List Of Corp Members Killed In Bauchi As Released By Nysc

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has confirmed that the nine serving corps members (CMs), all young men, who were killed by rioters in Bauchi State following the April 16 presidential election, will be given a national burial.

And speaking in Lagos Thursday, Professor Wole Soyinka, expressed dismay over last week’s violence in some parts of the North, saying it was clear to every discerning mind that the mayhem had long been conceived.

In adverts placed in national dailies and electronic media across the country today, the NYSC lamented that CMs who had added credibility to the electoral process became targets of some disgruntled people who were not satisfied with the results of the elections.

The names of the deceased are: Teidi Tosin Olawale (from Osun State, BSc Computer Science); Nkwazema Anslem Chukwunonyerem (Imo State, HND Electrical Electronic Engineering), Okpokiri Obinna Michael (Abia State, BSc Environmental Management), Adowei Elliot (Bayelsa State, BSc Computer Science) and Adewunmi Seun Paul (Ekiti State, BSc, Social Sciences).

Others are Adeniji Kehinde Jehleel (Osun State, BSc Banking & Finance), Gbenjo Ebenezer Ayotunde (Osun State, BSc, Education Economics), Ukeoma Ikechukwu Chibuzor (Imo State, BSc Medical Microbiology) and Akonyi Ibrahim Sule (Kogi State, HND Business Administration). The deceased are to be given national burials after the organisation has liaised with their parents. President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to be represented by governors of the states where the slain corps members hailed from.

I Slept In The Bush For 3 Days To Stay Alive – Female Corps Member

Miss Vivian Chidinma Anumba is one of the lucky corps members who survived the recent Bauchi mayhem, where many young people serving their fatherland were butchered.
The female corps member, who hails from Uzoako community, in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, read Banking and Finance at Federal Polytechnic, Oko and was serving at Shira Local Government Area, Bauchi State, from where she ran home, like a refugee.

Narrating her ugly experience to Saturday Sun, Chidinma said she slept in the bush for three days, running for her life, as all she had, including her credentials were burnt by hoodlums in Bauchi.
Her experience in Bauchi and alleged treatment by her state government on return are pitiable.


How did the violence start in Bauchi?

Actually, the major problem started after the presidential election on April 16, 2011. From the polling units, they started pursuing us, threatening to kill us if President Goodluck Jonathan won. They nicknamed corps members, PDP or Goodluck. They insisted that if Goodluck won, they would kill us.

On April 17, being Sunday, we received threats also that corps members, especially Christians, would be killed. When the presidential results were being released and Jonathan was winning in 21 states, they started threatening us again. Later, they started burning houses and killing corps members. When trouble got to our arena, in Shira Local Government Area, we started running. They killed some of our colleagues. They cut them into pieces.

How did you escape?
It was survival of the fittest. They started going from house to house, room to room in search of corps members. Even if you were to run into an Hausa man’s house, they would kill you. When we ran into a police station, they came into the police station to kill us. In fact, police station was not safe because they killed some policemen and burnt the place down.
So, we continued running, for three days, until Tuesday, April 19. That was when we were rescued. They had to call SSS people to convey the surviving ones to SSS quarters in Bauchi town; that was where they gathered all surviving corps members and from there, they were taken home by their different state governments.

For us from Anambra State, we found ourselves home here with the help of Imo State Governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim. Some entered ANIDS bus to convey them from Bauchi to Awka and on the way, some were involved in accidents; some of them are still in the hospital, as we are talking now.

Did you see them kill people?
I know some people that were killed. There was this young man; he was my neighbour and he was to get married by June. He was a batch three corps member. Unfortunately, they killed him. There was another person, who was like our pastor there. They killed him too. There, they isolated Christians; anywhere Christians are is a forgotten land. They see it as a land that is corrupt. So, they burnt all the churches there. The man we saw as pastor came home after the service that day. We prayed in the house. He helped people to safety. In the process of trying to show people the way to escape, they killed him. They were three roommates. They killed two, with the exception of one who came back with us.
Many others were injured; some of them couldn’t even stand; they were still on wheelchairs before we came down to this place. I got pictures of those killed with my phone. The bodies were taken to the mortuary. Most of them are still in mortuaries in Bauchi State. Their people were coming down there to settle with NYSC officials before they will carry the corpses.

Are you saying there was no security at the polling units?
The security they gave us in the polling units did not do anything because all of them are Muslims. They beat me up in my polling unit because there in Bauchi State, they didn’t do election; they would just command you to share the ballot papers among the parties. Even after obeying them, they won’t be satisfied. After the election, they threw us into a truck and commanded us to start counting for CPC. In fact, if not for God’s intervention, we could have been violated.

You said that you slept in the bush while escaping. What happened?
We slept in the bush behind a rock in order to be safe, because they started going from house to house in search of corps members to kill. If you are an Hausa man and they suspect that corps members are in your house, they would search and anyone they saw was dragged out and dealt with.
They burnt all my property; they burnt my documents, but I really thank God that at the end of the day, I was able to escape. As I said earlier, even the police station we ran to for rescue, was burnt. People that were inside, who were not at alert, became victims. But we had to run into the bush, slept there for three days, before we came out. It was then that we heard that they were coming to evacuate us.

How were you evacuated?
I had to fix myself into the Imo State flight. Ohakim had to send a flight to us and we landed in Owerri. He hosted us. He lodged us in different hotels and at the end of the day, he gave each of us N5, 000 for transportation from Owerri to Awka. He took us to the Government House, entertained us and after entertaining us, he lodged us, gave us transport fare. We from Anambra State, we are about 100 plus that followed the flight. We came back to our own Government’s House that day; we don’t even know how the Governor’s Lodge is because they sent us back from the gate. They asked our driver to turn back and packed somewhere. They stopped us at the gate and addressed us. They gave them N1, 000 each after that. He then asked us to come back on Wednesday. Now, on getting to that place, we were ignored. We sat there from morning till afternoon and the thing we heard was that the governor had travelled. One person came and addressed us and said that we should write our names and that if they had any information for us, they would call us.

We learnt that you met with Dr. Chris Ngige. How come?
We were there when we heard that Onwa (Ngige) was around and we decided to come here.

How did your parents react when you returned?
Oh my God! My mum was happy, though until I got home I did not tell her what was happening to me. It was only my brother that I was telling everything, because I knew my mum would have a health crisis if I told her I was in such trouble, even if I was still alive. She would die before I came back.

What are you going to do next?
I am preparing to go for a thanksgiving in church. I didn’t know that I would still be alive till today because, at a point, I had to say my last prayer that if they met me I was dead. They were everywhere, ready to kill. It was God that brought me home without any scratch.

Why I killed my gay lover'- Rafael Ikechukwu

Twenty-one-year old Rafael Ikechukwu, on Thursday, said he did not regret killing his Spanish gay lover.
Mr Ikechukwu is being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, for allegedly slashing the throat of a middle aged Spanish man, Gafaru Anthony, who was in the country on the invitation of Mr Ikechukwu. Both men have been lovers for more than two years before the incident occurred on April 16. The relationship turned sour that day when the lovers had a fight at the Goti Gate Hotel at FESTAC town where they had planned to lodge for one week.



A quarrel reportedly ensued between the lovers after they retired to their room. Mr Ikechukwu allegedly overpowered Mr Anthony during the fight and slashed his throat with a broken bottle. Police officers from the Homicide Department at Panti, Yaba, were invited to the scene, and they arrested Mr Ikechukwu. The body of Mr Anthony was taken to the mortuary for autopsy.

Mr Ikechukwu, however, said he will kill Mr Anthony again if he resurrects. He said the Spaniard had exposed him to HIV, drugged, and raped him. "I met Gafaru in Ghana and we have been friends for more than two years," he said. "He came to Nigeria on the day of the presidential election. He said he wanted to come and carry out a research but it was a lie. We went out and visited places. He told me that his lover in Spain had contracted HIV and he is scared. I told him to go and do the HIV screening to be sure and he said he will do it when he gets back to Spain.

