Posts

Showing posts from December, 2013

Keshi picks Alampasu, 22 others for CHAN

Image
(Nigeria) Super Eagles’ Head Coach Stephen Keshi on Tuesday in Abuja released the list of 23 players who will represent Nigeria at the third edition of the African Nations Championship, CHAN. CHAN event is billed for January 11 to February 1, 2014 in three South African cities. The list has three goalkeepers, eight defenders, six midfielders and six forwards, with 2013 Golden Eaglets’ star goalkeeper Dele Alampasu making the cut. The team’s first-choice goalkeeper and skipper, Chigozie Agbim, as well as team regulars such as defenders Azubuike Egwuekwe, Solomon Kwambe and Francis Benjamin also made the list. Former junior internationals Abdullahi Shehu and Christian Pyagbara also made it, joining Alampasu on the list of the new crop of young players graduating to the senior team. Agbim, Kwambe, Benjamin and Egwuekwe are an integral part of the main Super Eagles team. Pyagbara and Shehu played for the Flying Eagles at the African Youth Championship, AYC, in Algeria an

Syrian death toll passes 130,000-----Anti-Assad group

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday in Beirut the death toll in the country's civil war has risen to at least 130,433. More than a third of the deaths are civilians on both sides of the conflict. The conflict in Syria began in March 2011 as peaceful protests against four decades of rule by President Bashar al-Assad's family. It then turned into an armed insurgency whose sectarian dimensions have reverberated across the Middle East. The anti-Assad Observatory, based in Britain but with a network of sources across Syria, put the number of women and children killed in the conflict so far at 11,709. It said the death toll among rebels fighting the Assad government was at least 29,083. Deaths among the Syrian armed forces and fighters supporting Assad were at least 52,290. This included 262 fighters from the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah and 286 from other non-Syrian Shi'ite groups. Both Sunni and Shi'ite militants from the region hav

Mikel in top 3 for African Player of the Year award

Image
The Confederation of African Football, CAF, on Tuesday announced the top three players for the 2013 African Player of the Year award, scheduled for January 9 in Lagos. Nigeria’s John Obi Mikel, who is of Chelsea FC of England, is joined by the Ivorian pair of Yaya Toure and Didier Drogba. Toure, who plays for English side Manchester City, and former Chelsea FC striker Drogba are making the final three for a second successive year. Midfielder Toure is the reigning player of the year, having won the 2012 award earlier this year. The 2013 winner will be announced on January 9, 2014 at the Glo-CAF Awards Gala to be held in Lagos. In the African Player of the Year award for footballers based in Africa, whose 2012 edition was won by Egyptian Mohamed Aboutrika , another Nigerian is in contention. The 2013 winner will be selected from the trio of Super Eagles’ Sunday Mba and Egyptians Ahmed Fathy and Aboutrika. The winner will also be announced at the Awards Gala. In the other

Israel frees 26 Palestinian prisoners ahead of Kerry's visit

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas greeted the Palestinian prisoners freed by Israel in Ramallah with a pledge to continue pressing for the release of other long serving and sick prisoners. He said on Tuesday after the release of 26 Palestinian prisoners by Israeli government, that his government would not sign a final peace deal with Israel before all the prisoners were released. "We promise you this will not be the last time and there will be more groups of heroes coming to us frequently in the near future, God willing," Abbas said. Reuters reports that Israel agreed to release 104 Palestinian prisoners as part of a U.S. brokered package that in July revived peace talks after a three-year break. It said Tuesday's release was the third of four groups to go free and coming ahead of U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to the region on Wednesday to meet Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Marie Harf, United States State Department

