Tuesday 25 August 2015
Monday 24 August 2015
Sunday 23 August 2015
Tuesday 11 August 2015
Stop Appropriating Our Achievements’ –PDP Cautions APC …..Charges Buhari To Articulate Economic Direction
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counsels the All
Progressives Congress (APC) to always be sincere and stop
appropriating the achievements of past administration as
theirs.
The party said, instead, the APC and President Muhammadu
Buhari should make haste and activate the various economic
outlets which have been stagnated as a result of their
obvious inability to articulate a clear-cut economic policy for
the nation.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a
statement on Monday said it is disappointing that a
government which came to power on claims of high moral
ground, rather than focusing on delivering its promises, is
dancing around the achievements of the previous government
in an attempt to make the public believe that recorded
successes in critical sectors are theirs.
“For instance, how do we explain APC’s spirited effort to
make the public believe that the equipping of the country’s
military for the fights against insurgency; the turn around of
the nation’s oil refineries; and the polio-free certification of
Nigeria were products of their government even when it is
common knowledge that they have not been able to find their
bearing for governance since their election into office.
“If the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo
Dasuki had not been courageous enough to release those
incontrovertible facts that the Goodluck Jonathan-led PDP
administration actually fortified the country’s military before
leaving office in May, the APC would have succeeded in its
propaganda against that administration and led Nigerians to
believe that the equipping was a product of President
Buhari’s recent diplomatic shuttles.
“It is an obvious fact that before the May 29 handover to the
APC, the Nigerian armed forces, using these equipment
sourced under the watch of the PDP government, had already
pushed the insurgents to the verge of surrender in the
Sambisa forest, only for them to now resurge under the APC-
led government due to apparent lack of direction and
confusion that have characterized this administration.
“In the same way, this government has positioned itself to
claim credit for the turn around and resuscitation of some of
the nation’s oil refineries without reference to the past
administration that initiated and executed the Turn Around
Maintenance (TAM) of the facilities years back, which
dividends the nation now enjoys and which we expect will
result in steady supply of petroleum products in our nation.
“Similarly, informed Nigerians note with dismay how the APC
administration has been celebrating the certification of
Nigeria as polio-free in the last one year by the World Health
Organization (WHO) without giving credit to the PDP-led
government under whose watch the feat was achieved.
“While the PDP well understands the nervousness of the APC
and its government in the challenge of fulfilling their bogus
promises upon which they rode to power, such does not in
any way rationalise the resort to deceit and flagrant
appropriation of another’s achievements, a thing no serious,
credible and honest government will do”.
The PDP said instead of trying to poach achievements to
earn an undeserved praise, the APC and its government
should brace up, articulate a precise economic policy,
assemble an economic team and urgently commence the
delivery of their promises for which they were voted.
The party said it finds it unacceptable, not withstanding the
reasons being adduced, for a government in a democratic
setting to run for almost three months without a cabinet and
any policy direction whatsoever.
“This is the first time since independence that our nation has
stayed without a complete composition of government for
three months. Unfortunately, the negative effect of this
anomaly, which has taken a huge toll on the country’s
economy and the welfare of Nigerians, will be with us in the
coming years.
“We express this concern against the backdrop of information
that unpatriotic persons close to government are already
hounding civil servants for inflated concessions, allocations,
jobs and other favours being unduly granted, making the
system fertile for heavy financial sleazes in the absence of
appropriate statutory supervising officers.
“This is in addition to the avoidable economic downturn now
manifesting in the abandonment of ongoing infrastructural
projects, crippling of foreign and domestic investments and
continued slide in the money and capital markets.
“Finally, we want to reiterate our earlier call on Nigerians to
continue to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari, who for
obvious reasons is surrounded by people whose divergent
personal interests have become a huge burden on our dear
nation, the integrity of this government, the health of our
economy and sustenance of our democracy”.