But on that night, while I was sleeping on the same bed with him, I did not know that he had drugged me. And after drugging me, he forced himself on me and slept with me. When I woke up in the morning and discovered what he had done to me, I became angry and confronted him, but he was taking the issue with levity. That was how we started quarrelling, he was the one who took a bottle and broke it on the wall. He wanted to stab me with it but I dodged him and broke my own bottle and stabbed him in the neck, so that was how he bled to death. I did not intend to kill him. I did it in self defence and I don't regret my action, because he would have killed me if he had the chance."

The police spokesman, Samuel Jinadu, advised residents to seek peaceful dispute resolution methods instead of resolving to violence and killing. "The case is being investigated by detectives from the Homicide Department at Panti, Yaba," he said. "The suspect will be charged to court as soon as we are through with our investigation."

Efforts to get the reaction of the Spanish Consulate in Lagos were not successful as phone calls and emails were not replied as at press time.

An Open Letter To President-elect Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan

Mr President,

It is with shock and utter disbelief I received the news that you have so far won 25 per cent in 28 states plus Federal Capital Territory. According to the 1999 constitution, a winner needs the majority of votes and at least 25 per cent of votes in 24 states of the 36 states of the federation. So far you have won 25 per cent in 28 states, leaving your closest rival, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change with victories in only 12 states. I know you and your cronies will be celeberating and popping the proverbial champagne now  but here is a word of caution from perhaps one of your worse critics.

Allow me to explain that the presidential victory of April 16th was a victory for yourself and not necessarily for the PDP, which you are a part and parcel of. This should reveal without any equivocation that the elections were not driven by issues, but sentiments about personalities, religion and ethnicity. It is my opinion that as a nation we should grow our democracy to achieve a situation whereby persons win elections on the basis of merit and actual performance not sentiments, and certainly not with the aid of financial inducements, blackmail and violence.
I will not bore you with all the expectations Nigerians (the ones who voted for you, anyway) have-I believe you know all of these and intend to meet all of them.

Nevertheless, I intend to remind you of all the myriad of promises you made during your political campaign throughout the country. In my generosity, I have listed them for you here.

1. You Promised to rule for only one term (reference http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12339017)
As a man of your words or rather as you want to make us believe, PLEASE stick to this plan and pledge.
I sincerly hope we will not have political jobbers, groups like Youths Earnestly Ask for Jona, Dbanj, Lagbaja, Sunny Ade all singing for your second term bid? I sincerly hope also, you will not come out and openly deny you didnt make such promise or statements as you did about the zoning saga.

2. You promised a consitutional role for Traditional Rulers!!! I am short of words but Nigerians are waiting

3. On March 17th 2011, in Dutse the Jigawa statte capital, you promised:"If I win the election, within my four years in office, I will establish domestic airports in all the states without airports, WE ARE WAITING.

4. In Nasarawa, at the flagoff of your campaign you promised at least a university in every state including building specialist almajiri schools to shore up education in the North so as to eradicate illiteracy. The Almajiris are waiting o!

5. On February 8th in Ibadan, the day you called some people "rascals", you promised to create jobs and improve the power sector. The OYO people and indeed all Nigerians are waiting!!!

6. On Feb 9th, you were in Bauchi and you promised to intensify oil and gas exploration in the North-East as part of efforts to harness resources for economic development. Also you pledged to boost agriculture, power and water supply for wealth creation and revenue generation. Then you assured that projects such as the Mambilla hydro-electricity, Jada irrigation project and Kafin Zaki dam in Taraba, Adamawa and Bauchi would be pursued to boost agriculture and industrial development. Then you promised that your administration would establish two universities in the region. The NORTH EAST PEOPLE ARE WAITING,

9. You landed in Portharcourt on Feb 12 where you made alot of promises, maybe to woo your Niger Delta people. Be that as it may, you announced that the NNPC, in partnership with the private sector, would establish a petrochemical plant in the Niger Delta (you didnt state where exactly). You promised the plant will create job opportunities for the Niger Delta youths. Then you went ahead to promise the implementation of Local Content Law and Petroleum Industry Bill. In case you cant remember when you made all these, cast your mind back to the stampede that claimed some lives (where your wife called them martyrs).

10. In Kaduna- You promised massive transformation of the agricultural sector through construction of large dams and distribution of one million metric tonnes of fertilisers for the 2011 farming season (The rains are here already, so fulfil your promises o)
You also pledged to establish Almajiri model schools to address the challenges of the Almajiris.

11. In Benue-You promised to revolutionise agriculture and establish industries in the country through a five-year plan (We need that Plan now so we can keep track, the five years have started counting already)

You also promised to complete the irrigation project in Otukpo. Then you promised that the second Niger Bridge and the Benue Bridge projects will  be worked on in the next four years. I think its better to start now so by April 2015, we trust you would have completed it.

12. February 17th, you were in Plateau where you made shocked the entire country with amazing promises.  First of all, you pledged to refocus on the solid mineral development of the state and make it one of the key revenue sources in Nigeria. The Plateau people are banking on you.
Mr President, You promised to  build more dams and complete ongoing ones, so as to boost agricultural growth.

In addtion you promised to complete the Vom-Manchok-Jos road to boost economic links between Plateau and Kaduna states. Yoy left the state and the Plateau people have been happy ever since and now that you have won, they are waiting

13. Mr President on Feb 21, you were in Kogi. You promised among other things promised that the dredging of the River Niger and Lokoja-Abuja road dualisation would be completed very soon. THE KOGI PEOPLE AND INDEED NIGERIANS ARE HOPING AND WAITING

14. In Kwara State on Feb22, you pledged that the irrigation project in Shonga would be completed soon to boost the commercial farming activities of the New Nigeria Farmers in the area. Mr president, remember you also said the Jebba-Mokwa road and Jebba bridge would be given adequate attention to ease transportation in the area. Kwarians are waiting!

15. On February 24, Mr. President, you pledged to rehabilitate ALL ailing industries in Aba. I believe all Abians are hoping on you to provide the enabling environment to do their businesses, you must keep your promises,

16. Mr.President, on Feb 25th in Anamabra you said there is a plan to build a power station in the state, assuring that within the next four years your administration would construct and rehabilitate ALL federal roads leading to Anambra as well as the South East. You equally to provide potable water to the densely populated Onitsha and Nnewi cities and tackle erosion in the South-East. To tell you the truth, Mr. President, Anambrians are banking on you!

17. In Ebonyi state, you promised to dualise the Enugu-Abakaliki federal highway in addition to establishing  a secretariat for ALL Federal government's agencies and parastatals in Ebonyi. Mr. president, The people of Ebonyi has never had it so good since the creation of their state. Now, you have promised them the good life. Please keeep to your words!

18.  In Niger state, you promised the more power generation. Perhaps the most important aspect of your promises is that your government would map out a five-year strategic plan for road projects. (Please we are waiting for the Plan NOW!!!!)

19. On Feb 27, you were in Asaba, the Delta state capital, which happens to be my state. On that fateful sunday, you revealed that “The NNPC is developing a new programme that will absorb about 5,000 youths, ”, Mr. President, Deltans are delighted at this REVELATIONS. While that number is a far cry from the number of unemployed youths in the state, at all at all na winch (as we say in Warri), so Deltans are waiting.

20. On March 2nd, you were in Ondo where you pronmised that roads and other basic  infrastructure across the states will be developed in four years. In addition you also promised the exploitation of the vast bitumen deposits in the state for national economic development and employment generation. The Ondo people are waiting. Your Four years have started already. You must start now.

21. On the same day, March 2nd, your campaigbn train was in Ekiti state. While there, you promised that more than N50 billion federal intervention projects were ongoing in the state. You can be rest assured that the Fayemi and indeed the entire Ekiti kete are waiting for you.

22. On March 9th, in Sokoto,  you promised to rehabilitate the abandoned Shagari irrigation project as well as reviving the nation’s rail system and fight the menace of desertification in the country. Sokoto people have sufffered for too long. This is your time to redeem your pledge, Mr President. The clock is ticking!!!

