Nigeria @ 52: Transparency International rates Nigeria high in the fight against corruption -- Jonathan

Jonathan said this at the inter-denominational service to mark Nigeria' s 52nd independence anniversary.

 Specifically, the President said that Transparency international, a global anti-corruption watchdog, in its latest publication, rated Nigeria second to the U.S. in the fight against the corruption menace.

 He said that his administration would further intensify efforts in that direction, to ensure that the country's rating on the global corruption chart dropped.

He admitted that corruption was one of the major challenges confronting the nation and hindering its development.

He charged Nigerians to join the government in fighting the scourge of corruption and to appreciate the government's efforts to curb the vice.

Jonathan observed that Nigeria is still young when compared to the developed world and the Asian tigers, which, he noted, had had their own share of developmental challenges.

He expressed optimism that the challenges of corruption, integration, insecurity, unemployment,  economic retardation were ephemeral and would fizzle out with time.

Jonathan said he was happy that the country had sanitised the electoral process with the conduct of credible, free and fair polls during the last general elections.

The president also said that it was heart warming to note that the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN)  had admitted 249 new members due to the government's favourable policies.

He gave an assurance that the power situation would continue to improve and solicited the support of every Nigerian in the effort to make the desired change in the country.



DECLARE OPEN ONE YEAR OF NATIONAL PRAYERS


The President, at the service declared open one year of national prayers for transformation, organised by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Leaning on the scripture, Psalm 127 verse 1 which says "Except the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain that build it", Jonathan noted that the nation must hope in God who rules on the affairs of men.

He said it was imperative for the country to take a cue from the founding fathers of America who built the country's  foundation on God.

He thanked the CAN for the initiative and for all its efforts at supporting the government.

Earlier in a remark, the former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon,  said that the occasion of the 52nd independence anniversary called for sober reflection, because of numerous challenges confronting the nation.

Gowon called for prayers of intercession for the nation by various religious groups and underscored the need for everyone to seek the face of God in confronting the daunting challenges.

``Together we can salvage our nation. We must humble ourselves before our creator and seek the face of the Lord.

``Nigeria needs massive mobilisation for prayers, Nigerians must put aside their personal agenda," he said.

Also speaking, the National President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, said the situation in the country was not beyond prayers.

Oritsejafor noted that God still answers prayers but on two conditions of humility and turning away from sinful and wicked ways.

The clergyman  decried a situation where political leaders lived a life of pride and disconnected themselves from the electorate.

He said the nation could not continue to be in sin and expect grace to abound.

Oritsejafor, however,  expressed the hope that Nigeria would overcome the daunting challenges currently confronting the nation.

``It is true that I cannot see the rain but I can hear the sound of the rain.

"The rain will fall over this nation. The rain of unity, the rain of security, the rain of prosperity, the rain that will bring about the potential of this country, that will show to the world that we are not a sleeping giant.

"As the rain falls, it will sweep away evil; it will sweep away bloodshed; it will sweep away rancour and instability from our nation," he said.

Prayers of intercession were led by various clergymen for the unity, security, progress and prosperity of the nation.

In attendance at the service were Senate President David Mark, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Alex Ekwueme were also in attendance.

other dignitaries included ministers, service chiefs presidential aides, members of Diplomatic Corps, spiritual leaders and captains of industry led by the Chairman of Glo, Chief Mike Adenuga.

 

Miss Kaduna wins 2012 Peace Ambassador pageant

Istifanus, 22, won a Volkswagen beetle, an unannounced cash prize and a ticket for a trip to the United Kingdom.

Istifanus, who attributed her victory to God, said that she would use the opportunity to create more awareness of the dangers of violence.

She said peace was a crucial factor to the development of Nigeria's economy and called for greater understanding among diverse ethnic groups in the country.

``Peace can be achieved through better understanding among different communities and greater appreciation of our cultural and religious differences,'' she said.

She announced plans to design peace campaigns to enlighten people at the grassroots level on the benefits of a peaceful society.

The 1st and 2nd runners-up, Miss Marylin Nkuma of Delta and Christabel Odeta representing Cross River, also spoke against violence.

Nkuma emphasised the need for youths to become more creative, stressing that this would keep them away from criminal activities.

``As the saying goes, an idle mind is a devil's workshop," Nkuma said.

Odeta said the concept of "one Nigeria" as established by the country's founding fathers would only be ``sustained if peace reigns.’’

Earlier, the Project Manager of the event, Mr Kingsley Amafibe, said the programme was designed as a platform to encourage productivity through pageantry.

``The youths are basically the tool for violence in Nigeria and if you can occupy their minds, definitely there will be a violent-free society,’’ Amafibe said.

37 contestants representing all the states and the Federal Capital Territory vied for the peace ambassador crown.

Questions from judges to the contestants centred on challenges of insecurity and ways to entrench lasting peace in the country.

The event also featured concert, comedy and dance performances by Abuja All Stars dance group

 

EFCC advises travelers to observe 10, 000 dollars cash limit, blames cash-based economy for Nigeria’s fraud

EFCC’s Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye, gave the advice in Abuja on Sunday while fielding questions at a forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said that persons who failed to adhere to the law could face conviction and the forfeiture of not less than 25 per cent of the cash they were carrying.

 ``You are not supposed to travel out of Nigeria with cash of more than 10, 000 dollars, except you declare that information to the Customs officers either at the airports or any of the land borders.

``Early last year, there was an American citizen who was travelling with I think about 45,000 or 50,000 dollars, the gentleman refused or neglected to declare it.

``The law says that besides getting you convicted and sentenced to prison, you will also forfeit not less than 25 per cent of what you were carrying.

``You are at liberty to carry more than 10, 000 dollars, but you must declare that information also, you may be asked to explain the source of money and why you will be carrying so much cash with you.’’
 
Akomaye also said that it was important that Nigerians adhered to this rule so as to aid the EFCC in the fight against money laundering.

He said money laundering was a complex crime that manifested in various dimensions, hence the need for all Nigerians to help the agency to reduce it to its barest minimum.

He said that the EFCC drives the Enforcement of Money Laundering law and terrorism financing in collaboration with other agencies.

The secretary noted that banks had also improved their due diligence on the opening of accounts, stressing that awareness needed to be improved in ensuring that due diligence was followed always.

 ``You may have noticed that over the last one or two years, before you can operate an account, the bank asks you all manner of information; details of your profile; what we call customer due diligence. They must do that because there were cases in the past in which, you give your address as this NAN office and it turns out to be one mighty forest.

``That is hardly possible today, the reason is, every account you open, they assign an account officer who must, as a matter of responsibility, verify the information you have supplied.

``If you declared that this is your residence or your official residence, the account officer assigned to that account has a responsibility to do due diligence on that information.

``If he or she does not, and it happened that, that customer commits a crime bordering on money laundering, the accounts officer is as guilty as the holder of the account.”

Akomaye also noted that the improvement seen in due diligence of customers in the last two years was a result of collaboration between the EFCC and financial institutions.




EFCC BLAMES NIGERIA’S FRAUD, TERRORISM AND DRUG VULNERABILITY ON CASH-BASED ECONOMY



The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Sunday in Abuja, blamed the nation’s vulnerability to fraud, terrorism and crime on its operation of a cash-based economy.

Speaking in an interview, Secretary to the commission, Mr. Emmanuel Akomaye, said that the ease of cash flow occasioned by the cash-based economy made the nation so vulnerable.

He said that because of the cash-based economy, it was very difficult to track money as people carried huge sums of money in cash and did whatever business they liked without being tracked.

Akomaye said that if huge transactions were made to go through the financial institutions, they could be easily tracked and as such the nation’s vulnerability to such crimes would be reduced.

``We are really highly vulnerable and one of the key reasons is this; we are a cash-based economy and that entails that it is difficult to track money.

``Elsewhere, every transaction goes through a financial institution; you can hardly go to some countries and bring out 5000 dollars to make a transaction.

``It necessarily would pass through a financial institution, but here because we are substantially cash-based, it therefore means that it’s a huge challenge to track money as you well know that we carry huge cash here and it’s becoming a challenge.

``Even the terror problem that we currently have in the country, one of the challenges is to determine: how are these people funded? Some of the operations are very sophisticated.

"You can conjecture that the level of their sophistication and operation necessarily means that they are properly funded. I mean it’s not a poor man that drives a jeep of N5 million and blows it up.

``Definitely that is not a poor man, even if the suicide bomber is a poor man, the person who funded him must be a rich man and these funding comes in very complex and complicated variance.

``It could be trade-based; sometimes the money is meant for legitimate things, but it ends up in criminal activity.

``So to the extent that we are operating a cash-based economy and monies move so freely in cash in huge sums, it’s a challenge.’’

Akomaye also said that the ease of cash flow had also made the nation vulnerable to drugs trafficking in the sense that drugs could pass through the country and payments made in cash as no one could easily track such cash payments.

He said that such vulnerability had also exposed the Nigerian population to illicit drugs saying that although Nigeria was a trans-shipment nation, some of the drugs still stayed back and were consumed locally.

 
``You also know that we have become a very significant trans-shipment route for drug trafficking and any country with that type of situation means that laundering activities will necessarily take place.

``Because when the drugs pass through here, it means that there is a syndicate either sitting locally or elsewhere that is networking with those who are doing the trans-shipment.

``Of course we cannot run away from the fact that even as we are still largely a trans-shipment point, some of it remains and when it remains, it is consumed by Nigerians.’’

Akomaye said that because the syndicates that ran drugs business could afford to do business with huge cash, they invested the dirty cash in some other legitimate businesses where it could no longer be connected to drugs.

