Opposition as Reps move to abridge CBN autonomy

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CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi
| credits: File copy

Stakeholders in the financial sector,  including a former Minister of Finance, Mr. Adamu Ciroma, and an ex-Central Bank of Nigeria  Governor,  Chief Joseph Sanusi, on Monday, opposed the bid by the House of Representatives to tamper

IG praises Ondo election

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The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, has commended the people of Ondo State for their peaceful conduct during Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

The IG’s commendation is contained in a statement on Monday by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba.

2013 budget: More of the same

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BY President Goodluck Jonathan’s reckoning, his spending plan for the 2013 fiscal year “belongs to the farmer, the investor, the entrepreneur, the youth and the elderly.” But a perusal of the document tagged, Fiscal Consolidation with Inclusive Growth, shows that not much is visible in terms of “improving the business climate, addressing infrastructure gaps, and implementing reforms that promote sectors with high employment potential.”

EFCC Arrests FAAN Official With N218m At Airport

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has apprehended an official of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Mr. Akinyele Adetula, for trying to launder $1.4m (N218m).



The arrest came less than a month after the commission arrested a 24-year old man, Mr. Abubakar Sheriff, at the same airport with $7m (N1.1bn).

Sunday PUNCH learnt that the suspect was arrested at Murtala Mohammed Airport on Saturday.

Sallah: FG declares Thursday, Friday public holidays

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The Federal Government has declared Thursday and Friday as public holidays to mark the 2012 Eid El-kabir celebrations.

Minister of Interior, Abba Moro who announced this in Abuja on Monday, called on Nigerians to imbibe and emulate the worthy tenets of Islam as practiced by the holy Prophet Mohammad.

A statement by the Permanent Secretary,ministry of interior, Mrs. Daniel Nwaobia quoted Moro as urging the citizens to pray for peace and prosperity of the nation.

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Ruling the world, my ultimate vision for sports – Jonathan

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President Goodluck Jonathan said on Monday that his administration was committed to  Nigeria becoming the best sporting nation in Africa, top four in the Commonwealth and ultimately rule the world.
Jonathan spoke at the opening of a Presidential Sports Sector Retreat held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said the vision was realistic and achievable with hard work, greater sense of purpose and dedication.
The president noted the importance of sports as a source of joy to people, a unifying and mobilising factor and a source of revenue generation.

NEMA receives 242 Nigerian returnees from Gabon

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National Emergency Management Agency South-south zonal coordinator, Mr. Umesi Emenike, on Monday received 242 Nigerian returnees from the Republic of Gabon.
Speaking while receiving the returnees, Emenike said the returnees voluntarily decided to return home after years of sojourn in that country, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
He noted that it was the constitutional mandate of NEMA to “facilitate such nostalgic operation,” which, according to him, is a demonstration of patriotism.

Commercial cyclists protest govt’s clampdown in Lagos

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Commercial cyclists popularly known as okada on Monday marched through some major streets in Lagos, protesting the state government’s fresh clampdown and seizure of their bikes.

The protests were spread across the metropolis.

Reports said the cyclists grounded vehicular movement in some parts of Lagos and attacked government-owned Bus Rapid Transit buses.

Many residents were forced to trek long distances on foot, as a result of the protests.

The state government renewed its clampdown on the okada riders on Thursday, seizing many bikes.

Recently, the state government destroyed over 3,000 bikes, a move that was criticised in some quarters as a high-handed response to the challenge posed by the riders.

More details later.

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Detectors aim to go nose to nose with sniffer dogs

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A sniffing dog at work.
| credits: google.com

At a binational armaments and security research centre in eastern France, Spitzer and his colleagues are working on a sensor to detect vapours of TNT and other explosives in very faint amounts, as might emanate from a bomb being smuggled through airport security. Using microscopic slivers of silicon covered with forests of even smaller tubes of titanium oxide, they aim to create a device that could supplement, perhaps even supplant, the best mobile bomb detector in the business: the sniffer dog.

But emulating the nose and brain of a trained dog is a formidable task. A bomb-sniffing device must be extremely sensitive, able to develop a signal from a relative handful of molecules. And it must be highly selective, able to distinguish an explosive from the “noise” of other compounds.

While researchers like Spitzer are making progress – and there are some vapor detectors on the market – when it comes to sensitivity and selectivity, dogs still reign supreme.

“Dogs are awesome,” said Aimee Rose, a product sales director at the sensor

NAMA boosts operations with cloud computing

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Cloud computing illustration
| credits: cloudcomputingcompaniesnow.com

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency said it had subscribed to cloud computing through its recent deployment of the Windows Server 2012, thereby boosting its operations and cutting Information Technology cost.

