Thursday 3 April 2014

FIFA bans Barcelona from signing players for the next two transfer seasons

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FIFA today April 2nd banned Spanish football giants FC Barcelona from signing players till summer 2015 over rules breach relating to the international transfer and registration of players under 18.

According to reports, the club was investigated by FIFA for 12 months over their youth recruitment policy. And after FIFA found out that the club had been engaged in illegally recruiting and importing non-Spanish minors over a four year period, the world football governing body handed out the transfer ban and also fined the club £306,000. (450,000 Swiss francs.)

FIFA also fined the Spanish FA £340,000 for allowing Barcelona to embark on a sustained and extended policy of what is viewed as child exploitation by the world governing body. Read FIFA's statement after the cut...

Emaciated former NAFDAC DG pictured again at ongoing CONFAB

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Mrs Dora Akunyili looking nothing like her old self at the ongoing National Conference in Abuja. Mrs Akunyili confirmed last week that she just came out of a serious illness but was well and just needed time to put on some weight.

Sophia Tchidi Chikere replies Tchidi Chikere

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A few hours ago, Nollywood director Tchidi Chikere took to Twitter to rubbish his estranged wife Sophia Tchidi Chikere (If you missed it, read here). Well, Sophia has responded to all the accusations leveled against her by her ex. She just sent me an exclusive statement. Find it below...
Tchidi Chikere, I read all you said about me and I laugh. Is that the best way to justify yourself? It is well. I will not exchange words with you still because there is nothing you say or write about me that will shake me because those that put their trust in God, He never fails them.
Why are you lying to people? For them to turn around and clap for you and justify what you did? Is it because people who know the truth are saying it and it's hurting you and you are now looking for a way to justify yourself. I give 10 years of my life and this is how you repay me? By disrespecting me and my family? Continue...

Sambo gives thermal power plant contractors ultimatum

Vice President Namadi Sambo, yesterday, asked the contractors handling the Kaduna 215mw Thermal Power Plant to ensure that the project was ready for completion by the end of this year.
Sambo gave the directive at a meeting with project consortium,  consultants and representatives of the ministries of Power, Transport, among others in Kaduna,
This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Umar Sani.
According to Sani, ‘’Sambo, who requested for a detailed programme of work for the project, it was to ensure that the project was commissioned on schedule.
’’He frowned at requests made by the consortium for variation of optional items outside the scope of work and urged the Ministry of Power to conclude the arrangement for the fuel storage tank and directed Rockson Engineering, one of the companies in the consortium, to provide their records of procurements for the Balance of Plant, BoP, and schedule of deliveries and commence without delay, the civil works and construction for the storage tank.
He also called for a schedule of completion of alignment of the turbines from General Electric.
’’Sambo was satisfied with the report presented by the Minister of Transport on the construction of railway tracks that would connect the rail with the power plant to enable for easy transportation of the fuel from source.
He also noted the challenges faced by the consortium at the site and directed them to sort out all issues and report back within two weeks.
Those issues were on the eight turbines alignment, storage tank, electrical control system which was one of the major engineering issues for project delivery and additional works.

The Oscar Pistorius Trial (2)

IN the last instalment we promised that an attempt will be made to point out the similarities between the proceedings in Oscar’s trial and what would have been, ‘had he been arraigned in a Nigerian Court’. An arraignment, according to Black’s Law Dictionary, is ‘the initial step in a criminal prosecution whereby the defendant is brought before the court to hear the charges and to enter a plea’.
It is the plea of the accused that vests the court with the jurisdiction to hear the case. In the instant case, the accused person applied for Bail soon after his arrest by the Police and despite the serious nature of the offence with which he is charged, he was released on bail by the court. Bail, according to the Black’s Dictionary, is the process by which a person is released from custody either on the undertaking of a surety or on his or her own recognizance.