``People who are involved in that trade try to make that business legitimate because the proceeds from the drugs are invested into businesses that look legitimate to make sure that it is clean.

``That is the whole process of laundering; to make dirty money look clean. We are highly vulnerable and again you know that our border points are so porous; we have a very large border line.’’

 

NAHCON resumes flight operations to Saudi Arabia

The flights were suspended on Thursday following the wave of deportation of female pilgrims by the Saudi authorities.

In an exclusive interview in Abuja, Mallam Uba Mana, its spokesman, confirmed the resumption of flight operations in Lagos, Abuja, Minna, Kaduna and Sokoto centres.

Mana said each of the centres would transport no fewer than 1,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia between Sunday and Monday.

He said this was in fulfilment of the commission’s promise to transport all pilgrims before the close of Saudi Arabia airspace on Oct. 20.

The spokesman said that the commission had less than 60,000 pilgrims who had yet to be transported to Saudi Arabia and that it had the capacity to do so within 10 days.

On the issue that led to the suspension of flight operations on Wednesday, he said that the issue was being resolved at the highest level of government.

He assured the pilgrims that no one would be left behind as the air carriers had been fully mobilised, while the affected female pilgrims would still be transported before the expiration of the deadline.

It would be recalled that the chairman of NAHCON, Malam Muhammad Bello, told newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, that 16,000 pilgrims across eight states were ready to be transported to Saudi Arabia.

He said so far, the commission had transported no fewer than 30,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia with over 55 flight operations.

Some Nigerian female pilgrims were detained in Jeddah by the Saudi authorities for lack of a male guardian (Mahram) to the Holy Land.

Bomb explodes near Islamic school in Zaria

The blast struck the Gaskiya neighborhood in the city, causing some injuries, said Yushau Shuaib, a spokesman for Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency.

Following the blast, soldiers and police flooded the area and opened fire on gunmen they suspected of planting the bomb, killing two people, Shuaib said. Local authorities took the injured to a nearby hospital. Police and military officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

The explosion could have potentially killed more people, but the gunmen ordered the children out of the school before triggering the bomb, according to some witnesses who spoke to officials. The blast destroyed several homes nearby as well, The Associated Press further repoted.

The Nigerian military had surrounded the blast site hours before as part of an operation to track down members of the radical Islamist sect known as Boko Haram, a witness told The Associated Press. Soldiers forced those living around the area to flee during the operation, the witness said. The witness spoke on condition of anonymity.

It is not clear what led up to the bomb detonation as soldiers had been around the area for hours.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, though Boko Haram has carried out bombings and shootings throughout northern Nigeria. The sect, whose name means "Western education is sacrilege" in the Hausa language of Nigeria's north, has been blamed for killing more than 680 people this year alone, according to an AP count. The group wants the federal government to release its imprisoned members and implement strict Shariah law across Nigeria, which is largely divided into a Christian south and a Muslim north.

Military officials recently claimed to have killed members of Boko Haram's senior leadership, including the group's spokesman who uses the nom de guerre Abul Qaqa. The sect, which typically speaks to journalists through telephone conference calls at times of its choosing, could not be immediately reached for comment Sunday.

The group has recently changed some of its tactics and attacked more than 30 mobile phone towers throughout northern Nigeria, disrupting communications in a nation reliant on cellular phones.

Boko Haram has attacked mosques and killed Muslims in the past. The Zaria boarding school near Sunday's bombing is run by Awwal Adam Albani, who is a critic of Boko Haram and a follower of the ultraconservative sect of Islam known as Salafi

Lateef Adegbite buried, Clerics pay tribute

Eminent persons who graced the occasion include Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief Ernest Shonekan, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar 111 and the Governors of Lagos and Ogun States, Mr. Babatunde Fashola and Mr. Ibikunle Amosun.
 
Prof. Is’haq Akintola, Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIT) told NAN that the late Adegbite was a great teacher of tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
 
“He will be greatly missed by Nigerians not just Muslims, he was generous to a fault; he knew how to sit down with the opposition and make them smile.
 
“He never uttered a word of anger throughout his tenure as the secretary general Secretary of the supreme council for Islamic affairs; he inspired the spirit of dialogue and non violence.
 
“He was an exemplary leader, and there’s is no way we will not find it difficult to fill the vacuum that he has left behind,” he said.
 
In his comment, Imam Shuaib Abdullahi, Executive Director, Zakat and Fadakat Foundation, said that Adegbite died peacefully.
 
“I was with him when he gave up the ghost; his wife called me around 4 p.m yesterday, that he needed my presence that I should come, I had to rush down to his house; I met him unconscious.
 
“We commenced prayers for him, at the initial stage he was opening and closing his eyes, looking at me, I held him while praying, suddenly he gasped, immediately he did that I knew that was the end. He eventually had the call of Allah, peacefully.
 
“I think we have lost a very big institution, an icon, a colossal in the person of Adegbite, who had the peace and unity of the country at heart.
 
``He was a detribalised and very humble person. He is a great loss for us,” he added.
 
In his tribute, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, Director of Communication, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, said Adegbite was ``a statesman, a great lawyer, a great Nigerian, and above all a religious man''.
 
“It’s a great loss to the family, to Ogun State, the entire Muslim world, and to Nigeria. He was a man of many parts, one of the pillars of Islam in Nigeria.
 
“He was one of the peace builders between Muslims and Christians, he died at a time he was mostly needed. He was always at the forefront; we lost an iroko,” Osu added.
 
Superior Evangelist, Alao Da-Silva,of the Celestial Church of Christ, Lagos said that Adegbite's death was a great loss to Nigeria and to the Muslims, and prayed that his soul rest in peace.
 
“He was dedicated to his job, his religion and to Nigeria, so his death is a great loss, we pray for his soul to rest in peace,” Da-silva added

Senator Adeyemi threatens to demolish Minaneol estate if..

Adeyemi said that the estate developer had illegally acquired the land hitherto allocated to some National Assembly members.

``We are surprised to see a developer building on Kyami district that belonged to Nigerians, including National Assembly members.

``We will not condone this act because these buildings are illegal, the developer is not supposed to erect buildings here.

``The Development Control Department as well as FCT Urban and Regional Planning Board have described the buildings as illegal,’’ he said.

While directing the two FCT departments and the estate developer to appear before the National Assembly with valid seal of ownership, he said, ``The investigation will unveil the secret behind the whole matter on ground because this looks like institutional connivance".

``After the investigation, if we find out that the document is genuine, then the developer will be set free and we will ask the development control to compensate them for embarrassing them and we will face FCT administration.

``But if the document is not valid, then the estate will be demolished, most of our members do not have a roof over their heads.

``FCT told us that the land was a virgin land, only for us to come and meet houses on it, and we voted funds for this project in the  2012 budget.’’

Also speaking, Rep. Emmanuel Jime, the Chairman, House committee on FCT, expressed displeasure over the incident, saying it was tantamount to an act of impunity.

Jime said that more than 3,000 plots allocated to the members had been used by the estate developer to erect illegal structures.

 ``What we heard is that the land did not belong to them, they are building on illegal land and they are preventing the staff of the Department of Development Control from carrying out their duty,’’ he said.

In his remarks, Dr Yahaya Yusuf, the Director of the Development Control Department, confirmed that the estate had been erected illegally, saying the FCT administration had ordered them to stop work.

Similarly, Mr Wole Aderinto, the Deputy Director, FCT Urban and Regional Planning Board, said that illegal developers moved into District ``A’’ where Kyami was located before the commencement of the layout.

Bakassi was never part of Independent Nigeria - Bola Ajibola

The eminent jurist in an interview with Saturday Vanguard also stated that "there is nothing like appeal in International Court of Justice. "An application can be made to review certain aspects of the judgment but not strictly speaking an appeal. So, an appeal does not lie to our court there", he said.

While debunking claims that former President Obasanjo was the person that ceded Bakassi to Cameroun, Prince Ajibola stated that it was actually Britain that ceded Bakassi to Germany in 1913 before the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria.

His words, "All they are now doing is belated and overtaken by events. What they ought to have done is to have put their house in order before even independence and immediately after independence.
 
To be frank, when the situation became virtually what it is today, the Ministry of Justice, in those years in early 60s, sought for legal opinion on this matter and because of what happened in 1913 in the Anglo-German Agreement, it was since then that we have this uphill task because it was Britain that ceded the whole of that Bakassi area, well described in Article 21 and 22 of that agreement, specifically to Germany.
 
Germany, when it suffered defeat during the Second World War, was deprived of that area and Bakassi went to France and it was France that gave independence to Cameroun and that was how Cameroun got into it"

To buttress his point that Bakassi belong to Cameroun, he said "A lot of people have been saying a lot of things that are not really correct. In most cases, we ourselves as Nigerians bastardized our position because, as far back as 1961, we had written a note to Cameroun telling Cameroun that we Nigerians are aware of the fact that they own Bakassi"
 
Continuing, he said, "Throughout all these 1960s and 1970s, our map of Nigeria was always indicating the excise of Bakassi out of our own land in Nigeria as part of what belongs to Cameroon. In fact, it has further been stamped by the fact that we agreed that our boundary is in Akwa Yafe as opposed to Rio del Rey. If we own Bakassi, the boundary would have been in Rio del Rey and not Akwa Yafe. We agreed to that! We Nigerians in Nigeria here".
 
