Happy Easter Everyone

The MAB would like to wish everyone a very wonderful easter. May the happiness that comes with the season invade your homes.

Boko Haram makes Arsenal scrap visit to Nigeria

ARSENAL have revealed reasons they scrapped plans to play a friendly match in Nigeria in July.

The Daily Star on Sunday attributed the scrapped plan over the fears of terrorism in Nigeria, where Boko Haram and its brother terror-group, Ansaru have killed over 3,000 people since they declared war against the state in 2009.

Arsene Wenger's side were set to play the African state's national team, after cancelling a trip last year.

The Gunners pledged to honour an agreement to play the match this July and even sent star players Tomas Rosicky, Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker and Lukas Podolski to Nigeria to help publicise the encounter.

At the time of the previous postponement, Arsenal marketing director Angus Kinnear said: "We are making plans for a visit next summer."

But with escalating terrorism attacks from Islamist group Boko Haram, the club have decided not to make the journey.

Instead, they will tour Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam.

Reported by dailystar.co.uk

Versatile music producer Phil Ramone dies at 79

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Phil Ramone, a versatile music producer who won 14 Grammy Awards and worked with a glittering roster of stars like Billy Joel, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles and Paul Simon, died in Manhattan on Saturday, the New York Times reported. He was 79.

Ramone's son, Matthew, confirmed the death to the newspaper but did not release a cause.

Born in South Africa, Ramone was raised in Brooklyn, New York. In the late 1950s he co-founded an independent studio called A&R Recording in New York.

His first Grammy was for his sound engineering on the 1964 jazz-bossa nova album "Getz/Gilberto" by Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto.

He went on to win a total of 14 Grammy Awards, including album of the year honors for producing Paul Simon's top-selling 1975 release "Still Crazy After All These Years" and Ray Charles' 2004 duets album "Genius Loves Company."

Tony Bennett, whose series of "duets" albums were produced by Ramone, said in a statement that Ramone was a "very gifted musician and producer."

"It was a joy to have him work with me in the recording studio on so many projects, as he had a wonderful sense of humor and a deep love of music," Bennett said.

Neil Portnow, president and chief executive of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, said in a statement Ramone had made "countless significant contributions" to the music industry.

"Our industry has lost an immense talent and a true visionary and genius, and The Academy has lost a very dear and close friend," he said. "Everyone who encountered Phil came away a better person for it, professionally or personally."

Ramone was an early advocate of the compact disc. He played a key role in the introduction of the CD when the 1978 Billy Joel album "52nd Street," which Ramone had produced, was re-released in 1982 as the first commercially available album on CD.

He showed a passion for all forms of entertainment, applying his musical talents to projects in film, theater and television. He worked as a music supervisor on the popular 1983 film "Flashdance" and the 1985 dance movie "White Nights."

The Times reported that, although some media sources had said he was 72, public records and his family confirmed that Ramone was 79.

Ramone was not associated with the punk band The Ramones, whose members all adopted pseudonyms using the surname Ramone.

9-Year-Old Boy Commits Suicide

The mysterious death of a nine-year-old boy, who allegedly committed suicide, has thrown residents of Tundun-Wada, in the Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, into confusion while law enforcement agents are still battling to unravel the circumstances behind the incident.

Family members and other people who live in the same house with the deceased are still wondering why Henry Goodnews, a Primary 1 pupil, would decide to take his own life.

Saturday Tribune gathered that the incident occurred at about 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday when the deceased's parents had both gone out. His body was said to have been found dangling from a rope within the premises by one of the occupants.

The incident created a lot of hysteria in the area, with people wondering how the young boy was able to take his own life successfully without anybody seeing him. The position they found the boy was also a source of concern to those who thronged the house to catch a glimpse of the body.

Saturday Tribune gathered that the body of the boy was found with a belt wound around his neck. The belt itself was tied to a rope usually used for drying clothes after washing. A bucket of water was also said to have been found beside him, which suggests that perhaps he was about to take his bath before the incident.

The mother of the deceased, Madam Hanatu Goodnews, who is yet to recover from the shock occasioned by the death of her first son, said the incident was still like a dream to her.

She told Saturday Tribune that the boy was hale and hearty when she left home that day.

She said: "I left home that morning to take his younger brother to the hospital. Before I left, I told him to stay at home and do some domestic work that he could handle. I had no premonition that anything would happen to him because he was doing well that particular morning.

"At about 12 noon, I was called by my husband that my boy had died. He did not explain the circumstance of his death to me. I therefore abandoned what I was doing and rushed home.

On getting home, I saw a lot of people in front of our house. As I approached, they stopped me from entering but I forced myself in, only to discover the boy with a rope around his neck.

"My major concern now is how the boy could take his own life by himself and the people in the house did not know. In this house, there has never been a time that people would not be around. There will be at least up to six people at home. How come the boy took his own life and nobody was aware?"

A relation of the husband, identified as Bala Goodnews, also asked a similar question. He told Saturday Tribune that they suspected foul play in the whole thing, saying that the way the boy hanged from a rope that, according to him, could not sustain any object, was suspicious. He maintained that there was no way the boy would hang himself in such a manner, considering his strength and age.

Bala Goodnews urged the police to probe the incident, saying the way it happened called for thorough investigation. He urged the police to spread their dragnet to ensure that the perpetrators of the dastardly act were brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others.

Saturday Tribune gathered that residents of the area where the incident occurred are currently living in fear of arrest by the police. A source close to the house disclosed that all the tenants in the house where the incident occurred, including the landlord of the house who does not even reside there, were interrogated on Wednesday at the 'A' Division of the Nigeria Police command, Jos. Some people in the neighborhood are also said to have gone into hiding to avoid arrest.

When contacted, the state's Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Salawu Adigun, who confirmed the incident, said the police had commenced full investigations, but said he would not make further comments on the issue until investigations were completed.

Mistress Burns Maid’s Buttocks For Being ‘Promiscuous’

A 14- year-old house maid, Otobong Edet John, had her buttocks seared with hot electric iron by her mistress, simply identified as Ekaette, on the suspicion that she was promiscuous.

Narrating her ordeal, Otobong said she was receiving a call on her phone when the madam operating a canteen asked her who was on the phone and she said it was one of her friends. "But madam did not believe me and started beating me. So I ran and stayed somewhere with my friend",she stated.

According to her, she remained in that place until about 10p.m. when she went to sleep in a church close to their shop and the next morning "when I was about coming to the shop, a neighbour saw me discussing with a customer who was asking me where I was coming from so early in the morning and went to tell my aunty that I spent the night with the man".

The madam, she said, went to the police station at nearby Atimbo Road, Calabar and reported to them that the man abducted her housemaid.

But after the police interrogated the man, they let him go and this infuriated Ekaette following which she allegedly dragged Otobong to the shop, plugged the electric iron and when it was red hot, she used the scorched parts to sear the maid's body including her buttocks and right arm. Not done yet, she allegedly put a basin of banana on the girl's head, asking her to go to town and sell even as her arm and buttocks were bleeding.

"It was a customer who wanted to buy banana that saw that my arm was bleeding and asked me what happened and, when I showed him my buttocks, he shouted and took me to the police", she said.

The mistress, while being interrogated by the police at Akim Police Division for causing bodily harm to a minor, justified her action by saying that Otobong was a rude and wayward girl. "When she told me it was Mary that called her, I called back that number and it was a male voice that answered and she then changed the story that she did not know what the man wanted after she had discussed with the man for over two minutes",Ekaette said.

