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France returns stolen Nok artefacts back to Nigeria

Nigeria is precious enough to be saved - Babangida




A former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), has advised the Federal Government to strengthened the Nigerian Project initiative so that unity and development of the country could be maintained.

Babangida said this on Thursday in Lagos at the presentation of two books in honour of Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, a former External Affairs Minister.

Beckham Joins PSG, To Donate Weekly Salary To Charity



David Beckham

Paris Saint-Germain have announced that they have secured the services of former England skipper David Beckham on a free transfer.
The 37-year-old, who had been without a club ever since leaving LA Galaxy back in December 2012, travelled to Paris on Thursday to complete the deal, and has signed a contract until the end of the season after passing his medical.

AIR POLLUTION: Canned Fresh Air For Sale In China

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China's foulest fortnight for air pollution in memory has rekindled a tongue-in-cheek campaign by a multimillionaire with a streak of showmanship who is selling canned fresh air.


Chen Guangbiao, who made his fortune in the recycling business and is a high-profile philanthropist, on Wednesday handed out soda pop-sized cans of air, purportedly from far-flung, pristine regions of China such as Xinjiang in the northwest to Taiwan, the southeast coast.

$3 Million Bribery: Otedola Defeats Lawmakers In Preliminary Case



Lagos-based oil magnate and the Chairman of Zenon Oil and Gas, Femi Otedola has floored the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal and former Chairman House Ad hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy Probe Farouk Lawan in the N250 billion harassment, intimidation and business losses suit he instituted against the two lawmakers.

An Abuja High Court on Thursday upheld Mr Otedola’s case against Messrs Tambuwal and Lawan ordering both men to file their defence immediately while dismissing their two separate objections to the legal action.

Man Bites Of Ear During Fight Over N200


A provisions trader, Chukuma Ameh, has been arraigned before the Senior Magistrates’ Court, Mararaba for biting off the left ear of one Abdulaziz Saidu in a fight over N200.

The pair were found fighting on the street by the police patrol team attached to Sani Abacha Road, Mararaba B, led by Inspector Mayibe Tube and were arrested.

Busted: Two Women Try Smuggling Cocaine in 'Diapers'






Two ladies from Bronx have been caught smuggling six and a half kilos of cocaine hidden in 'diapers' under their pants.

Student Arrested For Attempting To Bomb Market In Kano


The Kano State Police Command has arrested an undergraduate student of Bayero University, Kano (BUK) in connection with an abandoned polythene bag containing wheat flour mixed with guinea corn with a remote controlled bomb inside.

A statement signed by the force spokesman, ASP Magaji Musa Majia, said the bag was seen abandoned on January 23 at bout 220hrs at a popular GSM market junction at Farm Centre by some men riding tricycle.

Skales goes back to Lead City University


Skales
After touring in the UK, US and staging (along with his EME crew) one of the most successful music concerts of 2012, it’s back to the books for rapper Skales.

The 20-year-old who is studying Office Management at Lead City University in Ibadan put up a photo of himself on campus, looking bright and happy.

An earlier photo however shows the contrast – ‘Schooling in Nigeria means Alota frustration’, he wrote.

NEW VIDEO: Tonto Dikeh - Itz Ova

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Controversial Nollywood star, turned musician, Tonto Dikeh is back again with a video for her new single 'Itz Ova'

Moses, Uche dismiss Elephants’ high profile




Two-goal hero in the Super Eagles victory over Ethiopia, Victor Moses, and Villarreal striker Ike Uche say the quarterfinal match against Ivory Coast on Sunday will not be one-sided. They warned that having crossed the group stage, Nigeria will be hard to dismiss.

We Don't Want Any Dialogue With Government - Second-in-command to Boko Haram leader




SaharaReporters has obtained an audio interview of a man, identified as Mujhahedeen Muhammad Marwana, who claims to be the second-in-command to Boko Haram leader Imam Abubakar Shekau, conducted in Hausa by phone in Bauchi State, by a foreign journalist.