Bombs across Baghdad kill 15, clashes continue in Anbar ---Sources

The police and medical sources said on Tuesday bombs exploded across the Iraqi capital, killing at least 15 people, a day after police broke up a Sunni Muslim protest camp in a western province. No group immediately claimed responsibility for any of Tuesday's attacks but al Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate, which was forced underground in 2006 to 2007, has reemerged this year, invigorated by civil war in Syria and Sunni resentment at home. In the deadliest attack in Baghdad, seven people were killed when two car bombs hit the Shi'ite neighbourhood of Zafaraniya. The medics and police sources said that in southeastern Baghdad, three mortar rounds landed near a housing complex, killing four people. They said that a bomb attached to a truck killed the driver and one passenger in the mainly Shi'ite district of Basateen in northern Baghdad and gunmen shot dead one policeman and wounded another in southern part of the capital. The police and local officials in western

JTF sets up monitoring team in Kano

(The Joint Security Task Force, JTF, in Kano says it has set up a monitoring team to check the conduct of its personnel at various checkpoints in the metropolis. This is contained in a statement by the JTF spokesperson, Capt. Ikedichi Iweha,  in Kano on Tuesday. ``The need for the establishment of the monitoring team stems from the determination of the JTF to ensure that road users are free to move about without unnecessary molestation. ``This is also necessary in order to ensure that security is prevalent in Kano and its environs,’’ the statement said. It said the Task Force had also established additional checkpoints and increased patrols within Kano and its environs to enhance security during the New Year celebration. The statement warned road users and other members of the public not to give any form of gratification to personnel of the JTF. It said both the giver and receiver of gratification would be arrested and prosecuted. ``The task force monitoring team will as

Jonathan re-appoints NAFDAC Director-General, others for second term

Image
(Nigeria) President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the re-appointment of Dr Paul Orhii as the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, with effect from January 13, 2014. This is contained in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja and signed by Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The statement said Jonathan also approved the re-appointment of Prof. Francis Idachaba, as the Chairman, Governing Board of the Nigerian Merit Award, with effect from December 29. It said the president approved the appointment of three new members and renewed the appointment of four members of the board. The new members Prof. Tola Olufunla (Ondo State), Prof. Andrew Nok (Kaduna State) and Prof, Laz Ekueme (Anambra), while those whose appointments were renewed are Prof. Etim Etim (Akwa Ibom), Prof. John Enaohwo (Delta), Prof. Ben Onaji (Benue) and Prof. Garba Goja (Jigawa).

I will join APC ---- Senator Abe

Image
(Nigeria) Chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Magnus Abe,  said he will soon join All Progressives Congress, APC, insisting that there was no provision in the constitution preventing him from doing so with the present turmoil in Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Speaking at Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, during his third annual interactive session with youths from the seven local government areas that make up the Rivers South-East senatorial district of the state, he said “I am going to cross to APC. Even if, it is only one senator that will cross from PDP to APC, you can go and write it down, Magnus Abe will be that senator; I will cross. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of association. It says if there is division in your political association, you can cross.” The lawmaker said that the crisis rocking PDP, which led to the walk-out of some aggrieved members of the party and subsequ

Chime calls for commitment to ensure socio-economic in 2014

Image
(Nigeria) Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has called on Nigerians to redouble their efforts to ensure improvement in their socio-economic and political lives. In his New Year message in Enugu on Tuesday, Chime said such efforts would help in building a secure, stable and prosperous nation. The governor called on the citizens to learn from the mistakes of previous years with a view to ensuring developments in the polity. He advised the people to eschew acts capable of impeding the progress of the nation in the New Year. Chime also called on Nigerians to remain prayerful and continue to seek the will and guidance of God in all their endeavours. He thanked the citizens of the state, security agencies and other organisations for their support and cooperation in 2013. The governor assured the people of his readiness entrench of good governance and total transformation in the state.

