Stowaway survival a miracle – Aviation experts

The apprehended teenager who stowed from Benin.

LAGOS — Experts in the aviation industry have expressed surprise over the survival of a teenager stowaway, DanielOikhena, who hid in the wheel well of Arik Air aircraft used for flight W3 544 from  Benin Airport to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, Lagos.
It will be recalled that the teenager apparently sneaked into the aircraft main wheel well at the Benin Airport after he had beaten security checks at the airport, but he was arrested by Arik Air personnel and handed over to Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, security upon arrival at the Murtala Muhammed. Airport, Lagos when he came out of hiding.
Speaking on how Daniel could have survived at the nose wheel of the aircraft, an aviation expert and Managing Director of Belujane Consult, Mr. Chris Aligbe said there was no expert in the aviation industry that could give a satisfactory explanation to what happened, stressing that the boy’s survival was indeed miraculous.
He further noted that the boy’s survival could be as a result of the short distance that the plane flew, noting that from Benin to Lagos airport was just 35 minutes of flight time.
He said that the aircraft did not ascend high into the sky as it only flew at 10,000 feet above sea level.
Aligbe, however, stressed that if the distance was a long haul flight, like from Lagos to London, the teenager would have frozen to death, stressing that the higher an aircraft ascends into the sky, the cooler the nose wheel apartment becomes.
He said that was the major reason why people that stowed away from Lagos to other parts of the world are found dead upon arrival at their destination.
In such cases he said, the airline staff often found the corpses of such people on landing.
It was a miracle
He said: “There is no aviation experts that can give you a satisfactory explanation on the incident. The nostril of the aircraft is not designed for anybody to stay in. The boy’s survival was miraculously done by God because the aircraft could have crushed the boy when the plane was retracting its tyres.”
“Although the hole is a bit wide, it is not meant for anybody to stay in. There is no scientific explanation to it, there is no aviation expert or technology that could explain how that boy survived onboard that aircraft.”
He survived because of his size —Ore
Also speaking, Chairman of Aviation Round Table, ART, Captain Dele Ore, explained that the boy survived because of his size and more so, the flight was for a short distance which was not more than 10,000 feet.
Ore said based on the small size of the boy, he was not crushed to death on the wheels where he hid himself.
The ART chairman further said had the flight been a place like United States of America, the plane would have flown above 25,000- 35000 feet, the boy would have died in five minutes because the place  he hid himself was not a pressurized area.
Group volunteers to sponsor his education
Meantime, De Raufs, a volunteer group extolling the virtues of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Governor of Osun State, has volunteered to sponsor 15-year-old stowaway teenager, Daniel Oikhena, who hid in the tyre compartment of Arik Air flight from Benin to Lagos.
In a statement signed by the Director General of the group, Comrade Amitolu Shittu, the group is ready to give scholarship to Daniel up to university level and help him realise his dream of travelling by air legitimately.
Shittu said: “Genius and ambitious citizen of our country must not be suffocated on the alter of political and bureaucratic enforcement. The little boy’s ambition should be nurtured through qualitative education, and the group is ready to give the boy all the necessary support to make his dream a reality.
“We sincerely willing to offer him the scholarship  to encourage thousands of teenagers who are cerebral and ambitious. The leaders in Nigeria fail on their part to see the potential of the little boy. Therefore, De Raufs takes up the responsibility to safe the future of this great boy and not turning him to criminal.”

Father Arrested for Alleged Rape of 16-year-old Daughter

Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi

He is 45. She is 16 and his daughter. But despite her filial relationship with him, it never stopped Toyin Sodimu of Temidire community of Oke Apo, Akomoje area of Abeokuta, Ogun State from lusting after his daughter. He bid his time and when the time came, he seized the occasion of the wee hours of the day when others had slept to have carnal knowledge of her.

But he never reckoned with his daughter’s bravery not to be cowed by a father who had violated her trust, a cardinal principle of father-to-daughter relationship, by reporting the incident to the police. Following her report to the police, Sodimu is now in custody until he clears his name.

He was arrested on Tuesday by policemen attached to the Adatan Divisional Headquarters, Abeokuta for allegedly raping his daughter.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), told journalists that the incident occurred on Saturday.

According to him, the victim reported the incident to the police after her father had forcibly had carnal knowledge of her in her room at about 2am.

As part of investigation into the allegation, the police took the victim to the General Hospital, Abeokuta for examination and treatment.
Adejobi said the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye, had ordered investigation into the incident, vowing to make the suspect face the wrath of the law, if found culpable, so as to serve as a deterrent to others.

He added that Okoye also appealed to parents, particularly mothers, to keep a watch on their children and avoid divorce or separation, which is perceived to encourage such an abuse.

Insecurity: UK Declares Boko Haram as Terrorist Organisation

FG seeks foriegn cooperation to criminalise crude oil theft 
• Jonathan pledges to sustain current security tempo

By Senator Iroegbu and Muhammad Bello 

The government of the United Kingdom has followed the example of Nigeria to declare  the Boko Haram sect as a terrorist organisation that must be dismantled.

This is coming as the federal government is seeking the cooperation and assistance of international communities, especially friendly countries to criminalise crude oil theft and companies patronising it.

The British Minister for International Security Strategy, Dr. Andrew Morrison, declared this Tuesday, when he visited the Minister of State for Defence, Mrs. Olusola Obada, to seek ways of cooperation and partnership.

Morrison expressed the concern of UK over the security situation in Nigeria and assured that they would help in any way to secure the territorial integrity of the country.

He said proscription of the Boko Haram sect was in order and that the UK was in  support of the Federal Government, which recently designated the group as a terrorist organisation.

He said: "We will discuss how we can do things together in the uncertain world we live. Nigeria has always been close to the UK but at the moment like this, our concern will be to help Nigeria to ensure that the territorial integrity is protected. We are very conscious that in our world today, we need to do things together in the sense that your security is our security.

"You have issues of Boko Haram and have proscribed them. That's what informed our decision to proscribe that organisation, which follows the decision of the Nigerian government (to designate the group a terrorist body)".

"We also share your concern for human rights (in dealing with insurgency), which is clear that part of that solution involves respect for human rights. We want to therefore make sure that we will be of assistance in that respect so that we can maintain that journey (for peace and security) together," he said.

"So, let us move forward as partners and friends in this uncertain world. Let us do things more and more together. We are ready to be of assistance in any way, the minister (Obada) in whatever area you felt that will be appropriate and helpful".
Responding, Obada thanked the UK government for designating Boko Haram as a terrorist organisation and as well as its readiness to assist Nigeria in the area of security.

She also assured that Nigerian troops were being professional in prosecuting their operation against the insurgents by observing strict adherence to the Rules of Engagement (RoE).

"...we sought your opinion on how UK can help to ameliorate our situation...
"We want to also thank you for proscribing Boko Haram, which is a terrorist group that has been troubling the country", she said.
"However, I want to tell you that things have improved and we have made significant progress since the declaration of the State of Emergency. Life is returning to normal and the insurgents have fled", she added.

In a related development, Obada sought the help of the UK and other countries of the world in curbing the embarrassing case of  crude oil theft, which she admitted, was hurting the Nigerian economy.

In the same vein, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim, disclosed the correlation between the rising crude oil theft and weapons proliferation in the country.

Ibrahim described the situation as "worrisome", while comparing  oil theft to the "blood diamonds" situation in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Meanwhile, the federal government has reiterated its commitment to sustaining and improving the current national security capabilities in the country so in order to confront the security challenges in the country.

