President Jonathan unveils new N100 notes

The new N100 note designed to commemorate Nigeria's 100 years of amalgamation was unveiled by President Jonathan today Nov. 12th at the state house during the Federal Executive Council meeting.
While presenting the notes to other members of the Council, the president said it was a laudable gesture by the CBN to produce the notes which would serve as a reminder of Nigeria's centenary celebration.
Speaking on the new notes, Central Bank governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele said the notes will be in circulation from December 2014

Obasanjo shuns Jonathan’s second-term declaration

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was absent at President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration to contest the 2015 presidential election in Abuja on Tuesday.

Also absent was a former military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. Both are members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

Babangida was among those who sought the party’s ticket in 2011, but lost to Jonathan.

Obasanjo was a former chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, who later resigned his position over some disagreements with the way he said the party was being handled.

There were speculations that the former President was against the second term ambition of the President because of the alleged agreement he (Jonathan) had with the leadership of the party, including the governors in 2011, that he would only be in office for one term.

Meanwhile, there were mixed reactions to the President’s self assessment at his declaration for the 2015 election.

Jonathan, who admitted that the Boko Haram issue had been a big challenge to his administration, listed his achievements in various sectors.

A former chairman of the Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Monday Ubani,   said Nigerians could not be carried away by the list of achievements reeled out by the President.

Ubani said, “Nigerians are already used to this road; the road of leaders coming out to tell Nigerians about their achievements that are not seen. Leaders at state and local government levels during the period of elections come out to say a lot of things.

“We are used to it but we are not carried away by their claims.”

Financial analysts also expressed divergent views on the economic performance of the Jonathan administration.

Those who spoke to our correspondent on the matter were the Lead Director, Center for Social Justice, Mr.Eze Onyekwere; the Registrar, Chartered Institute of Finance and Control of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Eohoi; and a former President of the University of Port Harcourt Alumni Association, Mr. Peter Nwabuzor.

While Onyekwere rated the performance of the economy under Jonathan low, Eohoi and Nwabuzor were of the view that the economy had witnessed massive transformation within the last three-and-a-half years.

Onyekwere said, “I will assess him as a student who want to get let my people go, which is about 40 per cent. We can afford to do more than two times as better as we are doing now in terms of uplifting the standards of living.

“He promised refineries he has not done that. We are still importing fuel and spending about a trillion naira in importing fuel and the electricity he promised is not there yet.

“To whom much is given much is expected and we have abundant resources but we are yet to fully get to utilize that resources for the benefit of Nigerians.”

But Eohoi said that when considered from all economic indicators, the Jonathan administration has performed well.

“He had done well in boosting the economy since he assumed office. Look at the work so far carried out in key sectors of the economy which had resulted in creating wealth, reducing unemployment and ensuring macro economic growth,” he said.

Eohoi, however, said there was still more work to be done in boosting power supply in order to increase the capacity of manufacturing companies.

Also in his assessment of the current administration, Nwabuzor said, “He is a president that has performed credibly well in spite of all the challenges facing the nation.

“I have to mention that Mr. President has made tremendous achievements in all sectors of the economy, and in realization of the fact that he has positively touched all relevant sectors of the economy by making tremendous achievements.”

Nigerians displaced by Boko Haram to ‘vote’ in 2015 — INEC

The Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, said on Wednesday that it planned to make provisions for Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, to cast their votes in the 2015 general polls.
Tukur Sa’ad, the Borno Resident Electoral Commissioner, said this during a visit to the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Garbai in Maiduguri.
Mr. Sa’ad, however, said that the commission was yet to work out modalities for the IDPs to vote.
He said that the INEC had slated Nov. 28 for the commencement of distribution of Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, in Borno.
Mr. Sa’ad explained that the exercise would hold in 12 out of the 27 local government areas of the state due to the current security challenges.
“The issuance of PVCs to registered voters will take place in only 12 LGAs considered to be relatively safe in Borno.
“The exercise will last for six days,” he said.
Mr. Sa’ad said that the number of registered voters in the 12 LGAs represented about 52 percent of total number of voters registered in the state in 2010.
“The PVCs will be issued based on the temporary voters’ cards issued at the nationwide voters registration in 2010.
“PVC is like an ATM card that will not allow an individual to vote more than once in an election,” he said.
Mr. Sa’ad said INEC would conduct Continuous Voter Registration at ward levels for individuals who had attained voting age after the distribution.
He solicited for the support of the royal father for the success of the exercise.
In his remarks, Shehu Garbai thanked the commissioner for the visit.
He expressed joy that INEC was making effort to hold election in the state in spite of the current security challenges.
Garbai advised INEC to make use of qualified staff for the conduct of the 2015 General Polls for credibility.

