Lagos-Ibadan Expressway horror: My family was almost hacked to death by robbers — Victim

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For a Lagos-based engineer, Mr. Johnson Duru, January 4, 2013 would remain indelible in his mind. It was the day he, his two daughters and two other relations, were attacked by armed robbers on the notorious ‘long bridge’ along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. He narrated his experience toSAMUEL AWOYINFA

Plying the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway both at daytime and night is fraught with danger.  A lot of people have been attacked on the ‘long bridge,’ which is a stretch on the express road from Warewa to Kara, by hoodlums who lay siege to the bridge.

Insult: You’re a failure, Obasanjo tells Okorocha

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, described Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, as a “failure.” Obasanjo said this just as the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, likened the current crisis rocking the ruling party as a “surgery” which must bring some pain to members.

Obasanjo who was responding to guests who spoke during the grand finale of a civic reception organised in his honour by the South West Zone of the PDP said there was no way he could associate with Okorocha who had jokingly referred to the former President as his “colleague.”

Lagos scores 2012 budget 89%

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Lagos State Government has put the performance of 2012 budget at 89 per cent. It added that the performance was the highest since the inception of Governor Babatunde Fashola administration in 2007. A statement on Saturday by Lagos Governor Special Adviser, Media, Hakeem Bello, said Fashola spoke after the first  session of the three-day Executive Council/Permanent Secretaries Retreat at Lekki with the theme, ‘Enhancing Effective and Efficient Service Delivery in Lagos State.’

He said, “This improvement is the fulfilment of the promise we made during the third budget. It is also due to availability of resources and hard work.

Jonathan’s visit to police college meaningless — House C’mitte

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The House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs has criticised President Jonathan’s visit to the Police College Ikeja. The Chairman of the committee, Mr. Usman Kumo, described the President’s action as “meaningless.” Kumo stated that the visit might be counterproductive because Jonathan seemed to suggest that he was not aware of the dilapidated state of police formations and barracks in the country.

Kumo noted that whatever aim Jonathan wanted to achieve with the visit had been defeated, as “he simply displayed that he has not been in touch with what has been happening to the police.”

He added, “Who does not know that all police colleges in Nigeria are in a dilapidated state and uninhabitable?

“Why did he go to Lagos? Was it because a television station aired the poor state of affairs there.

Buhari can’t win 2015 elections —Presidency •He’s a major threat to PDP —CPC

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The presidency on Friday said a former Head of State and three-time presidential candidate, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), stood no chance of winning the 2015 general election.

Buhari, during the inauguration of the Congress for Progressive Change Merger Committee in Abuja on Wednesday, had said the ongoing merger talks by the major opposition political parties would determine if he would run for the presidency in 2015.

The Katsina State-born general, who had earlier said he would not run for presidency in 2015, having failed to win the election three times, said the merger might make him change his mind.

'Jonathan belittled his office by kneeling in front of Adeboye publicly' -Tunde Bakare ( Do you Agree ?)

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Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly tells Punch:

They have signaled the campaign by going to kneel down before Pastor Adeboye. See, I am not saying that pastors should not pray for presidents, that man was representing an office; a whole nation crumbling before men of God because of political advantage they think they can get. And if the prayer will bail him out, let us wait and see.

Bulgarian Politician Survives Assasination Attempt On Live TV ( Video)

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Ahmed Dogan, leader of a liberal party which represents the Turkish minority in Bulgaria, survived the astonishing assassination attempt while giving a speech at a conference in the capital Sofia (left). Television footage shows a man storming the stage and aiming a gun at his head. But the weapon misfired and Mr Dogan, 58, escaped unharmed. Security guards and delegates then wrestle the man to the ground and began beating and kicking him. The 25-year-old suspect was led away covered in blood (right)

Cancer patient Funmi Lawal loses one arm to cancer, needs your help

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Funmi Lawal is the UNILAG law graduate who was diagnosed with malignant sarcoma, a kind of cancer at the shoulder region. We raised money for her on LIB last August...she was the one Don Jazzy donated N2million to. You can read more about her HERE.

Funmi was able, through your kindness, to raise the money she needed for her treatment and went for her surgery in the UK last year. She contacted me today with the news that her surgery was successful but her left arm had to be amputated to save her life. See Funmi's email below. Please read...

I want to thank the people of Nigeria for their donations, I am really grateful. I underwent the surgery at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital Birmingham. It was done three different times; the 11th, 12th and 18th. 

The surgery was very successful, glory be to God that I am alive today and there is no trace of cancer in my body again. But my left hand was amputated because it was the best thing to do in order to save my life and prevent the cancer from spreading.

Read the rest after the break...but please be warned, there's a photo there that some of you might find disturbing. Continue...

The attack on Emir of Kano

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Men on motorbike and in a car this afternoon attacked the convoy of the Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, at Masalaci Murtala area of Kano. The Emir was returning from a ceremony at a mosque when the men opened fire on his convoy. The Emire survived the attack, but his driver and two guards were killed.

No group has taken responsibility for the attack...

Viewers Discretion Advised: 40 decomposed bodies found in Anambra river

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Residents of Amansea in Awka, Anambra State woke up yesterday morning Saturday January 19th to a horrifying sight; 40 dead bodies floating in a River in their community. People from the community and some neighbouring ones besieged the Ezu river yesterday to catch a glimpse of the dead bodies. The river is at the boundary between Enugu and Anambra states and the dead bodies were found at the old Enugu-Onitsha road axis of the river.

The corpses whose identities were unknown, were suspected to have been dumped in the river Friday night by unknown persons. 