23.The date was March 12th 2011 and you were in Ogun state.
Remember, the day you rode to Abeokuta through rail?

Yes, That was the day you promised an improved power supply before the end of the year through the Integrated Power Project (IPP) initiative.

You also pledged to build more refineries, encourage downstream activities, resuscitate rail transportation and create jobs. In case you have forgotten, that was the day that Gbenga Daniel (your South West campaign coordinator was booed by the Ogun people).

24.On March 14th, your campaign trained moved to Kebbi where you promised to establish a federal university next year (2012). You also promised to create jobs through science and technology, tackle environmental challenges and boost health care delivery.

25.Katsina, was your port of call on March 15 where you promised to enhance the living standard of Nigerians through implementation of people-oriented programmes that would provide citizens the necessary opportunities to realise their potentials.

In my opinion, this was just mere rhetorics as you did not make any concrete promises. or did you have the premonition, you will lose in Katsina? I might just be right.

26.In Kano, you pledged to resuscitate the nation’s power sector and encourage the development of small and medium scale enterprises in the country while ensuring justice, equity and fair play in the polity.

Mr.President, Space will not allow me to list the deluge of promises in Lagos, Osun, Borno, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Imo, Taraba, Jigawa, Edo, Bayelsa and Zamfara states. If you can accomplish all your promises in the next four years, then you will go down memory lane as the best President ever. Im all honesty, I wish you GoodLuck!!!

Time will tell!!!

An Open Letter To President-elect Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan

Mr President,

It is with shock and utter disbelief I received the news that you have so far won 25 per cent in 28 states plus Federal Capital Territory. According to the 1999 constitution, a winner needs the majority of votes and at least 25 per cent of votes in 24 states of the 36 states of the federation. So far you have won 25 per cent in 28 states, leaving your closest rival, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change with victories in only 12 states. I know you and your cronies will be celeberating and popping the proverbial champagne now  but here is a word of caution from perhaps one of your worse critics.

Allow me to explain that the presidential victory of April 16th was a victory for yourself and not necessarily for the PDP, which you are a part and parcel of. This should reveal without any equivocation that the elections were not driven by issues, but sentiments about personalities, religion and ethnicity. It is my opinion that as a nation we should grow our democracy to achieve a situation whereby persons win elections on the basis of merit and actual performance not sentiments, and certainly not with the aid of financial inducements, blackmail and violence.
I will not bore you with all the expectations Nigerians (the ones who voted for you, anyway) have-I believe you know all of these and intend to meet all of them.

Nevertheless, I intend to remind you of all the myriad of promises you made during your political campaign throughout the country. In my generosity, I have listed them for you here.

1. You Promised to rule for only one term (reference http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12339017)
As a man of your words or rather as you want to make us believe, PLEASE stick to this plan and pledge.
I sincerly hope we will not have political jobbers, groups like Youths Earnestly Ask for Jona, Dbanj, Lagbaja, Sunny Ade all singing for your second term bid? I sincerly hope also, you will not come out and openly deny you didnt make such promise or statements as you did about the zoning saga.

2. You promised a consitutional role for Traditional Rulers!!! I am short of words but Nigerians are waiting

3. On March 17th 2011, in Dutse the Jigawa statte capital, you promised:"If I win the election, within my four years in office, I will establish domestic airports in all the states without airports, WE ARE WAITING.

4. In Nasarawa, at the flagoff of your campaign you promised at least a university in every state including building specialist almajiri schools to shore up education in the North so as to eradicate illiteracy. The Almajiris are waiting o!

5. On February 8th in Ibadan, the day you called some people "rascals", you promised to create jobs and improve the power sector. The OYO people and indeed all Nigerians are waiting!!!

6. On Feb 9th, you were in Bauchi and you promised to intensify oil and gas exploration in the North-East as part of efforts to harness resources for economic development. Also you pledged to boost agriculture, power and water supply for wealth creation and revenue generation. Then you assured that projects such as the Mambilla hydro-electricity, Jada irrigation project and Kafin Zaki dam in Taraba, Adamawa and Bauchi would be pursued to boost agriculture and industrial development. Then you promised that your administration would establish two universities in the region. The NORTH EAST PEOPLE ARE WAITING,

9. You landed in Portharcourt on Feb 12 where you made alot of promises, maybe to woo your Niger Delta people. Be that as it may, you announced that the NNPC, in partnership with the private sector, would establish a petrochemical plant in the Niger Delta (you didnt state where exactly). You promised the plant will create job opportunities for the Niger Delta youths. Then you went ahead to promise the implementation of Local Content Law and Petroleum Industry Bill. In case you cant remember when you made all these, cast your mind back to the stampede that claimed some lives (where your wife called them martyrs).

10. In Kaduna- You promised massive transformation of the agricultural sector through construction of large dams and distribution of one million metric tonnes of fertilisers for the 2011 farming season (The rains are here already, so fulfil your promises o)
You also pledged to establish Almajiri model schools to address the challenges of the Almajiris.

11. In Benue-You promised to revolutionise agriculture and establish industries in the country through a five-year plan (We need that Plan now so we can keep track, the five years have started counting already)

You also promised to complete the irrigation project in Otukpo. Then you promised that the second Niger Bridge and the Benue Bridge projects will  be worked on in the next four years. I think its better to start now so by April 2015, we trust you would have completed it.

12. February 17th, you were in Plateau where you made shocked the entire country with amazing promises.  First of all, you pledged to refocus on the solid mineral development of the state and make it one of the key revenue sources in Nigeria. The Plateau people are banking on you.
Mr President, You promised to  build more dams and complete ongoing ones, so as to boost agricultural growth.

In addtion you promised to complete the Vom-Manchok-Jos road to boost economic links between Plateau and Kaduna states. Yoy left the state and the Plateau people have been happy ever since and now that you have won, they are waiting

13. Mr President on Feb 21, you were in Kogi. You promised among other things promised that the dredging of the River Niger and Lokoja-Abuja road dualisation would be completed very soon. THE KOGI PEOPLE AND INDEED NIGERIANS ARE HOPING AND WAITING

14. In Kwara State on Feb22, you pledged that the irrigation project in Shonga would be completed soon to boost the commercial farming activities of the New Nigeria Farmers in the area. Mr president, remember you also said the Jebba-Mokwa road and Jebba bridge would be given adequate attention to ease transportation in the area. Kwarians are waiting!

15. On February 24, Mr. President, you pledged to rehabilitate ALL ailing industries in Aba. I believe all Abians are hoping on you to provide the enabling environment to do their businesses, you must keep your promises,

16. Mr.President, on Feb 25th in Anamabra you said there is a plan to build a power station in the state, assuring that within the next four years your administration would construct and rehabilitate ALL federal roads leading to Anambra as well as the South East. You equally to provide potable water to the densely populated Onitsha and Nnewi cities and tackle erosion in the South-East. To tell you the truth, Mr. President, Anambrians are banking on you!

17. In Ebonyi state, you promised to dualise the Enugu-Abakaliki federal highway in addition to establishing  a secretariat for ALL Federal government's agencies and parastatals in Ebonyi. Mr. president, The people of Ebonyi has never had it so good since the creation of their state. Now, you have promised them the good life. Please keeep to your words!

18.  In Niger state, you promised the more power generation. Perhaps the most important aspect of your promises is that your government would map out a five-year strategic plan for road projects. (Please we are waiting for the Plan NOW!!!!)

19. On Feb 27, you were in Asaba, the Delta state capital, which happens to be my state. On that fateful sunday, you revealed that “The NNPC is developing a new programme that will absorb about 5,000 youths, ”, Mr. President, Deltans are delighted at this REVELATIONS. While that number is a far cry from the number of unemployed youths in the state, at all at all na winch (as we say in Warri), so Deltans are waiting.

20. On March 2nd, you were in Ondo where you pronmised that roads and other basic  infrastructure across the states will be developed in four years. In addition you also promised the exploitation of the vast bitumen deposits in the state for national economic development and employment generation. The Ondo people are waiting. Your Four years have started already. You must start now.

