Libyan civil war weapons could end up in the hands of Boko Haram - U.N. Report

The United Nations believes the large cache of weapons from the recently ended Libyan civil war could make its way into the hands of members of the radical Islamic sect Boko Haram in Nigeria as well as other al Qaeda factions, Reuters reported.

The U.N. report, which released on Thursday, trails the impact of the Libyan civil war on countries of the Sahel region, including Nigerian, Niger and Chad and further explores links between Nigeria's terrorist sect Boko Haram and al Qaeda in the north.

Boko Haram, which translates into "Western education is bad", has unleashed havoc in the northern region of Nigeria, claiming countless lives in a series of deadly attacks.

Recently the group claimed responsibility for the Kano city bombings and gun battle that left over 180 dead and several injured.

Reuters reports that the U.N. Security Council is set to discuss the report, prepared by a U.N. assessment team that met with officials from countries in the Sahel, at a meeting.

"The governments of the countries visited indicated that, in spite of efforts to control their borders, large quantities of weapons and ammunition from Libyan stockpiles were smuggled into the Sahel region," the report said.

Such weapons include "rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns with anti-aircraft visors, automatic rifles, ammunition, grenades, explosives (Semtex), and light anti-aircraft artillery (light calibre bi-tubes) mounted on vehicles," it said.

While attacks by the Boko Haram sect has grown in sophistication and frequency, weapons still used by the sect are still largely locally made.

Improvised explosive devices discovered by security operatives in Kano, following the deadly attacks one week ago, comprised of aluminum cans of soda pop, filled with powdered explosives.

Chances of more sophisticated weapons making their way across borders and into the country, prove an even greater security threat to the troubled oil-rich nation.

More advanced weapons such as surface-to-air-missiles and man-portable air defense systems, known as MANPADS, may also have reached groups in the region, the report said.

Ian Martin, U.N. special envoy to Libya, has dismissed those claims, insisting that the weapons have remained, for the most part, in Libya.

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Wada sworn-in as Kogi governor

In line with the Supreme Court judgement on the tenure of five state governors, Captain Idris Wada has been sworn in as the governor of Kogi State.

He was sworn in by the State Chief Judge at the Government House, Lokoja.
Captain Wada won the governorship election held in the state in December 3rd 2011, under the platform of the PDP.

In Bayelsa state, the Speaker has also been sworn in as acting Governor pending when a new governor is elected.

In Adamawa, Sokoto and Cross River states, the Speakers of the various States have been sworn-in as acting governors pending when fresh governorship elections are held.

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Patience Ozokwor, Nkem Owoh And Iyabo Lawani Land Millions Of Naira MTN Endorsement Deal

MTN Nigeria hardly uses established showbiz personalities for its television commercials.Reason? Globacom has cornered all the best hands in the industry as brand ambassadors.Even before then,known faces have been rare in MTN TVCs.

However,it seems MTN is taking a cue from Globacom lately and has decided to use these established faces for its TVCs.

First,veteran actress and television personality, Iyabo Lawani was used for the MTN N1 Billion promo and she is now unofficially called MTN brand ambassador.

Again, MTN is using top Nollywood comic actor,Nkem Owoh of Osuofia fame and Patience Ozokwor for another promo.

With this recent development, it seems MTN is finally signing on Nollywood stars as ambassadors.

Source: Alabamauncut

Redeemed Pastors Back-stab General Overseer E.A Adeboye: Treachery In The House Of God

General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God,Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye has every reason not to be too happy at the moment with some of his pastor.The reason may not be unconnected with some acres of land meant for church expansion that had been acquired behind him by some of his aides for personal use.

According to source,the land which is over 50 acres(300 plots,since six plots make an acre) has led to a face-off between the amiable clergy and some of his pastors numbering about 100.

According to our source,some landowners whose names we couldn’t ascertain as the time of filing the report came to Pastor Adeboye few months back(in 2011),requesting him to buy some of their land near the Redemption Camp along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.


We learnt that Daddy G.O,as Pastor Adeboye is fondly called,told them he was interested in the land which is worth about N100 million.However,he asked that they should give him sometime because he had his hands on so many projects-and they all accepted his position.

We scooped he informed some of his aides at the church council about the development.Sadly, we learnt he got the shock of his life few days back when he approached the landowners for payment-but was told the land had been bought.When he enquired from them who bought the land,he was informed some of his pastors approached them behind his back and negotiated for the pieced of land.

A spokesperson for the ministry confirmed the tale Yes,it’s true that Daddy G.O had a meeting with the church pastors on Saturday,January 7,2012,where he stated categorically that those pastors who have acquired certain parcels of land meant for the ministry to either donate them to the church or quit the land.
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Sacked Cross River gov, Imoke, appeals for calm

The removed governor of Cross River State, Mr. Liyel Imoke, has appealed to the people of the state to remain calm, in the light of his sacking by the Supreme Court.
Imoke stated this in a posting on his Twitter and Facebook accounts, a few hours after he was sacked along with five of his colleagues.
They were sacked after the court declared that their term ended on May 29, 2011 and that the tenure elongation accorded them by a lower court was illegal and alien to the 1999 Constitution.
He wrote, “This morning, the Supreme Court delivered judgment with respect to the first tenure of this administration holding that the tenure ended on the 27th of May 2011. In compliance with the judgment I have vacated office as governor and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly has been sworn in as acting Governor.
“The Independent Electoral Commission shall, following the provisions of the law, conduct elections for the office of governor. Once again I appeal for calm and peace in the state.
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ACN leader begins consultations with opposition, others

Former Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has begun a round of consultations with members of the opposition, civil society and pro-democracy groups and individuals in the country.