NAMA’s Chief Information Officer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ogochukwu, said the agency was tasked with providing safe, efficient and economic air navigation services that would meet

Okorocha punches Governor Obi's aide over seat

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Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State on Saturday punched a protocol officer who refused to allow him sit on a chair reserved for the Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, at the 80th birthday celebration of former vice president, Chief Alex Ekwueme, in Enugu.

The incident occurred 20 minutes before most of the invited guests arrived.

SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that the seater was reserved for the host Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime and Obi. The Deputy Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, represented Chime who is still out of the country.

The protocol officer, Mr. Ifeanyi Onukuba, who works with Obi, was shocked at Okorocha's action and before he could recover from it, a police officer attached to the Bomb Disposal Unit in Anambra State, Mr. Felix Alumona, pushed Okorocha when he was

Credit Suisse, UBS may cut 7,000 jobs

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UBS is to cut 3,000-5,000 jobs as part of cost-saving measures to offset falling profit, while rival Swiss bank Credit Suisse may announce 1,000-2,000 cuts, Reuters reported on Sunday.

UBS plans to shed 900 jobs in Information Technology, alongside a further 2,000-4,000 layoffs in its investment bank and other central functions, the paper said.

A spokesman for UBS, scheduled to report third-quarter earnings on October 30, would not comment on the report.

Baba Alajo Somolu: A legend dies unsung

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| credits:

Popular Lagos-based thrift collector, Pa Alphaeus Olunaike, recently died at the age of 97. FOLARIN SAMSON, who traces the deceased’s foray into the banking system, writes that the man buried in his home town, Isonyin Ijebu, Ogun State on September 22 deserves  to be celebrated

There was an old folk tale about the late Pa Alphaeus Olunaike, a man popular among those living in Lagos and indeed the major part of south-west Nigeria. His name became a tool for parents to extol virtues of wisdom and intelligence and it became

N888bn enough for 2012 fuel subsidy – Okonjo-Iweala

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Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
| credits: File copy

The Federal Government believes it has no compelling reason to prepare a supplementary appropriation for petroleum subsidy payments because the fund earmarked for that purpose in the 2012 budget should be enough, MARTIN AYANKOLA writes.

The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said the N888bn allocated for subsidy payments in the 2012 budget should

Sheila, Tai Solarin’s widow, dies at 82

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Sheila, widow of the late social critic, Tai Solarin, died on Sunday aged 82.

Sheila, who co-founded Mayflower School, Ikenne, Ogun State with her late husband, passed on around 4.30p.m.

Her two children were at her bedside when she died at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State.

She was reportedly hospitalised and underwent surgery for a broken hip some months ago after sustaining a fall.

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PDP congratulates Mimiko, slams ACN

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Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday congratulated Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, on his victory in the October 20, 2012 governorship election in the state.

The message, contained in a statement by the party’s National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, PDP also congratulated the party’s candidate, Olusola Oke; the Independent National Electoral Commission and the security agencies for the peaceful conduct of the polls and urged them to learn from any observed loopholes so as to continue improving in future elections.

The party said it was happy that Mimiko of the Labour Party and not Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of the Action Congress of Nigeria won.

The PDP slammed ACN for running a campaign based on “tribalism and narrow political adventurism.”

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ACN, governorship candidate decline to congratulate Mimiko

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Against expectations, the Action Congress of Nigeria and its candidate in the Ondo State October 20, 2012 governorship election, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), on Sunday declined to congratulate the winner, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.
Mimiko, who is the incumbent governor, ran on the platform of the Labour Party, and won by 260,199 while the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Olusola Oke, came second followed by Akeredolu with 143,512 votes.

Laughing on his private jet - the £93m pastor accused of exploiting British worshippers

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Plenty to smile about;
Preacher David Oyedepo of the Winners Chapel
movement aboard one
of his private jets. He also owns a Rolls Royce Phantom

 A church run by a controversial multi-millionaire African preacher has been accused of ‘cynical exploitation’ after its British branch received £16.7 million in donations from followers who were told that God would give them riches in return.

Followers are ferried in double-decker shuttle buses to the church, handed slips inviting them to make debit card payments, and are even told obeying the ministry’s teachings will make them

Headies 2012: List of Winners

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Best Vocal Performance (Male) - Wande Coal - Private Trips
Best Vocal Performance (Female) - Tiwa Savage - Love Me Love Me Love Me
Best Collaboration - Sound Sultan ft Excel and Flavour - Orobo
Revelation of the Year - Wizkid
Recording of the Year - Brymo - Ara

Jonathan congratulates Mimiko

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President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday congratulated Governor Olusegun Mimiko on his declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission as the winner of Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President also commended the dutiful, patriotic and law-abiding electorate of the state as well as the INEC personnel and security agencies who ensured that the elections were peacefully and successfully.