Welcome to Abiodun Esho's Blog: 2014-05-18

Saturday, 24 May 2014

JOS BLAST: I regret being Nigerian — Victim’s daughter

What is your name?

My name is Nkem Chidebelu. I am a student of the University of Jos. My mother, Monica Chidebelu, died in the bomb blast. She was 62 years old.

An attempt by a suicide bomber to kill football fans in Jos on Saturday night was unsuccessful but he was killed in the blast.

The bomber, who approached Jos viewing centre while people were watching the match between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, could not get there before his car exploded. It was a few minutes into the second half of the match.

A man, Ifeanacho Ifeanyi has been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos for attempting to smuggle 1,210kg of cocaine into Nigeria from Sierra Leone.

Scene of the Wednesday twin bombing at the Jos Terminus market

Another bomb blast this night rocked the city of Jos, capital of Plateau State in Nigeria's Middle Belt. It was the third bomb explosion in the formerly quiescent city in less than a week.

In serious countries, once a national disaster happens, the President or Prime Minister cancels all official engagements and returns to the capital. And in a matter of hours, the nation or at least the press would be addressed. Unfortunately, the case of Nigeria, as always, is different. Our leaders seem not to understand what governance is.

It took President Goodluck Jonathan three weeks after the Chibok girls were taken into captivity to find his word. As I write, the Commander-in-Chief has not found it necessary to go to Chibok, at least to pat the parents of those missing girls on the back and tell them directly what the government is doing to bring back their children.

Jonathan’s Aide on public affairs, Doyin Okupe was beating around the bush when CNN’s Isha Sesay asked him the simple question on the mind of Nigerians: “when will the President go to Chibok?” If Okupe thought he was defending his boss, his utterances did the president no favours. He ended up rubbishing Jonathan’s image he is paid to polish.

A gunman in a black BMW opened fire in a bustling beachside college community in southern California, killing six and injuring seven in a drive-by shooting police suggested Saturday was “a premeditated mass murder.”

The suspect also died after exchanging fire with police in Isla Vista, near the campus of the University of California Santa Barbara, authorities said. It was unclear whether the fatal shot was self-inflicted or delivered by police.

Founder, Living Faith Church aka Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, in this interview with Punch, talks about the church and sundry issues

You preach as if you have committed the entire Bible to your memory. How many times have you read the Bible?

The Bible is an unfinishable book, you keep reading. A student once met me after a meeting and said that I quoted 68 scriptures verbatim. He asked if I memorised the scriptures, I said no, I eat them. No matter how unintelligent you are, you can’t forget the food you ate last night, except you are mentally derailed. If you are given three seconds, you could tell what you ate about five days ago, if you truly ate it. So, the Bible is just not for reading, it’s actually for eating. I’m not among the people that have read the Bible three or five times, I don’t know how many times I have read the Bible and I’m not planning to know how many times. I just know it’s my delight to feed on it daily, and I can’t claim to have finished reading it.

President Goodluck Jonathan arriving Pretoria yesterday

By Vangaurd Newspaper/ AFP

(AFP) -President Goodluck Jonathan was greeted with shouts of “bring back our girls” when he arrived at the Union Buildings, where Zuma was inaugurated.
Nigeria‘s President Goodluck Jonathan is among more than 20 heads of state gathered for the event.
African leaders in Pretoria for President Jacob Zuma’s inauguration will hold informal talks on the security situation in Nigeria, South Africa’s government said on Saturday.
Government spokesman Clayson Monyela said they would meet to discuss security in Nigeria, where the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls has laid bare the government’s inability to tackle an insurgency by the Islamist group Boko Haram.
The talks follow a spate of attacks in Nigeria, which is under growing international pressure to tackle the increasingly bloody uprising.

2face wears N1million gold encrusted sneakers at T.W.O video shoot

Wrr! 2Face was seen wearing a customized gold encrusted Versace sneakers worth N1million, during the video shoot of music giants, Tunde and Wunmi Obe on Tuesday May 20th.

Shot by the maverick Clarence Peters, the video is for T.W.O’s highly anticipated forthcoming advocacy single ‘Green White Green’ clamouring for peace and unity in Nigeria.

2face, who is featured on the single, was seen in the company of his wife Annie Idibia. Can you buy it for 1m? More photos...

Comedians are meant to be funny, right? Yes, the stand-up comedians dominating Nigeria’s humour business landscape are funny quite alright on stage, but very serious in business.

With assets running into billions of naira, they are light years apart from the past crops of old comedians who wait on people for meager rations of life.

Blame Boko Haram for the abduction of Chibok girls - Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan had in an emailed statement urged protesters to blame terrorists over the abduction of the 200 girls so as to ensure their “zeal is matched with a realistic understanding of the situation.

The Federal Gov-ernment is to spend N968 billion or one qauarter of its 2014 budget, estimated at N4.964 trillion to fight against the Boko Haram insurgency in the country, according to the provisions of the budget signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan,Wednesday but made public yesterday.