NSCDC destroys 813 illegal refineries, arrest 1,590 oil criminal in 2013

(Nigeria) The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, destroyed 813 illegal oil refineries and arrested over 1,590 oil-related criminal suspects in 2013, Dr Ade Abolurin, the Commandant-General, has said. This is contained in a statement by Mr Okeh Emmanuel, the Corps' Public Relations Officer on Tuesday in Abuja. The statement said that 1,549 of the suspects were undergoing prosecution, while 44 had been convicted by a court of law. It said that 176 suspects were also arrested for vandalising PHCN facilities, railway installations, telecommunication and water infrastructure. According to the statement, items recovered from the suspects include transmission cables, water pipes, metal cables and PHCN amoured cables, amongst others. It said that the corps had clamped down on kidnappers, illegal traffickers, terrorists, cyber criminals and operators of baby factories. It added that the corps had also curbed the activities of vandals and illegal bunkerers. The

Tambuwal commends Yobe State for the peaceful

Image
(Nigeria) Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Aminu Tambuwal, has commended the government and people of Yobe State for the peaceful and credible manner in which the recent Local Government election held in the state. In a New Year message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said despite the prevailing security situation, and the State of Emergency, Yobe voters turned out en masse to exercise their franchise. "The lesson in what happened in Yobe State should not be lost on all of us. Despite the security situation in the state, and operating under the State of Emergency, the Yobe State Independent Electoral Commission, YSIEC, proved doubters wrong by conducting an election which was peaceful and whose outcome was credible. "The determination of the government and people of Yobe State to have democratic structures at the grassroots level played a huge part in ensuring the success of the exercise. It should not be l

Mark urges politicians to respect the rule of law

Image
(Nigeria) The Senate President, Senator David Mark, on Tuesday urged politicians to guard against utterances, actions and inactions capable of overheating the polity. Mark made the plea in a New Year message in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan. He advised politicians to respect the rule of law at all times and uphold the fundamental rights of other citizens as enshrined in the Constitution. ``For me, I crave for a country where every citizen is a stakeholder, where there is justice, peace, equal opportunities and where no one is oppressed or marginalised. ``Since we got it right in 1999, we must not in any way do anything that would take the nation back to the dark days again. After all, God did not make mistake in keeping us together’’, the statement said. It commended Nigerians for their perseverance, resilience and total commitment to the ideals of nationhood in spite of the daunting challenges facing the nation. It also prai

Angolan who ingested 700g of cocaine arrested in Togo

An Angolan citizen who ingested 58 capsules containing 700 grammes of cocaine was arrested in Lome on Tuesday, according to sources in Togo’s anti-drugs office. The Angolan, identified as Pedro Joao, was arrested on arrival in the country after disembarking from an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Brazil. The suspect is believed to be a member of the traffickers' network operating in Africa and Latin America.

Education of our young people is a key priority---Jonathan

Image
By President Goodluck Jonathan Dear compatriots, I greet and felicitate with you all as we enter the year 2014 which promises to be a momentous one for our country for several reasons, including the fact that it is also the year of our great nation’s centenary celebrations. I join you all in giving thanks to God Almighty for guiding us and our beloved nation safely through all the challenges of the outgoing year to the beginning of 2014. Exactly 100 years ago today, on January 1, 1914, the British Colonial authorities amalgamated what was then the separate Protectorates of Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria, giving birth to the single geopolitical entity known as Nigeria.  For us therefore, today is not just the beginning of a new year, but the end of a century of national existence and the beginning of another. It is a moment for sober reflection and for pride in all that is great about Nigeria. Whatever challenges we may have faced, whatever storms we may have confronte

Police arrest 3 suspected ritualists in Enugu

(Nigeria) The police in Enugu State have announced the arrest of three suspected ritualists in Oji River. The spokesperson of the Enugu State Police Command, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, said in a statement in Enugu on Tuesday that the suspects were Festus Ajah, Precious Ajah and Solomon Ajah. Amaraizu said the suspects were arrested on December 23 at Umuonopu, Obune Inyi in Oji River. He said the suspects were nabbed following complaints that they were fake gynecologists, money ritualists and for obtaining money under false pretences. The spokesperson said police operatives recovered from the suspects a wrap of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, syringes, some drugs, red and white cloths and one rainbow incense, among others. In another development, the police also nabbed a notorious suspected kidnapper/murderer who has been on their wanted list for long. Amaraizu said the suspect, Uzoma Chukwuka, had been on the run after his alleged involvement in the kidnap of one Veronica Ogu