Suicide bomber strikes Federal College in Kontagora, Niger State

A deadly explosion has occurred at the Federal College of Education, Kontagora, Niger State, the state police said.
The Niger State police spokesperson, Ibrahim Gambari, said an unidentified female suicide bomber struck at the school on Wednesday, killing herself and injuring three others.
Police bomb units have deployed at the scene, he said.
A witness said however that at least one person was killed. That could not be confirmed.
“She detonated her bomb vest between the auditorium and the college library. She might have been on her way to the library,” Aisha Kontagor‎a, who lives in Kontangora, told PREMIUM TIMES.
Ms. Kontagora said so far only the suicide bomber and a young boy, believed to be‎ an Almajiri, died in the attack.
Niger State lies next to Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

Boko Haram: New Video Shows Shekau Inside ‘The Sect-Controlled Town’

A new Boko Haram video which was obtained by AFP news agency yesterday showed the sect leader, Abubakar Shekau, and his fighters in an armoured vehicle, openly moving around in an unidentified town they apparently control and preaching to locals.
According to the agency, it was not possible to tell whether the footage was staged for propaganda purposes, especially scenes of residents cheering the militants.
“We have indeed established an Islamic caliphate,” he said, restating a call he first made in August.
Shekau, in the 44-minute video, again dismissed government’s claims about ceasefire talks and threatened to kill the man who presented himself as Boko Haram’s negotiator.
In the video, he seemed to associate the territory under his control with a wider, global caliphate, but he did not submit to the authority of any other jihadist leader.
The sect leader voiced support for other so-called caliphates, including the one proclaimed in Iraq and Syria by the Islamic State (IS) group.
“To everyone living in Islamic Caliphate, we convey our greetings,” he said, specifically mentioning “brethren” in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Shishan (an Islamist term for Chechnya), Yemen, Somalia and “the Caliphate in Iraq and Syria.”
The video, which was delivered through the same channels as past messages, shows armed men lined along a well-paved road with three pick-up trucks equipped with heavy weapons.
Later, an armoured vehicle is driven down the road lined with both fighters and individuals who appear to be residents of the town.
The sect’s latest message appears to be aimed at reinforcing Shekau’s claim that he has created a caliphate within Nigeria.
Boko Haram has released a series of videos showing similar military hardware, equipment it says was stolen from the military.
Most of the message is taken up by a sermon from Shekau, delivered indoors but apparently played on a speaker to locals assembled outside.
The images of the sermon include unusually clear close-ups of Shekau, who in past videos has often been shown at a distance, sometimes in grainy footage.
Shekau had previously expressed solidarity with other jihadist groups and leaders, including the IS militants.
A graphic scene shown later includes a picture the IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as well as a portion of the message his group issued on July 1 proclaiming a caliphate in Iraq and Syria.

Generals Flee As Boko Haram Attacks Intensify

Three retired generals of the Nigerian army have reportedly escaped being killed, after Boko Haram insurgents stormed their village asking for their whereabouts.
Even as the Nigerian military stepped up efforts at beating back the extremist Boko Haram sect from the areas it currently occupies, including the commercial border town of Mubi in Adamawa state, the militants are intensifying attacks on remote communities and villages, residents have told Journalists
Also, there are reports that three retired Generals of the Nigerian Army narrowly escaped death when Boko Haram insurgents stormed their village asking for their whereabouts.
The insurgents did not succeed in their mission as they (the army Generals) were reportedly not around when the Boko Haram terrorists struck their village of Gashala in Hong Local Government, few kilometers away from Mubi town.
Gashala village is the home town of Air vice Marshal Steven Yaduma (Rtd), Major General Zakariya Yaduma and General Samuel Dzarma.
A resident of the village, Na'omi Bitrus, said when the gunmen arrived, they demanded to know the houses of the three Generals in the village.
But the villagers, sensing danger, decline to give the insurgents the information on the pretext that they too were strangers in the town.
"Four gunmen struck the village on two motor cycles on Thursday and immediately demanded to know the residents of the three Generals in the town but sensing danger the residents declined saying they are strangers," she said.
"Having failed in their mission, the gunmen went on rampage and set the residence of EYN Church pastor of the village ablaze. They shot dead a retired engineer forcing residents to flee to nearby bushes.
"Out of fear for our dear lives, we slept in the bush and are constantly in trepidation as we fear that the insurgents may yet launch another attack on us. They said they will stage a comeback," another resident disclosed.
The residents said the Boko Haram insurgents warned that anyone who would not accept Islam should leave the village.

