“I’ve Not Seen Yar’adua” -MADUEKWE

WEEKS AFTER TOP GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ANNOUNCED THEY SPOKE WITH PRESIDENT UMARU YAR’ADUA ON THE PHONE, THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OJO MAUDEKWE HAS CONFESSED HE HAS NOT SEEN THE PRESIDENT IN 66 DAYS. 

MADUEKWE ALSO SENSATIONALLY TOLD BBC’S HARDTALK ON THURSDAY THAT HE DOES NOT KNOW WHERE HIS INSTRUCTIONS AS A MINISTER COME FROM, SINCE THE PRESIDENT IS ABSENT.

THE THREE-TERM MINISTER SAYS THE ABSENCE OF  MR PRESIDENT IS NOT A STRANGE THING IN WORLD POLITICS, DESCRIBING IT AS ‘NOT UNUSUAL IN HISTORY’

THE MINISTER ALONG WITH HIS ENTOURAGE WILL BE RETURNING TO  THE COUNTRY TONIGHT. 

Fresh 3 Million Naira Bribery Rocks House of Reps

A FRESH 3 BILLION NAIRA BRIBERY SCANDAL IS ROCKING THE NIGERIAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 

THE MONEY IS ALLEGEDLY MEANT TO DISCOURAGE SOME HOUSE MEMBERS FROM GOING AHEAD WITH THEIR DEMAND THAT PRESIDENT UMARU YARADUA SHOULD HAND OVER POWER TO HIS DEPUTY, GOODLUCK JONATHAN.

HOUSE MEMBER, ESEME EYIBOH SAYS THE BRIBERY ALLEGATION IS NOT TRUE, DESCRIBING IT AS A MERE IMAGINATION OF THE CONCERNED LAWMAKERS.

EARLIER IN THE WEEK, 200 REPRESENTATIVES SIGNIFIED THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE MOTION THAT VICE PRESIDENT JONATHAN SHOULD BE PRONOUNCED THE ACTING PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA.

 

THE MEMBERS ARE SAID TO HAVE SIDELINED THE LEADER OF THE HOUSE DIMEJI BANKOLE, SAYING HE HAS REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE ON THE FLOOR.

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Nigerian Lawmakers Berate 

Police Chief For Evicting 

Policewomen From Barracks

THE NIGERIAN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS ORDERED THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE, OGBONA ONOVO TO STOP THE PLANNED FORCEFUL EVICTION OF FEMALE POLICE OFFICERS FROM POLICE BARRACKS NATIONWIDE.

THE LAWMAKERS SAY THE ACTION IS AGAINST SECTION 4 OF THE NIGERIAN CONSTITUTION.

LAST DECEMBER, ONOVO DIRECTED THAT ALL POLICEWOMEN MARRIED TO CIVILIANS AND HOUSING THEM IN THE BARRACKS SHOULD VACATE THEIR APARTMENTS WITHOUT FURTHER DELAY.

THE POLICE CHIEF ALLEGEDLY CLAIM THAT SUCH IS AGAINST THE AFRICAN CULTURE, WHICH EXPECTS HUSBANDS TO HOUSE THEIR WIVES AND NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND.

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Yaradua May Return This Week

WHILE THERE’S NO OFFICIAL WORD ON THE RETURN OF NIGERIAN PRESIDENT UMARU YAR’ADUA, MUCH IS MADE OF NEWLY IMPORTED MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.

THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN OUT OF THE COUNTRY FOR 63 DAYS.

SPECULATION IS NOW RIFE THAT YAR’ADUA WILL BE BACK IN THE COUNTRY AT THE END OF THE WEEK.

ACCORDING TO PUNCH, TWO LIFE SUPPORT MACHINES HAVE BEEN IMPORTED FROM SAUDI ARABIA OVER THE WEEKEND.

MEDICAL EXPERTS SAY THE MACHINES ARE CRUCIAL TO DEAL WITH THE PRESIDENT’S RECENT HEART PROBLEMS AS WELL AS HIS LONG STANDING 

KIDNEY AILMENT.