A source close to the ex-governor who was said to have returned to the country this week, said in Lagos on Thursday that he had also begun preliminary talks with the leadership of the party to appraise the state of the nation.

According to the source, Tinubu will in the next two weeks hold different levels of meetings with his party caucus members, leaders of other prominent political parties, human rights community and labour.

“This broad consultation is aimed at helping him appraise himself fully the developments that took place while he was away, afford him an opportunity to thank and solidarise with political and civil society leaders that took part in the protest against subsidy removal,” a source close to the party said.

Tinubu had, earlier in a piece published two weeks ago in national dailies, during the nationwide protest against fuel subsidy removal, flayed the Goodluck Jonathan administration for breaking his social contract with the people by the abrupt removal of subsidy on fuel.

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FIFA denies split with Roger Milla

FIFA has denied a split with Roger Milla despite reports the Cameroon great was dropped from its Football Committee, then resigned as a goodwill ambassador.

FIFA says in a statement “there was apparently a misunderstanding” over Milla’s status.

Milla reportedly told African media he lost his committee seat due to a dispute with Cameroon football federation president Mohammed Iya, who FIFA appointed to its 2014 World Cup organising committee.

FIFA’s website no longer lists Milla, voted Africa’s best player of the 20th century, as a member of the advisory panel, which includes Pele and Michel Platini.

However, FIFA says “Roger Milla will keep his position in the FIFA Standing Committees and will also continue to be an ambassador.”

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2011 subsidy claims to hit N2tn – Reps’ panel

The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Subsidy Regime said on Thursday that total subsidy claims to be paid by the Federal Government on imported fuel in 2011 might hit “over N2trillion.”

The committee stated this in the light of fresh revelations that many marketers had outstanding claims to be paid by government running into billions of naira.

Already, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and the Central Bank of Nigeria had given the committee two conflicting figures on the subsidy claims for 2011.

While the minister said the total amount paid as at December 2011 was N1.4tn, the apex bank insisted that the “actual” payment was N1.7tn.

But the committee observed in Abuja on Thursday that the N1.7tn was still a far cry from the expenditure government incurred on fuel subsidy in 2011.

The Chairman of the committee, Mr. Farouk Lawan, said more marketers had appeared to testify that the government owed them money for products they imported.

He said 100 marketers were awarded contracts to import fuel in 2011, rising from about 49 in 2010.

Boko Haram: Security operatives take over ex-IGP, Ringim’s home town

Ringim local government area of Jigawa State, the country home of sacked Inspector General of Police, IGP,Mr. Hafizu Abubakar Ringim was full of security operatives fully armed as part of measures to deny members of Bokom Haram access to the town.

It was gathered that the security operatives has mounted different stop and search check points on about 30 kilometers to enter the town, where motorists are been search thoroughly before allowing to proceed to their destinations.

Also, in Ringim town, a road linking the former IGP personal residence was blocked. It was learnt that following the development, one of the state legislatures (name witheld) who lives close to Hafiz Ringim`s house was denied access to his residence by the security operatives.

The state legislature who was furious on the road block was said to have reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer in Ringim before he get access to his house.

The former Inspector general of police who was in Ringim town three days to his sack could not sleep at his house despite the presence of security operative. It was learnt from a source who spoked on anonymity, that the former IGP spent the night at a farm for his safety.

Meanwhile,People in Ringim area have condemned the attitude of the security operatives on the way and manner they maltreat the residents. According to them, the security agents were forcing people to frog jump and in some cases, beating innocent citizens.

But a security source said the tight measures was to ensure the protection of lives and properties of innocent citizen who may fall victim of any attack from unscrupulous group and not for the safety of the former IGP as people were speculating.

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FG urged to refund N350bn to states on federal roads repairs

THE National Economic Council, NEC, comprising the 36 states and the Federal Government, yesterday, rose from its first quarterly meeting of the year with a resolution that the central government refunds the over N350 billion that states expended on the repair of federal roads in their respective domain.
At the end of the meeting, the state governors successfully secured a commitment from the Federal Government to accelerate the verification and payment of claims regarding the rehabilitation of federal roads.
Addressing State House correspondents, Governors Theodore Orji (Abia), Olusegun Mimiko, (Ondo), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina) and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) with some of his colleagues explained that the NEC mandated the Federal Ministry of Works to liaise with the state governments towards ensuring the resolution of the matter.
The meeting resolved that while the process of verification is ongoing, state governments should not relent in maintaining the affected roads if so provided for in the agreements entered into with the federal government.
Governor Orji, said “a special provision is being made by the Federal Government to raise the money for the payment which stands at over N350 billion. To ensure proper maintenance of federal roads, states are encouraged to continue with routine maintenance of such roads provided they comply with new procedures for such intervention”, he said.
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