President Goodluck Jonathan urged security operatives to buckle up in the task of dismantling terrorism in the country.
He handed down the challenge yesterday while commissioning a foreign language institute at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), in Abuja.

The president, who used the occasion to inaugurate the study of some foreign languages in the institution, said: “Language proficiency is an essential tool of your vocation. It opens doors and builds bridges across cultures and facilitate your work. I am therefore delighted with the vision that has led to the establishment of functional foreign language institute for the agency. Please ensure that you make the best use of this facility."

“I always believe that for you to be fully educated you are supposed to be bi-lingual. Language is tool that most people don’t understand. Communication is key for intelligence services. NIA must emphasise that before you get to some level you must be bi-lingual.”

Describing the job of the intelligence operatives as a ‘delicate and vital work’, Jonathan said: “As the eyes and ears of our nation you must always maintain your total vigilance and agility. You must constantly improve the technical efficiency and overall quality of all operatives.”

He assured that government will “continue to do all in its power to sustain and improve on our national security capability to enable confront the challenges of the 21st century.”

He stressed “only dedicated and truly professional intelligence officers can rise up to the threats that the country must deal with on daily basis.’

Committee can reverse Senate’s constitution amendment voting —Ekweremadu

Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu

Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has explained that some of the clauses rejected by the Senate, but passed by the House of Representatives, can find their way back to the bill if the Conference Committee decides so.

While doing a post-mortem on the passage of the Constitution Amendment Bill by the Senate on Tuesday, Ekweremadu said the committee proposed a total of 31 clauses affecting 26 sections and Second Schedule of the 1999 Constitution.

He said, “While some clauses were passed in their entirety, some clauses were passed in part, while distinguished senators, in their wisdom, did notams some clauses.

“This is not an exception because each senator voted according to his/her conscience, and mandate of his or her constituents and the overall national interest.”

He noted that although the committee strongly recommended some amendments, the democratic values required that the votes were respected and the clauses could be revisited in the future if Nigerians felt strongly about them.

He said, “Once we set up the harmonisation committee to meet with the House, of course we have to have the mandate of the Senate on how we pursue it.

“If the House voted positively for it and we voted it out, we can concur with them and forms part of the harmonised version and then we bring it back to our people for voting; that is fair enough.

“I think the Senate will not stop us from adopting it if the House recommends it and  if we are convinced that it is the right thing to do.”

On Section 29, Ekweremadu said the Senate did not consider anything on marriage bill, saying that it had nothing to do with child marriage nor religion.

He said, “On the issue of Section 29, I want to appeal to Nigerians to please show understanding, to possibly read this section and understand that the issue has nothing to do with early marriage.  It has nothing to do with Islam. Essentially, it has to do with the renunciation of citizenship.

“So, you have to give it a proper perspective. I want to assure them that in the future, we are ready to revisit it if Nigerians feel strongly about it.

“We have no Bill to approve early marriage. We are not sponsoring any Bill against Islam. This particular provision has been in our Constitution since 1979.”

Ramsey expects Fabregas to stay at Barcelona

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey expects Cesc Fabregas to remain at Barcelona despite Manchester United's interest in the former Gunners playmaker.

The defending Premier League champions are set to make an improved €40.6 million offer for Fabregas having already had two bids - the latest worth €35m plus add-ons - rejected.

Ramsey admits he was not surprised to see the Spaniard linked with other clubs but believes he will choose to fight for his place at Camp Nou.

"I've seen the stories but I don't know what's going on there," Ramsey told the Daily Mail. "He's a quality player and he will be linked to a few different clubs.

"I don't know exactly what will happen but he's a great player and he's still at Barcelona and he said earlier in the year that he wants to stay, fight for his place and become a regular there."

Having cemented his place in the Arsenal team during the second half of the 2012-13 campaign, Ramsey is optimistic about the season ahead and hoping to contribute more goals from central midfield.

"I think I was very happy with my form at the end of the season," he said.

"I was playing in central midfield, that's my favourite position and I still think there's more to come from me and I was pleased with the way I played and my contribution to the team.

"I think I proved a lot of people wrong, showed exactly what I can do and there's a lot more to come from me. Scoring goals is one thing I need to improve on and hopefully I can do that this season.

"Our target is to put ourselves right in contention early on and not let that gap get as big as it has been in the last few years. In the last 10 or 11 games, we were undefeated and put in a load of great performances and that form is what you need to compete at the top."

Principal Arrested For Poison Leading To Deaths of 23 Students!

Police in India’s eastern Bihar province announced the arrest today,  eight days after the July 16 poisoning.  The children were eating the meals as part of a government sponsored free lunch program, which provides free meals to more than 120 million children across the country.  The program was started to encourage families, particularly those living in the country’s wide swaths of poverty in rural areas, to send their children to school.
Immediately after eating the lunches, which consisted of rice, beans and potato curry, dozens of children fell violently ill with symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting.  Within hours, 23 were dead and dozens more had been rushed to a hospital.  Autopsy reports showed insecticide had been placed inside food.  All of the dead children were between the ages of 5 and 12.
Shortly after the incident, the school’s principal, Meena Kumari, went into hiding.  One of the school’s cooks, who was also rushed to hospital after eating the contaminated meal, told reporters she had warned Kumari the food may have become contaminated, but that Kumari ordered her to continue cooking it anyway.

7 International Celebrities You Didn’t Know Were Nigerian [PHOTOS]

Sade Adu, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chamillionaire, Wale, Tine Tempah and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje are Nigerians, everyone knows that.
This list has dug a little deeper and discovered 7 more celebrities you never thought could be Nigerian.
Get ready to be shocked as we present you 7 well-known International celebs who are Fellow Nigerians;

1)  Hugo Weaving-  Do you remember Agent Smith in Matrix? Yes! Neo’s arch-rival is Nigerian. How? Well the 53 year old actor was born in Nigeria at the University College Hospital in Ibadan. This makes him Nigerian by birth. His parents moved back to England a year after. Hugo Weaving has acted in several blockbusters such as V For Vendetta, The Matrix Trilogy and Lord of The Rings Trilogy, Transformers Trilogy, The Hobbit Trilogy and Captain America. Who said Ibadan boys don’t go far?


2)  Taio Cruz- The 25 year old British singer is of Nigerian heritage. He was born to a Nigerian father and Brazilian mother. Taio Cruz who started penning songs at 12, began writing professionally 7 years later. He released his debut album Departure in 2008. The following year he released his sophomore Rokstarrwhich featured the hit song ‘Dynamite’. He dropped his 3^rd album TY.O three years ago. Taio Cruz has won several awards including the BRIT Awards, Billboard Music Awards, ASCAP Awards and American Music Awards.


3)     Tyler the Creator- Yes, do not be shocked. The ‘Black Eminem’ is Nigerian. Tyler the Creator’s actual names are Tyler Okonma. His father is Igbo. The leader of the music collective ‘Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All’ claims he never met his father. Maybe that is why he is not too fond of him. In 2009 Tyler released his first album Bastard. His buzz started growing from then on mainly backed by his offensive, homophobic and disgusting lyrics. He released his second album Goblin two years later and became a national sensation without the backing of any major record label in America. He released his third albumWolf this year.

4)  Dizzie Rascal- Dizzie (Dylan Kwabena Mills) is one of the most respected rappers in the UK and also happens to be Nigerian. His Nigerian father died when he was young and he was raised by his Ghanaian mum. He had a rebellious childhood and that’s how he got the name Rascal. He was a friend of Nigerian footballer Danny Shittu when he was a kid. At 16 he produced his first single ‘I Luv U’ and in 2002 formed the collective Roll Deep Crew. Dizzie Rascal has released 5 solo albums till date making him one of the biggest rappers in the UK. He performed at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics in London and won the Best International Act at the BET Awards in 2010.