N255m bullet-proof cars: EFCC grills Oduah for 5 hours

In a move seen as a sign of her further rejection by the Presidency, sacked Aviation Minister, Stella Oduah, was yesterday summoned for interrogation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over her role in the purchase of two armoured BMW cars.
Vanguard gathered that the embattled former minister, who was touted as one of the closest to the President, looked forlorn, as she turned in herself to EFCC operatives for questioning in relation to the controversial bullet‑proof vehicles.
Aviation Minister, Ms. Stella Oduah
Former Aviation Minister, Ms. Stella Oduah
Oduah, who arrived the EFCC office in Wuse 2, Abuja around 10.30 am, was not allowed to go by her interrogators until 3 p.m.
It was gathered that the former minister was questioned extensively on what she knew about the acquisition of the cars, which generated a lot of adverse publicity for the beleaguered industry and the nation until she was dropped last February.
A competent source in the commission confirmed to Vanguard that Oduah cooperated with the team that questioned her and made useful statements that might help in prosecuting her.

Wednesday 2 April 2014

Court discharges 2 sodomy suspects in Bauchi

Bauchi – A Shari’ah Court in Bauchi on Tuesday discharged and acquitted two suspects, Usman Sabo and Hafizu Abubakar, earlier arraigned before it for alleged homosexual activities.
Delivering judgement on the case, judge, Aliyu Elyaqub, said the suspects had to be discharged because the prosecution counsel could not prove his case beyond reasonable doubt.
Elyaqub said since there was no witness to prove that the accused actually committed the offence, the law could not hold them liable.
He said the suspects were therefore discharged under section 28 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Bauchi State Shari’ah Law, 2001.
In their reactions, the accused thanked God that justice had prevailed, saying they would never forgive their enemies that framed them.
The Commissioner, Bauchi State Hisbah Commission, Alhaji Jibrin Hassan, whose commission charged the suspects to court, said that they would study the judgement before deciding on the next line of action. (NAN)

Group appeals to Gov Okorocha to re-award road contract

Ahead of  the proposed visit of the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorochas to Ikeduru Local Government Area tomorrow to assess the progress of ongoing projects in the area, a group, Klobb X,  has again called on him to revoke the contract for the construction of Ekemegbu-Oha -Afor Uzoagba road and award same to a more competent contractor.
The group in a letter to the governor, dated March 1, 2014, alleged that on hearing of the governor’s visit, the contractor  immediately mobilised to dump some laterite in the site to give the impression it had returned to site.
In the letter signed by chancellor and scribe of the group, Mr. Nnamdi Ibe and Chief George Idimogu, respectively, the group alleged that prior to this time, all efforts and entreaties by the community to make the contractor continue work on the project had fallen on deaf ears.
It said:  “We, therefore, wish to inform you that the best option is to re-award the contract to a competent hand to ensure that the community is not short-changed.”
The group, which also petitioned Imo State House of Assembly Committee on Abandoned Projects, lauded the governor for awarding the contract for the construction of the road.
It also appealed to the governor to ensure the project was not abandoned mid-way.

SSS accuses CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido, of financing terrorism

.And now the SSS is accusing suspended CBN governor Sansui Lamido Sanusi of financing terrorism in Nigeria.

Premium Times reports

 A new twist has been added to the ongoing travails of the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Lamido Sanusi, as the Department of State Security Service, SSS, has accused him of financing terrorism.
The SSS stated this at the Federal High Court, Lagos, while defending its decision to seize Mr. Sanusi’s international passport.
Mr. Sanusi’s passport was seized on February 20, as he arrived the Lagos international airport, hours after he was suspended as Central Bank Governor by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The new charge, which Mr. Sanusi’s lawyers described as false and baseless, tallies with a similar surreptitious but baseless allegation thrown at the bank chief by a presidential aide.

Reno Omokri, the Special Assistant to the President on New Media, had, on February 26, used a pseudonym, Wendell Simlin, to circulate an article that tried to link the recent spike in Boko Haram attack to the suspension of the CBN governor.

Terry G goes into pure water business

The singer shared the photo on the left, introducing his new business venture, Terry G pure water. He even shared a few seconds video that shows the making of the sachet water...see it after the cut...

D'banj threatens to sue UK Daily Mail for labeling him a 'legendary womaniser'

Music superstar D'banj has threatened to sue UK tabloid, Daily Mail for describing him as a 'legendary womanizer' in an article they wrote a few weeks back about Kenya Moore and her fake African prince. (See that here). 