2014 Superstars Play for Life Campaign

2014 Superstars Play for Life Campaign

Friends Africa and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) in partnership with Coca-Cola yesterday  unveiled the 3rd edition of its World AIDS Day 'Superstars Play for Life' anti-stigma and discrimination campaign with the theme 'Getting to Zero'. This campaign leverages the convening power of sports to create more awareness about HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination. The novelty match will hold on Saturday, December 6th, 2014 at the Campos Mini Stadium, Onikan, Lagos.With leading sponsors such as Coca-Cola, Access Bank, FCMB, FBN Capital, FBN Asset Management, Exxon Mobil, SO&U, Owu Sportswear, CoolWazobiaInfo, Beat FM, Brilla FM,UNILAG FM, Jobberman, SFH, LASACA and NEWPHAN amongst others present, the 2014 campaign is set to commence with a series of exciting activities including a week-long free voluntary counseling and testing of over 20,000 people scheduled to hold from 1st - 5th December, 2014 at the Campos Mini Stadium, Off Catholic Mission, Onikan, Lagos, distribution of thousands of IEC materials providing accurate information about the pandemic, dissemination of vital information to over 3million people using several media platforms including local languages to further educate and empower people with information needed to help prevent new infections.    Some of the top players and celebrities signed up to play include; Emmanuel Babayaro, Mobi Oparaku, Ben Akwuegbu, Teslim Fatusi, Emeka Ezeugo, Taiwo Enegwa, Abdul Isah, JayJay Okocha, Daniel Amokachi, Celestine Babayaro, MI, Sound Sultan, Dr Sid, Uti Nwachukwu, ID Cabasa, Femi Obong Daniels, Afeez Ayetoro, Segun Arinze, Fred Amata, Nonso Diobi, John Njama, Sexy Steel and much more. At the event, Mrs Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan, Head, Sustainability, Access Bank Plc stated that "although Access Bank remains committed to ending the scourge against the pandemic, we are still not there yet, there is need to increase advocacy, our reach and extend the impact of the campaign to more communities and the surrounding environments".   Mrs Uche Mojekwu, Head Corporate Communications and CSR, FCMB stated at the event that "FCMB remains focused on ensuring a healthy workforce by empowering its communities with the necessary life skills needed to address stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV". She urged the media to report the successes of the project and contribute their quota by spreading the word about HIV/AIDS and its impact".   Also speaking at the event was Mr Clem Ugorji, Public Affairs and Communications Director, CocaCola Nigeria. He stated that ''every problem in the community can be solved when there is a golden triangle which strongly involves the government, people and civil societies"... Please click to download official press release Friends Africa Presents Awards to Leading Sponsors Friends Africa yesterday at the just concluded press conference, presented awards to some of her leading sponsors and partners who have consistently supported the campaign since inception. They include CocaCola Nigeria and SO & U Nigeria. Other awards were presented to FCMB, GSK, Access Bank Plc, GSK amongst others. View other exciting photos from the event;       Mrs Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan,  Head                           Mrs Uche Mojekwu, Head Corp.Communications & CSR FCMB Sustainability, Access Bank Plc Please click to view more photos from the event

For more information about sponsorship and partnership opportunities, please contact omartins@friends-africa.org To volunteer, kindly send an email to info@friend-africa.org visit www.superstarsplayforlife.org for more details or www.friends-africa.org