Man Sentenced To 3-years In Jail For Stealing BlackBerry, while N2 Billion pension theif is freed


A man was sentenced to three years in jail for stealing a telephone handset worth N17, 000 even as pension thief who stole N2billion is freed

Less than 24 hours after an Abuja High Court sentenced Pension Thief John Yakubu Yusuf to two years in prison for admitting to stealing around N2 billion, an Ikare Magistrate Court in Ondo State has sentenced another man to three years in prison for stealing a telephone handset worth N17, 000.

The Abuja court had on Monday sentenced the former director of the Police Pension Board , John Yakubu Yusuf, to two-year imprisonment.

Mr. Yusuf pleaded guilty to two-count charges of embezzling about N2 billion of the total N33 billion stolen from police pensions. He was, however, given an option of fine of N250, 000 instead of going to jail.

Adepoju Jamiu, 23, living in Ondo was not so lucky. On Tuesday, the Ikare Magistrate Court sentenced him to three years imprisonment for stealing a China Blackberry phone worth N17, 000. Like pension thief Yusuf, Mr. Jamiu also pleaded guilty to the charge.

If the ratio of years of sentence was relative to the amount stolen and the same law was used to try both men, should Mr. Jamiu be jailed 3 years, Mr., Yusuf would have been sentenced to at least 110,000 years in jail.

Not only was Mr. Jamiu given a seemingly incomparable jail sentence, he was not given an option of fine by Chief Magistrate Sunday Adeniyan.

Mr. Jamiu’s crime, the police prosecutor, Aigbojie Amileomen, told the court that the stolen phone belonged to one Suleiman Asimiyi.

While briefing the court on the case, the prosecutor said the accused committed the offence in November 2012 at about 5.30 a.m. at Olukare Central Mosque, Inu Odi, Okela, Ikare.

When the case was read, the accused pleaded guilty as charged.

Mr. Adeniyan convicted Mr. Jamiu having found him guilty.

He said Mr. Jamiu’s action violated Section 383(1) and punished him under Section 390(9)of the Criminal Code Cap 37, volume one, laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

He therefore ordered that Mr. Jamiu should remain in prison for three years without an option of fine.

CAN Blasts El-Rufai over 'Jesus Joke'


Mallam El- Rufai

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Wednesday, described recent statement linked to former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, on Jesus Christ, as not only reckless but also indicative of deep-seated moral bankcruptcy.

El-Rufai had tweeted on January 28, that “if Jesus criticises Jonathan’s government, Maku, Abati or Okupe will say that he slept with Mary Magdalene”.

Addressing newsmen on the issue, CAN warned El-Rufai that “if he persists in such matters and making such divisive commentaries, he must prepare himself for a very forceful and vigorous reaction from the Church and the Christian community in Nigeria”.

Speaking through its General Secretary, Rev. Musa Asake, CAN warned that the “maturity and dignified restraint of the Christian populace, in the face of inflammatory and provocative statements, should not be taken as licence for unbridled assault.

“We urge his religious leaders and political associates to advise him to be far more sobre and circumspect and put a padlock on his mouth before he lights the candle that sets our country on fire.

“On our part, we urge the Christian community and our Christian youths to continue to be restrained and always seek peace, love and harmony, in spite of the provocations that they are facing from the likes of Nasir El-Rufai and those he represents.

“We must not allow him to turn Nigeria into a cauldron of fire by his reckless, bigoted and twisted commentaries about our Lord or our faith and we must view him for exactly what he is,  a failed, desperate, hate-filled and drowning politician, who is now stoking  embers of religious division to create a political base for himself amongst his people.

“Nigeria has no place for a religious bigots who delight in insulting the Christian faith.

“We urged the Federal Government to call Nasir El-Rufai to order and not to overlook the possibility that his joke was not only contrived but was actually calculated to create an even greater wedge between Christians and Muslims with the attendant consequences.

“Had it not been for the maturity, fortitude, patience, decency, forgiving nature and deep sense of restraint that the majority of Christians have in our country, El-Rufai would not have been safe anywhere in Nigeria today after cracking such an expensive joke.”

PHOTOS: Meet 27-Year-Old Nigerian Whose Incredible Sketches Look Like Digital Photos

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Kelvin Okafor, 27, graduated from Middlesex University in fine art and is now making waves across the country.