5)  Richard Ayoade- This is another Brit-Nigerian. Richard  Ayoade was born to a Nigerian father and Norwegian mother. The 36 year old comedian, actor and writer has written several awards winning stage plays in the UK. He is also a known face on British TV having starred in the highly popular The IT Crowd. He made his Hollywood debut in 2012 after starring in the comedy The Watch alongside Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill.


6) Donald Adeosun Faison: Fans of the popular television Comedy-drama “Scrubs” would know this one. Not only is he one of our favorite character,  you probably didn’t know this American actor’s middle name is Yoruba.


7) Lemar: Lemar Obika (born 4 April 1978), professionally known simply as Lemar, is an English R&B singer–songwriter and record producer. His Nigerian fans probably didn’t know that the UK singer who was born in Tottenham, England is son to Nigerian parents of Enugu State, South Eastern Nigeria.

Aggrieved govs talking to us —Labour Party

The Labour Party National Chairman, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, has said some aggrieved governors from other political parties are planning to defect to the LP.

Nwanyanwu, who said the LP had become a beautiful bride among politicians, also confirmed that he had some fruitful discussions with former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel on his plan to join the party.

He spoke with our correspondent in Abuja on Friday.

Nwanyanwu received Daniel and a few of his aides at the LP secretariat in Abuja.

Though Nwanyanwu would not disclose the details of the meeting with Daniel, sources said the plan by the former governor to defect to the party started last December 22 when he held a closed door meeting with the LP boss in Lagos.

Daniel, who ruled Ogun State as a Peoples Democratic Party governor for eight years, promoted the Peoples Party of Nigeria during the 2011 governorship election in the state.

He led the campaign team of the PPN’s governorship candidate, Alhaji Gboyega Isiaka, in the run-off to the election in which the Action Congress of Nigeria candidate, Ibikunle Amosun, won.

Isiaka from Ogun West Senatorial District among other supporters of the former governor have reportedly joined the LP in the state.

At the meeting with Nwanyanwu, Daniel was said to have negotiated the ceding of the governorship ticket of the party to his camp.

But speaking with our correspondent, the LP chairman said his party remained the only progressive political party in the country.

He said, “In our party, we provide a level-playing field for everybody. We will always be transparent in what we do.

“When Governor Olusegun Mimiko was going to run for a second term, we did not impose him on the electorate. He went through primary to become our candidate.

“In the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State, we will not impose any candidate on the people. All aspirants will go through primary.

“But in some other political parties, their leaders have started endorsing people for elections that are still far away. Yet, these parties claim to be progressive. Is that progressive or imposition? These parties are fake progressives.

“I can tell you that we have so many people, including governors who are talking to us and our doors are open to them.”

Meanwhile, no fewer than 500 PDP members in Ijero Local Government of Ekiti State have defected to the ACN.

The state Deputy Governor, Modupe Adelabu, who alongside other ACN leaders received the defectors in Ijero on Saturday, assured them of equal rights and privileges in the party.

She noted particularly that the defectors were attracted to the ACN because of the good work of the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration in the state.

Adelabu, who urged older members of the party to receive the new members with love, noted that treating them, as outsiders would be detrimental to the image of the party.

‘Politicians’ greed, fraud hinder devt’

The lawmaker representing Kwara South Senatorial District,  Senator Simeon Ajibola, has urged politicians to stop campaign of calumny so as to advance the nation’s democracy.
Also, a judge of  Sharia Court of Appeal in Ilorin, Justice Salihu Mohammed, has identified greed and embezzlement by some politicians as the cause of poverty and lack of development in the country.
Ajibola spoke in Isapa, Ekiti Local Government on Sunday while disbursing of N1.25m to some beneficiaries in the senatorial district.
Mohammed said poverty affecting many Nigerians was man-made.
He spoke in Ilorin on Sunday at the 2013 Ramadan lecture organised by Ridwanullahi Islamic Society of Nigeria.
He said some politicians had impoverished the masses by diverted the nation’s resources for personal use.
He appealed to leaders in the country to shun corruption and illicit accumulation of wealth.

Igbo presidency can only be actualized under APC –Okorocha

Imo State Governor,  Rochas Okorocha has stated  that the agitation for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction could only  be realized on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
Okorocha, who was speaking during the inauguration of the APC South-East Ward Mobilizers and Supporters Club at the Ahiajoku Convention Centre, Owerri in Imo State, at  the weekend, maintained that the Igbo were well accommodated in the new platform compared to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), which he accused of relegating the zone to the background.
He said: “ I am highly elated that our people are responding to this clarion call that had to do with our collective destiny and aspiration. It is a clear fact that Ndigbo  have been relegated to sixth position in the political equation of our nation not minding the fact that we formed one of the tripods upon which the nation stands.”
The governor said  a situation where the Igbo  is not  the president, vice president, senate president, speaker of the House of Representatives and chairman of the ruling party, gave credence to the fact that they had been relegated to the background by the PDP.
“But my assurance today is that our tears would be wiped away in APC as we have no doubt started well and will definitely finish on a very good note in this new party. Let me state categorically that Igbo presidency, which appeared impossible in PDP would be actualized under the platform of APC. Therefore, I make bold to say that APC is truly an Igbo party and should be embraced by the entire Igbo,” he said.
The governor added that APC had beyond being a political party, metamorphosed into a rallying point for the Igbo, thereby rekindling hope for the much canvassed Igbo unity and possible actualization of the common agenda of the people.
Governor Okorocha further posited that with successful inauguration of the Ward Mobilizers and Supporters Club of APC, the party was prepared to demonstrate its winning strategy  in the November 6 Anambra governorship election.
He hinted  of his plan to hold  crucial talk with Senators  Chris Ngige and  Annie Okonkwo, the party’s frontline aspirants, in a bid to ensure smooth and peaceful emergence of the party’s governorship candidate ahead of the polls.
Speaking earlier, the Coordinator of the APC South-East Ward Mobilizers, Chula Nwauwa, explained that the mobilizers were people carefully chosen with the enormous capacity to entrench the party at the grassroots and move on the same pace with Governor  Rochas Okorocha, who incidentally is the chief mobilizer of the party in the South-East.
According to Hon. Nwauwa, the mobilizers are deeply responsible for converting members of other political parties into the fold of APC towards strengthening its hold at the grassroots to wrestle power from the rival PDP.
Also in  his goodwill message, the National  vice chairman of APC South East, Dr. Nyerere Anyim, urged Igbos to embrace the party and work for its victory in the forthcoming general elections.

Boko Haram, world’s 2nd most violent terror group –Oritsejafor, CAN boss

 

Relying on a document, Boko Haram is the second most violent terrorist group in the world, says Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, president, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Pastor Oritsejafor said Boko Haram is trailing the Taliban, who he said is world’s leading terrorist group.
The CAN boss told some journalists at the weekend that it was based on this background of the Islamist sect that he was always raising his voice to tell the world about the magnitude of the killings which members have carried out in the country, particularly Christians in churches.
He disclosed that the Nigerian -American Christian Association has been formed outside the shores of the country to promote unity of Christians in Diaspora in a bid to discourage terror attack against believers. He said, “they are becoming very formidable in America today. They are doing a great job, they are holding up our hands and they are speaking as we speak and they are following events very closely in this country”.
He expressed disappointment with the Federal Government for even considering amnesty for Boko Haram at the detriment of victims of the deadly attacks, stressing that it was a pity that the country is having a group who is killing innocent people and boasting about it because they are assured of amnesty.
“I read a document when I was in the United States of America (USA) that Boko Haram is the second most violent terrorist group in the world.
“According to the document, it is only the Talibans that are ahead of Boko Haram in the number of people they have killed in the whole world. That is to tell you the level of destruction of lives and property that these people have indulged themselves in. As I always say, we are ever ready to partner our Muslim brothers. We love them, we wish them well, but we will continue to tell the truth because the Bible says you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. If we work on the basis of truth, we can work together well and build a great nation that we will all be proud of.
“We are beginning to understand that the church must also have a global agenda, not an agenda to take over the world or violently kill people, not at all, but   to preach the gospel as we are instructed in the Bible and protect ourselves from a very dangerous satanic invasion that is coming from the pit of hell,” Oritsejafor said.