Source: http://nigeriancurrent.com/2015/08/10/stop-appropriating-our-achievements-pdp-cautions-apc-charges-buhari-to-articulate-economic-direction/
Progressives Congress (APC) to always be sincere and stop
appropriating the achievements of past administration as
theirs.
The party said, instead, the APC and President Muhammadu
Buhari should make haste and activate the various economic
outlets which have been stagnated as a result of their
obvious inability to articulate a clear-cut economic policy for
the nation.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a
statement on Monday said it is disappointing that a
government which came to power on claims of high moral
ground, rather than focusing on delivering its promises, is
dancing around the achievements of the previous government
in an attempt to make the public believe that recorded
successes in critical sectors are theirs.
“For instance, how do we explain APC’s spirited effort to
make the public believe that the equipping of the country’s
military for the fights against insurgency; the turn around of
the nation’s oil refineries; and the polio-free certification of
Nigeria were products of their government even when it is
common knowledge that they have not been able to find their
bearing for governance since their election into office.
“If the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo
Dasuki had not been courageous enough to release those
incontrovertible facts that the Goodluck Jonathan-led PDP
administration actually fortified the country’s military before
leaving office in May, the APC would have succeeded in its
propaganda against that administration and led Nigerians to
believe that the equipping was a product of President
Buhari’s recent diplomatic shuttles.
“It is an obvious fact that before the May 29 handover to the
APC, the Nigerian armed forces, using these equipment
sourced under the watch of the PDP government, had already
pushed the insurgents to the verge of surrender in the
Sambisa forest, only for them to now resurge under the APC-
led government due to apparent lack of direction and
confusion that have characterized this administration.
“In the same way, this government has positioned itself to
claim credit for the turn around and resuscitation of some of
the nation’s oil refineries without reference to the past
administration that initiated and executed the Turn Around
Maintenance (TAM) of the facilities years back, which
dividends the nation now enjoys and which we expect will
result in steady supply of petroleum products in our nation.
“Similarly, informed Nigerians note with dismay how the APC
administration has been celebrating the certification of
Nigeria as polio-free in the last one year by the World Health
Organization (WHO) without giving credit to the PDP-led
government under whose watch the feat was achieved.
“While the PDP well understands the nervousness of the APC
and its government in the challenge of fulfilling their bogus
promises upon which they rode to power, such does not in
any way rationalise the resort to deceit and flagrant
appropriation of another’s achievements, a thing no serious,
credible and honest government will do”.
The PDP said instead of trying to poach achievements to
earn an undeserved praise, the APC and its government
should brace up, articulate a precise economic policy,
assemble an economic team and urgently commence the
delivery of their promises for which they were voted.
The party said it finds it unacceptable, not withstanding the
reasons being adduced, for a government in a democratic
setting to run for almost three months without a cabinet and
any policy direction whatsoever.
“This is the first time since independence that our nation has
stayed without a complete composition of government for
three months. Unfortunately, the negative effect of this
anomaly, which has taken a huge toll on the country’s
economy and the welfare of Nigerians, will be with us in the
coming years.
“We express this concern against the backdrop of information
that unpatriotic persons close to government are already
hounding civil servants for inflated concessions, allocations,
jobs and other favours being unduly granted, making the
system fertile for heavy financial sleazes in the absence of
appropriate statutory supervising officers.
“This is in addition to the avoidable economic downturn now
manifesting in the abandonment of ongoing infrastructural
projects, crippling of foreign and domestic investments and
continued slide in the money and capital markets.
“Finally, we want to reiterate our earlier call on Nigerians to
continue to pray for President Muhammadu Buhari, who for
obvious reasons is surrounded by people whose divergent
personal interests have become a huge burden on our dear
nation, the integrity of this government, the health of our
economy and sustenance of our democracy”.
Source: http://nigeriancurrent.com/2015/08/10/stop-appropriating-our-achievements-pdp-cautions-apc-charges-buhari-to-articulate-economic-direction/
Sunday 21 June 2015
Nigerian military on Friday bombed suspected Niger Delta militants hideouts.
