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(Nigeria) The People's Democratic Party, PDP, Edo State Chapter, on Monday urged Governor Adams Oshiomhole to declare the debt profile of the state. Chief Dan Orbih, the Chairman of the party in the state, told newsmen in Benin that Oshiomhole had repeatedly denied that the state was indebted. Orbih said the government had, however, set aside N20 billion in the 2014 budget for debt servicing. He described the sack of 836 teachers by the state government as ``tissues of lies,'' adding that Oshiomhole  was playing politics with the figure. The chairman alleged that more than 3,000 teachers were sacked and there was no plan to recruit new ones. He said the state government had failed to fulfil the promises made to the electorate and the  stowaway boy, Daniel Ikhena. He said people who wanted to help the boy were stopped because of the government's declared intention to take care of the boy and his family. ``Government did not fulfil the promise made to the

Souleymane Diabate, the United Nations Children Emergency Fund, UNICEF Representative in Central African Republic, on Monday, said two children were beheaded in the country during this month's violence. He lamented that more children were being recruited into armed groups, and were also being directly targeted in atrocious revenge attacks. Reuters reports that Diabate said an urgent step must be taken to prevent such. Kristalina Georgieva, the EU Aid Chief, said concerted international action was needed ``to prevent an appalling tragedy from spiralling further out of control.’’ He said more than 800,000 people were now internally displaced in the country. Georgieva said a meeting with UN Humanitarian Chief, Valerie Amos, was planned for January 20 to coordinate humanitarian policy. Martin Ziguele, a former prime minister and leading opposition figure, called for the formation of a national commission to bring accountability for crimes. He said ``there can be no true

(Nigeria) Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, on Monday, said the proposed Umuahia Airport and  a seaport would be constructed through the Public-Private-Partnership, PPP, initiative. Orji made the disclosure in Umuahia while fielding questions from newsmen after presenting the state’s 2014 Appropriation Bill to the House of Assembly. The lawmakers had asked Orji to explain how the government intended to fund the projects, as they were not captured in the budget estimates. The governor said "we will source the funds from PPP." He said the state government would partner with investors, who indicated interest to partner with it. He added that the process of funding the projects would be articulated in the memorandum of understanding to be signed between the government and the investors. "My intention is just to start the projects. I will not tell you that I must complete them because they are capital intensive but the two projects are vital to the economy

Hundreds of people have fled South Sudan's flashpoint town of Bor as the army warned of an imminent attack by the "White Army" militia on Monday, two weeks into ethnic fighting that has ravaged the world's newest state. The officials said that more than 1,000 people have been killed since clashes erupted in Juba, on December 15 and spread to oil-producing regions, unsettling oil markets and raising fears of a civil war between the main Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups. The White Army made up of Nuer youths who dust their bodies in white ash has in the past sided with Riek Machar, the Nuer former vice president of South Sudan who the government accused of starting the fighting. The Spokesman for the government of South Sudan's Unity state denied Machar was in control of the White Army fighters, raising the prospect that the violence was spreading beyond the control of widely recognised ethnic leaders. "The White Army is not very far from Bor so an

(Nigeria) Nigerian security forces have launched ground and air operations on terrorists locations in the Forest at Alafa, about 21km from Bama, Borno State, killing no fewer than 56 terrorists in the offensive. Meanwhile, two soldiers were wounded in the operation which is meant to track fleeing terrorists in the weekend operations. According to a statement by Director Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, “acting on intelligence reports which indicated renewed efforts by the terrorists to establish a new camp in the forests locations, the land and air operations has inflicted heavy casualty on the insurgents as indicated by the high level of their loss of men and materials.  Air and land bombardments are continuing in different locations where terrorists have been reportedly sighted. “In another development, troops of the Multi-National Joint Task Force have foiled an attempt by terrorists who were massing up on an island on Lake Chad with a view to carrying out

(Nigeria) A 32-year-old tailor, Juliet Omo, was on Monday charged with assaulting a three-year -old child at a Badagry Magistrate Court in Lagos State.  The accused, who resides at No. 25, Ogunyemi St., Illegbo Eremi in Badagry, is facing a charge of assault. The Prosecutor, Insp. Innocent Uko, told the court that the woman had on December 23 at Ogunyemi Street assaulted the boy by beating him with a stick. ``The accused started beating the boy for coming into her shop to disturb her while sowing a cloth. She broke his left arm in the process,’’ he said. Uko said the offence contravened Section 243 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Counsel to the accused, Mr Bankole Ajose, pleaded with the court to grant her bail, saying the offence is bailable. The Magistrate, Abiodun Etti, granted her bail in the sum of N100, 000 with a surety in like sum. He said the surety should provide evidence of tax payment to the state government as part of the bail conditions. Further hea

(Nigeria)  Mr Simeon Obodo, the 35-year old Nigerian who was killed in Gao, India, on October 30, has been buried in his hometown in Obogwe-Umunwaku community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State. A representative of the family, Mr Ejike Esinkoye, disclosed this in a telephone interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday. Esinkoye, who said the funeral service of Obodo took place on Monday at St Paul’s Catholic parish Obogwe-Umunwaku, expressed dismay that the Federal Government did not send any official delegation to the burial. He also said that the family had yet to receive any compensation or assistance from the India government. It will be recalled that the murder of the Nigerian during a violent clash in Goa village, India, sparked a diplomatic row between both countries. Around 200 Nigerians in India protested Obodo’s murder by blocking a national highway and clashing with locals and police in the area. Fifty-three of the protesting Ni