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Showing posts from May, 2013

We will not impeach Gov. Amaechi -- Rivers lawmakers

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(Nigeria) The 27 members of the Rivers House of Assembly loyal to Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, on Thursday promised not to impeach the governor. This is contained in a statement signed by the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Otelemaba Amachree and 26 others in Port Harcourt. Out of the 32 members in the assembly, five members are opposed to the governor while 27 have been suspended by the new state executive of the PDP, led by Chief Felix Obuah. They were suspended for refusing to rescind a decision to recall the suspended Chairman of Obio/Akpor and 17 councillors of Obio/Akpor Local Government. The lawmakers, all members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), said in the statement that they received rumours of being financially induced to impeach Amaechi. “We have observed with consternation, dangerous rumours making the rounds, even appearing on the pages of national dailies that we, the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, have be

Boko Haram still killing Christians ---- CAN

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(Nigeria) Christian Association Nigeria, CAN, Thursday, expressed concern over the continuous killing of Christians and burning of churches by the deadly Islamic sect, Boko Haram, despite the reported military onslaught against the insurgents, following the declaration of state of emergence in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.   CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, in a statement, in Abuja “While he appreciates the statement by the military high command that more towns are being secured in the operations to rid the nation of terrorist activities, he is sad by reports from Borno State where the terror has gone from the horrendous to the tragic as more Christians are still being killed and Churches burnt as reflected in many distress calls from the state by CAN officials on ground. “Last Friday, for instance, an executive member of CAN in Gwoza Local Government Area,   Rev. Luka Bazigila and a member of the COCIN Church, Yohanna, both of who were in attendance at a Christian f

US officials may face new scandal after Venezuela shooting

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Conflicting reports about the incident involving two US embassy staff in Venezuela may finally lay bare a scandal as the two officials were reportedly shot after a brawl at a strip club, reports Presstv. The Venezuelan police and the US State Department confirmed the shooting, which took place early Tuesday, but the details of the incident are still unclear with different reports over whether it took place outside or inside the Antonella 2012 nightclub. State Department official Patrick Ventrell said that the incident occurred in "some sort of social spot or somewhere outside of the embassy grounds." "I am not sure if it was a restaurant, or a nightclub, or what the actual establishment was, but that is why we are in touch with embassy personnel," he added. A Venezuelan police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak to reporters, identified one of the victims as military attaché Roberto Ezequiel Rosas. She

Syria already in possession of Russia's S-300 system: President Assad

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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says Damascus is already in possession of the first batch of S-300 missile defense systems from Russia, reports Presstv. During an interview with Lebanon’s Al-Manar TV, President Assad also said that the second shipment of the Russian systems will be delivered to Syria soon. He added that Syria would respond to any Israeli aggression against the country. The complete interview is expected to be aired later on Thursday. Earlier on May 28, Moscow had said it would go ahead with the delivery of S-300 systems to Damascus, following which the Israeli regime hinted it would take action to prevent the delivery of the systems to Damascus. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem later reiterated that Damascus would give an “immediate” response to any act of aggression by Israel.   “Syria will not let any Israeli aggression go unanswered without retaliation. The retaliation will be the same size as the aggression, and the same type of weapons

Israel approves 300 new settler units in occupied land

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The Israeli regime has given the final go-ahead for the construction of 300 new illegal settler units in East al-Quds, Jerusalem, reports Presstv. Housing Ministry spokesman Ariel Rosenberg said on Thursday that the new units will be built in Ramot neighborhood, which lies in the territory Israeli occupied in 1967. On Wednesday, an Israeli non-governmental organization, said that the regime plans to build 1,000 new settler units in East al-Quds. Israeli settlement watchdog Terrestrial Jerusalem said that contracts for 300 homes in the northeastern settlement of Ramot were signed and another 797 plots were to be offered for sale in the southern settlement of Gilo. Gilo is also one of five major settlements in East al-Quds that were established by the Israeli regime following the Six-Day War of 1967. A new report has revealed that the Israeli regime confiscated 1,977 acres of the Palestinian lands in the occupied West Bank for its settlement activity during 2012. The s