Nigeria: Fresh Rumble as Cameroon Eyes Other Oil-Rich Communities in Cross River

Calabar — Like Oliver Twist, the ceding of the Bakassi Penninsular to the Republic of Cameroun, may not be enough as it is currently angling for further slice of Nigeria's oil- rich communities close to the territory.
THE people of Danare and Biajua communities of Boki Local Government Area in Cross River State had for some months now been raising the alarm and drawing Federal Government's attention to the fact that eight local government areas of several communities in the state would be ceded to Cameroon if the demarcation of Nigeria-Cameroon boundary was done without recourse to locating pillar 113A by representatives of Cameroon/Nigeria Mixed Commission.
Buoyed by the successful ceding of Bakassi Peninsula to it by the United Nations (UN), through the International Court of The Hague, Republic of Cameroun has commenced the demarcation of border villages in Cross River State in preparation for its full annexation. The government of Cameroun in conjunction with some officials of the UN embarked on the exercise early in the year, according to a petition to the Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, written by one of the communities affected in the demarcation exercise. These border villages were not among the Nigerian communities ceded to the Republic of Cameroun in the aftermath of the judgment by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), sitting at The Hague, which awarded the ownership of the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun. Since then, Nigeria had lost some villages to that country.
In a petition signed by community leaders, including, Mr. Clement Abang; the Village Head, Chief Kekong K. Abang; Youth Leader, Mr. Lawcity Mbia, and three others, for and on behalf of the Danare community to the State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, they alleged that new boundaries are being created by some of the surveyors charged with the responsibility of providing correct boundaries in communities bordering Nigeria and Cameroon.
The petition titled 'Protest Against the Illegal Demarcation of Nigeria-Cameroon Boundary' at the Danare axis, the petitioners recalled that the Nigeria-Cameroon Joint Commission, in conjunction with the United Nations are retracing the boundary consequent upon the judgement of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague over the Bakassi Peninsula dispute.
They argued that, "surveyors saddled with the responsibility of retracing the pillars depicting the boundary started the job in that axis of the boundary from pollar110 to pillar113, some metres away from the primary school,'Danare 1' in Boki Local Government area. Efforts at retracing pillar 113A about 9.6 km from pillar 113 by the surveyors had proved abortive".
Consequent upon their inability to retrace pillar 113 A, the Danare community asked the surveyors "to stop creating new boundaries and visit the archives to access information on the issue or request the appropriate authority to oblige them with well-defined maps that will enable them to navigate the seeming confusing situation they are confronted with."
According to them, "as the people could not locate 113A and 114 A, Nigeria will suffer loss of not only thousands of kiolmetres of cash crop farms, more than 20 Nigerian communities will be ceded to Cameroon. In the history of the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, Danare 1 is a Nigerian community at the border between Nigeria and Cameroon".
Tension is mounting in the communities as the petition is coming after the resistance put up by Biajua and Danare youths in Boki LGA which aborted the wrong demarcation of Nigeria/Cameroon boundary some months ago. The fear of the people of the communities was heightened by the absence of Cross River State representative in the team.
The State's Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Mr. Atta Ochinke, in a reaction, dispelled rumour of Nigeria or Cameroon losing any territory.
He said that, "the demarcation that is going on there is to re-establish the Anglo German boundary line which the World Court adopted as the boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon. It is not a new line and it is not cutting any territory of Nigeria into Cameroon. The action is not demarcating any new territory, but re-establishing a boundary line that has existed for over a hundred years."
Ochinke said that, "the communities were expressing anxiety because these are communities that are virtually right on the boundary line. The communities both on the Nigerian and Cameroon sides are actually one community, one people and they have very little respect to the boundary line in the way they live their lives. But, of course, the boundary line is something they have always known and since the boundary line is so close to the communities. None of those communities are ignorant of where the boundary line is"
He explained that, "what is causing their current anxiety is that there is one boundary pillar that they are looking for that has not been found. So, the present exercise by the commission is for them to establish the location of this pillar 113A. It has nothing to do with ceding Nigerian territory to Cameroon or Cameroon territory to Nigeria. But when boundary demarcation activities are taking place in communities that are virtually living on the boundary, you will know that every inch that you turn is bound to raise anxiety.
