Lagos ripples: Okada Banned in Onitsha Markets too

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Even as some stakeholders are planning to flag off a nationwide protest against the ban of commercial motorcycle operators popularly known as “Okada” in some parts of the country, Markets’ leaders in Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of the South-East, have banned commercial motorcyclists from entering their markets during the Christmas season.

Atiku Abubakar in Hot Party Romance

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One time Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has thrown his weight behind the re-emergence of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM), as the group seeks to re-position itself to play an influential role in the 2015 presidential election. Members of the movement, which was started by the late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, met in Abuja at the weekend to hone their strategies for the 2015 election, and concluded that they must come together to return the country to the path of progress. Atiku Abubakar, who was in attendance, compared the PDM to the Tea Party in the United States of America and urged members to return to their states to set up state, local government and ward chapters, with a view to recruiting all those with similar philosophy.

Oyo State Finally Gets Solely Owned University

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Indigenes of Oyo State will be very happy as they finally get their own their own, solely owned, state university. The National Universities Commission (NUC) has finally approved the take-off of the Technical University, Ibadan, Oyo State. The Executive Secretary of the commission, Professor Julius Okojie, presented a letter of recognition of the first technical university in Nigeria to the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, at a brief ceremony in Abuja, at the weekend. The university, according to the governor, is expected to commence academic activities by September 2013.

12 Christmas Scams You Should Watch Out For

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Online Christmas shopping is expected to grow 22.4 percent alone this year to as much as $146 billion. ICTCatalogue.com compiled together, Top 12 christmas scams to watch out for during this holiday.
Social Media Scams —Scammers use Twitter and Facebook. Friend’s accounts can get hacked so watch for fake alerts that install “holiday deal” apps that steal private data. Twitter ads can lead to fake websites that look authentic but then ask for your credit card information.

Adoyi Ali: Letter to the Best President in Africa, Goodluck Jonathan

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"Dear Goodluck,
This letter must not go through all the orthodox protocols of signing and ‘counter’ signing for acknowledgment. It must not be signed by Doyin and Abati. I don’t need all that formality. I don’t want all that bureaucratic presidential arrangements. All I desire, is to see this letter before His Excellency. I don’t want Her Excellency around you when you hurriedly run through the pages of my letter. Yes, I know you can only flip through the pages because of some urgent National problems calling for your attention. I warn against having Her Excellency around because she may misquote me, even though I have decided to choose my grammar carefully in order not to confuse anyone around you.

Gay Couple Sentenced To 14 Years In Jail For Getting Married

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Thrown into jail for 14 years under Malawi's anti-gay laws, Tiwonge Chimbalanga has no regrets about the marriage ceremony that became a symbol of Africa's intolerance toward homosexuality.
In the first press interview since being granted asylum in South Africa, the 24-year-old, who was freed amid global pressure, urged more Malawians to come out from the shadows as the country's ban on same-sex relationships eases.

Nelson Mandela Has Lung Infection- South African Govt

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South Africa's first black President Nelson Mandela has a lung infection but is responding to treatment, South African government said Tuesday, as the revered anti-apartheid icon spent his fourth day in hospital.
This is the first time officials have revealed why Mr Mandela, 94, was rushed to a military hospital in the capital, Pretoria, on Saturday.

Controversy Trails Patience Jonathan’s Dressing To Brother-In-Law’s Burial

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The burial ceremony of president Jonathan’s younger brother, Chief Meni Jonathan in Otuoke, Bayelsa state last Saturday, December 8th, has come and gone but tongues are wagging over the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan’s choice of outfit for the solemn occasion. The first lady was dressed in a black coloured gown with heavy gold embroidery and gele to match, heavy make-up and decked in jewelleries in sharp contrast to her husband, president Jonathan, who was decked in a simple black long sleeve shirt, navy blue trousers with a fez cap to match.

15 Killed In Nigeria Shoot-Out With Radical Sect

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MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — A shootout in northeastern Nigeria between security forces and members of a radical Islamist sect killed at least 15 people, including a local police chief, authorities said on Tuesday.
The shootings took place in the city of Potiskum, which has increasingly become the scene of violent attacks by the sect known as Boko Haram. Army spokesman Lt. Eli Lazarus said the attack began late Sunday night in the city and went on for hours after suspected sect members bombed a local police station and attacked a bank branch.

DPO, 13 Others Killed As JTF Clashes With Gunmen In Yobe

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A Division Police Officer, DPO, Mr. Mohammed Garba was yesterday killed when gunmen suspected to be terrorists laid ambush to Potiskum town in Yobe State.
A branch of Unity Bank, telecommunication masts belonging to Etisalat, MTN and Airtel, as well as a police station were also set ablaze by the gunmen using Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs.
Thirteen of the alleged terrorists were also said to have died in the gun battle with members of the Joint Task Force.