"And we even at a time asked Professor Valad in Britain to advise us on the matter and that professor told us clearly that we had an uphill task, that what we thought we owned had already been transferred to Cameroun through that treaty. That is the situation", he further stated







.
The Interview

 
You were not only a serving judge at The Hague when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) gave its verdict ceding Bakassi to Cameroun. What really happened and what do you say about the clamour for appeal that is presently going on?
 
To start with, there is nothing like appeal in our International Court of Justice (ICJ). There is nothing like that.
 
You see what I mean? An application can be made to review certain aspects of the judgment but not strictly speaking an appeal. So, an appeal does not lie to our court there.
 
All they are now doing is belated and overtaken by events. What they ought to have done is to have put their house in order before even independence and immediately after independence.
 
To be frank, when the situation became virtually what it is today, the Ministry of Justice, in those years in early 60s, sought for legal opinion on this matter and because of what happened in 1913 in the Anglo-German Agreement, it was since then that we have this uphill task because it was Britain that ceded the whole of that Bakassi area, well described in Article 21 and 22 of that agreement, specifically to Germany.
 
Germany, when it suffered defeat during the Second World War, was deprived of that area and Bakassi went to France and it was France that gave independence to Cameroun and that was how Cameroun got into it.
 
A lot of people have been saying a lot of things that are not really correct. In most cases, we ourselves as Nigerians bastardized our position because, as far back as 1961, we had written a note to Cameroun telling Cameroun that we Nigerians are aware of the fact that they own Bakassi!
 
Throughout all these 1960s and 1970s, our map of Nigeria was always indicating the excise of Bakassi out of our own land in Nigeria as part of what belongs to Cameroon. In fact, it has further been stamped by the fact that we agreed that our boundary is in Akwa Yafe as opposed to Rio del Rey. If we own Bakassi, the boundary would have been in Rio del Rey and not Akwa Yafe. We agreed to that! We Nigerians in Nigeria here.
 
And we even at a time asked Professor Valad in Britain to advise us on the matter and that professor told us clearly that we had an uphill task, that what we thought we owned had already been transferred to Cameroun through that treaty. That is the situation.
 
But there are still questions to be answered, which had already been ignored or decided against by the ICJ and you can read a lot of that in my 'dissenting opinion'. Your see, the situation is far more than what a lot of people have been talking about.
 
It is what has happened beyond our time, before our time. We are now raking the misfortune of yesteryears and we are now the victims of the problems that arose before now. That was at the time of our independence.
 
From what you have said, where and how did General Gowon, General Obasanjo and you came into this controversy because it has been said that Gowon started it, Obasanjo gave it out and you sat on the panel that decided the case against Nigeria?
 
No. It is wrong. They are not mentioning the names that they ought to mention, which really prejudiced our case before the ICJ. They ought to mention the name of our Minister of Foreign Affairs just immediately after our independence in 1961 that really in his note gave Bakassi to Cameroun. That should be mentioned.
 
We are just the unfortunate victims of what had happened before our time in Nigeria. And a lot of things happened advertently and inadvertently through our regular mistakes or misfortunes.
 
Then, how in the first instance, did the matter get to the ICJ?
 
Cameroun took us to ICJ. And let me say this, that in fact it was during the time of this litigation at the ICJ on the application by Cameroun that we started changing our map to include Bakassi (laughs).
 
That was the obvious and the judges are human beings. They are there equipped with evidence put in by Cameroun. It's a case of an admission that we have taken on ourselves to cede all this area to Cameroun based even upon the 1913 Anglo-German Treaty and based on what we lawyers call pacta sunt savanda.
 
It is very, very unfortunate that a kettle is now calling a pot black. It ought not to be at all because the mistake or the problem started right from the beginning of our independence. Those who are now shouting ought to have started shouting at that time if they could get hold of all that we did.
 
But why do you think the Nigerian side appeared to be complacent over the judgment that they didn't talk about it until now?
 
Let me say something here. Bakassi is not the beginning and end of the whole issue. What Cameroun took us to ICJ for was not only Bakassi. It had to do with the land in Lake Chad; the land boundary between the two of us, the land boundary between Nigeria and Cameroun from Lake Chad to the Sea as well as Bakassi and the maritime boundary. The maritime limit that they asked for and that is asking for virtually all the sea boundary of our present Nigeria.
 
Let me say that if they had succeeded in that, we would have been in the misfortune of having no more oil, at least the foreshore oil. We would not be so privileged any longer.
 
But that is not the most heinous part of the action that was taken by Cameroun. Cameroun took Nigeria to court on what we call 'state responsibility'. It's like a criminal charge against Nigeria. If they had succeeded in that one alone, we would have been thrown into endless debt that must be payable to Cameroun.
 
We never allowed that to happen because we counterclaimed against them on it, which saved us the internal slavery to Cameroun and being in perpetual penury in which we would have been till today and henceforth. We did not allow that to happen to us. But that wasn't all.
 
Those who are criticizing should go and look into the judgment again and they will find out that virtually we gained generally rather than losing. Because the entire land that Cameroun had occupied in Nigeria, and we were able to ascertain that belong to Nigeria on the land boundary, far exceeded that which is now claimed in Bakassi. And we were able to claim it back from them.
 
Could you give a bit of the details of what we gained and what do you advise the agitators for return of Bakassi to Nigeria to do?
 
In Chad area, we knew that it was the ceding of the water that forced our people out of that place and since the water kept drying up, we got into that situation.
 
We moved out of that but they also moved out of the Southern part of that Chad which they occupied and which belong to Nigeria. But I think before they start doing anything, I mean those that are now talking, they should not look into Bakassi alone because, Bakassi is not a be-all-and-earn-all of the whole things involved in this dispute.
 
It is the land and maritime boundary. We gained extensively considering the claim of Cameroun against us on the maritime boundary. We gained extensively in that.
 
They must not be myopic, they must be objective and they must look into the whole judgment before passing any judgment further on what they may likely go back to the court for.
 
Again, the whole dispute had three phases, I have to say. It started with the preliminary objection on admissibility and jurisdiction.
 
We first of all told the court that, that action is misconceived and should not be entertained. We gave eight reasons for this but the whole thing was turned down by the court and the court rejected all those reasons .
 
Then the case on merit. Also, before that, there was also an application on .....on certain aspects of the case.
 
These people should go into our archives and be well informed and be well educated on this thing and in fact the antecedents before litigations.
 
They should look into it. And they should look again into the history of what is Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria and all that moved. Because the Northern Nigeria moved into Nigeria while part of Southern Nigeria went to Cameroun. So, we need to look into all that. We need to check our facts before we start talking.
 
Just before stop this discussion, let me quickly ask: Why is it that our Constitution still reflects Bakassi as one of the 774 Local Governments of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and yet we believe, as a system that Bakassi has been ceded?
 
Whatever may be the problem with implementing a decision of the court is the internal problem of Nigeria and that, in itself, is strictly domestic. All we need to do is to check the Section 12 of our Constitution and put our house in order.
 
The international community is not concerned about that. Internationally judgment has been given against us with regard to Bakassi and that, they are aware of.
 
As a matter of fact there are so many things that one needs not come out with in this matter that could have happened disastrously to what is called Nigeria. And as a matter of fact, if we had done something else, there would be no Nigeria by now and arms conflicts would have taken over and there are so many countries in this world that are so friendly with the position of Cameroun because they are of the view that Cameroun has Bakassi.
 
Meaning that even if the verdict hasn't favoured Cameroun, it could have declared war against Nigeria believing there are so many world powers that would come to its aid?
 
They could because so many powerful countries in the world are behind Cameroun on this matter. We have seen that and we have been told about that. We are aware of that and actions are already going on, on that. So, we must be very careful.
 
And I repeat that we must be very careful. We must think again and we must look into the history. Those who are talking now must first of all go into the history and look at all that happened before independence and immediately after independence.
 
You see what I mean? And they should look into all the powers exercised by the colonial masters and all the international agreements and treaties. It is worth looking at and, perhaps, they should read my Dissenting Opinion.
 

Qatar Airways makes emergency landing in Lagos

"The plane has landed safely," said Harold Demuren, the Director General of NCAA. "We lost one of the tyres... We are now towing the aircraft," at Murtala Mohammed International airport, he added.

He told AFP that no passengers were injured during the emergency landing and that one of the plane's tyres had to be replaced.

Qatar Airways flight QR592, which Demuren said was an Airbus A330, was travelling the regular Doha-Lagos route and had reported the problem to Nigerian airport authorities, Demuren said.

The airline's online tracker said the flight arrived in Lagos at 2:29 pm (1329 GMT), but the plane touched down at least 30 minutes before that.

The website makes no mention of any incidents during the journey, saying only that flight QR592 had "arrived."

An McDonnell Douglas-83 operated by Dana Air plunged into a neighbourhood near Lagos airport in June after reportedly suffering double engine failure.

The crash killed all 153 passenger and crew as well as at least six people on the ground.

 

NFF Tips Flamingoes for FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Final

 

The NFF conviction came in the wake of the team's 11-0 whip lash of the hosts on Tuesday and as they get set to slug it out with Colombia on Saturday in Baku a top official of the Football House has endorsed the coach Peter Dedevbo tutored lasses to see off the South American amazons and easily progress to the knock out stages.

NFF's Director of Competitions, Dr Mohammed Sanusi in a chat with Goal.com expressed gratitude with the performance of the country's representatives and has challenged them to keep the fire burning when they clash with Colombia on September 29th.

He cautioned them against complacency and seeking personal glories but charged them to be dutiful, resilient and be resolute as they set their sights on the final.

"The NFF is impressed with their performance and they have delighted us with their thrilling outing. We will encourage them to continue to make Nigerians happy and not get carried away at all as they progress further in the competition.