Nigerian military on Friday bombed
suspected Niger Delta militants hideouts.
The military deployed M17 gunship
helicopter for the air attacks along the
creeks of Calabar suspected to be hideouts
of Niger Delta Militants
The attack lasted for about an hour and
casualty figure in terms of lives and
properties cannot be independently
verified.
Let's go down memory lane •••
In 2013, the then National Leader
for the Congress for Progressive
Change, CPC, Maj. Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari, heavily
criticized the declaration of a state
of emergency in Adamawa, Borno
and Yobe states.
Speaking at a Hausa program in
Kaduna, he said the government's
offensive against the Boko Haram
Islamic sect was a grave injustice
against the North.
He said the Federal Government
gave special treatment to the Niger
Delta militants by granting them
amnesty, but the Boko Haram
members were being killed and
their houses destroyed.
He said President Goodluck
Jonathan had failed from the outset
in addressing the problem of
security in Nigeria. He observed
that the security challenge in
Nigeria began with the Niger Delta
area, when politicians, trying to
retain their positions, recruited
youths and armed them to help
them win elections through sheer
brute force.
Buhari said, “What is responsible for
the security situation in the country
was caused by the activities of
Niger Delta militants.
“Every Nigerian that is familiar with
what happened knows this. The
Niger Delta militants started it all.
What happened is that the
governors of the Niger Delta region
at that time wanted to win their
elections, so they recruited the
youths and gave them guns and
bullets and used them against their
opponents to win elections by force.
“After the elections were over, they
asked the boys to return the guns,
the boys refused to return the guns.
Because of that, the allowance that
was being given to the youths by
the governors during that time was
stopped.
“The youths resorted to kidnapping
oil workers and were collecting
dollars as ransom. Now a boy of 18
to 20 years was getting about $500
in a week, why will he go to school
and spend 20 years to study and
then come back and get employed
by government to be paid
N100,000 a month; that is if he is
lucky to get employment?
“So kidnapping became very
rampant in the south-south and the
south-east. They kidnapped people
and were collecting money.
“How did Boko Haram start? We
know that their leader, Mohammed
Yusuf, started his militancy and the
police couldn’t control them and the
army was invited. He was arrested
by soldiers and handed over to the
police.
“The appropriate thing to do,
according to the law, was for the
police to carry out investigations
and charge him to court for
prosecution, but they killed him, his
in-law was killed, they went and
demolished their houses.
“Because of that, his supporters
resorted to what they are doing
today.
“You see in the case of the Niger
Delta militants, the late President
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua sent an
airplane to bring them, he sat down
with them and discussed with them,
they were cajoled, and they were
given money and granted amnesty.
“They were trained in some skills
and were given employment, but
the ones in the north are being
killed and their houses demolished.
They are different issues, what
brought this? It is injustice.”
(1)Why is the Niger Delta being bombed?
(2)Is Buhari on a revenge mission ?
(3)Is Buhari paying GEJ back for military offensive against
boko haram?
(4)What are the miltitary rules of engagements?
(5)What is the National Assembly saying about this?
(6)Is this why Osinbanjo was locked out of security
meetings?
(7)What is Buhari doing about Fulani herdsmen/terrorists that
have been rampaging States in the North & Middle-belt for
ages,killing men,women & children?
(8)Has Buhari solved the boko haram menace in the North-
East?
Many questions begging for answers,just hoping Buhari is not
fast tracking Nigeria to doomsday¤¤¤¤¤¤¤
Friday 19 June 2015
The Nigeria Air-Force, Navy, Army is bombarding Biafra Land, terrorist elect Buhari has declare war on Biafra again. It is time for all the South/South and South/East join together now
U see!, RADIO BIAFRA can never get tired of bringing to u the quality service at the best time .
Enugu CHK is coming to u live this hour from 104.7 fm,
Pls tune in and tell ur neigbours.
If u are listening from outside Enugu pls call ur relatives
there who are lost some how to join us on 104.7 fm.