Speaking exclusively with Encomium mag, D'banj rubbished the report, insisting Daily Mail goofed. He said he's discussing with his legal team with a view to suing Daily Mail for maligning him..
"The story has no substance. I am even about to sue UK Daily Mail for defamation of character. I am discussing with my legal team. They didn't hear from me. Everything they wrote is totally wrong. They defined Kokomaster wrongly. I think they wanted to talk about Kenya Moore, who was a former Miss America, but they didn't get their facts right. Everything they wrote was false. They are going to hear from my legal team soon" D'banj threatened
He also talked about leaving Mo'Hits, his deal with Kanye West and confirms he's found love. Find all that after the cut...

Helicopters drop food items, arms for Boko Haram members - Yobe elders say

Former Minister of Finance, Mallam Adamu Ciroma; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe; elder statesman, Shetima Mustapha and other political leaders from Yobe and Borno state yesterday held a press conference in Abuja where they revealed that members of the Islamic sect were being supplied food, medicine and arms with helicopters and wondered why security agents and the state governments have kept mum on this fact.
The elders who met under the umbrella of "Borno Yobe Peoples Forum" wondered why the 20-hilux car convoys of Boko Haram members can move freely and execute their plans without being intercepted by security men who are supposed to monitor movement even with the curfew both states are placed on right now. 
They also asked the government to tell Nigerians who directed security officials to leave the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi in Yobe State few hours before the sect members attacked and killed 59 young students last month. Hmmm...continue...

Four suicide bombers die in attempted attack in Maiduguri

Four suspected Boko Haram members died today after the vehicles in which they each rode in exploded as they headed towards a NNPC facility on Maiduguri-Dambora road in Mule, an outskirt of Maiduguri, Borno State. Apparently they each had their vehicles laced with bombs that would detonate at the same time.
 
Spokesman for the Joint Information Centre for Counter Terrorism Campaign, Major General Chris Olukolade said that three out of the four explosive-laden vehicles were demobilized by shots fired at them by soldiers at the check point shortly before the explosions.
 
Reports say five soldiers were killed when the bombs exploded and the exact number of civilian casualties is yet to be ascertained.

Sean Tizzle releasese new promo pics + set to release debut album

Just weeks before he releases his debut album " The Journey" Sean Tizzle unveils his new set of promo pictures. The album which is due to drop sometime this month features a host of Nigeria's A-List artists. Continue to see more photos...

Tuesday 1 April 2014

C.E.O Mistaqueens blog caught on camera having sex


Damn! $450,000 Lamborghini Aventador wrecked in crash

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A Lamborghini Aventador speed car worth about $450,000 was wrecked in a three-car smash on one of London's most expensive streets, Sloane Street in Knightsbridge, yesterday afternoon.

The Lamborghini was involved in the crash with a BMW and a Mazda 5. The matte black super car collidedwith the Mazda, then hit a stationary BMW, badly damaging the front of the car. Ouch! I'm seriously hurting for the owner...:-). See more photos after the cut...

Boy kills brother in Yobe state, removes his eyes, tongue

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A boy in Daya Village, Fika LGA of Yobe State, today Monday March 31st allegedly killed his younger brother and removed his tongue and eyes, Premium Times reports
A resident of Daya, Ishmail Daya, said that the younger boy had gone missing three days ago and that while a search was going on in the village, the older brother was found with his brother’s tongue and eyes.
“He killed his younger brother and buried him on his father’s farmland,” Ishmail said.
Both the alleged killer and the victim are believed to be underage. He insisted that there had been no prior quarrel between the siblings.
“There was no fight, he just killed his brother. Though investigation is still going on, but there was no fight,” he said.

The district head and Galadima of Fika, Fika LGA, Garba Daya, confirmed the incident.

“Yes, it actually happened in Daya,” he said, adding that the killer was currently in police custody.

Efforts to reach the Yobe Police command proved futile as the state Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Rufai, did not pick his calls or respond to text messages as at press time.