"The NFF has no doubt that the club will be in the final but we still have to take our games as they come so that we don't end up disappointing Nigerians," Dr Sanusi told reporters.

It is the third edition of the competition that debuted in 2008 in New Zealand and Nigeria has featured in all three. In 2008 with inspirational Ebere Orji, Desire Oparanozie and others in that squad Flamingoes were eliminated in the group stage after losing one match( 0-1 to England), drawing one (2-2 against Brazil) and winning one( versus South Korea 2-1).

The team had an improvement upon their debut edition at the 2010 competition in Trinidad and Tobago and deservedly qualified for the quarter final before porous defence ensure

 

 

 

 

Group Tackles HIV Stigma, Discrimination

 

The Advocacy Officer of the group, Mrs Esther James, told newsmen in Abuja on Friday that ideas-sharing could help in addressing issues of stigma, discrimination and self-denial.

She said the group usually mobilised women to engage policy makers, law enforcement agencies, civil society groups in policy initiative among others.

James said, however, that it was also designed to encourage women who were HIV positive to come out and speak on issues affecting them in the society instead of hiding.

“It was also designed to encourage other women who are positive to join support groups where they could meet people of like minds and get up to date information on HIV and how to live positively,“ she said.

The advocacy officer explained that such programmes could also reduce stigma and strengthening the networks to influence decision affecting the lives of people living with the virus.

James said the group had organised a stakeholder’s forum to reawaken the interest of people and also to agitate for the passage of the Anti-Discrimination Bill.

``The group is looking forward to mobilising NGOs, CSOs, NACA, FBOs, labour, network of people living with HIV and others, to be part of this first forum with regard to stigma and discrimination issues in Nigeria.

``This bill has since been with the National Assembly and after the first hearing, no one heard of it till 2009.

``Following the interaction at the forum, stakeholders, especially government is beginning to pay attention to the state of the bill and the association is also getting recognition from NACA as a key player in the fight against HIV/AIDS,’’ she said.

She said that NACA had engaged a consultant, working closely with the National Assembly, to reintroduce the bill to the lower house of the legislature.

James advised the Federal Government to pass the bill as it was the only weapon the group had to fall back on with regard to HIV stigma and discrimination

 

INEC Confirms Oct 6, Date for Plateau North Senatorial By-Election

 

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Habu Zarma, confirmed the date at a political stakeholders meeting in Jos.

“As you are aware, the commission has fixed Saturday Oct. 6 as date for the elections, I am happy to inform you that the date has been approved.”

He said that six political parties would field candidates for the senatorial by-election and listed them as APGA, ACN, ANPP, DPP, LP and PDP.

“Six political parties informed the commission of the process of nominating their candidates for the by-election; they are the ACN, APGA, ANPP, DPP, LP and PDP.

“These parties are contesting the senatorial election while ACN, DPP and PDP are contesting the House of Assembly seat.

“APGA did not submit nomination form for its candidate for the State House of Assembly election,” he said.

Zarma said that election timetable had been released to guide the process and that elections would be conducted in six local government areas in Plateau North.

He said that 73 residential areas representing 1212 polling units would be covered in the North senatorial district including camps of persons displaced by internal conflicts.

According to the REC, all non sensitive election materials have been delivered and are being sorted out for distribution to the local governments.

He said that sensitive materials were still being expected but assured to provide a level playing ground for all the political parties alike.

Zarma also gave figures of the number of those expected to vote in each of the local government areas as, Barkin Ladi, 102,555, Bassa, 18,686, Jos East, 52,492, Jos North, 427,856, Jos South, 287,019 and Riyom, 67,294.

He said that the figure included some names of deceased persons and warned politicians not to front those names.

Reports say that the meeting was attended by security heads in the state comprising the Police and other paramilitary agencies, NGO’s and leadership of the political parties in the state. 

 

Apple Apologizes for Maps Flaws, Recommends Rivals

 

The rare apology follows Apple's launch of its own mapping service earlier this month, when it began selling the iPhone 5 and rolled out iOS 6, the highly anticipated update to its mobile software platform.

Users complained that the new Maps service - based on Dutch navigation equipment and digital map maker TomTom NV's's data - contained geographical errors and gaps in information, and that it lacked features that made Google Maps so popular, including public transit directions, comprehensive traffic data or street view pictures.

"We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better," Cook said in a letter to customers released on its website, adding that the company "fell short" of its commitment to deliver "the best experience possible to our customers."

Unusually, he suggested that customers download rival mapping services available in Apple's App Store, while the company improves the product.

"While we're improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app," he said in the letter.

"It is a bit unusual but at the same time, Tim is keeping Apple's commitment to provide the best user experience for customers," Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu said. "A key reason for Apple's success is keeping customers happy so we think this is a good move."

"People forget that Google Maps started out inferior to Mapquest and Yahoo Maps," he added.

Apple is typically loathe to tout rival services and the contrite apology by Cook is an indication of how Apple is changing under the chief executive who took over last year from co-founder Steve Jobs just before his death.

Shares of Apple were down 1.8 percent in late morning trading at $669.22.

 

Rapper Lil Wayne Breaks Elvis Presley's Billboard Record

 

Wayne, who also celebrated his 30th birthday on Thursday, surpassed Presley's count of 108 entries in the Hot 100 singles chart between 1958 and 2003, as an artist on rapper Game's latest track "Celebration." That track also features Chris Brown, Tyga and Wiz Khalifa, entering the chart at No. 82 this week.

The rapper, nicknamed Weezy, released his debut studio album "Tha Block Is Hot" in 1999. He has steadily grown to become one of the top names in U.S. hip hop, with hit singles including "Right Above It" and "6 Foot 7 Foot."

Wayne ranked fifth on Billboard's list of top-earning musicians in 2011, with an estimated $23.1 million.

Presley, the 'King' of rock'n'roll, held his title as the artist with the most Hot 100 singles for 45 years, with his single "Rubberneckin'" last appearing on the chart at No. 100 in 2003.

His career predated the inception of the Billboard 100 chart, which started in 1958, so some of his most famous hits such as "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Hound Dog" never made it onto the chart.

Both Wayne and Presley were overtaken by the cast of Fox's hit musical television show "Glee," who have had a total of 204 entries in the Hot 100 to date.

 

Reese Witherspoon, Jim Toth Welcome Baby Boy

 

The actress, 36, gave birth to a son on Thursday, a rep for Witherspoon said.

"Both mom and baby are healthy, and the entire family is thrilled," the rep said.

Witherspoon and Toth named their son Tennessee James. Tennessee joins older siblings Ava, 13, and Deacon, 8, whom Witherspoon had with her ex-husband, Ryan Phillippe.

Toth, an entertainment agent, and Witherspoon met "out of the blue" when Toth's drunk friend, who was going through a breakup, tried to make a pass at Witherspoon, the actress recalled in an interview earlier this year.

The couple married in March of 2011, and the actress later said how happy she was to have found a man like her new husband.

"You know, somebody close to me once said, 'Oh, no man will ever accept your children.' And I just thought it was the most horrifying thing someone has ever said to me in my entire life," she said.

"I was determined to find somebody who would make that not true. And I got lucky. I did. I got very lucky, and he's wonderful, and so wonderful with the children. I'm very blessed."

 

Lagos Traffic Law not for revenue generation' -- Fashola

Fashola made the remark while  addressing  traders  and  transport workers  at  the state government-organised   Motor Park Safety and Health Programme  at the Iyana Ipaja Motor Park.

He said  criticisms that the law was promulgated  to make money was unfounded, adding  that  the ultimate objective was the prosperity of the state and its residents.

``Some people have said  we made this law  because we want to make money, but the question is how much money can we make from violators?

``How much money can we really make? This is not about politics, it is about your lives. How much fines can we get? The fines cannot fund the budget of the state.

``But your prosperity, your growth can develop the economy of Lagos in a much more fundamental way. That is the big  picture that  we see,'' Fashola said.

He urged residents,especially  transport workers,  to comply with the provisions of the law,saying the success of the legislation would be determined by voluntary compliance.

The governor also  counselled transport workers against intake of alcohol and hard drugs before and during driving, saying this had significantly contributed  to cases of  road accidents in the state.

He said the state, through traffic officials, would begin  to administer breathalyser on drivers,  to check the alcoholic content of their blood, to ensure they were fit to convey passengers safely.

``We have  designed this safety and  health programme for our transport workers because they are a critical stakeholders in our  transport  sector,and that’s why we are taking it to the motor parks and garages.

``This is the third park I have been to.I was at Ojota and Iddo Motor Parks. Now I am at Iyana Ipaja and the journey continues.

``We urge our transport workers to take advantage of this programme and do what is right  all the time and we hope  that they  would spread the message to others,``he said.

Dr Jide Idris, the state Commissioner for Health, said the  results of screenings at motor parks across the state revealed that a good number of drivers took hard drugs and alcohol and suffered from serious health problems.

Mr Kayode Opeifa, the Commissioner for Transport,said a good number of accidents were caused  by non-adherence to traffic regulations, especially by commercial drivers.

Mr Seeni Agbetu,Managing Director,Guinness Nigeria Ltd., said  his organisation  was interested in responsible drinking at motorparks  especially, as drunk driving was a major killer in the country.

"The programme, apart from sensitising drivers on safety issues, also provides an opportunity for them to screen for diseases like Hypertension and Diabetes that could undermine their job.

Police discovers bomb factory in kano, constitutes team to investigate groom's death

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Ibrahim Idris, who confirmed this while briefing newsmen in Kano, said two suspected owners of the factory were arrested during the operation.