"Now the anxiety in the communities is that the existence of pillar 113A is something they are not aware of and it is strange to them. We are all looking to establishing where pillar 113A is. It is not that anybody wants to cede territory to Cameroon. Nigeria has not lost any new area to Cameroon. The boundary line which was established over a hundred years ago has not changed," he stated.
The Senate Leader, Chief Victor Ndoma-Egba,who represents Central Senatorial district of Cross River State, was uncomfortable and took the matter to the floor of the senate for deliberation and necessary action aimed at stopping the communities from being ceded to Cameroun.He caused a public hearing on the matter on the floor of the Senate, which attracted parties including the Surveyor General of the Federation, Professor Peter Nwilo, the Attorney General, Mr. Mohammed Adoke and others.
But what terrified the people of the communities were comments of the Surveyor General and the member, representing Etung/Obubra Federal Constituencies in the House of Representative, Mr. John Owan-Enoh, that no community in Cross River was threatened by loss of territory to Cameroon even when pillar 113A had not been found and the final outcome of the public hearing on the matter was still pending.
The Surveyor-General of the Federation, Prof. Peter Nwilo had said that Bakassi Peninsular does not belong to Nigeria, but Cameroon.
Nwilo made the clarification when he featured as a guest on a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja, saying that based on available facts, the disputed territory actually belonged to Cameroon.
According to him, Nigeria lost the territory to Cameroon based on a judgment of International Court of Justice in The Hague in October 2002.
"I know that the available facts did not weigh in favour of Nigeria...the facts they (Cameroon) had at their disposal did not favour Nigeria and that was why we lost it (Bakassi).
On his own part,Owan-Enoh who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation had, recently, in a media briefing in Jorany Hotel, Calabar, disagreed with the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, and people of Danare/Biajua communities on the controversial boundary issue between Nigeria and Cameroon in Central Senatorial district.
Owan-Enoh declared that based on his investigation, some people must have been playing politics with the boundary issue because there was no attempts to cede any area including his own Abgokim in Etung council or any other community to Cameroon.
Owan-Enoh who is aspiring to go to the senate said that, " whether that was politics, I don't understand, but it is not true because those people who said those things have not even gone there. I have gone to a pillar in my village. I will like us to be very practical. It is not everything that is politics. Everything does not have to be politics."
Owan-Enoh said after the session in the senate, he went to his community to find out facts about the allegation that some parts of the Central Cross River would be ceded to Cameroon, "I went there to check. I was told that some years back, people from my village and some youths, had organised and gone to that place and removed the pillar and threw it into the river and some other people have erected a pillar.
"After the pillar that is causing the controversy in Boki, the next pillar is the one in my village. And we took a boat ride up the river. What we found was that the same point that the old pillar had been taken out is the same point that the new pillar had been erected".
Owan-Enoh said that the location of the pillars to identify the boundaries of both communities was being carried out with efficiency. "With the technical equipment they are using, it does not matter whether you have removed a pillar. They will still locate the pillar wherever it was. So, it is not true that any part of Etung or my community or any part is going to be ceded to Cameroon as a result of what is going on."
But the communities would hardly accommodate such comments. Piqued by the positions of Owan-Enoh and the Surveyor General, the Danare and Biasua communities are threatening to pull out of Nigeria and declare self-independence if no serious action is taken to address their fears.
Speaking on behalf of the Boki people recently, a Community Leader in Danare and former member representing Boki 1 in the State House of Assembly, Mr. Cletus Obun said, "for Owan-Enoh the representative of Etung/Obubra in the Federal House of Representatives and the Attorney General and Surveyor General of the Federation to say that there is no dispute is treasonable. It is my take that the Surveyor General of the Federation should be tried for treason.
"On the face of it, when did pillars become boundary lines in international survey standard? Even by the minimum standard of International Survey, are pillars boundary lines," he asked?
He explained that pillars are only indicators of special geographical features. For instance, a pillar here points to the fact that there is a hill that has special interest or river. It is not a boundary line but a demarcation point internationally or locally.
"So the insistence of pillar as a boundary line and using it as a boundary line is to short change Nigeria once again and compel it to concede part of our land. It is totally provocative for the Surveyor General who is not an indigene of the area to keep insisting on this line and ensuring that Nigerians are displaced and homeless as is the case in Bakassi. It is the error of Bakassi we are about to pay for again in the hinterland and I think it should be resisted".
