Why We Picked Obasanjo In 1999 - Babangida

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Former Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, yesterday explained the rationale behind the selection of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999.

Featuring on a weekly Guest-of-the Week programme of Liberty FM, a private radio station in Kaduna, Babangida said they picked General Obasanjo because they needed somebody who can save the country from disintegration.

“The emergence of Obasanjo came as a result of what happened in the country. The country was in a very serious crisis and we had to find the solution to these problems. Therefore we need a leader. A leader who is known in the country. “So, we looked for a man who has been involved in the affairs of this country, who held position either in the military or in the cabinet and who has certain beliefs about Nigeria. All of us that were trained in the armed forces, there is one belief that you cannot take away from us, we believe in this country because this is part of our training. We fought for this country.

REVEALED: How B.H planned to bomb President Jonathan’s jet

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The alleged recovery of three anti-aircraft guns, two technical vehicles mounted with anti-aircraft stands and 10 rocket propelled grenades, in a cache of arms, in Maiduguri, on Friday, lent credence to the claim of the plot to attack the president’s plane.

Main suspect in India gang rape/murder commits suicide in his cell

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Police said the suspect hanged himself around 5am this morning in his prison cell...but his lawyer and parents are claiming he was murdered. 

"Ram did not kill himself. He had no reason to. He was murdered," his father said.

"This is not a suicide. He was kept in isolation, with at least four special guards posted outside his cell. We suspect foul play" his lawyer said

33 year old Ram Singh was the driver of the New Delhi bus on which a 23 year old student was gang raped and fatally beaten on December 16 2012. The woman later died from injuries sustained from the attack. Six suspects were arrested and if convicted, could face the death penalty. (Read the original story HERE)

Terrorists kill four in Kano drive-by shooting

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Four persons were killed in drive-by shooting on Sunday by gunmen driving around on a tricycle  in an area of Kano.

The gunmen first struck at Dakata Bus Stop before moving to Dakata Kawaji area opposite a graveyard near the Custom’s barrack, where they shot two persons.

One of the gunmen, it was learnt, carried an AK 47 assault rifle wearing a dark blue kaftan.

Security agencies were said to have arrived the scene about 10 minutes after the gunmen had fled  to evacuate the victims. The identities of the victims were not immediately known. (Punch Nigeria)

Genevieve Nnaji's AMVCA white Open Bo-bs dress is designed by Bridget Awosika (photos)

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Police Detained Senator Yerima Over Comments On Radio

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The police on Saturday arrested former Governor of Zamfara, Sen. Sani Yerima over alleged “inciting’’ comments on a live radio programme run by Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Kaduna.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Olufemi Adenaike , led policemen in six hilux vehicles to surround the radio station and arrest the senator immediately after the Hausa programme, Hannu Da Yawa, at about 12:30 p.m.

Though Mr. Yerima was allowed to drive in his car to the state Police Command Headquarter, his car was sandwitched by the police vehicles.

Imo Deputy Gov Denies Resignation, Impeachment Rumours

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Contrary to widespread reports that the Deputy Goveror of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso, has resigned his position over allegations of fraud against him by the State House of Assembly, the embattled deputy has stated that he is still the “validly elected Deputy Governor”.

In a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant, SSA, Chief Onyema Opara, in Owerri yesterday entitled “RE:RESIGNATION AND IMPEACHMENT OF DEPUTY GOVERNOR IMO STATE,” Agbaso made his position known on the saga.

“The attention of the Office of the Deputy Government of Imo State has been drawn to rumours making the rounds that His Excellency Sir Jude Agbaso, has resigned from office” the statement started.

Blind Man Accuses Police Of Assault

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A blind man identified as Abiodun Agiri, has accused policemen of assaulting him and his 13-year-old son, Emmanuel.  Agiri said trouble started penultimate Thursday after he had a misunderstanding with a woman in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Christchurch Parish, Gbagada.

The father of six, who is also a member of the church, said he had called the member a thief some weeks ago and the person went to report to the Anthony Police Division.

He said, “I had a misunderstanding with a member of the church after one Pastor kalejaiye came to minister at our parish. I had wanted to approach the pastor to lay hands on me because of my condition but they prevented me from seeing him. When the pastor saw what was happening, he intervened and later prayed for me.

JAMBS should be labelled terrorists — Ekhomu

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In this interview with ALLWELL OKPI, the President of Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators of Nigeria, Dr. Ona Ekhomu, said JAMBS’s latest act has taken terrorism to another level

JAMBS claimed it has executed the seven foreign hostages it kidnapped in Bauchi. What are the implications of this? 

I don’t have independent verification of this news except for what the terrorists have said and posted on the Internet. But if they have actually killed the foreign hostages as they have claimed, then it means terrorism in Nigeria is going to another level.

Do you think group is becoming more dangerous than Boko Haram?

Islamist group says executes seven foreign hostages, Nigeria doubts report

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RIYADH/LAGOS (Reuters) – A Nigerian Islamist group said on Saturday it had killed seven foreign hostages seized last month from a construction firm’s compound in northern Nigeria, where Islamist insurgents have killed hundreds over the past two years.

But Nigerian authorities said they had no information on any such killing, and doubted the veracity of the statement.