Idris told newsmen that assorted bomb manufacturing materials were also discovered during the operation.

He said the factory, which had been cordoned off by mobile policemen, would be demolished.

The commissioner said three vehicles were also found and taken to the police headquarters, Bompai, Kano.

Idris said other items discovered were 100 detonators, the main primer for the construction

of Improvised Explosive Device (IED), concentrated salt, used to mix with ammonium nitrate.
 

The others included: T and T, a high calbre military chemical for bomb making; battery chargers, laptop computers, finished IEDs, four AK 47 rifles and eight fully loaded magazines.

Idris commended members of the public for providing useful information to the police.

He assured the people that the command would intensify raid on flash points until total peace was restored in the state.




IG constitutes team to investigate groom's death

 

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, has constituted an investigation team to look into the circumstances leading to the death of one Ugochukwu Ozuah on Sept. 20

in Lagos.

A statement by CSP Frank Mba, Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, on Thursday, said the team was from the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja.

Mba said the team would take over the investigation into the death of Ozuah from the Lagos State Police Command.

Ozuah was allegedly shot to death by policemen in Lagos a few days after his wedding.


``The directive is necessitated by the need to maintain neutrality, professionalism, speedy and holistic dispensation of justice," the statement said.

Mba said the IG commiserated with the family, friends and relations of the deceased and assured them that the force would do everything possible to unmask and bring the perpetrators of the crime to book.

Abubakar appealed to members of the public, especially those who might have witnessed the crime, to come forward with useful information that could aid the police to arrest the perpetrators.

Mba said the IG had not made a definite statement on the incident contrary to rumours making rounds, especially in the social media.

``As a matter of fact, this is the first and the only statement so far made by either the IGP or the Force headquarters on this subject matter.


``As the chief investigator of the nation, it is not in the character of the IG to jump into hasty conclusions before initiating investigations," Mba said

Actor Johnny Lewis Found Dead in Los Angeles, Suspected in Killing

 

Police received a call Wednesday morning about a screaming woman in the affluent Los Feliz neighbourhood and responded to find Catherine Davis dead in her home, said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Cleon Joseph.

Joseph said Lewis, 28, was also dead in the home's driveway after either falling or jumping off the roof.

The officer said the circumstances around the deaths were still being investigated on Thursday.

"Detectives believe that he may have committed the murder," Joseph said of Lewis, adding that the motive was unknown.

Lewis had a supporting role in the first two seasons of "Sons of Anarchy," a television drama featuring an outlaw motorcycle club. He played Kip "Half Sack" Epps, an Iraq War veteran who hangs out with the biker club featured in the show.

The Los Angeles-born Lewis previously had recurring roles in the TV shows "Boston Public" and "The O.C."

 

EU Set to Charge Microsoft Over Ruling Breach

 

U.S.-based Microsoft's more than decade-long battle with the European Commission has already landed it with fines totalling more than a billion Euros ($1.28 billion).

The Commission, which opened an investigation into the issue in July, is now preparing formal charges against the company, EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said.

"The next step is to open a formal proceeding into the company's breach of an agreement. We are working on this," Almunia told reporters at a conference in Warsaw.

"It should not be a long investigation because the company itself explicitly recognized its breach of the agreement," he said.

This is the second time Microsoft has failed to comply with an EU decision. If found guilty of breaching EU rules, it could be penalized up to $7.4 billion or 10 percent of its revenues for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012.

U.S. chipmaker Intel holds the record for the biggest ever fine at 1.06 billion Euros ($1.36 billion), which was imposed in 2009 and represented 4.15 percent of its 2008 turnover.

Keen to avoid more regulatory problems, Microsoft, the world's largest software company, has blamed the latest run-in with the EU watchdog on a technical glitch.

Microsoft declined to comment on Thursday.

 

Senate Passes Bill on Labour Safety

 

The Bill, which is sponsored by Sen. Chris Anyanwu (APGA-Imo), was read for the third time and passed at the Senate on Thursday.

The Bill seeks to repeal and re-enact the Factory Act, 2004 to make comprehensive provisions for securing the safety, health and welfare of persons at work.

It also seeks to protect others against risks to safety and health with regard to activities of persons at work in addition to establishing the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health.

The amended bill contains 111 clauses and clause 83  deals with offences and penalties.

It read in part; ‘’ Any employer who fails to comply with any of the provisions of clauses 29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36 and 37 of this bill relating to the duty of the employer commits an offence.

``The person shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not less than one year or to a fine of not less than N500,000.

``Both fine and imprisonment in case of an individual and a fine of not less than N2 million for a corporate body and in addition each director or manager of the body shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not less than one year.

``Clause 31 (1)of the Bill also states that an employer shall after being notified by a female employee that she is pregnant, adapt the working conditions of the female employee in such manner as to prevent occupational exposure.

``This is to ensure that the embryo is afforded the same level of protection as required for members of the public and the employer shall not consider the notification of pregnancy as a reason to exclude the employee from work.

``The employer is also required by this law to ensure that any female employee that is pregnant or nursing a baby is not exposed to ionising radiation at the work place.

On the construction and disposal of machinery, the bill in clause 52 stipulates that any person who manufactures, assemblies, sells or lets on hire any machine that does not comply with the requirement of this clause commits an offence.

The person shall be liable to a penalty of N50,000 for the first case of non compliance and N100,000 for every subsequent case of non compliance or N50 million for the first case of non compliance and N500 million for every subsequent case.

The Senate President, David Mark, who presided over  the plenary session noted that the bill had already been passed in the House of Representatives.

Mark advised that a conference committee be set up as soon as possible so as to harmonise the Bill and forward it to the President for his assent.

 Reports say that the Bill had initially come to the Senate as an executive bill but was represented as a private member bill by Anyanwu.

The Bill, which had passed second reading on May 17, was referred to the joint committees on Employment, Labour and Productivity, Health and Establishment and Public Services for further legislative action.

The Senate President also wished the Senators and indeed all Nigerians a Happy Independence Anniversary coming up on Monday.

 

Red Cross Evacuates 200 Flood Victims in Asaba

 

Mr Francis Agarivbie, the Secretary of the organisation in the state, disclosed this in an interview in Asaba on Thursday.

Agarivbie said that the organisation carried out the exercise in collaboration with the Delta Government.

He said that some of the evacuated persons had been given mattresses and blankets while others had yet to receive the items.

You will recall that the flood disaster which occurred on Monday in some communities in the state, damaged more than 1,000 buildings.

The affected communities included Infant Jesus road, Oko-Amakom, Oko-Anala, Oko-Ogbele and power-line in Oshimili South Local government Area of the state.

While commending the state government for its timely intervention, he appealed for speed boats for rescue operations.

The Red Cross scribe said that a number of persons were still trapped in the affected communities.

“We need more speed boats to urgently evacuate those persons who are still trapped in the various communities.’’

He stressed the need for the state government to establish a camp clinic, which would serve the people, especially children and pregnant women.

Agarivbie also called on donor agencies to assist the flood victims by providing them with the relief materials.

Meanwhile, some of the flood victims who spoke with reporters, also appealed to the state government to assist them with relief materials, claiming that they had lost all they laboured for.

Mr Philip Ukadike, one of the victims said: “ it is not easy losing all you have laboured for in life; I am still appealing to the government to help us to be back on our feet.

“We need relief materials so that we can start all over again.’’  

 

Independence Anniversary: Parties Call for Sober Reflection

 

Agbo told reporters in Abuja on Thursday, that Nigerians should use the period to reflect on how the government had impacted on the citizenry in the provision of basic infrastructure.

``The day should be used to reflect on the journey so far. It has been hectic for Nigerians since the colonial era but the country had been able to stay together, in spite of the challenges.

``Nigerians have been enduring without adequate infrastructure like water, electricity and road but government should continue in its efforts to provide these necessities,’’ he said.

Agbo said Nigerians should make it a priority to examine ways of moving the country forward.

``The country has experienced wasted years of military dictatorship where people in government did what they liked without being questioned.

``We just got back to democracy and we will continue to nurture it every day until it is perfected,’’ he said.

Also speaking, the National Chairman of Change Advocacy Party (CAP), Mr Lewis Abah, advised Nigerians to embrace peace, in spite of the security challenges.

``We grew up to know the independence celebration in Eagle Square and maybe Tinubu Square.

``People go for march past but these days, because of the security situation in the country, this has changed, which is not supposed to be so,’’ he said.

He advised Nigerians to be law-abiding and called on security agencies to rise up to the challenges.

 

Chinua Achebe Publishes Long Awaited Memoir on Biafra

 

For more than 40 years he has remained silent about his war experiences.

One of Africa's best known authors, Achebe's debut 1958 novel Things Fall Apart has sold more than 10 million copies.

It has been translated into more than 50 languages and focuses on the traditions of Igbo society and the clash between Western and traditional values.

'Birth pangs'

The prizing-winning 81-year-old author and academic has written more than 20 works - some fiercely critical of politicians and a failure of leadership in Nigeria.

Chinua Achebe in 2009 Chinua Achebe lives in the US following a car accident in 1990

Mr Achebe has lived in the US since he suffered a car accident in 1990, which left him paralysed and in a wheelchair.

The memoir is published in the UK on Thursday and is due to be released in Nigeria shortly and in the US on 11 October.

 

Nigeria Earns N80bn from Tourism –NTDC

 

Mr Nasir Kaka, the South-West Zonal Coordinator of NTDC, disclosed this in  Lekki, Lagos, during activities marking the World Tourism Day.

Kaka said that the revenues generated were from cultural diversities, sceneries and festivals.

