday when she appeared before the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream).

The minister was at the Senate with the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Andrew Yakubu, and the Managing Director of Pipeline and Products Marketing Company, Mr. Haruna Momoh. They were summoned to explain the continued scarcity of Petroleum Motor Spirit and the increase in the price of the product by marketers.

Alison-Madueke said the government would be spending N251.2b on the Turn Around Maintenance of the three refineries in the country, adding that there were some adjustments in the timelines for executing the TAM. She noted that although there were plans to build new refineries, existing ones would still be maintained.

The minister, however, incurred the wrath of the lawmakers when her security aides prevented journalists from recording her testimony. She, at a point during her speech, pushed off a reporter’s tape recorder, insisting that the device should not be placed by her side.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Magnus Abe, had to caution Alison-Madueke and threatened to throw out her security aides if the minister refused to comport herself and allow journalists to do their work.

Earlier, the members of the committee had accused the PPMC of operating a system that bred corruption.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Magnus Abe, said a visit to the refineries on oversight functions showed that the style of operation at the depots was tardy and subjected the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria to untold hardship.

Abe said, “We were at the Port Harcourt Refinery and we saw about 5,000 people waiting to get products; some of them told us that they had paid for the products five months back and were yet to get the products. How do you expect them to sell at the official price?”

He asked the minister, PPMC and the NNPC to address alleged unwholesome practices at the depots. He added that it was the only way to ensure that petroleum products were objectively and effectively distributed.

Reacting, the minister said she was not aware of the observation raised by the committee regarding the practices at the depots. She explained that she had no preferences in the allocation of petroleum products.

Momoh noted that the problem of vandalising had been a major constraint to smooth product distribution,.

The PPMC boss said the easiest and cheapest means of transporting products were through pipelines but that continued disruptions by vandals had stalled the smooth distribution of the products across the country.

According to Momoh, the company has identified about 774 vandalised spots in the distribution network, adding that stakeholders and communities could help in keeping the pipelines safe. has identified sharp practices and shoddy operations at depots of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation as factors responsible for the increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) at filling stations.

Although NNPC officials said they were making efforts to make the product available and blamed the continued scarcity on the activities of recalcitrant marketers,Secretary of the Major Marketers Association of Nigeria, Thomas Alawore, admitted before the committee that marketers incurred hidden charges before they could access the products.

He said, “There are hidden costs. You have to pay some money to the unions. Even the security agencies along the line will collect their own. You may go home with an official receipt which states that you bought the product at N84.66 per litre, but you have to add those hidden costs.”

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Source : punchng[dot]com

UNIPORT Students Attack Residents Of Aluu Community In Revenge

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We just received reports that students of the University of Port Harcourt are attacking an area (Aluu) in Rivers State where five students were brutally murdered last Friday.

The students are reportedly on rampage, burning markets houses and attacking the community members some of who watched and filmed the horrendous killing of the students with their phones.

The community members took the laws into their hands to serve jungle justice, maybe they are been paid back with same coins.

Meanwhile the government of Rotimi Amaechi reports that some of the lynch mob and even village elders have been arrested.

Watch the Video of four that were burnt alive on friday

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PHOTO: Face Of One Of The UNIPORT Students Murderers..Aluu 4

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Jonathan to address Nigerians on Tuesday morning

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President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to address Nigerians in a nationwide radio and television broadcast at 7a.m on Tuesday.

This was contained in a statement by presidential Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.

Jonathan may address the raging controversy over calls for his administration to call for a review of the 2002 judgment of the International Court of Justice which awarded Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun.

More details later.

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Source : punchng[dot]com

20 Wedding Guests Killed In Auto Crash In Abeokuta

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No fewer than 20 people were reported dead in auto crash 2 days agoo [Oct 6] along Kobape-Abeokuta. The accident occurred at Ot*t* village located between Paramount F.M Radio Station and Police Computer College, Abeokuta around 7.30 a.m. The accident was reportedly caused by a truck with registration number, Lagos, JJJ 489XB, which allegedly veered off its lane and rammed into a fully loaded Hiace passengers bus conveying the victims. It was gathered that the victims, all members of the African Church Solution Camp, Ewang Estate, Abeokuta, had left for Lagos to attend a wedding ceremony of one of their members when tragedy struck.

 The driver of the truck was said to have lost control and killed the bus passengers. Many of the victims, according to an eye witness account, died on the spot following the impact of the collision, while others died in hospital. Two infants, including a two-year-old, were said to be among the victims. An eye witness claimed the survivors were taken to a state hospital for treatment. Ogun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Ayobami Omiyale, confirmed the accident, but said only nine died. He however said that sympathisers took some corpses away before rescue team arrived the scene.

 When Vanguard visited the State Hospital Ijaye, where the victims were allegedly taken, worried relations were seen, asking for the victims whereabouts. A doctor coordinating Ogun State Ambulance Services, Hassan Adelakun, said some of the victims died at the scene of incident while others died at the hospital. Adelakun added that some of the victims corpses were deposited at State Hospital while others were taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta.
Source:  Vanguard