Altogether, about N10. 88 trillion has been estimated as revenue accruing to the three tiers of government within the same period

The couple look so great as they step out to attend their pre-wedding bash at the Palace of Versailles. I don't seem to see Kanye's family and friends in all these. More pics after the cut

Plateau state Governor, Jonah Jang discredited the Abuja #bringbackourgirls protesters who marched to the Presidential villa on May 22nd to demand the release of the Chibok girls. The Governor while inspecting the site of Tuesday's bomb blast in Jos when he took a swipe at the protesters. Here is what he said:

"How can a group of people just wake up and begin to protest to the villa; demanding Mr. President to go to the forest and bring back those girls? Why don’t they go to the forest where the girls are?” Jang said.

Please readers, what do you think? Should protesters have marched to the Presidential villa?

Jealous man castrates, kills French mayor

A jealous man castrated and murdered the mayor of a hamlet in northern France whom he suspected of having an affair with his girlfriend, officials said.

The man suspected of attacking the mayor reportedly believed he was ‘having an affair with his wife.’

President Jonathan and First Lady Patience Jonathan are presently in South Africa. They are there for a meeting on terrorism and President Zuma's inauguration. See more photos

While speaking at a campaign rally yesterday, Uganda’s President, Yoweri Museveni mocked President Jonathan for accepting foreign assistance to help fight Boko Haram. The former guerrila fighter said he'd rather commit suicide than ask the international community to protect his people against terrorists

“I have never called the United Nations to guard us. Me, Yoweri Museveni to say that I have failed to protect my people and I call on the UN: I would rather hang myself. We prioritized national security by developing a strong Army, otherwise our Uganda would be like DRC, South Sudan, Somalia or Nigeria where militias have disappeared with school children.

“It would be a vote of no confidence in our country and citizens if we cannot guarantee our security. What kind of persons would we be?” What do you think about this?

D’banj, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus others to perform at 2014 World Music Awards

Nigerian-born musician, D’banj, has been listed as one of the world music stars to perform at the 2014 World Music Awards ceremony.

The award, which is the 22nd edition, is scheduled to hold on May 27 in Monte Carlo, Monaco
France.

Renowned Muslim Cleric ,Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi shared these photos on his Facebook page..It shows civilians lined up in a secluded area,and later they are pictured on the floor, killed and some being buried in a mass grave by security forces... (Extremely gory pictures below)

The United Nation Security Council committee blacklisted Islamic sect Boko haram after the Nigerian government on Wednesday May 21st made a request asking for the sect to be blacklisted.

A statement released by the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power says the move was to help close all avenue of funding received by Boko Haram members

More details emerged yesterday on the United States troops deployed to join the search for the Chibok girls kidnapped by extremist Boko Haram sect.

A U.S. military spokesman said that the 80 personnel deployed in Chad to help find nearly 300 kidnapped schoolgirls are from the Air Force and have already begun their mission, using a drone and Global Hawks.

Retirement Fraud: Governor Akpabio Seeks N200M Annual Salary, Mansion, Lifetime Life Of Luxury After Leaving Office -PREMIUM TIMES

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom

Barely a year to his exit from office, Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has initiated a law to enable him pocket a whooping N200 million in annual pay after his tenure expires.
Mr. Akpabio is also demanding other benefits including a new house, brand new cars, furniture and luxurious living for the rest of his life.

Brigadier General M.Y. Ibrahim, the newly posted General Officer Commanding the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army located at Maimalari Barracks, Maiduguri got a taste of soldiers’ fury on Thursday afternoon as angry soldiers stormed his office to demand that he pay their allowances and reinstate motorbikes to transport them and members of their families within the barrack.

An unidentified woman has alleged that Super Eagles defender Joseph Yobo is having extramarital affairs.

It all started when Yobo’s wife, Adaeze, posted a selfie on Instagram some hours ago; ‘Even wen you re late, there is always time for a #selfie #agoodselfiecanchangeyourlifeforever #okbye #haveagooddaylovers‘, she wrote.

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday urged those who have been protesting the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State to henceforth direct their protests to terrorists and not the government.

He also urged them to learn from citizens of other countries who do not blame their governments for any terrorist acts in their nations.

The Defence Headquarters has denied the claim by a Kaduna-based cleric, Ahmad Gunmi, that troops of the Nigerian military were involved in acts of genocide in Borno State.

The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen Chris Olukolade, said in an electronic mail on Thursday that the military was not involved in the alleged killing field in Borno State. (Find the pictures HERE *WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES)

The Federal Road Safety Corps, has suspended the enforcement of the new vehicle number plate and the driving licence, following two separate court judgements from Lagos and Abuja which ruled that the scheme was illegal.

The Corps has therefore directed its commanding officers to commence a nationwide public awareness on the new initiative for motor vehicle administration in the country, which would emphasise the benefits of the new scheme and the need for buy-in from all Nigerians

Samuel Eto’o has again hit out at his detractors – notably the Chelsea manager José Mourinho – over his age.