He said that each geo-political zone of the country offered something for tourists, hence the usually visit the Obudu Cattle Ranch, Osun Osogbo groove, Olumo Rock, Agbokim Waterfalls and a number of beaches and coastal cities.

Kaka said that the most physical features of Lagos State were the coastal landforms which consists of lagoons, creeks, swamps and seashore extension that gave the states its unique aesthetic appeal and beauty.   

He described Lagos State as the pioneer of tourism in the country, due to its numerous tourism sites.

``The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, Lagos office, is committed to the development of tourism at the grassroots level. We decided to celebrate this year’s World Tourism Day in Olomowewe, Lekki Local Council Development Area,’’ he said. 

``The choice of this venue is informed by the recognition of its unique potential, enviable hospitality and historical antecedents which the corporation (NTDC) intends to promote and showcase.

``It is obvious that the development of tourism entails systematic planning and coordinated effort to enhance effective marketing and viability,’’ Kaka said.

He said that ``Lekki local council has all it takes to be the foremost tourist destination   in Nigeria.’’

Kaka said that the state had the necessary human, natural resources and synergetic institutional framework to reposition tourism in the country.

``What we require is the will and the determination of all stakeholders to come together and push the Nigerian tourism map to the international community.

Mr Mukadasi Ogidan, the Chairman of the LCDA, called for synergy between the local and state governments to develop the tourism industry.

Ogidan said that the community had a lot of tourism sites that could attract many visitors to it.

He called on prospective local and foreign tourism investors to invest in the area.

Ogidan commended the NTDC for celebrating the World Tourism Day in the community. 

 

Train Kills Middle-Aged Woman in Lagos

 

An eyewitness told newsmen that the unidentified woman was walking along the tracks when the incident happened at about 7:15 a.m.

``The woman was trying to avoid muddy water along the tracks when the Ijoko-Apapa passenger’s train crushed her to death.

``The woman instead of jumping into the muddy water was trying to avoid it and the fast moving train dragged her under.

``It was like a magic. It was like a movie. The train dragged her underneath and it was so fast for comprehension.                  

``In fact, her blood splintered on some passers-by who were also waiting patiently along the tracks for the fast moving train to pass before moving.

``Worst still, the train did not stop but dragged her body for about one kilometer thereby mutilating the body,” the witness said.

Reports say that many of the passers-by were seen wailing on seeing the mutilated body of the woman.

On Sept. 20, a woman and her child were crushed to death while trying to cross the rail tracks at Oshodi.

``I think it is time the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) management construct a barricade along the busy train tracks to avoid such occurrences.

``This is not the first time this kind of accident is happening, it has become an everyday accident,” Mrs Ronke Adelagun, a passenger said.

Mr Felix Oguma, a trader at Oshodi, urged the management of the corporation to embark on massive campaign against indiscriminate trading and loitering around the train tracks.

``Many people are unaware of train movement in Lagos, so they cross the tracks indiscriminately,” Oguma said.

Mr Ademuyiwa Adekanbi, the Lagos District Public Relations Officer of the Railways, described the incident as unfortunate.

Adekanbi said that corporation had embarked on series of campaigns against indiscriminate crossings of train tracks. 

 

 

More Than N40 bn Property Lost to Flood in Kogi - Governor

 

A press statement issued in Lokoja by the Deputy Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Michael Abu, said preliminary report on the disaster showed that over 100 communities were affected.

The governor said this when officials of the state Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) briefed him on the disaster.

Represented by his deputy, Mr Yomi Awoniyi, Wada said however that the government was still taking inventory of the damages.

``We have about 100,000 registered displaced persons who are currently camped in nine centres across the state.’’

Wada, described the floods as the worst since 1936, and expressed fears that it would create food scarcity in the state.

He said the government would take inventory of farms lost to the flood and compensate the affected farmers.

``We have directed the Ministry of Agriculture to take inventory where possible for government to buy off such crops."

Wada described the floods as unimaginable and unfortunate, and assured that the Federal and the state governments would collaborate to cushion the effects of the disaster. 

 

Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Focus is to Attract Greater Investment – Jonathan

 

A statement by Dr Reuben Abati, Senior Special Assistant to the president on Media and Publicity, also quoted Jonathan as saying that the creation of more jobs for the army of unemployed Nigerians was similarly a major focus of nation's foreign policy thrust in the drive to grow the economy in partnership with foreign investors.

The president who was speaking at a dinner organised in his honour by the Corporate Council on Africa, said that his Administration was wholly committed to promoting the development of a knowledge-based economy.

``The government is committed to promoting a knowledge-economy that will enhance the security of lives and property, thereby accelerating growth to provide more employment and reduce youth restiveness,'' he said.

The President told the gathering of leading American businessmen and investors that attracting foreign investment to support the realisation of the Federal Government’s Agenda for National Transformation was now the topmost priority of Nigeria’s diplomacy abroad.

``Let me restate here that Nigeria’s foreign policy is now anchored on the realisation of this Transformation Agenda through the attraction of Foreign Direct Investment.

``Under the new policy thrust, our diplomatic missions abroad have been directed to focus more on attracting investment to support the domestic programmes of government with a view to achieving not only our Vision 20: 2020, but to bequeathing an enduring legacy of economic  prosperity,” he said.

Jonathan assured the guests that adequate safety nets had been established to protect all foreign investors in Nigeria.

Such measures, he said, included the establishment and strengthening of the Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission and the Bureau of Public Procurement.

The President further assured the gathering that his administration was dealing decisively with Nigeria’s security challenges.

``We have some security challenges now, but let me assure you that the Nigerian government is on top of it. We are dealing with the issue decisively, it will soon be a thing of the past,” he said.

``Opportunities abound for would-be investors with capital and technical know-how in key areas of Nigeria’s economy with high rates of return on investment, and I invite our friends in the U.S. to take advantage of existing incentives and invest more in Nigeria.

``I am confident that by the year 2015, Nigeria would have witnessed transformation in all sectors to the benefit of not only its citizens, but also those who have an interest in Nigeria,” President Jonathan concluded.

Earlier in a welcome remark, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Amb. Johnnie Carson, pledged that the Obama administration would continue to support Nigeria’s efforts to attract greater foreign investment.

Noting that Nigeria was already a very important destination for American companies and the second highest recipient of American direct private sector investment in Africa, Carson said that he was very optimistic that Nigeria could become a great economic success over the next decade.

Carson announced that the U.S.-Nigeria Bi-National Commission which had been established as a primary platform for the promotion of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries would meet again in Nigeria next month.

Jonathan’s other engagements in New York on Wednesday included meetings with President Sauli Ministo of Finland and the President of the Swiss Confederation, Mrs Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf.

The President had met earlier with President Francois Hollande of France, the Emir of Qatar and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa.

He also received representatives of the over 200 Nigerians who currently work for the UN and its agencies.

President Jonathan and Prime-Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway with whom he serves as Co-Chairperson of the UN Commission on Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children also participated at an event to promote its work.

Guests at the event included former President Bill Clinton.

 

Physician Advises on the Management of Warm Temperature in Children

 

Adoghe told newsmen in Abuja on Thursday that when an individual had fever, it was usually a sign that something abnormal was going on inside the body.

``The case of children requires urgent medical attention after careful observation by parents,’’ he said.

He described fever as a rise in the body temperature above the normal range of between 36.1 degree Celsius and 37.2 degree Celsius.

The physician explained that the degree of fever did not necessarily indicate the seriousness of the underlying condition, adding that a serious illness might cause a low fever, while a minor illness might cause a high fever.

``Parents always want to feel the temperature of the child through the use of hands. Your hand is not a thermometer, use appropriate thermometer for children and ask or learn how to use one,” he said.

The doctor identified some causes of fever as common infections, including malarial, common cold and flu, pneumonia, most bacterial and viral infections.

According to Adoghe, some inflammations like rheumatoid arthritis, most skin abscess or "boil", heat exhaustion, cancer, some medications like antibiotics and drugs for hypertension and some immunisation shots, may also cause fever.

On ways to recognise fever, he identified a rise or rising body warmth and feeling of discomfort which might be gradual or sudden.

Adoghe said that depending on the cause, associated signs and symptoms might include chills "cold" and shivering, sweating, loss of appetite, headache, muscle aches and pain.

Others he said could be general body weakness, dehydration, high fever of over 41.1 degrees Celsius might cause hallucinations, confusion, irritability, convulsions, and dehydration.

The physician said that sometimes it was not possible to identify the cause of a fever lasting more than three weeks, and your doctor might not be able to find the cause after extensive evaluation.

He advised parents on when to see a doctor, and said, ``babies and infants with a fever, who seem lethargic and unresponsive (weak, not alert or look drowsy and not responding), need a doctor''.

``Do not use cold water on a child with high fever, as this may trigger convulsion, rub your hands and make sure they are warm,” he advised.

The doctor also advised that if high fever episodes were not well managed, it could lead to febrile convulsions in children less than five years.

``Do not place any object like metal or wooden spoon in your child’s mouth or try to stop the seizure, as most seizures will stop on their own,” he said.

He explained that the prevention of many illnesses that could cause fever revolved around personal and household hygiene.

``Wash your hands with soap and water, cover your mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing, handle food with clean hands,’’ he said.

The doctor also advised that school authorities should put preventive measures in place to be mindful of the weather, and  temperature, and to know when to and when not to put on air conditioners or fans in the classes.

“Properly immunise your child, eat a healthy diet, including fruits and vegetables and get the proper amount of sleep,” he advised. 