She said there were instances when the girl had gone from home to stay with men even as she had repeatedly cautioned her to change her ways. "That girl you are seeing is a very wayward girl and, if I tell you her story, you would marvel", she said.

The Public Relations Officer for the Cross River State Police Command, DSP John Umoh, said the action of Ekaette was unacceptable as it amounted to child abuse and "after investigations she would be taken to court".

First Lady, Patience Jonathan Sick Again, In Europe for Treatment

According to SaharaReporters, Nigeria's First Lady, Patience Jonathan, is sick again and is shuttling between Spain and Germany in search of treatment.

A source also told SaharaReporters that the First Lady was also contemplating receiving medical treatment from a US hospital.Mrs. Jonathan's renewed health woes have accounted for her absence from several official events in Abuja and her home state of Bayelsa State over the last few days. A few days ago, Mrs. Jonathan made a quiet exit from Abuja en route to France where she was to allegedly receive some unspecified award. However, a source within the Presidency told SaharaReporters that Mrs. Jonathan's trip to France was a ploy to enable her to shop for new doctors in Europe for her deteriorating health. A source disclosed that she left France for Spain. The same source disclosed that the First Lady was considering being moved to a US hospital today. However, a source in the US who is close to the First Family told SaharaReporters that he was "not heard from the first lady regarding her trip to the US." Ayo Osinlu, a spokesman of the First Lady, told SaharaReporters that Mrs. Jonathan was in Europe in order to care for an ailing elderly woman who helped raise the First Lady. He failed to disclose the specific European nation where Mrs. Jonathan's foster mother is hospitalized. During Mrs. Jonathan's first extended medical sojourn in Germany, Mr. Osinlu had misled reporters by declaring that the First Lady was merely vacationing abroad after what he described as a series of grueling official functions, including the hosting of a conference of African First Ladies. Mrs. Jonathan was noticeably absent from a Friday church service organized at the presidential villa yesterday as part of Easter celebrations. She was also missing at another key event where her Africa First Ladies Peace Mission donated relief material to the war-torn country of Mali. An aide of the First Lady reported that a minister, Ms. Jumoke Akinjide, represented Mrs. Jonathan at the event where relief material was donated to Mali. During the church service at the Presidential Villa, President Jonathan was flanked by his elderly mother, Eunice Jonathan, as well as Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke and Ndudi Elumelu, a member of the House of Representatives indicted for corruption in power sector projects. Mrs. Alison-Madueke, who has been romantically linked to Mr. Jonathan, wore a large diamond ring at the church service. 

One of the last times Mrs. Jonathan was seen in public was on her return from an official visit to Cote d'Ivoire on March 2, 2013. She later made a brief visit to Lagos where she attended a dinner organized for Nollywood stars.
Afterwards, she was sighted in Paris where she received the "Global Women Leader for Peace Award 2013." Since receiving the award on March 17, the First Lady has not been seen in any official photos released from the Presidency. Her trip to Paris coincided with her husband's official visit to Equatorial Guinea. Mr. Jonathan was accompanied on that official visit by two female ministers, Stella Oduah of Aviation and Ms. Diezani of Petroleum. A source in Abuja said Mrs. Jonathan had not been seen in public for close to a week and half, including during a breakfast meeting with the members of the House of Representatives led by Leo Ogor on March 21, 2013. A few weeks ago, Mrs. Jonathan was at the center of an obscene event where she loquaciously celebrated her ostensible "resurrection from the dead" after dying for more than a week. Some 5,000 guests attended the event at the villa which was televised live, with Pastor Oritsejafor presiding. At the event, Mrs. Jonathan claimed to have undergone several surgeries during her medical sojourn in Germany. The extended medical visit, which was first reported by Saharareporters, cost Nigeria close to 5 million Euros in medical expenses. Mrs. Jonathan's aides had initially passed off her medical trip as a vacation. On her return from Germany, Mrs. Jonathan had also denied ever going for medical treatment. Saharareporters contacted several presidential aides seeking information about Mrs. Jonathan's whereabouts, but they failed to return our reporters' phone calls and text messages. 

(SaharaReporters)

18+ Guys: How to be GREAT in the Bedroom by Madeline Haller

Don't go straight for the nipple, says Herbenick. "The nipple is very much like the clitoris, it's very sensitive and loves attention, but you don't want to touch it all the time,"

It's good to be good. Good at poker, good at your job, a good dad. Good at anything is usually good enough.

Except in bed. In bed, we all want to be great.

Get ready to blow her mind.

So we decided to get in touch with an expert who (literally) wrote the book on being great in bed (no, not Jenna Jamenson). We spoke with Debby Herbenick, Ph.D.—a sex researcher from Indiana University whose book Great In Bed was just released—to give you the tops tips on how to blow her mind, keep her coming back for more, and maybe even refer a friend! (We can dream . . .)

Don't Treat Her Breast Like a Bullseye. Touching her breasts is obviously a go-to move in the sack, but you have to make sure you're doing it right. Don't go straight for the nipple, says Herbenick. "The nipple is very much like the clitoris, it's very sensitive and loves attention, but you don't want to touch it all the time," says Herbenick. "Keep in mind that sensitive doesn't always mean 'touch there first.'" Instead, pay attention to the tops of her breasts first (above the nipple), followed by the bottoms, the sides, and then the nipples. Many people don't realize that the tops of the breasts are actually the most sensitive part of the breast, says Herbenick. Lick it. Nibble it. Caress it.

Compliment Her Goods. "Our studies have shown that women who are more comfortable with their genitals not only more open to receiving oral sex, but they enjoy it more, they orgasm more, and they're just more sex positive all around," says Herbenick. So next time you're spending some time below the belt, tell her how much you love the way she looks, tastes, feels—whatever you choose, says Herbenick. It'll benefit the both of you in the long run.

Heat Things Up. "Generally speaking, I think that people know they should engage in foreplay first, but I don't think many people always know what it actually is," says Herbenick. Heading straight for the clitoris is not foreplay—in fact, many women prefer to be aroused before you even head to that area, says Herbenick. So before you even strip down and get to business, make use of your time. Caress her skin. Help each other undress. Explore and kiss other sensitive areas of the body—her neck, ears, and inner thighs. When you get aroused, your body actually changes the way it experiences touch, says Herbenick. So she'll get more pleasure from your touch if you make sure she's warmed up first.

Go Beyond the Clit. Don't limit yourself (and her pleasure) to her clitoris. For guys who are looking to go above and beyond, the G-spot and AFE zone (anterior frontal erogenous zone) are great places to start, says Herbenick. Her G-spot can be found several inches inside the vagina, located on the front wall (the side that her belly button is on), says Herbenick. The AFE zone (also on the front wall) is up several inches behind the G-spot. "Although there isn't any concrete scientific research to confirm the AFE zone exists, it doesn't mean it's not pleasurable for some people," says Herbenick. So for those who are looking to score brownie points, Herbenick says that your best bet for finding her hot spot would be deep fingering and deep sexual positions. Need some suggestions? Try doggie style or knees to ears. (For more ideas, check out the Men's Health Sex Position Master.)

And if you're still hungry for more tips on how to go above and beyond in the sack, you can check out the rest of Herbenick's advice in her new book, Great in Bed.

Goodluck Jonathan left out as African leaders meet with Obama

On Thursday (March 27), President Barack Obama met with the leaders of four African countries in a bid to highlight the shared democratic sentiment shared between America and the nations.