The traditional ruler of Amansea said the community had never witnessed such a gory sight before, while the Commissioner of Police in the state said the dead bodies remained a mystery as there had been no communal clash in Enugu or Anambra where many people were killed. He said investigations are ongoing...

Meanwhile the governor of the state, Peter Obi, has cut short his working trip abroad to return to the state to enable him visit the scene.

January 24 Declared Public Holiday In Nigeria

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Nigeria’s Federal Government has declared Thursday, 24 January 2013 as public holiday to commemorate the Muslim celebration of Eid-El-Maulud.The Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, made the announcement in Abuja on Friday, in a statement signed by Mr Adetayo Sode, the Director of Citizenship and Business in the ministry. Moro, who congratulated Muslims on the occasion, urged them to use the occasion to pray for sustained efforts to uplift the nation. 

He also urged Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for the peace and unity of the country.

Imagine: Mali-Trained Terrorists in Nigeria – Army Chief

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In spite of the Boko Haram insurgency in the country, Nigerian security agencies now have a fresh challenge to contend with.

The new task, according to the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubike Ihejirika, is the presence of suspected terrorists believed to have been trained by Malian rebels, in Nigeria. Boko Haram terrorists, like the Malian Islamist rebels, have for years held the Northern part of Nigeria by the jugular, killing and maiming people, especially Christians in their quest to Islamise Nigeria.

Obasanjo Cautions Achebe, Awolowo’s Loyalists Against Civil War Comments

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Former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday in Abeokuta ,cautioned the literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe and the loyalists of late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo against uncomplimentary comments over the 3 -year old civil war in the country. 

Obasanjo reacted in Abeokuta during the grand civic reception organised by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the South West to formerly welcome him home after his resignation as the Chairman, Board of Trustee, BoT, of the party.

11 More Airports To Be Remodelled – Aviation Minister

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The Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Odua, has said that the second set of 11 airports have been earmarked for remodelling.“The designated airports would receive government attention as soon as the first set of 11 airports currently undergoing remodeling are completed and commissioned by the end of the first quarter of 2013,’’ she said.

Odua, represented by Mr Rowland Ofubue, the Director, Cargo Development, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), said this in Jos on Friday when she visited Gov. Jonah Jang.

She said the purpose of her visit to the state was to rub minds with the government on the commencement of Agro-cargo operation from Yakubu Gowon Airport, Jos.

N/Delta Devt: Jonathan Has Gone Astray – Ex-Militant, General

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Barely two months after former Niger Delta militant leader, Mujahid Asari Dokubo took a swipe at the administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, another former militant leader, Mr. Tamuno George, alias “General,” yesterday, took a look at the present dispensation and concluded that it has drifted with regards to the infrastructure development of the Niger Delta for which youths in the region took arms against the Nigerian state before the declaration of the Presidential Amnesty in 2009.

NRC Resumes Cargo Operation After 10 Years

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Good times are certainly here agian as the once moribund Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), has commenced cargo operations with the haulage of goods from Ogun State to Niger State after 10 years. The cargo train which contained 675 tonnes of cement, arrived Minna yesterday where it was off loaded to be dispatched to different locations. The Public Relations Officer of the Minna railway station, Abdulraouf Akinwuye, while speaking with journalists as the goods were being offloaded from the train, said the cement was transported from Lafarage Cement Company, at Ewekoro in Ogun State.

FG In New $3bn Agriculture Financing Agreement With USAID

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In the latest of its moves at receiving foreign aids, the Federal Government yesterday agreed on a $3bn agriculture financing with United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The agreement was for USAID to extend its financing role to the agricultural sector, in order to boost the activities of the sector.

During the agreement, the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, signed on behalf of the Federal Government, while the USAID Administrator, Dr. Rajiv Shah, signed for the Agency.

Two Friends Gang-Rapé Lagos Big Girl & Take Nudé Photos Of Her

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Men of the Nigerian police in Lagos State have arrested two friends, Emeka Paul, 26 and Chibuzor Esowole, 27 for allegedly gang-ráping a 22-year old woman (name withheld).

It was learnt that apart from ráping her, they took her nudé photographs and threatened to expose them if she reports to the police. Police sources alleged that the victim was lured from her Festac residence to an estate at Apapa to attend a Christmas party on 27 December, 2012.

But instead of taking her to the party, the suspects tortured, brutalized and forcefully had unprotected séx with their victim in turns. 

A call to national duty

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The challenges affecting Nigeria seem to be overtaken by corruption and incompetence of the leadership. But this is made possible by the failure on the part of the youths to get involved in the politics of the country and to seek effective means of arresting the situation.

How can a government boldly come out to declare its intention to spend over N60bn on cell phones for farmers? Evidently this is another attempt by those at the helm of the political affairs of this country (the same people that swore to serve and protect the interests of the average Nigerian) to further loot her depleting resources.
Nigeria is falling apart and its youths are doing nothing about it. We have allowed ourselves to be distracted by socio-economic indulgences and a lifestyle that is not coherent with the collective status. Quite frankly, the country is still struggling to find its feet economically and politically. Optimists may choose to argue differently, but the truth is glaring for all to see.

Online Retailers In Price War

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A subtle price war has begun among online retailers jostling to attract the attention of Nigeria’s online shoppers, writes DAYO OKETOLAThere has been a strong positive sentiment towards online shopping in Nigeria; at least among the over 40 million Internet population, many of who live in the urban centres. The latest MasterCard Worldwide Online Shopping Survey, which corroborated this, reveals that 92 per cent of Nigerians surveyed had shopped online three months before the survey was conducted. Fifty-seven per cent of them, according to the survey, indicate that they will continue to make purchases online over the following six months.