In an interview with the Confederation of African Football website, the 33-year-old Cameroon striker made reference to Mourinho as a “puppet” after previously describing his boss as a “fool” in comments which are almost certain to signal his departure from Stamford Bridge

Thailand military today announced it has taken over government in Thailand, saying it was “necessary to seize power.” following the six months of political deadlock the country has faced. In a nationwide broadcast this morning, Head of Thai Army, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, made the announcement flanked by senior military officers.

"It is necessary for the Peace and Order Maintaining Command – which includes army, navy, armed forces and police – to take control of governing the country," he said

Thailand has been under political unrest after its citizens took to the streets in Nov. 2013 demanding that their Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, step down after being accused of being a proxy for her popular billionaire brother, former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, who was forced out of office in 2006 after a military coup & now lives in self-imposed exile to avoid a jail sentence on corruption charges.

Son of pregnant Sudanese woman sentenced to death forced to live in her prison cell

The young son of the pregnant 27 year old woman, Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag (pictured above), who was sentenced to death in Sudan last week for Apostasy is forced to live in jail with his mom. Meriam who is reportedly shackled & bleeding in her prison cell, is expected to give birth to her second child on or before June 1st, Hollywood Life reports.

Deborah Peter was 12 years old when gunmen from the Nigerian terrorist group burst into her home in northern Nigeria and shot dead her father, a Christian pastor, and her 14-year- old brother Caleb, and then forced her to lie with their corpses.

She was attacked in 2011, well before Boko Haram’s abduction of more than 250 schoolgirls and young women in April finally drew international attention and condemnation.

'Bird turns to human in Lagos'

More strange things keep being recorded around us. An elderly woman escaped lynching on Wednesday after being accused of being a bird and witch in the Ajegunle area of Lagos State.

According to residents of Ojo Road, where the purported transformation took place, the woman was a black bird before suddenly turning into a human being.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers has ordered the closure of all schools nationwide in protest against the abduction of the over 200 female students of Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno Sate by members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

The closure is for Thursday.

The teachers are also to hold “Bring back our girls” rallies simultaneously across the 36 States of the Federation and Abuja.

US sends Troops to find missing girls

E2B BREAKING NEWS!!!

US SENDING 80 MILITARY PERSONNEL TO CHAD TO HELP FIND KIDNAPPED NIGERIAN SCHOOL GIRLS

The United States has deployed 80 military personnel to Chad to help locate the nearly 300 girls kidnapped in Nigeria last month, President Obama said today.

Obama, in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner and the Senate, notified lawyers about the latest steps underway to assist in the return of the abducted girls.

More details coming soon.

Credits: Fox News

Nigerian Military Sights Abducted Chibok Schoolgirls In 3 Boko Haram Camps - PREMIUM TIMES

By Ini Ekott

Nigeria’s Special Forces from the Army’s 7th Division have sighted and narrowed the search for the more than 250 abducted Chibok schoolgirls to three camps operated by the extremist Boko Haram sect north of Kukawa at the western corridors of the Lake Chad, senior military and administration officials have said.

A court in Egypt has sentenced former President Hosni Mubarak to three years in prison after finding him guilty of embezzling public funds.

This is really sad and a complete waste of the next generation. University of Jos just announced that they lost 15 students at yesterday's twin bomb blasts that left over 200 people dead. Eight of those students were final year medical students. Too bad, too sad!

BH fresh attack: 17 killed in Borno

According to BBC, Boko Haram members last night May 20th launched a fresh attack at Alagarno village in Borno State killing at least 17 people. Village sources say virtually all the buildings in the village were also razed.

Nigeria’s multibillion naira drones obsolete – Israeli Expert say

The multi-billion naira drones purchased by the Nigerian Government in 2006 for the surveillance of petroleum pipelines in the Niger Delta that might have been used by the military in the search for the missing Chibok girls are said to be obsolete due to lack of maintenance & use since they were bought

Operatives at the Anti‑Robbery section of the State Criminal Investigation Department ,SCID, Yaba, Lagos, are currently interrogating a 'mad man' in whose possession a double-barrel pistol and four live cartridges were found.

The man was arrested by policemen attached to Gowon Estate, Egbeda, weekend, while attempting to hide the arms and ammunition in a dump site on 5th Avenue, around Customs Junction, in Gowon Estate .

Lectures of the Lagos State University, Ojo on Tuesday commenced an industrial action, which they said was "total, comprehensive and indefinite". If going by their statements, then will need to brace up for another long strike as it is not certain that their demands will be met soon enough.

Nigeria, Republic of Benin, Cameroon, Niger and Chad contribute troops to fight Boko Haram

Nigeria, Republic of Benin, Cameroon, Niger and Chad will contribute one battalion of troops each to the international force set up to combat Boko Haram and other insurgent groups.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, made this known when he briefed newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.

Recent News

Saturday, 24 May 2014

Friday, 23 May 2014

Thursday, 22 May 2014

Wednesday, 21 May 2014

Nigeria’s multibillion naira drones obsolete – Israeli Expert say

Tuesday, 20 May 2014