Mimiko commends Jonathan on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has described the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway by President Goodluck Jonathan as an indication that the government is sensitive and has good intentions.

Jonathan had on Friday inaugurated the reconstruction of the road, which will gulp N167bn with the declaration that it would be ready by 2017.

Mimiko in a statement in Akure on Saturday by his Commissioner for information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, commended the Federal Government for taking the initiative to reconstruct the road described as the busiest in Africa.

He said, “The generation unborn will remain grateful to the Jonathan administration for the total overhauling of the road which has overtime become a death trap.

“This step is indeed noble and the name of this administration has no doubt been written in gold for taking the bull by the horn and ensuring a lasting solution is found to the death trap called Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

“Quite a number of lives have been wasted on this road because of its bad state and at last, President Jonathan has provided the solution that hitherto seemed elusive to make the road safe for use.”

Mimiko said the advantage of a good Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to the health and economy of the nation could not be over emphasised.

He added that the road must be serving a pivotal role in the nation’s economy to have been adjudged the busiest on African continent.

Mimiko said, “A road that is used by an estimated 250,000 vehicles daily is too important to be left in bad shape especially if the over 600 lives said to have been lost on the road in 2012 alone should be taken into consideration.”

The governor noted that the reconstruction of the road would be a major achievement to be recorded by any government in the country, adding that the credit for the project should be given to the President.

He therefore appealed to the President to ensure that the project was professionally handled and delivered on time.

Mimiko said the Federal Government’s decision to reconstruct the road was a blessing to Nigerians and the South-West in particular.

He also pleaded with road users to take cognisance of the repair and drive more carefully on the road.

Plane crash-lands at US airport

A Boeing 777 aircraft on Saturday crash-landed at San Francisco International Airport, United States, British Broadcasting Corporation reports.

There is no word so far on casualties. Pictures posted on Twitter showed passengers jumping down the inflatable emergency slides and leaving the area, as plumes of smoke rise from the plane.

Firefighters and rescue teams were at the scene of the downed Asiana Airlines Flight 214. The cause of the emergency is not known.

The aircraft had taken off from South Korea’s capital, Seoul.

There were 292 passengers and 16 crew on board, South Korea’s official news agency Yonhap reported. The plane can carry as many as 300 passengers.

While the sequence of events remains unclear, it appeared the plane landed and then crashed on San the airport’s Runway 28L, said Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman, Laura Brown.

Footage of the scene showed debris strewn on the runway and smoke pouring from the jet, as fire crews sprayed a white fire retardant into gaping holes in the craft’s roof.

One engine and the tail fin appeared to have broken away from the main wreckage.

Passenger David Eun tweeted a picture of people jumping out of the plane’s emergency inflatable slides and wrote, “I just crash-landed at SFO. Tail ripped off. Most everyone seems fine. I’m ok. Surreal…”

Another passenger, Mr. Eun, who describes himself as a “digital media guy” and “frequent flier”, added, “Fire and rescue people all over the place. They’re evacuating the injured. Haven’t felt this way since 9/11.”

A witness, Ki Siadatan, said the plane “looked out of control” as it descended over San Francisco Bay to land just before 11:30 (18:30 GMT).

“We heard a ‘boom’ and saw the plane disappear into a cloud of dust and smoke,” he told the BBC, adding, “There was then a second explosion.”

He saw events unfold from the balcony of his home in the Millbrae area of San Francisco, which overlooks the airport.

Weather conditions were fine and there was little wind, he added. Arrivals and departures at the airport have been suspended since the incident.

The twin-engine Boeing 777 has a good safety record as a long-haul aircraft and is used by many major carriers.

Asiana is South Korea’s second-largest airline.

Keshi wins on empty stomach

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has not been paid since he led the Super Eagles to a third Africa Cup of Nations title five months ago. However, the ex-Super Eagles captain has not made an official complaint. And the Nigerian Football Federation has told BBC Sport that the situation is “under control”.
“Between the federation and the coaching crew, we don’t have a problem,” said NFF general secretary general Musa Amadu.  “We’ve been working together with Stephen Keshi since November 2011 and he knows the peculiar situation of how things are with the federation.
“We try as much as possible to pay our obligations, likewise the coach, and we’ve had a very good working relationship. I know the coach will not bring to the fore any such matters,” he added. The NFF, which is in serious financial difficulty, also owes money to assistant coach Daniel Amokachi and goalkeeper trainer Ike Shorunmu.
The football authority, which receives it’s funding from the sports ministry, has acknowledged the debts owed to the coaches but says they will have to be patient.  “Perhaps there are people out there that want to capitalise on such matters to create problems between the federation and the coach,” Amadu said.
“But I know that obligations to the coaching crew are always settled, and we do have the understanding of the coaching crew in this regard.
“We appreciate that understanding and right now the focus is not about what is being written in the media but it is on the CHAN qualifiers.”

Nigerians will hail my international TV achievements–Adora Oleh

Many will remember Adora Oleh as the co-presenter of MTN Project Fame. Having recently relocated to the United Kingdom where she was born and bred, the screen diva is set to stage a comeback through her Adora Oleh Show kicking off tomorrow, Monday July 8 on Africa Independent Television (AIT).
In this interview conducted online, Adora talks about her new show and what makes it unique and a must watch for Nigerians. She also opens up on her lifestyle. Excerpts:
It’s been a while we heard from you, what have you been up to in the UK?
I’ve been busy, finishing the recording and editing of my talk show, which I am extremely excited about!
Tell us about your show that is kicking off on AIT on Monday July 8? 
I’m very excited about it. A lot of hard work has gone into it. It’s a 30-minute entertainment show created to focus on positive role models and entrepreneurs moving forward in the entertainment, fashion and business arena. It’s an African international show, as it was shot in Lagos and London and each episode is packed with an in-depth celebrity interview with top acts like Basket Mouth, Ice Prince, Bez, Timi Dakolo, Byrmo and many more. The show also features music and fashion reviews and advice and predictions by well-known experts in the industry. The show is informative and fabulous and I really want the viewers to have fun watching it.
Okay, you’ve been abroad working on different projects, what are they about?
Yes, when I’m not in Nigeria I’m in London or New York working as an entertainment correspondent for FOX News, which has been amazing. I reported on the feel-good-mood of the nation during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and also discussed the legal ramifications of the two Australian Radio DJs that gave a prank call to the nurse at the hospital during The Duchess of Cambridge’s stay for morning sickness. I’ve also covered other entertainment news stories for FOX and Friends. This experience has really been amazing for me. Reporting live on one of the biggest news channels in the world is something that I’m very proud of. The environment is fast, furious and intense. I learnt that covering the latest breaking entertainment news or hard hitting investigations, is not for the faint hearted. It’s a real adrenaline rush that helps sharpen my skills as a TV presenter. There are more exciting projects in the pipeline but I’m not allowed to talk about them for now. I’ll definitely keep you posted.
What will be special about this new season of Adora Oleh Show? 
I think the flow and my style of presenting and extracting information from my celebrity guests definitely makes this show different. My interviews are like a journey through the celeb’s life; and I’m not afraid to ask anything; therefore it feels like a very frank, out-spoken, honest conversation between my celebrity guest and I.
You have one or two projects that keep you in Nigeria from time to time, like MTN Project Fame, is there a reason for not staying in Nigeria permanently? 
The entertainment industry is international. America has been very receptive to me so far and I’m very excited about the future and pursuing more television work there. Right now, I’m living and working in three different cities, it can get extremely hectic at times but as my mum told me to ‘do what you can while you can” and that ‘hard work pays’ so I’m giving it my best. I also want to make Nigeria proud of me for my international television achievements as well, just like a lot of our Nigerian musical superstars have done and continue to do. We in the entertainment industry must do our part in inspiring the next generation, its very important.

