I’m flattered by Allardyce’s comments about me –

Austin Jay Jay Okocha

Pius Ayinor
Former Nigeria captain Austin Jay Jay Okocha has said he is overwhelmed by the eulogy poured on him by England coach Sam Allardyce despite retiring from football many years ago.
On Tuesday, Allardyce retained Wayne Rooney as England captain and encouraged him to follow Jay Jay Okocha’s example. Rooney was told to continue in his role as England captain – by following the leadership blueprint of Okocha who also played as Allardyce captain while at Bolton Wanderers.
The Independent quoted Allardyce, “On and off the field, Jay Jay was the captain you looked for.
 “In a multi-national side from all over the world, he could speak four different languages and communicate very well with some of the players who couldn’t speak quite as good English.
“He sorted the odd scuffle out in the dressing room, talked to the players about how we had to go out and win. He’d take the manager’s instructions and apply them in the right way.
“Then there was outstanding ability on the field, leading by example and showing everybody he wasn’t a mercenary which was suggested in the beginning, that he’d only come for the money.”
Okocha, who was unaware of the Allardyce comment until The PUNCH called him, said he was overwhelmed to be so remembered by his former manager.
He said, “His comments make me feel so good and fulfilled. Sometimes we do things the way we know best without knowing how well and far it goes with other persons. I was just working the way I felt the work should be done; I never knew it made his (Allardyce) work easier too.
“I am proud of what I achieved at Bolton and in football.”
The former Super Eagles captain also had kind words for his manager at Bolton many years ago in the English Premier League.
Okocha told The PUNCH, “He was a good manager. He knows how to get the best out of his players. You could see what happened to Newcastle after he left there. He’s really a good coach and deserves the England job. His appointment didn’t come as a surprise to me.”
Okocha with the likes of Jussi Jaaskelainen, Hernan Crespo and Youri Djorkaeff made the EPL low-budget team quite formidable even against the top-four teams. They were one of the teams to always look out for in cup competitions.
For the England team, Rooney’s retention in the role, widely anticipated, ensures continuity for a player who broke Sir Bobby Charlton’s all-time England goal-scoring record during the qualification campaign for Euro 2016.
With 115 caps, Rooney is likely to surpass Peter Shilton’s all-time appearance record in the run-up to Russia 2018 and Allardyce insists that sticking with the player as captain was an “easy” choice.
“Wayne has been an excellent captain for England and the manner in which he has fulfilled the role made it an easy decision for me to ask him to continue,” he said.

Don’t bomb Niger Delta, Umar warns Buhari

Col. Abubakar Umar (retd)

Godwin Isenyo, Kaduna
Former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar(retd), on Tuesday warned President Muhammadu Buhari against deploying troops and military hardware in the Niger Delta to halt the activities of militants in the region.
Umar said the Federal Government’s planned use of force to rout out militants, especially the Niger Delta Avengers in the Niger Delta, was not the best option; adding that the militants were still amenable to dialogue.
President Muhammad Buhari was, in a statement credited to him by his Senior Special Assistant on Media Affairs, Mr. Garba Shehu, in Nairobi, Kenya, quoted to have said that he would treat Niger Delta agitators the same way he dealt with Boko Haram if they failed to negotiate.
But the former governor in a statement entitled, ‘War in the Niger Delta: A most dangerous option,’ argued that the militants could not be treated like Boko Haram insurgents that had killed over 20,000 Nigerians in the North-Eastern part of the country.
Umar argued that the Niger Delta militants could not be said to be terrorists in the real sense of the word, warning that collateral damages to any military option in that region would be colossal.
Umar said, “I am really frightened by the sudden escalation in the Niger Delta Region from where there are some reports of skirmishes between our security forces and the Niger Delta militants. This is happening after the President was quoted as vowing to deal with the militants as he did to Boko Haram.
“All factors considered, the use of military force in an attempt to resolve the lingering crisis is not a good option and must therefore be discarded.
“As a retired general, Mr. President is well aware of the serious and daunting challenges any military will face in its operations in the most difficult and densely populated Niger Delta region.
“The creeks are so heavily polluted with oil, rendering them highly inflammable. It will take the firing of a few high explosive shells to set the whole area on fire, resulting in the inestimable collateral damage among innocent civilians.
“It is also difficult to see how an armed conflict can secure our oil and gas assets in the region. Instead, it will aid the destructive activities of the militants and lead to the total shutdown of all oil and gas operations in the area.”
The former governor added, “Besides, the Niger Delta militants cannot be said to be terrorists in the real sense of the word. I believe they are amenable to meaningful dialogue.
“I need not to remind the President that a war in the Niger Delta will be opposed by most objective Nigerians and the international community as unjust and merely aimed at the control and exploitation of the region’s oil and gas resources.
“I therefore beseech you, Mr. President, in the name of all that is good, to continue to explore peaceful means of resolving the Niger Delta crisis as painful as you may find this. May God direct and guide you on the path of justice.”

Woman escapes from Delta kidnappers

Delta State Commissioner of Police, Alkali Usman

Godwin Udoh, Asaba
A mother of two has escaped from some suspected kidnappers, who had taken her captive in an uncompleted building in Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.
It was learnt that the woman, simply known as Odafe, had boarded a commercial motorcycle, which was operated by a suspected kidnapper, who whisked her to an unknown destination.
The housewife, while narrating her ordeal to our correspondent on Tuesday, said as the motorcyclist approached the uncompleted building, a young man forcibly mounted the motorcycle, saying she lost consciousness after.
She stated that after she regained consciousness in a forest, she did not see any of the abductors.
“I discovered that the boys were not around and I managed to find my way back as I fled to safer ground until I arrived at a police checkpoint where I narrated what had happened,” she said.
The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, said the culprits would be apprehended and prosecuted.
Kalu explained that the command hand mounted surveillance in the area to check suspicious movements.

PDP BoT leadership illegal, Makarfi must go – Sheriff

Ali Modu Sheriff

Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party assumed another dimension on Tuesday as the factional National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, rejected the leadership of its Board of Trustees.
Sheriff also said that the solutions proferred by the BoT for the resolution of the crisis in the party fell short of the agreement he said his faction had with the peace panel set up by the BoT.
The former governor of Borno State stated this in a statement in which he said that the outcome of the meeting held by the Board in Abuja on Monday, was not in tandem with the decision he claimed was reached with the Dickson/Mantu reconciliation committee.
Sheriff, who stated this in a statement signed by his deputy, Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh, however, agreed with the BoT that the next national convention must hold in Abuja.
The factional national chairman of the main opposition party was reacting to the decisions reached by the BoT at its meeting in Abuja on Monday, where it said that a new national convention committee be put in place to organise the proposed national convention.
He specifically accused the Chairman of the BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin, of perpetuating himself in office.
The statement said, “That the BoT Chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin chairmanship has brought crisis to the party.
“In any case his tenure has expired as he has spent more than 10 years as the Secretary and Chairman BoT which runs contrary to the constitution (of the party).”
He said there were other qualified members of the party in the board, who he said, were ready to lead it.
He said that the agreement his faction had with the peace panel was that the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the party should resign from office.
Apart from this, he also said that it was agreed that Sheriff would preside over the party’s National Executive Committee meeting where he said, a new national convention committee would be named.
Ojuogboh said that it was wrong for the BoT to pass a vote of confidence on the Makarfi-led caretaker committee, which he said had failed twice to organise an acceptable national convention.
He, therefore, called on Makarfi to resign his appointment.
He said, “Consequently, we can now confidently inform the general public that well-meaning Nigerians have been urging Senator Makarfi to resign to save democracy.”
When contacted, Jibrin said he was not going to react now, saying he would do so “after reading the report.”
The spokesperson for the national caretaker committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, was also said not to be in the country.
When our correspondent visited the temporary national secretariat of the party at Wuse Zone 2, no member of the caretaker committee was around to speak on the issue.

No going back on clean-up of Lagos – Ambode

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos

Sesan Olufowobi
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Tuesday said he would sanitise every nook and cranny of the state.
Ambode spoke at the Lagos House, Ikeja, during the inauguration of a special committee saddled with the responsibility of restoring the original master plan of the Ikoyi, Victoria Island and Lekki areas of the state.
The governor said his administration was determined to rescue the state from impediments, adding that his resolve was non-negotiable.
He said, “We have observed gross abuse of urban planning and environmental laws which necessitated the decision to embark on a major clean-up of the environment. Cases of abandoned property have become rampant with miscreants taking over the property as their bases to cause havoc.
“Our roadsides now parade pockets of illegal kiosks, unapproved mechanic workshops and roadside beer parlours. In addition, originally residential areas now have commercial concerns located there, distorting the balance of the environment.
“These bad environmental practices can no longer be tolerated and will be brought to an end immediately. A safe, clean and prosperous Lagos is non-negotiable; that is the commitment of our administration. We will not allow these environmental infractions to continue.”
The governor added that the Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Lekki clean-up was the beginning of a rescue operation that had come to stay until Lagos was clean.
The committee is chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Tunji Bello, while other members are Commissioner for the Environment, Babatunde Adejare; Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Folorunso Coker; Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Ade Akinsanya; Special Adviser to the Governor on Urban Development, Yetunde Onabule; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Political Matters, Adekunle Olayinka; General Manager, Lagos State Waste Management Authority, Segun Adeniji; and General Manager, Lagos State Urban Renewal Authority, Lateef Sholebo.
Others include Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sulaimon Dogo; Chairman, Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit, Olayinka Egbeyemi; sole administrators of Iru/Victoria Island and Ikoyi/Obalende local council development areas, Aderemi Adebowale and Goke Olawale, respectively.
Responding on behalf of the committee, Bello said the members were ready to carry out the task.

Again, militants bomb NPDC pipeline in Delta

Ovie Okpare, Warri
Niger Delta militants have again attacked another major oil delivery line belonging to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, blowing up the facility at Ogor-Oteri in the Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
A local community source told our correspondent that the attack was heralded by heavy explosions during Tuesday’s downpour at about 3am.
A militant group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate, which threatened to attack oil facilities in the upland parts of the region, claimed responsibility for the attack.
 The group, in a statement by its spokesman, Aldo Agbalaja, on Tuesday, stated, “At about 0300hrs of today, Tuesday, August 30, 2016, the uproot team B of the NDGJM brought down the Ogor-Oteri major delivery line Operated by NPDC/Shoreline.”
The statement asked oil companies, operating in the region, to evacuate their workers from the Warri and Port Harcourt Refineries so as to avoid heavy casualty in a series of attacks in the coming days.
It also announced that the Pigging Manifold in Agbarha, the country home of the Ibru family, had also been marked for attack.
It read, “To this end, we are alerting all those working in the UQCC/UPS Erhomukokwarien in Ughelli, Eriemu Pigging Manifold in Agbarha, Otorogun Gas Plant, Olomoro Flow Station, Warri Refinery, Port Harcourt Refinery, Eleme, Ob-Ob And Obite Gas Plants in Omoku to evacuate because what is coming to those facilities are beyond what anybody has seen before.
“We do not want innocent blood being spilled; therefore, we advise all indigenes living in the vicinities of the facilities to relocate for the time being.”
The group also condemned some leaders in the region, who it accused of pursuing selfish interest for pecuniary gains.
It added, “Those in the field, just for the money, will quickly rush to align with the Pa E. K. Clark’s arrangement because they were, as a matter of fact, created by some of the people co-travelling with Clark.
“We want to reiterate our lack of confidence in the Clark-led arrangement. Chief Clark is not the leader of the whole of Niger Delta; he can hold the front for the Ijaw nation but definitely not for all the ethnic nations in the region.”