Expect brighter days in 2014 — Gov Oshiomhole

Image
(Nigeria)  Governor Adams Oshiomhole has urged the people of Edo State to look to brighter days ahead in the Year 2014. In a New Year message  by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria, the governor said the outgoing year was one of peace, stability and tremendous progress in the socio-economic life of the state. He said: “I congratulate the good people of Edo State, and indeed the entire people of Nigeria for seeing yet another year. For us in Edo State, the outgoing year was generally peaceful and marked by growth in all sectors of the economic life of the state. “As we enter into the New Year, I urge the people of Edo State to look forward to brighter days ahead. In addition to sustaining our efforts at developing and renewing infrastructure in the state, government has also beamed its focus on expanding the economy of the state; increasing the Gross Domestic Product and creating wealth. We expect our efforts to start yielding positive fruits in the New Year. “I as

4,000 Nigerian police officers on peace missions worldwide

Image
(Nigeria) The Inspector-General of Police, IG,  Mr Mohammed Abubakar, said on Tuesday that more than 4,000 police officers were serving in various peacekeeping missions worldwide. Abubakar made the statement in Abuja when he addressed 450 police officers deployed for peace support operations in Liberia and Sierra-Leone. He said that the officers were serving in missions of the United Nations, Africa Union,  ECOWAS and many others. He said the police had upgraded their training level and achieved 85 per cent of contingent-owned equipment all over the missions. ``We have replaced all the equipment that were not working because you cannot take officers and men and send them to a mission area that is very challenging security wise. Without equipment, that means you are telling them to go and die and that is why you have minimal number of accidents in terms of those who are performing outside, ‘’ he said. Abubakar said that the UN was very happy with Nigeria and they also

Police supports families of boko haram victims in Kaduna

(Nigeria) The Kaduna State Police Command on Tuesday donated some money to families of police men killed by boko haram insurgents since 2011. The Commissioner of Police, Mr Olufemi Adenaike, while distributing the money to the bereaved families, said the efforts was aimed at reducing hardship and provide succour to them. Adenaike said the command had lost 29 officers between 2011 till date as a result of the insurgency and other criminal activities witnessed in various parts of the state. He reiterated the commitment of the police towards protecting and providing welfare for its officers, adding that similar disbursment of funds was ongoing in Kafanchan and Zaria. The Commissioner also used the opportunity to organise a lunch for officers under the command in appreciation of their efforts at crime prevention during the year. Adenaike called on people in the state to continue to support security agents with useful information that would enable them discharge their duti

DSS arrest pastor, 15 others, for alleged currency counterfeiting

(Nigeria) Department of Security Service, DSS in Kogi in Lokoja State on Tuesday announced the arrest of a syndicate, including a pastor, over the alleged printing and circulation of fake naira notes. The Director of DSS, Mr Mike Fubara, said when he presented the suspects to newsmen that the syndicate included 15 others, including the pastor’s six children. He named the pastor as Godson Akubuiro, the General Overseer of The Mountain of Breakthrough Deliverance Ministry, Lagos. Fubara said DSS in its effort to trace the source of the ''worrisome fake naira currency in circulation in the state undertook a covert operation to uncover those behind the act’’. ''This operation took the service close to four months before a breakthrough resulting in the arrest of the 16-man syndicate led by Reverend Godson Akubuiro'', the director said. He said that the operation took security agents to The Breakthrough Church, also known as Land of Solution, located at

Israeli forces kill 27 in West Bank in 2013---Rights group

Israeli forces killed 27 Palestinians in the West Bank in 2013, a human rights watchdog has said, three times the figure recorded last year. It was also the first time in 10 years more Palestinians were killed in the West Bank than in the Gaza Strip, where Israeli forces killed nine Palestinians in 2013, Israeli human rights group B'Tselem said. Three Israeli security forces personnel were killed -- two in the West Bank and one in Gaza, the group added in a statement on Monday. B'Tselem said that in many of the West Bank incidents, Israeli soldiers shot at Palestinians who were throwing stones, "one man was shot when he tried to enter Israel without a legal entry permit," and "one woman passerby was shot by the military who argued that a Molotov cocktail had been lobbed in the area." Two Israeli soldiers were killed in separate incidents in the West Bank in 2013 and an Israeli fixing the border fence with the Gaza Strip was shot dead by a sniper f

10 dead as Syria regime shell hits bus in Aleppo city---- NGO

No fewer than 10 people, including two children, were killed in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo after a regime tank shell hit a bus, an non-governmental organization said on Tuesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the shell hit a bus in the Tariq al-Bab neighbourhood, adding that the toll could rise because a number of people had been seriously wounded.