Oh shit! Didn't they just celebrate their anniversary? Top Nigerian Ent. couple announce split

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Oh dear! We recently celebrated their wedding anniversary here and now they have released a joint statement announcing their split. The top entertainment couple who got married many years back and blessed with kids said they split due to irreconcilable differences but will continue to love each and be co-parents to their young kids. This is so sad. Was actually rooting for them...

Read their statement after the cut...

Egbin residents rise against power plant, protest marginalisation

Hundreds of Egbin residents in Ikorodu area of Lagos State, recently shutdown the popular Egbin power plant,  protesting what they described as marginalisation on the part of the company.
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Lamenting irregular power supply in the area, the residents demanded for return of their recently acquired and fenced 7.345 hectares (18.148 Acres) of land which has remained unused by the thermal station.

Shot DSS operative may be flown abroad

One of the two Department of State Service, DSS, officers shot by Boko Haram terrorists  in attempted jailbreak at the agency’s headquarters, last Sunday, may be flown abroad for medical attention.
DSS OPEARTIVES
This came as details of how the terrorists attacked the security agency began to unfold, yesterday, just as the agency moved to unravel the cause of the uprising.
The development also forced the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, to cancel its planned nationwide protest over exclusion in the ongoing national conference.
There were fears, yesterday, that the gun injury of the operative shot in the back, may affect his spinal cord and render him incapacitated, if not properly treated.
Although the two men have not died, they were reportedly seriously injured by the terrorists.

Lagos issues flood alert to those residing near lagoons, flood plains

LAGOS State will experience normal rainfall with minimal intensity compared to last year’s rainfall, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello has predicted. The Commissioner who based his predictions on facts gleaned from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, gave the socio-economic implication of this year’s rainfall for the state.
“Lagos state is predicted to have normal rainfall this year, but surrounding states like Ogun and Oyo will have above normal rainfall. Thus, excess flow from dams in these states which flows through downstream to Lagos may cause flooding downstream realistically in Lagos if the water in the dams is not properly managed,” he said.
The commissioner who disclosed that the length of rainy season for the year is predicted to vary between 100 days over the extreme north and 300 days over the coastal areas like Lagos, said the predicted rainfall over the central and southern parts of the country will support good yield of both cereals and tuber crops.

Anambra polls tribunal admits 2 APC electronic voter registers

THE Anambra State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Awka, yesterday, admitted two versions of electronic register of voters in Anambra State issued by Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, on October 16, 2013 and November 13, 2013 respectively. The three man panel headed by Justice Ishaq Bello also admitted a letter to APC on October 14, 2013.
The two electronic voter registers  which were contained in two different computer hard discs were marked Exhibit P. 386,1-2, while the letter was marked ‘Exhibit P.385’. The admission followed protracted legal battle between the petitioners’ counsel led by Emeka Ngige, SAN, and those of the INEC, Obiano and APGA, to stop the documents from being admitted.
Raising an objection that the process of bringing what he described as “the two objects” before the court “was flawed,” INEC’s Counsel, Gbenga Awomolo, SAN, and Prof Chukwuemeka Onukogu, counsel for INEC Resident Commissioner in Anambra State; relied on Section 84 of the Evidence Act to insist that the prosecution witness Chibuzo Obiakor (PW11), State Collation Agent for APC in the November 16, 2013 elections, did not lay sufficient foundation in his evidence for the objects to be admitted.
Awomolo argued that there ought to be enough evidence to show that the said exhibits were products from a computer which has been in regular use and certified.
He was supported by Counsel to Willie Obiano, Onyebuchi Ikpeazu and Counsel for APGA, Patrick Ikwueto, SAN.

