EXCLUSIVE: Buhari will NOT sign budget… yet

<p dir="ltr">President Muhammadu Buhari will not sign the budget sent to him on Thursday by the national assembly until certain issues are resolved. </p> <p dir="ltr">The details of the controversial 2016 budget had been transmitted to him and he promised to go through them before appending his signature.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, after the budget was scrutinised by the cabinet at an emergency meeting on Friday,  it was noticed that some key aspects considered to be government’s core infrastructural focus had been removed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, the designated head of the economic team, presided over the meeting, with Buhari absent without any official explanation.</p> <p dir="ltr">The president had wanted to assent to the budget before travelling to China on Sunday, but his foot soldiers will now have to engage with the leadership of the national assembly in a fresh round of discussions to effect some amendments.</p> <p dir="ltr">Presidency sources told TheCable some of the contentious areas.</p> <p dir="ltr">COASTAL RAIL</p> <p dir="ltr">The coastal railway project, for which the president is travelling to China for a loan, was completely removed by the legislators.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nigeria was to make a counterpart funding of N60 billion, but the lawmakers appear to have struck out the project.</p> <p dir="ltr">The federal government is working on two major rail arteries, among other rail projects, to service the northern and eastern part of the country, namely the Lagos-Kano line and the Calabar-Lagos line.</p> <p dir="ltr">But while the Lagos-Kano provision was left untouched, the Calabar-Lagos line was removed.</p> <p dir="ltr">REDUCED FUNDING</p> <p dir="ltr">Also, the cabinet believes the N8.7 billion reduction in the amount proposed for the completion of the Idu-Kaduna rail project, which has reached an advanced stage, will make it difficult for the project to be completed.</p> <p dir="ltr">The completion of road projects is also a source of worry to the cabinet.</p> <p dir="ltr">While provisions were made for the completion of all major road projects across the country, the national assembly reduced the amounts provided and instead included new roads whose studies have not even been conducted.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The amounts provided by the national assembly for the projects can neither complete the on-going road projects nor the new ones proposed. At the end of the year no significant progress would have been made,” a source in the know of the deliberations told TheCable.</p> <p dir="ltr">AMBULANCES</p> <p dir="ltr">In the health sector, proposals were made for the purchase of essential drugs for major health campaigns such as Polio and AIDS, because the stock is fast depleting, but these were removed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Instead, allocations were made for the purchase of ambulances – even though the ministry of health did not make such a proposal.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was also observed that certain provisions made in the areas of agriculture and water resources to further the federal government’s diversification project were either removed or reduced while the funds were moved to provision of rural health facilities and boreholes, for which provisions have been made elsewhere,” the source added.</p> <p dir="ltr">A presidency official said Buhari “is hopeful” that these observations would have been resolved by the time he returns from China so that the budget can take off “immediately”<br> Credit:thecablesng </p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTfXrJFB47dH_q9U1FMh5P8msYc94tV9FpIpNiE43712Lx-X4jQ6Rr-YGBztYtgGBeyl-txic73yOwd-b1TKm1tdGY1FfGj7lMM2REJEmIY2fUIDvJFwSB_pCUYusqw003ik08qX4vDy1/s1600/Muhammadu-Buhari-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTfXrJFB47dH_q9U1FMh5P8msYc94tV9FpIpNiE43712Lx-X4jQ6Rr-YGBztYtgGBeyl-txic73yOwd-b1TKm1tdGY1FfGj7lMM2REJEmIY2fUIDvJFwSB_pCUYusqw003ik08qX4vDy1/s640/Muhammadu-Buhari-1.jpg"> </a> </div>

EXCLUSIVE: Buhari will NOT sign budget… yet

President Muhammadu Buhari will not sign the budget sent to him on Thursday by the national assembly until certain issues are resolved.  Th...

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Some people have been paid to protest against me, says Saraki

<div class="article-photo"> <span class="set-image-border" style="float: none;"><img alt="Some people have been paid to protest against me, says Saraki" class="setborder" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/saraki-653x365.jpg" style="float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" /></span></div> <div class="article-controls" style="margin-bottom: 0px;"> <div class="date"> <div class="calendar-time"> </div> <div class="calendar-time"> </div> </div> </div> <strong>The office of the senate president says it has uncovered plots by some politicians to sponsor protest marches and demonstrations against him, during which some hired people will be given placards to disturb public peace.</strong><br /> A statement signed by the special adviser (media and publicity) to Senate President Bukola Saraki claimed that sponsors of the proposed protest marches were seeking to forcefully mobilise and pollute public opinion against the Senate President.<br /> “As part of their plan, they are already distributing money and other materials to some faceless civil society organisations, market men and women associations and other shadowy groups with a view to instigate demonstrations in Lagos, Abuja and Ilorin starting from Monday, April 11,” the statement read.<br /> “They believe that the ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal provides them the opportunity to stampede Dr. Saraki out of office so that their defeated objective of getting their lackey into the office of Senate President will be realized. This is another desperate move by these spineless politicians to achieve through the back door what they failed to realize on the floor of the Senate.<br /> “We are alerting members of the public to the antics of these desperate politicians, which may result into breach of public peace, order and health. Dr. Saraki is a peace-loving and law-abiding politician. The trial at the CCT is just beginning and while the prosecution’s witness has started giving evidence;bly he is yet to be cross-examined by the defence team. The defence has also not opened its own case. We urge members of the public to patiently wait for the conclusion of the case.<br /> “Since the fundamental principle of our legal system is that an accused person is presumed innocent until he is found guilty, Dr. Saraki will not allow any distraction to take him away from his responsibility as President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly.”<br /> <b><em>source: thecableng</em></b><em><br /></em>

Some people have been paid to protest against me, says Saraki

The office of the senate president says it has uncovered plots by some politicians to sponsor protest marches and demonstrati...

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Clueless Jonathan: Myth or fact? by Ebuka Nwankwo

<div class="article-photo"> <span class="set-image-border" style="float: none;"><img alt="Clueless Jonathan: Myth or fact?" class="setborder" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Jonathan1-653x365.jpg" style="float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" /></span></div> <br /> <br /> <strong>If you analyze some of Obasanjo’s behaviours towards former President Jonathan and his family, you would agree with me that Obasanjo wanted to pass a message to the Jonathans. What was that message? Obasanjo wanted to tell them that his attack on them had nothing to do with personal grudges, but because he loved Nigeria. How else can you explain that Obasanjo attended Jonathan’s daughter’s wedding, at the peak of his attack on Jonathan, and the recent warm embrace he gave Patience Jonathan at an event, last week. Well, I know some of Obasanjo’s critics are already shaking their heads after reading the last two sentences, but, this is my view. And Obasanjo probably believed Jonathan got it wrong in some instances. Chief Obasanjo is entitled his views.</strong><br /> Thus, the views I am going to share in this article should not be misconstrued that I am undermining Buhari’s government or his person– I really admire him and I always put him in my prayers. Also, let me state that I wasn’t a fan of former President Jonathan while he was in office. Having said that, I strongly believe that some of the good news coming from Nigeria’s telecommunications industry, at the moment, are as a result of the strong broadband policy and strategy laid by Goodluck Jonathan’s government and not from anyone else. I will be glad if the current Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, refutes this.<br /> Let me take you back to 2013. In 2013, the then Minister of Communications, Omobola Johnson, released a statement that internet broadband penetration in Nigeria was very low, at 6%, even though Nigeria had an internet penetration of about 33%. Thus, the government rolled out plans to increase broadband penetration to 30% and above by 2018. This policy resulted in improving the efficiency of some already laid submarine cables and fibre-optic cables within and outside Nigeria. While, some operators got incentives to embark on new cable laying. The good news we are hearing from the telecommunications sector is a result of this.<br /> In this article, I will mention a few of these good news. I will also attribute this success to you and I. I will let you know why I have decided to give some of the glory to Nigerians as I take you through the argument.<br /> Now let us go to the argument. Let’s look at some progress being made in Nigeria. Do you know that Netflix, an international video streaming company, has just invested massively in Nigeria? This is coming after Iroko TV, owned by Nigeria’s Jason Njoko, raised $19 million dollars from investors to expand its business. What has been Jason’s major selling point? Or rather, what will be Netflix’s major selling point? It will be their license to stream Nollywood Movies. I will not attribute the Nollywood’s success to the aids granted them by Jonathan. Saying that would make me sound sycophantic. But, remember Jonathan tried to support them more than any other government. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate the ordinary Nigerians for Nollywood’s success. They virtually made it without much government push. The point to take away here is this: efficient broadband services are what video streaming services need – companies are coming in because they can see some skeletal infrastructure on ground.<br /> Just the other day, the French telecommunication giant, Orange, announced plans to invest 85 million dollars in a Nigeria’s e-commerce group, and in Africa by extension.  To cut the long story short, they want to pump in money into Jumia. If you have been following the government’s forex policy, you would have observed that it is hitting companies like Jumia badly. How they are surviving is still a miracle to me. With this news, we can see that Jumia is trying to expand. They are expanding because of some broadband infrastructure they see on ground and because of the shear desire from you and I to buy quality products, despite the fact that our purchasing powers are deteriorating.  Jumia’s services are based on broadband and internet services, as it were.<br /> As if that was not enough, Ntel, the new owners of NITEL, is seeking to invest 1 billion dollars in mobile broadband by 2020 in Nigeria. If you look at the statement they just released, their motivation is that our population would hit 207 million by 2020. They know Nigerians like to talk. They are not even looking at the body language of government, as it were. They are motivated by you and I. This time let me congratulate the ordinary Nigerians for this investment. In addition, the last government’s policy encouraged this capital inflow into Nigeria, as well.<br /> Have you heard of the company called Smile Telecoms? The other day, a young lady, who was a marketer for the company, tried to convince me to buy Smile’s modem. She talked and talked about how their network was faster than MTN and ETISALAT. Though I didn’t believe her then, she might have been saying the truth. Smile is investing over 365 million dollars to raise its wireless network services in Nigeria and other African countries. The point to take away here is that these companies didn’t make up their minds to bring in millions of dollars into Nigeria yesterday or six months ago, they probably did two years ago and the manifestation is what we are seeing now.<br /> The Lagos based company, MainOne, had raised millions of dollars in the past and are now planning on how to raise another 300 million dollars to invest in Nigeria and Africa. These guys started building submarine cables some years ago. What gave them the incentive to do this? You guess is as good as mine.<br /> Jonathan’s government laid the foundation for broadband telecoms growth, while Obasanjo’s government laid the foundation for telecommunications in the first place. We believe Buhari will build on the legacies he met on ground, and hopefully we will remember him for something in the telecoms industry.<br /> Jonathan made some mistakes, no doubt. Though I called him clueless, he wasn’t really clueless. I want to also believe those calling Buhari ‘baba go slow’ will end up seeing that he isn’t, as well, three years from today.<br /> <h2> <strong>THREE OTHER BURNING ISSUES</strong><strong> </strong></h2> <strong>NO MORE FIRST CLASS TRAVELS FOR BUREAUCRATS </strong><br /> Though government should be commended for stopping first class travels for ministers, heads of parastatals and other top government officials, I am not impressed. I am not impressed because they have been asked to travel business class, instead of economy class? In 2013, while I was doing my PhD in England, the debate then was that MPs had no justification flying business class. In fact, the rule allowed MPs to travel on business class only on special occasions. The public were outraged that MPs were using some loopholes in the rules to fly business class. Remember, some MPs are equivalent to ministers in a presidential system. If government officials are supposed to be serving us, and most of us fly economy, why shouldn’t they fly economy as well?<br /> <strong>GOVERNMENT POLICY HURTING GOVERNMENT AGENCY</strong><br /> Few days ago, the Customs boss, Hammed Ali, cried out about how CBN’s policies were affecting Nigeria Custom Service. Please note this is government crying about how a fellow government agency is crippling it – it is not Business this time around. On the business side, the Stock Market has been going south. Last week, major portfolio investors like Bank of New York, HSBC Funds and Credit Suisse divested a large chunk of their portfolio. The implication of this is that they would be taking a huge chunk of forex out of Nigeria. I hope there are no confusions in the government polices being formulated?<br /> <strong>PANAMA WAHALA</strong><br /> The Iceland Prime Minister and a bank Chief executive in Austria, whose names appeared in the Panama Leaked Documents, have just resigned. Please note that they could argue that they are innocent because owning an offshore shell company is not an offence. I bet you if they were Nigerians they wouldn’t have resigned. They would have just kept their cool and allowed the media to make noise – the media would surely get tired and move on at some point. Most analysts have argued that offshore shell companies are mainly used for money laundry activities<br /> source: thecablesng