You are one of the celebrities that many look up to in terms of style. Tell us how you came to build this exceptional taste in style.
I have always enjoyed fashion. For me, it’s where your essence meets your expression. The way in which only you can do or express something; and I think, in relation to fashion it’s the making of a particular style, shape, appearance, pattern, print or even structure appear to be in vogue; and as a follower of fashion, I know my body shape and I like to show off my best assets and own it.

We notice you wear mostly dresses, is it a fashion item you have special love for?
(Smiles) I’d have to say that I love dresses, and dressing up. Although, it can be a bit of an occupational hazards at times, as I need so many when I record The Adora Oleh Show and when co-hosting Project Fame; but when I’m abroad and because of the change in climate, I definitely explore the different sides of my personal style.

Your face looks like that of a goddess, how does that make you feel?
Wow! Really? That is such a compliment. I’m always extremely flattered to hear such compliments, but for me, its important to work on ones inner beauty as well; being humble, modest, kind and considerate are just some of the attributes that enhance ones beauty. Having a beautiful face with a smelly attitude is a waste of God’s work.

Army has won war against Boko Haram –Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has commended the role played by personnel of the Nigerian Army in restoring peace to the three states under emergency rule. He said security reports reaching him from those states indicate that the people in those states were regaining their lives, while government services and business activities were gradually picking up and returning to normal.
The president said the operational engagement of the Nigerian army and other security agencies in the troubled states has brought relative peace and restored the peoples confidence in the ability of the army to protect the territorial integrity of the nation from external enemies and secure the lives of law abiding citizens.
He, however, charged them to abide by the rules of engagement, respect human rights and make the welfare and well being of the people they are protecting their priority.
He equally urged them to continue in their good works of protecting the lives of Nigerians and foreigners living in the country and promised his administration’s continuous support to meet the demands of the military.
The president, who was dressed in full military combat fatigue, spoke at the grande finale of the Nigerian Army Day Celebration in Abuja, also thanked Nigerians for their cooperation and support over the emergency rule in some North East states in the country and reiterated his administration’s determination to stamp out terrorism and other related crimes while providing security for all law abiding citizens.
At the parade held at the Eagle Square, Abuja, personnel of the army displayed their combat skills in defending the territorial integrity of the country.
Jonathan called on those who he said are in the habit of causing disunity among Nigerians to give up their illicit trade and join hands in building a formidable Nigeria, saying, “to build Nigeria is a task that must be done.”
He commended the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika, for transforming the army into a force  able to meet contemporary challenges and for carrying out the renovation as well as servicing of equipments that are now aiding the army to effectively carry out their internal security operations duties across the country.
He also commended the creativity of personnel who have constructed various equipment for the Army, urging the army to retain some of these best brains even after retirement to tap from their wealth of knowledge.
Earlier in his address, General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika, had vowed that the army would continue to remain apolitical and protect democracy.
He also said the army would do everything in its powers to secure and protect the territorial integrity of the nation from external invasion and harassment of its citizenry.
The army chief while commending president Jonathan for his continuous assistance to the army, said the current security challenges in the country has forced the army to establish new departments, directorates and battalions to curb the menace as well as draw the army closer to the civil populace.
He said under his leadership, the army has carried out the construction and renovation of various projects and training of personnel and members of other security agencies to curb the security challenges in the country.
Highlights of the celebration include physical training excercise displaying physical fitness of troops, paratrooping, featuring High Altitude Landing Operations(HALO), jumps, display of Military Police dogs on their bomb detection and search and rescue skills, display of various equipment and armoured fightng vehicles of the army, combat match past by all the corps in the Nigerian army, among others.
A total of 13 officers and four soldiers received the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award, which was presented to them by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Unemployment giving me sleepless nights — Okonjo-Iweala

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said the spate of unemployment in the country is giving her sleepless nights.

Okonjo-Iweala said this while inspecting an ultramodern Information and Communications Technology factory of Omatek Nigeria Plc in Lagos on Friday.

She said, “According to the National Bureau of Statistics, each year, about 1.8m young Nigerians enter into our labour market and we need to ensure that our economy provides jobs for them.

“In fact, some people ask, ‘What keeps you awake at night, with regard to this economy?’ I say it is the issue of job creation. And I know this is what keeps Mr. President (Goodluck Jonathan) awake at night as well.

“That is why we have responded to the challenge of creating jobs by trying to transform several sectors of the economy; from agriculture, where we’re expecting to create 3.5m jobs and where the progress of reaching our goal of feeding this country is already well advanced.”

The minister said Nigeria lacked institutions on which to build its developmental programmes.

“When you look at Nigeria, for over 50 to 60 years, we’ve been working without the key institutions that some other people have. We keep making stopgap solutions. For 50 years, we didn’t have a Bureau for Public Procurement; for 50 years, we didn’t have a Debt Management Office.

“So many of the institutions that we have now are new and if you stand back, you’ll see there are still many gaps. It is now our job to try to fill those gaps.”

Okonjo-Iweala said the Federal Government was putting in place more initiatives to encourage small and medium scale enterprises.

She noted that the Central Bank of Nigeria had put in place a N200bn guaranty fund for SME’s to access bank loans.

Okonjo-Iweala said, “Let me mention that the Minister of Information and Communications technology has started a Venture Capital Fund with about $15m, which is being financed by the government and other donors.

“The idea behind it is to help support innovative enterprises in the field of ICT. This is designed to lift up some of the young people in Computer Village doing all sorts of innovations.”

She asked investors to encourage public investment in their businesses and to list their companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The minister said the capital market had been revamped to allow the listing of SMEs through the Alternative Securities Market.

According to her, the platform has made it easier for SMEs to list their companies and to raise additional resources from the capital market.

She added that there were advisers to help small scale investors meet their listing requirements and to help them on how to get listed.

The minister, who described the stock market as a challenging one due to “infrastructural bottlenecks,” said in spite of the challenges, companies had kept growing and maintained high quality standards.

She noted that ICT remained one of the main platforms for the creation of jobs, adding that e-commerce was striving in Nigeria, while more companies were carrying out transactions online.

New silicone breast implants debut

Good news for breast “connoisseurs” as the revolutionary MemoryShape breast implants have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for breast augmentation in women aged 22 and older, and also for breast reconstruction.

In a news release, the manufacturer, Mentor Worldwide LLC, said the implants have been approved outside of the United States for more than a decade. The product is available in a range of sizes and is tear-drop shaped to mimic the natural shape of a breast.

The product, which is very likely to be available in Africa and possibly – Nigeria – has been clinically studied among 955 augmentation and reconstruction patients participating in an ongoing 10-year study.