Schumacher improving but 'not out of danger'-----Doctors

Image
Formula One legend Michael Schumacher Tuesday showed a slight improvement after a second operation following his life-threatening ski accident but was "not out of danger," doctors treating him said. Surgeons said they had "gained some time" by performing a successful second procedure on the seven times world champion on Monday night but he still remained critical. His wife and two children are at the hospital in the French Alpine city of Grenoble where the former racing driver remains in a coma after he fell and slammed his head on a rock while skiing off-piste on Sunday. News of the accident stunned the world and racing stars joined German Chancellor Angela Merkel and legions of fans in expressing their hopes for his recovery. Schumacher underwent an operation soon after being helicoptered to the hospital on Sunday, and surgeons performed the second nearly two-hour-long procedure to remove a blood clot on the right side of the brain. Jean-Francois Pa

Lawyers urge NJC to intensify campaign against corruption

Image
(Nigeria) Some prominent lawyers on Tuesday, urged the National Judicial Council, NJC, to intensify its campaign to curb corruption in the judiciary in 2014. The lawyers gave the advice in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria  in Lagos. They lauded the NJC under the leadership of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, for its attempt to restore credibility to the nation's judiciary. It will be recalled that the NJC had on February 20 recommended the compulsory retirement of two judges to President Goodluck Jonathan. The judges, Justices Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court Lagos and Thomas Naron of the Plateau State High Court were asked to proceed on retirement for misconduct. The NJC had also on April 26 suspended Justice Abubakar Talba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court for one year. The judge was handed the suspension for failing to exercise his discretion in a matter involving John Yusufu, a Director of Pension, con

Pope Francis has not abolished sin, says Vatican

Image
Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said on Tuesday in Vatican City that, Pope Francis has not abolished sin as was published by La Repubblica newspaper. He said the Vatican felt compelled to deny a published article titled "Francis' Revolution, has abolished sin" writing by a renowned Italian intellectual, Eugenio Scalfari. Lombardi said the affirmation that the pope has abolished sin was wrong, because those who really follow the pope daily know how many times he has spoken about sin and our human condition as sinners. Reuters reports that It was not the first brush between the Vatican and Scalfari, who founded La Repubblica newspaper in 1976. Last month the Vatican removed from its website the text of Scalfari's transcript of his conversation with the pope, saying parts of it were not reliable. In his reaction, Scalfari said he had not used a tape recorder or taken notes when he met the pope. He said, he rather reconstructed the long sessi

Russia on alert after suicide bombings kill 31

Image
At least 14 people were killed Monday when a suicide bomber blew himself up on a packed trolleybus in Volgograd, raising new concerns about security at the Sochi Olympics a day after a deadly attack on the southern Russian city's train station. President Vladimir Putin ordered stepped-up security across the country after the trolleybus bombing at the peak of the morning rush and Sunday's suicide attack blamed on a suspected female suicide bomber which claimed 17 lives. The attacks on Volgograd, which until this year had no record of recent unrest, raised alarm about whether the ongoing anti-Kremlin insurgency in the Northern Caucasus could affect the Sochi Winter Games which open on February 7. The force of Monday's blast destroyed the number 15A trolleybus, which was packed with early morning commuters and was turned into a tangle of wreckage with only its roof and front remaining. Health ministry spokesman Oleg Salagai told Russian state television that 14 pe

Lebanon army fires on Syria aircraft for 'first time'