Clueless Jonathan: Myth or fact? by Ebuka Nwankwo

If you analyze some of Obasanjo’s behaviours towards former President Jonathan and his family, you would agree with me that Obasanjo ...

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INEC Declares Ife Central State Constituency Election Inconclusive

<em><strong><img alt="Ife election" class="alignleft wp-image-173666 size-medium" height="162" src="http://www.channelstv.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Kogi-election-300x162.jpg" width="300" /> </strong></em><br /> <br /> <em><strong>The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the by-election ‎held at Ife Central State Constituency in Osun State inconclusive.</strong></em><br /> The Returning Officer, ‎Dr Francis Oladimeji, who made the announcement after the collation of results from the 11 wards in the state constituency, said the result could not be declared because of the violence which led to the disruption of collation at two polling units.<br /> According to him, fresh election would be held on Sunday in the two affected polling units, Agbedegbede and Moore Ojaja, both in Ward Three in Ife Central State Constituency.<br /> He explained that the report of violence recorded at the two polling units led to the cancellation of 872 votes, saying the margin between the two leading candidates was 710, making it imperative to conduct a fresh election, as stipulated in the Electoral Act.<br /> Dr Oladimeji further explained that ‎the number of cancelled votes exceeded the difference between the two leading candidates.<br /> There were reports that suspected political thugs had earlier disrupted voting process at the two polling units, with attempts to snatch ballot boxes from INEC ad-hoc staff<br /> credit: channelstv

INEC Declares Ife Central State Constituency Election Inconclusive

  The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the by-election ‎held at Ife Central State Constituency in Osun State incon...

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DSS: Biafra campaigners killed 5 Hausa in Abia

<div class="article-photo"> <span class="set-image-border" style="float: none;"><img alt="DSS: Biafra campaigners killed 5 Hausa in Abia" class="setborder" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Biafra-653x365.jpg" style="float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" /></span></div> <div class="article-controls" style="margin-bottom: 0px;"> <div class="date"> <div class="calendar-date">  </div> </div> </div> <strong>The Department of State Services (DSS) has accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of killing five Hausa residents of Abia state.</strong><br /> According to Tony Opuiyo, an agent of the DSS, members of IPOB, whose leader Nnamdi Kanu is facing trial for treason, killed the five “northerners” and buried them in shallow graves.<br /> “The service has uncovered the heinous role played by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), in the abduction/kidnap of five Hausa-Fulani residents, namely Mohammed Gainako, Ibrahim Mohammed, Idris Yakubu, and Isa Mohammed Rago at Isuikwuato LGA in Abia state,” he said in a statement on Saturday.<br /> “The abducted men were later discovered at the Umuanyi forest, Abia state, where they were suspected to have been killed by their abductors and buried in shallow graves, amidst fifty (50) other shallow graves of unidentified persons. Arrest and investigation conducted so far, revealed that elements within the IPOB, carried out this dastardly action.<br /> “It is pertinent therefore to alert the general public that IPOB, is gradually showing its true divisive colour and objectives, while steadily embarking on gruesome actions in a bid to ignite ethnic terrorism and mistrust amongst non-indigenes in the southeast region and other parts of the country. Following this act, tension is currently rife among communal stakeholders in the state, with possibilities of spillover to other parts of country.<br /> “Against the foregoing, the service will not hesitate to act decisively within its statutory mandate to ensure that the sponsors and perpetrators of this action are apprehended and prosecuted for their crime. Accordingly, law-abiding citizens are enjoined to go about their civil duties and businesses freely, as efforts are being intensified by security agencies to maintain law and order in the state and across the federation.”<br /> credit: thecablesng

DSS: Biafra campaigners killed 5 Hausa in Abia

  The Department of State Services (DSS) has accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of killing five Hausa residents of Ab...

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How security agents ‘help’ pipeline vandals to ‘steal and sell petroleum products’ has been revealed

<div class="article-photo"> <span class="set-image-border" style="float: none;"><img alt="REVEALED: How security agents ‘help’ pipeline vandals to ‘steal and sell petroleum products’" class="setborder" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Pipeline-Vandalism-653x365.png" style="float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" /></span></div> <div class="article-controls" style="margin-bottom: 0px;"> <div class="date"> <div class="calendar-time">  </div> </div> </div> <strong>The operations of a syndicate using the cover of security agencies to vandalise petroleum pipelines and steal products that end up being sold for as low as N40 per litre has been exposed.</strong><br /> <strong>Investigations by salkida.com</strong> showed how the undercover group from the southern part of the country connives with their northern counterparts to carry out this nefarious act.<br /> According to the website, run by Ahmad Salkida, an investigative Nigerian journalist based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the syndicate has established a distribution network through which their products are sold to presumed legitimate dealers.<br /> The vandals have at their disposal a clandestine group that criss-crosses the major oil companies operating in the downstream sector and strategic formations of the Nigerian security.<br /> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_100293" style="width: 370px;"> <a href="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG-20160408-WA0010.jpg"><img alt="IMG-20160408-WA0010" class="wp-image-100293" height="572" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG-20160408-WA0010.jpg" width="360" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text"> A vehicle containing the stolen products</div> </div> “It is usually from their well-placed contacts in the oil companies operating in the downstream sector that the vandals usually get information on when to strike at a particular pipeline point,” the report stated.<br /> “With the cover of usually well-armed security personnel in official uniforms with operation vehicles, the vandals move in, pry open a point on the pipeline, drain as much content as their capacity could carry.<br /> “From the pipeline point they usually divert the content to some other underground location for processing and loading. It is at the loading point that all vestiges of criminality is eliminated as the legitimate oil dealers are the ones that take the fuel from this point in their trucks.<br /> “This particular syndicate hardly damage pipelines, they turn the pipes on and off with the locally constructed taps they created, and till date, the syndicates work with security officials that give them the necessary cover they require to succeed.<br /> “After loading the trucks meant to head across the border or to the northern parts of the country are usually disguised to create the impression it is ferrying foodstuff or other non-petroleum goods.”<br /> One of the transporters involved in the shady deal told Salkida.com that he pays his way through whenever he is unable to get security personnel to accompany him on his trips.<br /> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" id="attachment_100295" style="width: 560px;"> <a href="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG-20160408-WA0000.jpg"><img alt="IMG-20160408-WA0000" class="wp-image-100295" height="979" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG-20160408-WA0000.jpg" width="550" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text"> One of the illegal sites</div> </div> “Sometimes we don’t get escorts; we pay our way through checkpoints all the way from Auchi to Kano,” he said.<br /> “We usually sell the petrol between N40 to N50 per litre at point of purchase before heading back to reload.”<br /> When asked why the products are disposed at such giveaway rates, the transporter said: “It is cheap because it is stolen; it is in high demand because there is scarcity; it is easy to transport because of complicity by the security agencies.”<br /> Sabotage of pipelines have been a drain on the economy, as it is partly responsible for the inability of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to meet up with petrol supply across the country, subjecting the people to undue  hardship.<br /> credit: thecablesng

How security agents ‘help’ pipeline vandals to ‘steal and sell petroleum products’ has been revealed

  The operations of a syndicate using the cover of security agencies to vandalise petroleum pipelines and steal products that end...

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PROFILE: Al-Barnawi, arrested Boko Haram commander who ‘bombed UN building’

<div class="article-photo"> <span class="set-image-border" style="float: none;"><img alt="PROFILE: Al-Barnawi, arrested Boko Haram commander who ‘bombed UN building’" class="setborder" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Khalid-Al-Barnawi-653x365.png" style="float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" /></span></div> <div class="article-controls" style="margin-bottom: 0px;"> <div class="date"> <div class="calendar-time">  </div> </div> </div> <strong>The Department of State Services (DSS) has released more details about Khalid Al-Barnawi, a top Boko Haram leader who was arrested last week.</strong><br /> According to Tony Opuiyo, an agent of the DSS who released a statement on Saturday, Al-Barnawi is responsible for the 2011 bombing of the United Nations (UN) building in Abuja.<br /> “This service wishes to inform the general public that further to its efforts to stem the tide of terrorism in the country, it has recorded another major breakthrough in the arrest of one Mohammed Usman, widely known as Khalid Al-Barnawi, Alias Kafuri/ Naziru/ Alhaji Yahaya/Mallam Dauda/Alhaji Tanimu,” he said.<br /> “Khalid Al-Barnawi was apprehended by this Service on 1st April, 2016, in Lokoja, Kogi State, while hiding under a false cover. Al-Barnawi was a founding member of the Jama’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid Da’wah Wa’l-Jihad (Boko Haram) and later the Amir of the breakaway faction, Jama’at Ansarul Muslimim Fi Biladi Sudan (JAMBS).”<br /> He described Al-Barnawi as a trained terrorist commander, who has been coordinating terrorist activities in Nigeria, while talent-spotting and recruiting vulnerable young and able Nigerians for terrorist training by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in North African states and the Middle-East.<br /> “Subject was involved in many terrorist attacks in states of the federation, including Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Sokoto and FCT-Abuja. This resulted in the killing and maiming of innocent citizens of this country,” he said.<br /> “Al-Barnawi is also responsible for the bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja, on 26 August, 2011; the kidnapping of two European civil engineers in Kebbi state in May 2011, and their subsequent murder in Sokoto state; the kidnap of a German engineer, Edgar Raupach, in January 2012, the kidnap and murder of seven expatriate staff of Setraco Construction Company at Jama’are, in Bauchi State in February 2013, the attack of Nigerian troops at Okene in Kogi state, while on transit to Abuja for an official assignment.”<br /> He confirmed that the insurgent would soon be charged to court to face his charges, once investigations have been concluded.<br /> “This arrest is a major milestone in the counter-terrorism fight of this service,” he added.<br /> “This arrest has strengthened the Service’s resolve that no matter how long and far perpetrators of crime and their sponsors may run, this Service in collaboration with other sister security agencies, will bring them to justice.”<br /> credit: thecablesng

PROFILE: Al-Barnawi, arrested Boko Haram commander who ‘bombed UN building’

  The Department of State Services (DSS) has released more details about Khalid Al-Barnawi, a top Boko Haram leader who was arreste...