However, after six years, the study has found a low rate of “adverse events” including rupture/

The FDA said that it’s approval was based on six years of data from 95 women showing a reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness for this implant. Mentor’s MemoryShape Breast Implant showed similarrates of complications and outcomes as previously approved breast implants.

These complications included tightening of the area around the implant, re-operation, implant removal, an uneven appearance(asymmetry), and wrinkling. Fissures or cracks were observed in the gel of some MemoryShape Breast Implants, a characteristic called gel fracture.

According to Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, “It’s important to remember that breast implants are not lifetime devices. Women should fully understand the risks associated with breast implants before considering augmentation or reconstruction surgery, and they should recognize that long-term monitoring is essential.”

Breast implant surgery should not be performed on women with any
active infection, untreated cancer or who are pregnant or nursing.

With this approval, there are now five FDA-approved silicone
gel-filled breast implants available in the United States manufactured
by three companies: Allergan, Mentor and Sientra.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/new-silicone-breast-implants-debut/#sthash.eHUiEFY6.dpuf

Celestial Church Prophet Owolere Odunuga Jailed In Kirikiri Over Visa Fraud

Prophet Owolere Odunuga of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), Ibeshe District, Ikorodu, who was arrested for alleged visa fraud, has been remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.

He allegedly confessed that he used part of the money to pay his tithe, used some to pay his house rent and invested the rest in his church.

At the Ejigbo Magistrate’s Court where he was arraigned, he also told the court that immigration officials at the airport collected N60,000 per passport to stamp a fake Visa for him.

Odunuga was arrested after he allegedly defrauded a housewife, Mrs Olayemi Oluwapelumi, of N752,000 under the false pretence of procuring United States of America Visa for her.

Odunuga said he worked as travel agent before he received a call from God to start his own church.

He admitted that the Dubai and South Africa Visas stamped on Mrs. Oluwapelumi’s passport were not genuine and that they were stamped at the airport by immigration officials whom he paid the money.

Odunuga was arrested by the police when he was lured to come and collect another money for procurement of a Visa for the victim.

According to Oluwapelumi, he knew Odunuga when they were living together at Ikorodu.

She said she approached him for Visa so that she will join her husband in USA.

She said she paid part of the N752,000 into his account and gave the rest as cash to him.

Mrs. Oluwapelumi narrated that trouble started when he took her to South African Embassy in Lagos and she was denied Visa.

She alleged that he went and stamped the passport with fake Visa stamp and gave it to her to go to the embassy to apply for Visa.

She said when she wanted to travel with the Visa again, it was discovered that the stamp on the passport was fake.

Mrs Oluwapelumi then went to the police to report the matter and he was arrested and taken to the station where he allegedly confessed.

When he was arraigned before Ejigbo Magistrate’s court for obtaining and stealing under the Criminal Code, he pleaded not guilty.

The presiding Magistrate, Mr P. E. Nwaka granted him bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum. Odunuga was remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri till he fulfills his hail condition.

The matter was adjourned till 31 July, 2013.

18 soldiers face discipline for aiding Boko Haram, others

About 18 soldiers serving with the Joint Task Force code named Operation Restore Order in Borno State and the Special Task Force also known as Operation Safe Heaven in Plateau State are to be disciplined for aiding members of the dreaded Islamic sect, the Boko Haram, and others in the course of their duties.
Both JTF and STF were deployed to the two states following the menace of insurgents groups in the country. While the JTF is battling with Boko Haram in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, especially following the imposition of emergency rule in the three north-eastern states, the STF has been tackling Fulani herdsmen who have laid siege to Plateau state for the past 10 years.
The soldiers, comprising one officer and 17 junior ranks are to be tried under charges termed communication with the enemies.
The General Officer Commanding 3 Armored Division of Nigeria Army, Maj. Gen. Eboibowei Awala, inaugurated the General Court Martial at the 3 Armourd Division, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment in Jos on Monday.
Awala, speaking during the convening of the court-martial said part of their offenses included cowardly behaviour, murder and manslaughter, adding that they were duly investigated by the military police.

Fleeing robbers kill 10 travellers

Hell was let loose in the early hours of yesterday in Akure as some armed robbers invaded Olokuta  Medium Prison on Ondo Road Akure  in the state capital, freeing about 179 inmates  and killing 10 travellers.
Eyewitnesses disclosed that the robbers, about 30, and fully armed, gained access  into the prison premises  around 1am after using an explosive device suspected to be  dynamite to break the prison’s wall.
The bandits had earlier vandalized the streetlights from the highway to the gate of the prison gate to ensure blackout during the operation.
The development, however,  caused pandemonium among the residents with the news  that the prison was attacked by members of the dreaded Boko Haram. Some of the inmates, including condemned criminals, those awaiting trials and others that were already serving terms, took advantage of the situation and escaped through the various bush paths.
It was gathered that over 100  armed robbers who have been jailed as well as those on awaiting trial, escaped during the jail- break along with other criminals who were also in the prison’s custody.The freeing bandits, it was learnt, were some of the robbers terrorizing the people of the state, arrested and prosecuted by the police and were ordered by the courts to be remanded in the prison’s custody
After carrying out the operation in the prisons, and while trying to escape with their colleagues from the scene, the robbers ran into some  travellers along Ondo Road whose vehicle had a flat tyre at a point very close to the entrance of the prison. They shot and killed 10 of the passengers  instantly, including the driver.
The robbers, after killing the occupants, waited and replaced the flat tyre with the extra before escaping with the mini bus
Speaking with newsmen, the state’s Comptroller of Prisons,  Mr. Tunde Olayiwola, described the invasion as unusual and alien to the state. He said the prison service will bring the culprits to book.
Olayiwola confirmed that only one prison warder was injured in the attack, adding that the affected officer was receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
“We cannot specifically identify those behind the attack, but the attack is unusual. One of our officers was injured during the attack and he is in the hospital right now receiving treatment, but I am assuring that those behind the attack, will be brought to book.”
It was, however, gathered that few inmates have been arrested by security operatives as efforts were on to rearrest the fleeing inmates as security agents were seen as early as 8.30 am yesterday combing many  brothels in the state capital.
Meanwhile,  the state police command has allayed the fear that the attack was carried out by Boko Haram. A statement by the spokesman, Wole Ogodo, said there was no iota of truth in the rumour that the Islamist sect was responsible.

40 die as JTF cracks down on Boko Haram in Borno

No fewer than 40 Boko Haram insurgents may have died in a crack down on the sect at the weekend by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State. Military sources hinted that the task force had burst a Boko Haram hideout at Zabarmari ward in Jere Local Government Area of the state, leading to a shoot-out with the insurgents.
“About 40 of the Boko Haram men died,” the source said. Also a vigilance youth group popularly known as Civilian JTF reportedly intercepted another set of three high profile Boko Haram men believed to be on their way to Jigawa State on attack mission at Borno Express Motor Park.
“The vigilance group later handed over the three suspects to the JTF unit, one of the suspects said they were from Bama Local Government on a suicide mission to Jigawa and other states in the North. In fact, one of them revealed that all their weapons have been transported to the target areas waiting for them to arrive before they were apprehended,” the source said.
Zabarmari is believed to be one of the major hideouts of Boko Haram in Maiduguri where security operatives had engaged the sect members in fierce gun battle
Meanwhile, the JTF had commended the vigilance group for its cooperation and resilience in tackling the insurgents.
Spokesman of the task force, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa in a statement yesterday said: “The Task Force supports and commends the heroic and patriotic efforts of citizens and residents of the state especially the youths who are daily rising against Boko Haram terrorism in the state.
“We wish to allay the fears and concerns of some members of the public as regards the activities of the youths popularly known as ‘Civilian JTF’ in the state,” adding that it had since “commenced the process of monitoring, guiding and regulating the activities of the vigilance youths with the view to making them operate within the ambit of the law.”
He said the move was to make them more useful in fighting Boko Haram terrorism in Borno State without becoming a nuisance to the society.
>>>vanguard

A/Court dismisses ACN appeal against Mimiko

The Appeal Court sitting in Akure has Monday, dismissed the appeal by the Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) against the judgement of the Elections Tribunal which upheld the election of Olusegun Mimiko as governor of Ondo State.
Details later.