 

Expect Violent Winds After Flooding, NIMET Warns

 

The Director-General of NIMET, Dr Anthony Anuforom, gave the warning in Abuja on Thursday in an interview with newsmen.

He said that windy weather was expected during the dry season, following more heavy rains, likely to lead to more floods between September and October.

He cautioned people not to stay under threes during the period.

``We are transiting now from rainy to dry season; the kind of things we may experience are violent winds. Therefore, we advice people to avoid staying under trees.

``The reason why we alert people is for them to know ahead of time and take necessary precautions.

``We have no ability to protect natural disasters but the ability to observe what the weather is and inform the people early.

``Part of the mandate of the Ministry of Aviation is safety and we as an agency under it have keyed into it,’’ Anuforom said.

He noted that forecast by the agency if strictly adhered to could help save the situation, adding that any emergency situation could only surprise people unexpectedly if there were no early warnings.

``If adequate disaster risk measures are taken, the number of deaths will decrease because people must have known what to expect,’’ Anuforom said.

The NIMET chief said that the 2013 annual seasonal rainfall predictions bulletin on weather and climate would be released early to get people prepared and make use of it.

It will be recalled that NIMET on Sept. 26, predicted more heavy rainstorms that may lead to serious flooding before October. 

 

Minister Identifies Bamboo Cultivation as Tool for Rural Economic Empowerment

 

Mailafia spoke in Benin on Thursday at the on-going two-day national stakeholder’s sensitisation workshop on the development of bamboo and rattan in the country.

She said the hosting of the national workshop on bamboo and rattan was a clear signal of conscious effort by the ministry to develop very important resources hitherto neglected as a tool for economic empowerment.

The minister said that the diminishing resource and the availability of timber or wood products and conservation had highlighted the need to identify substitutes for traditional timber and its products.

``'This forum is expected to create the much needed awareness about bamboo and rattan like the non-timber forest product that are yet to be accorded recognition by government.

``'Bamboo and rattan are of significant importance in strategic economic development in terms of poverty alleviation, job creation, economic development and environmental protection due to its unique growth,'' she said.

According to her, bamboo and rattan are versatile, strong, renewable and environmental-friendly materials already proven to be valuable substitute to timber products in many countries.

The minister, however, said that most bamboo species produced mature fibre in three years, adding that it could be grown quickly and easily and harvested in three to five years' cycles.

''Bamboo adapts to most climatic condition and soil types, acting as soil stabiliser, an effective carbon sink and helping to counter the effect of greenhouse effect.

''Bamboo and rattan will help in safeguarding our bio-diversity, as well as contribute to improvement of food security and poverty reduction among local communities.

''It would also provide a broad range of products and services to current and future generations, while guaranteeing the resilience and maintaining the ecosystem under threats of desertification, erosion, and floods,'' she said.

Mailafia said that the bamboo and rattan project would commence operation at the Federal Department of Forestry’s wood utilisation centre and at the 50 hectares of land site located in Ehor Forest Reserve in Edo. 

 

Edo Flood: 2 Deaths Recorded as Displaced Persons Sleep on Bare Floor in Camps

 

Reports say that the situation in the eight camps located in the Etsako Central and Etsako East local government areas of Edo was calm, the victims have appealed to government and public-spirited individuals for assistance.

The Edo Commissioner for Health, Dr Cordilia Awieze, who confirmed the deaths, said that an outbreak of chickenpox had been reported in the camps.

Awieza said that efforts were been made by the state government to ensure that the displaced persons lived well in the camps.

She said that from the N100 million released by the state government to provide relief materials for the victim, drugs had also been bought and distributed to the camps.

Reports say that four days after the government ordered the release of N100 million for the purchase of relief materials, only drugs were purchased and supplied to the camps.

The victims complained that they fed themselves from the little items and money they brought from their homes until the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) supplied them with foodstuffs two days ago.

``With the little assistance from the Etsako Central Local Government Council, we have been feeding ourselves since we arrived in the camp.

``This is until two days ago when we got bags of rice, beans, garri, gallons of groundnut oil, palm oil, beverages among others from NEMA.

``We are yet to see anything from the state government apart from the drugs and ambulances that moved around.

``Aside from some of us who came with mattresses and mats, majority of us still sleep on bare floor since we arrived the camp last week Tuesday,” says Amos Adodo

A victim, Mr Yakubu Illia, appealed to government to supply them with consumables, sleeping mats, mattresses and other items that would make them comfortable in the camps.

Reports say that the council where the camps are located had provided conveniences for the victims.

The Etsako East Council chairman, Mr Peter Iyan, told reporters that there was little the council could do to assist the displaced persons.

``We have done and still doing the little we can to make the displaced live a normal life in the camps,” he said.

It will be recalled that 12 communities in Etsako East and Etsako Central local government areas of Edo were submerged by floods after the River Niger overflowed its banks last week.

Gov. Adams Oshiomhole, who visited the camps on Sunday had ordered the release of N100 million to provide relief materials for the displaced persons. 

 

Iwuanyanwu Dismisses Possibility of Igbo President in 2015

 

Iwuanyanwu, three times presidential aspirant, said this at a press conference in Owerri, where he advocated for the inclusion of zoning of political offices in the constitution.

He said the six existing zones should be given equal opportunity to produce the president of the country through a zoning arrangement.

Iwuanyanwu added that for any zoning policy to be effective and meaningful, it must be in the constitution.

He said the Igbos have qualified and experienced people capable of leading the country.

The PDP chieftain identified internal politics and selfishness as part of factors militating against the aspiration of such people.

He also canvassed for the autonomy of local councils, saying the constitution should be amended to allow the councils total control of their funds.

He said state government's control of the council funds was responsible for the failure of the local government system, as it had made it impossible for any council chairman to embark on projects beneficial to their communities.

On security matters, Iwuanyanwu urged the Federal Government to address the fundamental causes of insecurity in the country, so that its fight against it would be effective.

According to him, the level of unemployment in the country is alarming and the government needs to address the issue if it hopes to win the war against insecurity.

Iwuanyanwu recommended that some stipends should be paid to unemployed youths in local government areas, believing that such gesture would help to reduce crime in the country. 

 

Scientist Recommends Sweet Potato Flour as Alternative to Wheat

 

Sindi, in a paper presented at the ongoing 16th Triennial Symposium of International Society for Tropical and Root Crops, in Abeokuta, Ogun, noted that sweet potato is rich in Vitamin A.

His paper was entitled ``What is the consumers' perception of bakery products made with Vitamin A rich sweet potato and wheat?’’

The scientist said that the consumption of sweet potato could eliminate Vitamin A deficiency common in many parts of the continent.

``Sweet potato is better than wheat because it is cheaper while imported wheat is costly,’’ Sindi said.

He explained that Africa had many local alternatives to wheat flour that could reduce the cost of producing confectioneries.

According to him, flour made from potato and cassava can be used to bake bread, doughnut, biscuits and cakes, reducing production cost by 15 per cent.

Sindi said that a study, conducted by himself and four other researchers in Rwanda showed that confectioneries, made a combination of sweet potato flour and wheat, tasted better.

He said that respondents in the research preferred such confectioneries to those made from only wheat.

``Manufacturers who import agricultural commodities like wheat are facing increasing costs due to rising commodity prices.

``Sweet potato can replace up to 40 per cent of the wheat in bakery products.

``This can lower production costs, save a country’s foreign exchange, and increase the rural farmer's income,’’ he noted.

Using the Rwanda study as a reference point, Sindi recommended the establishment of more and efficient distribution and supply chains.

This, according to him, will ease people’s access to products developed from potato and other alternatives to wheat. 

 

Heartland FC to Disengage 14 Players - Official

 

Fan Ndubuoke, the General Manager of the club, disclosed this in an interview in Owerri.

Ndubuoke said the move was in compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the club’s management reached with the Imo government.

``The MoU is for the club to generate 50 per cent of its financial resources.

``The state government has reached an agreement with the club’s management on the joint funding of the club’s financial obligations.

``As a result, the club can no longer maintain the payment of the salary of its 32 players,’’ Ndubuoke said.

He said the players to be disengaged were those found wanting in the areas of discipline and performance.

Ndubuoke added that the club would soon begin negotiation for a striker and two midfielders to fortify the club’s attacking force.

The manager admitted the poor performance of the club at the just concluded premier league, and said it was due to technical problems.

Heartland finished eighth on the table with 51 points.

 

Tornadoes Management Suspends Technical Adviser

 

This is contained in a statement, signed by the club’s Media Officer, Suleiman Isah, and made available to newsmen in Minna.

Isah said the suspension was due to a media statement credited to Tenge, alleging the club management's failure to involve him in its preparation for the 2012/2013 Nationwide League.

“The management has viewed his unguided utterances as an act of insubordination.

“The management also observed that his position as technical adviser has not impacted positively towards ensuring players discipline both in the camp and in the field of play,’’ Isah added.

The officer said that Tenge’s suspension followed a crucial meeting by the club’s management on Sept. 5 which, he said, deliberated on his false accusation.

“We took this decision because we feel the technical adviser has gone beyond his boundaries.

“He is supposed to be sober for bringing Niger Tornadoes to relegation, instead of making uncomplimentary statements. He will remain indefinitely suspended,” he added.

According to Isah, the club’s management has completed arrangement to make the club to compete favourably in the National League campaign when it begins.

Isah noted that the management decided not to completely sack the technical adviser because the management was yet to deliberate on his report for the just-ended 2011/2012 season.

He said that Tenge’s report was scanty and did not meet best practices in football management.

 

Suya Seller Arraigned for Allegedly Stealing 11 Bags of Onions

 

Police prosecutor, Friday Eze, told the court that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 285 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State.