Varsity worker to die by hanging for killing admission seeker



A 27-year-old clerical officer of the Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka, one David Wonder  Erhirhie has been sentenced to death by an Orerokpe high court in the State, having found him guilty of killing a female student, Princess Chinoso Ijezie  who was seeking for admission at the University sometime in 2009.

Prosecution led by Mr. Theophilous Omenuwoma had told the court that “David Wonder, until the ugly incident was a junior staff with DELSU was an admission racketeer who collected the sum of N155,000 from the deceased to assist her to secure admission into the University.

Nigeria bans Under 25 from driving trucks, taxis



Nigeria’s Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC,  may have stirred human rights controversy when it said Wednesday  that commercial driver’s licences would no longer be issued to applicants below the age of 25 years.

Disclosing this, the Lagos State Sector Commander, FRSC, Mr Nseobong Akpabio, said the step was intended to get rid of underage drivers and sanitise the profession.  Commercial drivers licences are given to drivers of trucks and taxis.

Man, 30, charged with raping 6-year-old



A 30-year-old Nigerian businessman, Joshua Collins, on Wednesday appeared before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, charged with raping a 6-year-old girl.

Collins, a resident of Oderemo Street, Somolu, Lagos, is facing a two-count charge of indecent assault and rape.

Angels were behind me during Ethopia's match – Nigeria's Goal Keeper,Enyeama


Vincent Enyeama
Nigeria goal keeper, Vincent Enyeama who made a point blank save immediately after Nigeria’s opener has sensationally declared he had no clue how he pulled off an incredible point blank save.

“I don’t know how I did it, the Angels of God were behind me and caused my hands to be in the right place to stop the ball”.

Real Madrid 1 Barcelona 1: Varane cancels out Fabregas' opener


Level pegging: Raphael Varane (centre) celebrates after scoring the equaliser

Real Madrid and Barcelona have it all to play for in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final after an entertaining stalemate at the Bernabeu tonight.

Both sides had plenty of chances during an enthralling first half but the opener did not arrive until five minutes into the second period when Cesc Fabregas latched onto Lionel Messi's through ball to fire past Diego Lopez.

EPL: Arsenal 2-2 Liverpool

Comeback kid: Walcott scored the equaliser for Arsenal mid-way through the second half


Arsenal continue to serve up the sublime and the ridiculous. Their defending was so poor for an hour, allowing Liverpool to score through Luis Suárez inevitably and Jordan Henderson surprisingly, before they played some exhilarating football, claiming a point through Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott.

PICTURES: Protesters Storm Ministry Of Justice Over Pension Thief Sentence



Abuja: Civil Society organizations  today protested the judgement handed down to the former director of Police Pension Board, John Yakubu Yesufu by an Abuja High Court .  The protest which started at the Ministry of Justice was led by Dino Melaye with members of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and others. 

Masqurade killer of Islamic cleric on the run



Indications  emerged Wednesday that the Masqurade that allegedly shot dead  an Islamic Cleric Lateef Amusa  in Ijaye in the area of Abeokuta metropolis during Egungun festival has run away.

Jonathan Promises Fairness In Federal Appointment



President Goodluck Jonathan said on Wednesday in Abuja that his administration would ensure equity and fairness in appointment to political offices and employment into the Federal Civil Service. 

The president gave the assurance at the swearing-in ceremony of seven members of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), a member of the Federal Civil Service Commission and two permanent secretaries.

Dialogue with Boko Haram, Sultan tells FG

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III

Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar has called on the Federal Government to dialogue with Boko Haram sect in order to ensure the return of peace and security in the nation.
He made the plea on Wednesday when he received the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika at his palace in Sokoto.

Super Eagles Players Get N4.7M Each For Beating Ethiopia

Nigeria line up

Nigeria Football Federation yesterday gave out US $30,000 to each member of the Super Eagles for qualifying for the quarter final of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

NEW VIDEO: Kay Switch ft. D’Banj – Sister Caro




Kay Switch, the Junior brother of the African Superstar, D'Banj features the real 'Eja Nla' himself in a brand new video for the hit single 'Sister Caro' 

Shell Nigeria must pay damages for oil spills – Dutch Court


Oil Spill
A Dutch court on Wednesday rejected a bid by a group of Nigerian farmers to have Shell’s parent company held responsible for oil damage, saying only subsidiary Shell Nigeria was responsible for one oil leak.