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Did Davido just call Dele Momodu his ‘boy’?

<div class="article-photo"> <span class="set-image-border" style="float: none;"><img alt="Did Davido just call Dele Momodu his ‘boy’?" class="setborder" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Davido-2-653x365.jpg" style="float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" /></span></div> <div class="article-controls" style="margin-bottom: 0px;"> <div class="date"> <div class="calendar-time">  </div> </div> </div> <strong>It seems that Davido, Nigerian musician born David Adeleke, hit out at Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine, in the song he just featured in.</strong><br /> In a track titled <em>Bahd Baddo Baddest</em> released by Femi Falana, a Nigerian rapper popularly known as <em>Falz da Bahd guy</em>, Adeleke referred to a ‘Mr Dele’ as his boy.<br /> <em>“Some people say dem bad like me but nobody badder, some people wan buy car like me but dem money no reach</em><br /> <em>I cover magazine I cover magazine; I see am for my gym I see am for my gym</em><br /> <em>Mr Dele na my boy Dele na my boy”</em><br /> This is not the first time that Davido will call out Dele Momodu in a song.<br /> The first time was in January when <a href="https://www.thecable.ng/its-not-by-force-to-visit-dubai-davido-tells-dele-momodu" target="_blank"><strong>he told Dele Momodu that it was not by force to visit Dubai</strong></a>.<br /> The dispute between both parties started in December 2015 when the 23-year-old artiste disagreed with Sophia Momodu, Davido’s baby mama and Dele Momodu’s cousin.<br /> Davido tried to take his daughter out of the country and Sophie Momodu reported him to Nigeria Immigration service.<br /> Davido has since apologized for his actions and added that Dele Momodu could have handled the matter in a better manner.<br /> The <em>Bahd Baddo Baddest</em> track also featured Olamide and adds to the various tracks that Falz has released<br /> credit: thecablesng

Did Davido just call Dele Momodu his ‘boy’?

  It seems that Davido, Nigerian musician born David Adeleke, hit out at Dele Momodu, publisher of Ovation magazine, in the song ...

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FCT Election: Stay Away From Polling Units, Police Tell Political Thugs

<br /> <em><strong><a href="http://www.channelstv.com/2015/12/05/bayelsa-election-inec-reschedules-polls-in-southern-ijaw/election-voting-stand/" rel="attachment wp-att-175507"><img alt="FCT election INEC" class="alignleft wp-image-175507 size-medium" height="162" src="http://www.channelstv.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Election-voting-stand-300x162.jpg" width="300" /></a>Police have warned political thugs in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory to stay away from polling units in Saturday’s local council election or face the wrath of the law.</strong></em><br /> <div class="ad-image"> The Warning came, as residents of the capital city, Abuja, prepare for the election. </div> The Commissioner of Police in charge of the elections, Folunso Adebanjo, told journalists at a briefing in Abuja that the police had minimised adequate personnel to secure voters and election materials during the exercise.<br /> The FCT police command says it is not taking the elections lightly and would not tolerate any thing that will disrupt the day.<br /> Meanwhile some members of the accredited observer groups are unhappy with the slow pace of getting their materials from the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).<br /> Also, some members of civil society organisations believe that the political parties did not engaged in much sensitisation to mobilise the electorates for Saturday’s elections<br /> Outside the premises of the FCT INEC office, mixed reactions trailed the conduct of the elections among some of the accredited observers.<br /> Jerry Aweli and Felix Ihonre expressed worries over the slow distribution of materials while some residents are confident that the polls would be peaceful.<br /> INEC is expected to as usual conduct the elections which will produce principal officers into the six area councils of the Federal Capital City (FCT).<br /> The area councils’ elections were last month postponed to April 7 after the INEC in the FCT complained that it was unable to mobilise staff for the exercise.<br />  cedit: channelstv <br /> <br /> <div class="ad-image"> <ins class="adsbygoogle" data-ad-client="ca-pub-8675631753543209" data-ad-slot="2314255613" data-adsbygoogle-status="done" style="display: inline-block; height: 250px; width: 300px;"><ins id="aswift_0_expand" style="background-color: transparent; border: none; display: inline-table; height: 250px; margin: 0; padding: 0; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 300px;"><ins id="aswift_0_anchor" style="background-color: transparent; border: none; display: block; height: 250px; margin: 0; padding: 0; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 300px;"></ins></ins></ins> </div>

FCT Election: Stay Away From Polling Units, Police Tell Political Thugs

Police have warned political thugs in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territor...

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Another desperate memo to President Buhari by @DeleMomodu

<p dir="ltr">Your Excellency, Assalam Alaikum. It has been over six months since you graciously invited me to your office in Abuja. I must note once again that I was truly honoured and humbled by our one-on-one meeting. We spoke and interacted like two old buddies. What was more, I was all alone with you without a third party in the room. We spoke candidly and cracked jokes freely. I remember presenting you with an advance copy of my forthcoming book and you even requested me to autograph it for you which I did with such pride and gratitude in me. We took loads of pictures before and after the meeting. I left you reassured in my belief that Nigeria is in safe hands.<br> Sir, a lot has happened since that meeting took place. In fact, so much water has passed under the bridge. Let me take you down memory lane a bit. You started contesting the Presidential election as far back as 2003. For three consecutive times, you lost and it seemed all hope had evaporated. In 2011, we were co-contestants. I was driven to your house one night by Prince Lanre Tejuoso (now a Senator) who wanted me to tone down my criticism of you and opposition to your candidacy. I was totally disarmed by your humility and simplicity. You spoke softly and candidly. I felt you were too old to return to a post you left nearly 30 years ago but you were certain you still have so much in you to offer Nigeria. The Jonathan government that won the election at that time was ushered in with so much hope and promise. After that election, you said that you would never seek elective office again. After three arduous attempts, you must have felt it was all a bloody waste of time seeking an opportunity to rebuild an irredeemable country that seemed determined to be plunged into the abyss by those you were convinced did not mean well for the country. But the government that promised us fresh air soon lost its sail and floundered aimlessly. It wobbled and fumbled till it became obvious that something had to be done to avert a monumental catastrophe, the kind that you had foreseen. The situation became so bad that most of us were left with no choice but to see you as our only God-sent redeemer.<br> This was how the stone previously and repeatedly rejected by the builders suddenly transfigured into the much needed cornerstone. Your most caustic critics soon became your ardent fanatics. We were hypnotised and mesmerised by your new look. You were repackaged as a reformed and born again democrat. We studiously ignored your military credentials and dictatorial proclivity. The young and old screamed your name from the rooftops. Many youths were ready to march for you and even die in the process. The last time we witnessed such a phenomenon was in 1993 when Chief Moshood Abiola contested and won the June 12 Presidential election which was later annulled by your former colleagues in the army.<br> You and your political party enjoyed a whirlwind romance with Nigerians. The covenant was based on mutual trust and the hope that you had robust knowledge of Nigerian history as well as vast experience in governance. Your avowed integrity was the icing on the cake. We expected you to inspire us as a veritable example of honesty-personified. The election came and you won almost effortlessly. What mattered to us was for someone to liberate and remove us from the suffocating yoke of the PDP. You looked the perfect man to do it.<br> Of course, to whom much is given much is expected. The burden of proof and expectation hung around your neck like an albatross. Soon, it seemed Nigerians thought and assumed that they had voted for a magician and so expected miracles to happen instantaneously. Trouble started very early. You inherited a government with plummeting revenues as the crude oil which greased the economy had suffered a massive collapse in price thus emasculating our country’s fortune and reserves. In addition, just before you returned to power the outgoing government had twice devalued the Naira leaving you with a currency that was set for free fall. In short the Government that you assumed control of was one which was like a disaster waiting to happen.<br> Nigerians are generally impatient. We are action-packed and expect talismanic results. Unfortunately that has not happened and is not likely to happen soon no matter how hard you try. Sir, let me stop the introduction and go straight to the crux of the matter. While I do not want to sound like a doomsday prophet, I wish to alert you that there is fire on the mountain. This is not a subtle or covert attempt to create any panic. As a war General, I’m certain you have enough liver to withstand shock. But what I wish to say without mincing words is that we are yielding grounds to the enemies. Hard core supporters of your campaign like me are being derided by those who feel you are not living up to expectations. I know your handlers are likely to dismiss this as crying wolf where there is none but please, don’t listen to them. The situation is very critical and may even get out of hand if not carefully and delicately managed. You are going to be told the usual tales and rigmarole of how corruption is fighting back. Yes, perhaps corruption is fighting back truly but it is because you did not prepare adequately for the backlash. The style and manner of the war you are waging has not been novel. The approach has been a rehash of the Obasanjo era with Nuhu Ribadu in charge.<br> What would I have done differently if I were you? I would have traced and located the loot as much as possible before launching my attack. Surprise is one of the most effective weapons of war. And you are without doubt an accomplished General. It is only in Nigeria that investigators announce in advance who the next set of villains they are coming after will be. I would have gone to the courts to seek permission to freeze the looted funds. Thereafter, I would have asked my operatives to show evidence of the identified perpetrators and located the looters and ask for their cooperation in gently signing the purloined money back to the State without hullabaloo. I will then exchange a grudging handshake and tell them to sin no more. Those who wish to be difficult would be treated like hardened criminals and the full weight of the law would descend powerfully on such recalcitrant fellows. I would have kept the promise you made prior to assumption of office of drawing the line after being sworn in on May 29 and punish any fresh acts of rascality and irresponsibility.<br> I will ensure there is a uniform treatment for all Nigerians, rich or poor, members of my party and others. I will avoid anything that would suggest I’m principally after my perceived enemies and opponents. I will not create tension and confusion within my own party and accept the verdict of the people in their collective wisdom or stupidity. A house divided against itself cannot stand, I read in the Holy Bible.<br> I would also make sure that as much as possible I would internalise the process and not wash the country’s dirty linen in public. Such tactics only tends to frighten away those who would assist us and make life unbearable for our citizens abroad. If we require assistance from other countries to repatriate our looted resources I would have engaged the leaders of those countries privately and sought their co-operation surreptitiously. I would have realised that even if they desired to assist my government they would be hampered by the rule of law enshrined in their respective jurisdictions and recourse would be required to the judicial process in those countries.<br> My silent approach to the recovery of the looted funds would also ensure that the expectations of the people of this country would not be unnecessarily heightened. The money Abacha pillaged is still being recovered in staccato and stuttering fashion almost 20 years after his death.<br> It is important for you to realise that corruption will fester and even explode when it is incubated in an economy approaching a comatose state as people seek to survive by all means possible.<br> I will therefore make the economy my utmost priority. Trust me Sir, as important as the war against corruption is wonderful, it pales into irrelevance and insignificance where hunger, deprivation, poverty, unemployment, poor education, ignorance, diseases, insecurity of lives and properties and other complications are concerned.<br> Many people are going to hail you for arresting the thieves but the same people will soon turn around to attack you when they can’t feel the effect of the war positively on their bodies and souls. In case you are shielded from reading the comments making the rounds, let me inform you Sir, that people are already saying they would rather have corruption back, out of the desperation and suffering they are going through. And these are not the so-called looters but the ordinary Nigerians. Nothing illustrates this more poignantly than the video posted by Instablog9ja on Instagram and other social media platforms yesterday showing a man that looks like a taxi driver being interviewed. The man said he is so frustrated that he wants Nigeria to perish and all of us with it instantaneously. He wished that we all die simultaneously, at once and suddenly. The clip has already gone viral globally. Therefore, if anyone tells you only the elites are grumbling, they are telling you a blatant lie, Sir.<br> The poor who were your best friends and biggest supporters appear totally confused, disillusioned and ostensibly tired of the endless excuses coming out of your Administrations spokespeople. I read somewhere that your foot-soldiers will soon embark on town hall meetings but I can assure you it won’t achieve anything. Why do you want to engage in campaign after election? Some expert scammers would just collect money for these jamborees. Nigerians want positive change and not a cacophony of lies bandied at stage managed, hurriedly assembled meetings populated by sycophants and glory hunters. They are ready to sacrifice but not when they think things are going from bad to worse. There is so much to do but without an agile economy nothing tangible can be achieved. The economy itself cannot be fixed in an atmosphere of permanent strife. One year will soon pass by next month and a second year shall begin. It is time to bite the bullet and take the economy head on. Forget about all distractions and concentrate on what really matters to the generality of our people. You will find out that once the economy is tamed all else will follow suit and the successes that you crave in your corruption crusade will start being manifested.<br> I pray you will hearken to my humble advice and concentrate your energy on resurrecting the economy instead of embarking on a war of attrition. You will be judged ultimately by the comfort you bring to your people and not the self-immolating pain you inflict on real and imaginary enemies.<br> May Allah grant you the wisdom of Nelson Mandela who chose the path of reconciliation and national rebirth above the tempting choice of prolonging the horror of racial segregation.<br> My warmest regards to you and yours always.<br> I remain yours <u>sincerely</u>. </p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uXh6Y46GxVC4wCML8iqAi_BB5_GlQ0RJ36XyIUGpx-t9Tw8nR5jCKalVhvq_MbSyj-eC_adBstq1pTRHQvKFSJheRq42_Mh56qEygwBRHSkRq0es6zNTpnajx9M2VX-srSyHolGH0teX/s1600/Muhammadu-Buhari-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5uXh6Y46GxVC4wCML8iqAi_BB5_GlQ0RJ36XyIUGpx-t9Tw8nR5jCKalVhvq_MbSyj-eC_adBstq1pTRHQvKFSJheRq42_Mh56qEygwBRHSkRq0es6zNTpnajx9M2VX-srSyHolGH0teX/s640/Muhammadu-Buhari-1.jpg"> </a> </div>