He said the accused committed the offence on Jan.16 at 8 p.m. on Alaba-Rago Market, Ojo, Lagos.

Eze added that Bala broke into the shop of Alhaji Bilya, which was sealed with plank and removed the bags.

He said the accused was discovered by Sariki, the head of the unit where the shop was located.

The prosecutor said that sariki caught the accused conveying the bags of onion, in a wheel barrow and halted him to find out the owner of the commodity.

He said that when the Sariki questioned the accused he claimed that he purchased them earlier in the day but had no chance to convey them.

Eze said that not satisfied with Bala's explanation, Sariki demanded to know from whom he purchased the onion and Bala told him that he purchased them from an Alhaji.

He told the court that Bilya, the alleged owner of the onion, who denied selling any onion to the accused, discovered the next day that his shop had been burgled and 11 bags of onion missing.

Eze informed the court that eight out of the missing bags had been recovered from the accused, but the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Mr T.O Shomade, granted Bala bail in the sum of N85,000 with two sureties in like sum and fixed substantive hearing in the case till Oct. 29. 

 

Cardiologist says change in lifestyle can prevent diabetes

Anya gave the advice in an interview in Abuja on Thursday.

According to her, diabetes is a condition in which the ability of the body to utilise sugar is impaired as a result of the deficiency of a hormone called insulin, or the ineffectiveness of the hormone if present.

``The initial management for borderline patients should begin with a conscious effort to change their lifestyle.

``These lifestyle changes will include avoiding foods and drinks that contain sugar or honey, focus on weight reduction and exercise regularly.''

She added that such people should go for regular blood sugar monitoring in the hospital, adding that they could use a home glucometer kit to check.

A glucometer kit is a portable tool a person can use to monitor his blood sugar or glucose level.

Anya explained that a glucometer provided results right away so a person could know whether the glucose level was higher than desired, lower than expected or within an acceptable range.

The cardiologist said that people at risk of being diabetic were those with a family history of the condition.

She, however, added that it could also occur in people without a family history of diabetes.

Anya explained that people who were obese were at risk of developing a type of diabetes.

``Obesity is a risk factor for developing a type of diabetes as obesity is associated with reduced sensitivity to insulin produced by the body.''

She said that confirmed diabetics also had to make lifestyle modifications in addition to medication prescribed for them at the hospital.

``For Frank Diabetes, there are oral drugs and insulin injections available to control the blood sugar.''

She added that diabetics should also use the glucometer kit at home to monitor their sugar level to help determine if there is an improvement or not

Tribunal says it has jurisdiction over case against Oshiomhole

Retired Maj-Gen. Charles Airhiavbere of the PDP filed the petition against Oshiomhole.

Airhiavbere had alleged that Oshiomhole did not possess the minimum qualification and that the modern school certificate presented by him (Oshiomhole) before INEC was fake.

He also alleged that INEC did not conduct the election in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2012 (as amended).

Named as co-defendants in the petition were Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), INEC, the Edo Resident Electoral Commissioner and INEC Returning Officer.

The tribunal had on Sept. 4, following an application by the PDP, struck out its name as a co-respondent petitioner in the petition.

But Oshiomhole on Wednesday brought an application challenging the competence of the tribunal to entertain the petition.

Oshiomhole’s counsel, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) had urged the tribunal to dismiss Airhiavbere’s petition for lack of competence and jurisdiction.

Olanipekun argued that only the Federal High Court had the jurisdiction to hear the case, citing several authorities to back his submission.

But Efe Akpofure, counsel to the petitioner, who described the respondents’ application as premature, urged the court to dismiss their application.
 
Akpofure also urged the court to take a holistic view of the petitioner’s case along with his pleadings.

He said the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, did not preclude the tribunal‘s jurisdiction from hearing and nullifying an election if it discovered a candidate used falsified certificate to contest an election.

In his ruling, the Chairman of the three-man tribunal, Justice Suleman Ambrusa, said after due consideration of the submissions and cases cited by the counsel, it was of the view that the tribunal had jurisdiction to entertain the petition.

On the allegation of non qualification of the first defendant (Oshiomhole)  to contest the election, Ambrusa said the allegation was a pre-election matter.

He added that the petitioner had the opportunity to have explored the avenue of dealing with the matter before the election proper.

The tribunal chairman said section 3(1), sub section (6) of the act, as amended, ``does not vest in the tribunal powers to enquire into the issue of qualification or otherwise of a candidate as it is purely a pre-election matter’’.

Ambrusa further held that some of the particulars contained in the petition were scanty and not precise, and therefore described the petitioner’s quest as ``pursuing a wide goose chase’’.

He said that the particulars in the petition were vague and not tied to any ground.

The chairman added that the petitioner failed to provide specific particulars in the body of the paragraphs to substantiate  grounds of the relief being sought.

The tribunal will, however, on Friday deliver ruling on the application by the petitioner, urging the tribunal to compel INEC to provide all the certified copies of the voters' register in all the units and wards of the contentious local government areas

WHO Issues Guidance on New Virus, Gears Up for Hajj

 

Saudi Arabia said it had taken precautions to prevent disease spreading next month, when it expects over 2 million Muslims to flock to the annual hajj pilgrimage, and then return home.

WHO put out a global alert on Sunday saying a new virus had infected a 49-year-old Qatari who had recently travelled to Saudi Arabia, where another man with an almost identical virus had died.

The Qatari remained critically ill in hospital in Britain as of Tuesday, but the WHO said on Wednesday no new case of the new virus had been reported.

"We've got things in place should things change, should the behaviour of the virus change," spokesman Gregory Hart said.

Tests showed that six people with respiratory infections in two hospitals in Denmark did not have the new coronavirus, and at least five of them had flu, Danish health officials said.

The new virus shares some of the symptoms of SARS, another coronavirus, which emerged in China in 2002 and killed around a tenth of 8,000 people it infected worldwide. So far scientists do not know how contagious the new virus is, or whether or not it spreads by contact between people.

WHO's clinical guidance to its 194 member states said health workers should be alert to anyone with acute respiratory syndrome and requiring hospitalization who had been in the area where the virus was found or in contact with a suspected or confirmed case within the previous 10 days.

WHO has not recommended any travel restrictions in connection with the new virus, but said it was working closely with Saudi authorities on health measures for the hajj.

WHO said it was identifying a network of laboratories that could provide countries with expertise on coronaviruses.

"Though it is a very different virus from SARS, given the severity of the two confirmed cases so far, WHO is engaged in further characterizing the novel coronavirus," it said.

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control in Stockholm said that, based on the available information, "ECDC assesses the current risk as low".

 

 

 

 

Whitney Houston’s Daughter, Bobbi Kristina, Involved in Car Crash

 

No one was injured in the crash, but reports say that Gordon, 22, was driving and Bobbi Kristina, 19, was in the passenger seat.

There was no other car involved in the accident in Alpharetta, Ga., but details of how Gordon’s Camaro sustained so much damage are still unclear.

Reports say that the front of the car appeared badly damaged, with parts of a fender and one wheel missing. The airbags were deployed and the car was found parked in the garage at Bobbi Kristina’s apartment building.

Nick Gordon, Brown's unofficially adopted brother and apparent paramour, has been a sore subject for Whitney Houston's immediate and extended family. He recently tweeted a photo of himself toting a gun in his right hand while casually driving with his left. The photo sparked criticism and Gordon has since deleted it.

Following Houston's sudden death in February, Gordon and Brown have become increasingly close, according to reports.

 

 

RIM Shares Rise Further as Investors See Hope

 

Waterloo, Ontario-based RIM will announce quarterly results on Thursday and analysts were expecting the company, for the first time in its history, to have begun losing subscribers. But at a developer event on Tuesday, RIM announced that its subscriber base had grown by 2 million in the quarter that ended Sept 1.

The announcement took analysts by surprise, as RIM's aging line-up of BlackBerry devices has been losing ground rapidly to Apple's iPhone and Samsung's line of Galaxy products in the key North American and European markets.

"Overall that is a promising performance given RIM's lackluster portfolio of smartphones," Scotiabank analyst Gus Papageorgiou said in a note to clients. "We believe largely all of these subscribers came from outside North America as the company continues to lose ground in that market."

RIM is trying to reinvent itself through a line of revamped smartphones that will run on the BlackBerry 10, or BB10 operating system, on which the company has staked its future.

In an attempt to create a buzz around the new devices, Chief Executive Thorsten Heins gave a preview of the smartphone and its features to its developers at an event on Tuesday in San Jose, California.

Attendees at the event in general were positive about advances that RIM has made on the new BB10 devices that are set to begin the carrier certification process next month.

RIM's shares rose 24 cents to $6.74 in early Nasdaq trading. The stock, which has been hovering around nine-year lows, jumped nearly 5 percent on Tuesday.

 

Police arrest 5 Suspected PHCN, NITEL Vandals in Sokoto

 

The Police Commissioner in the state, Alhaji Sha'aibu, Gambo, announced this while parading the suspects before newsmen in Sokoto.

He said the arrests followed intensive patrols embarked by the command in compliance with the order of the Inspector-General of Police to safeguard all communications and power facilities.

Gambo said they were arrested on Sept. 23 at Tambagarka village in Dundaye District of Wamakko Local Government Area.

The commissioner said the police recovered the stolen cables and some tools allegedly used in committing the offence from the suspects.

Gambo said the police also recovered an articulated vehicle and 18-seater bus allegedly used in conveying the items

He, however, said the command had launched a manhunt for four other suspects currently at large.