Buhari has no candidate in Ondo APC, says Presidency

Friday Olokor, Abuja
With few days to the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State, the Presidency has waded into the crisis over alleged plans by the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to impose an aspirant (Segun Abraham) on them.
The Presidency which specifically said President Muhammad Buhari and the APC-led government had no preferred candidate in Ondo State, warned that “government will come hard on anyone that does anything that in anyway jeopardises the peace and security of Ondo State.”
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, made the clarification in Abuja, after a closed-door meeting with the 24 aspirants of the party in his office, which lasted about four hours.
The SGF also demanded that 10 of the aspirants who had yet to sign an undertaking with the Department of State Services to be of good conduct would do so.
He said, “We wish to reiterate that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has no preferred candidate among the 24 aspirants and the government will do all in its powers to provide a level-playing field for all the 24 APC governorship aspirants. We expect that every one of the aspirants will work hard to be in the favour of the delegates. We expect there should be no inducement of delegates and there will be no violence during the election.
“I will like to also assure the people that all the security agents will be properly briefed and properly deployed to guarantee the safety and security of lives and property of the people of Ondo State, delegates and aspirants alike. The President wishes each and every one of you the best of luck. For whoever emerges as the successful candidate on Saturday, be rest assured that you have the full support of the machinery of the party behind you.
“We like to reassure the people that as a government, there is no preferred candidate and as a government, we will work hard to ensure that everyone is given a level-playing field so that anyone that God has ordained as the preferred candidate will so emerge. All the other aspirants have agreed to line-up behind whoever emerges so that we move forward. I want to assure you that soon, Ondo State will become an APC state.”
The National Secretary of the APC, Mai Mala Buni, also restated the position of its leadership to provide a level-playing field for all aspirants.
“This party (APC) is committed to providing free and fair election because the members that we are sending to conduct this primary election are up to the task.
“As for the question of either camping or inducing delegates, I am sure our delegates are people that no one can control their minds. Nobody at any level will influence their decisions”, he stated.

Armed herdsmen: Afenifere, Ohanaeze, ACF disagree on Fayose’s law

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose

John Alechenu, Fidelis Soriwei, Friday Olokor, Ihuoma Chiedozie, Peter Dada and Godwin Isenyo
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, the Igbo socio-political organisation, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra have expressed support for the bill assented to by the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, which categorises grazing with arms in the state as terrorism.
But the umbrella body for northern groups, the Arewa Consultative Forum, however, said any law which contravened the constitution of the country would be illegal, adding that any Nigerian was free to move in any part of the country.
Fayose had, while signing the ‘prohibition of cattle and other Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti 2016’ into law on Monday, said any herdsman, caught with any form of weapons while grazing his cattle in any part of the state, would be arrested and charged with terrorism.
Afenifere, which spoke through its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, on Tuesday, described Fayose’s action as courageous and worthy of emulation.
Odumakin pointed out that the bill would put an end to the incessant attacks by the Fulani herdsmen on farmers and their farms in the southern part of the country.
He said, “The bill will stop the menace of the herdsmen, who have been terrorising their host communities.
‘‘Right from ages, herdsmen are not to carry arms when they are moving about with their cattle. But when herdsmen begin to carry unlicensed AK 47 (rifles), these are clearly not herdsmen; these are terrorists. I think the law should not smile at such people.”
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo hailed Fayose for signing the bill into law, noting that the governor took a “brave” step.
Speaking with one of our correspondents on Tuesday, President of the Ohanaeze Youth Council, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said the law should be replicated in all parts of the country.
He added, “Fayose has done the right thing and he should be commended and encouraged for taking this brave step.
“Cattle rearing is a private business; those involved in the venture should not become a threat to other Nigerians.
“We in the Ohanaeze Youth Council are asking the South-East governors to do same in their states.
“The law, if implemented in the South-East, would check the violent activities of herdsmen in the zone, and same applies to other parts of the country where the herdsmen are wreaking havoc on their host communities.
“Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, should act fast; he should emulate Fayose if he really intends to protect lives and property in his state.”
MASSOB, while commending Fayose for signing the bill into law, said other governors in the southern part of the country, as well as the Middle Belt, should enact similar laws.
MASSOB spokesman, Samuel Edeson, said, “It is a very good development; we are expecting other governors in the southern part of the country, and the Middle Belt, to do same.
“Enugu State Governor, Ugwuanyi, should emulate Fayose because herdsmen attacks are becoming regular in the state.
“The people of Enugu State are under attack; they are being killed and the governor is not taking action.
“The attack happened only once in Ekiti State and Fayose responded immediately. What Fayose did is laudable; it is a very good development.”
ACF, which spoke through its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim, on Tuesday, said any law passed by Ekiti State, which contradicted the law of the Federal Government should be considered null and void.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees free movement of Nigerians as long as they pursue their legitimate business,” Ibrahim added.
The ACF, however, described any individual or group that illegally carried arms against the state as a criminal.
In an interview with one of our correspondents in Kaduna, the ACF spokesman stated that any Fulani herdsmen or any other group in possession of illegal firearms were considered as criminals before the law and should be treated as criminals by the state.
“This is not the question of herdsmen or Fulani or anybody. Anybody carrying arms illegally is committing a serious offence against the state. Naturally, such people should be punished by the law.”
The President, Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Yerima Shettima, while condemning the attacks by the herdsmen, however, expressed reservation on the new law in Ekiti State.
Shettima added, “The issue of criminality perpetrated by some people should not be seen as an avenue to criminalise others.
‘‘Fayose should have looked at the issue in collaboration with the Federal Government. So, if he is passing the law to victimise other people, I don’t think it is right.”
On his part, President, Campaign for Democracy, Abdul Usman, said the protection of people’s lives from herdsmen was necessary.
He stated, “If the Nigerian state will have so much value for animals against humanity to the extent of providing grazing reserves and importing feeds for animals, the Ekiti State Governor has done well to the deserving people of the state.
“Human protection first, then animals should follow. We have seen the unrest caused by the herdsmen; it’s quite worrisome and with this new law, a lot will be addressed.”
Also, the President, Civil Liberties Organisation, Igho Akeregha, said the grazing law in Ekiti State was a two edged sword.
He said, “Herdsmen have a right to freedom of movement with their cattle anywhere in Nigeria but while enjoying that right; they cannot be killing people anywhere they go, which is a violation of the right to life.
“Since the Governor is the Chief Security Officer of the state and has a corresponding duty to secure lives and property, the anti-grazing bill signed by Governor Ayodele Fayose is therefore in order.”
DHQ plans special task force on herdsmen killings
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters is planning a special task force to deal with the menace of the frequent clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers across the country, Meanwhile, the.
According to the Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig.-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, the task force, which is expected to address the attacks by herdsmen, is code named
‘Operation Accord’.
Abubakar told one of our correspondents on the telephone on Tuesday that while the operational headquarters of the planned operation would be in one of the six states of the North-East, it would be mandated to address the scourge of herdsmen and farmers’ clashes all over the country.
The operation, he added, would give serious attention to identified flashpoints of such clashes in the country.
“So when it is operational, we will make it known to everybody but for now, the Chief of Defence Staff has come out with that idea of forming Operation Accord which is intended to curtail the herdsmen and farmers’ clashes nationwide.”
Rich politicians behind herdsmen attacks –APC
However, the Deputy National Chairman (South) of the All Progressives Congress, Segun Oni, has blamed some rich politicians, who he did not name, for the spate of attacks by Fulani herdsmen.
Oni said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.
Oni added, “This personally worries me because, these gunmen, who have suddenly become so notorious, invading villages and so on, are people that have always been around.
“But my guess is that many of these are sponsored by people who have so much money and want to create instability.’’

FG earmarks N7.5bn for auto mortgage scheme

Layi Adeloye
The Federal Government, through the National Automotive Design and Development Council, has announced plans to launch a N7.5bn credit purchase scheme to give opportunities to Nigerians to purchase locally assembled vehicles.
The Director, Policy and Planning, NADDC, Mr. Luqman Mamudu, said on Tuesday that the council would contribute the amount ( N7.5bn) at a low interest rate, with counterpart funding from a company in South Africa, to help Nigerians have access to affordable new vehicles.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lagos, Mamudu said, “This is what we have been working on for the past two years. We looked at the available access to asset financing in the country and we found out that the high interest rate is frustrating the purchase of a new vehicle. This is the gap we want to fill. We are currently working with a company in South Africa which has footprints in eight African countries, where they have developed a commercial and financial model to recoup their investment
“At NADDC, we are also contributing our own N7.5bn into the scheme while the South African company will help source for finance from Development Finance Institution (DFI) at a single digit interest rate.”
He said that when the funds are put together, it would guarantee an interest rate at which it would be easy for people to purchase vehicles at between eight and 10 per cent.
“By the time we put the funds together, it will guarantee an interest rate that is fairly okay.
“We are in discussion with the Central Bank of Nigeria to originate the loans and float it so that it will be attractive for investors to partake in the scheme. Going forward, this will further bring down the interest rate. This facility will be given to people that have the capacity to buy cars because we expect that they will have good credit to purchase a car.
“If you go to America, over 80 per cent of car purchases are done through loans. The credit purchase scheme will assist the operators to help the masses,” he added.
He added that the council was planning to build capacities in a local assembly to attract component manufacturers to set up their factories in Nigeria.
“We are building three laboratories, costing about N3bn in Lagos, Kaduna and Enugu. The one in Lagos is an emission testing laboratory to test for the level of emission. We are almost 90 per cent complete. We also have a component part manufacturing testing laboratory in Enugu. We are doing all these to prepare for the next stage of component development because this is where job opportunities are enormous, but the entire process requires patience on the side of the government and investors,” he said.

25-year-old Nigerian breaks record at Ghana varsity

Fathia Kareem

Charles Abah with agency report
A Nigerian, Fathia Kareem, has set a record at the School of Medical Sciences of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, breaking its academic history.
For her feat, she received 12 out of 15 awards presented during the oath-swearing and induction ceremony for fresh doctors of the institution last Saturday.
Kareem, 25, is an alumnus of the Wesley Girls High School.
It was a happy and proud moment for family and friends when she took several turns to receive the awards in the 55-year-old ivory tower.
When asked if she expected to get the number of awards, she said, “Yes and No. Yes because I worked hard by studying and no because I did not expect to receive so many awards.”
Of late, many Nigerians have distinguished themselves in many overseas universities, with some of them emerging as valedictorians of their schools.

66-year-old company driver commits suicide over unpaid salaries

Afeez Hanafi

A 66-year-old man, Mr. John Ekue, has committed suicide in the Mende area of Maryland, Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Ekue used a rope to hang himself by the rod of a ceiling fan in his apartment on Oki Lane around 8pm on Monday.

It was learnt that the victim, who worked as a driver for a paint company in Lagos State, killed himself over the failure of the company to pay his five-month salaries.

Our correspondent gathered that the victim had been facing tough times since April 2016, when he stopped going to the company, whose name was not disclosed by his family members.

The deceased, who earned N30,000 per month, reportedly became frustrated when feeding became difficult for him.

Our correspondent learnt that his only son, identified simply as IK, a salesman, had been supporting him with his meagre wages.