Obun warned that, "If the Nigerian government does not stop its officials like this Surveyor General who are making unguided comments about the judgement they seem not to understand or are bent on misinterpreting, we will lose not just Bakassi but two oil wells. Nigerians in that area (Danare/Biajua) will resist this and will prepare to declare a republic of its own under extant international treaty to which Nigeria is a signatory. There are several declarations by the United Nations that make it possible for us and since Nigeria is bent on giving us to Cameroon and we don't want to become Cameroonians, we are free under extant UN declarations to proclaim a sovereign country of our own and that is the 'Ambasonia Republic'.
He stated further that, "we are saying this so that Nigeria and the international community will take notice of what is about to happen to us. We are about to be handed over to Cameroon without a referendum or plebiscite against the UN declaration on the right of indigenous people. The declaration has 21 articles bleeding with the rights of indigenous people on where they can belong. By this singular action, Nigeria is again about to make us stateless as they have done to the people of Bakassi down the peninsular. The Boki people of this area will resist it.
"With this, it is very clear that the member representing Etung/Obubra in the House of Representatives is not acting in good faith and I plead with him not to politicize this matter because it will amount to provocation. This is an election year we know, but this is not an election matter. So, we don't want anybody to score political points and cheap political favours by the kind of pronouncement he makes about the lives and future of generations unborn."
The people argued that at the Senate invitation on public hearing on the boundary issue and the missing Pillar 113A, the surveyor General of the Federation and the Attorney General of the Federation were acting the advocate for the Cameroon Government by insisting on a judgement that clearly stated that where in the cause of the implementation of the judgement, there is a dispute to the demarcation process, reference should be made to the United Nation's security council through the Secretary General of the United Nation. The Green Tree "Agreement reinforces that position and even this commission.
Now 113A was not found and an imaginary projection was being put in place. The community and the Cross River State government objected to it, but the federal authorities, represented by the Attorney General of the Federation and Surveyor General of the Federation are insisting on taking a short projection away from the original boundary line.
Obun stated that within the Boki sector of the boundary, there were problems locating pillar 113A even when 113 and 114 were found. "The contractor, a Zimbabwean, opted to take a short projection towards the Nigerian end in Biajua which the youths of the community resisted and in-spite of the fact that the senate intervened to forestall another part of our territory being ceded, the exercise continued. That was the fear of the community as well.
The insistence of the communities is that there are traditional boundaries between the Cameroon communities of Buda/Mandajigi and Danare and Biajua of the Nigerian side and that traditional boundary has been the River Baje. In trying to locate pillar 113A, it was agreed before the senate committee that the Cross River Government should assist the Federal Government to clear over 300 square metres of the areas they suspected that pillar 113A should be, and that they have done. "Since they could not locate 113A, the next thing that ought to be done was to go back to ICJ through the UN Security Council, through the office of the Secretary General of the UN as enshrined in the ICJ judgement. The ICJ judgement stipulates how such disputes are adjudicated upon," Obun posited.
On his part, the Senate Leader said, "I am indeed shocked if he (Owan-Enoh) actually said that there was no boundary dispute or the existence of Pillar 113A. When I raised my motion on the floor of the senate, there was a public hearing and Owan Enoh attended that hearing and he contributed at the hearing. And he didn't make the remark that I am now hearing from the press today.
As the Senate Leader put, "Owan Enoh attended the public hearing, he had every opportunity to make the comment that he is now making. We should not say things that seem politically convenient. We should not play politics with the territorial integrity of Nigeria. We should not play politics with everything in the name of God," Ndoma-Egba pleaded.
The Governor of Cross River State even took time out to allay fears that any part of the state's northern and central communities would be ceded to the Republic of Cameroun.
He told the people of the communities of Danare 1, not to entertain any fear as government, through its Border Commission, intended to turn around the fortunes of border and rural communities in furtherance of its rural development agenda.
About twelve years ago, Nigeria lost Bakassi to Cameroon in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague and the problems associated with it are yet to settle.Today some communities in Central Senatorial District of Cross River State are threatening to secede and top Nigerian officials are saying there is nothing like that. The case of Bakassi started with whistle blowing, but the government of Nigeria did nothing about but, rather it dismissed the threat with the wave of the hand until some of the areas were ceded to the Cameronians. The rumbling and grumbling are getting disturbingly louder and it is important that the nation pays attention and attends to it before it festers beyond control.