Present at the meeting were President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone, President Joyce Banda of Malawi, and Prime Minister José Maria Pereira Neves of Cape Verde.

Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan was however left out and we wonder why…..#okbye

President Goodluck Jonathan's Easter Message to Nigerians

Easter Message from our President. See it below...
Dear Compatriots,

I greet and felicitate with you all as we celebrate Easter which commemorates the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ after his redemptive self-sacrifice for the eternal salvation of mankind.
Irrespective of our religion or faith, all holidays provide us with a fresh opportunity to establish stronger bonds with our family, friends and all those around us for more enduring, harmonious and beneficial relationships.

As we celebrate this year's Easter therefore, I urge all Nigerians to rededicate themselves to living in peace and oneness with all members of their communities no matter their ethnicity, religious beliefs or places of origin.

By now, it ought to be an accepted fact amongst us that our immense potential for greatness in the comity of nations derives in the main from our collective strength as a country of close to 170 million people and the acclaimed richness of our diverse human resources and natural endowments.

It follows, therefore, that to successfully achieve our vision of becoming one of the most dominant nations on the global stage in the shortest possible time, we must stay together as a people and continue to effectively resist by all possible means, the evil machinations of global terrorists and their misguided domestic accomplices who seek to provoke turmoil, hatred and harmful divisions among us.

I assure all Nigerians that our security agencies, armed forces and I will continue to fully discharge our constitutional responsibilities for protecting the unity and territorial integrity of this country with all the powers and forces at our disposal.

We must have peace, security and stability to effectively implement our agenda for national transformation in all parts of the country and we shall continue to work ceaselessly to re-establish the prerequisite conditions for nationwide progress and development.

For your part, dear countrymen and women, I urge you to continue to exhibit restraint and understanding in the face of seeming provocations. Those who mindlessly and indiscriminately attack churches, schools, health workers,  motor-parks, banks and ordinary road users must be seen as they truly are: the brainwashed pawns of international terrorism.

They do not represent any true religion or section of the country and we must never play into their hands by succumbing to their nefarious ploys to incite religious, ethnic hatred and division among us.

It is my hope and prayer that as we celebrate the glorious resurrection of our Saviour, Jesus Christ, his lessons of self-sacrifice, brotherly love, placing others before self, tolerance, obedience, respect for lawful authorities, dutifulness, diligence, honesty, justice and fairness to all will take firmer root in our beloved country and help us to overcome present challenges and build the more peaceful, secure, united, progressive and prosperous nation of our dreams.

I wish you all happy Easter celebrations.

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR

President,

Federal Republic of Nigeria

March 30, 2013

Now Lil Wayne Claims Epilepsy is the Cause of his Seizures

Rapper Lil Wayne is attempting to deflect rumors of his alleged drug use by claiming to be an epileptic. Epilepsy can be an acute (new) or chronic (longstanding) disruption of signals in the brain that results in controlled or uncontrolled convulsions (seizure activity).
In an interview with LA's Power 106 on Thursday, Wayne, 30, said epilepsy is the reason behind his multiple hospitalizations — not his reported addiction to Promethazine/Codeine prescription cough syrup (aka Sizzurp or Purple Drank), which can also cause epileptic seizures.

Promethazine/Codeine is not prescribed for epilepsy.

Wayne has been hospitalized for recurrent seizures at least 4 times in the past 6 months. His most recent health scare landed him in ICU for 5 days.

With Wayne about to embark on a grueling 40-city tour (with rappers T.I. Harris and Future), concert venues are naturally questioning if Wayne's ongoing health problems will inhibit his ability to perform as scheduled.

If Wayne has epilepsy — and he is still drinking prescription cough syrup — it's a sure bet that he will not be able to fulfill his contractual obligations to perform every night.
A smart man would have gone to drug rehab and then gone on tour. But we all know Lil Wayne is not very smart.

Lil Twist Throws Party In Justin Bieber’s Mansion With 40 Girls, Lots Of Pot & Beer

Justin Bieber's Calabasas mansion was the backdrop for a rager last week, where the beer was flowing and marijuana smoke was permeating the singer's home … and the only thing missing was Justin.
The bash was thrown by none other than Lil Twist, the dude who was probably sent to destroy Bieber's life-career. They were seen smoking pot earlier this year.
Sources say Twist and another friend — who were staying in the house while Justin was in Europe — invited 40 girls to the house on March 19. They also invited a few guys.

At the party, there was a large hookah pipe with multiple hose attachments on a table, along with nearly 2 dozen beer bottles, as well as the hard stuff.
Twist is the same dude who was driving Justin's Ferrari January 1 when he got stopped for speeding and a photog was struck and killed by another vehicle as he shot the traffic stop. And Twist was also the guy who drove Justin's Fisker into cement poles at a liquor store earlier this month … and then took off, leaving the whip behind.

Bieber seems to be losing it. He's keeping bad friends, and making bad decisions—he spat on a neighbour recently and he'll be answering questions from the DA's office when he appears in court.
Bieber may not be good himself, but he has obviously gone worse since he started hanging with Twist.

West Brom Coach Fed Up With Osaze

Osaze Odemwingie may have just stretched West Bromwich Albion manager, Steve Clarke to his tethers end as he has admitted he is "absolutely bored with the whole episode" involving the Nigerian international.

Osaze has been making the headlines for the wrong reasons in recent days and has consistently taken to the social networking site, Twitter to express his discontentment with the club and its management.
It would be recalled that Osaze was fined last week for publicly criticising the club and Clarke who has now registered his displeasure at the actions of the Nigerian.
"If he has something to say, he should say it to my face and not through Twitter. I don't read Twitter," an angry Clarke told reporters.


The manager also made a thinly-veiled remark which suggested that Osaze was a bad influence on the entire squad.
"I am fed up discussing one player when we should be concentrating on a fantastic squad of players looking to contribute positively to the club," he added.
However, Clarke confirmed Osaze will be in the squad for Saturday's Barclays Premier League tie against West Ham United at Upton Park.

Madumere to be sworn in as Imo Deputy Governor on Saturday

Having been cleared by the Imo State House of Assembly, Mr. Eze Madumere is to be sworn in as the new Deputy Governor of the state on Saturday.

Until his present nomination, Madumere is the Chief of Staff to Governor Rochas Okorocha of the State.

It would be recalled that the embattled former Deputy Governor of Imo state, Mr. Jude Agbaso was finally impeached on Thursday after his fruitless battle to remain in office.

His removal from office occurred shortly after an Owerri High Court earlier in the day struck out his suit seeking to stop the impeachment process.

It was gathered that although the state Assembly had earlier adjourned sitting to April 9, it made a U-turn to commence the impeachment of the former Deputy Governor at 5 pm on Thursday, when they learnt of his non-appearance at the 7-man probe panel.

The motion for his impeachment, which was moved by the Majority Leader, Adaku Ihuoma, representing Ahiazu Mbaise Constituency and seconded by Pat Ekeji, the Minority Leader representing Aboh Mbaise was endorsed by 23 out of the 27 members of the House.



Consequently, the Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, ruled in favour of the impeachment of the former Deputy Governor.

Following his removal, Madumere was nominated and immediately cleared by the state Assembly yesterday to take over as the new Deputy Governor of the state.

His nomination was contained in a letter by Governor Rochas Okorocha to the House where he nominated his chief of staff as a suitable replacement for the former Deputy Governor.