223 Died In Fire Incidents In Rivers

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No fewer than 223 people were killed in various fire incidents in Rivers between January and November 2012. The state Director of Fire Service, Oshogharhe Powa, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Monday. Mr. Powa said that 84 persons were rescued from the fire disasters, while it saved property worth N17.37 billion during the period in review.

3 Policemen Pick Race As Rápist Allegedly Turns Into A Baboon

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A man who was wanted for allegedly defiling a juvenile in Zimbabwe and escaping twice from police custody reportedly turned into a baboon when he was arrested by members of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee.The man has been on the run for the past two months. It is alleged that on 2 December he returned to the area pretending to have forgotten his ‘sins’. The fuming villagers reportedly teamed up and proceeded to his place baying for his blood.

31-Year-Old Pastor Rapes His Maid Then Asks Her To Pray For Forgiveness

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A 31-year-old Seventh Day Adventist pastor who was accused of raping a maid before asking her to pray for forgiveness has escaped the jail agony by a whisker after Harare magistrate cleared him.
Basil Michael Green, who told the court in his defence that the charges were fabricated, walked free on Friday after his lawyer Simon Mupindu applied for discharge at the close of the state's case.

Fear and Loathing in Nigeria

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Nigerians seem to have relatively short memories. We forget the atrocities committed by public officials almost as soon as they leave office. However, every administration has had hate figures that were resented for one reason or another. In the First Republic, it was the minister of finance, the late Festus Okotie Eboh, largely on account of his lifestyle.

How Artists and Intellectuals Can be Instrumental in the Creation of Dictators – Soyinka

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Many Nigerians will agree that the last thing the country needs right now is another dictator. Meanwhile, Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has shown how the making of dictators can be aided by artists and intellectuals who, he said, are custodians of the people’s culture. Soyinka was speaking at a colloquium, which is part of the 2012 Port Harcourt Carnival (CARNIRIV 2012) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He said every culture, if not guarded against abuse by politics, could breed dictatorship.

Ogun State Governor, Amosun Sacks LG Boss, Others

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Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun yesterday sacked the leadership of Ijebu-East Local Government Area for undisclosed reasons. However, sources close to the governor’s office, Oke Mosan linked the governor’s action to a fraud and distrust among principal officers of the council, which threatened the unity of the area. The state government also announced composition of a panel of enquiry to investigate allegations levelled against both the executive and legislative arm of the council.

Nigerian Female Singer Allegedly Stabbed By Landlord’s Son

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Tiwa ‘Tiwabanks’ Bankole, one of Nigeria’s promising female rappers/singer who sang ‘olenle’, has been stabbed, allegedly, by her landlord’s son on Monday.
The sonorous singer reportedly had a misunderstanding with her landlord’s son simply identified as Tobi in the afternoon only for him to return at night to finish what was started in the day.

He allegedly barged into her apartment, which is located around Iyana-Ipaja area of Lagos State, and inflicted some injuries on her with a broken bottle. Tobi, who is said to be notoriously known around the neighbourhood, reportedly fled the scene leaving Tiwa in a pool of her own blood before she was rushed to the hospital by concerned neighbours.

Engr. Lanre Fashesin still missing

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Mr. Lanre Fashesin has not been heard from in the last 3 months after he was kidnapped at a site in Edo State. The family had up until now made frantic efforts to secure his release to no avail. The Police also claim to have hit a dead end and seem to have become clueless as to how else to find the kidnapped engineer. Mr. Fashesin was working at the site where he was kidnapped as a contractor for Dextron Engineering Limited based in Lagos.

Nigerian Police Force: My Ordeal - By Femi Badejo

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Sometime in November, an employee of Access Bank Plc, Mr. Femi Badejo and his security guard, Joshua Moses, were shot by policemen after they responded to a distress call about a robbery at the banker’s home in the Ikota area of Lagos. (If you missed it see it HERE)

Femi is finally out of the hospital and is telling his own side of the story. See it below...
As I discussed the armed robbery incident with other occupants within our apartment complex, we noticed the gate open slightly followed by the unmistakable sounds of a war grade AK47 rifle."
At the Instant, I docked under a car in the apartment complex and noticed my security guard groaning excruciating a few meters from my location.

Charles Okah prison letters

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Dear readers – I wanted to share with you this letter from Charles Okah, who is currently held in prison where he has been pressured to fabricate accusations against critics of the government and subjected to the worse kind of abuse. His story speaks for itself. – Nasir El-Rufai.
See Charles Okah's prison letter after the Jump Break.