Breaking news>>>Pius Ewherido is dead

Senator Ewherido.

SENATOR Pius Ewherido is dead he died of stroke, Sunday evening in Abuja.

Pius Ewherido,  was a member of the Nigeria Delta State  House Assemby between May 1999 and May 2007. He was elected Senator for Delta Central in the April 2011 national elections, running on the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) platform.
Born on May 4, 1963 in Ughelli. He attended Notre Dame College, Ozoro and Urhobo College, Effuruin, Delta State. He went on to the University of Ife where he studied Philosophy. After his National Youth Service, Ewherido became a businessman in Warri. He also studied Law at the University of Benin and was later called to the Bar.
Ewherido joined the United Nigerian Congress Party (UNCP) during the NigerianThirdRepublic. After the transition to democracy was aborted by SaniAbacha, he left politics and returned to business. In 1998 he joined the (PDP) and in April 1999 he was elected to represent the Ughelli South constituency election in the Delta State House of Assembly.
He was appointed Deputy Speaker of the House when it convened in June 1999. From 15 May 2000 until 20 March 2001 he was leader of the Assembly. Ewherido was re-elected in April 2003, and was Deputy Speaker of the Assembly from May 2003 until May 2007.
More details soon.

Nigerian Train Crashes Into Truck

A Nigerian passenger train that took off from Kano and bound for Lagos crashed into a faulty truck late this afternoon (Nigerian time), officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have confirmed. The accident took place a few meters from the Kakau Train Station in Chikun local government area of Kaduna State.
Two sources said the truck involved in the accident was loaded with human waste, specifically excreta. The truck was reportedly stuck on the rail line as the Lagos-bound passengers train rammed into it.
An official at the North West Zonal Office of NEMA disclosed that the agency received a distress call after the accident. The agency’s emergency response team was then mobilized and sent to the scene of the accident to undertake rescue operations.
Eyewitnesses who spoke to SaharaReporters stated that the faulty truck belonged to Ibe Nigeria Limited. “The truck just broke down right at the rail line.
Then the moving train crashed into it, resulting in the derailment of the train,” one eyewitness said.
Neither NEMA nor eyewitnesses disclosed information about any casualties among the passengers. However, an eyewitness said four passengers sustained serious injuries. The injured were reportedly evacuated to Saint Gerald Catholic Hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna State for treatment. SaharaReporters was unable to obtain official confirmation from the hospital.
Our correspondent said NEMA officials had conducted an on-the-spot-assessment to determine the extent of the damages.

Police kill Bamigbetan’s kidnappers, arrest two

The Lagos State Police Command says it has arrested members of a kidnapping syndicate suspected to have kidnapped the Chairman, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Kehinde Bamigbetan.

According to the police, the suspects were arrested shortly after kidnapping an Indian, Vivex Changrani, in the early hours of Monday.

The Commissioner of Police for the command, Umar Manko, said the suspects were not based in Lagos but only operated in the state on weekends after which they would flee to Ghana.

He said apart from Bamigbetan, the suspects had been involved in a series of high-profile kidnapping including that of a Federal High Court judge in Lagos.

He said, “Based on painstaking investigation and tracking of Nigerian kidnappers who kidnapped Ejigbo LCDA Chairman, Kehinde Bamigbetan, a sitting Federal High Court Judge and other notable individuals in Lagos, a team of detectives, led by the Officer in Charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, traced the kidnappers to the Agbara area of Ogun State where the kidnappers have their camp.

“After 72 hours of laying ambush, the policemen stormed the house where the kidnappers were gathered. A gun duel ensued and seven kidnappers were killed. Two of the kdinappers, Ogbonna Emenike and Uchenna Nwanyu, were arrested alive with bullet wounds while four AK47 rifles, 28 AK47 magazines and over 1,000 rounds of AK47 live ammunition were recovered.

“A Honda CRV and a Nissan Pathfinder as well as charms were recovered from them. An Indian national, Vivex Changrani, who was kidnapped at Ikoyi two hours before the operation, was also rescued by the police.”

Manko said the suspects were able to evade arrest for so long because they were in Ghana and due to international law, Nigeria policemen had to collaborate with INTERPOL to track the suspects.

The police boss said the suspects operated in army uniforms which deceived members of the public.

“We discovered that because the suspects operated in army uniform, they easily got away. Sometimes, they could even alight from their vehicles in broad daylight and direct traffic in order to escape,” he said.

According to police detectives, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, the suspects lived flamboyant lifestyles in Ghana.

A police source, said the leader of the gang, Jonah Benjamin  Osinachi aka China, who was killed during a gun duel with the police, owned a big restaurant in Ghana and other investments which he funded with proceeds from his illegitimate business.

He said, “The suspects only struck during weekends after which they would go back to Ghana. For instance, after kidnapping Bamigbetan, they received $50,000 (N8m) as ransom. They went back to Ghana without any money.

“Rather, what they did was to give the money to a bureau de change operator who then helped them to transfer the money through an agent to Ghana.”

The suspects however said they were not members of the gang but only friends to the killed suspects.

Nwanyu said, “I am not a kidnapper, China employed me to manage his restaurant in Ghana and I have been doing that for two years now. I came with China, his wife and two kids on Sunday because they said they wanted to renew their passports at FESTAC.”

Another suspect, Emenike, said he was not part of the gang. He said he was only released from prison last Monday and was only at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The Indian victim, Changrani, however identified the suspects as his captors. He commended the police for rescuing him less than five hours after his abduction.

He said, “I have been living in Nigeria for seven years and I work for a plastic-manufacturing company. On Sunday night, around 12am, I was on Gerard Road, Ikoyi, when men in army uniform flagged down my vehicle. They jumped into my car and pushed me into the back seat.

“An hour later, they pushed me into their own vehicle, blindfolded me. After some hours, they took me into their house and locked me in a room and told me to sleep. Around 5am, I started hearing gunshots and when the police identified themselves, I screamed for help and they rescued me. The police did a fantastic job.”

>>> vanguard

DISCOVERY: Women really are more likely to orgаsm if they’re with an attractive man

Some women prefer a sensitive New Man to a rugged brute.  But according to research, they’re missing out between the sheets.