21. On the same day, March 2nd, your campaigbn train was in Ekiti state. While there, you promised that more than N50 billion federal intervention projects were ongoing in the state. You can be rest assured that the Fayemi and indeed the entire Ekiti kete are waiting for you.

22. On March 9th, in Sokoto,  you promised to rehabilitate the abandoned Shagari irrigation project as well as reviving the nation’s rail system and fight the menace of desertification in the country. Sokoto people have sufffered for too long. This is your time to redeem your pledge, Mr President. The clock is ticking!!!

23.The date was March 12th 2011 and you were in Ogun state.
Remember, the day you rode to Abeokuta through rail?

Yes, That was the day you promised an improved power supply before the end of the year through the Integrated Power Project (IPP) initiative.

You also pledged to build more refineries, encourage downstream activities, resuscitate rail transportation and create jobs. In case you have forgotten, that was the day that Gbenga Daniel (your South West campaign coordinator was booed by the Ogun people).

24.On March 14th, your campaign trained moved to Kebbi where you promised to establish a federal university next year (2012). You also promised to create jobs through science and technology, tackle environmental challenges and boost health care delivery.

25.Katsina, was your port of call on March 15 where you promised to enhance the living standard of Nigerians through implementation of people-oriented programmes that would provide citizens the necessary opportunities to realise their potentials.

In my opinion, this was just mere rhetorics as you did not make any concrete promises. or did you have the premonition, you will lose in Katsina? I might just be right.

26.In Kano, you pledged to resuscitate the nation’s power sector and encourage the development of small and medium scale enterprises in the country while ensuring justice, equity and fair play in the polity.

Mr.President, Space will not allow me to list the deluge of promises in Lagos, Osun, Borno, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Imo, Taraba, Jigawa, Edo, Bayelsa and Zamfara states. If you can accomplish all your promises in the next four years, then you will go down memory lane as the best President ever. Im all honesty, I wish you GoodLuck!!!

Time will tell!!!

Cbn Imposes Limits, Penalty On Cash Transactions, Again!

….N150,000 for individuals; N200,000 for corporate organisations

From June 2012, individuals that make cash withdrawal or deposit above N150,000 would pay a fine of N100 per extra N1,000, while corporate organisations that make cash withdrawal or deposit above N1 million would pay fine of N200 per extra N1,000.

These limits for free cash withdrawal and deposits were part of a new policy aimed at reducing the high usage of cash in the economy announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday.

The policy, which would be enforced in Lagos State, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Aba in the first instance also banned encashment of third party cheques above N150,000 across the counter

The policy was contained in a circular signed by Mr Muhammad Nda, Director, Currency Operations Department  and addressed to all banks, Cash In Transit (CIT) companies and electronic payment providers.

The circular entitled: “Industry policy on retail cash collection and lodgement” stated: “In view of increasing dominance of cash in the economy with its implication for cost of cash management to the banking industry, security, money laundering, etc., the Central Bank of Nigeria, in collaboration with the Bankers Committee, is adopting policies to reduce the high usage of cash, moderate the cost of cash management and encourage the use of electronic payment channels. Consequently, the Central Bank of Nigeria hereby directs as follows:

The limits

“Commencing from June 1, 2012, a daily cumulative limit of N150,000 and N1,000,000 on free cash withdrawals and lodgments by individual and corporate customers respectively with Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) shall be imposed. To this end, individuals and corporate organisations that make cash transactions above the limits  will be charged a penal fee of N100/thousand and N200/thousand respectively for amounts above the cumulative limits.

“Contravention of this policy shall attract a fine of five (5) times the amount that the bank waives as a first offender. Subsequently, the bank shall pay ten (10) times the charges waived.

“Furthermore, 3rd party cheques above N150,000 shall not be eligible for encashment over the counter. Value for such cheques shall be received through the clearing house.

Penalties

“If a bank allows 3rd party cheque encashment, it shall be liable to a sanction of 10% of the face value of the cheque or N100,000 whichever is higher.

“Banks will cease cash in transit lodgment services rendered to merchant_customers from June 1, 2012. In this regard, customers could engage the services of the CBN licensed cash-in-transit (CIT) companies to aid cash movement to and from their banks at mutually agreed terms and conditions.  Contravention of this policy shall attract a fine of N1.0 million per specie movement.

“This arrangement shall be in force in Lagos State, FCT, Port Harcourt, Kano and Aba in the first instance. The arrangement shall be extended to other parts of the country at a date to be determined by the Bankers Committee.”

“To achieve interoperability of local currency POS transactions, no  card scheme, foreign or local, shall operate exclusive acquirer agreement or contract in Nigeria with effect from June 1, 2011. Any payments scheme, processor, switching company, service provider or

bank that contravenes this policy may be suspended for a minimum of one (1) month by the CBN as a processor, switching company, service provider etc in the first instance. The license may be withdrawn by the CBN if the contravention is repeated.

“This policy shall apply to both private and public sector transactions.  All financial institutions including Deposit Money Banks, Savings and Loans, Mortgage and Microfinance Banks shall comply accordingly.

“Compliance with the policy shall be monitored by the Banking Supervision Department and the Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department with appropriate sanction applied to erring institutions.

“While the Central Bank of Nigeria will make general announcements and carry out public awareness programmes individual banks are expected to do same. The affected customers of banks should be informed in good time by the banks with clear advice on alternative electronic payment channels available to them.”

Arrest Northern Leaders Now Or We Attack Hausas-militants

Arrest Northern Leaders Now or We Attack HAUSAS! Niger Delta Militants to Goodluck Jonathan

Niger-Delta Militants call on President Goodluck Jonathan to arrest Generals Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida , Aliyu Gusau, Mallam Adamu Ciroma and Abubakar Atiku. Failing which, the millitants shall mobilize for "vengance and anger on all Hausa and Fulani people we can find inside and outside our region."

Vengeance is absolutely not the way forward, it will only cause more chaos and anarchy. Dear Lord, help this nation.
The press release by the joint revolutionary council (JRC) of Niger Delta when you continue,



Now that elections are over

“We suspended our armed campaign for the independence of the Niger Delta when we discovered that General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and his co-travellers in the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) were attempting to fund hoodlums in our region to engage in terrorist activities aimed at painting a picture that the Niger Delta freedom fighters are against the Presidential ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan. We saw that the activities of criminal groups funded by the NPLF to oppose the Nigerian President would taint our genuine struggle for the independence of Niger Delta. However, we do not have anything against the Presidential ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan who happens to be from our region that has been politically marginalized under the heavy burden of internal colonialism.

Nevertheless, elections have come and gone. It is unfortunate that those who submitted themselves to the process refused to adhere to the layed down laws, rules and regulation enshrined in the Nigerian Electoral Act. Instead they resorted to violence in Northern Nigeria.

The violence has led to the indescribable massacre of 10,000 innocent civillians of Southern Nigerian origin by miscreats and supporters of General Muhammadu Buhari and his Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) which lost in the April 16, 2011 Presidential Election. Also, thousands of homes, shops and places of religious worship of people from the south of Nigeria living in the north were burnt and bombed.

It is sad that nothing concrete has been done to bring the masterminds and perpetrators of these dastardly acts to justice. We all know that the northern quartet of Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku,
General Aliyu Gusau and General Ibrahim Babangida promised that hell will let loose if ruling party (PDP) refused to zone the presidency of Nigeria to the north, thereby setting the tone for a return to a north/south political rivalry. As part of their plans to achieve that, they sponsored terrorist bomb attacks in different part of Nigeria, including an attempt on the life of President Goodluck Jonathan on October 1, 2010. Their attempt to intimidate him out of the Presidential Primaries of PDP failed and he won.