Agbaso has been accused of demanding and receiving bribe amounting to N458 million from a firm, JPROS International Ltd., which was awarded a construction contract by the Imo State Government.
He continues to deny the allegation, and putting up a strong fight against every impeachment move by the state Assembly.

Prostitute Who 'Died' During Sex Wakes Up in Coffin

A hooker in Zimbabwe 'died' during a hotel romp with a client - only to come back to life as her body was being put in a coffin.

The prostitute reportedly collapsed during a sex session last week at the Manor Hotel in Bulaweyo.
Convinced she was dead, her shocked client called the police - who sent paramedics to collect the body.

But as they were loading the 'corpse' into a metal coffin, the hooker suddenly woke up screaming.
Local news reports claim she leaped from the casket, yelling: "You want to kill me, you want to kill me".

Terrified staff and guests at the hotel who had gathered to watch the scene unfold, fled in panic.

A source told Bulaweyo24 News: "It was like a movie. People were running away in different directions. It was a scary incident because we were all convinced that she had died because she was just cold. Miracles surely do happen."

The shaken hooker - known locally as MaNdlo - was escorted home by another prostitute.
-Laila-

Federal Government Has No Plans to Remove Subsidy

The Federal Government stated yesterday that contrary to the speculation in the media that the government was planning to withdraw the remaining subsidy on petrol, such plan is not on its table for now. They said for now o! :-)

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, released the statement saying:

"We wish to state categorically that, the removal of oil subsidy is not on the table of the Transformation Agenda of the President. The statement made by President Goodluck Jonathan at the recent Economic Summit held in Lagos was a frank, intellectual and well articulated contribution by the President to the discussion on the Nigerian economy at the said summit, and it was from a honest and sincere leadership perspective."


"It is an undeniable fact that every responsible leadership, genuine stakeholder and patriot must be worried when a nation spends about  N1 trillion, an equivalent of about 20 per cent  of the national budget, on subsidy paid out to a few companies and enjoyed in the main by very few elites, while the common man benefits only minimally.

"However, it is an incontrovertible fact that sufficient allocation for fuel subsidy has already being made in the 2013 budget; therefore, there is no cause for alarm on removal of subsidy. The President and this administration are not insensitive to the plights of the Nigerian masses and will continue to pursue and execute policies and programmes that are in the overall interest of majority of Nigerians and that will bring the greatest good to the greatest number of our teeming population.

"Finally, for the avoidance of doubt and at the risk of being repetitive, this administration is not considering the issue of removal of fuel subsidy in the nearest future and certainly will not embark on any such programme without extensive consultations and engagements across the various segments, interests and stakeholders in the Nigerian polity."

Signed
Dr Doyin Okupe

Oshiomhole Pleads With FG On East-West Railway

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has appealed to the Federal Government to introduce the East-West railway line to grow the economy of the South-South region.

He made the plea even as the Minister of the Niger Delta Ministry, Elder Godsday Orubebe promised Nigerians that East-West road would be delivered by December 2014.

Speaking while receiving the Minister at the Government House yesterday, Oshiomhole said only a good and dependable transportation system can facilitate economic development of a country.

According to him, "the only appeal I want to make is on the issue of the East-West rail. This economy can't be competitive and our region cannot attain the desired level of development without rail. The assumption that road can solve and service our economy efficiently is not grounded in any logic.  Around the world, even nations with a smaller land mass embrace rail system"

Oshiomhole noted "we are an oil-producing nation and we are told that it is not going to be there forever, we have seen that when we put everybody on the road no matter what we  spend building the East-West road, if it becomes the only road, obviously there will be the challenge of maintenance, congestion and even accidents.

"All of us who are in government should assist you to persuade the National Assembly to support the President to find the resources to invest in the rail.  I think rail is the ultimate. It is cheaper, it is more reliable and usually much more safer. Even in terms of maintenance, it might be easier to manage.  When we have that on and we have the road completed, you would have made a lot of progress. The region would not have become a heaven, but the foundation for sustainable development would have been set", he added.

On the East-West road, Oshiomhole said "I believe the East-West road is a huge project. There are various sectors that are crying for every dollar that is available.  I am sure you will be quite happy if the project is completed".

On his part, the Minister of Niger Delta, Elder Orubebe said the East-West road will be completed and delivered by December, 2014.

He disclosed that the road was earlier awarded in 2006 at the cost of N239 billion without detailed designs.

JTF Sacks Terrorists' Hideout in Kano

The Joint Military Taskforce in Kano
Thursday morning uncovered dangerous weapons of war at a suspected militants hideout located in Sharada bye pass, Kumbotso local council of the state.

Security sources close to JTF in Kano confided in newsmen that "the combat operation led to the death of one of the chief armourer, while another was captured alive."

The sources also revealed that assorted machine gun, assault rifles, large quantity of Improvised Explosive Device were recovered from the scene.

Similar feat was recorded by the police, Tuesday, where several weapons of war was recovered from a Golf car.

When contacted, the JTF spokesman in the city, Capt Ikediche Iweha said "please give me some time you will get a response from me soon"

Nelson Mandela Hospitalized Over Lung Infection!

Former South African President Nelson Mandela been re-admitted to hospital with a recurring lung infection.

Mr Mandela was admitted just before midnight a statement from the South African presidency said.

The 94-year-old anti-apartheid leader is being treated for a "recurrence of his lung infection" and doctors are ensuring he has the best possible treatment, the statement said.

Chocolate City Releases A Statement On Jesse Jags’s Departure

As regards the departure of the Nigerian rapper Jesse Jags for his label, Chocolate City. The brand has released statement that clearly indicate that nothing went wrong between the both parties as they still have a decent relationship amongst them.

Read it below!

"Chocolate City has never released information on any owed monies by the Artiste, Jesse Jagz and as a matter of fact is not being owed any monies by the Artiste through show performances or other means. Furthermore, Chocolate City also states categorically that Jesse Jagz does not have a history of Marijuana abuse neither did it or any of its staff make any allegations to that effect.

"The Legal and Content Manager of the label commented and confirmed that 'at no time has Jesse Jagz's career been dormant. Stating that Jesse Jagz's career has been dormant is a gross understatement as he has since the release of "Jagz of All Trades", focused on the production aspect of his career working with Brymo and Ice Prince on their respective albums as well as featuring on several songs with various artists. His sophomore album, "Jagz Nation Vol. 1″ will be released in 2013 as scheduled. Furthermore, it is untrue that Jesse Jagz has refused to appear at the Chocolate City office when invited. At all material times, Jesse and his team have always responded and communicated with Chocolate City in respect to all matters and continue to do so.

"Whilst certain issues are still under resolution, the Chief Executive Officer of the Music Group, Mr. Audu Maikori, confirms – 'I never sent a summons to Jesse Jagz nor did I receive any derogatory email from Jesse Jagz refusing to attend any meetings'. What is even more ludicrous is that Audu Maikori has been in the USA on official business and as such couldn't have summoned Jesse for a meeting when he was abroad. Jesse and Audu have and have always had a cordial and respectful relationship, a relationship that still exists till date.