Another desperate memo to President Buhari by @DeleMomodu

Your Excellency, Assalam Alaikum. It has been over six months since you graciously invited me to your office in Abuja. I must note once agai...

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Smart Adeyemi dumps PDP, calls APC the future

<p dir="ltr">Smart Adeyemi, the senator who represented Kogi west senatorial district on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for eight years, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).</p> <p dir="ltr">Adeyemi, who was a member of the 6th and 7th assembly, announced his defection at his Abuja residence on Friday.</p> <p dir="ltr">He explained that the pressure from his constituents left him with no other choice but to be a member of the ruling party, emphasising that politics was essentially local.</p> <p dir="ltr">“After due consultations with both local and national leaders across my state and the nation, we have come to the realisation that we have to take a major decision for the best interest of our people,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In the light of the sincerity and commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari, his strength of character and support of eminent personalities such as Baba Olusegun Obasanjo, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and the support of the leadership of the ruling party towards the reconstruction of the socio-economic fabrics of our nation, we have decided to defect to the All Progressives Congress.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He said the country’s future was secured under President Muhammadu Buhari, saying in less than a year in office, the APC has shown that it has the capacity to lead the country to the promise land.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When the PDP was in government, a barrel of crude oil was sold for about $100, it is not so today as a barrel of oil is just about $40. I am convinced that the Buhari-led administration will take Nigeria to a new height,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Adeyemi also appealed to his supporters to leave the former ruling party and join him in the APC.</p> <p dir="ltr">Credit: thecablesng </p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0lpbJNCWxe4/VwgXX7LYUCI/AAAAAAAABCo/s1600/IMG_20160408_213855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0lpbJNCWxe4/VwgXX7LYUCI/AAAAAAAABCo/s640/IMG_20160408_213855.jpg"> </a> </div>

Smart Adeyemi dumps PDP, calls APC the future

Smart Adeyemi, the senator who represented Kogi west senatorial district on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for eight yea...

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Nomoreloss Laid To Rest (Photos)

<p dir="ltr">The body of veteran Nigerian singer and songwriter, Nomoreloss, has been committed to mother earth on Friday.<br> Nomoreloss, whose real name was Olumuyiwa Osinuga, was buried at the Ikoyi cemetery in Lagos State, Nigeria’s commercial city.<br>  <br> Family, friends and colleagues in the entertainment industry were present at the funeral to pay their last respects to the singer while they lent their support to his wife and daughter.<br>  <br> The talented artiste was confirmed dead on Monday, March 21, after battling an illness since January.<br>  <br> Aged 39, he has contributed immensely to the growth of the Nigerian music industry and his death would be felt by the industry.<br>  <br> After his death was made known, Twitter was awash with condolences from people in the music industry, his fans and other sympathisers<br> Credit: omojuwa.com </p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsIR2PrEg3A10JhUJdFfltuzEb13lN4rCGeuf_1E5hATp9HgGEKCU9elK2uxSXdPirg2bpAwIrGSXQmgu1RqcdRSoQKpLQpnylLOuophZuRPQ42Ohaue7_L5nVcem3KRV8GjBuIi4IPK5/s1600/IMG_20160408_191554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqsIR2PrEg3A10JhUJdFfltuzEb13lN4rCGeuf_1E5hATp9HgGEKCU9elK2uxSXdPirg2bpAwIrGSXQmgu1RqcdRSoQKpLQpnylLOuophZuRPQ42Ohaue7_L5nVcem3KRV8GjBuIi4IPK5/s640/IMG_20160408_191554.jpg"> </a> </div>

Nomoreloss Laid To Rest (Photos)

The body of veteran Nigerian singer and songwriter, Nomoreloss, has been committed to mother earth on Friday. Nomoreloss, whose real name w...

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4 Scientifically Proven Tips to Improve Your Happiness

<p dir="ltr">Everyone wants to be happy in their lives, but it isn’t<br> always easy. You may take drastic measures — try to<br> buy new things, meet new people, uproot your life, but<br> nothing changes. But being happy starts in your mind,<br> so you have to give your mind what it needs first. If<br> you’re looking for some foolproof ways to improve your<br> life, here are 4 scientific tips on how to boost<br> happiness, starting in your brain.<br> Experience gratitude. Studies have shown time and time<br> again that expressing gratitude and humility for the<br> good qualities in your life can make you happier on a<br> chemical level. Gratitude stimulates the brain to create<br> dopamine and feel-good neurotransmitter, serotonin. By<br> expressing your gratitude to people you are grateful for,<br> you in turn create a positive social relationship with<br> those around you that keeps on giving.<br> Express your emotions. Whether it’s through verbal<br> language, writing or some other form of art, expressing<br> what your innermost feelings are can have an instant<br> effect on your life outlook. Often, our deepest emotions<br> can get blurred while they’re still whirling around in our<br> minds. By putting your emotions out there, you can take<br> a step back — look, read or watch — and begin<br> to understand your feelings for what they really are.<br> This allows your brain the space to analyze and<br> process emotions, which often reveals that they are not<br> as intense or dire as you may have previously thought.<br> Expressing your emotions allows you to put everything<br> into perspective.<br> Give up perfection. While worrying about your problems<br> can seem productive — at least it’s on your mind, right?<br> — it gets you nowhere in the long run. Instead of<br> struggling and stressing over making the best decision<br> possible , you are far better off making any decision<br> rather than worrying over it. Making a decision moves<br> you forward. Worrying does not. Once you’ve made a<br> decision, your brain will immediately feel more at<br> peace. While making a bad decision is not encouraged,<br> making one that is good enough but not ideal is<br> probably the best way to go in terms of reducing stress<br> and increasing happiness. A good enough decision<br> activates a different part of the brain than an ideally<br> perfect decision. The former activates the prefrontal<br> cortex, which controls logic, while the latter activates<br> more emotional portions of the brain which can make<br> us feel less in control. An active decision also increases<br> dopamine production , meaning it actually makes you<br> happier, regardless of what you have decided.<br> Enjoy human touch. Human contact is a powerful force<br> in the body. It can boost the immune system, increase<br> trust, improve learning and — you guessed it — boost<br> your happiness and wellbeing. Human touch like a hug<br> releases oxytocin in the brain, which actually works to<br> facilitate intimacy and social bonding. Feeling like you<br> have a network of trustworthy people around you can do<br> wonders to improve your happiness. Go for long hugs, if<br> appropriate. Those stimulate the most oxytocin<br> production.<br> Being happy starts in the brain. By being true to yourself<br> and others, you can live a happier life, accompanied by<br> other great side effects — like stronger social<br> connections, stronger feelings of self-worth and a more<br> positive outlook on life. Of course, listening to good<br> music or drawing a hot bath are great mood quick fixes,<br> too, but true happiness starts at your core. What are<br> your tricks when you want to feel happier?<br> Credit: <u>care2.com</u></p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIpbwJ6ZPDfk4R-gLj51bJMQJyb2v-5fX1RHqSM6FWwf5ACtzdDK9YtwG1LZdUVbvrgLg90WS7STxr-lRTAna9Gb7RGkM0w-PS7dZQj-il-8zAWI5qjg8AZ87gN8GRkk1aAmKqUZp-ji2/s1600/1371094.large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIpbwJ6ZPDfk4R-gLj51bJMQJyb2v-5fX1RHqSM6FWwf5ACtzdDK9YtwG1LZdUVbvrgLg90WS7STxr-lRTAna9Gb7RGkM0w-PS7dZQj-il-8zAWI5qjg8AZ87gN8GRkk1aAmKqUZp-ji2/s640/1371094.large.jpg"> </a> </div>

4 Scientifically Proven Tips to Improve Your Happiness

Everyone wants to be happy in their lives, but it isn’t always easy. You may take drastic measures — try to buy new things, meet new peopl...