Nigeria: Fresh Explosion Rocks High School in Yobe; Many Feared Dead

A bomb that exploded this morning on the assembly ground of Senior Science Secondary School, Potiskum, Yobe state, may have killed dozens of students, witnesses and security officials have said.
Witnesses said Boko Haram insurgents perpetrated the attack at about 8a.m. when the students converged for the morning assembly session.
A witness, who spoke to journalists on phone said, “It is another bad day for us today, a bomb just went off at Senior Science Secondary school Potiskum….it happened at the assembly ground.
“Many bodies of students are presently on the ground in pools of blood… We are running home now .”

The spokesperson of the Yobe State Command of the Nigeria Police, Nansak Chegwam, confirmed the incident, but declined further comments, saying the military is in charge of operations at the scene of the incident. Potiskum Senior Science Secondary School is one of the densely populated boarding schools for boys located very close to Potiskum General Hospital in the heart of the town.
The attack on the high school came six days after a similar suicide bombing was targeted at members of the Shiite group, Islamic Brotherhood of Nigeria, also in Potiskum.
That bombing took place at Faydia Islamic school, ran by the Shiite. It is located near the old market in Potiskum.
The bomber struck when members of the Shiite were gathering to go on a procession to mark the Ashura Day.
Ashura Day is the tenth day of the month of Muharram, the new month of the Islamic calendar.
Shiite Muslims commemorate the day to mourn the death of Hasain Bn Ali, the grand son of Prophet Mohammed who was reportedly killed on that day.
As the faithful were about embarking on the procession, the bomber got into their midst and detonated his bomb, witnesses say.
Potiskum is the largest town outside Damaturu, the Yobe state capital.
Although, the town had witnessed several bomb and gun attacks from members of the Boko Haram sect in the past, it has of recent enjoyed relative peace.
That was punctured by the attack on the Shiite Muslims and then the high school.

Myles Munroe, wife, daughter die in Plane Crash

Death has been announced of Dr. Myles Munroe, internationally-known author, bible teacher, government consultant and leadership mentor.
The great bible scholar was one of the nine passengers on an executive plane that crashed in Grand Bahama on Sunday afternoon, according to news reports that flooded the web on Monday morning.
The Department of Civil Aviation reported that the Lear 36 executive jet, which departed the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) for the Grand Bahama International Airport, a privately owned international airport in Freeport, at 4:07 p.m. and carried nine people, crashed while making its landing approach at 5.10pm.
Initial reports revealed that the private jet reportedly struck a crane at the Grand Bahama Ship Yard, exploding on impact and crashing into the ground near a junkyard area, killing all passengers on board. Meanwhile a full investigation is expected to begin later today. The identities of the other people on board have not been confirmed yet.
The crash occurred as people were gathering in Grand Bahama for Dr. Munroe’s 2014 Global Leadership Forum, which starts today, Monday, November 10, and was scheduled to feature Africa’s richest woman and oil mogul, Mrs. Folorunso Alakija and Andrew Young, Former mayor of Atlanta and former United States Ambassador to the United Nations.
Upon receiving the news of the incidence, Mr. Young, who was scheduled to speak at the popular leadership forum, released a statement through his foundation, saying: “Ambassador Young expresses his deep sadness over the tragic death of his friends Dr. Myles and Mrs. Ruth Munroe. He offers condolences to the Munroe family and the families of the other souls who lost their lives as a result of this shocking plane crash.”
Known for his work and teachings on leadership, purpose and maximizing your potential, vision, individual and national transformation, Dr. Munroe was the senior pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International Fellowship, where his wife, Ruth Ann, served as co-senior pastor.
News reports from forbes.com affirmed that Dr. Munroe died living out his purpose in life; spreading the gospel of Christ.
The bestselling author’s wife, Ruth Ann Munroe, and daughter, Charisa were also reported to be on-board the vessel that crashed, leaving behind a son, Chairo (Myles Jr.) Munroe.

Gunmen kidnap Ribadu’s brother

 

Gunmen yesterday kidnapped Mallam Sani Ribadu, a younger brother to a former  Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

The younger Ribadu was kidnapped at his farm on the road to Fufore, about 15 kilometres to Yola.

According to sources, he went to his farm last night for a “routine tendering of his crops” when the gunmen stormed the place and took him to an unknown destination.

It was unclear if the abduction was politically-motivated or by insurgents in the state.

But there was suspicion of political motives last night because Sani was rated as “central to the campaign coordination of the ex-EFCC chairman.”

Besides being a former chairman of Yola South Local Government Area, Sani Ribadu was a member of Adamawa State House of Assembly.

A source said: “The ex-local government chairman was abducted and his car left intact at the farm. We cannot locate him.

“Apart from alerting the police, a search team has been put in place.”

The source added: “Actually, Sani Ribadu’s experience is of immense benefit to the former EFCC chairman, who is still learning the ropes in politics.

“We are suspecting that he might have been targeted. But it is too early to draw any conclusion.”

The Special Assistant on Media to the former EFCC chairman, Mallam Abdulazeez Abdulazeez, who spoke with our correspondent about 10pm yesterday,  said: “It is true that some gunmen kidnapped Oga’s brother or cousin, to put it in better perspective.”