Furthermore, the northern quartet rallied round and joined forces with General Muhammadu Buhari and his northern-based CPC in a bid to promote their Northern Regional bias. General Muhammadu Buhari tried
to absolve himself of the massacre and mayhem in the north, but there are evidence to proove that he and the northern quartet were the mastermind. Before the beginning of the electoral process he said severally that Nigeria would become another Somalia. He also promised an uprising if the PDP prevents him from winning. The biggest of them all was when he alleged that the ruling party flew millions of ballot papers to several parts of the country in the previous night before the election day. In that reckless remark, he rejected the possible
outcome of the election and vowed that he would never challenge the result of election in court neither will he contest in any election after 2011. With this comment, he set the tone for the sporadic violence and massacre of the lives of 10,000 innocent civillians of southern extraction in the north.

How Bombs and Bomb-Blast Were Made in Kaduna

The Police in Kaduna have announced the discovery of more bombs, capable of causing great damage, in the city recovering from two days of post election violence.

SUSPECTED EXPLOSIVES DISCOVERED BY THE POLICE.

According to the police spokesman, the anti bomb squad deployed to the area of the city, where a bomb exploded yesterday killing two of his owners, found locally made bombs in vegetable oil gallons and in a steel casing.

Other arms discovered at the scene are four locally made pistols, two locally made dane guns, three machetes , one green military belt, one CPC flag , one international passport , various identity cards, CPC tags and a Honda Civic car with registration number, AZ632 KDA.



Two persons suspected to be manufacturers of local bombs died yesterday Friday in Kaduna after they were trying to move some of the manufactured explosives from the place of production to a house near the Kaduna legislative quarters, Rafin-Guza in Kawo area, Kaduna.

An eye witness who identified himself as Musa Suleiman told P.M.News that the bomb blast occurred near the Legislators Quarters between 6.30am and 7pm when Muslims were preparing to go for the evening prayer. The explosion threw the entire locality into confusion.

P.M.News also gathred that the Police and Airforce patrol teams who raced to the scene arrested three other suspects at the 5, Matazu Road Kawo Kaduna, where the blast occurred inside the property of one Abdullahi Dan-Ama , behind a filling station.

The Police Public Relation Officer, Aminu Lawan who confirmed the arrest of the three suspects said they were arrested at the scene of the blast. He disclosed that the three sustained serious injuries as a result of the blast.

Meanwhile, the Police Commissioner Haruna John at a press conference told newsmen that the calibre of explosives discovered at the scene are capable of causing massive destruction.

---

Nigerian makes Prince Williams wedding list

LAGOS — Seyi Obakin  the only Nigerian on the Prince William’s Royal Wedding official guest list released at the weekend by St James’s Palace will receive the Royal Wedding Cake on behalf of Centrepoint.

Obakin, a chartered accountant and Chief Executive, Centrepoint, a charity organisation in London was listed alongside David Bekham, Sir Elton John, among others on the merit section of the guest list. He is one of the three Africans invited for the wedding and the only non African monarch after the Crown Prince of Morocco and King of Swazi in the list.
Prince William is a patron of Obakin’s Centrepoint and has met many of the young people supported by Centrepoint over the years
Obakin joined Centrepoint as Finance Director in 2003 and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2006. He became Acting Chief Executive in May 2008 and was appointed to that role permanently in January 2009. The royal wedding cake will be donated to Obakin’s Centrepoint.

Reggae star Buju Banton Jailed for Life

Grammy-winning reggae singer Buju Banton was convicted Tuesday of conspiring to set up a cocaine deal in 2009, a verdict that elicited anguish and disbelief among supporters in a crowded courtroom and from other artists in his native Jamaica.
A federal jury deliberated for 11 hours over two days on the fate of Banton, who won a Grammy last week for best reggae album for his work entitled "Before the Dawn." He was found guilty of three of four charges, and his attorney said he's facing at least 15 years in prison.
The 37-year-old Banton, whose given name is Mark Myrie, remains wildly popular in Jamaica, and the trial — his second over the drug accusations — was packed with supporters that included other well-known reggae artists. The first trial ended in a mistrial last year after the jury deadlocked.
The tall, dreadlocked singer didn't react when a clerk read the verdict on Tuesday. He stood, hugged his attorneys, then turned around and blew kisses to his supporters in the courtroom and told them: "Thank you." A woman yelled out "We love you, Buju!" as U.S. marshals led him away.
"Obviously we are all upset and disappointed and emotional," said Banton's attorney, David Markus of Miami. "The only person who seems to be OK is Buju. He told us he was happy that he fought, knowing he was innocent.

The Muslim who risked all for his Christian neighbours

As the rampaging youth pursued the woman into the street, men dragged their wives and children inside and locked their doors. The rioters finally caught up with the screaming woman and began to beat her; they tore up her clothes and pushed her to the ground. Then they raised her up again and were dragging her off when a slightly built man in caftan and skull cap approached, shouting at them to stop, his arms flailing. Men looked out from inside their rooms in amazement.


"They said later that they thought I was out of my mind, approaching these boys, all drugged on something, carrying petrol and burning down buildings," said Adamu Bologi.
Mr. Bologi himself had not thought of the consequences of his action. He dragged the woman away from the boys and took her to a nearby mosque, hiding her by a side entrance through which the Ladan usually enters. Of course, he made sure she took off her shoes first.
When he came out, he saw another harassed woman running with two children, stumbling along the road. Her husband is the pastor of a church, the Conqueror's House, around the same area where the Christian Corpers Lodge and a church were burnt last Monday in Minna.
Mr Bologi looked around him. There was no one else apart from the rioters in the street.
"It was suddenly like midnight," he said. "The whole place was so quiet, not even a child could be heard, although it was just about 2pm. The world seemed empty and these boys were in charge."
He saw smoke from a burning church behind the crying woman on the opposite street; he saw some other miscreants approach; and he saw that soon she would run into them. Mr Bologi ran towards her and took one of the children. He tried to lead her to his house, but she was inconsolable.
"She kept screaming about her husband, saying, ‘They are too many. They are beating him, please help him before they kill him.' She finally agreed to follow me home after I promised to go for the pastor afterward."
After he took her home, where another victim he took there earlier was already settled, watching a movie, he went back to check on the pastor but the place was unapproachable. The boys were breaking windows, destroying the building and stealing church equipment. How to approach such a scene?
Mr Bologi said the pastor fought valiantly; there was blood on his hands where he kept blocking the blows from the cutlass wielded by one of the boys as the rest hit him with hockey sticks. The whole place was full of smoke.
"I was alone," said Mr Bologi. "There was no way I could handle those boys. I had no stick, no knife, nothing."
Suddenly, someone pointed at him, asking where the woman was and some in the gang began to spread around to look for her.
"So I went back to look after my family and the woman. But when she saw me she started screaming about her husband again, asking me if he was dead already, begging me to help him. So I got out again."
But by the time he went back, the pastor was no longer there. The boys were still screaming, still stealing, still vandalising but there was nothing he could do. He went past the church searching for the pastor. The streets were deserted save for the urchins, and he was about to return home when he saw a man walking through some kind of haze.
"He had obviously been looking for his family," said Mr Bologi. "When I approached him, he stood there with bandaged hands, still defiant. ‘Are you the pastor of the burnt church?' I asked. He said, ‘So what if I am?' So I told him his family was in my home and that I could take him to them."
But that took a while because Mr Bologi couldn't just walk the bleeding pastor to his home - they would be seen. So they devised a way to get to the house by indirection, going sideways, like a crab's walk.
"When the woman saw her husband, I have never seen such joy," he said.
There was a police barracks near the place, perhaps 300 metres away. Mr Bologi told the pastor that soon the boys would come to look for him there and he won't be able to stop them, alone. He had to get them to the barracks; the pastor's family, and the woman he had ensconced in the mosque. On the way, they heard sirens, a vehicle filled with policemen approached and the motley crew of victims and their surrogate looked up in hope, but the policemen were on their way to the governor's residence nearby.
When Mr Bologi returned from the barracks, he saw that the boys have all gathered by his house.
"I thought, ‘well, this is it.' The only thing standing between me and harm was my long dress," he said.
They were not after him, however.
"There is a building opposite where I stay and the whole people there are Ibos. The boys were attacking the place. They were breaking the windows, television, everything," he said.
The example to follow
Earlier on, the people had met Mr Bologi to seek permission to move into his compound, but there were too many of them.
"I suggested they all move to the police barracks and I followed them there to scout the road. They had to wait at the junction while I checked if the boys were around," he said.
When he saw that their rooms were under attack, Mr Bologi again pleaded with the boys to move on, that there was no one there. They ignored him. By this time, his brave efforts and constant imprecations had brought four other men from their homes and they helped in urging the boys to desist.
"That was when this man came running out of his room and they caught him. They began to beat him up but we went closer. We were shouting, ‘don't kill him, don't kill him.' They said they would kill him unless he said, ‘Laila la'ilallah.'
"The man tried, but he couldn't say the words. I told them this was unIslamic and they got more angry, accusing me of conniving with unbelievers, threatening me.
"It was during this back and forth that one of those wielding a machete went behind and hit the man on the neck, leaving a wide gash as the man crumbled to the floor..."
At this point in his narration, Mr Bologi's voice crumbled, and he couldn't go on. His eyes misted over.
"It is not right," he said. "It is not right to do that to another human being, and no religion I know permits such a thing. No religion says that for no reason you can machete an innocent man."
I asked Mr Bologi what happened after this.
"I started crying," he said.
"It was all too much. I saw the blow and for a second, the collar-bones were all white and then the blood started gushing. I became so weak."
When he rallied, Mr Bologi had attempted to push the man into the Mosque but the boys stopped him. So he dragged the man to his house.
"There was all this blood and my wife wasn't finding it funny. She said, "What are you doing? You bring some and you take them out and you go and bring others?"
So why did Mr Bologi, a young librarian at the state newspaper house, Newsline, a man without any obvious physical strength stand up to over 30 vicious young men, holding clubs and machetes?
"I kept remembering the prophet, Mohammed," he said. "He urged us to live our lives in such a way that other people would come to admire our way of life and become Muslims themselves. Is anyone going to become a Muslim with the kind of violence shown by those boys?"
And why did the rioters not learn the same lesson?
"They are mostly boys, you know, without families, without the kind of home training we got. Many of them are twelve, fourteen and fifteen-year-olds."
Afterward, Mr Bologi and some other neighbours, mostly Muslims, joined hands to put out the fires in the churches and to take all the injured to the hospital. Mr. Bologi still looked exhausted the day after.