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Hugs Can Do Wonders For Women’s Health

<p dir="ltr">Why is it that a good, comforting, quality hug can feel like the best medicine in times of need? Anyone who has reached for comfort in the arms of a loved one or<br> enjoyed a spontaneous embrace with their partner knows the rush of warmth from these moments, yet may have difficulty putting the sensation into words.<br> Scientists have been able to quantify what goes on in our bodies during a meaningful embrace and the results bode especially well for women’s health.<br>   A University of North Carolina team of researchers decided to study both oxytocin and cortisol levels, as well as blood pressure, in participants before and after hugging their partners. The pairs also spent time reflecting on happy times in their relationship and watching a romantic clip, yet the twenty second hug is thought to be the bigger contributor to the results. Both men and women had increased oxytocin, or the social bonding hormone, compared to pretest levels. Yet every one of the women in the study additionally showed a decrease in both cortisol, the stress hormone, and blood<br> pressure levels. It seems that a loving embrace with their partners had an overwhelmingly consistent effect on women, as compared to men.<br>   Dr. Charmaine Griffiths, spokesperson for the British Heart Foundation, said, “the importance of oxytocin and its potentially cardio protective effects may be greater<br> for women [than men]. Scientists are increasingly interested in the possibility that positive emotions can be good for your health.” As social creatures, physical<br> touch and intimate contact is a crucial part of our lives. Which begs the questions: How much physical contact<br> do you have with your partner? Is it enough?<br>   The holiday season, for many people, is about connecting with loved ones. Yet, the extraneous details of the season may distract from this goal. Cramming too many activities into the month, becoming frazzled about budgets, traveling and all its stressors can all contribute to frustration and exhaustion—two things<br> which do not make it easy to connect with our loved ones</p> <p dir="ltr">Credit: care2.com</p> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnToe63_8Wh04kIcEs3VKokTU0i3e1BGb_UIkr-1wuqWfUHp-SWMFfWy4e32j8KR7xLLpoklAyAyGMemj7XhgKENbSIGAxnVuUEV0VXIzspPcnlNGsN9w8KM7fPI8JvrIfQMYqySSMQ6v/s1600/1370996.large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMnToe63_8Wh04kIcEs3VKokTU0i3e1BGb_UIkr-1wuqWfUHp-SWMFfWy4e32j8KR7xLLpoklAyAyGMemj7XhgKENbSIGAxnVuUEV0VXIzspPcnlNGsN9w8KM7fPI8JvrIfQMYqySSMQ6v/s640/1370996.large.jpg"> </a> </div>

Hugs Can Do Wonders For Women’s Health

Why is it that a good, comforting, quality hug can feel like the best medicine in times of need? Anyone who has reached for comfort in the a...

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UNILAG Shut Indefinitely As Students Agitate Over Erratic Electricity And Water Supply

Management of the University of Lagos has ordered all students to vacate all halls of residence and declared all academic activities suspended indefinitely.<img alt="" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%2210277%22,%22view_mode%22:%22embedded%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22full%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22%22,%22field_file_image_caption%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Students%20protest%22,%22field_attribution%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22%22,%22field_align%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22center%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" src="https://secure.saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/page_images/news/2012/UNILAG_Protest.jpg?itok=fCxNvEGe" /><br /> <span class="container container-pod container-pod-short"></span> The management said its decision was informed by students' agitation yesterday, which paralyzed the campus and disturbed the community.<br /> The students protested yesterday complaining about poor electricity and water supply on campus.<br /> In a memo circulated widely this morning, the university authorities dismissed the student's agitation as a matter of "municipal service", citing national fuel scarcity as a primary cause of hardship on campus.<br /> The memo states that the school is now indefinitely closed to forestall damage to life and property from students' violent protests.<br /> The school authority has therefore ordered all students to vacate the campus before 10.00am today, adding that the school would resume when fuel situation improves in the country.<br />  CREDIT: saharareporters

UNILAG Shut Indefinitely As Students Agitate Over Erratic Electricity And Water Supply

Management of the University of Lagos has ordered all students to vacate all halls of residence and declared all academic activities suspe...

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#PanamaPapers: Documents Show Senate President Saraki Owns Hidden Offshore Assets He Claimed Belongs To His Wife's Family

Toyin, the wife of the President of the Nigerian Senate, is a mere business front for her husband, fresh documents retrieved by PREMIUM TIMES from the massive Mossack Fonseca database have shown.According to the new documents, the assets in Toyin’s name in tax havens are actually held in trust for Bukola Saraki, Nigeria’s third most powerful official.PREMIUM TIMES had reported on Monday that Mr. Saraki failed to disclose four assets found to be in his wife’s name offshore, in violation of Nigeria’s code of conduct law.That revelation came to light following the leak of a trove of internal data from the Panama-based offshore-provider,  Mossack Fonseca, obtained by the German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, and shared by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) with PREMIUM TIMES and over 100 other media partners in 82 countries. <span class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-jpeg view-mode-embedded centered clearfix block-story-object block-story-object-resource block-story-object-resource-image"> <span class="block-story-object-asset"><img alt="" class="media-element file-embedded" src="http://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/day%202.jpg?itok=1bLkUWGd" /></span><span class="block-story-object-content"><span class="block-story-object-content-header"><span class="block-story-object-content-header-description"></span></span><span class="block-story-object-content-footer"><span class="block-story-object-content-footer-item block-story-object-content-footer-item-attribution"> </span></span></span> </span> <span class="container container-pod container-pod-short"></span> <br /> In his response to that publication, Mr. Saraki said the controversial assets belonged to the estate of his wife’s rich and famous family, and that the law did not mandate him to declare such a category of assets.<br /> But PREMIUM TIMES has now found that the assets neither belong to Toyin nor to her family’s estate. They are clearly Mr. Saraki’s.<br /> Sandon Development Limited and Number 8 Whittaker Street<br /> One of the companies in Mrs. Saraki’s name in Seychelles Island is Sandon Development Limited, a vehicle used in acquiring property on 8 Whittaker Street, Belgravia, London, in 2012.  Another shareholder listed for that company is Babatunde Morakinyo, a long-term personal aide, and friend of Mr. Saraki.<br /> However, fresh evidence has shown that Mrs. Saraki and Mr. Morakinyo were mere fronts, nominee directors holding assets in trust for the Senate president.<br /> According to one of the documents in our possession, in April 2012, while still Kwara governor, Mr. Saraki, describing himself as landlord of 8 Whittaker Street, London and 70 Bourne Street, London, executed a deed granting his tenants licence to alter the premises of the properties.<br /> Part three of the deed read, “This license is supplemental. The reversion immediately expectant on the determination of the lease is now vested in the landlord.<br /> “The unexpired residue of the No. 70 (Bourne Street) lease is still vested in Dr. Saraki and the unexpired residue of the number 8 (Whittaker Street) lease is now vested in the companies.”<br /> The deed was “signed, sealed and delivered” by Mr. Saraki on behalf of himself, Sandon Development Limited and Renocon Property Development Limited.<br /> Recall that it was from Renocon that Mrs. Saraki, posing as the owner of Sandon, purportedly bought Number 8 Whittaker Street in July 2011.<br /> But it is now clear that both companies actually belong to Mr. Saraki, and that he only used a company owned by him to buy a property from another of his companies.<br /> His wife, Toyin, fronted for him in the purported transaction, and it is not clear why the Senate president acted that way.<br /> Girol Properties Ltd and Toyin the nominee director<br /> Girol Properties Ltd was registered on August 25, 2004 (a year after Mrs. Saraki’s husband became governor of Nigeria’s north-central state of Kwara) in the British Virgin Island (BVI).<br /> Company documents show that Mrs. Saraki owns 25,000 numbers of shares with a par value of US$ 1,00 each, and was appointed the first and only director of the company.<br /> Mrs. Saraki however, in a letter to ICIJ, through her lawyers, denies ever owning any shareholding in Girol Properties.<br /> But we have now retrieved a document linking her firmly to the firm, as well as another handwritten document suggesting that Mrs Saraki was known within Mossack Fonseca as just a nominee director and not the beneficial owner of the company.<br /> <span class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-png view-mode-embedded centered clearfix block-story-object block-story-object-resource block-story-object-resource-image"> <span class="block-story-object-asset"><img alt="" class="media-element file-embedded" src="http://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/Toyin-Saraki-Girol.png?itok=KfzXQKUw" /></span><span class="block-story-object-content"><span class="block-story-object-content-header"><span class="block-story-object-content-header-description"> </span></span></span></span><br /> <span class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-png view-mode-embedded centered clearfix block-story-object block-story-object-resource block-story-object-resource-image"><span class="block-story-object-content"><span class="block-story-object-content-header"><span class="block-story-object-content-header-description">Toyin Saraki's Girol </span></span><span class="block-story-object-content-footer"><span class="block-story-object-content-footer-item block-story-object-content-footer-item-attribution">Premium Times </span></span></span> </span> <span class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-png view-mode-embedded centered clearfix block-story-object block-story-object-resource block-story-object-resource-image"> <span class="block-story-object-asset"><img alt="" class="media-element file-embedded" src="http://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/Toyin-Saraki-Girol-2.png?itok=hnZvniZk" /></span><span class="block-story-object-content"><span class="block-story-object-content-header"><span class="block-story-object-content-header-description"> </span></span></span></span><br /> <span class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-png view-mode-embedded centered clearfix block-story-object block-story-object-resource block-story-object-resource-image"><span class="block-story-object-content"><span class="block-story-object-content-header"><span class="block-story-object-content-header-description">Toyin Saraki's Girol document </span></span><span class="block-story-object-content-footer"><span class="block-story-object-content-footer-item block-story-object-content-footer-item-attribution">Premium Times</span></span></span></span><br /> <span class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-png view-mode-embedded centered clearfix block-story-object block-story-object-resource block-story-object-resource-image"><span class="block-story-object-content"><span class="block-story-object-content-footer"><span class="block-story-object-content-footer-item block-story-object-content-footer-item-attribution"> </span></span></span> </span> <br /> Landfield Ltd versus the voice of Toyin Saraki and the hand of Bukola Saraki<br /> Landfield International Developments Ltd., a company, registered in the British Virgin Islands on April 8, 2014, had Mrs. Saraki as sole shareholder.<br /> But it is now clear she was a mere front, as Mr. Saraki has since discreetly taken over the company using Longmeadow Holdings Limited, another shell company registered in Jersey.<br /> To effect the take-over, a board meeting of Landfield purportedly held on January 28, 2015, where it was agreed that the company be sold to Mr. Saraki for over three million pounds.<br /> The minute of that meeting, retrieved from the company’s file, as contained in the Mossack<br /> Fonseca database reads in part,<br /> “3. BUSINESS OF THE MEETING 3.1<br /> <em>“lt was noted that there had been ongoing negotiations and discussions between Dr. Bukola Saraki, Oluwatoyin Saraki and Longmeadow Holdings Limited, a company registered in Jersey (the ‘Buyer‘) in relation to:</em><br />   <em>“3.1.1 The transfer of the entire issued shares of the Company from Oluwatoyin Saraki to the Buyer for the purchase price of £3,000,000 (three million pounds sterling) (‘Transfer’);</em><br />   <em>“3.2 4.1 5.1 3.1.2 an intercompany loan in favour of the Company from the Buyer of £3,050,000 (three million and fifty thousand pounds starting) (the ‘lntercompany Loan’); and</em><br />   <em>“3.1.3 the transfer of 7 Whittaker Street, London SW1W 810. (the Property) Into the name of the Company pursuant to a sale agreement between Alain Charbit (1) and Speed 7674 Limited (2) and Dr. Bukola Saraki (3). Accordingly, the Chairman noted that the meeting had been convened to consider and, if thought fit, approve: 1.1.1 the Transfer; 1.1.2 the registration of the transfer pursuant to the Transfer; 1.1.3 the intercompany loan; and 1.1.4 the transfer of the Property into the name of the Company.</em><br /> <em>“DOCUMENTS PRODUCED TO THE MEETING</em><br /> <em>“There were produced to the meeting the following documents: 1.1.5 the sale agreement for the Property; 1.1.6 the share purchase agreement for the Transfer (the ‘SPA’); 1.1.7 the share certificate ¡n favour of the Buyer; 1.1.8 the executed stock transfer form in respect of the transfer pursuant to the Transfer; 1.1.9 the Intercompany Loan Agreement; and 1.1.10 the agreement for the transfer of the Property into the name of the Company.</em><br /> <em>“CONSIDERATION OF DOCUMENTS</em><br /> <em>It was noted that the stock transfer form in respect of the Transfer had been executed and was in a form acceptable to the Company. 1476133W18Q-3</em><br /> <em>RESOLUTIONS 6.1 After due and careful consideration IT WAS RESOLVED:</em><br /> <em>“7. FILING) That the registration of the Transfer be approved; that the Intercompany Loan be approved; that the transfer of the Property into the name of the Company be approved; and to do all such acts and things and agree and execute on behalf of the Company all such documents to which the Company is a party and all other documents as may be required in connection with the business of the meeting and generally to sign all such certificates and notices and other documents as may be necessary or desirable in connection with the business of the meeting, subject to such amendments as those executing the same on behalf of the Company consider fit.</em><br /> <em>“7.1 lT WAS FURTHER RESOLVED to authorise any one or more of the directors of the Company to cancel the share certificate in the name of Oluwatoyin Saraki and to execute a share certificate in the name of the Buyer; to register the Transfer in the register of members and register of transfers of the Company and make all other necessary and appropriate entries in the books and registers of the Company; “1.1.19 to arrange for the necessary filings to be made at the Registry of Corporate Affairs.”</em><br /> That same day, Mrs. Saraki wrote to Mossack Fonseca informing it that she was transferring the beneficial ownership of Landfield to Mr. Saraki and his company.<br /> She wrote:<br /> <em>“Dear Sirs</em><br /> <em>“Landfield International Developments Limited (the “Company”)</em><br /> <em>We refer to the Company, for which you provide registered agent services and with respect to which I, Oluwatoyin Saraki, am your client of record.</em><br /> <em>Change, of Client of Record 2. Please be advised that as of today’s date the entire legal and beneficial ownership of the Company held by me has been transferred to Longmeadow Holdings Limited (“Longmeadow”).</em><br />   <em>I, therefore, instruct you that with immediate effect, I should cease to be regarded as your client of record and that, going forward, your client of record will be Longmeadow. Accordingly, henceforth you should take instructions from Longmeadow relation to the Company.”</em><br /> <em>By that letter, Mr. Saraki assumed full control of the company through Longmeadow.</em><br /> <em>A fresh trouble for the Senator</em><br /> This fresh revelation that Mr. Saraki actually owned the assets hidden in his wife’s name may complicate issues for the politician who is being tried by the Code of Conduct Tribunal for allegedly failing to declare his assets in full.<br /> While not all owners or operators of such offshore entities are criminals, owning or maintaining interest in private companies while serving as a public official is against Nigerian laws.<br /> Section 6(b) of the Code of Conduct Act says a public office holder shall not,<em> “except where he is not employed on a full‐time basis, engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession or trade”.</em><br /> The Code of Conduct Bureau had on September 16, 2015, slammed charges on Mr. Saraki, accusing him of offences ranging from the anticipatory declaration of assets to making false declaration of assets in forms he filed before the Bureau while he was governor of Kwara state.<br /> The Senate President was also accused of failing to declare some of his assets, acquiring assets beyond his legitimate earnings, and operating foreign accounts while being a public officer – governor and senator.<br /> The offences, the charge said, violated sections of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended.<br /> Mr. Saraki is also said to have breached Section 2 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and punishable under paragraph 9 of the said Fifth Schedule of the Constitution.<br /> The Senate President has denied wrongdoings, saying the case was politically motivated and that he was merely being persecuted for emerging the President of the Nigerian Senate against the wishes of his political party, the ruling All Progressives Congress, which preferred a different candidate.<br /> <span class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-jpeg view-mode-embedded centered clearfix block-story-object block-story-object-resource block-story-object-resource-image"> <span class="block-story-object-asset"><img alt="" class="media-element file-embedded" src="http://saharareporters.com/sites/default/files/styles/normal_medium/public/Toyin-Saraki-In-Rwanda.jpg?itok=O7t8yExS" /></span><span class="block-story-object-content"><span class="block-story-object-content-header"><span class="block-story-object-content-header-description"> </span></span></span></span><br /> <br /> <span class="ds-1col file file-image file-image-jpeg view-mode-embedded centered clearfix block-story-object block-story-object-resource block-story-object-resource-image"><span class="block-story-object-content"><span class="block-story-object-content-header"><span class="block-story-object-content-header-description"> </span></span><span class="block-story-object-content-footer"><span class="block-story-object-content-footer-item block-story-object-content-footer-item-attribution">Sync Media </span></span></span> </span> <br /> <em>The African Network of African Reporting Centres (ANCIR) contributed reporting for this story.</em><br /> <div class="clearfix after-story-ad-wrapper"> <div class="views-row col-small-6 col-large-4"> <div class="block-module block-module-ad block-module-ad-300x250"> <div class="adunit-parent block-module-image-wrapper"> </div> <div class="block-module-content"> <div class="block-module-content-footer"> <span class="block-module-content-footer-item block-module-content-footer-item-inquiries"> <a href="http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/08/panamapapers-documents-show-senate-president-saraki-owns-hidden-offshore-assets-he#"> </a></span><span class="block-module-content-footer-item block-module-content-footer-item-label"> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