A resident, Simon Davies, told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday during a visit to the area that IK had gone to buy food for the father when the incident happened.

He said, “His son had gone to buy food for him that evening. But when he returned, he saw his father’s body dangling from a rope and he raised the alarm. People went into the room to help rush him to a hospital, but he died.

“The main cause of the incident is the non-payment of his salaries by a paint company he worked for as a driver. I learnt he earned N30,000 monthly and the company owed him five months’ salaries. He stopped going there in April when the arrears were not paid. Since then, his son had been feeding him with the little he earns at a boutique where he works.”

Another resident, who identified herself simply as Ruth, said the death of Ekue’s wife two years ago compounded his frustration.

“He had been lonely since he stopped going to work. His only son, who should have been with him, had to run around to provide food for him. Aside that, his wife died about two years ago which really shook him. I was shocked when I heard he committed suicide yesterday (Monday),” she added.

A resident, Gafar Kolawole, said the police from the Anthony division came to remove the corpse and had deposited it in a mortuary.

Relatives of the deceased declined comments when our correspondent approached them to verify the cause of the death.

However, one of them, who did not give his name, said, “The police came and took an account of what happened. They should be in a position to tell you. This is sad news and you should not disturb us with questions, especially his son. You can rely on the information you got from people who are aware of the incident.”

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the suicide, adding that Ekue’s corpse had been deposited in a morgue for autopsy.

She said, “One John Ekue allegedly hanged himself with a rope tied to the ceiling fan in his room. Detectives visited, examined and photographed the scene. The corpse was removed and deposited in a morgue for autopsy.”

CAN calls emergency meeting over Zamfara, Kaduna killings

General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Musa Asake

Niyi Odebode, Friday Olokor, Adelani Adepegba, Afeez Hanafi and Ramon Oladimeji
 The Christian Association of Nigeria in the north has summoned an emergency meeting over Monday’s killings of eight persons in Talata-Mafara community in Zamfara State and the death of a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Luka Ubangari, by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Unguwan Anjo, Kaduna State.
The meeting is being called as an islamic organisation, Nasrul-Lahi-il Fathi, also condemned the killings.
The Northern CAN, in an interview with The PUNCH, said it summoned the emergency meeting to discuss the incidents and the failure of government to bring the perpetrators to book. The meeting is expected to hold in Maiduguri on August 26.
Eight people were killed on Monday, when a mob set the house of a man ablaze for rescuing an undergraduate, who was accused of blasphemy. Also on Monday, gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen killed three persons, including Ubangari, at Unguwan Anjo in the Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
CAN said the failure of the government to punish the perpetrators would mean collaboration between government agencies and Islamic extremists.
The Borno State Chairman of CAN and spokesperson for the 19 northern states’ CAN chairmen, Bishop Abubakar Naga, stated this on Tuesday while answering an enquiry by The PUNCH.
He said Christians would resist any plan to Islamise the country under any guise.
He said, “Islamisation of Nigeria is not possible. Christians will never allow that, Nigeria is a secular country and no religion will dominate others.
“Christians have become targets of attacks. So, we are having an emergency meeting in Maiduguri on August 26.
“The government must take action and if it does not take any action, it means there is collaboration between the government and the perpetrators of the killings.”
No place for violence –Buhari
However, on his Twitter handle on Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the violence.
He stated, “I received news of the mob killings in Zamfara with great dismay. It is barbaric and unacceptable. I assure Nigerians that the law will take its course. Under my watch, we will work to ensure that there is no place for violence in the name of religion, ethnicity, or in any guise whatsoever.”
Blasphemy not unlawful, says NASFAT
Also, the Chief Missioner, Nasrul-lahi-li Fathi Society, Alhaji Abdullahi Akinbode, described the Zamfara killing as a crime against God and humanity, and called for a proper investigation into the incident.
Aknibode told one of our correspondents on the telephone on Tuesday that blasphemy was not a crime in Nigeria, being a secular state. He added that the perpetrators of the act should be brought to justice.
He said, “I have not been fully briefed about the incident. But whatever the case may be, life is sacred. God has not given anybody the right to take life, except the authority and the authority is the government of a nation if one has committed a crime that carries the death penalty.
 “No religion preaches that life should be taken except there is war. But there is no war and there can never be war. The stand of NASFAT is that life is sacred. The culprits should be apprehended and be made to face justice.
“Nigeria is a multi-religious country. You can only talk of blasphemy where there is one religion. A blasphemy case will only be established in jurisprudence if the state makes a rule that the state shall be a state of one religion. Blasphemy is not unlawful in Nigeria because it is a multi-religious state.”
The President, Campaign for Democracy, Abdul Usman, also condemned the Zamfara killings.
He said, “Those who fight the cause of religion should understand that Almighty God says in many chapters and verses in His holy book that He will protect His religion.
“In the days of the holy prophet, he was cursed right to his face without any reaction from him. Rather, he continued to preach peace.
“Today, ignorance has bedevilled the religion. The government should investigate the act and the perpetrators be brought to book. No religion preaches violence.”
On his part, the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, said it was a shame that people were getting lynched for blasphemy that is unknown to the laws of Nigeria.
He said, “Are these barbarians saying their God is not powerful enough to handle those who disrespect him.? The full weight of the law should be brought to bear on these murderers to end this nonsense.”
‘Security agencies not doing enough’
A retired Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, blamed security agencies for the rising incidence of hate crime and religious bigotry, saying they were not doing enough to check it.
He added that the police lacked the requisite manpower to deal with the issue.
Tsav stated that the police no longer had personnel on street beats to deal with cases of mob attacks and other crimes.
He said, “It is my view that our security agencies are not doing enough to deal with cases of religious bigotry and herdsmen’s continued attack on farmers. The police may not be blamed for this, due to the acute shortage of manpower plaguing the force.
“The few policemen left are sent as orderlies and security to politicians. Accordingly, the police are left with insufficient manpower to provide security for the rest of the people.”
Tsav stressed that unless there was a substantial increase in manpower and improvement in training, “our policemen may be reduced to the status of boy scouts.”
A security consultant, Max Gbanite, attributed the killings to “primitive thinking and lack of enlightenment.”
He called on the Christian Association of Nigeria, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Catholic bishops and other religious bodies to enlighten the people on religious bigotry and hate crime.
Gbanite advised the families of the deceased to file a lawsuit at a Federal High Court or the International Criminal Court against the Federal Government, the Zamfara State Government and the Abdul Gusau Polytechnic for not protecting the victims.
The security expert also urged the National Assembly to promulgate a law against hate crime and religious bigotry.
He said, “I think the National Assembly should have a hate crime bill. This is an opportunity for CAN, NSCIA, JNI and Catholic bishops to enlighten the people that when two people are quarrelling, it should be seen as an issue between the two individuals.”
Gbanite carpeted Buhari for not showing enough concern over the spate of religious killings in the country, adding that the government should consider setting up police stations on campuses.
“The President is behaving as if it is okay for Muslims to kill Christians. Security agencies cannot do much in this situation because they were called after the act, that is why we should begin to think of having police stations on campuses so that problems can be nipped in the bud,” he said.
A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Fred Agbaje, said there was no justification under the law for extrajudicial killing under any guise.
He said, “By now, the perpetrators should be in court fighting for their bail. It is a clear case of murder, extrajudicial killing. Religion is a personal thing. What they have done is the suppression of the right to life and right to property. It is outlawed by the constitution and it is also outlawed by the penal code.
“Unfortunately, the government is not taking a decisive action because it believed that what happened is justified under a certain religion. No. No religion tells anyone to go and kill.”