"Finally, we understand the concerns of fans and well wishers in respect the alleged Jesse Jagz "war" with Chocolate City. Our position is that there is no war within our camp. Like any relationship, there are ups and downs especially in our type of business, however, rest assured that these issues will be resolved and communicated subsequently. Thanks for your concern and continued support"

Forbes' Hip-Hop's Wealthiest Artistes 2013

1. Diddy - $580 million: The bulk of the Bad Boy Records founder's wealth comes from non-musical ventures, namely his deal with Diageo's Ciroc. The agreement entitles him to eight-figure annual payouts and a nine-figure windfall if the brand is ever sold—and Ciroc's value has never been higher

2. Jay Z - $475 million: He's still rolling in cash from megadeals like his $204 million Rocawear sale in 2007 and his $150 million pact with Live Nation the following year. He continues to hold stakes in Roc Nation, Carol's Daughter, the Brooklyn Nets and, more significantly, the Barclays Center itself, while adding new partnerships with the likes of Duracell, Budweiser and Bacardi's D'ussé Cognac

See the last three after the cut...

3. Dr Dre - $350 million: It's thanks mostly to his Beats by Dr. Dre headphones. A year after selling 51% of the company to handset maker HTC for $300 million in August 2011, Dre and his partners bought back half of the half they sold in 2012—and their investment continues to soar in value due to Beats' whopping 65% market share of the premium ($99 and up) headphone market.

4. Bryan "Birdman" Williams - $150 million: Riding from his Cash Money/Young Money empire. His roster includes Drake, Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne (the latter crossed the $100 million threshold for the first time this year, by our estimates, but remains just outside the top five). Birdman also recently launched a YMCMB clothing line and a spirit called GT Vodka.

5. 50 Cent - $125 million: The bulk of his fortune came from heavy sales of his music, merchandise, video games and books in the wake of his smash debut Get Rich or Die Tryin'- and particularly from his payout for the sale of his stake in VitaminWater parent Glacéau to Coca-Cola in 2007.

Source: Forbes

Imo Deputy Governor impeached

The House of Assembly impeached the Deputy Governor.
The Imo State House of Assembly has impeached the State's Deputy Governor, Jude Agbaso.
Twenty five of the 26 lawmakers in the Assembly voted in favour of the impeachment.
The Assembly had served Mr. Agbaso a notice of impeachment over the allegation that he demanded and collected N458 million bribe from J-PROS Limited, a construction firm handling the rehabilitation of Sam Mbakwe Road in Owerri, the state capital.
Mr. Agbaso denied the allegation and  prayed the Federal High Court in Owerri to suspend the impeachment process, saying he was not allowed fair hearing.
The court declined, even as an ad-hoc committee set up by the Assembly to investigate the embattled deputy governor  had already indicted him.
After majority of the lawmakers  endorsed the deputy governor's impeachment, the House asked the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Benjamin Njemanze, to constitute a seven-man panel to re-investigate the N458 million contract scam as provided in Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The House removed Mr. Agbaso based on the report of the panel.
There are suggestions in some quarters in Imo State that Governor Rochas Okorochas was behind the ordeals of his deputy, an allegation the governor has repeatedly denied.
More details later…

Britain writes FG, requests ex-convict Alamieyeseigha’s extradition to London

The United Kingdom has said that it has not given up on its efforts to extradite former Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, back to Britain to face trial, the Sun Newspaper is reporting today.
The UK said it had already contacted the Federal Government requesting Mr. Alamieyeseigha's extradition, and was awaiting a response to the request.

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock, told the paper in an exclusive interview that the former governor, who recently got state pardon from his criminal conviction in Nigeria, still has an outstanding case of money laundering to answer to in the UK and that the UK government will not give up until Mr. Alamieyeseigha is brought to justice.

Mr. Alamieyeseigha, then a serving governor, made a dramatic escape from the custody of the British authorities when he fled back to Nigeria from detention in September 2005. He would later be convicted on similar money laundering charges on July 26, 2007 in Nigeria after he was impeached as governor.

Although his recent state pardon by President Goodluck Jonathan hit the UK authorities as a rude shock, Mr. Pocock dismissed insinuations that London was planning to sanction Nigeria over the matter. According to him, "that is not the way we do things".

The High Commissioner also revealed that UK had earlier requested for Alamieyeseigha's extradition, but did not get any response.

Mr. Pocock said the UK had asked the Attorney General and Minister for Justice for Alamieyeseigha's extradition and was still awaiting his position on the issue when President Goodluck Jonathan all of a sudden announced he has been extricated of all wrong doing via the state clemency.

The move to pardon him even when the application for his extradition to Britain was still pending was like daring the applying nation that feels strongly that Alamieyeseigha has a case to answer in their country.

According to Mr. Pocock, "The former governor skipped bail in the UK on a charge of money laundering and returned to Nigeria. So, he has an outstanding charge in the UK, which is there for him to answer.
"We have already discussed it and the Nigerian government knows our views. But we would like to see him return and answer charge in the UK."

On UK's past and present efforts to see that Alamieyeseigha is extradited to the UK, Mr. Pocock said: "Yes. I think we asked in the past. I am very sure we asked in the past. But I am not sure we got a formal response. So, we are still waiting for a formal response from the Nigerian government.
"We have asked the Attorney General. He will have to tell us what his position is on extradition. I haven't had a reply yet, but we still wait for it," the British envoy added.

SOURCE: The Sun

Fear of Boko Haram: 900 Corps Members Redeploy From Kano

900 of the 2400 National Youth Service Corps members posted to Kano State in the Batch A of the 2012/2013 service year have asked to be redeployed to other states due to the current security situation in the commercial city.

A Channels TV report quoted the state coordinator of the NYSC, Salisu Yakassai as having disclosed this during the closing ceremony of the Batch A orientation camp exercise on Tuesday in Kano.

The corps members were redeployed due to the incessant bomb attacks in the state, the latest being an attack at an inter-state motor park last Monday that claimed at least 75 lives.

Most of the corps members expected to undergo their primary assignment in the state were initially reported to not have reported to the orientation camp.

The trauma of the motor park attack was said to have made fresh graduates to seek redeployment from the state.

According to Yakassai, the remaining 1,500 corps members would be posted to the rural areas of the state, which are considered safer.

Meanwhile, the state Deputy Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has promised corps members staying in the state that the  state government would ensure the safety of the corps members in the state.

Apart from the attack on the bus park, nine riot policemen were also ambushed less than 24 hours after the bus park bombing, only escaping by the whiskers.

Man Gets Jail Term For Causing Road Obstruction In Abuja

Abuja Senior Magistrates' Court yesterday, sentenced a bus driver, Alfa Malik, to three months imprisonment for causing obstruction along Lugbe road, Abuja.

Magistrate Aminu Eri, who handed down the judgment, said each of the three-count charge levelled against the convict  attracted one month imprisonment.

Eri, however, gave an option of fine of N100 on each of the charges following plea for leniency by the convict.

The prosecutor said the convict parked his bus on the road, which eventually caused obstruction to other road users and  when the convict was taken to the police station to clarify himself, it was discovered that he was not having  necessary documents and gadgets for the vehicle.

Gunmen Killed 28,Burnt Dozens Of House In Plateau State

The crisis rocking plateau is far from being over, this is as about 28 people were  killed while dozens of houses completely burnt in two  communities of  Da Jak and Attakar of  Ganawuri district  of Riyom LGA by  gunmen  who stormed the villages  at the early hours of Tuesday.

The attack also took the life of a police corporal serving with the Plateau State Police Command who was shot dead by gunmen.

According to a witness, the Policeman who was identified as Coporal Jibril, was also on a patrol together with his other colleagues at the crises area of Ganawuri village of Riyom Local Government Area of the State.