The court “dismissed all claims against the parent companies… since pursuant to Nigerian law a parent company in principle is not obliged to prevent its subsidiaries from harming third parties abroad,” judge Henk Wien told the court.

Final Yr Student of BUK Kano, Arrested for being in possession of an IED.


The Kano state Police Command says its men have arrested one Mohammed Kabir, a final year student of Bayero University [BUK] Kano, for allegedly being in possession of an Improvised Explosive Device [IED].
A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer [PPRO] ASP Magaji Musa Majia, described Kabir as an indigene of Auchi in Edo state.


He explained that the suspect was apprehended recently when he concealed in a bag of flour mixed with guinea corn peels, a remote controlled bomb and dropped it in a junction close to a popular GSM market at Farm center in the city.

We’ll take B’Haram seriously after 30 days – FG

The Federal Government on Tuesday reacted to the offer of ceasefire by a  faction of the fundamentalist  Islamic group, Boko Haram,  by giving a condition to the sect.

The condition: Boko Haram must  stop its  violence in the North for a period of one month.

Man slumps, dies in Lagos with N200 in wallet



A middle-aged man yesterday slumped and died around First gate, in Ikorodu area of Lagos.

According to eye witnesses account, the deceased a resident of First gate, was said to have started his journey from First gate until he got to Lagos State Polytechnic bus-stop where he slumped and died before help could come his way.

LESSON FOR NIGERIA: How Corrupt Leaders Are Punished In Other Countries



The light sentence handed to a director in the Police Pensions Office, Mr. John Yusuf, by a Federal High Court in Abuja is still the subject of what is gradually turning out to be a nation-wide debate on the moral substance of the ruling.
Yusuf was convicted for defrauding the Office of the sum of N27.2bn alongside six others, an offence punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Laws of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria, 2007. He was subsequently sentenced to a two-year jail term.

Apparently worried that Yusuf, like a few other public office holders convicted for graft before him, had managed to negotiate this light sentence through the doctrine of plea bargain, many Nigerians have wondered if the judiciary is actually deaf to outcries against corruption and the present campaign to rid the country of the evil.


The decision of the presiding judge, Justice Abubakar Talba, in not responding  positively to the plea of the counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, to sentence Yusuf as stipulated by law, has further weakened public confidence in the ability of the judiciary to uphold the principles of justice and fairness.

Among other examples, American businessman, Bernard Madoff, is currently serving a 150-year jail term. The former stockbroker, investment advisor and financier had pleaded guilty to 11 federal felonies and admitted to turning his wealth management business into a massive Ponzi scheme – which defrauded thousands of investors of billions of dollars.

China, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Vietnam are a few examples of countries where brutal measures, as officially prescribed by law, have helped to drastically reduce the incidence of corruption.

In April, 2012, a Chinese court in Beijing sentenced a prominent politician, Song Chenguang, to death with two years reprieve for bribery.

Song was convicted for bribes worth the equivalent of $2m (about N300m) between 1998 and 2010. A statement by the Intermediate People’s Court of Tai’an city said that in exchange for the money he had helped about 18 companies and individuals to gain access to government contracts, projects, sales permission and promotions.

The court had ruled that considering the amount of money he received, Song must be severely punished. But the two-year probation of the execution was granted after he confessed to his crimes and was expelled from the CPC and removed from office.

In China, as with most other Asian countries, corruption attracts a capital punishment. The reason may be due to the fact that like Nigeria, China has lost billions of dollars in public funds to corrupt government officials.

One of the cases of graft involved a former chief executive of the Bank of China in Hong Kong, Liu Jinbao. He was given a suspended death sentence for embezzling, solely or in collaboration with others, more than $1.7m.

Such is the gravity of the offence in that country that a statement published by the China’s Ministry of Commerce says more than 4,000 officials have fled the country, taking with them nearly $50 bn.