NEXT ONLINE NEWSPAPER SAYS THAT AN AIR AMBULANCE TO TRANSPORT YAR’ADUA TO ABUJA ALONG WITH SEVERAL SPECIAL CARE GIVERS HAVE ALSO BEEN ARRANGED.

SEVERAL CIVIL SOCIETY PROTESTS -- AND AT LEAST THREE COURT CHALLENGES -- HAVE PUT PRESSURE ON THE PRESIDENT TO RETURN HOME TO LEAD HIS ADMINISTRATION -- OR RESIGN.

More Bodies Recovered in Jos

28 MORE BODIES HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED IN A SHALLOW PIT IN THE BUSH JUST OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL OF PLATEAU STATE.

THIS BRINGS TO 178, THE NUMBER OF BODIES DUG OUT OF WELLS  IN SOME AREAS IN THE CITY.

HEAD OF THE KURU KARAMA VILLAGE, UMARU BAZA SAYS THE DECOMPOSING BODIES WERE FOUND BY RESIDENTS.

OFFICIALS SAY AN ESTIMATED 300 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN WHAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS SECTARIAN VIOLENCE.

THE CURFEW HAS BEEN EASED RECENTLY AS THE MILITARY MAINTAINS A VISIBLE PRESENCE.

VARIOUS REPORTS INDICATE THAT CLASHES STARTED OVER AN ARGUMENT ON THE REBUILDING OF HOUSES DESTROYED IN EARLIER VIOLENCE.

SECTARIAN VIOLENCE BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS CLAIMED OVER 800 LIVES IN NOVEMBER 2008, AND SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE DIED IN CLASHES A FEW YEARS BEFORE THAT. 

“Out of The 10,500 Applicants, 

We Cannot Take More Than 1,500” 

-Ondo State

CHAIRMAN OF THE ONDO STATE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION, DARE ADEBIYI, SAYS OF THE 10,500 PEOPLE WHO APPLIED FOR JOBS, ONLY 1,500 WILL BE EMPLOYED.

ADEBIYI POINTS OUT THAT THOUGH MORE THAN 4,000 APPLICANTS HAVE BEEN SHORTLISTED FOR INTERVIEWS, THE COMMISSION DOES NOT HAVE THE CAPACITY TO EMPLOY ALL.

DESPITE THAT -- THOUSANDS OF APPLICANTS PICKED UP THE FORMS WHICH WERE MEANT TO BE FREE. BUT  SOME WOULD BE APPLICANTS COMPLAINED THAT THEY WERE SOLD ON A PERSONAL BASIS BY THE STAFF OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.

OTHERS ALSO ACCUSE THE COMMISSION OF DOUBLE STANDARD, CLAIMING IT DID NOT PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE THE AVAILABILITY OF THE FORMS.

 

 

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Leaders...

JOS: Crisis Takes Toll On Residents

LAST WEEKEND’S CRISIS IN JOS HAVE STARTED TAKING TOLLS ON RESIDENTS OF THE CITY AS THOUSANDS OF THEM HAVE BEEN RENDERED HOMELESS, WHILE PEOPLE WHOSE HOUSES WERE NOT BURNT ARE LIVING IN THE FEAR OF MOLESTATION BY HOODLUMS.

MOST STREETS ARE DESERTED AS P

EOPLE APPEALED TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE SUPPLY OF WATER AND FOOD ITEMS.

MEANWHILE, FRESH OUTBREAKS HAVE BEEN RECORDED IN ZOLOLO JUNCTION, MASALACHIN JUMAA AND BAUCHI RING ROAD IN SPITE OF CURFEW IMPOSED ON THE CITY. THREE PEOPLE WERE LEFT DEAD IN THE NEW UPRISNG.

POLICE SAY MORE THAN 60 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED BETWEEN LAST SUNDAY AND NOW.

...As Northern Leaders Condemn Crisis

LEADING NORTHERN NIGERIAN SOCIO CULTURAL ORGANIZATION, THE AREWA CONSULTATIVE FORUM HAS CONDEMNED THE RENEWED CRISIS IN JOS, PLATEAU STATE CAPITAL, CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT TO DEAL WITH THE PERPETRATORS.