Meanwhile, Member of the State House Assembly representing Riyom Constituency Mr. Daniel Dem, said that dozens of persons died in the attack even as he said that the both villages had been under siege by suspected fulani militia since last week even as he accused the Special task force in the area as part of the problems; "My people are been killed every day and yet the special task force is not doing anything about it. I am calling for the withdrawal of the STF since they are not capable of handling the crisis that has been rocking the state for a long time."

Plateau State Commissioner of Police Mr. Chris Olakpe, also confirmed the attack as he said that  officer was shot  while on a peace mission to the area adding that investigations are on.

Here's What Kim Kardashian Had to Say About Nigeria

Dunno how authentic this is, but thÉ rumour mills say she deleted it shortly afterwards.

IDOLS Update: Nigerian Idol judges use their save to keep Safeeyat on the show

Saturday's show of Nigerian Idol saw contestants take a closer step towards the finals. Who would be the 2013 champion?

For one contestant the dream was almost over thanks to a good save, Safeeyat lives to sing another day on reality television show.

This week, Safeeyat, the singer with the big voice was voted off the show. She was given the opportunity to sing again for a chance to be saved, and she sang; "Kiss from a rose" by Seal.

While the judges conferred, it looked like her time was up but they decided to give the singer another chance and used up their save to keep her in the running for at least another week. How good is that?

As the show enters the home stretch and inches closer and closer to finding a winner the race it has become even more difficult to watch contestants bid their final farewell to the $100,000 prize.

FG Declares March 29 and April 1 Public Holidays

The Federal Government has declared Friday, March 29, and Monday, April 1, as public holidays to mark Good Friday and Easter Monday celebrations.

The Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, who announced the holidays in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, congratulated Christians on the joyous occasion.

The statement signed by Mr Adetayo Sode, Director, Citizens and Business in the Ministry of Interior, urged Christians to remain committed to the exemplary attributes of love, tolerance and peaceful co-existence which Jesus Christ exhibited during his life on earth.

Moro further urged Nigerians, irrespective of their religious leaning, to use the occasion for sober reflection and pray for the continued prosperity and progress of the nation.

Nigeria to play England, Portugal or Spain in FIFA U-20 World Cup – See full draws

The group stage draw for the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2013 took place Monday evening at the Grand Tarabya Hotel in Istanbul. The event was greeted with great fan fare that showcased the culture of the country. It was a spectacular treat that left mouths wide open including the crème de la crème of world football and football legends.

Shortly after the Turkish band Gece performed a rousing rendition of the official song of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2013, Yildizlar Buradan Yukseliyor meaning 'The Stars Rise From Here', FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke took to the stage for the draw ceremony itself.

He was assisted by four famous names from Turkish footballing history: renowned coaches and former Turkey bosses Fatih Terim and Mustafa Denizli, who teamed up with former world-class striker and Turkey's all-time top scorer Hakan Sukur, Rustu Recber, the nation's most-capped international.

The draw, which was made in sight of the brand new FIFA U-20 World Cup Trophy saw the 24 competing teams learned the names of their opponents and the host cities for their group stage matches.

Host nation, Turkey will square up against El Salvador, Colombia and Australia in group C  in what has been described as the toughest draws of the night. Another interesting pairing saw USA, France, Spain plus a yet to be named team in Africa paired together in Group A.

However, the Flying Eagles of Nigeria will have to wait till the end of the ongoing Africa Youth Championships to know where they exactly stand. Should they become African champions on March 30, they automatically find themselves in Group E where they will take on England, Iraq and Chile. And if the reverse is the case, they may be zoned in Group A, B, or D of the tournament to be decided in a special draw.

Two of the most successful teams in this competition Brazil and Argentina will be missing in action because they failed to qualify from their South American zone.

The World Youth Championship will be played from 21 June to 13 July in the seven host cities of Antalya, Bursa, Gaziantep, Istanbul, Kayseri, Rize and Trabzon.

FIFA U-20 World Cup 2013 group stage draw:

GROUP A (Istanbul, Kayseri): France, CAF, USA, and Spain.
GROUP B (Kayseri, Istanbul): Cuba, Korea Republic, CAF, Portugal
GROUP C (Trabzon, Rize, Gaziantep): Turkey, El Salvador, Colombia, Australia
GROUP D (Gaziantep, Trabzon): Mexico, Greece, Paraguay, CAF
GROUP E (Antalya, Bursa): Chile, CAF Champions, England, Iraq
GROUP F (Bursa, Antalya): OFC Champions, Uzbekistan, Uruguay, Croatia

[Goal.com]

Award-Winning Los Angeles Journalist Advices Jonathan’s Impeachment

Pulitzer-award winning journalist Joel Brinkley, a colunmist for the LA Times, has advices that President Goodluck Jonathan be impeached. His article reads thus:

Just outside President Goodluck Jonathan's office sat 17 ambulances, just in case he or one of his aides fell ill. They were seldom if ever used.

No actual health-care facility nationwide had as many, and in fact a few still have none at all. But as soon as a Nigerian newspaper took a photo of the ambulances and published a story about them, they suddenly disappeared — probably to an underground garage.

Jonathan is president of Nigeria, which should be among the world's most prosperous nations. After all, it produces an estimated 2.4 million barrels of oil each and every day. With oil now selling at $93.61 a barrel, that's $224 million in income daily. And yet many hospitals can't afford to buy an ambulance. The reason, in my view: Nigeria is the most corrupt nation on earth.

Sure, Transparency International lists almost three dozen states as more corrupt — Chad, Haiti, Laos, Yemen, Cambodia and the like. But are any of those nations as wealthy as Nigeria — taking in $81 billion annually, just from the sale of oil? No, not even one of them. So Nigeria steals and squanders more money than any other nation, making it the world's most corrupt, by that measure.

Nigerian journalist Musikilu Mojeed finds all this so discouraging.

"With its geopolitical power, economic resources and middle class," he laments, "no country (with the possible exception of Saudi Arabia and Egypt) has the power to change the course of black/African civilization like Nigeria." After all, Nigeria is Africa's most populous state — and large, twice the size of California.

So Nigerians are living an opportunity squandered — particularly now. Egypt is in turmoil. In just the last few days, in fact, many Egyptians have been calling for a military coup — anything to rid the state of its widely despised Muslim Brotherhood government. And a new report by the World Economic Forum ranked Egypt the least safe and secure tourist destination among 140 tourist nations evaluated.

Egypt has lost its place as the Arab/African worlds' leader, and Saudi Arabia never had it. So for Nigeria, the time is ripe. But its leaders seem interested only in stealing the state's money to make themselves rich beyond imaging. Think about it: $81 billion a year just from the oil, while most every local government official still tells his people the nation just doesn't have enough money to fix the roads, schools or hospitals. (Roads are in such terrible shape that government officials generally travel any distance by helicopter.)

And Nigeria's people — well, they are as mistreated as any on earth. In only nine nations — among them Liberia, Sierra Leone and Somalia — do more mothers die during childbirth. And in only 10 states, including Chad, Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, is the average life expectancy lower. Right now the average Nigerian's average life span ends at 52. That may be why the median age of Nigerians is just 18.

A few months ago, the Economist Intelligence Unit published an evaluation of the best places for babies to born in 2013, given their probable welfare as children and the chance for a safe, comfortable, prosperous life. Switzerland, Australia and Norway were the top three. The United States came in at 16th, largely because "babies will inherit the large debts of the boomer generation."

Dead last: Nigeria. "It is the worst place for a baby to enter the world in 2013," the report said.