Saturday 18 April 2015
Xenophobic Attack: FG Begins Evacuation Of Nigerians From South Africa Monday
— April 18, 2015
xenophobic
As the Xenophobic attack on foreigners including Nigerians continues unabated in South Africa,the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria has stated that evacuation of Nigerians in the hostile country will begin on Monday, 20th April.
The development is a fall out of the xenophobic attacks being meted out by South Africans against other African nationals in their country, including Nigerians.
Leadership learnt from a press statement emanating from the office of the Commission in Pretoria to that effect.
The statement said that Nigerians who feel endangered, and do not have the fare back home to quickly make themselves available for evacuation.
The statement read in parts: “as from Monday 20th of April 2015, the process of evacuating Nigerians from South Africa will begin as directed by the Federal Government of Nigeria due to the ongoing Xenophobic attack on black foreign nationals in the Republic of South Africa.
“To that effect an evacuation register will be open at the High Commission in Pretoria for Nigerians intending to return to Nigeria but cannot afford flight tickets.”
Source: daily news
http://www.chidiukwu.com/xenophobic-attack-fg-begins-evacuation-of-nigerians-from-south-africa-monday/
Former model who fled Australia to join Islamic State is ‘shot dead fighting for the terror group in Syria’
Melbourne model Sharky Jama has reportedly been shot dead in Syria
He fled to the Middle East last year to fight with Islamic State with a friend
Sharky’s father confirmed his son’s death while relatives posted tributes
Family were told on Monday by friends via a text message and phone call
Model-turned-jihadist Sharky Jama has reportedly been killed in Syria while fighting with terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS).
The Melbourne man’s father, Dada Jama, confirmed his death to SBS Radio while tributes to the young man flooded social media.
Somali broadcaster Ibrahim Mohamed said he had spoken with the family on Wednesday who told him Sharky had died after being shot.
The jihadist’s father had been told by Sharky’s friends that the worst had happened.
‘[Dada] got a text message and he received a phone call from Syria, someone has told him his son has passed away,’ Mr Mohamed said.
‘Then he said “I tried his number”, because he has contact with his son. Automatically, it goes to voicemail, that’s what he said, and then he knew that his son is gone.’
The Department of Foreign Affairs was unable to confirm Sharky’s death as its capacity to do so was ‘extremely limited’.
A spokesman for the department told Daily Mail Australia consular assistance was no longer available within Syria ‘due to the extremely dangerous security situation’.
He further added Australians who were involved in overseas conflicts were ‘putting their own lives in mortal danger’.
‘Any Australians fighting with non-state militia in Syria or Iraq should end their involvement in the conflict now and leave the conflict zone,’ the spokesman said.
‘Australians are strongly advised not to travel to Syria or Iraq; any Australians in either country should leave immediately.’
The former model’s cousins have taken to Facebook to pay tribute to their much-loved family member.
‘To my beautiful cousin, the lessons learnt in your presence where priceless in any capacity the childhood memories we shared invaluable you’ll be greatly missed for you where great in every shade of light,’ they said.
While another relative wrote: ‘Rest in peace my handsome lil cousin! All them beautiful memories and time we shared I shall keep dear to my heart. May Allah bless your soul.’
Before he joined IS, Sharky was a ‘budding’ model with FRM Management.
Reports the Melbourne man of Somalian descent had fled to Syria to join the front lines first surfaced last year.
It is believed Sharky and his friend, former La Trobe University student Yusuf Yusuf, had travelled to key IS outposts of Fallujah, Iraq, and Raqqa, Syria, respectively.
In various pictures published by his modelling agency, Sharky is seen posing for photographs in smart casual clothing.