32 killed in Nasarawa ethnic violence

Lafia - No fewer than 32 persons, including women and children, were yesterday feared killed by suspected Fulani insurgents at Arikya-Soni, a boundary area between Nasarawa-Eggon and Lafia local government areas of Nasarawa State.

Eyewitness in Lafia said the gunmen reportedly ambushed and killed their victims on their way back from the farms early in the morning, and seized nine motorcycles belonging to the deceased persons.
A mass burial was yesterday conducted for the victims after their remains were recovered at Umme, at about 1 pm.
The victims, who are all of Eggon ethnic nationality of the state, hailed from Umme, Arugbadu and Bakyano villages of Nasarawa Eggon local government area.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of Nasarawa State command, confirmed the incident and said investigation had commenced to unravel the perpetrators of the criminal act.
A survivor, Mrs. Saratu Mustapha, told newsmen at Ashangbo clinic in the locality where she is receiving treatment for gun shots wound, that she was returning from the farm in company of her husband and sister on a motorcycle when the gunmen attacked them.
She explained that her husband and her sister were among those killed during the attack, stating that she was able to escape into the bush.
Another survivor from Arugbadu, Habibu Mohammed, explained that he was returning from the farm along with his parents when Fulani gunmen opened fire on them.
Mohammed who could not control his emotions, further explained that he lost his parents in the attack as well as his motorcycle with which he was conveying them.
Reacting to the incident, a member representing the area (Nasarawa Eggon East constituency) in the state House of Assembly, Mohammed Muluku, who led journalists to the scene of the incident, expressed shock over the high casualty figure.
He called on the Federal Government to establish a permanent military base in the area to prevent further attacks on his constituents.

Woman Wakes From Coma, Gives Birth to Healthy Girl

 
 Jenny Quiles, a pregnant Florida woman who fell into a coma after being hit by a tow truck earlier this month, awoke on Wednesday to gave birth to a healthy baby girl via Caesarean section.

“The baby is great, she’s alert, she weighs six pounds,” Jenny’s husband, Angel, tells Yahoo Parenting of his new daughter, Angel Noemi, who is in the neonatal intensive care unit because she was born a month and a half premature. While Jenny, 36, remains awake and alert, she’s still in critical condition. “We don’t know yet how bad the damage is,” explains Angel, 35. “It’s going to be a slow process. Right now it’s like she’s an innocent child who doesn’t really know what’s going on.” 

Angel and his daughter, Angel. Photo by Angel Quiles/Facebook.

A Chinese Bride Made Herself Look Like An Old Woman For Pre-Wedding Photo Shoot To Test If The Groom Would Still Love Her. Well, He Abandoned Her… Read more at http://www.viralspell.com/a-chinese-bride-made-herself-look-like-an-old-woman-for-pre-wedding-photo-shoot-to-test-if-the-groom-would-still-love-her-well-he-abandoned-her

A couple’s friends were treated to a bizarre scene at their pre-wedding photo shoot in Shenzhen, China. The woman showed up wearing make-up that made her look like an old woman, so she could see if her fiancé would still love her when she is old.
An argument promptly erupted, as the groom demanded that she remove the make-up. The girl asked him if he would love her at 70-years-old. If so, she added, then he would not mind taking pictures with her dressed accordingly, the Shanghaiist reports.
Instead of an answer, the groom repeated his demand that his girlfriend remove the make-up. When she refused, he started yelling abuse, hurled his glasses onto the ground before before eventually storming off, leaving the woman crying in the street. She said:

"He is such a philanderer and he used to have many girlfriends".

Reporters asked the woman why she wanted to marry this man if he was an adulterer, to which she answered “because he really treats me very well”. So, there you have it. (Scroll down for the video.)

1. The bride-to- be deliberately applied makeup so she would look like an elderly woman for their pre-wedding photo-shoot.

2. The woman reportedly asked her boyfriend if he would love her at 70-years-old. If he did, then he would not mind taking pictures of her as an older woman.

3. But the groom didn’t approve of his bride turning up wearing her ‘old face’.

4. Witnesses say the groom demanded his girlfriend remove the makeup. When she refused, he yelled abuse, hurling his glasses onto the ground.

5. Afterwards, the woman said her boyfriend is ‘such a philanderer’ but she stays with him because ‘he treats her very well’.

6. She refused to remove the make-up.

7. The woman was left the woman crying inconsolably in the street.

And here is the video of the incident:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=aOZyFu6tqww