NCC says SIM card registration ends June 30

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(Nigeria) Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah, has said that the nationwide registration of Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards by the commission will end on June 30. Juwah made the announcement in Enugu on Thursday in a message to the 73 rd  edition of Telecoms Consumer Parliament organised by the commission. The vice chairman, who was represented by the Director of Communications, Mrs Biodun Olujimi, said the commission would not extend the date for any reason. According to him, any subscriber who did not register his or her number before the closing date will have the number invalidated. He explained that the commission would commence the collation of the data for publication, adding that subsequent registration would be done by different telecom providers with approval from the commission. Speaking on the theme of the parliament, `Mobile Number Portability: Benefits to Telecom Consumers’, the vic

Nigeriens, Chadians among fleeing insurgents----Military authorities

(Nigeria) Nigerian Defence Headquarters, DHQ, has said five Nigeriens and two Chadians were among the fleeing insurgents apprehended by the Special Forces as troops continue their pursuit of terrorists dislodged from their bases. Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, the Director of Defence Information in a statement, Thursday in Abuja,  said that the seven insurgents were among the nine arrested at Tumbu Gini, a border town with Chad as they tried to cross the borders into Chad. It said that the man suspected to be leading the group escaped with gunshot wounds. The statement said the Defence Headquarters had observed that attempts were being made by insurgents and their collaborators to push into public domain, questionable and manipulated messages meant to misinform the public. "The message, which calls for support from Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as other cohorts of the insurgents, is clearly a confirmation of the level of pressure which has been brought to b

Dana plane crash: Minister explains delay in paying compensation to victims' families

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(Nigeria) The Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, on Thursday said that legal tussle and lack of proper documentation from the families of the Dana plane crash victims delayed the payment of compensation. Oduah spoke at the 2013 Aviation Safety Week in Abuja. She said there was speedy process to ensure that all the families of the victim of the June 3, 2013 crash got their claims. She said that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, was working with the airline on the compensation, adding that some families had been paid. The minister said that the airline had paid more than 30 per cent of the claims. She said that the ministry and other stakeholders would not rest until every claim was verified and all families fully compensated in accordance with the law and existing regulations. She said stakeholders had been working round the clock to ensure the timely payment of the claims to the families. She said Lagos State granted waivers on th

Missing Bayelsa N6.4bn: Court dismisses Sylva's application to quash charge

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(Nigeria) A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Thursday, dismissed an application by former Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr Timipre Sylva, seeking to quash the money laundering charge brought against him by Economic and Financial Commission, EFCC. Trial judge, Justice Adamu Bello, in his ruling, also turned down his prayer for permission to be allowed to accompany his wife on a foreign trip. Bello, in two separate rulings, dismissed the two motions for lacking in merit. The judge said "I have perused the application filed by the applicant and evaluated the arguments thereof and discovered that it lacked merit. "The court is not inclined to allow the applicant to embark on a foreign trip as such permission may jeopardise the trial, both motions are hereby dismissed.’’ Bello also held that it was premature for Sylva to insinuate that the charge was frivolous and that there was no evidence linking him with the alleged offences. He relied on the

750,000 children out of school in Plateau

(Nigeria) A total of 750, 000 children are out of school in Plateau State, Mrs Lyop Mang, the Chairperson of the state Universal Basic Education Board, has said. Mang told the Senate Committee on Education, led by Sen. Uche Chukumerije on Thursday in Jos, that the figure represents one third of the total number of children in schools across the state. ``The figure represents one third of the 1, 450, 966 total children currently in school,’’ the chairperson said when she received members of the committee, who paid her a courtesy visit. She blamed the situation on the protracted security challenges in the state, saying that mobility had increasingly become very risky for the children. Mang added that most of the children were withdrawn from schools in areas worst affected by the crises. She named the areas as Riyom, Barikin-Ladi, Bokkos and Wase, saying that many of the children were withdrawn out of fear for their safety. The chairperson also identified o