#PanamaPapers: Documents Show Senate President Saraki Owns Hidden Offshore Assets He Claimed Belongs To His Wife's Family

Toyin, the wife of the President of the Nigerian Senate, is a mere business front for her husband, fresh documents retrieved by PREMIUM TI...

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Wizkid Becomes First Nigerian Artist To Feature On Billboard Charts

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="wizz" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="466" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/wizz.jpg" width="650" /> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Wizkid has become the first Nigerian artist to emerge on Billboard’s Twitter Last 24 hours chart courtesy of his feature in Drake’s ’One dance‘ song.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Two days ago, Drake dropped two singles, ‘Pop style’ featuring Kanye West and Jay Z, and ‘One dance’ featuring Wizkid and Kyla. On ‘One Dance,’ the 6 God gets assists from Wizkid, who he worked with last year, and Kyla, sampling the Crazy Cousinz remix of her song, ‘Do You Mind’.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> This raises the bar a lot higher for the star pop singer helping to improve his brand visibility. The tune ‘One dance‘ features production by Ninteen85 with co-production credits by 40.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <a class="cboxElement" href="http://i1.wp.com/www.starsgist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/2016-04-07-05_20_13.jpg"><img alt="image" class="alignnone size-full" height="323" src="http://i1.wp.com/www.starsgist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/2016-04-07-05_20_13.jpg?w=700" title="2016-04-07--05_20_13.jpg" width="644" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Wizkid already featured Drake in a remix to his ‘Ojuelegba‘ fan favourite and award-winning song.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The single ‘One dance‘ is off Drake’s forthcoming album, following his successful “What a time to be alive” released in 2015.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The collaboration was said to have come about thanks to Skepta, a friend of Wizkid, who introduced the song to Drake during a Wireless Music Festival held in London.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <a class="cboxElement" href="http://i0.wp.com/www.starsgist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/2016-04-07-05_20_28.jpg"><img alt="image" class="alignnone size-full" height="225" src="http://i0.wp.com/www.starsgist.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/2016-04-07-05_20_28.jpg?w=700" title="2016-04-07--05_20_28.jpg" width="225" /></a></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The crossover tune has gone on to have other covers and refixes with top artistes such as Sarkodie.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The star pop singer has had other international collaborations preceding this one with Drake. He has worked with Grammy winner Angelique Kidjo, Ty Dolla $ign, and recorded a hook with Coldplay’s Chris Martin for pop star Rihanna.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> A performance with Chris Brown was in the works also in South Africa at the ‘X Tour’, so was another recording with UK star Tinie Tempah, and Norwegian pop icons Nico & Vinz. The ‘Baba nla‘ singer is also likely to put out new music with American- Nigerian singer Jidenna.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Congrat Wizzy!!!</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> credit: omojuwa.com </div>

Wizkid Becomes First Nigerian Artist To Feature On Billboard Charts

Wizkid has become the first Nigerian artist to emerge on Billboard’s Twitter Last 24 hours chart c...

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Nigeria: World’s 20th ‘worst country’ for women!

<div class="article-photo"> <span class="set-image-border" style="float: none;"><img alt="Nigeria: World’s 20th ‘worst country’ for women!" class="setborder" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/women6-653x365.jpg" style="float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" /></span></div> <div class="article-controls" style="margin-bottom: 0px;"> <div class="date"> <div class="calendar-time">  </div> </div> </div> <strong>If you are a woman living in Nigeria, your life is among the most difficult for women all over the world – and that was before the senators threw out the gender equal opportunity bill in March.</strong><br /> <strong>Nigerian women have it tough living in terms of indexes as economic, educational, health and political opportunities, a World Economic Forum (WEF) research has shown. </strong><br /> The global gender gap report, first published in 2006, ranks 145 countries in terms of access to basic rights and opportunities for females.<br /> Out of 145 countries ranked, Nigeria is 125, making it one of the worst places for women to live fulfilling lives.<br /> In all sub-indexes, Nigeria showed a decrease since the establishment of the ranking.<br /> According to the report, the country fell seven places from 2014 to land on the 125th position in 2015.<br /> Overall, the result shows that the global struggle for gender parity has been slow and has closed by only 4 per cent since 2006.<br /> This pace of growth, especially in terms economic opportunities, means that women are now earning what men earned in 2006. In 2006, global average annual earnings for women was $6000 while men earned $11, 000. In 2015, women earned $11,000 and men earned $21,000.<br /> If nothing is done about this pace, WEF says “it will take the world another 118 years – or until 2133 – to close the economic gap entirely”.<br /> “Progress in the economic and political worlds has been proven to be self-reinforcing, so interventions such as quotas – which have been demonstrated to have wider positive effects – offer insight into how the gap could be closed further in future,” WEF said in its report.<br /> But there is no guarantee that the future will see Nigeria’s ranking improve as the country’s legislative arm, in March, shut down a bill to promote gender equality in marriage, education and economic opportunities.<br /> The legislators cited cultural and religious reasons.<br /> Their stance is reflected in Nigeria’s low standing in all indexes. Nigerian is part of the 22% of countries where educational opportunities have decreased.<br /> Even when there are more educated women, it does not translate to women participating in skilled jobs or leadership positions, the research showed.<br /> “There is also a marked lack of correlation between getting more women in education and their ability to earn a living particularly through skilled or leadership roles. While women make up the majority of enrolled university students in 97 countries, they comprise the majority of skilled roles in only 68, and in far fewer – four countries – do they hold the majority of leadership positions,” WEF said.<br /> <strong>S</strong><strong>ub-</strong><strong>S</strong><strong>aharan Africa</strong><br /> Only three countries in this region made it to the top 20 of the general ranking. Rwanda at 6th position, Namibia at 16th position and South Africa at 17th position.  Finally, the lowest performing countries from the region are Nigeria (125) Côte d’Ivoire (133), Mali (137) and Chad (142).<br /> <br /> credit: thecablesng

Nigeria: World’s 20th ‘worst country’ for women!