"I kept thinking of the prophet," he said. "One day some men came to kill him and failed. As they fled, the prophet noticed that they were going in the direction of his more militant supporters, Saidi na Ali and such. So, he told them not to go that way, to avoid the route because they might get themselves killed. He helped them make good their escape. That is my example. That should be our example as Muslims.

HOT SHOT! : Is This Really Governor Uduaghan?

Delta state Governor , Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan Pictured (or Photoshopped?)  Dancing With an unknown plus-sized (Orobo) Woman

Regina Askia Is Now A Registered Nurse (pics)!

this beautiful and sexy mama who i had a crush on back in those days is now an RN! what went wrong?? from being a wealthy famous actress to wiping butts in american 

she can still get it though, and i admire her for working hard.

bravo regina!

Nigeria’s all-time screen diva and beauty, Regina Askia Williams bagged a Ph.D in Nursing on Wednesday, December 15th- a day before her 42nd birthday.

An excited Regina wrote on her Facebook status; “(I’m) officially done with nursing school. That’s got to be the best birthday present for me”.
Regina, a registered and practicing nurse in States lives with her husband and kids family in New York
The ex-MBGN and actress ranked in the league of Liz Benson, Dolly Nnachukwu, Barbara Soky, Segun Arinze, Sandra Achums and Fred Amata, in her acting days. She gave up on acting and relocated to the US upon finding love and in a black American – Mr Rudolph ‘Rudy’ Williams.
Being her goal getter self, the Biology graduate from UniLag had her acting break came in 1993 via a popular soap Fortunes, which she starred in.  ex-model gave. She’s hosted fashion shows in New York, launched her own fashion line, tried her hands on business management before she finally moved on to nursing.
At a time the ex-MBGN was rumoured to have been separated from husband Rudolph but she later declined so in an interview. Regina has two kids together with Rudolph but then has a teenager daughter Stephanie Hornecker, for a French businessman she once had an affair with. Stephanie is into modelling. Knowing how well nursing pays in the States, one can’t but congratulate Regina on this new feat while we imagine how much the beauty rakes in annually. Thumbs up Regina.

CPC South-East Says Presidential Election Was Free & Fair!

South East CPC disowns Buhari
•Says presidential election was not rigged in the zone

The controversy trailing the last presidential election took another dimension yesterday when members of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) disowned the party’s standard-bearer, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. They said that the election was the freest ever conducted in Nigeria.

After the results of the presidential election were announced, Buhari had rejected results in the South East, claiming that the election was massively rigged against him and the party in South East.

Speaking in Awka, Anambra State capital, chairmen of the party in the five states of the South East, stated: “In all fairness, we wish to state very clearly that the 2011 presidential election was the freest and fairest election ever conducted in Nigeria, though not without minor hitches.”

The chairmen disclosed that the colossal failure of the party in the zone was rather a product of internal wrangling that rocked the party few days to the election than the alleged rigging.

In a six-paragraph communiqué entitled, South East CPC Confirms Presidential Election Free, Fair and Credible, read on their behalf by the Anambra State chairman of the party, Prince Chuba Ikeagwu, the CPC chiefs frowned at the assertion by the leader of the party without verifying from them.

The communiqué read in part: “The South East members of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) received with surprise the news that the just-concluded presidential election was rigged against our party in our zone. In all fairness, we wish to state very clearly that the 2011 presidential election was the freest and fairest election ever conducted in Nigeria, though not without minor hitches.

“As custodians of the party in the zone, we were embarrassed to hear that the CPC was rigged out in the just presidential polls in the South East. It’s an indictment on our commitment to our party. Facts should have been verified from the leadership of the party in the zone by whoever is concerned before making an official statement on issues that affect us.

“Our position is not meant to slight or embarrass anybody but to straighten out issues and appeal to those who chose to truncate facts that are capable of creating disaffection among the peace loving Nigerians to desist forthwith. We are neither deaf nor dumb and were in the best position to present issues as they occurred.”

Breaking News: Fresh Bomb Blast Kill 12 In Kaduna

KADUNA – The Kaduna state police command spokesman Aminu Lawan (DSP)  confirmed that another  bomb went off in Rafin Guza, in Kawo part of Kaduna,  a week after a similar bomb was detonated in Kabala west, which  killed 2 and wounded 8.

The command had after last week’s explosion, paraded 5 suspects, among  them 4 nationals from the Republic of Niger, in which one confessed dropping the bomb at Happy Hotel, the spot where the bomb exploded, as reported by Kitchen.

Lawan, who said that the police had arrested 3 suspects and had rounded up  a house “full of suspects”,  in last night’s explosion, was irritated by questions for details on the incident.

Rafin Guza is almost an exclusive quarters for  immigrants from North Africa, and Hausa and Fulani low wage workers.

Kitchen was told that the explosion killed twelve people, suspected to be members of a religious sect, believed to be in a training session  on how to handle explosives.Details of the incident is scanty as at Press time.

