Just In: Israel confirms airstrike on Syria

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Israeli officials confirm that the Air Force has conducted an airstrike on Syrian territory, Russia Today reports quoting Associated Press. They said they targeted a shipment of advanced missiles.
The unnamed officials said the target weapons were not chemical, but were bound for Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement and were sophisticated enough to prompt the Israeli strike on early Friday.

On Friday media in Lebanon reported that Israeli jets conducted several sorties into Lebanese airspace, with some of them flying in circles over the capital, Beirut. Lebanon’s army website had listed an unusual 16 flights by Israeli warplanes penetrating Lebanese airspace from Thursday evening through Friday afternoon local time. Lebanon's President Michel Suleiman condemned the flyovers, branding them a “continuation of Israel's policy of aggression” and called on the international community to put pressure on Tel Aviv to stop this practice.

DNA samples taken from Boston bomb doesn't match to Tsarnaev's widow

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An analysis of DNA obtained from pieces of the detonated Boston Marathon explosives found no matches to the widow of dead suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev or to either of the suspects, a law enforcement official said Friday.

The official, who is not authorized to comment publicly, said the source of the DNA is "unknown,'' adding that it could belong to any one of a number of people, from the point of the bomb-component's manufacture and distribution to sale.

Bodies of two crewmembers of crashed US military plane found in Kyrgyzstan

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Rescuers have found the bodies of two crewmembers of the US military cargo plane, which crashed at the Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan border shortly after taking off from the American Air Force base at Manas.

Rescuers have found the bodies of two crewmembers of the US military cargo plane, which crashed at the Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan border shortly after taking off from the American Air Force base at Manas.

Earlier there were slim hopes that the pilots could have ejected before the aircraft hit the ground, but those were meager at best since witnesses reported seeing no parachute during the crash.

Why I Can’t Be Chairman Where Buhari Is Present – IBB

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The maiden edition of Mr Sam Nda-Isaiah Lecture Series in Minna, Nigeeri State, brought to the fore the atmosphere of friendship between former head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari, and former military president General Ibrahim Babangida as the latter conceded the chairmanship of the occasion to Buhari.

Babangida was reluctant to speak at the occasion as the chairman, but when pressed upon, got up and stated that he could not be chairman in an occasion where Buhari was present.

NNPC : Nigeria’s refineries now producing 10m litres/day of fuel

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Thursday, announced an improvement in Nigeria’s refining capacity, declaring that domestic refining of Premium Motor Spirits, PMS, at the country’s three refineries has increased to 10.23 million litres per day.

According to Group Executive Director, Refining and Petrochemicals, NNPC, Engineer Anthony Ogbuigwe, the three refineries are also currently producing 5.53 million litres of dual purpose kerosene and 8.016 million litres of automotive gas oil, diesel daily.

Two brothers and a pregnant woman shot dead in Surulere last night

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About a week after a DJ was gunned down on Bank Olemoh street in Surulere, yet another gang related killing has occurred in the Shitta/Akerele area of Surulere. Two brothers (pictured above) were shot dead around 8pm last night as they hung out with friends at a bar not to far from Shitta Primary School near Ogunmola street. A pregnant woman was unfortunately hit by a stray bullet during the attack. She was pronounced dead at the hospital she was rushed to. The dead brothers, (The one in white is Mufu) were not older than 25. Policemen were called to the area last night but no arrest has so far been made. Will bring an update on this story later.

(Audio - Photo): Obama is holding people at Guantanamo for no reason and force feeding them illegally – Michael Ratner

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The men being held at the illegal Guantanamo terror prison have been in literal limbo for over 12 years. The fact that they are Muslim and kept offshore makes them an abstraction for the American people, who along with the media have forgotten about their plight. More than half of the illegally detained inmates have been deemed completely innocent, but U.S. President Obama, despite his endless “nice words” has refused to release them.

