Nigeria not using force-based approach on insurgents, Abati tells U.S.

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The presidential spokesman said this at a press conference in Abuja.

The Presidency on Friday refuted a statement credited to the U.S. Embassy that Government was adopting a force-based approach in addressing the current security problem in Nigeria.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, stated this in an interview with State House correspondents in Abuja on Friday.

“It is not true that the administration is adopting a force-based approach. The approach to the insurgencies by the government has many dimensions.

“One of those dimensions is the consideration of the option of dialogue and what has become known as amnesty.

The World’s Richest City (SEE)

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China may soon be the birthplace to half the world’s billionaires but Singapore – the world’s richest city – is where they go to play. Some of the rich and famous who have moved to the tiny Southeast Asian island republic include Indian telecom tycoon Bhupendra Kumar Modi, Chinese movie superstars Gong Li and Jet Li, New Zealand billionaire Richard Chandler, and famed US investor Jim Rogers.

One in six households in Singapore have a net worth of $1m, reflecting the flow of wealth eastwards as the centre of global economic activity shifts to Asia.

Russia pursues hypersonic weapon research

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Russia is developing a hypersonic weapon program. It involves more than 60 companies and is scheduled for completion this summer. Launched in the former USSR, hypersonic weapon research was resumed in post-Soviet Russia in 2009 under the umbrella of the state-owned Tactical Missiles Corporation.
Viktor Litovkin, senior editor of the Independent Military Observer magazine, notes that work in hypersonic weapons did not begin from scratch.

Syria denies involvement in deadly car bombings in Turkey

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Syria denied Turkish accusations on Sunday that it had a hand in twin car bombings that killed more than 40 people in the Turkish border town of Reyhanli on Saturday.
"Syria did not and will never do such a act because our values do not allow this. It is not anyone's right to hurl unfounded accusations," Syrian Information Minister Omran Zubi was quoted as saying on state media.
Turkey sees Assad's hand in car bombings - foreign minister
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Sunday that he believed fighters loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were behind twin car bombings that killed more than 40 people in the Turkish border town of Reyhanli on Saturday.

Couple sues doctor for beheading newborn baby

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A doctor delivering a newborn baby beheaded it and then tried to cover it up, according to a new lawsuit filed. A Missouri obstetrician separated a baby's head from his body during labor and then pushed back the newborn and then performed an emergency caesarean on the mother to cover up the dreadful mistake, a couple of claims in court documents.

Arteisha Betts and Travis Ammonette, Florissant, filed a 10 count lawsuit in St. Louis County Circuit Court claiming doctors pushed her to have a vaginal birth, beheaded his son and then tried to hide it, according to news media reports. The details in the lawsuit are shocking. During a meeting, the couple said Dr. Susan Moore told them that their baby will be delivered by cesarean section because her belly was too big for a normal delivery.

Gunmen kidnap Supreme Court Justice’s wife, daughter

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Gunmen on Friday night, abducted the wife, daughter, and driver of a Supreme Court Justice, Bode Rhodes-Vivour. 

The victims were travelling to Edo State, ahead of the Justice’s daughter’s wedding ceremony.

 It was learnt that they were kidnapped between Ekiadolor and Okada along along the Ore-Benin Expressway.

 

When contacted on the telephone, Edo State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Moses Eguavoen, said he was unaware of the development.

 

He said, “I am not aware of that, but let me call the control room and get back to you.”

REVEALED: “How al-Qaeda, Boko Haram smuggle arms into Nigeria”

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Proliferation of  small arms and light weapons is increasingly and dangerously becoming a transnational organized crime in Nigeria with Boko Haram’s insurgency, re-emerging Niger Delta crisis and escalating kidnapping, communal crises and armed robbery in the South East providing impetus for arms trafficking.


Some border towns, particularly in the North Eastern flank, serve as a hub for trafficking of arms as well as stolen goods, drugs and hostages by criminals, terrorists and their collaborators. The recent kidnap of a French family at a border town between Nigeria and Cameroon is an example. Similarly, many arms and ammunition of various types, sizes and calibre have been intercepted and confiscated by security agencies.