One Out Of Every Seven Nigerians Suffers Some Form Of Kidney Disorder - Expert Says  80 Responses chineke ooo March 15 , 2013 hahahaha…… . Luk @ her b ** bs self………… .. Mikel will neva lyk u ………… U c * m to chop his money… . Reply Cool t- jay March 15 , 2013 When u meet him i promise u he wil play ur baloons for u . Reply Suleiman Yakubu March 15 , 2013 She is saying what she likes , and dating between them is a seperate issue . Reply chuma March 15 , 2013 cossy u need jesus in ur life and not mikel obi …dont u know dat ur body in suppose to be a santuary for God Reply tudors March 15 , 2013 This girl who broke up with her ex because of range rover . Are you not too old for mikel. Leave the boy alone. He wont lyk you or your package Reply wizdom March 15 , 2013 May be she is one of the prostitute who promised the eagles free s * x . Reply Kayode Fagbemi March 15 , 2013 How can you said that , Mikel can never be ur guy because u are older than him, unless u want to eat his money this ur chest self nawah o oganiigwe , oshodi oke, eru aya otipoju. Reply Ramsey March 15 , 2013 Wrng target … . go 4 victor moses Reply Kakadino March 15 , 2013 U dey mad cossy ,u wey don turn figure head , i trust mikel he wil nt show u interest ask 2 face Reply joshua March 15 , 2013 U want destroy D guy career if he Date u , chelsea go benCh am last cuz he no go concentrate again.na wao an actress tripin 4 aguy he neva met highly ridiculous Reply Aniikimi March 15 , 2013 Mikel cant friend ash Reply Chantella March 15 , 2013 Cossy is simply deluded and confused about what her tallent is .. C ’mon gurrl , you have already made it known openly what you do for a living . Need we say more, huh ? Mikey chooses his babes and not the other way around. Thereforen I ’d advise you go and yansh that smelling c ** t down . * WhatchuYoProblem * ? Reply john March 15 , 2013 Ewu u don ’t know what want . Damaged goods Reply Wonder Naija March 15 , 2013 What Mikel Obi got to do with this Maroko Ashawo Reply Inyavic March 15 , 2013 God! This is serious . You need deliverance Reply Dignity March 15 , 2013 COSSY , COSSY , COSSY . Time is running fast . God is using so many people to call you back to Himself, please listen to Him and repent & accept Jesus back into your life . Reply JIMOH AYODEJI March 15 , 2013 Mikel is a rude boi , ask 2 face wot he did to him wen dey met in london, am very sure ,d day u wil meet Mikel wil b one of d worst day of ur lyf!!! . tceeewww Reply Abdul March 15 , 2013 Leave mikel alone to decide by himself Reply Odetayo Beulah March 15 , 2013 Hun , dis is earth is corrupting more& more everyday . my Advise 2 all meaningful stars of Nigeria is 2 beware of Jezebel . Reply francis March 15 , 2013 cossy u nid Jesus in ur lyf. accept HIM 2 day and escape eternal damnation Reply onyx March 15 , 2013 Phd spirit is disturbing u . ( Pull Him Down ) Reply ola March 15 , 2013 Never work! U bull shit Reply shola March 15 , 2013 Plz , let someone help me to interpret this to cossy olomu aja . Cossy were aiye ati torun nie , se ofe pa omo . Olomo ni , if Y̶̲̥̅̊ø̲̣̣̥ǖ insert Ɣ ΰя b 00 b into mikel mouth , well i trust the boy he will J̶̲̥̅̊U̶̲̥̅̊S̶̲̥̅̊T̶̲̥̅̊ cut it and put it inside his bag , so when ever he is tersty he will J̶̲̥̅̊U̶̲̥̅̊S̶̲̥̅̊T̶̲̥̅̊ go back there, cossy takeheed , Ɣ ΰя distruction is at hand, REPENT . Reply colex March 15 , 2013 This is incredible & serious . I guess her load or is it baloon is too hevy to put her in confusion ,delusion ,crazy… Cossy need to be in psychiatric , this is not just pro*****tion . Reply abodu March 15 , 2013 well you people can ’ t say but i really know that mikel can ’t friend her ? Reply Preshy March 15 , 2013 may God help us all … . d .end time is now ! Reply Preshy March 15 , 2013 let us all pray for dis nation Reply Jonathan June 27 , 2013 What has prayer got to do with this now ? Reply harrison ojakovo March 15 , 2013 Mehn wot can i say ! Cossy U̶̲̥̅̊ nid God more dan mikel in ur Life .Go back 2 God HE will give U̶̲̥̅̊ de right man . Reply udu March 15 , 2013 u wan kill am! how him go take receive day kind load . abeg spare him lyf Reply mingle March 16 , 2013 cossy am not against 4 going publicily abt ur want of mikel, he is a handsome dude like u said . but d idea of watching d men dangling deir tin during play is not wise . it means u must like dat tin wella. Reply Martins Smet March 16 , 2013 Foolish old fool lady ! When the guy has never make name ,i mean well known . Where were u then after him ? Idiot old fool . Better u go meet ur ex back ! Maybe ,the jeep ur ex promises u to buy and fail to do ,u now want Mikel to get it for u , huh ? Go look for ur size . Ashawooooo! Reply gamson March 16 , 2013 cossy. .mikel dn ’t deserve whore lik u … u wan 2 d form him 4 us abi Reply mpeseko 4 life March 16 , 2013 Cossy dis ur kunu were dey for ur front ,pls don ’t use it to finish dat fine boy bcos u are old cargo Reply Idemudia March 16 , 2013 Cossy, flex the bomboy joor : it ’s obvious he has forgotten what real nija ladies are! This time a bomb awaits Oga Mikel . Reply dozie March 16 , 2013 Agent 4 rm hell ” u like watchin dia tins dangle in dia shorts” Ashawo Reply Adjoa March 16 , 2013 What ’s wrong with all of u … ..what if mikel is interested OR what if mikel is de 1 to lead her to God and make her a new creature…… . .think b 4 u talk Reply Limitless March 16 , 2013 U ’rent anytin cald a role model , u watch dia tins dangling meaning u ’ re obsessed. U need Jesus 2 satisfy ur want and needs not mikel Reply convenant child March 16 , 2013 y ar u guys calling her names, ,remember no one is perfect ,,mikel may be the one to change her for good ,,their is nothing God cannot do ok … . Reply Ben- Jay March 16 , 2013 Cossy, u 4 remove ur remaining cloth n ur bra make we see dat ur pumped booobs wella. Den we go knw wie u ar coming frm, as >ashawo * May God 4 giv u 4 recreating urself jst 2 attract a man . I bet u cossy , d day mikel wil c u , he wil b on his heels 4 seeing dis ur ara nwanyi asaba . Ewu !!! Reply Asekun Papa March 16 , 2013 Cosy is just an end -time jezebel… Beware ! Reply Divine March 16 , 2013 MIKEL, blood of God Reply Elninoz Patrick March 17 , 2013 shenzytyp ,obi is not after lunatics like u . Reply Paul March 17 , 2013 cossy reminds me of Kim , both are lousy , confused of wat they really want , can ’t do without a d .. k , no talent , think they have got great bodies and like to use social media to flaunt wat we are ashamed to look it , a big moral nuisance to the public , can only get the attention of men who love occultic s * xual orgies , and attention seekers . okay cossy , we have known about ur feelings for someone who should be ur son ’s age mate . next story please … Reply rawfabulous March 17 , 2013 Well , to the girl she tried by opening up and not hiding her feelings. But my question to Obi is that , do you love her ? If so why wasting your time . Remember we are all Nigerians. Reply lilwhite March 17 , 2013 May God have mercy on u cossy ,u are not even ashamed of ur self anymore . Reply Angel charles March 18 , 2013 Girk u 4 k up 4 get mike and go 4 d people dat u c and seen u . A word is enough 4 a wise . 08169572794 Reply oladik March 18 , 2013 mike can just chop nd clean mouth hw much those she wnt chicken penny Reply Expensiveguy March 18 , 2013 U na confirm gold digger, go to hell . Mikel will never trip for such a prostitute lyk u . Reply d . j pascal March 18 , 2013 c* m see her boomboom lyk uefa ball ,mtchewwwwww ,hell is awaiting her … . Reply Reality Inaede March 18 , 2013 Cossy, Na wa 4 u ooh , u no c say ur bubs big pass Mikel head ? U no want mak him dey nod ball 4 chelsea again? Reply Shawnblade March 19 , 2013 Cossy, I wonder what kind of lady u are, U just watch d tin in his short while he plays football , Na wah 4 u o , Anyway , he wouldn ’t even luk a u , He had many decent nd 9 ice gurls all over the globe longing 4 him, U think big b 00 b is everytin? Abeg talk beta thin o Reply hussain March 19 , 2013 if mikel should do so he done fockground. No meaning 4 u in mikel dictionary ………………………… Go 4 beckam Reply King March 20 , 2013 Cossy, 4 get mikel c * m date me, i go make ur b ** bs big more Reply chinedu March 20 , 2013 cossy instead of mikel . lust after t. b Joshua for deliverance Reply Moses Jacob March 20 , 2013 If u dey find person wny go suck ur chest … Call Jim iyke Reply HBK March 20 , 2013 Oole nkan gidi wu olee. U dey crazy u no lyk Yekini wen he dey alive na 9 jiria no 1 futballer u c * m lyk nw “ OCHU - OCHA ” Reply Huraira March 21 , 2013 Iam sorry girl , this chest have dislf u . mike will never luv some one like u . Reply gift March 21 , 2013 My like others hv said . Wht u did right now is Jesus Christ . Accept Him into ur like as ur Lord n Savior . So u can save u frm this shameless life of urs. Tomorrow might be too late . Reply Odogwu Chinonye Caesar March 21 , 2013 Who knows d truth ? Naija press? Ah ! Am not supporting Cossy . But I must know if it z real or cooked b 4 granting her bail or condemning her . As simple as dat . Reply David Vieira March 21 , 2013 I would recomend Osaze Odemwingie instead . Cos he ’s a rude boy and besides dat , he more cute . So try him Reply kosykizito March 21 , 2013 kakadino i ur comment Reply Bellevue Real Estate May 28 , 2013 My brother recommended I might like this website . He was totally right . This post actually made my day . You cann ’t imagine simply how so much time I had spent for this info ! Thank you ! Reply mr john willy June 22 , 2013 Nollywood audition 2013 for actors and actress form is out Do you want to be a NOLLYWOOD actor/actress call mr john or SMS now : 08103056525 A high Ranking officer on how to purchase the form and apply Email him now at : johnwilly 132 @ gmail.com Reply Kenny June 22 , 2013 God Please Deliver Her . . Reply Kenny June 22 , 2013 God Have Mercy . Reply mr. john willy June 25 , 2013 Do you want to become a movie star in the Nigeria movie industry_ Nollywood. If you know you can do it better Forms are out then contact us now !!! call 08103056525 or email [nollywoodmovieindustr @gmail .com ] Reply DADA STEVE June 28 , 2013 Men ! cossy I be Chelsea fan . i would have supported your quest to have mikel f** c u , but the guy have a lot to offer Chelsea this season , i would’ nt want anything to bring him down . so my advise, stay as far as possible away from mikel Obi . NOTHING PERSONAL . Reply prock July 16 , 2013 COSSY , THOSE b ** bs DANGLING ON UR FRONT LL SOON FALL OOOO! U R BETTER FIND A SOLUTION 2 IT SO THAT U SHOULDN’T MISS MIKEL OOOO! Reply Ray mike August 7 , 2013 Cossy may d lord change ur mind to serve him beta frm today n 4 get abot Mikel . Reply Chichi August 13 , 2013 Cossy should i just say that u are a disgrace to womanhood . How can u be lusting over someone who dont even have any interest in u . U need serious deliverance. Reply Etete constance Ogochukwu August 20 , 2013 wish u goodluck in all u do Reply Dan Nalogu September 3 , 2013 Let her be please ! It ’ s her opinion . Reply solomon oluwathank you September 13 , 2013 sorry for you cossy mikel will neva ave s * x with you. Reply … . . September 14 , 2013 This daughter of Jezebel …… Curse is on u if u dont know … . so REPENT ! … ..And as for Mikel ,he is not urs! Reply Asemota Jaylog September 17 , 2013 Cossy, i guess you must be dreaming… You are just crazily in love with a man you haven ’t met EYE to EYE ., that ’ s totally nonsense? Reply Inemesit john obi September 17 , 2013 make you na live Mikel and Cossy matter alone ooooooooo Reply Concern September 17 , 2013 this girl need to be pushed out of nollyhood . She is insane Reply kingsleyogbenna September 23 , 2013 cossy is only living in a fools paradise . What makes her think she can get mikel obi . Mikel already has his balls and not hers to play with . Reply longthing April 19 , 2016 mikel may like her o but is like she need longthing mikel cannot satisfy u cossy look for ur Talent snoop Dog Reply Leave a Reply Name * E - Mail* Website Yes , add me to your mailing list . Publish     Back to top  Share  Tweet  Pin  Mail Why I Want Mikel Obi – Nollywood Actress, Cossy Orjiakor

Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is set to arraign a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, for allegedly receiving N100m from the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation during the 2015 General Elections.
The N100m, which was given to Falae on the instruction of a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, was said to have emanated from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser in the Central Bank of Nigeria.
A document sighted by our correspondent indicated that the commission would charge the ex-SGF and one-time Minister of Finance with conspiracy to indirectly retain the sum of N100m “which he ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: stealing, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3) and 4 of the same Act.”
Falae had, in a statement in February, admitted collecting the N100m, but said he did not know that the money emanated from the account of ONSA.
A detective at the anti-graft agency told The Punch that 78-year-old Falae had been frequenting the EFCC office in Lagos in the last couple of weeks.
“Chief Falae has been reporting to our office every week to answer questions on the N100m he received from the Jonathan campaign organisation. We have told him to refund the money.
“But he said he received the money through Anenih and it was meant for campaign. However, investigations revealed that he deposited N60m into SDP’s account while he kept N40m.
“We told him that he should return the N40m, but he has not been forthcoming. We have no other option but to charge him to court.”
The EFCC had alleged in March that about N3.145bn was mysteriously transferred from the account of ONSA to the account of the Joint Trust Dimensions Limited, a company allegedly owned by the Director of Finance, Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman.
Usman was said to have transferred N840m to the account of the Director of Publicity of the organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, in Zenith Bank, Maitama branch, with account number, 1004735721, on February 19, 2015.
Falae, who is the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, allegedly received N100m through a company, Marreco Limited, where he is chairman. The fund was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account, 1000627022, on March 25, 2014.
According to the document, N320m was also paid into the bank account of the Goodluck Support Group, an association which played a major role in Jonathan’s campaign.
A former Governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa, and a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Viola Onwuliri, also got N350m in two tranches. The first tranche of N150m was paid into their joint account with Zenith Bank on January 13, 2015. The second tranche of N200m was credited into their account with Diamond Bank.
Usman and Fani-Kayode had been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos and their accounts frozen, while Udenwa is expected to be arraigned this week.
The source at the EFCC told our correspondent that since all the others were facing prosecution, it would only be fair for Falae to be charged.
‘He was detained for hours without food’
A spokesman for Falae, Mr. Alfa Mohammed, said any attempt to prosecute Falae would be nothing but a witch-hunt.
Mohammed, who spoke on the telephone, said Falae had been ill for some time because of the stress of shuttling between Lagos and Ondo due to the EFCC investigation.
He said the former presidential candidate was usually grilled for eight hours without food or water.
He said Falae never used part of the money for his personal benefit, adding that the money was used by the SDP to campaign for Jonathan.
He said, “The PDP wanted us to render a service and they gave us money, which we did by adopting and working for Jonathan. So, what is our business with arms deal?
“We never had contact with Dasuki. If you are given money to cook food for guests at a ceremony and after everyone has eaten, you are informed that the money given to you was stolen from CBN, would you tell all the guests to pay you?
“This is nothing but harassment. They want to distract us from the coming Ondo election which we are set to win. The SDP still owes Chief Falae N70m because we asked him to borrow N170m in anticipation that the PDP would pay, but the party gave us only N100m.
“The N100m came about three days to the election and chief had been spending money before then. He has fallen ill because of the intense interrogation in the EFCC office. The operatives usually grill him for eight hours without food or water. If they are probing party funds, let them start from the APC.”