Propaganda prop: Abdullah Elmir, 17, from western Sydney, featured in a high-definition Islamic State broadcast earlier this year
FOR THE ENTIRE ARTICLE CLICK LINK
Source: jewish news
http://www.chidiukwu.com/former-model-who-fled-australia-to-join-islamic-state-is-shot-dead-fighting-for-the-terror-group-in-syria/
Friday 17 April 2015
Pedophilia is a Cornerstone of Islam
— April 17, 2015
muhammad-baqir-al-hakim-kisses-boy-on-lips-on-arrival-to-supreme-council-najaf-iraq
Child molestation is not only widespread throughout the Muslim world, but is completely accepted as a standard practice by Muslim men. In fact, in 2012, Pentagon lawyers, at the request of the Obama administration drafted an Army manual which forbade any criticism of child molestation by troops serving in Muslim countries.
The 75-page handbook stated troops should avoid “making derogatory comments about the Taliban, advocating women’s rights, any criticism of pedophilia, directing any criticism towards Afghans, mentioning homosexuality and homosexual conduct” or “anything related to Islam,” Judicial Watch reported.
Of course, when speaking on the topic of pedophilia in Islamic culture, one cannot ignore the original ‘chomo’ (prison slang for child molester)…the prophet himself, Muhammad.
Muhammad married his bride, Aisha at age six, but reportedly waited until she was 9-years-old to deflower the youngster.
In 2011, Muslim cleric Dr. Salih bin Fawzan tried to rationalize Muhammad’s criminal behavior in the following (rather laughable text):
The story of the prophet’s marriage to Aisha reveals to us aspects like the prophet’s conduct with Aisha, and more importantly the aspect regarding the relationship between the husband and wife, to show how one should treat his wife, just as the prophet did with Aisha.
We know that Asia’s mother went to take her down from the swing that she was playing on to fix her hair and prepare her for the prophet so he could enter her [have sex with her]—and she did that all on the same day.
It gets even more sickening…
So you see, she was playing with her fellow playmates even though her day of consummation was that very same day—and all that they did was to fix her up for the prophet so he could have sex with her.
Now what do we see when the prophet married Aisha? Did he go to her and say “Okay that’s it, you’re married, you’re now a grown up, you’re supposed to be mature, you need to do this and that; you need to forget about your toys and your little friends; you are now a wife of a man, you have to see to my needs” and that’s it?
No. The prophet allowed her to continue playing with her toy dolls—indeed, the prophet even sometimes gave her such things to play with.
This same Saudi cleric issued a fatwa stating that there should be no minimum requirement age for girls to marry, “even if they are in the cradle,” and simply that “they are capable of being placed beneath and bearing the weight of the men.”
And, in the tradition of the pedophile prophet, several so-called ‘moderate Muslim’ countries have no minimum age for girls to marry, these include: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Yemen.
Several years ago, the minimum age for marriage in Yemen was 15, but that was abolished in 1999. Unofficially, Yemeni clerics agreed that puberty begins at the age of nine, therfore that is when husbands should begin having sex with their child brides, according to a Human Rights Watch report.
FOR THE ENTIRE ARTICLE CLICK LINK
Source: jewish news
PRESENTATION OF CERTIFICATE OF RETURN IN ENUGU.
— April 17, 2015
PIC.17. ENUGU STATE GOVERNOR ELECT, MR IFEANYI UGWUANYI (L) RECEIVING HIS CERTIFICATE OF RETURN FROM INEC RETURNING OFFICER, DAME GLADYS NWAFOR IN ENUGU ON FRIDAY (17/4/15). 2056/17/4/2015/MAG/JAU/CH/NAN
PIC.17. ENUGU STATE GOVERNOR ELECT, MR IFEANYI UGWUANYI (L) RECEIVING
HIS CERTIFICATE OF RETURN FROM INEC RETURNING OFFICER, DAME GLADYS
NWAFOR IN ENUGU ON FRIDAY (17/4/15).