Monday 31 March 2014

The true face of horror in Ibadan! Bow, knife expose herdsmen as suspects

Everybody who got to the ‘evil forest’ in Ibadan, Oyo State capital where hundreds of people have been killed by kidnappers was stunned to speechlessness seeing the number of decomposed bodies of victims.
Call the place the Soka house of horror, a den of killers, the place of skull, the evil shrine, the valley of dry bones, killers’ hideouts, you will not be wrong. No adjective or description is too much to express the horror there. In the isolated bush, life is hellish, brutish, loutish and nasty. It is distasteful, barbaric and fetish. It is better read and heard than seen.
If you go there once, you could find it difficult to have your meal. Flies of different sizes and colours were feasting on the bodies. The bodies were in different positions. The odour was unbearable. The land brings to mind David’s statement when he heard about the death of his bosom friend, Jonathan, “Tell it not in Gath or publish it in the streets of Ashkelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph”.
SOKA-1
*Survivors
Chief Isiaka Bello Olupoju, a community leader in the area who was not sure of the exact number of people killed, put the figure at about 120 persons.
Apart from the atrocities committed in the den, the incident raises a serious security concern.
Alleged connivance
It is indefensible for residents in the area to claim ignorance of the activities of the kidnappers. The stench oozing from the decomposed bodies was a strong indication that nobody in the area could claim ignorance.
A woman, who spoke in the presence of Governor Abiola Ajimobi, said the matter had been reported at Sanyo Police Station several times. She said some policemen either said the place had been set aside to take care of the destitute who had become a nuisance in the city or it didn’t fall under their jurisdiction.
Another source said they always saw some people moving up and down particularly herdsmen. He said the police should investigate the herdsmen. To fuel suspicion that the herdsmen might know something about the  killings there, a knife and a bow commonly used by cattle rearers were found close to one of the decomposed bodies. The knife was still looking fresh as at Tuesday indicating it was just dropped there.
Besides, a company populated by foreigners where the vehicles or motorcycles conveying the victims always pass should know something about the isolated bush. The building of the company is tall and so should afford the persons staying inside to have a glimpse of what is going on in the bush.
Arbitrary arrests and shooting
Sunday Vanguard saw the body of a woman identified simply as Kafayat, pregnant and said to be a mother of three, who was allegedly killed by an overzealous security man during the protest that followed the uncovering of the bush. She was said to have left her wares at Agodi Gate where she operated a shop to have a glimpse of the horror when she was felled by stray bullet.
Apart from seven suspects earlier arrested as confirmed by the Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Olabisi Ilobanafor, three other suspects were rounded up in the area.  Sunday Vanguard gathered from a security man that a mob made up of youths, angered that the police failed to uncover the bush of horror, was coming to set the Sanyo Police Station ablaze.
This prompted policemen to guard the station. Anybody coming from the Lagos end of the expressway towards Iwo Road without an Identity card was picked up as a suspect. An Okada man, who proved difficult for two policemen trying to pin him down, was beaten blue and black as about eight policemen descended on him with gun butts and boots.
He was thereafter arrested. Before Ajimobi got to the scene, it was gathered that five more bodies had been taken away and also a boy who was trying to dig the hall to locate some of his missing relatives was reportedly shot by security men guarding the place. When arraigned in court one day after, the court could not find any cogent reason why the suspects should be remanded in custody. They were released on bail in the sum of N100, 000 each.
How the den was discovered
After several failed attempts to find their missing ones, commercial motorcyclists, popularly called Okada riders, mobilized in hundreds and stormed the kidnappers’ den. On getting there, they raised the alarm seeing numerous bodies of victims.
Ajimobi revokes right to land
When Governor Ajimobi got to the scene, the crowd was unruly. He had to talk tough to get the people to listen to him. He said, “As from today, the state government has revoked the land from its owners. We would dig all the land and expose any victims hidden in the ground. God would expose them. We, into whose hands you have entrusted the governance of this state through your votes, God will use us to punish the culprits”.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Indabawa, assured the crowd that he would do everything to get all the suspects.
Survivors in hospital
Doctors at Adeoyo State Hospital, Ibadan, where victims who survived the ‘evil forest’ horror were admitted for treatment, did not allow journalists’ access to the survivors. After much pressure, the hospital officials and security men there, however, allowed some newsmen to have a brief chat with the survivors but they did not allow anybody to take pictures.
The survivors, who identified themselves as Nafiu Shittu, Michael Ola, Mrs. Titi Adeniyi, nee Dokpesi and Wale Atoyebi, gave indications that the kidnappers, who operated in the bush, capitalized on the urban renewal initiative of the Oyo government to arrest some hawkers under the pretext that they violated the state environmental law even though they did not have the authority of government to do it. Shittu recalled how he was kidnapped. He said he was selling concoction at Agodi Gate when he was accosted by some men who forced him into a waiting car.
Titi Adeniyi-nee Dokpesi said she was forced into a vehicle in front of her house and later found herself in the den.
She said, “I am from the compound of the late Baba Awolowo located in Oke Bola area of Ibadan. Some people kidnapped me while I was sitting in front of our house. Nobody was around then. My people were in Lagos. They said I was wanted somewhere and that they came to arrest me. They then took me away in their vehicle. Later, I found myself in that forest”. The survivor said she could not tell if people were being killed in the forest by the kidnappers.  ”I don’t know whether people were being killed or women giving birth. Where they kept us was where I used to be. Once I covered my head with my dress, I would sleep off”.
As if that was not enough, three human tongues were allegedly found on three men at Oni and Sons Hospital area of Ibadan in a cellophane bag. After being mobbed, the men were handed over to the police.