 The people at Guantanamo have reached such a level of hopelessness that almost all of them have decided to end their own lives by doing the only thing they can; stop eating. Obama has decided once again to break the law and force-feed them. Michael Ratner, the U.S. lawyer for Julian Assange and the lawyer for many of the inmates at Guantanamo, spoke to John Robles on the matter.

I’m speaking with Mr. Michael Ratner, the President Emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights and the US lawyer for Julian Assange. The Center for Constitutional Rights also represents several of the inmates at the Guantanamo detention camp.

Continue After The Break

Couples Must Undergo HIV/Aids Test Before Marriage-Yobe Assembly

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The Speaker of the Yobe State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Adamu Dala Dogo says Laws for couple to undergo HIV/Aids test before marriage will come into effect before the end of this year.

Addressing people living with HIV and Aids who called on him today in his office in Damaturu, the speaker decried the alarming spread of the scourge which he says can be curtailed through test before marriage.

The speaker says members of the House will soon visit their respective constituencies to conduct advocacy against the spread of the scourge in the state.

Hon Dala Dogo enjoined people of the state to carry out test and to commence retroviral treatment as soon as they are tested positive.

US Government denies withdrawing military assistance to Nigeria

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₦98,114,927.39 ($620,000) Fuel Subsidy Bribe: Judge Fails To Rule On Farouk Lawan’s Trial

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Ruling on an application to quash the charges against former chairman of the House of Representatives ad-hoc Committee on fuel subsidy; Farouk Lawan and the committee’s secretary, Mr. Boniface Emenalo, was stalled on Thursday as the trial judge, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi, could not deliver the anticipated ruling owing to bereavement.

An official of the Abuja High confirmed the development to journalist in Abuja and consequently, May 10, was fixed as new date for ruling on the pending application by Lawan and Emenalo.

The duo seeks to have the court quash the 7-count charge preferred against them by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Nigerian Army Set To Host Combat Sports Championships

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The Nigerian Army has announced plans to host the first ever Combat Sports Championships in Kaduna from the 20th of May with the aim of discovering talents in boxing, judo, wrestling and teakwondo.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja, Commander Infantry Corps of the Army and Chairman, Organising Committee, Major General Kenneth Minimah says the championship will help reposition the Nigerian Army as a major contributor to the development of sports in Nigeria

He added that the army has produced top athletes in the past and are now ready to discover and encourage new athletes to realize their sporting potentials.

EFCC Arraigns Kebbi State Director For Stealing N64m

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a Director with the Kebbi state, Ministry of Finance , Yahaya Saidu Andarai and one  Farouk Abubarka Uduli, before the Lagos  High Court in Ikeja for allegedly stealing the sum of N64million belonging to Coscharis Motors Ltd.

The two men, who were arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo, are facing a 27 count charge of conspiracy , fraud and stealing.

The defendants were accused by the EFCC of  converting the said sum  which is  the proceed of AX motorcycles,  property of Coscharis Motors entrusted to them on behalf of Jega National Union Local Government Employees of Kebbi state.

House To Probe Minister of Petroleum Over “Suspicious Oil Deals”

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The House of Representatives is set to investigate the Minister of Petroleum Resources,  Diezani Alison-Madueke over allegation of suspicious oil deals worth N59 trillion.

Speaking on a matter of public importance, member Representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in Anambra State, Representative Victor Ogene accused the minister of impropriety and abuse of due process in the transaction leading to the sale of seven oil mining leases.

The matter was brought to the house following a petition by group from oil producing communities in Delta, who alleged that there was a deliberate exclusion of indigenious operators from the exercise.

Just In: Amaechi’s Plane Was Flying With Forged Documents: Ministry Of Aviation

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The Ministry of Aviation has revealed that facts available to the ministry suggests that the operators of the bombardier aircraft allegedly belonging to the Rivers state government obtained several flight clearances from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authorities (NCAA) using forged documentation.