2056/17/4/2015/MAG/JAU/CH/NAN
PIC.18. MEMBER HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ELECT FOR UDI/EZEAGU FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY OF ENUGU STATE, MR DENNIS AMADI RECEIVING HIS CERTIFICATE OF RETURN FROM INEC RETURNING OFFICER, DAME GLADYS NWAFOR IN ENUGU ON FRIDAY (17/04/15). 2057/17/4/2015/MAG/JAU/CH/NAN
PIC.18. MEMBER HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ELECT FOR UDI/EZEAGU FEDERAL
CONSTITUENCY OF ENUGU STATE, MR DENNIS AMADI RECEIVING HIS CERTIFICATE
OF RETURN FROM INEC RETURNING OFFICER, DAME GLADYS NWAFOR IN ENUGU ON
FRIDAY (17/04/15).
2057/17/4/2015/MAG/JAU/CH/NAN
Source:http://www.chidiukwu.com/presentation-of-certificate-of-return-in-enugu/
South African Police Disperse Immigrant Vigilante Group
— April 17, 2015
jacob_zuma_-_copy
South African police fired rubber bullets and a stun grenade on Friday to disperse a group of African immigrants who had armed themselves with machetes in a run-down district of east Johannesburg.
An official said on condition of anonymity that many South African anti-immigrant protesters gathered to confront the vigilante group, but they were also dispersed by police.
International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, was expected to meet ambassadors and diplomats from other African countries to discuss the latest wave of xenophobic attacks in the country.
One media photographer also said on condition of anonymity that he was attacked by South African protesters and his equipment stolen.
He said more than four people have been killed in the unrest that started two weeks ago in Durban, a major port on South Africa’s Indian Ocean coast where further clashes broke out on Thursday.
He said many of those affected by xenophobic sentiments in the country are from Nigeria, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi.
South African President, Jacob Zuma, Speaking in parliament on Thursday, called the attacks “shocking” and “unacceptable”.
He said there were no amount of frustration or anger that can ever justify the attacks on foreign nationals and the looting of their shops.
Zuma condemned the violence in the strongest possible terms, stressing that it violated all the values that South Africa embodies.
Violence flared days after Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini said in remarks reported by local media that foreigners should leave South Africa.
He has since said his comments were misinterpreted. (Reuters/NAN)
Source: http://www.chidiukwu.com/south-african-police-disperse-immigrant-vigilante-group/
Solar-powered Aircraft Held Up In China By Strong Winds
— April 17, 2015
Solar-powered aircraft
The Swiss solar-powered aircraft “ Solar Impulse 2’’ was facing a delay to its round-the-world trip of at least three weeks due to strong winds in China.
Piccard and Andre Boschberg, who are globally promoting the Solar Impulse 2 power, said on Friday, in Biejing, that the craft landed in the south-western Chinese megacity of Chongqing on March 31 amid strong headwinds.
They said the aircraft had been scheduled to leave again on Thursday, but the bad weather led to a further postponement.
They said strong cross winds covering all China provided for a too narrow window for landing in Nanjing, the proposed next stop.
Solar Impulse 2, with Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard, 57 at the controls completed the 1,375-kilometre journey to Chongqing from Mandalay in Myanmar.
Source: daily news
http://www.chidiukwu.com/solar-powered-aircraft-held-up-in-china-by-strong-winds/
Thursday 19 March 2015
Friday 6 March 2015
Amosu: Jonathan Has Shown More Commitment to Ending Insurgency than His Ambition
06 Mar 2015
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu
Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, on Thursday in Abuja commended President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment to tackling insurgency in the North-east, saying the president had shown greater commitments to ending the menace than his re-election bid.
Speaking while defending the budget of Nigeria Air Force before the Senate Committee on Defence (Airforce) yesterday, Amosu said military operations in the North-east had totally destroyed Boko Haram stronghold by damaging its command and control in the area.
Amosu also praised the collaborative efforts of the neighbouring countries of Chad, Cameroun, Benin Republic and Niger in the fight against the insurgents, saying the bilateral cooperation between Nigerian soldiers and the countries had boosted the capacity of the nation’s security forces.
The neighbouring countries, he said, had blocked the terrorists’ escape root to their countries.