2015: US not interested in who rules Nigeria

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The United States of America Ambassador to Nigeria, Terence McCulley, said yesterday that his country was not interested in influencing the outcome of Nigeria’s Presidential election scheduled for 2015.

Speaking on the Kaduna- based Liberty Radio programme’s Guest of the Week, the envoy said that the US does not have any candidate for the 2015 election, and that its only concern is a credible and transparent election better than that of 2011.


The US Ambassador was asked to react to a request by the President’s Assistant on Niger Delta Affairs, Kingsley Kuku, that the US government is in support of the President’s re-election bid in 2015.

Boko Haram’s Secrets: Kabiru Sokoto Ready To Let The Cat Out Of The Bag

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The kingpin of the Boko Haram Sect, Kabiru Umar, a.k.a Kabiru Sokoto, currently undergoing trial for his role in several bombings across the country in 2011, has volunteered names of the sect members that bombed St. Theresa’s Catholic Church at Madalla, Niger State, in 2011, the Nigerian Police Force, yesterday, told the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.

The 2011 attack resulted in the death of 44 persons and wounded 75 others while Christmas day church service was in progress.

However, a lead Police investigator who was masked for security reasons, in his testimony before the court yesterday, stressed that Sokoto, who is facing a 2-count terrorism charge, confessed that though he got prior information that the attack would take place, he was not part of the terror squad that eventually struck the church.

Supreme Court Upholds Phone Thief’s Death Sentence

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Nigeria’s Supreme Court on Friday in Abuja ordered that the ring leader of a notorious armed robbery gang, Mr. Salisu Isiaka, who has been terrorizing the people of Kwara state is to die by hanging for stealing a handset.

In a unanimous decision, the apex Court restored the decision of the High Court which had earlier sentenced Isiaka to death by hanging.

The convicted armed robber had pleaded not guilty at the trial court and had contested the death by hanging judgment passed on him.

Dissatisfied with the death sentence thrown at him by the High Court, Isiaka appealed the sentence at the Court of Appeal. He recorded a temporary reprieve at the appellate court as the death by hanging sentence was set aside and his release from prison custody was also ordered by the court.

His joy was however short-lived as he soon ran into yet another trouble.

Catholic kicks against gay marriage, amnesty

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Director of Catholic Communications Commission, Catholic Diocese of Ilorin, Rev Fr. Pius Ogunyebi, has said the Catholic Church is opposed corruption, gay marriage and granting of amnesty to the Boko Haram sect.

He stated that gay marriage was unscriptural and negated African lifestyle, adding that corruption was detrimental to national development.

Ogunyebi spoke in Ilorin on Saturday at a media conference on the church’s Communication Week, titled, ‘Social networks: portals of truth and faith: new spaces for evangelism.’

Why Security Situation Was Better During Our Time – Atiku

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Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has described the current wave of insecurity in Nigeria as worse than the Nigeria Civil War, which lasted for three years.

The former Vice-President said on Friday that the situation was made worse due to President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration’s lack of attention to security of lives and property.

Atiku made this known on Friday in an interview with the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation monitored in Kaduna.

He said, “All you see today are security men with guns, which should not be the case.”

He said the dimension of today’s security challenges makes it hard to tackle because the money meant for the purpose had been allegedly stolen.

WHEN AND HOW TO TALK ABOUT S-EX WITH YOUR KIDS

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Talking to your kids about the birds and the bees is a task most parents may cringe doing. If you are also one amongst them, you should know that it is highly important that your little ones learn about it from you instead of other sources like the media or friends of the same age or pornography. Not only is there a chance that they get wrongly informed; but not being able to share their doubts with you creates an impression that it is a bad thing and should be spoken about only behind closed doors. While it may be a task you wish to avoid, it is essential for them to learn about it. s-exual health experts Dr Vijayasarathi Ramanathan, Rachel Hercman and Dr Paul Joannides explain the importance of imparting s-ex education by parents to their kids.

Nigeria Ranked 39th In Africa Competitiveness Report

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Nigeria has been ranked 39 in macroeconomic stability out of 144 countries assessed in the African competitiveness report released yesterday by the world economic forum.