I have forgiven Atiku, others – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, reacted to the request of Northern Youth Leaders Forum, NLYF,  to forgive his estranged former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, saying; “I have forgiven him.”
Obasanjo who stated  this after  a two-day  meeting with the forum  in Abeokuta said he had also forgiven  other persons perceived to have offended him.
OBASANJO-ATIKU
The forum led by its Chairman,  Elliot Afiyo had  appealed to  Obasanjo to  forgive  his  former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of whatever  political sin or offence he might have committed against him.
Abubakar was Obasanjo’s vice, between 1999 and 2007, and was believed to have scuttled the third-term ambition of Obasanjo in 2006.
But Obasanjo while reacting to the request by the NYLF  said as a leader and father, he bore no grudge against anybody and if there was, he had forgiven.
According to him: “On the request that you made yesterday, I do not have any grudge against anybody. And if there is any, I have forgiven all as a father.”
Obasanjo who  appreciated the group for coming to Abeokuta to make case for a  way forward for the country, stressed that since 2003, the group had increased in membership.
He said: “The effort  of your group has been noteworthy. I am happy that you have also increased in number. Let me appreciate all your support since 2003 and urge you to continue by ensuring that credible leaders are elected in 2015.”
The leader of the delegation , Afiyo had earlier  said: “The leadership ïs in Abeokuta to visit our Baba to identify with his vision for our great country, Nigeria.”
In a position paper submitted earlier on Saturday, he  stated; “We have come to you (Obasanjo) as a father indeed.
“With your positive attributes, Chief Obasanjo has no option or alternative than to chastise and later forgive and embrace both the  good and bad characters.
“In view of this, we humbly request that you forgive your former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of whatever political sin or offence he might have committed against you. We bow ourselves before you on his behalf and plead for mercy and understanding.”
The National chairman added that the mission to come and plead for Atiku did not in any way stop him from charting any noble political course for the nation come 2015.

Sunday 30 March 2014

Two Britons, 12 Others Arrested for oil theft in Nigeria

Crude-oil-theftNigeria has arrested two Britons and 10 of its own citizens on charges of trying to bribe a military officer to facilitate oil theft, the military said on Friday.
Oil theft by armed gangs is rampant in Africa’s top crude-producing country, with estimates ranging from 100,000 barrels to 250,000 barrels a day lost to so-called “bunkerers”.
Major-General E.J. Atewe, commander of the mixed military and police Joint Task Force (JTF) for the oil-producing Niger Delta region, said two of the bunkerers, both Nigerian, had gone to an officer to request clearance to move the crude oil.
They had openly admitted their plan was to hack into a pipeline and connect a hose that would siphon crude out of it onto a waiting boat, and offered him $6,500 to provide a gunboat to protect them on the way out.
“The suspects were immediately arrested for attempting to bribe the brigade commander for economic sabotage,” Atewe said in a statement, and a follow-up operation had led to the arrest of two Britons and another eight Nigerians.
Stories of collusion with the security forces are common and the sheer scale of oil theft in Nigeria would not be possible without systematic collusion by various security agencies, security sources say.
Loss of output from theft and outages caused by sabotaging pipelines has cost the treasury – which relies on oil for about 80 percent of revenues – billions of dollars. Critics, however, say theft is exaggerated to cover up embezzlement of oil revenues by officials in the state oil firm, a charge they deny.
Oil theft has contributed to the high likelihood Nigeria will lose its top African crude oil exporter spot in May, as exports could fall to their lowest since records began in 2009.
Production of the Forcados grade has been hit by underwater pipeline leakage, which Shell blamed on oil theft, and which led the operator to declare force majeure on the grade this week.
Despite widespread evidence of collusion between Nigerian security forces, the government has been keen to portray oil theft as the work of foreign criminal gangs. Analysts say the main buyers are gangs in the Balkans and refiners in Singapore.