A statement by the Special Assistant on media to the Minister of Aviation on Thursday says that “the said aircraft attempted to and did operate within the Nigerian airspace on the 26^th of April 2013 without any flight clearance whatsoever in total violation of all extant civil aviation laws and regulations.”

Money Laundering: Ibori Loses Appeal Over 13-Year Jail Term

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The jailed former Delta State governor, James Ibori, lost a legal appeal on Thursday against a 13-year prison sentence for embezzling more than $250 million.

Mr Ibori, a founding member of Nigeria’s ruling party and a behind-the-scenes kingmaker who ran Delta State for 8 years, was trying to get his sentence reduced. His lawyers argued that the original judge had indicated the term would be shorter.

Judge Antony Edwards-Stuart rejected that argument at the appeal hearing and also said that money laundering should attract close to the maximum 14-year sentence.

Teachers oppose local government autonomy

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National Union of Teachers has opposed calls for local government autonomy.

NUT National President, Michael Alogba, who spoke in Abuja at a reception for officials of Zambia National Union of Teachers, also blamed the government for the declining education standard.

He said, “The entire teachers of this country are saying no to local government autonomy. Not that we have any fear or any grudge against the policy but because of the fact that local governments had been given such responsibility in the past, they failed woefully. That is the fear Nigerian teachers are entertaining.

“We are aware that the House of Representatives is handling the matter; we pray they represent the entire Nigerians very well. We would not want a situation whereby the recorded gains in the sector will be thwarted by this uncalled for autonomy.”

I ‘ll contest presidential election again in 2015 — Buhari

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Minna—Former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, said he “will surely seek the mandate” of Nigerians in the 2015 presidential election under the platform of the All Progressive Congress, APC.

Buhari who lost the 2011election on the platform of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, however said he was ready to step down for any other better candidate that may emerge under the new party.

He spoke in Minna, capital of Niger State during the maiden edition of Sam Nda-Isaiah Annual Lecture Series, saying that politics should not be seen as a do-or-die affair.

DSS probes death threat to 4 Kano journalists

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KANO— The Department of State Security Service, DSS, has launched a full scale investigation to unravel the death threat to the executive members of Correspondent Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Kano.

The development followed a formal petition  by the Chairman of the Correspondent Chapel on behalf of others whose  lifed came under threat by yet to be identified persons through phone.

The petition entitled ‘’Threat to life” signed by the secretary of the chapel, Alhaji Ibrahim  Garba Shuaibu chronicled a graphic details of how an unknown person claiming to be agents of the Department of State Security had intermittently put  up  calls to officials of the chapel inviting them to the headquarters of the DSS in Kano.

Satellite images show 2,275 burnt houses in Baga, Boko Haram destroyed mobile telephone towers – HRW

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An international rights crusader, Human Rights Watch, on Wednesday described as hogwash, military’s claim that the fires that razed thousands of buildings in Baga, Borno State were caused by rocket-propelled grenades  fired by members of the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram.

HRW,  in a statement on its website, said satellite images showed that soldiers may have  set the fires that razed  down  “2,275 buildings  and left 125 others”  in the town  severely damaged.

Calling on the Federal Government to impartially probe the incident,   it said that the military was covering up something  going by the fact that it had vehemently refused to allow journalists access into the troubled community.

There had been reports that 187 persons were killed and about 2,000 houses torched during the April 16, 2013 clash.

Man arrested over wife’s death in Lagos

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LAGOS — Operatives at the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigations Department ,SCID, Yaba , Lagos, have arrested a man who allegedly murdered his wife during a scuffle over his alleged affair with his wife’s employee, in Lagos.

The deceased, Endurance Ajisegiri, was the Managing Director of Speech Transition Company Limited.

Vanguard gathered that following the alleged affair with her employee, Endurance left her matrimonial home in Shasha area of Lagos for her parent’s in Ibeju-Lekki area.