Secret Behind Sanusi Lamido's Appointment

What most people fail to understand about the appointment of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is that it was deeply mired in the dynamics or intrigues that plagued the Yaradua government. When yaradua came on board he was openly grateful to Obasanjo for the honor of becoming the president of Nigeria. Even his mother Hajiya Dada personally went to Otta farm to thank Obasanjo. If anyone could recall, Yaradua personally intervened when Tony Anenih upstaged Obasanjo in a cooup and dethroned him as the Pdp BOT chairman. It was Yaraduas insistent that restored Obasanjo to the position. But it in a dramatic about turn, prompted by northerners surrounding him that he cant make any impact without being a man of his own, he started breaking his ties with Obasanjo.Wary of Obasanjo's remnant influence in the pdp and the country at large, he started to consolidate his power in many ways. For instance he moved closer to an opposition state like Lagos in the south west where Obasanjo was unporpular. He visited Fashola and strengthened ties with him. He also gave out the contract for the dredging of the River Niger a populist move with strong northern sympathies. But his strongest backers were from the northwest, particularly Kano state. A review of his appointments both political, and military will show that the juiciest went to pple of Kano origin. And one cannot blame him, for Katsina state is a small fry when it comes to power equation in Nigeria (witness how Shema the Katsina governor quickly towed the Jonathan line as soon as the Aso Rock occupants changed. He was even appointed to lead  Jonathan,s campaign in the northwest)  and so he needed such a strong support from Kano in spite of the fact that Kano was governed by an opposition party.  At the  press of a button in Kano a million marauding rioters could be ordered onto the streets  and that would make anybody think twice before tampering with him or his government. Even when Turai was  dishing out her daughters to all manners of politicians to consolidate her husband's rule, the Kano state governor Ibrahim Shekarau would have made the list too if not for the fact he was not an 'original' Hausa man. His parents were Babur, a small tribe in the north east. For being in an opposition party was not enough reason to sideline him as Isa Yuguda the governor of Bauchi state decamped to the Pdp from the Anpp after marrying the presidents daughter. The arrangement was that in the event of the death or total incapacitation of the Yaradua, Turai believed that one of her in-laws and serving governors would assume the mantle of leadership, still keeping the spoils of office within her and her family's reach. With the marriage, her two daughters were quickly made the first ladies of their respective states, pushing aside the senior wives they met. The aim was for them to start training on how to be first ladies of the country when the time comes. So when Soludo's tenure came to an end all his attempts to retain the seat and go for another term was rebuffed by surprisingly the person he thought could save him, Turai. Another contender then was Yuguda. but as a president-in- waiting and also a sitting governor he was ruled out. That was how Sanusi was chosen. He comes from kano where Yaradua derived his biggest support and was the most experienced banker in the state having reached the top echelon at First bank. Already two kano men were in charge of the finance ministry: the minister of finance and the minister of state for finance  which was unprecedented in Nigeria's political history for both to come from the same state. Why not add another kano man to pocket the exchequer. So to be frank the initial appointment was to populate the Yaradua's government with his kano backers. Sanusi's stint in the commercial banking industry was uneventful, nothing to write home about.And even all his write ups never analysed the banking sector nor the economy of Nigeria. When he resigned from the first bank his intention was to go and teach in the university.  So why the sudden change and crusading zeal? Someone compared him to Dora Akunyili which i find very apt. Nigeria's institutions are all corrupted and it easy for any one to become a hero by making a few splashes here and there. but in the case of Sanusi when he was appointed it even became even more urgent. instead of pple questioning why the minister and the minister of state and also the central bank governor coming from the same state, the focus was on the headlines generated by the tsunami sweeping away the bank md's. the rest they say is history.

Breaking News: Fire guts Bakare's house

The Opebi, Lagos house of the vice presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Pastor Tunde Bakare, has been gutted by fire

 

Bakare, who was at home at the time, told journalists that he was unaware of the cause of the fire. He said somebody raised an alarm, and he quickly evacuated his family.
There were no reported casualties as at the time of this report.
Bakare was the running mate to Muhammadu Buhari in last Saturday's presidential election.

Sergio Ramos dropped Copa del Rey trophy under moving bus

Sergio Ramos' Copa del Rey celebration started off graceful enough with a short routine he performed on the pitch using a matador's cape after Real Madrid's 1-0 win over Barcelona at the Mestalla. But once he did a bit more celebrating, things took a turn for the worse.
When Real arrived back in a rain-soaked Madrid and boarded an open-top bus that would take them to the center of the late-night celebrations at the Plaza de Cibeles, Sergio Ramos took hold of the Copa del Rey trophy and held it high above his head at the front of the bus as it moved slowly through the streets filled with 60,000 fans. Maybe it was the rain, maybe it was all the jubilant jostling on the bus or maybe it was just Sergio Ramos being Sergio Ramos, but at approximately 4:15 a.m., the trophy slipped out of his hands and fell under the bus. Seriously. This is something that happened. Less than 24 hours after winning the thing for the first time since 1993, and Sergio Ramos broke it.
So with the cup lodged under the bus' front bumper, the driver had to stop and get out as a group of cops came over to pry it out. The celebration continued on and everyone seemed far too happy to be upset about the accident. Somewhere, Pep Guardiola watched and chuckled, knowing that his telekinesis worked.
UPDATE: Sergio Ramos joked on his Twitter account that the whole thing was a misunderstanding and that the trophy didn't fall -- it jumped to meet all the Madrid fans at Cibeles.
Well, it didn't quite jump far enough and instead, it met the front wheel of the bus.
According to a Real Madrid spokeswoman, the trophy "is not in good shape" and now the jeweler who made the cup will have some work to do. From the AP:

Convenant University To Conduct Virginity Test For Female Students?

Wonders in Nigeria shall never end - A rumor has been going on about Covenant University's intentions to conduct a Virginity Test for its female students.
Posts and comments were set on fire over the matter as to what was the idea behind the move.
Mixed reactions from all corner, some thoughts would say, if these rumors were to be true, what happens to the students who fail the test?
Considering that the University is of a Godly background, the rumour seems false because they should know better that if its a sin to have lost virginity, what happens to "Be born-again and Old things are past away"?
No concrete report has been seen from the University verifying this rumour, but the students of Convenant University stormed the gist with their views:

The story about Virgin test in covenant university is false #confirmed On a serious note, after the Virginity test,are they going to send results to the parents?Like Biola did so well in Maths but failed V test.
Dear CU board of Directors, please make " The Virgins" list available for eligible bachelors. Consider it your CRS
Big ups to all the virgins that made it through the temptations in high school and are still virgins in college
Plz they shud come and do Virginity Test for Unilag or Lasu Students na
All information posted on amebor talk should not be taken as an official media report, but as a "mere gossip" which is subject to being partially true. But as the saying goes......"There is an atom of truth in every story".

The Murder Of Obinna Okpokiri

I did not know Obinna directly but we had mutual friends here in London. Until recently Obinna was here in the UK, at his family expense, to pick up a post graduate qualification. Obi, as I will call him for the rest of this write up, like every young man had dreams and hopes and one of such was to go back and complete the mandatory NYSC. As a result he packed his bags, paid his way back to Nigeria to serve his fatherland in Bauchi where he was posted to do his National Youth Service.

As you might have guessed by now Obi is one of the Youth Corpers, reported glibly by the media, killed in Bauchi in the last few days. I don’t know if it is because it has happened so many times or what, but the media in Nigeria have become very blasé about such killings and no longer view such as worthy of further coverage. Obi was a person, he had a life, he had a family that loved and sacrificed for him. Obi as you can see from his picture was a good looking young man full of life. According to friends, Obi had run to the corpers lodge to seek refuge and was worried enough to contemplate running to the barracks. But before he or any of the other corpers in the lodge could actualize this; death arrived in the form of a CPC murder squad.

The terror Obi and the rest must have felt can only be best imagined. They were forced out and beaten up and not quite done, the baying crowd of CPC fanatics slaughtered them and set their bodies alight. It is not the kind of death you will wish on your enemy. Let no one try and palm this off on the usual suspects; the Almajiris. Yes there must have been street urchins amongst the killer squad but these were CPC and Buhari loyalists who were out to sort out “the opponents” of their leader. It did not matter to them that these young people were on a National service, as far as they were concerned, if they were not one of them, then they must be the enemy.

There are parallels between the killing of Obi et al and what happened in Kenya at the tail end of 2007 when Kenyans went to the polls in a bitterly fought election. The incumbent Mwai Kibaki’s reelection was disputed by the main opposition leader Raila Odinga. In no time Kalenjin militias in the Rift Valley fanned out in a murderous search of Kibaki’s supporters and kinsmen. They burnt down their houses, looted and killed Kikuyus who were seen as Kibaki’s supporters. Kibaki’s Kikuyus soon retaliated and at the end of the sin assembly of violence, over 1,100 Kenyans had been killed.