  If you are a woman living in Nigeria, your life is among the most difficult for women all over the world – and that was before ...

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House Rent Should Be Paid On A Monthly Basis And Affordable To All – FCT Minister

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="housing-estate-750x400" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="400" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/housing-estate-750x400.jpg" width="750" /> </div> The Federal Government has expressed its worries over the high cost of house rent in the country, especially in Abuja, the nation’s capital territory, saying that it would soon put in place a law that would force downward, cost of accommodation in the Federal Capital Territory.<br /> FCTA Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, was speaking yesterday when he received members of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV in his office, explaining that the current Buhari-led administration was deeply concerned with the high cost of housing in the territory and was working out modalities that would guarantee access to decent accommodation by the masses and less privileged.<br /> <br /> The Minister who tasked members of NIESV on a viable solution to end high cost of accommodation in Abuja, also challenged the body to have a downward review of their professional fee, stressing that although the concept of estate development was a very commendable one, the industry was facing many challenges in the capital city, questioning the rationale behind payment of rent on annual basis in the country.<br /> He further pointed out that as a professional body that was primarily concerned with provision of houses, the NIESV has a burden of ensuring that accommodation does not get out of the reach of the common man.<br /> <br /> Bello said, “As a body, you must take deliberate steps to bring down the cost of accommodation through reduction of your charges and commissions.<br /> “I know that you charge between 10-15% but I think that rate needs to come down, else at some point in the future, legislation will force you to bring it down.’’<br /> The Minister wondered why Nigerian citizens would pay rent on a yearly basis whereas in developed countries such as United Kingdom and United states, tenants pay rents on a monthly basis.<br /> He queried, “Why should we pay rent annually in Nigeria; why should we pay two, three years in advance.<br /> “All the people you see here including the Minister get their rent allowance on a monthly basis, only very few organisations in Nigeria pay rent allowance annually in bulk.<br /> “Why can’t we start asking our tenants to pay rent monthly even if they are in Asokoro, Maitama or wherever?”<br /> The Minister disclosed that as part of the moves to make housing affordable in Abuja, the FCT Administration has put the necessary measures in place to ensure that all plots of land not developed within a stipulated period would be revoked and re-allocated to willing developers, adding that the number of uncompleted buildings and empty estate houses in the city was very alarming and a committee would soon be set up to look into the issue.<br /> <strong>Credit : Daily Post</strong>

House Rent Should Be Paid On A Monthly Basis And Affordable To All – FCT Minister

The Federal Government has expressed its worries over the high cost of house rent in the country, esp...

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Nicki Minaj Says She Is Single

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="1" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="314" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/1-27.jpg" width="600" /> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <em>Nicki</em> Minaj appeared on <em>The Ellen DeGeneres Show</em> Thursday, where host Ellen DeGeneres asked about the “engagement ring” she’s been wearing as of late. “Are you really going to zoom in on my ashy hands? Come on, now. You have to prep women for that. You can’t just zoom in on people’s fingers and hands,” Minaj said before discussing Meek Mill. “First of all, that’s not an engagement ring. Right? I have two rings from this boy that likes me. And he gave me…” She was unable to finish her sentence, as a photo of her ring appeared on the screen behind her. “Oh my God! Stop!” she said. DeGeneres joked, “That boy has money. Whatever boy that is.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “That’s not my engagement ring, though,” the “Night Is Still Young” Rapper clarified. “He said that that’s my second ring and that if I get a third ring that that would be the engagement ring.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> DeGeneres asked Minaj if she’s “ready to get engaged,” to which she answered, “You know, I don’t know. We’re still figuring each other out. And in fact, I don’t even want to say that I’m in a relationship anymore, because I think when people hear that, they go to like the mean place and try to like—not you, though. You’re super. I love you to death.” DeGeneres prodded her to “talk about it in a kind place,” but the rapper wouldn’t budge. “I would rather not. You know, I used to be secretive. You guys asked me about that before on my pre-interview,” Minaj said. “I used to say, ‘I’m not in a relationship,’ even though I was in a 12-year relationship [with <strong>Safaree Samuels</strong>]…Now I feel like just going back to that and saying, ‘You know what? I’m single.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> As an example, Minaj said she decided not to share a picture of her Valentine’s Day gift on Instagram to keep people out of their business. “People said, ‘They’re not together.’ We were getting anonymous messages saying, ‘Yeah, she wasn’t with him and she was crying all day.’ Just putting up all these things. Meanwhile, we were really in bed all day on Valentine’s Day. Like, seriously! We were in bed all day and then I got up and opened these three amazing gifts, and then I went back to bed. Then I read this story that we weren’t together on Valentine’s Day and it just made me realize that no matter how great your life is, you can’t even impress people. You just have to do you and make yourself happy and forget about trying to get everyone’s approval. It’s better just to keep those things sacred. So, now, I don’t really care to say ‘I’m in a relationship’ or ‘I’m engaged’ or whatever. There’s a boy that likes me. That’s all.” DeGeneres reminded her that the “boy” in question “spent a lot of money on you hoping you would say you were in a relationship. I mean, he’s not happy about you saying you’re single.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Minaj, who never mentioned her man by name, ended with this: “He and I are just two souls right now passing through the universe, and I don’t know what’s going to happen. I just have learned over the years to just let things be and come and go as they are going to come and go.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Credit: Leadership</div>

Nicki Minaj Says She Is Single

Nicki Minaj appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Thursday, where host Ellen DeGeneres asked about t...

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Jonathan becomes first African leader to win Martin Luther King human rights award

<div class="article-photo"> <span class="set-image-border" style="float: none;"><img alt="Jonathan becomes first African leader to win Martin Luther King human rights award" class="setborder" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Goodluck-Jonathan-IN-US-award2-653x365.jpg" style="float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" /></span></div> <div class="article-controls" style="margin-bottom: 0px;"> <div class="date"> <div class="calendar-time">  </div> </div> </div> <strong>Former President Goodluck Jonathan was awarded in the US on Thursday for his leadership in human rights in Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria.</strong><br /> Jonathan, who was awarded in recognition of his leadership in “human rights, social justice and universal fight for freedom”, becomes the first African leader to be so honoured.<br /> The presidential award was presented by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, founded by the late American human rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr, best known for his human rights struggles and the I-have-a-dream speech.<br /> In statement on Friday, the former president expressed his pleasure in being so honoured and also meeting the sister of the famous human rights activist.<br /> “I thank Dr. Charles Steele Jr, President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, and the executive of the SCLC for honoring me today,” he said.<br /> <a href="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Goodluck-JOnathan-sclc-Award.jpg"><img alt="Goodluck JOnathan sclc Award" class="aligncenter wp-image-88755" height="978" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Goodluck-JOnathan-sclc-Award.jpg" width="550" /></a><br /> “It was also a pleasure to meet Naomi King, the sister of the late American Civil Rights leader and founder of the SCLC, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, who was kind enough to attend the event and identify with the goals and aspirations of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation.<br /> “By this award, I am further inspired to continue to work for the advancement of democracy, peace and progress in Nigeria and Africa.”<br /> Jonathan is billed to be in the US for the 2016 Hope Global Forums conference, where he is expected to <strong><a href="https://www.thecable.ng/jonathan-succeeds-clinton-as-keynote-speaker-at-us-forum" target="_blank">Succeed the 42nd president of the US, Bill Clinton</a> </strong>as keynote speaker.<br /> In the letter sent to Jonathan in December 2015, he was invited to join the biggest 500 companies in the world in their promotion of King’s human right ideals.<br /> “We invite you to join Fortune 500 CEO’s, private investors, financial leaders and government officials to connect and collaborate on this vision,” the letter had read.<br /> “With the theme ‘Reimagining the Global Economy: Inclusive Economics’, the annual meeting is set against the backdrop of the Martin Luther King Holiday weekend and gathers leaders from government, community and the private sector to outline a vision for the modern global economy.”<br /> Jonathan was earlier in Florida to welcome his second grandchild, delivered by his adopted daughter, Inebharapu Paul.<br /> credit: thecablesng

Jonathan becomes first African leader to win Martin Luther King human rights award

  Former President Goodluck Jonathan was awarded in the US on Thursday for his leadership in human rights in Africa’s most populo...

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Dangote, His Brother Dantata, Fingered in Panama Paper Leak

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="dangote (1)" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="268" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/dangote-1.jpg" width="400" /> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Africa and Nigeria’s richest man Aliko Dangote and his half-brother, Sayyu Dantata including allies and relatives have been named among those who use secret shell companies domiciled in controversial tax havens in their business transactions.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> According to Premium Times investigation, Mr Dangote, alongside his half brother, Sayyu Dantata, the founder of MRS Holdings bought equal shares of 12,500 each from OVLAS S.A, a shell company registered in Seycheles, on October 6, 2003.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> 13 shell companies registered by the firm are directly linked to persons and companies who in turn are linked to Aliko Dangote and his allies, the report added.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> In what seems like a curious but smart business transaction, Dangote, Dantata and their company, bought equal shares of 12,500 each from OVLAS S.A, a shell company registered in Seycheles, on October 6, 2003.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> On the same date, a company they both own, MRS Oil and Gas Co. Limited bought 25,000 numbers of shares from OVLAS S.A.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> According to the documents, three years after they existed as shareholders of the company, the trio – Dangote, Dantata and M.R.S Oil and Gas Company Limited – ceased to be shareholder in the company. That was on April 12, 2006.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Mr. Dangote was issued a higher amount of shares – 250,000 – on the same day he resigned. Same curious but smart business transaction was used to acquire Petrowest S.A in the same Seycheles.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The report also revealed that Mr Dangote employed a tactical move of companies within companies all in an attempt to evade taxes.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Dangote had earlier been linked to be operating highly secretive foreign accounts with the Swiss branch of banking giant, HSBC.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> But Dangote has denied having connection with the off shore companies.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Thank you for your enquiry concerning our alleged relationship with the following off shore companies namely: Paseo Trading Ltd, Seychelles; Petrowest S.A.,Seychelles; SID Holdings Corp, Panama and Chalmers Shipping Inc, Panama.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “I wish to state categorically that neither Aliko Dangote nor Dangote Industries Ltd (DIL) has any form of relationship with these alleged four off shore companies. The Group has four quoted companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and we cannot afford to tarnish our reputation or conduct our business in an unethical manner given this profile,” the spokesperson for the Dangote Group, Tony Chiejina said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to swing into action and arrest Nigerians named in the Panama Paper leaks with secret offshore companies.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> So far, Nigerians named in the leak are embattled senate president, Bukola Saraki, Former Senate President David Mark, Saraki’s wife, Toyin, former Delta State Governor James Ibori, Mr. Laolu Saraki, Mr. Obi Asika, Olufela Ibidapo and former Defence Minister Gen. Yakubu Danjuma.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> credit: omojuwa.com </div> <br />

Dangote, His Brother Dantata, Fingered in Panama Paper Leak

Africa and Nigeria’s richest man Aliko Dangote and his half-brother, Sayyu Dantata including allies ...