Ngige vs Obiano: Tribunal admits civil societies’ report on poor election conduct

THE Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Awka, yesterday admitted a copy of the report of the November 16, 2013 governorship election written by the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, PLAC, Abuja, a non-governmental organization, NGO and a coalition of over 50 Civil Society Organizations, CSOs that monitored the elections in the state.
The report was brought to the tribunal and tendered by Edwin Onoja, a Programme Officer at PLAC and one of the numerous witnesses to the petitioners, Senator Chris Ngige and All Progressives Congress, APC in their petition filed against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Resident Electoral Commission, REC, Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano and the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.
In his ruling yesterday, the chairman of the tribunal, Ishaq Bello said the report would be admitted as evidence and considered along side the oral evidence and cross-examinations to be given by the witness.

I can’t waste my time on El-Rufai, he’s too small - Pastor Oritsejafor

In an interview with Punch today, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor responded for the first time on Mallam Nasir Elrufai's claims that the private jet he got some months back was from the presidency and not from his church members. (Find story here)
Your children in the ministry bought aircraft for you recently, but Mallam Nasir el-Rufai claimed it was a gift from the President. How do you feel about this?
I am glad that there are people who challenged him. I would only be dignifying him if a person at my level starts exchanging words with a small person like el-Rufai. He is too small. I will not dignify him with a response. People responded. They told him that since he knew who gave the gift, he should provide the proof, which he hasn’t done till today. Obviously, he didn’t have any proof. That is the problem with Nigeria. We continue to celebrate people like el-Rufai. He is too small for me.
Are you considering legal actions against him?
If I did that, I would be giving him publicity. el-Rufai is too small for that. I shouldn’t have anything to do with him. If there are other Nigerians who will want to take him to court, they are free, but not for me. Going to court with who? el-Rufai? el-Rufai is too small. I won’t waste my time on him.

Dear women, you know we can actually hold out until marriage?

How many of you watched that Nick Cannon video yesterday where he listed the names of 5 famous women he's slept with? (See it here) Did you hear what he said about Mariah Carey when they asked him when they first slept together?
"On our wedding night, honeymoon style, in the Bahamas. That's a real woman there, make you wait, til you got married." Nick said
About other women, Nick said "It's LA! That's the whole purpose, you have sex with actresses, singers, models...but Mariah made me wait"
In essence, a real woman makes a man wait till they are married before giving herself to him? I know it's really difficult to hold out, especially when you're crazy in love with the guy, but the thing is, men actually respect that. They really do. And whether you sleep with a man or not, if he wants to marry you, he will, right? 

Personally, I don't know if I can. I'd love to I swear. I keep telling myself that's the plan but you can meet a guy tomorrow now with Brad Pitt's face, Tyson Beckford's body, Gerard Butler's charm and Kevin Hart's sense of humur and lose your senses. lol. But ultimately this is the best thing to do, wait till you are married. What do you ladies think? And big kudos to Mariah

NYPD shuts down Davido's NY concert because it was over-packed

You have to be a really special artist for this to happen to you. The New York Police Department last night March 28th shut down Davido's concert which held at Pulse 48 in Brooklyn because the concert was overbooked, leading to safety concerns. People going to the concert caused shut down of two blocks in Brooklyn, forcing the police to intervene.

The show yesterday was supposed to be Davido's first show as he kicks off US/Canada Tour 2014. He has a show in D.C today and Minnesota tomorrow. Then Dallas, Texas on Friday the 4th of April, then makes a final stop in Toronto, Canada on the 5th of April.
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