Even with all that wealth, only just over half the population has access to clean drinking water, and one-third to a toilet, UNICEF says. Two-thirds live below the poverty line. Only one child in four who contracts pneumonia is given antibiotics, and only about half the population is literate.

The CIA also cites endemic "soil degradation; rapid deforestation; urban air and water pollution." All this in a county whose gross domestic product stands at $236 billion a year, in the same league as Denmark, Chile, Israel and the United Arab Emirates — prosperous, successful states to be envied.

Goodluck Jonathan is certainly aware of all of this. After all, taking the oath of office, he swore to "devote myself to the service and well-being of the people of Nigeria. So help me God."

Well, just last week he demonstrated who he really is and what he stands for when he pardoned a former state governor who'd been convicted of embezzling state funds and laundering the money. That pardon triggered a broad, angry uproar.

Good luck, Mr. Jonathan. It's time you were impeached.

(Joel Brinkley is the Hearst professional in residence at Stanford University and a Pulitzer Prize-winning former correspondent for The New York Times.)

REVEALED: A List of Visa-Free Countries for Nigerian Citizens

As a Nigerian citizen with a Nigerian passport, there are certain countries which do not require a visa upon entry so long as you have your passport. However, for some of these countries, there is an estimated amount of time you are expected to spend before a visa will be demanded for. The period of days for which you can stay varies from country to country and then you would have to obtain a visa.


There are also some countries that you can visit and you'll receive a visa upon arrival.
Find below a comprehensive list of these countries classified according to their continents.

AFRICA The visa-free countries in Africa for Nigerian passport holders are:
Benin
Burkina Faso
Cape Verde
Cameroon
Chad
Côted'Ivoire
Ghana
Gambia
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Liberia
Mali
Mauritania
Niger
Senegal
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Togo

AMERICAN
Countries and Territories Conditions of access
Barbados 6 months
Dominica 21 days Grenada 3 months
Haiti 3 months
Montserrat 3 months Saint Kitts and Nevis 3 months Turks and Caicos Islands 30 days

ASIA
Countries and Territories Conditions of access Azerbaijan 30-day visa issued upon arrival for US$100
Bangladesh 90 day visa issued on arrival for $50 Cambodia 30 day visa issued on arrival for US$ 20Georgia Visa issued upon arrival Laos 30 day visa issued on arrival for US$ 30
Maldives 30 days Macau 30 day visa issued on arrival for 100 MOP Timor-Leste 30-day visa issued upon arrival for US$30

EUROPE AND OTHERS
Countries and Territories Conditions of access
Kosovo 90 days Oceania
Cook Islands 31 days
Fiji 4 monthsMicronesia 30 daysNauru 30 daysNiue 30 daysPalau 30 daysSamoa 60 daysTuvalu 1 monthVanuatu 30 days.
Source: Nairaland

Akwa Ibom Governor, Akpabio, admits rigging senatorial primary election on live TV

The Akwa Ibom Governor made the statements during the 'Good Governance Tour' visit.
In a barefaced confession to electoral fraud, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, who is at the centre of multiple "gift" scandals involving state funds, has admitted on live television, to falsifying a senatorial election result and personally replacing the winner with his preferred candidate.
Mr. Akpabio spoke during the federal government's contentious "Good Governance Tour" in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Information Minister, Labaran Maku, led several government officials and journalists on the tour which many Nigerians have dismissed as a jamboree.

While addressing the visiting delegation on his government's achievements, Mr. Akpabio, seeking to impress his sense of evenhandedness on the audience, said he struck off the name of the winner of the Akwa Ibom north senatorial in his party's primaries, and replaced same with Aloysius Etok.

Mr. Etok went on to win the main elections, and is currently the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service matters.

Mr. Akpabio, who in the past, claimed elections in the state were amongst Nigeria's freest and fairest, laid bare in the speech to the federal delegation, captured on camera, how he deliberately masterminded a flawed process that produced Mr. Etok.

"The people of Ikono and Ini (Local Government Areas) from 1960 have never produced a Senator," the governor narrated. "I used my own hand to strike out the name of the person who has won before, and I said it is important for me to give that region a Senator in 2007, and I produced Senator Aloysius Etok for you; that's where he comes from," the governor said, before gesturing to Mr. Etok, who attended the session alongside his colleague in the Senate, Ita Enang, to "take a bow".

The disclosure jolted the audience and the governor's associates who exchanged awkward glances.
Several minutes later, an aide to the governor passed him (Mr. Akpabio) a note, apparently drawing Mr. Akpabio's attention to the devastating consequences of his comments.

Mr. Akpabio gave the note some attention, before backtracking on his earlier comments.
"So I must say that I thank all of you, including the members of the national assembly; led by Senator Aloysius Etok. And when I said that I made Aloy(sius Etok) to become a senator in 2007, I need to explain it so that you don't think that I wrote his name and he became a senator," the governor said.

"During the primaries of PDP, we zoned the senate seat to his federal constituency. And from the federal constituency, he made first in the primaries. That happened in the PDP. So we said since he was the first among the people who came from his federal constituency for the primary, then he must be the one to become the senator."
Then after that, we "presented him before the general public in the election and he won. And in 2011, with my support, he had the highest number of votes by any senator in the entire national assembly."

Mr. Akpabio has been at the centre of the storm over his controversial use of state funds for donations and gifts to celebrities, journalists, party officials, and others

Adamawa Prison attack: Deputy Comptroller killed, 127 inmates freed

The Nigerian Prison Service has confirmed the killing of the Deputy Comptroller in charge of Ganye Prison, Adamawa state, Baba Musa.

This disclosure was made by the Prison Comptroller in the state, Mr. Andrew Barka.

He said that a total of 127 prison inmates were freed in Friday's attack on the facility, adding that "We lost a deputy comptroller, Baba Musa, in the attack and some parts of the prison were also destroyed.''

Also on Sunday, the Police confirmed that 25 persons, including a policeman were killed in the attack.

Heavily armed gunmen had attacked the town on Friday evening for over two hours, using explosives, rocket launchers and machine guns on residents.



The Adamawa state Police Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Ibrahim, on Sunday in Yola said men of the command were overpowered by the bandits who arrived the border town with more sophisticated weapons.

"Thirteen places were attacked, including the Divisional Police Station, DPO's house, prison, beer palour, bank, library and courts," he said.

In the meantime, none of the attackers have been arrested.

Bill Gates Offering $100,000 To Anybody Who Can Make Sex-Enhancing Condoms

Bill Gates is on a crusade: to change the way we think about condoms. The computer mogul and entrepreneur recently announced he could be handing out a $100,000 grant to anyone who can create a condom that is a true game changer and that increases pleasure to the individuals who wear them.

The thought is that if condoms are actually pleasant to use, more individuals will make the effort to use the pieces of equipment. At least, that's what documents related to the grant from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation state. Additionally, the grant may look for condom benefits that include better packaging, designs that increase "ease-of-use," or ideas that "overcome cultural barriers." I wonder if the cute packaging of endangered species condoms could make a bid?

The potential condom grant is only one idea out of several that the Gates Foundation is challenging individuals and teams to pursue via the Foundations Grand Challenges Exploration initiative. If you think you have a good idea, submitting it is easy. All you have to do is turn in a 2-page application. Other topics the Foundation is encouraging people to pursue include ideas for women smallholder farmers to save on labor, as well as bringing together human and animal health, and coming up with new approaches for tropical diseases. While each of these is worthy in its own way, the condom creation topic is certainly the most eye-catching.