One Out Of Every Seven Nigerians Suffers Some Form Of Kidney Disorder - Expert Says  80 Responses chineke ooo March 15 , 2013 hahahaha…… . Luk @ her b ** bs self………… .. Mikel will neva lyk u ………… U c * m to chop his money… . Reply Cool t- jay March 15 , 2013 When u meet him i promise u he wil play ur baloons for u . Reply Suleiman Yakubu March 15 , 2013 She is saying what she likes , and dating between them is a seperate issue . Reply chuma March 15 , 2013 cossy u need jesus in ur life and not mikel obi …dont u know dat ur body in suppose to be a santuary for God Reply tudors March 15 , 2013 This girl who broke up with her ex because of range rover . Are you not too old for mikel. Leave the boy alone. He wont lyk you or your package Reply wizdom March 15 , 2013 May be she is one of the prostitute who promised the eagles free s * x . Reply Kayode Fagbemi March 15 , 2013 How can you said that , Mikel can never be ur guy because u are older than him, unless u want to eat his money this ur chest self nawah o oganiigwe , oshodi oke, eru aya otipoju. Reply Ramsey March 15 , 2013 Wrng target … . go 4 victor moses Reply Kakadino March 15 , 2013 U dey mad cossy ,u wey don turn figure head , i trust mikel he wil nt show u interest ask 2 face Reply joshua March 15 , 2013 U want destroy D guy career if he Date u , chelsea go benCh am last cuz he no go concentrate again.na wao an actress tripin 4 aguy he neva met highly ridiculous Reply Aniikimi March 15 , 2013 Mikel cant friend ash Reply Chantella March 15 , 2013 Cossy is simply deluded and confused about what her tallent is .. C ’mon gurrl , you have already made it known openly what you do for a living . Need we say more, huh ? Mikey chooses his babes and not the other way around. Thereforen I ’d advise you go and yansh that smelling c ** t down . * WhatchuYoProblem * ? Reply john March 15 , 2013 Ewu u don ’t know what want . Damaged goods Reply Wonder Naija March 15 , 2013 What Mikel Obi got to do with this Maroko Ashawo Reply Inyavic March 15 , 2013 God! This is serious . You need deliverance Reply Dignity March 15 , 2013 COSSY , COSSY , COSSY . Time is running fast . God is using so many people to call you back to Himself, please listen to Him and repent & accept Jesus back into your life . Reply JIMOH AYODEJI March 15 , 2013 Mikel is a rude boi , ask 2 face wot he did to him wen dey met in london, am very sure ,d day u wil meet Mikel wil b one of d worst day of ur lyf!!! . tceeewww Reply Abdul March 15 , 2013 Leave mikel alone to decide by himself Reply Odetayo Beulah March 15 , 2013 Hun , dis is earth is corrupting more& more everyday . my Advise 2 all meaningful stars of Nigeria is 2 beware of Jezebel . Reply francis March 15 , 2013 cossy u nid Jesus in ur lyf. accept HIM 2 day and escape eternal damnation Reply onyx March 15 , 2013 Phd spirit is disturbing u . ( Pull Him Down ) Reply ola March 15 , 2013 Never work! U bull shit Reply shola March 15 , 2013 Plz , let someone help me to interpret this to cossy olomu aja . Cossy were aiye ati torun nie , se ofe pa omo . Olomo ni , if Y̶̲̥̅̊ø̲̣̣̥ǖ insert Ɣ ΰя b 00 b into mikel mouth , well i trust the boy he will J̶̲̥̅̊U̶̲̥̅̊S̶̲̥̅̊T̶̲̥̅̊ cut it and put it inside his bag , so when ever he is tersty he will J̶̲̥̅̊U̶̲̥̅̊S̶̲̥̅̊T̶̲̥̅̊ go back there, cossy takeheed , Ɣ ΰя distruction is at hand, REPENT . Reply colex March 15 , 2013 This is incredible & serious . I guess her load or is it baloon is too hevy to put her in confusion ,delusion ,crazy… Cossy need to be in psychiatric , this is not just pro*****tion . Reply abodu March 15 , 2013 well you people can ’ t say but i really know that mikel can ’t friend her ? Reply Preshy March 15 , 2013 may God help us all … . d .end time is now ! Reply Preshy March 15 , 2013 let us all pray for dis nation Reply Jonathan June 27 , 2013 What has prayer got to do with this now ? Reply harrison ojakovo March 15 , 2013 Mehn wot can i say ! Cossy U̶̲̥̅̊ nid God more dan mikel in ur Life .Go back 2 God HE will give U̶̲̥̅̊ de right man . Reply udu March 15 , 2013 u wan kill am! how him go take receive day kind load . abeg spare him lyf Reply mingle March 16 , 2013 cossy am not against 4 going publicily abt ur want of mikel, he is a handsome dude like u said . but d idea of watching d men dangling deir tin during play is not wise . it means u must like dat tin wella. Reply Martins Smet March 16 , 2013 Foolish old fool lady ! When the guy has never make name ,i mean well known . Where were u then after him ? Idiot old fool . Better u go meet ur ex back ! Maybe ,the jeep ur ex promises u to buy and fail to do ,u now want Mikel to get it for u , huh ? Go look for ur size . Ashawooooo! Reply gamson March 16 , 2013 cossy. .mikel dn ’t deserve whore lik u … u wan 2 d form him 4 us abi Reply mpeseko 4 life March 16 , 2013 Cossy dis ur kunu were dey for ur front ,pls don ’t use it to finish dat fine boy bcos u are old cargo Reply Idemudia March 16 , 2013 Cossy, flex the bomboy joor : it ’s obvious he has forgotten what real nija ladies are! This time a bomb awaits Oga Mikel . Reply dozie March 16 , 2013 Agent 4 rm hell ” u like watchin dia tins dangle in dia shorts” Ashawo Reply Adjoa March 16 , 2013 What ’s wrong with all of u … ..what if mikel is interested OR what if mikel is de 1 to lead her to God and make her a new creature…… . .think b 4 u talk Reply Limitless March 16 , 2013 U ’rent anytin cald a role model , u watch dia tins dangling meaning u ’ re obsessed. U need Jesus 2 satisfy ur want and needs not mikel Reply convenant child March 16 , 2013 y ar u guys calling her names, ,remember no one is perfect ,,mikel may be the one to change her for good ,,their is nothing God cannot do ok … . Reply Ben- Jay March 16 , 2013 Cossy, u 4 remove ur remaining cloth n ur bra make we see dat ur pumped booobs wella. Den we go knw wie u ar coming frm, as >ashawo * May God 4 giv u 4 recreating urself jst 2 attract a man . I bet u cossy , d day mikel wil c u , he wil b on his heels 4 seeing dis ur ara nwanyi asaba . Ewu !!! Reply Asekun Papa March 16 , 2013 Cosy is just an end -time jezebel… Beware ! Reply Divine March 16 , 2013 MIKEL, blood of God Reply Elninoz Patrick March 17 , 2013 shenzytyp ,obi is not after lunatics like u . Reply Paul March 17 , 2013 cossy reminds me of Kim , both are lousy , confused of wat they really want , can ’t do without a d .. k , no talent , think they have got great bodies and like to use social media to flaunt wat we are ashamed to look it , a big moral nuisance to the public , can only get the attention of men who love occultic s * xual orgies , and attention seekers . okay cossy , we have known about ur feelings for someone who should be ur son ’s age mate . next story please … Reply rawfabulous March 17 , 2013 Well , to the girl she tried by opening up and not hiding her feelings. But my question to Obi is that , do you love her ? If so why wasting your time . Remember we are all Nigerians. Reply lilwhite March 17 , 2013 May God have mercy on u cossy ,u are not even ashamed of ur self anymore . Reply Angel charles March 18 , 2013 Girk u 4 k up 4 get mike and go 4 d people dat u c and seen u . A word is enough 4 a wise . 08169572794 Reply oladik March 18 , 2013 mike can just chop nd clean mouth hw much those she wnt chicken penny Reply Expensiveguy March 18 , 2013 U na confirm gold digger, go to hell . Mikel will never trip for such a prostitute lyk u . Reply d . j pascal March 18 , 2013 c* m see her boomboom lyk uefa ball ,mtchewwwwww ,hell is awaiting her … . Reply Reality Inaede March 18 , 2013 Cossy, Na wa 4 u ooh , u no c say ur bubs big pass Mikel head ? U no want mak him dey nod ball 4 chelsea again? Reply Shawnblade March 19 , 2013 Cossy, I wonder what kind of lady u are, U just watch d tin in his short while he plays football , Na wah 4 u o , Anyway , he wouldn ’t even luk a u , He had many decent nd 9 ice gurls all over the globe longing 4 him, U think big b 00 b is everytin? Abeg talk beta thin o Reply hussain March 19 , 2013 if mikel should do so he done fockground. No meaning 4 u in mikel dictionary ………………………… Go 4 beckam Reply King March 20 , 2013 Cossy, 4 get mikel c * m date me, i go make ur b ** bs big more Reply chinedu March 20 , 2013 cossy instead of mikel . lust after t. b Joshua for deliverance Reply Moses Jacob March 20 , 2013 If u dey find person wny go suck ur chest … Call Jim iyke Reply HBK March 20 , 2013 Oole nkan gidi wu olee. U dey crazy u no lyk Yekini wen he dey alive na 9 jiria no 1 futballer u c * m lyk nw “ OCHU - OCHA ” Reply Huraira March 21 , 2013 Iam sorry girl , this chest have dislf u . mike will never luv some one like u . Reply gift March 21 , 2013 My like others hv said . Wht u did right now is Jesus Christ . Accept Him into ur like as ur Lord n Savior . So u can save u frm this shameless life of urs. Tomorrow might be too late . Reply Odogwu Chinonye Caesar March 21 , 2013 Who knows d truth ? Naija press? Ah ! Am not supporting Cossy . But I must know if it z real or cooked b 4 granting her bail or condemning her . As simple as dat . Reply David Vieira March 21 , 2013 I would recomend Osaze Odemwingie instead . Cos he ’s a rude boy and besides dat , he more cute . So try him Reply kosykizito March 21 , 2013 kakadino i ur comment Reply Bellevue Real Estate May 28 , 2013 My brother recommended I might like this website . He was totally right . This post actually made my day . You cann ’t imagine simply how so much time I had spent for this info ! Thank you ! Reply mr john willy June 22 , 2013 Nollywood audition 2013 for actors and actress form is out Do you want to be a NOLLYWOOD actor/actress call mr john or SMS now : 08103056525 A high Ranking officer on how to purchase the form and apply Email him now at : johnwilly 132 @ gmail.com Reply Kenny June 22 , 2013 God Please Deliver Her . . Reply Kenny June 22 , 2013 God Have Mercy . Reply mr. john willy June 25 , 2013 Do you want to become a movie star in the Nigeria movie industry_ Nollywood. If you know you can do it better Forms are out then contact us now !!! call 08103056525 or email [nollywoodmovieindustr @gmail .com ] Reply DADA STEVE June 28 , 2013 Men ! cossy I be Chelsea fan . i would have supported your quest to have mikel f** c u , but the guy have a lot to offer Chelsea this season , i would’ nt want anything to bring him down . so my advise, stay as far as possible away from mikel Obi . NOTHING PERSONAL . Reply prock July 16 , 2013 COSSY , THOSE b ** bs DANGLING ON UR FRONT LL SOON FALL OOOO! U R BETTER FIND A SOLUTION 2 IT SO THAT U SHOULDN’T MISS MIKEL OOOO! Reply Ray mike August 7 , 2013 Cossy may d lord change ur mind to serve him beta frm today n 4 get abot Mikel . Reply Chichi August 13 , 2013 Cossy should i just say that u are a disgrace to womanhood . How can u be lusting over someone who dont even have any interest in u . U need serious deliverance. Reply Etete constance Ogochukwu August 20 , 2013 wish u goodluck in all u do Reply Dan Nalogu September 3 , 2013 Let her be please ! It ’ s her opinion . Reply solomon oluwathank you September 13 , 2013 sorry for you cossy mikel will neva ave s * x with you. Reply … . . September 14 , 2013 This daughter of Jezebel …… Curse is on u if u dont know … . so REPENT ! … ..And as for Mikel ,he is not urs! Reply Asemota Jaylog September 17 , 2013 Cossy, i guess you must be dreaming… You are just crazily in love with a man you haven ’t met EYE to EYE ., that ’ s totally nonsense? Reply Inemesit john obi September 17 , 2013 make you na live Mikel and Cossy matter alone ooooooooo Reply Concern September 17 , 2013 this girl need to be pushed out of nollyhood . She is insane Reply kingsleyogbenna September 23 , 2013 cossy is only living in a fools paradise . What makes her think she can get mikel obi . Mikel already has his balls and not hers to play with . Reply longthing April 19 , 2016 mikel may like her o but is like she need longthing mikel cannot satisfy u cossy look for ur Talent snoop Dog Reply Leave a Reply Name * E - Mail* Website Yes , add me to your mailing list . Publish     Back to top  Share  Tweet  Pin  Mail Why I Want Mikel Obi – Nollywood Actress, Cossy Orjiakor