A study of couples’ sex lives has found that women have more orgasms with men they rated as more masculine and dominant. Unsurprisingly, those with good-looking partners also fared better.
A study into sexual relationships found that women had more orgasms, and at the best times for conception, with men they thought were handsome and dominant.
Women who found their partners most attractive were more likely to orgasm at the same time or just after men, which is the optimum time to get pregnant.
In the past, female orgasm has been thought of as biologically useless.
But researchers from Pennsylvania State University claim the findings support the theory that female orgasms have an evolutionary function.
Previous evidence appears to show that it may help retain sperm after sex and promote conception.
This research appears to show that female orgasm could be a way of selecting the best genes for procreation.
The report, ‘Men’s masculinity and attractiveness predict their female partners’ reported orgasm frequency and timing’, were published in Evolution and Human Behaviour.
The authors concluded: ‘Although our results require replication, they are consistent with the hypothesis that female orgasm is a copulatory mate choice mechanism, perhaps for selecting high-quality genes for offspring.’
The researchers interviewed 110 couples from a U.S. university and questioned them on when they experienced an orgasm and whether it was before, after or at the same time as their partner.
Women were asked to rate their own attractiveness out of 10 and how dominant or masculine their boyfriend or husband is. Men were asked to rate their own attractiveness, dominance and masculinity and their partner’s femininity.
The ratings were then compared to ratings on attractive judged by a separate group of people.
They were also rated on objective characteristics such as facial masculinity and symmetry.
Results showed that if the man is particularly attractive or masculine, the woman is much more likely to orgasm at the same time or just after her partner, and thus increase the chance of getting pregnant.
According to the researchers, a woman is more likely to become pregnant if she has an orgasm either one minute before or 45 minutes after a male has ejaculated.
David Puts, lead author, wrote: ‘We found that objective measures of the quality of women’s mates – men’s attractiveness and masculinity – significantly predicted the women’s orgasms.
‘Earlier-timed orgasms suggest more intense sexual arousal and indeed are associated with greater sexual pleasure.’

Security Man Breaks ATM, Steals N12m

A security man and employee of First Bank Nigeria Plc, Jibowu Branch, Seyi Jaiyeola, is standing trial at a magistrate’s court in Ebute Meta for allegedly breaking the company’s automated teller machine and stealing a sum of N12, 533,900.

The bank’s branch Service Manager, Mr. Kayode Aiyewunmi, who gave evidence in court, said Jaiyeola was on a N20, 000 monthly pay and was a member of the Odua People’s Congress.
He said the company had observed that one of the bank’s four ATMs was having a reconciliation problem and had employed the service of an expert to help unravel mysterious disappearances of money.
Aiyewunmi said, “We discovered that there was always a shortage of cash in the machine.
“Despite our reconciliation efforts, the ATM was still having problems and we engaged the service of an expert who submitted his report and said the machine did not have any reconciliation issue.
“He said somebody was breaking into the machine in the middle of the night to steal the cash.
“I reported the matter to my boss, who said I should conduct an investigation into  the matter. “When the last breakage happened, we went to play back the branch’ CCTV, and we now saw Jaiyeola in the middle of the night, opening the window at the back of my office. There’s a control panel which controls the security door, which he touched. So, the CCTV stopped.”
He said it was at that point the company concluded he was the brain behind the theft.
He said after the matter was reported at the Onipanu Police station, and the accused was arrested, he led them to his house, where he allegedly confessed to the crime.
Aiyewunmi said, “When we got to his house for a search, we recovered N243,945 cash. The police then asked him what else he did with the money. He said he bought a car, which was parked at the house there, a Toyota Corolla. Then we recovered a new generator. He also took the police to the building he was constructing which was near completion.” He said after recovering the item, First Bank transferred the matter to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.
Jaiyeola was arraigned on a five counts of fraud and stealing and was subsequently granted bail in the sum of N1m with two sureties in like sum.
The prosecution counsel, Mr. Ishola Samuel, asked for an adjournment to help source some  legal citations.
The magistrate, Mrs. M.O Tanimola, adjourned the matter till July 15.

Malicious websites maped out by Google

SAN FRANCISCO – Google expanded its Transparency Report on Tuesday to include maps of spots around the world where hackers are laying traps or baiting Internet users.
“Two of the biggest threats online are malicious software that can take control of your computer, and phishing scams that try to trick you into sharing passwords or other private information,” Google engineer Lucas Ballard said in a blog post.
“So today we’re launching a new section on our Transparency Report that will shed more light on the sources of malware and phishing attacks.”
Information for the new section comes from a Safe Browsing program Google launched in 2006 to warn Internet travelers when they were heading for trouble such as bogus bank websites or pages booby-trapped with computer viruses.
“We’re currently flagging up to 10,000 sites a day, and because we share this technology with other browsers there are about one billion users we can help keep safe,” Ballard said.
The new section added at google.com/transparencyreport included a map that showed that “malware” hotspots include India and Central Europe.
Google’s Transparency Report also provides information about government requests around the world for information from the California-based Internet giant and demands for removal of content from online properties.
Last week, Google said that it asked a special US court handling national security investigations for permission to publish more open with the public about numbers of requests.
The court filing in Washington came amid a firestorm of protests over revelations that the National Security Agency had accessed vast amounts of data in a surveillance program under the supervision of the secret court.
>>>Vanguard

State of Emergency: CDS Vows to Wipe Out Terrorists in Affected States

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim has vowed that the troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF) deployed to enforce state of emergency in some states of the north would not relent in its offensive until the remnants of Boko Haram insurgents are routed out with peace and stability restored.

Ibrahim stated this through the Nine-Man Defence Headquarters Assessment Team, which returned Tuesday from Yobe and Borno States to update him on the situation in the operational area of the Special Forces operating in the North East.

More to follow...

West Brom: No plans to sell Odemwingie

Osaze

West Brom chairman Jeremy Pearce has insisted that the club will not be forced into a cheap sale of Peter Odemwingie.
The striker is widely expected to leave the club following a season of unrest, but Pearce is adamant the Premier League club will not part company with him unless their criteria are met.
Odemwingie started just 13 Premier League games last season compared to 25 the year before and also halved his goal tally in the English top flight from 2011/12 to five.
The wantaway forward caused a great deal of controversy in the January transfer window when he effectively tried to initiate his own move to QPR, only for it to fall through.
“We have a player who is under contract until the end of the season,” Pearce told the Birmingham Mail.
“Unless something comes in to change our way of thinking he will be back in pre-season and we will deal with that.
“We took a view at the end of January – not only for the reasons of Peter Odemwingie or Queens Park Rangers, also whichever agents were involved who acted disgracefully, but for the long term of this football club that we have to behave a certain way.
“If we don’t do that they will all be knocking on the door. That said, unless we get an offer we’re happy with we won’t sell him.”

Erico applauds Eagles performance

FORMER Green Eagles goalkeeper, Joe Erico has hailed the Super Eagles performance at the ongoing Brazil 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup describing it as a good step to greater things to come.
The former NEPA coach, Erico said the Confederations Cup has given the team handlers the opportunity to really see how far the Eagles can go when they qualify for the World Cup proper billed for Brazil next year. He lamented that the team lacks sharp finishers hence they crashed out of the tournament with only three points after beating the whipping boys of the group, Tahiti.
“The team’s performance at the tournament was quite good , it’s very good for us because it has given us the opportunity to really see how far we can go when we qualify for the World Cup. Luckily, we have the last World Cup qualifier against Malawi here  and the experience from playing against the world’s best  at the Confederations Cup will be of  immense help to us.
Our strikers are lacking in speed off and on the ball. Today’s football requires quickness, a player must be fast and technically and tactically sound to cope. We saw how swiftly  Fernando Torres scored against us. Before our defender could raise his foot, the striker had already nodded the ball into the net. Our attackers require to be fast and sharp”, he said.
The former Eagles goalkeeper trainer, said he is a strong believer in youth development programme and he therefore, advised for the development of the youth by the nation’s football authorities.
He however commended the Super eagles Coach Stephen Keshi saying, “technically, Keshi has done well by bringing the team up-to the level they are now from nowhere.
Nobody gave them the chance against Uruguay  and Spain. So the good thing about this tournament is that they should see it as a pre-World Cup tournament which is going to give them room to improve ahead of the remaining World Cup qualifier”