Besides, if condoms were easier and more fun to use, theoretically this could help with the HIV problem worldwide The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation spends plenty of time fighting, as well as help the world fight other sexually transmitted diseases. Overall, it's an ambitious but worthy goal.

Applications will be accepted through May 7.

Photos from Bishop Oyedepo's Daughter's Wedding

Bishop Oyedepo's first daughter, Love Oyedepo married her beau Steve Ogah today Saturday 23rd of March at Canaanland. HML to them.

Kristen Stewart, One Direction win twice at Kids Choice Awards

(Reuters) - Green slime spewed furiously at the Kids Choice Awards on Saturday, where "Twilight Saga" star Kristen Stewart and British boy band One Direction won two awards apiece.

Stewart, 22, escaped the slime but plunged her hands into the green goo, saying she "felt like I have finally found my kindergartner self," as she accepted trophies for movie actress and favorite female butt kicker.

Organizers said more than 350 million votes were cast online in more than 20 categories, spanning film, television, books, music and sport for the stunt-filled annual award show on youth channel Nickelodeon.

Hosted by "Transformers" actor Josh Duhamel, who is married to singer Fergie, the show in Los Angeles featured performances by Pitbull and Christina Aguilera, as well as Ke$ha.

Johnny Depp and Katy Perry accepted orange blimp-shaped trophies for favorite female singer and movie actor respectively and both stars had words of wisdom for the audience of kids and young teens.

"This is such a cool award ... stay safe, stay in school, don't do drugs," Perry told them. Depp said he was "truly honored and humbled. Thank you for what you are, which is the future."

Selena Gomez, 20, the ex-girlfriend of pop star Justin Bieber, took the female TV actress award for her Disney Channel series "Wizards of Waverly Place," even though the show came to an end more than a year ago.

Bieber, who is on tour in Europe, was voted favorite male singer and was among several stars who did not make it to accept their award in person.

No-shows included One Direction, who are also on tour and who won for favorite music group and song for "What Makes You Beautiful," "X Factor" judge Simon Cowell (favorite villain), and Ross Lynch, 17, who was named favorite TV actor for Disney Channel's pop star series "Austin & Ally."

Sandra Bullock, Neil Patrick Harris, Duhamel, Pitbull, Nick Cannon, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and dozens of audience members got covered in slime gushing out from water cannons, presenter's podiums, ceilings, and even the tail of a fake gymnastic horse.

Other awards went to Nickelodeon's "Victorious" for top TV show, "The Hunger Games" for favorite movie, "Wreck-It Ralph" for top animated movie, and race car driver Danica Patrick and basketball player LeBron James for top athletes.

The Kids Choice Awards will be broadcast around the world in more than 25 languages, Nickelodeon said.

Why there is drop in power supply – FG

Th federal government has said that the ongoing repairs at the Shiroro Power Plant in Niger State, was responsible for the sudden drop in power supply.

Addressing State House Press after the 27th Board meeting of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company,NDPHC, in Abuja, Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State and the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Power, Godknows Igali, said Nigerians would enjoy improved power supply as soon as the repair works were completed.

The board, while unveiling a phased commissioning programme of 10 National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP) across the country, said government was determined to work towards achieving 10,000 megawatts it earlier promised.

The meeting chaired by the Vice President, Mohammed Namadi Sambo, announced that it would at the next sitting constitute a special committee that would embark on a road show, before the privatisation of the 10 NIPP projects to foreign nations.

According to Suswam,: "We want to embark on a road show before the privatisation proper will commence. We want to generate interest and find very competent companies or enterprises that can manage these companies properly. With that, there will be a committee that will be set up for that purpose.

"It is not going to be done by the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), it is going to be done by a special committee that we will be set up by the NDPHC Board. At the next meeting of the board, we will probably be able to have the people that will constitute the committee for the purpose of these companies."

On the drop in power supply, Suswam replied this way: "I think that happened because Shiroro plant was off for quite sometime and that also accounted for the drop. We need to engage in maintenance and that is back on track now. I think that the drop has been addressed."

Also reacting to the question, Igali said, "I don't think it will be completely fair to say that we have witnessed a considerable drop. We are on track; we are ensuring that we have appropriate generation level, distribution level and transmission level on track."

500 Boko Haram suspects arrested in Lagos

No fewer than, 500 nationals of some neighbouring countries resident in Lagos, were yesterday arrested by the state police command in connection with Thursday's arrest of two Boko Haram suspects at Ijora area of the state.

Saturday Vanguard gathered that the arrests which was coordinated by operatives of the State Intelligence Bureau,SIB, and police divisions across the state, were carried out during raids of several locations in the state.

Some of those arrested, according to eyewitness included women and young children.

But sources at the command said that the raid was reportedly ordered by the state Police Commissioner, Umar Manko, who asked his men to fish out suspected Boko Haram infiltrators into the state.

According to the police sources those arrested were detained at the Police Command's Headquarters, Ikeja, where they were rigorously interrogated, documented and vetted.
Most of the arrested were later discovered to be Chadians, Nigeriens and Malians who had no proper documentation to stay in the country.

"We are waiting for the CP's order on what to do with the foreign nationals who do not have any business Lagos" the source stated.

The National Vice Chairman, Arewa Youth Development Association of Nigerian, Shuaibu Dansudu, who was at the command headquarters, to secure the release of some Hausa residents of Oke-Odo Market, Ile-Epo and Oja commended the police for making efforts at ensuring that members of the deadly Boko Haram sect do not infiltrate the state.
Dansudu however, asked the Federal Government to do all it can to ensure that the sect's insurgency was put to an end.

"Government needs to do all it can to ensure peace in all parts of the country even if it requires granting them amnesty. We can not continue to live like this," he pleaded

Meanwhile, residents of Oyegbemi Street, at Ijora 7up area of the state where two Boko Haram suspects were arrested have commended the security agencies for apprehending the suspects.

Oluwa Idowu, a resident whose uncompleted building is situated next to the area where one of the suspects was arrested, urged landlords in the state to properly vet their would-be tenants before letting their apartments to them.

"I was shocked when I heard the news but I am not familiar with the man because he just moved in three months ago. But I am grateful to God that he was arrested before he succeed in carrying out his plans. But this issue is an eye opener to landlords and home owners in this state.

We must be wary and properly vet people we rent our apartments to; so we do not fall victims to evil.

By doing so, we will assist the security agents in discharging their jobs," She stated.

[Vanguard]

Oduamadi saves Nigeria as Eagles draw 1-1 with Kenya

The Eagles equalized in the dying minutes.
A dying minute goal by Nnamdi Oduamadi saved the Super Eagles from an embarrassing home defeat to Kenya.

The Kenyans scored in the first half as the Nigerian side found it difficult to create clear cut chances.
The first half ended with the Kenyans leading the African champions by 1-0.

The Super Eagles started the match with two players who were not at the African Cup of Nations in South Africa. Obafemi Martins returned to the attack, while Solomon Kwambe played at right back.

The Nigerian side made three substitutions in the second half with Ahmed Musa, Nnamdi Oduamadi, and John Ogu all coming in.
The Super Eagles still found it difficult to create clear cut chances as the Kenyans narrowly missed a clear-cut opportunity to extend the lead.

A dying minute goal by Oduamadi, during the 5 minutes added time after the full 90 minutes, ensured that Nigeria salvaged a point from the encounter.

The Eagles now have five points from three matches in the group, while Kenya have 2 points from three matches.