Eeehh!!!
See cossy and Mikel Obi.
This boobs fit kill oooooooollmoooo
They were interviewed by the NTA

Boko Haram: Shekau ‘fatally wounded’ in air raid – Nigerian Army

Abubakar Shekau

*Mubi, Nuhu, other Boko Haram leaders killed
By Fidelis Soriwei Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force has killed an undisclosed number of Boko Haram leaders during a raid on the Sambisa Forest hideout of the insurgents.
The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement Tuesday that the leader of the group, ‘Abubakar Shekau’ was seriously wounded on the shoulders during the raid.
Usman listed the killed Boko Haram leaders to include Abubakar Mubi, Malam Nuhu and Malam Hamman.
He said that fighter pilots of the NAF carried out the raid on August 19,2016 when the insurgents were performing Friday rituals at Taye village, Gombale general area within Sambisa forest, Borno State.
However, Usman was silent on whether or not the affected Boko Haram leaders were among those on the 100 most wanted list of the group released by the military.
“In what one could describe as the most unprecedented and spectacular air raid, we have just confirmed that as a result of the interdiction efforts of the Nigerian Air Force, some key leaders of the Boko Haram terrorists have been killed while others were fatally wounded.
“The air interdiction took place last week Friday 19th August 2016, while the terrorists were performing Friday rituals at Taye village, Gombale general area within Sambisa forest, Borno State.
“Those Boko Haram terrorists commanders confirmed dead include Abubakar Mubi, Malam Nuhu and Malam Hamman, amongst others. While their leader, so called “Abubakar Shekau”, is believed to be fatally wounded on his shoulders. Several other terrorists were also wounded.” The statement read.

The 3 Highest Premier League salaries Revealed

The three highest - paid Premier League footballers in the 2016 y /17 season have been revealed.
As it appears , Manchester United now have one of the highest wage bills in the league with 3 of their star players topping the list .
The salaries may be eye -watering , but it ’s worth remembering that the Premier League is the most watched football league in the world , and club income is accordingly huge.
Keep scrolling to see the 3 highest -paid Premiership players in the 2016 /17 season .
3 . Salary per week : £ 250 ,000 +
Annually : £ 13 .1 m

Zlatan Ibrahimovic wants to conquer the English Premier League . The 34 -year -old Swede , who had interest from MLS, reunited with former boss and fellow iconic ego Jose Mourinho at Manchester United.

The striker signed a one -year contract worth approximately £ 250 k + per week .

2 . Salary per week : £ 260 ,000

Annually : £ 13 .5 m

Wayne Rooney was formerly the highest -paid Premier League player before the start of the new season . The Manchester United captain has scored 178 goals for United since joining them in 2004 .

1 . Salary per week : £ 290 ,000

Annually : £ 15 .33 m

Paul Pogba’ s £ 290 , 000 - a- week wages make him the highest - paid player in the Premier League ahead of Wayne Rooney and Zlatan Ibrahimovic .

Just four years after the club declined to pay him £ 65 , 000 a week , Pogba is now paid more than four times that amount to surpass Wayne Rooney as the Premier League ’s highest earner

Back in 2012 , United were alarmed by the demands that Pogba ’s agent Mino Raiola was making on behalf of a youngster who had made only seven first -team appearances, all as substitute. Now the story is different .

Brazil Defeats Germany In Penalties, Wins First Olympic Football Gold

Maracana Stadium was filled with celebration and relief as Brazil won its first Olympic soccer title, defeating Germany, 5-4, on penalty kicks after the match remained tied at 1-1 through 120 minutes.
When the Brazilian goalkeeper Weverton dived to his left to save a penalty kick by Germany’s Nils Petersen, the anxiety of the evening exploded into liberation.
Neymar, the star forward, then approached the ball for the winning penalty kick. He did a stutter step then shot high and assuredly. Brazil has won five World Cups but never until that moment of release an Olympic gold medal.

Buhari Angry With NDLEA Over Muslim Pilgrims Cocaine Saga

There are indications that President Muhammadu Buhari may have ordered a “thorough” probe into the circumstances that led to the arrest of 3 Nigerian pilgrims, who were alleged to have trafficked cocaine to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
The probe, it was gathered, emerged on a day the Federal Government in a bid to “redeem” its image begun an enhanced screening of pilgrims to the holy land, following the arrest of the three.
It was reported that three pilgrims from Kawara State were arrested for drug trafficking by the Saudi authorities and the Presidency has issued a threat to punish some agencies for negligence.
An impeccable source at the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), who confided in New Telegraph, stated that the “embarrassment” caused the President as a result of the arrest had contributed in making the president ‘sad’, hence the probe of the agency to unravel circumstances which led to the arrest of the Nigerians in foreign land.
The source, who pleaded not to be mentioned, said the president “is hugely embarrassed and as such felt those who allowed the unholy incident leave the shore of the nation’s borders must be made to explain what happened.”
The source, who also hinted that a woman pilgrim was among those arrested, noted that the president also felt that “travelling standards” were compromised by the NDLEA officials, which negated the Federal Government’s stance on corruption.
To underscore this fact, the source stated that: “The president is very angry because he believed that standards were compromised.
In fact, the Federal Government is already considering a total overhaul and restructuring of the NDLEA.
“In the past, for instance, the culture had been that any pilgrim travelling is allowed to come in with his relatives and luggage.
But since this occurred, relatives are not allowed again including helping their relatives who are going on the pilgrimage.
This is a sharp contrast and a departure of the past. Here every pilgrim carries his or her luggage and awaits officials to screen them individually.”
Federal government has commenced full scale investigation to unravel how the drug was not detected by the Nigerian security operatives at the Hajj camps across the nation.
There were indications that heads are likely to roll over the incident as a high powered investigative team had been set up to determine if there was a compromise or just security laxity.