FORUM SPOKESPERSON, ANTHONY SANI OBSERVES THAT NO SOCIETY CAN THRIVE ON THE BASIS OF ITS FACTIONS, BE IT RELIGIOUS OR ETHNIC, BUT BY TOLERANT ACCOMMODATION OF ONE ANOTHER.

THE FOREMOST NON-POLITICAL, NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION ADVISES RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS TO BRACE UP AND WORK ON THEIR DIFFERENCES RATHER THAN INSTIGATING THEIR FOLLOWERS AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.

ACF COMMENDS THE SECURITY AGENTS AND THE PLATEAU STATE GOVERNMENT FOR BRINGING THE SITUATION UNDER IMMEDIATE CONTROL.

Four Kidnapped Expats Released In Abia

SIX DAYS AFTER THEY WERE KIDNAPPED IN PORT HARCOURT, THREE BRITONS AND ONE COLOMBIAN HAVE BEEN FREED BY THEIR KIDNAPPERS.

THE POLICE SAY THOUGH NO ONE HAS BEEN ARRESTED IN RESPECT OF THE KIDNAP, THE HOSTAGES WERE RELEASED UNHARMED IN ABIA STATE ON MONDAY AFTERNOON.

THE FOUR EXPATRIATES WHO ARE CONTRACTORS FOR ROYAL DUTCH SHELL, NIGERIA WERE SEIZED BY SUSPECTED KIDNAPPERS WHO DEMANDED 300 MILLION NAIRA RANSOM.

MEANWHILE, IN A FRESH DEVELOPMENT, GUNMEN HAVE KIDNAPPED THREE NIGERIANS FROM THEIR SHIPPING VESSELS IN RIVERS STATE.

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A WEEK IN RETROSPECT

"Please, Reabsorb Us"

--Sacked Policemen Beg Commission

THE REMAINING 270 OUT OF THE 324 SERVICE-MEN DISENGAGED FROM THE NIGERIA POLICE HAVE

REQUESTED TO BE REABSORBED INTO THE POLICE.

THE AFFECTED EX-POLICEMEN HAVE SENT A SAVE-OUR-SOUL MESSAGE TO THE CHAIRMAN OF POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION, PARRY OSANYANDE, BLAMING FORMER PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO FOR THEIR PREDICAMENT.

THOUGH, OSANYANDE HAD ALREADY RECALLED 54 OF THEM, THEY PLEAD ALL OF THEM SHOULD BE REABSORBED TO PREVENT THEM FROM

TURNING TO WHAT THEY REGARD AS NUISANCE TO THE SOCIETY.

ACCORDING TO THEM, HAVING BEEN TRAINED IN THE ART OF GUN HANDLING FOR THE SIX YEARS THEY WERE IN SERVICE, THERE IS A POSSIBILI

TY FOR SOME OF THEM TO CONSTITUTE PUBLIC THREAT.

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Four Robbers Kill Three Policemen

MEANWHILE, A GANG OF FOUR SUSPECTED ARMED ROBBERS HAVE KILLED THREE POLICEMEN AND TWO UNARMED CITIZENS IN KATSINA.

THE FIVE PEOPLE WERE MURDERED WHEN THE ROBBERS RAIDED A BRANCH O

F A FOREMOST NIGERIAN BANK IN THE STATE.

THE KILLED POLICEMEN WERE SAID TO BE GUARDING THE BANK BRANCH AS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

THE NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA REPORTS THAT THE GANG

HAD DISGUISED AS CUSTOMERS TO GAIN ENTRY INTO THE BANK HALL BEFORE STARTING INDISCRIMINATE SHOOTINGS. AN UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT OF MONEY WAS LOOTED IN THE ATTACK.

THREE OF THE ROBBERS WERE LATER KILLED IN AN EXCHANGE OF GUNSHOTS WITH POLICEMEN FROM A NEARBY STATION WHO ACTED ON A TIP-OFF FROM AN EYE WITNESS.