He said: “On the 15th of February, we were in Lagos to harmonise equipment with the ammunition system. It was very clear that we were commencing a major offensive which was very quick for me to release information that we were going to storm the North-east. We are going to storm the Sambisa Forest. Since 15th, if you notice, there has not been any major offensive from the Boko Haram terrorists. It is very clear that by our efforts, we have been able to disrupt their communication lines. The command and control is substantially damaged.
“Again, their ability to plan is not there. We have also been able to destroy their training stations. So, the issue of regeneration is out of it. We are lucky again to have our neighbours who have agreed to work with us. That has given us huge comfort because when they cannot run away to the neighbouring countries, we are sure that we are going to contain them here, and it will be easy to take them down. So far, we are happy and satisfied with what is going on.
“And I am happy to announce to you that we are getting a lot of cooperation from the citizens. We are getting valuable intelligence from the citizens. We just want to encourage them to keep it up because this is our country and we have no other country to go to. These are people coming from outside the country to attempt to destabilise our country.
“I want to use this opportunity to acknowledge fully the support of Mr. President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. For me, this is a personal opinion, he has given more effort to security than even his politics. So, we are happy with him,” he stated.
In his reaction, Chairman, Senate Committee on Airforce, Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali, said the primary responsibility of the government was to protect lives and property as he assured the Airforce that he would do everything within his power to ensure that the outfit is well funded.
“You see, as it is enshrined in the constitution of this country, it is the cardinal responsibility of government to protect lives and property. So, despite that there is a challenge in our revenue, we have to prioritise the little that we have, to make sure that this country is protected. So, I am going to take it up with the Committee on Appropriation when I go to submit my report and make sure that they get more funding.
“So, I strongly suggest that we have an integrated budgetary system in this country, not only for the Budget Office to sit down and prepare the budget. The ministries, departments and agencies alongside the National Assembly and the Budget Office need to prepare the budget together so that they come up with a comprehensive budget that will satisfy the yearnings and aspirations of our citizens,” he said.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/amosu-jonathan-has-shown-more-commitment-to-ending-insurgency-than-his-ambition/203404/
"Tens Of Thousands Of Germans Gather Together To Protest Against Islam, They Raise Up Their Crosses, Sing Traditional Christian Songs, And Want Germany To Remain Christian And Not Islamic (STOP BRINGING MUSLIMS INTO EUROPE AND BRING BACK CHRISTENDOM!)
By Ted on December 22, 2014 in Featured, General,
By #Theodore_Shoebat.
17,500 Germans gathered together today, singing traditional Christian songs, to carry Christian crosses as an expression of Christian supremacy, to protest against Islam, and to fight off the Islamization of Germany. They are part of a very passionate group called PEDIDA or Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the Occident, and they are here to make sure Germany remains German and Christian.
In Dresdon, the police said that some 17,500 were present, and in the previous week, 15,000 Germans gathered to protest against Islam in Germany. I did a whole video on this, with clips of the actual protests:
The group is striving and protesting for “the right to preserve and protect our Christian-Jewish dominated West culture” and against the take over of Islam over the Christian culture of Germany. Amazingly, the group only began with 200 people just two months ago. On the first day of December, they had 7,500 people gather together for a protest; 10,000 the week after, and in the subsequent week 15,000, and now its over 17,000.
There is a beautiful photo that came out of Germans carrying up a majestic cross with the colors of the German flag:
The movement is growing and it will continue to grow. Why? Because God is restoring Europe, away from the darkness of multiculturalism, and into the light of Christian supremacy. When I see this photo of the cross in Germany, I am filled with hope, I am filled with aspiration, I am filled with zeal, I am filled with urgency, to join their ranks. We must learn from these patriots. Let us carry crosses in the streets, with people numbering, not in the hundreds, but in the tens of thousands.
Let us cry out Bible verses, let us confront the enemies of righteousness, let us carry high the image of the cross, and let it be seen by all, as a sign that our Faith will be supreme and will be triumphant over the wiles and deceptions of the devil. Let us put the scoffers to shame, let us pierce the bastions of the devil with the blade of the cross, and let us, without any shame, shake the very foundations of this country, and of this world.