Alleged N63.6m fraud: How MOD staff died in EFCC custody -Cellmates

•Family petitions AGF, demands autopsy
FOUR eye witnesses to the death of a suspect in Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) cell, Desmond Nunugwo, have opened up on his last moments.
Nunugwo, a former Chief Protocol Officer in the Ministry of Defence, was arrested by some officers of the Intelligence and Special Operations Section (ISOS) of the EFCC on June 9 at about 5.30pm.
He was picked up for allegedly defrauding one Oleh Nnana Kalu of N63, 600,00.00.
His death sparked accusations and petitions to the Attorney-General of the Federation, the National Assembly and Amnesty International seeking a probe.
The police, The Nation gathered, were brought in and as a first step, questioned some of Nunugwo’s cell mates who witnessed how he died.
One of them, Odeh Onoja Jnr., according to an official document, said: “I reported to the EFCC office on the 9th of June, 2016 in response to the invitation sent to my office to have a chat with me. I was still in the office when the man (Nunugwo) was brought in. The officers obtained his statement after which both of us were conveyed together to their head office for detention.
“We were checked in about 9.30pm and the ‘president’ (of the cell) welcomed us after which he gave us our respective places to sleep”.
A second eye witness, Omelu Charles, in his statement to the EFCC said: “Desmond Nunugwo came into the EFCC cell around 7 and 8pm at night. He introduced himself as the rule of the cell is so that everybody will know you.
“They showed him round the cell and gave him a word of hope that all is well. Mr. Desmond was called for prayers as we all were about to say our night prayer for which he was asked to raise a worship song which he did.”
However, Omelu said he observed that Nunugwo was restless and anxious to see his wife and he tried to calm him down.
Omelu said: “I told him to wait till tomorrow, that all will be fine. I went to sleep, and he told me good night. While I was sleeping, somebody held my hand and I woke up and it was Desmond who was asking me to help him, that he was innocent, that all he did was to connect two people for business.
“So I stood up and held him, both of us walked towards the ‘president’ of the cell and his breathing was not okay as the president tried telling him to cool down that all is well. Mr. Desmond fell but I was able to hold him before we now took him outside.”
Another cell mate, Dayo Jimoh said he observed that the deceased could not sleep and at a point begged him for some of his high blood pressure and diabetes pills.
Dayo said: “After the prayer, I came out to collect my BP and diabetes drugs, he came to me and asked if I could give him out of the drugs. I told him I cannot because I am not a doctor and that the EFCC has a hospital here; he could go to the guard and request for them to take him to the hospital.
“He then told me that he has his own drugs at home, if he could call his wife to bring it, but unfortunately, his investigative officer went away with his phone and that he could not use anybody’s phone to call, that is the rule with the cell guard.
“I felt bad because there (was) no way I could help him because I was also very sick that day. I then advised him to go and take his shower and rest, maybe he will be okay, but I saw him moving from his bed space to the bathroom more than necessary because I was awake too, I was in pain with my chest.
“Around 1am he called one Mr. Charles, a suspect too, and others that he is not feeling fine at all. I couldn’t get up because I cannot help at that time. He collapsed, others rushed him and called cell guard, I knew he could not make it because his tongue was coming out”
The document gave a synopsis of how the deceased staff of the Ministry of Defence was arrested and detained pending when he will perfect his bail terms.
According to the record: “Nunugwo was picked up by officers of the Intelligence and Special Operations Section (ISOS) of the EFCC following a complaint that he had allegedly defrauded one Ole Nnana Kalu to the tune of N63, 600,00.00. He was arrested at Jabi, Abuja, at about 5,30pm and brought to the Wuse 2 office of the Unit for interrogation, which lasted for less than two hours.
“After the interrogation, he was immediately granted bail. But, when he did not produce anyone to take him on bail, he was transferred to the headquarters of the Commission, where the holding facility is located.
“Unfortunately, barely five hours after he was detained, Nunugwo became restless and collapsed. Fellow inmates raised alarm which attracted the attention of the Cell Guard.
“He was immediately evacuated in an emergency ambulance to a hospital in Wuse 2, where EFCC doctors joined other physicians in the hospital in a battle to save his life. Unfortunately, he was confirmed dead shortly after.
“The EFCC in the early hours of June 10, 2016 released an official statement through its spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, announcing the tragic incident, while also informing that the matter had been formally reported to the Nigeria Police which is the relevant agency to investigate matters such as the unfortunate death of Citizen Nunugwo.
“While the nation awaits the outcome of the Police investigation which should include the autopsy report, the family of the deceased suspect appears to have lost their patience with the Police investigation and is preempting its outcome with all manner of insinuations.
“It is important to clarify that the deceased’s position as a civil servant had no bearing on the facts of the case. He was not accused of defrauding the Nigerian Government.
“Rather, what brought Nunugwo to the EFCC was the allegation that he tricked an acquaintance of his, Ole Nnana Kalu to pay N94, 000,000 into the nominated account of some purported business associates based in Dubai, ostensibly to help Kalu import stockfish. However, once the payment was effected, Kalu said Nunugwo became evasive.
“This narration has no bearing to the protocol job of the suspect at the Ministry of Defence, which makes the attempt to portray the deceased as an innocent civil servant, a disservice to the investigation by the EFCC.
“It is fair to say that the EFCC has come clean on this matter as it did not need to be compelled by some extraneous force to release information about the incident. The suggestion about collusion between the EFCC and the Nigeria Police is also difficult to comprehend as the incentive for such action does not exist.”
But Mrs. Susanne, the wife of the former Chief Protocol Officer to the Minister of State for Defence, told newsmen in Abuja that it was wrong for the EFCC to label her husband a fraudster.
She demanded for justice for her husband in death.
Susanne said: “Around 3pm on June 9, my husband had gone to pick up our son from school and they both returned home. He later went out. Around 6pm, I called his line and it rang once. I tried his number several times later, but it was off.
“The next morning, I got apprehensive when he didn’t come home. However, around 3.48pm, someone called me with his phone and said my husband was in the EFCC’s custody and I should come to bail him.”
“On getting to the EFCC, I was told to go and get a man because being a woman, my husband could not be released on bail to me. Shortly after leaving, the EFCC was alleged to have issued a statement breaking the news of Desmond’s death.”
Continuing Susanne said, “She (Uloma) told the EFCC that she met my husband on a flight in 2012 when he was on his way to the US where I went to give birth.
“She said my husband introduced her to a third party with whom she did a N91m transaction.”
The family of the deceased however said it suspected foul play and alleged plot to cover up.
In a petition to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) by the family, Mr. Paul Edeh, it queried why a post-mortem examination had not been carried out by the EFCC and the Nigeria Police.
The petition said: “The EFCC has blatantly refused that a post-mortem examination should be carried out on the body so as not to be indicted. This may have been the reason why more than two months after Desmond’s death, no move has been made to carry out an autopsy.
“After many visits by our clients to the EFCC and the police, both agencies have maintained that Desmond died a natural death.
“One, therefore, wonders how both the police and the EFCC could come up with such a common position in the absence of a medical examination to determine the cause of death.”

FG issues alert over fake medicine in circulation

The Federal Government on Saturday alerted Nigerians that two confirmed falsified versions of Quinine Sulphate earlier discovered in Cameroon and Democratic Republic of Congo, might have been smuggled into the country.
The government’s alarm was contained in a statement titled, “Falsified Quinine Sulphate circulating in West and Central Africa”, issued by the Director (Media and Public Relations) in the Ministry of Health, Mrs. Boade Akinola, on behalf of the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.
The falsified versions, according to the statement, contained zero active pharmaceutical ingredients.
She said, “The quinine Sulphate is used in the treatment of malaria. The implication of using the falsified one is that it will not be effective and may also lead to other health challenges.”
“Quinine Sulphate is used for the treatment of Falciparum Malaria in the region and this implies that the falsified drugs will not be effective.
“These products, which were initially discovered by a local NGO, failed the preliminary field screening and were submitted to a World Health Organisation pre-qualified Quality Assurance laboratory.
“Subsequent analysis showed that neither product contained any of the stated active pharmaceutical ingredient. The first product was discovered in Cameroon.”
She gave the technical details of the first product as 20, Avenue Appia – CH-1211 Geneva 27 – Switzerland –Tel Central +41 22 791 2111 – Fax Central +41 22 791 3111.
Other details of the product according to her are, fProduct Name: Quinine Sulfate 300 mg; Number of Tablets per container: 1000; Batch Number: 10H05 Expiry Date: 09/2018; Date of manufacture: 09/2014; Manufacturer: Novadina Pharmaceutical Ltd, London, United Kingdom.”

Dependence on importation not good for Nigeria – Abdulsalami

A former Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.) says overdependence on importation is not good for Nigeria.
Abubakar spoke on Saturday in Nnewi, Anambra State, while inaugurating some projects for some private firms.
He expressed optimism that the entrepreneurial spirit of Nnewi businessmen in the state had the potential to grow the country’s economy.
He stressed that any country dependent on importation was doomed.
Abubakar, during a tour of some factories in Nnewi, commended the entrepreneurial spirit of Chickason Group, Innoson Motors and others in the state.
He urged industrialists in the state not to relent, saying he will advance their cause at the appropriate quarters.
“What is happening in this community gives hope for this country,” he said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of Chickason Group, Chika Okafor, lamented the dearth and high rate of foreign exchange.
Okafor said, “Government should support us in Nnewi. This is the only town that has grown to what it is today with 99 per cent contribution from indigenes, and almost nothing from the government.
“We face several challenges, but the most pressing ones are power and foreign exchange for the procurement of raw materials. We use 175,000 litres of diesel every week. We are managing to sustain the factory from what we make from other businesses.”

Over 20,000 rescued from Boko Haram captivity —Buratai

Godwin Isenyo
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Saturday said the Nigerian military had so far rescued over 20,000 persons kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents.
According to Buratai, who said this shortly after inaugurating the Nigerian Army Officers Wife Association’s Day Care, Nursery and Primary School at Ribadu Cantonment, Kaduna, the military remained resolute in not only rescuing those abducted by the insurgents, but rooted the criminals out completely.
The army chief frowned on calls by Nigerians to dialogue with the insurgents in the North-East.
He appealed to Nigerians to provide useful information that could boost the rescue operations and noted that the move by the Federal Government to negotiate with the insurgents would not stop the military’s rescue operations.
He said, “We have so far rescued over 20,000 abducted persons and we are still rescuing more.
“We will continue to carry out our rescue operations; as far as the Army and indeed the military is concerned, we will continue to play our own part.
“The negotiation is left for the appropriate arm of government, but we are looking for (relevant) information to rescue anybody that is being held hostage.”
The Army boss had earlier visited the headquarters of One Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna, where he had a closed-door meeting with officers and men of the division.

Chibok girls: UK terror expert advises FG on B’Haram offer

A leading expert on terrorism in the United Kingdom, Dr. Afzal Ashraf, on Saturday advised the Federal Government to critically examine issues before taking decision on the prisoner swap offer by the terrorist group, Boko Haram.
The group had in a purportedly new video asked the Federal Government to release its members in prison custody in exchange for some of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.
But Ashraf, who worked as counterterrorism and counterinsurgency strategist for the United States commanding general, in an email exchange with our correspondent, noted that the Federal Government would have to balance principle against pragmatic gains to make a difficult decision.
He said, “At the end of the day it may just come down to the fact that news pictures of government officials and relieved parents welcoming back their long lost girls will eclipse any criticism or disadvantage of the decision to deal with terrorists.
“After all, for the girls involved and their families, any price is worth paying to deliver them from the hell of the barbaric Boko Haram.”
Asked if the Federal Government should accept the offer of prisoner swap by Boko Haram, Ashraf said, “This is a difficult question. Some governments will not deal with terrorists.”
He said, “Others make a case by case decision to pay ransoms, conduct prisoner swaps . The main reason for refusing to deal with terrorists is the belief that by doing so, it encourages kidnapping and the taking of hostages.
“Also, releasing terrorists from prison increases the number of dangerous killers able to threaten the peace of communities.”

Practice of animism affecting tourism in Nigeria– Iwo monarch

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has said tourists will continue to shun tourism attractions in Nigeria as long as they are associated with animism.
Oluwo said Nigeria was blessed with many interesting places which have potentials to draw millions of tourists if they were properly packaged to make them appealing to Christians and Muslims.
Although religion and culture were related, he said religion should not be mixed with tourism to avoid discouraging tourists who do not believe in a particular religion a tourist site is associated with.
He said, “Nigeria has many interesting sites which have the potentials to attract tourists from all over the country and even beyond. But these sites may never be visited by some tourists especially because animists attached some gods to these sites. These sites are the wonders of God deposited in our country but some people just turn them to objects of worship and this practice is driving away many tourists from them.
“Our religion should be separated from tourism. There are many Christians and Muslims who will like to come to Iwo to see where Osun River and Oba River meet, but many of them will not come because some people are already worshiping one god or another at the spot. There are tourist attractions scattered all over Nigeria but there are few of them where animists are not worshipping one god or the other. This should be stopped.”
The monarch urged the government and individuals to show more commitment towards developing tourism in the country.
Meanwhile, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has appealed to Nigerians to show religious tolerance.
Receiving Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners in his palace, Ogunwusi stated that all humans, whether Christians, Muslims or atheists, directed their prayers to one God.
The artistes, led by its former President, Jimoh Aliu, seek the support of the monarch in securing interest-free loan for the association for special drama productions.
The ANTP said they would want to be part of Federal Government’s programmes on culture and tourism.
The monarch pointed out that his life was shaped by some lessons he learnt from television dramas he watched as a child.