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52 Nigerian Youths To Get Russian Scholarships

WHILE 23 YEAR OLD FAROUK MUTALLAB MAY END UP IN AN AMERICAN JAIL FOR FAILED TERRORIST ATTACK, SOME 52 NIGERIAN YOUTHS MAY END UP IN RUSSIA BU

T ON A SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME COURTESY, THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT.

RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO NIGERIA, ALEXANDER POLYAKOV REVEALED THAT HIS HOME GOVERNMENT IS READY TO SEND SOME 52 QUALIFIED NIGERIAN YOUTHS TO RUSSIA FOR FREE EDUCATION IN THE NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR.

THE DIPLOMAT DISCLOSED THAT THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT WAS MOVED TO TAKE THE STEP MORE BECAUSE NIGERIAN STUDENTS IN RUSSIA HAVE PERFORMED CREDITABLY WELL BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND MORALLY.

HE SAYS THE APPLICATION FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP SHALL BE MADE OPEN ON A DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED LATER.

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"Nigerian Passport, Now Ready Within 24 hours" --NIS

ARE YOU WORRIED YOUR NEXT NIGERIAN PASSPORT MAY NOT BE READY UNTIL AFTER SOME DAYS AFTER APPLYING FOR IT? THERE IS NO NEED FOR SUCH WORRIES ANY MORE.

THE NIGERIAN IMMIGRATION SERVICE SAYS NIGERIAN PASSPORTS WILL FROM NOW ON BE READY WITHIN 24 HOURS OF APPLYING FOR IT UNDER ITS E-PASSPORT SCHEME.

THE AGENCY’S SPOKESPERSON IN KADUNA, MOHAMMED LERE TOLD THE NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA THAT ONCE AN APPLICANT COMPLETEs ALL REQUIRED PROCESSES, HIS OR PASSPORT WILL BE ISSUED WITHOUT ANY DELAY.

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"Yaradua Will Return Soon"

--Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia

NIGERIAN PRESIDENT, UMARU YAR’ADUA WILL RETURN HOME ANY MOMENT FROM NOW, AFTER SHOWING SIGNIFICANT RECOVERY FROM A HEART AILMENT.

NIGERIAN AMBASSADOR TO SAUDI ARABIA, ABDULLAH AMINCHI TOLD REUTERS THE PRESIDENT WILL SOON BE DISCHARGED FROM THE KING FAISAL SPECIALIST HOSPITAL, SAUDI ARABIA WHERE HE HAS BEEN RECEIVING TREATMENT IN THE LAST 53 DAYS.

THOUGH THE DIPLOMAT EXPRESSES CERTAINTY ON THE DISCHARGE OF MR PRESIDENT FROM THE HOSPITAL, AMINCHI SAYS HE IS NOT SURE ABOUT THE EXACT DATE YAR’ADUA WILL RETURN.

HE SAYS ONLY THE DOCTORS CAN GIVE THE SPECIFIC DATE.

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National Centre

Renamed After Maryam Babangida

THE SENATE HAS RENAMED THE NATIONAL CENTRE FOR WOMEN DEVELOPMENT IN ABUJA AFTER THE LATE WIFE OF FORMER MILITARY PRESIDENT, MARYAM BABANGIDA.

THE LAWMAKERS ARE CONVINCED THE NAME

--MARYAM-- SYMBOLIZES WOMEN LIBERATION IN NIGERIA, OBSERVING THAT THE LATE WOMAN ACHIEVED MANY REMARKABLE FEATS ON THE TOTAL TRANSFORMATION OF RURAL WOMEN IN THE COUNTRY.

MARYAM BABANGIDA WILL BE REMEMBERED MORE FOR HER BETTER LIFE FOR RURAL WOMEN PROGRAMME AND HER HIGH SENSE OF GLAMOUR.

THE SENATE S

EES THE CHANGE OF NAME AS A WAY OF IMMORTALIZING HER.

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JONATHAN: Judge Steps Down

CHIEF JUDGE OF THE ABUJA FEDERAL HIGH COURT, DANIEL ABUTU HAS BEEN FORCED TO STEP DOWN AS JUDGE IN CHARGE OF THE SUIT FILED BY LAGOS LAWYER, FEMI FALANA.