In November, 2012 the Chinese leadership warned of a possible collapse of the state due to endemic corruption and urged the ruling Communist Party, as well as patriotic Chinese to rise up to the challenge.

Nigeria faces a similar situation unless the country’s leaders stop paying lip service to the current fight against this social cankerworm. The government must lead the way now by providing an effective solution corruption. The people must be freed from the cumulative yoke of corruption. The only way to do this, no doubt, is to ensure that those who steal from the public treasury are properly and severely dealt with.

Needless to add, endemic corruption poses a grave danger to the continued existence and progress of the country. With each passing day, it threatens to severe the fragile cord that still binds what is left of this nation together. Corruption, openly abetted by the glaring absence of an effective strategy from the Federal Government to combat it, has reached a point at which nothing short of drastic measures must be introduced to put an end to its menace .

Obviously angered by the impunity with which public office holders embezzled funds meant for the nation, the Arewa Consultative Forum recently urged the National Assembly to introduce the death penalty as punishment for graft. Although the call had predictably ignited a controversy, the import was not lost on genuinely concerned Nigerians.

The search for a most appropriate legal solution to corruption may continue for a long time unless the government takes a cue from some countries around the world and deal squarely with it.

Foreign reserves: Ezekwesili lied shamelessly – Presidency


Dr. Oby Ezekwesili

…Says govt ‘ll not engage her in any public debate

ABUJA—THE Presidency has again taken a swipe at former Vice President, World Bank, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, accusing her of inciting Nigerians against the Federal Government, just as it stressed that her allegations were almost stupid and senseless.

Addressing newsmen yesterday, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, noted that the former Minister of Education lied shamelessly by raising false alarm on what she would have buttressed with figures, especially against the backdrop of where she was coming from as an officer of the World Bank.

N27bn pension thief rearrested after outcry


There were  indications on Tuesday that public outcry against the light sentence handed an Assistant Director in the Police Pension Office, Mr. John Yakubu Yusuf, by  a  Federal Capital Territory High Court,  forced the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to rearrest him.

The high court presided over by Justice Mohammed Talba had on Monday  sentenced Yusuf  to only two years’ imprisonment with an option of N750,000 fine for conniving with others to defraud  the PPO and pensioners of N27.2bn.

Bobby Brown didn't introduce Whitney to drugs, I did- Michael Houston


For years, rumor had it that Bobby Brown had introduced Whitney Houston to drugs — but Michael Houston, one of the singer's two older brothers, has revealed to Oprah Winfrey that the real story was quite different.
It's a story that has Michael Houston "living, but not alive" since his younger sister's death almost a year ago.

Whitney Houston

AFCON: Nigeria for quarter finals, meet Ivory Coast

Moses-Afcon 

The Super Eagles of Nigeria this evening at the Royal Mafikeng Stadium in Rustenberg, South Africa, defeated Ethiopian national team 2-0 to qualify for the quarter finals stage in the ongoing Africa Cup of Nation.

Bride price for single ladies put at N40,000 in Sokoto State



Apparently worried by the high cost of marriages in Sokoto State, the Binji Local Government Area in the state has now pegged bride prices to between N40,000 and N15,000 for eligible spinsters and divorcees.

According to the Chairman of the Local Government, Alhaji Umar Tudun-Kosai, those interested in marrying spinsters would pay N40,000 only while divorced women would attract N15,000, pointing out that decision was in line with Islamic injunction which encourages modesty in everything that any Muslim does.

Expect Heavy Rainfall in coming weeks - Lagos Residents Warned



The Lagos State Government has called on residents of the state to be prepared for heavier rainfall this year.

Already, the rains have started in January which is supposed to be dry season, a clear indication of what to expect during the year.

General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu told newsmen that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, had predicted heavier rainfall for Lagos this year.

Houseboy, friend Held While Selling Stolen Car


A 20-year old houseboy who allegedly conspired with his friend to steal his master’s Nissan Ultima car has been arrested along with his friend by the police while trying to sell the vehicle.

The suspects are Akan Solomon, 20, and Kingsley Emmanuel, 20.
P.M.NEWS investigations revealed that Solomon was employed by Mr Chinedu Onwujuba, and until his arrest, resided with him in his house in Surulere, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.