The Lebanese army used its air defence systems against Syrian helicopters on Monday after they carried out a raid inside Lebanese territory, a military source told AFP. It was the first time the Lebanese army has responded to Syrian attacks on its territory, which have multiplied as the conflict in its eastern neighbour has intensified, the source said. "In accordance with the orders of the army command, anti-aircraft guns were fired in the direction of Syrian helicopters that bombed Khirbet Dawud near Arsal," in the area near the Syrian border, the source told AFP. "It is the first time that the Lebanese army has used its anti-aircraft defence systems" to respond to Syrian raids, the source added. Lebanese officials reported no casualties from the Syrian raid. It was not clear whether the retaliatory fire had hit the Syrian aircraft. Defence Minister Fayez Ghosn said the Lebanese army was acting on the government's orders. The army "has clea

Israel court paves way for release of 26 Palestinian prisoners

Israel is set to release 26 Palestinian prisoners in the early hours of Tuesday as part of United States-brokered peace talks, after a court rejected a last-minute appeal by victims' families. The prisoners were expected to be freed just after midnight, in the third stage of the release of 104 inmates that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu committed to let go when the peace talks were renewed in July. The move comes a day before US Secretary of State John Kerry is set to return to the region in a bid to boost the faltering negotiations. As with the two previous releases in August and October, each of 26 prisoners, bereaved Israeli families represented by the Almagor organisation petitioned Israel's High Court against the move. Almagor noted five of the latest 26 to be freed were from annexed east Jerusalem and considered as residents by Israel, but should not be released without the government debating the issue as Netanyahu promised. But the court rejected

US names drone testing sites

Image
United States aviation regulators on Monday released the names of sites picked to test civilian drones whose slated 2015 debut over American skies has sparked privacy concerns. Testing of the unmanned aircraft is due to start within three months and could continue until February 2017, the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, said in a statement. The FAA has said some 7,500 small unmanned aircraft can be expected in US airspace in the next five years -- provided regulations are in place to handle them. As well as law enforcement, supporters say civilian drones could be used for a vast range of applications, including tracking the progress of wildfires, helping to find lost skiers, identifying criminals or mapping inhospitable terrain. Data from the testing "will help the FAA answer key research questions such as solutions for 'sense and avoid,' command and control, ground control station standards and human factors, airworthiness, lost link procedures and the

70 killed as DR Congo security forces repel attacks

Congolese security forces repelled a wave of coordinated attacks in the capital Kinshasa and other cities on Monday, in fierce gun battles that left more than 70 assailants and three troops dead, the government said. Armed youths believed to be loyal to a pastor who challenged President Joseph Kabila in elections seven years ago stormed the state television station, the international airport and the military headquarters. The rebels also targeted Lubumbashi, capital of the resource-rich southeastern state of Katanga -- the economic heart of the country -- and the eastern town of Kindu. "More than 70 attackers were killed, including around 50 in Kinshasa," government spokesman Lambert Mende told AFP. "Three of our own were killed in Kinshasa and two civilians were injured," he added. Gunfire erupted on Monday morning at the premises of the state broadcaster RTNC near parliament as well as the international airport and the main military base in Kinshasa,

Clashes kill 10 as Iraq forces clear Sunni protest camp

Iraqi forces killed 10 gunmen Monday in clashes that erupted as they cleared a year-old Sunni Arab protest camp, a move likely to fan resentment among the minority community. As the fighting raged, mosques exhorted followers to "go to jihad," or holy war, while gunmen later replaced security forces on some streets of Ramadi city, near the protest site west of Baghdad. Forty-four Iraqi MPs announced their resignation following the violence, which came just days after a deadly raid on the home of a Sunni lawmaker in the city, capital of restive Anbar province. A similar operation at a Sunni protest camp outside the northern town of Hawijah in April triggered clashes that killed dozens of people, sparking a wave of revenge attacks and sending death tolls soaring. Dr Ahmed al-Ani of Ramadi hospital said 10 gunmen were killed and 30 wounded on Monday. An AFP journalist in Ramadi reported heavy fighting, and saw helicopters firing into the area of the protest site, whe