THE LEGAL PRACTITIONER AND ACTIVIST HAD REQUESTED ABUTU’S COURT TO DETERMINE THE LEGALITY OR OTHERWISE OF PRESIDENT YAR’ADUA’S FAILURE TO HAND OVER POWER TO VICE PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN.

EARLIER, THE SAME JUDGE GAVE RULING ON A SIMILAR CASE BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURT BY CHRISTOPHER ONWUEKWE.

AFTER THE CONTROVERSIAL JUDGEMENT, FALANA DEMANDED ABUTU TO STOP HEARING HIS CASE IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE MORE CREDIBILITY IN THE EVENTUAL JUDGEMENT.

HE CLAIMS THE JUDGE HAD DELVED INTO THE SAME ISSUES RAISED IN HIS OWN CASE AND HAD ALREADY TAKEN A POSITION WHICH WOULD AFFECT ANY JUDGEMENT GIVEN AT THE END OF THE DAY.

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ANAMBRA 2010: Counting Down Indeed!

THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION HAS DENIED THE REPORT THAT THE POLICE ARRESTED A TRUCKLOAD OF HIJACKED BALLOT PAPERS IN ANAMBRA STATE ON FRIDAY.

IT WAS REPORTED THAT A GROUP OF PEOPLE SUSPECTED TO BE WORKING FOR SOME UNNAMED POLITICIANS IN ANAMBRA STATE HIJACKED COPIES OF APPROVED BALLOT PAPERS MEANT TO BE USED IN THE FEBRUARY 6, ELECTION IN THE STATE.

INEC’S PUBLICIST, EMMANUEL UMENGER SAYS THE TRUCK IN QUESTION WAS ONLY CONVEYING COLLAPSIBLE POLLING CUBICLES AND NOT BALLOT PAPERS FROM THE COMMISSION’S HEADQUARTERS TO PORT HARCOURT’S ZONAL STORE.

HE CLAIMS THE TRUCK WAS ONLY INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND NOT HIJACKED AS REPORTED.

MEANWHILE, IN LESS THAN 19 D

AYS TO THE STATE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION, THE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION HAS SUMMONED ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO A STATEWID

E MEETING.

THE MEETING WHICH IS BILLED TO HOLD TOMORROW AT THE COMMISSION’S HEADQUARTERS WILL AHVE IN ATTENDANCE, THE 25 REGISTERED CONTESTANTS, PARTIES REPRESENTATIVES AND SECURITY AGENCIES.

ALL ATTENDEES ARE EXPECTED TO SWEAR TO A CODE OF CONDUCT PAPER DURING THE MEETING.

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JOS AGAIN!

THE CITY OF JOS HAS ERUPTED IN A FRESH CRISIS, LEAVING MORE THAN 20 PEOPLE DEAD IN THE PROCESS.

THOUGH THERE ARE SEVERAL VERSIONS OF THE STORY, MOST DAILIES REPORT THAT THE CONFLICT IS AN OFFSHOOT OF THE 2008 RELIGIOUS CRISIS THAT LEFT MANY INNOCENT PEOPLE DEAD, INCLUDING YOUTH CORP MEMBERS.

EYE WITNESSES SAY THE UPRISING STARTED IN THE DUTSE UKU AREA OF THE ANCIENT CITY AFTER AN ARGUMENT ON THE REBUILDING OF HOUSES DESTROYED IN THE NOVEMBER 2008 CLASHES.

THE YOUTHS, DIVIDED ALONG THE LINE OF CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM ESCALATED THE CRISIS, USING ALL SORTS OF WEAPONS IN A FREE-FOR-ALL FIGHT.

AS AT THE LAST COUNT, THE POLICE HAS ARRESTED ABOUT 30 PEOPLE SUSPECTED TO BE INVOLVED IN THE FIGHT.

A DUSK-TO-DAWN CURFEW HAS BEEN DECLARED BY THE STATE GOVERNMENT.

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