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Army: We freed 11,595 captives in 1 month

<div class="article-photo"> <span class="set-image-border" style="float: none;"><img alt="Army: We freed 11,595 captives in 1 month" class="setborder" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/PIC.-2.-MAIDUGURI-RESIDENTS-HAILING-SOLDIERS-OVER-THEIR-VICTORY-IN-KONDUGA-653x365.jpg" style="float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" /></span></div> <div class="article-controls" style="margin-bottom: 0px;"> <div class="date"> <div class="calendar-date"> </div> <div class="calendar-time">  </div> </div> </div> <strong>The Nigeria army on Wednesday said its troops rescued have 11, 595 Boko Haram captives within a space of one month.</strong><br /> Sani Usman, army spokesman, who disclosed this in a statement, said some of the captives were rescued in operations to clear the northeast of insurgents while some were received from Cameroon.<br /> “In continuation of the clearance and mopping up operations of the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in various parts of the northeast geo-political region, troops have rescued no fewer than 11,595 persons held hostage by the terrorists within the last one month,” he said.<br /> “Most of these persons were rescued at various areas and towns where remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists were hibernating before the clearance operations by various formations and units in the theatre, while some were received from the neighbouring Cameroon.<br /> “On 1st March, 2016, troops of 155 Task Force Battalion received 10,000 refugees from the Republic of Cameroon at Banki and Bama axis. Two days later, Army Headquarters Special Forces (AHQ SF) Battalion also rescued 63 persons held captives by terrorists at Maleri. The same unit on 5th March 2016 rescued 779 persons at Fotokol general area, a border town between Nigeria and Cameroon.<br /> “Within the first week of March 2016, the 254 Task Force Battalion also rescued 45 persons at Kuaguru, while 143 Battalion similarly rescued 27 persons at Gadayamo,15 at Galadadani Dam in Madagali and 10 persons from Disa village. On 11th March 2016 troops of 231 Battalion and Armed Forces Strike Force (AFSF) also rescued 7sevenpersons held captives by Boko Haram terrorists at Betso village; five of whom were elderly women and two young girls.<br /> “Similarly 117 Task Force Battalion on 15th March 2016, received 14 refugees from Sahuda a border town with Cameroon. The Battalion equally rescued 59 at Bitta general area on 19th March 2016.<br /> “In similar vein, troops of 22 Brigade in conjunction with Army Headquarters Strike Group (AHQ SG) rescued 309 hostages from Kala Balge general area on 23rd of March 2016. While on 30th March 2016 troops of 25 Task Force Brigade rescued 45 men, 85 women and 137 children from the Boko Haram terrorists at, Zahdra and Weige villages.<br /> “Thus the total number of persons rescued by the troops during the ongoing clearance operations is 11,595 from February 26th, 2016 to date.<br /> “The gallant troops in the course of these clearance operations would continue to place high premium on respect for human right and dignity, hence the rescue operations.”<br /> <br /> credit: thecablesng <br /> <br />

Army: We freed 11,595 captives in 1 month

  The Nigeria army on Wednesday said its troops rescued have 11, 595 Boko Haram captives within a space of one month. Sani Usm...

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EXTRA: Obasanjo hugs Patience Jonathan

<div class="article-photo"> <span class="set-image-border" style="float: none;"><img alt="EXTRA: Obasanjo hugs Patience Jonathan" class="setborder" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Obasanjo-653x365.jpg" style="float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" /></span></div> <div class="article-controls" style="margin-bottom: 0px;"> <div class="date"> <div class="calendar-time">  </div> </div> </div> <strong>A warm embrace? Not what you see everyday between an ambitious woman and the man partly responsible for the ouster of her husband from power.</strong><br /> But former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan stunned onlookers at the burial of the mother of Dave Umahi, governor of Ebonyi state, on Friday.<br /> Obasanjo gave a “warm embrace” to Patience, the wife of his one-time ally-turned-foe.<br /> The occasion, which took place in Uburu, Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi, had top government officials in attendance.<br /> Among those who attended the burial were Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers; Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo; Ali Modu Sheriff, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Anyim Pius, former secretary to the government of the federation.<br /> <a href="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Obasanjo-2.jpg"><img alt="Obasanjo 2" class=" wp-image-99816 alignnone" height="350" src="https://www.thecable.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Obasanjo-2.jpg" width="525" /></a><br /> The encounter between Obasanjo and Patience bring back the memories of January 2015 when the former president surprisingly <a href="https://www.thecable.ng/obasanjo-attends-jonathans-daughters-wedding" target="_blank"><strong>attended the wedding of Inebharapu Paul</strong></a>, Jonathan’s foster daughter, in the heat of a very public spat.<br /> So excited was Jonathan at that occasion that he specially recognised Obasanjo in his vote of thanks.<br /> “Let me appreciate our father, President Olusegun Obasanjo, for being here with us. Thank you for coming,” he said.<br /> But Obasanjo did not sheathe his sword after that wedding, as he continued to lambast Jonathan, even after hosting him alongside Enoch Adeboye, general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), and David Oyedepo, presiding bishop of Living Faith Church World Wide, at his hilltop mansion in Abeokuta.<br /> <em>Photo credit: SaharaReporters</em>

EXTRA: Obasanjo hugs Patience Jonathan

  A warm embrace? Not what you see everyday between an ambitious woman and the man partly responsible for the ouster of her husba...

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How CCB Uncovered Orubebe’s Hidden Abuja Property – Witness

<div class="image-container" itemprop="image"> <img alt="orubebe" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" height="500" src="http://4a7jjc25uykf24u8sd3k8m5n.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/orubebe.png" width="623" /> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Federal Government on Thursday opened its case against a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godsday Orubebe, who is being prosecuted before the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja on one count of false asset declaration.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The first prosecution witness, Samuel Madojemu, an official of the Code of Conduct Bureau who testified on Thursday, accused Orubebe of failing to declare his property at Plot 2057, Asokoro District, Abuja, as a minister between 2007 and 2011.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Madojemu, who coordinates CCB’s “intelligence on observed breaches of the code and asset tracing investigation,” said Orubebe submitted five asset declaration forms to the bureau between 2007 and 2011, the period he served as a minister.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Orubebe submitted the five forms to the CCB, first, as Minister of Special Duties under the administration of the late President Umar Yar’Adua, and later, as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs up till 2011 under the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The witness said the Certificate of Occupancy for the property obtained from the land registry of the Federal Capital Territory administration showed that it was issued to Orubebe on April 10, 2011 but that the former minister failed to declare it as of the time he was leaving office on May 29, 2011.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The witness, who was led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Diri, said Orubebe refused to honour invitation by the bureau during the investigation of an intelligence report obtained concerning him.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Madojemu said, “The defendant declared his assets to the bureau by virtue of his position as a public officer and as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “I was instructed to invite him to the bureau for the purpose of obtaining his statement on the allegations and intelligence report that was being handled by the bureau concerning him.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “I invited him. He promised to respond by sending his legal team. He also promised that he might decide to come in person but he did not come.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “My lord, the bureau issued him with Form CCB 1 which is the bureau’s asset declaration form and he made his declaration between 2007 and 2011 – the period under investigation.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “The Code of Conduct Bureau issued the defendant the Form CCB 1 five times. For those five times, he made his asset declaration to the bureau.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “My lord, after we received the form, we examined the form as part of our procedures of investigation to ascertain if there was over-declaration or under-declaration.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “We conducted intelligence assessment on the declaration made by the defendant. We discovered that there were some other plots or properties that were traced to the defendant, Godsday Orubebe.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “We conducted record examination by writing a letter to the Federal Capital Territory’s Department of Land Administration.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “My lord, in their response, which was in writing, it was indicated that Plot 2057, Asokoro District, for which the Certificate of Occupancy was issued on April 10, 2011, belonged to the defendant.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “We thereafter compared the information arising from the response from the FCT Land Administration Department with the information on asset declaration forms submitted to the bureau between 2007 and 2011 and discovered that Plot 2057, Asokoro District, belonging to the defendant was not declared, even as of May 29, 2011 when he left office.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Apart from the letter from the FCT Land Administration registry, we also received the Certified True Copy of the Certificate of Occupancy in respect of Plot number 2057 issued to the defendant.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “We also received the CTC of the Right of Occupancy for that same Plot No. 2057 issued to the defendant.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “Also received from the FCT Land Administration registry was a letter of authority given to one Rodney, an engineer, by the defendant, authorising him to collect the Certificate of Occupancy and the Right of Occupancy from the FCT Land registry. It was supported by the (passport) page of the defendant.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Madojemu said the reason for inviting Orubebe was to ask him why he failed to declare the asset which he acquired about one month to the expiration of his tenure.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The two-man panel of the Code of Conduct Tribunal admitted as exhibits the certified true copies of all the five CCB 1 forms submitted to the bureau by Orubebe.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Orubebe’s lawyer, Mr. Selekowei Larry (SAN), did not oppose the admissibility of the documents.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> But the lawyer opposed the admissibility of the Certificate of Occupancy, the Right of Occupancy, the letter of authority referred to by the witness, which were all attached to a letter dated February 18, 2016, by the Land registry of the FCT, in response to the request by the CCB.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Larry contended that the letter along with the documents attached to it was inadmissible under Section 83(3) of the Evidence Act, because it was authored by “a person interested” while the case against his client was already pending in court.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The letter dated February 18, 2016 was authored by an Assistant State Counsel in the Lands Administration Department, Mrs. Funke Audu, of the Federal Capital Territory.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> “These are documents procured during the pendency of this case. The letter is dated February 18, 2016, whereas the suit commenced on October 18, 2015,” Larry said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> But the tribunal chairman, in a ruling, overruled Larry and upheld the argument by the lead prosecutor, Diri, who argued that Audu, who was an employee of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, could never be an interested party.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The documents were admitted as exhibits.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Orubebe, who was dressed in a white native attire and a black hat,  sat in the dock throughout the proceedings.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He was accompanied to court by a group of women and other supporters.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The trial was adjourned till April 14 for cross-examination of the witness.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Source – Punchng.com</div>

How CCB Uncovered Orubebe’s Hidden Abuja Property – Witness

The Federal Government on Thursday opened its case against a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs,...

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