Rivers: APC, PDP bicker over inconclusive polls

Chukwudi Akasike
The All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party on Saturday disagreed on a statement credited to the Independent National Electoral Commission that it could not guarantee conclusive elections in 2019.
The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had lamented that given the challenges and malpractices that had marred past and recent elections, the commission would not be able to guarantee conclusive polls in 2019.
Speaking in an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH , the state’s Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Samuel Nwanosike, said INEC was in the habit of appointing card-carrying members of political parties as ad hoc staff.
Nwanosike pointed out that such a situation would breed election malpractices lead to the postponement of elections by the commission.
But his counterpart in the APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, faulted Nwanosike’s claim, saying that the commission would not deliberately declare elections inconclusive.
Finebone added that that unfolding events during the election could force the commission to cancel or declare a poll inconclusive.
Meanwhile, the candidate of the APC for Rivers South-East in the legislative re-run, Senator Magnus Abe, has said INEC did not do his party any favour by releasing the Tai LGA election results, but only did what was necessary.
Abe explained that INEC addressed the injustice meted to the APC by the cancellation, adding that the election in the area was conducted, collated and returned by the returning officers, thereby making the results valid.

Ondo APC can’t sack me, says state chairman August 21, 2016 Previous article Practice of animism affecting tourism in Nigeria– Iwo monarch Next article Sea pirates kidnap eight fishermen in A’Ibom –LG chair   If you are not automatically redirected, click here . The Ondo State Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress has removed the party’s state chairman, Mr. Isaac Kekemeke. But in a swift reaction, the embattled chairman stated that the committee did not have the power to remove him from office and described the SWC as “fifth columnist.” According to the SWC, Kekemeke was canvassing for votes on behalf of Dr. Segun Abraham, an alleged protégé of Bola Tinubu, ahead of the party’s August 27 primary. The SWC of the party which comprises members of the state and local government executives took the decision at an emergency meeting held in Akure, the state capital, on Saturday. At the end of the meeting, over two-third members of the committee signed a communiqué issued to back up their action. The committee also ordered the Vice Chairman, Mr. Ade Adetimehin to act as chairman of the party until further notice. In the communiqué, made available to our correspondent, Kekemeke was alleged to have acted against the interest of the party which led to a vote of no confidence passed in him. The communiqué read, “The state chairman had maliciously and willfully doctored the party’s delegates list by injecting names of those who did not take part in any of the party’s congresses in order to overreach the helpless and vulnerable majority of the aspirants in the forthcoming primary. “Kekemeke and his cronies are PDP moles in the APC family. They cannot lead the party to victory in the forthcoming governorship election. As a result of the reported allegation against the chairman, the SWC resolved that he should step aside from his position as the state chairman and should surrender all of the party’s properties in his possession for ease of proper investigation.” The SWC noted that it had set up a three-man disciplinary committee to investigate the allegations levelled against Kekemeke. The committee, which has Solagbade Amodeni, Jaiyeoba Oluwatuyi and Akin Ogunsakin as members, was given seven days to complete its assignment. Speaking with our correspondent on the development, Kekemeke said he was not bothered about his purported removal, describing the SWC’s allegations against him as untrue and malicious. He said, “This is indiscipline and it does not augur well for the party. There are some people who called themselves lawyers among them; they should go and read the party’s constitution. It is only the National Executive Committee of the party that can remove a state chairman. So, why are they wasting their energy? “My only fear is that I am beginning to suspect that they are fifth columnist and want to weaken the party and create imaginary division within it so that they can go to another party. This is too familiar; they want to weaken the party, demonise its leaders, create imaginary division, cause confusion and before you know it, they will defect to another party. APC is too big for that kind of a thing. This is not their former party where you wake up and do what you want.” Similarly, the South-West National Vice Chairman of the APC, Pius Akinyelure, said the SWC’s action was wrong. He said, “What they did was wrong because it is only the National Executive Committee of the party that has the power to remove a state chairman because the state chairman is also a member of the committee.” Meanwhile, APC ward chairmen in the state have denied endorsing any of the 25 governorship aspirants of the party. The chairmen said they would only endorse and work for whoever emerges as the party’s candidate after a free and fair primary. Copyright PUNCH. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH. Contact: editor@punchng.com Are you a One Minute Man? Forget Viagra: Use this new method to increase your Manhood size and last 30 minutes. It is natural, safe with no side effect. Click here for FREE Details   If you are not automatically redirected, click here .    tweet    tweet It’s here! The e-version of Nigeria's most widely read newspaper. Now you can read The PUNCH, Saturday PUNCH and Sunday PUNCH anytime and everywhere. Subscribe Now and enjoy! 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The Ondo State Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress has removed the party’s state chairman, Mr. Isaac Kekemeke.
But in a swift reaction, the embattled chairman stated that the committee did not have the power to remove him from office and described the SWC as “fifth columnist.”
According to the SWC, Kekemeke was canvassing for votes on behalf of Dr. Segun Abraham, an alleged protégé of Bola Tinubu, ahead of the party’s August 27 primary.
The SWC of the party which comprises members of the state and local government executives took the decision at an emergency meeting held in Akure, the state capital, on Saturday.
At the end of the meeting, over two-third members of the committee signed a communiqué issued to back up their action. The committee also ordered the Vice Chairman, Mr. Ade Adetimehin to act as chairman of the party until further notice.
In the communiqué, made available to our correspondent, Kekemeke was alleged to have acted against the interest of the party which led to a vote of no confidence passed in him.
The communiqué read, “The state chairman had maliciously and willfully doctored the party’s delegates list by injecting names of those who did not take part in any of the party’s congresses in order to overreach the helpless and vulnerable majority of the aspirants in the forthcoming primary.
“Kekemeke and his cronies are PDP moles in the APC family. They cannot lead the party to victory in the forthcoming governorship election. As a result of the reported allegation against the chairman, the SWC resolved that he should step aside from his position as the state chairman and should surrender all of the party’s properties in his possession for ease of proper investigation.”
The SWC noted that it had set up a three-man disciplinary committee to investigate the allegations levelled against Kekemeke. The committee, which has Solagbade Amodeni, Jaiyeoba Oluwatuyi and Akin Ogunsakin as members, was given seven days to complete its assignment.
Speaking with our correspondent on the development, Kekemeke said he was not bothered about his purported removal, describing the SWC’s allegations against him as untrue and malicious.
He said, “This is indiscipline and it does not augur well for the party. There are some people who called themselves lawyers among them; they should go and read the party’s constitution. It is only the National Executive Committee of the party that can remove a state chairman. So, why are they wasting their energy?
“My only fear is that I am beginning to suspect that they are fifth columnist and want to weaken the party and create imaginary division within it so that they can go to another party. This is too familiar; they want to weaken the party, demonise its leaders, create imaginary division, cause confusion and before you know it, they will defect to another party. APC is too big for that kind of a thing. This is not their former party where you wake up and do what you want.”
Similarly, the South-West National Vice Chairman of the APC, Pius Akinyelure, said the SWC’s action was wrong.
He said, “What they did was wrong because it is only the National Executive Committee of the party that has the power to remove a state chairman because the state chairman is also a member of the committee.”
Meanwhile, APC ward chairmen in the state have denied endorsing any of the 25 governorship aspirants of the party.
The chairmen said they would only endorse and work for whoever emerges as the party’s candidate after a free and fair primary.

Workers groan as govs, aides, commissioners receive salaries

Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress at the 2016 International Workers’ Day celebration in Lagos.Photos: Saheed olugbon
Civil servants currently being owed salaries across the country have described as unfair, wicked and inhuman, situations whereby they continue to suffer with members of their families while government functionaries were allegedly being paid at the end of every month.
They specifically accused their governors of ensuring regular payment of salaries and allowances to political office holders and state legislators despite owing workers several months of salaries.
Labour leaders and civil servants in Kwara, Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Benue, and Kaduna states expressed these feelings during separate interviews with SUNDAY PUNCH correspondents.
In Kwara State, labour leaders said they were unhappy that government functionaries were enjoying regular monthly payments while workers were allowed to suffer.
They alleged that workers in the 16 local government councils and those of the State Universal Basic Education Board were being owed many months of salary arrears.
The labour leaders also said it was unfair that pensioners in the state were being owed many months of pension arrears and gratuity.
Those who spoke included the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Yemi Agunbiade; the Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, Mr. Afolabi Abayomi; and the Chairman, Kwara State Local Government Pensioners Association, Alhaji lsiaka Akanbi.
But the Senior Special Assistant to the Kwara State Governor on Media and Communication, Dr. Muyideen Akorede in a telephone interview, claimed that workers and political office holders in the state were receiving their salaries every month.
Workers in Ekiti State also cried out that they were being owed five months salaries by the state government.
But the State Commissioner for Information, Lanre Ogunsuyi, said political appointees in the state were also owed five months salaries.
Similarly, in Benue State, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Terver Akase, said that just like any other civil servants, political office holders had yet to receive their salaries.
He stated that Governor Samuel Ortom ensured that workers in the state were being paid up to date.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Chapter of the Trade Union Congress, said the conditions of civil servants in the state have assumed a worrisome dimension, due to their unpaid 11 months’ cooperative deductions.
The state chairman of the union, Olubunmi Fajobi, said majority of civil servants who were currently being owed were now living under extreme poverty.
SUNDAY PUNCH correspondent in the state, however noted that all the political office holders and members of the state House of Assembly, were receiving their salaries and allowances, as at when due.
In Ondo State, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, said political office holders in the state were also being owed some months of salaries like the state civil servants.
Akinmade said political appointees were usually paid after the civil servants had received their salaries.
He said, “It is the civil servants that prepare the salaries of the political appointees, including the governor. So, it is not possible for us to collect salaries when the workers are being owed.
“No appointee has collected his or her salary up-to-date in Ondo, since the workers are still being owed. Political office holders are also being owed.”
In Oyo State, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that workers in the state civil service are currently being paid their February 2016 salary, leaving a backlog of five months unpaid salaries.
One of the public servants, who pleaded anonymity, said she was happy that the two salaries were paid to the workers after several weeks of industrial strike, but stated that it was not enough to clear their outstanding debts.
She said, “The state government fulfilled its promise by paying us two months salaries, but we are owing several sources huge debts, including banks. We will appreciate further commitment to ease the difficulties.”

FG should negotiate with Boko Haram’s two factions — Ex-general

A former Director at the Army Defence Headquarters, Brigadier General Ayodele Ojo (retd.), has called on the Federal Government to negotiate separately with Boko Haram’s two factions.
He said it was important to do that in order to ensure the safe return of schoolgirls abducted from their school hostel in 2014.
Boko Haram had, on August 3, split with ISIS, naming Abu Musab al-Barnawi as leader of the group.
But few days later, Boko Haram Commander, Abubakar Shekau, in a video, dismissed the appointment of the new leader and insisted that he remained the true head of the terrorist group.
Shekau, in a video released recently, said the sect was ready to exchange the schoolgirls for its fighters in Federal Government’s detention.
The Federal Government was reported to be in a dilemma whether to negotiate with Shekau or al-Barnawi.
“I also commend the Federal Government for their willingness to negotiate with Boko Haram for the release of the Chibok girls. When you consider what the young girls and their parents have gone through in the past two years, one could understand why it is necessary for the Federal Government to negotiate for their release. The fact that Boko Haram has expressed its willingness to negotiate should be seen as a window of opportunity that should be exploited.
“The breakup of the sects into two factions should not necessarily constitute an impediment to negotiation. I suggest that the Federal Government should constitute a committee made up of seasoned and credible Nigerians to negotiate separately on its behalf with the two factions. A third party should be involved in the negotiation. This arrangement will engender trust in the negotiation and at the same time eliminates fear of non-compliance with the agreement reached,”by correspondent Akano jamiu A.