The report which assessed Africa’s competitiveness in an international contest attributed Nigeria’s performance on its macro-economic environment pillar to a better fiscal position that results from strong resource revenues and market size by a wide margin.

With Gabon and Algeria leading Nigeria on the table, the report maintained that resource-abundant countries register considerably stronger fiscal positions.

Terrorist Anders Breivik wants to set up his Party

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Terrorist Anders Breivik has decided to create his own party -"Fascist Party of Norway and the Northern League."
A representative of the structures responsible for registration of such initiatives, explained that Breivik’s application does not meet legally required preconditions. "To create an association at least two people are required, while the application form features just Breivik," - he said.
In addition, the document does not have the necessary business-legal structure, governing the party’s activity.
Breivik's lawyer Tur Yordet has said he will file a new request that will meet all legal standards.
On July 22, 2011 Breivik went on a bombing and shooting spree in the government district of the Norwegian capital, killing eight people and shooting 69 at a youth camp of Norway's Labour Party on the island of Utoya. He was sentenced to 21 years in prison.

Lafia Police Massacre !!!

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The kind of madness going on in some parts of Nigeria is unbelievable. If you live abroad and hear some of these stories, you would be too scared to come back home. But thankfully this violence is not spread across Nigeria. I'm sure by now most of you have heard about the killing of many security operatives in Nassarawa State. For those who haven't heard, let me summarise it.

On Tuesday May 7th, Nassarawa State Commissioner of Police sent police officers, SSS and Civil Defense personnel to arrest the cult leader of a notorious militia group called 'Ombatse' (a cult group of the Eggon people of Nasarawa State) at Assakyo Village in Lafia, Nassarawa state. (Ombatse in Eggon language means “time has come”).

Governor’s ADC Attacked. Brings Out His own Gun and Shoots One

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A gang of armed robbers attacked DSP Ibrahim Mazam Tinja, Aide De Camp (ADC) to the Governor of Ebonyi State, Martin Elechi, and attempted to rob him of his official car at gun point yesterday.  Tinja, however, repelled the attack by pulling out his service pistol and shooting one of the robbers, Emmanuel Oroke, a native of Nwanu Ezza Inyimagu in Izzi Local Government Area of the state. Confirming the attack on Tinja, Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Sylvester Igbo said Oroke has been admitted at the police clinic and efforts are in top gear to arrest the suspects that fled. He added that one of the items recovered from Oroke was an imitation firearm. In his statement, Oroke claimed that he took to robbery just two months ago and that he dropped out of junior secondary school because of lack of funds.

Lagos Bans Tri-cycle (Keke Napep) Operators From Major Roads [DETAILS]

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Lagos State government Friday banned the activities of Tri-cycle popularly called Keke Napep from the major roads in the state, saying, “it is meant to protect the lives and property of the residents of the state.”

The state government however vowed to impound any disused and abandoned vehicles across the state, explaining “4,632 vehicles were currently abandoned on over 9,100 roads in theState. Commissioner for transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa  disclosed this at the 2013 Ministerial Press Briefing held in Alausa to mark the sixth anniversary of Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration.

Good News: Yookos launches new API at World Mobile Web W/Africa conference

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To give developers in Africa the opportunity to create applications that suite the trending and emerging social media landscape, Yookos a social network site that focuses on providing users the best platform to connect, share and interact has launched their Application Programming Interface (API) at the World Mobile Web West Africa 2013 Conference in Lagos. The announcement was made during the company’s presentation to key industry leaders as well as various sponsors from every part of the continent.

Senate Passes State Of The Nation Bill

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The Senate on Thursday passed the State Of the Nation Bill into law which compels the incumbent President to present a state of the nation address before the joint session of the National Assembly.

The bill seeks to make the President accountable to Nigerians as represented by the National Assembly and to render an account of the President’s stewardship to the nation.

The bill, which was a product of concurrence between the House of Representatives and the Senate, was first passed into law by the 6th National Assembly but the President; Olusgeun Obasanjo,  withheld his assent from it.