2015 : Count Me Out – IBB

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Former military president Gen. Ibrahim BadamasiBabagida, yesterday clearedthe air on his supported for the emergence of All Progressive Congress (APC). He said, “If there is one party state, because the smaller parties don’t have the strength, then there will be a lot of impunity, a lot of lawlessness.”

Asked whether he would run for the presidency in 2015, hereplied: “No, no, no; I am out of 2015.”

Gen. Babangida, who spoke on Kaduna-based radio programme Liberty Radio monitored by our correspondent, said two-party system was good for Nigeria.

Governor Akpabio Under Fire Over Outrageous Wedding Gifts To Tuface Idibia, Wife

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Friday’s presentation of two SUVs to Nigerian hip pop star, TuFace Idibia, and wife, Annie Macaulay, by Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, at their traditional wedding, has got a lot of Nigerians railing at the profligacy  of public officials.

Mr. Akpabio had stunned guests that thronged the Apostolic High School, Esit Urua Community venue, along Eket-Ibeno Road, for the traditional wedding of the celerity couple with the announcement of a donation of two brand new Toyota Prado SUVs to them.

Uhuru Kenyatta Now The 4th president of Kenya

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Mr Uhuru Kenyatta was today declared the 4th president of Kenya by the country's Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. Kenyatta will assume office later this month as the first Kenyan President to come into office under the country’s new constitution which was adopted after the crisis that followed its 2007 elections.

‘Valet Tried To Rip Me Off’ – Chris Brown Explains His Parking Lot Hot Words

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Chris Brown says the reason he lost his temper and threatened a valet last night was because the guy tried to fleece him.

A source connected to Chris tells TMZ the valet outside PINZ bowling alley in Studio City, CA where Chris was attending a charity event was supposed to charge $5 a pop, but when Chris tried to pick his car up, the valet tried to scam him by charging $10.The source says other people who parked at PINZ last night were charged $5. 

Chris believes he was singled out because he’s famous, and that was what got him angry. Chris says it’s not about the money … it’s the principle of the thing.

But someone should ask Brown why he needed to shout at the valet that much. What in the world does Breezy need $5 for? [TMZ]

Niger State Increases Allowances For NYSC Members

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Gov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger announced on Thursday in Minna that the state government had increased the allowances paid to National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed to the state.

Also the state govenment said it planned easy transportation needs by constructing a light rail system on the Minna-Abuja route to ease .

Aliyu announced this  at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp at Paiko while inaugurating the 2013 Batch `A’ corps members.

Nigerian Terrorist Group, Boko Haram Funded By Latin America Drug Gang – Report

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There are indications that terrorist groups, Boko Haram and Ansaru, are being funded by drug cartels in Latin America, a report has revealed.

The report entitled, “Terrorism in Northern Africa and the Sahel in 2012: Global Reach and Implications,” is an update on five earlier studies.

Published by the Director, Inter-University Centre for Terrorism Studies, USA, Yonah Alexander, in February 2013, the report suggested that Al-Qaida in Islamic Maghreb, had aligned with many other groups in order to expand its sources of funding.

Intelligence reports have in the past identified a strong link between AQIM and Boko Haram with the newly emerging Ansaru.

Former Gov Of Zamfara State, Ahmed Yerima Arrested In Kaduna

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Former Governor of Zamfara State, Ahmed Yerima has been arrested by the Kaduna State Police Command.  Although details of the arrest are sketchy at the moment, LEADERSHIP gathered that Yerima was picked up following his responses in an interview on the FRCN Kaduna Hausa programme, Hanu Da Yauwa, where he reportedly made sensitive comments on politics in Nigeria generally.  A reliable source told LEADERSHIP that the action was taken following an order from Abuja,  He is currently being interrogated by the state Commissioner of police

Boko Haram: Seven explosions rock Borno hours after Jonathan’s visit

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Terrorists were back in ‘business’ in Maiduguri yesterday just five hours after President Goodluck Jonathan rounded off his two-day visit to  Borno and Yobe states to try to galvanize support for his battle against Islamist insurgents.

  Seven loud explosions shook the city at about 6pm.

The explosions happened within minutes of each other, suggesting the kind of co-ordinated strike that used to be the hallmark of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, before a military campaign weakened them.

There was no immediate report of any casualty.

NNPC Manager Arraigned Over N285.2 Million Fraud

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A former depot supervisor of Total Nigeria Plc, Emmanuel Abulude, was Friday arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before an Ikeja high court for allegedly stealing petroleum products worth N285.2 million.

The former oil company official was charged  on a one-count charge of stealing by fraudulent conversion before Justice Lateefa Okunnu with his company, Emmanbyink Ventures Limited.

Abulude was alleged to have obtained the sum of N285.2 million representing the proceeds of 92 trucks of petroleum products  between September 2011 and January 2012 .

Improvement As NECO Releases Nov/Dec Results. Check out those who Top Exams Malpractice List

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The National Examination Council (NECO) on Wednesday released the November/December 2012 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) with Kano and Lagos states respectively topping the list of states with high incidence of exams malpractice

Giving a breakdown, Registrar of the council, Professor Promise Okpala told newsmen in Minna that 21, 274 cases of exams malpractice was recorded across the country with Kano having the highest incidences of malpractice with 649 candidates, representing 13.96 percent out of 4,646 while Lagos state came second with 238 cases out of 6, 508 candidates – this was in sharp contrast with the FCT which had the lowest incidence with only five cases out of 1,322 candidates that sat for the exams.