Just like we have seen in Nigeria before, the Kenyan government sacrificed justice at the altar of political expediency. The Kenyan Government made feeble attempts bring to trail the perpetuators without much success and the International Criminal Court (ICC) at The Hague was forced to step in. Charges have now been filed against 6 politicians, ex head of Police, a radio DJ and Government ministers for inciting the violence

The killing of Obi in Bauchi won’t be the first time people have run amok in the North. Far more people have been killed in Plateau state alone than in Kenya. People are killed at the drop of a hat in the North and Middle Belt and the Government appears helpless. We must now call on the ICC to intervene and try and break this cycle of the mindless slaughter of the innocent people in the North. The facts are all there, just as in Kenya; people were incited and primed to wreak maximum havoc in the event of results not favoring them. Even after the elections we had the likes of Alhaji Buba Galadima of the CPC still going on BBC Hausa service to spew hate.  I have previously written about the climate of hate that surrounded CPC rallies prior to the elections and frankly it is no surprise that violence broke out. What is surprising is that yet again, the security forces were caught flat footed. How could they not have known that CPC supporters were going to embark on an sin assembly of violence?

It is doubtful if President Jonathan has the political spine to bring the murders to book. I suspect the killing of Obi and that of many others in this latest sin assembly of violence will be swept under the carpet by the Government for the sake of political expediency or “national unity”. We need to tell the government that there is no more room under the carpet. The blood of Obi (and others) is calling for justice. It would be most disappointing if appeasement rather that justice is pursued by the government, killers must be brought to book and not rewarded. If the Government feels this is beyond them, they should then allow for the ICC to step in.

INEC Postpones Guber Election In Bauchi, Kaduna

 The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed the governorship elections scheduled for Tuesday, April 26, 2011, in Bauchi and Kaduna states citing the security situation in the states.
INEC said the elections would be conducted on April 28, 2011.
Recall that post presidential election violence had ravaged most states in the north following the defeat of the CPC candidate in the poll, General Muhammadu Buhari, a retired soldier and Muslim from northern Nigeria.

Sanusi Named One Of 100 Most Influential Persons By TIME

Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi has been named as one of the world’s most influential persons for 2011 according to TIME magazine in its yearly ranking of influential persons worldwide from a pool of artists and activists, reformers and researchers, heads of state and captains of industry.
Also in the 2011 TIME 100 list are US President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Kim Clijsters, Prince William and Kate Middleton, Korean pop sensation Rain and a host of other persons.
In a brief note on Sanusi, TIME said; “The story of Nigeria's first half-century of Independence is a tale of wasted potential: sub-Saharan Africa's most populous country, home to its biggest oil riches, impoverished by thieving autocrats. A key reason a new Nigeria no longer seems fanciful is Central Bank governor Lamido Sanusi.
“A veteran of an often corrupt banking industry, Sanusi, 49, took up his position at the height of the financial crisis in June 2009 and immediately turned on his former peers. He took over nine banks, sacked the chief executives of eight of them, ordered a series of mergers and named their biggest debtors.
“He was, he said, cleaning up not just banking but all Nigeria. Sanusi's will be a long fight and a dangerous one: death threats have obliged him to employ armed guards. But it is also essential for Africa's sleeping giant to finally awaken.”
The full List of TIME 100
• Wael Ghonim
• Joseph Stiglitz
• Reed Hastings
• Amy Poehler
• Geoffrey Canada
• Mark Zuckerberg
• Peter Vesterbacka
• Angela Merkel
• Julian Assange
• Ron Bruder
• Lamido Sanusi
• Colin Firth
• Amy Chua
• Joe Biden
• Jennifer Egan
• Kim Clijsters
• Ahmed Shuja Pasha
• Aung San Suu Kyi
• Cory Booker
• Gabrielle Giffords
• Katsunobu Sakurai
• Michelle Obama
• Paul Ryan
• Ai Weiwei
• Rob Bell
• Fathi Terbil
• Dilma Rousseff
• Tom Ford
• Liang Guanglie
• Sue Savage-Rumbaugh
• Takeshi Kanno
• Nicolas Sarkozy
• Michele Bachmann
• Saad Mohseni
• Chris Christie
• Matthew Weiner
• Lisa Jackson
• Jean-Claude Trichet
• Justin Bieber
• Prince William and Kate Middleton
• Joe Scarborough
• Blake Lively
• Hillary Clinton
• Muqtada al-Sadr
• Anwar al-Awlaki
• Kim Jong Un
• Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
• Hassan Nasrallah
• Nathan Wolfe
• Oprah Winfrey
• Sergio Marchionne
• Mahendra Singh Dhoni
• Felisa Wolfe-Simon
• Esther Duflo
• Rain
• Larry Page
• Mia Wasikowska
• David Cameron
• John Lasseter
• Maria Bashir
• Mukesh Ambani
• Chris Colfer
• Major General Margaret Woodward
• Bruno Mars
• David and Charles Koch
• Hung Huang
• General David Petraeus
• Matt Damon and Gary White
• Cecile Richards
• George R.R. Martin
• Marine Le Pen
• Grant Achatz
• Feisal Abdul Rauf
• El Général
• Jamie Dimon
• Heidi Murkoff
• Sting
• Jonathan Franzen
• V.S. Ramachandran
• Michelle Rhee
• Mark Wahlberg
• Rebecca Eaton
• Xi Jinping
• Kathy Giusti
• Arianna Huffington
• Barack Obama
• Lionel Messi
• Azim Premji
• Aruna Roy
• Ray Chambers
• Scott Rudin
• John Boehner
• Derrick Rossi
• Hu Shuli
• Benjamin Netanyahu
• Ayman Mohyeldin
• Charles Chao
• Bineta Diop
• Dharma Master Cheng Yen
• Patti Smith

Buhari Barred From Entering Suleja

Presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) was yesterday prevented from entering Suleja by security agents.
The motorcade of the former military leader was stopped at Madalla and he was told he could not proceed to Suleja.
Buhari was on his way to Suleja to pay a condolence over the penultimate Friday bomb blast that claimed the lives of some 13 persons.

Chairman of the CPC in Niger State, Alhaji Shuaibu Umar told Daily Sun in Minna that the police mounted a roadblock between Madalla and Diko junction where Buhari was turned back.

Police Public Relations Officer in Niger State, ASP Richard Adamu Oguche, said the security situation in Niger State did not permit allowing Buhari entry into any part of the state. He described the CPC candidate as a free citizen of the country but said the security situation would not allow such a visit to Niger State at the very moment.

Meanwhile, the Kano State Police Command has imposed a ban on all political rallies and political gatherings in the state until after the conduct of the gubernatorial elections, saying any political party that goes against the ban will be prosecuted according to the law. The state police commissioner, Mr. Dan’azumi Doma, made this disclosure at a press briefing in Kano yesterday, adding that they were determined to implement the directive to the letter.

The position of the police may not be unconnected with the rumour that the CPC presidential candidate, General Buhari (retd) may be visiting the state to raise the hand of General Jafaru Isa, the recently court-declared gubernatorial candidate of the party in the state. Doma disclosed that over 100 suspects had been arrested and interrogated in connection with the poll violence in the state, adding that the suspects had been charged to court, which had remanded some of them in prison custody.

He said the police and the rest of the security agencies were determined to probe deep to identify and apprehend the sponsors of the dastardly act, noting that no matter how highly placed, anybody found wanting would be prosecuted along with their agents and conspirators. He warned that the act of brigandage and hooliganism must not be allowed to continue as security agencies were ready to deal with hooligans and mischief makers in the state.

He equally warned rumour-mongers and alarmists to desist from spreading rumour capable of escalating tension in the state. Besides, he cautioned parents and guardians to ensure that their children and wards did not allow themselves to be used to foment trouble by mischief-makers.