It is Christian supremacy that will bring Europe away from the abyss of indifferentism and the disease of tolerance. With hearts throbbing, with zeal burning in our veins, with gallant spirit crying out within our very beings, let us fight all those who wish to replace Christianity with their towers of Babel. Let us shake these very towers and watch them topple.
Let us be Christians, let us be militants, let us be Crusaders. Let us fight, until no more the pagan prayers of the Muslims be heard, until all we shall hear are the cries of Deus Vult! and the prayers of the saints!
These patriotic Germans gathered together to sing Christmas carols, which are really majestic traditional Christian songs, and to triumph Christianity above Islam. They are fighting to prevent the “watering down” of their Christian-rooted culture and traditions. According to one report:
There is a mounting public backlash over what many perceive as the government’s indifference to the growing influence of Islam in German society. This backlash represents a potentially significant turning point.
Despite efforts by German politicians and the media to portray PEGIDA as neo-Nazi, the group has taken great pains to distance itself from Germany’s extreme right. The group says that it is “apolitical” and that its main objective is to preserve what is left of Germany’s Judeo-Christian culture and values.
Our correspondant in Germany Peter Schmidt reported that:
“The Anti-islamisation Movment in Dresden, Germany grew even bigger, the Media is donwlplaying it, first they said it was 10.000, then it was 17.500, but in reality it was more than 25.000 ppl who sang Christian Christmas Carols, we also had a Minute of silence for the 140 murdered Children in Afghanistan just recently, as well as the Victims of the latest terror attack in Dijon, France as well as any other victim of islamic violence! All the Christmas Songs we sang, were Christian songs. before each Sonmg the words of the song were said loud and clear, therefore the Name of the Lord was said and sung from more than 25.000 tongues!!!”
And if these are “neo-Nazi”, perhaps someone will tell us, what are they doing here singing “Silent Night”? Our corespondant Mr. Peter Schmidt sent us video to show the world the truth and to express “we are Christians”:
In the above video Peter explains: “the speaker tells the crowd that there are political party leaders around and that they might try to jump on the bandwagon and use our movement, then you can hear us “boooing” which is followed by “Wir sind das Volk” which simply means “we are the people”. We now have branches in Italy, France, Swiss and even Poland.”
Peter adds: “I did pray, many times that God may choose my nation to fight on the good side this time and I must say, it does look pretty good, when I see my people rising up against a leftist, enviromentalist gerdermainstreamist type of goverment. BTW there were several Israeli flags there in the crowd.”
When I look at these protests, and how they are dramatically increasing, and when I see how they are intensifying in their zeal and their patriotism, I see God’s hand; I see God’s hand bringing back the land that belongs to Him, and restoring it to the glorious Faith that created Christian civilization.
It is Christianity that made Western Civilization, and it will be Christianity that will restore Christendom.
These protestors are pioneers for the restoration of Christendom, and for the destruction and utter uprooting of the Islamic heresy, and all of the Islamic devils.
The genius of Western Europe sprouted from the glorious light of Christianity, it is from the Holy Faith where we received our justice, our arts, our culture, and the beauty that lies at the center of our civilization.
Christianity has stood the test of time, and it will never disappear; it will always be here, to transcend humanity from the travails of the diabolical to the eternal choirs of angels; to have civilization become victorious over the mountainous heaps of skulls wrought by what tyrannies have tried to defeat the Faith; to have the Cross crush the Crescent.
Christianity will never go away! It will always be here to fight the evildoers, to confront them, and to destroy them! In the words of the French philosopher, Rene Chateaubriand,
As for us, we are convinced that Christianity will rise triumphant from the dreadful trial by which it has just been purified.
It is the Christian militant, and the soccer hooligans who will save Europe. Just look at the protests that have been happening throughout Europe, be it in Germany, England, Italy, Spain, France, who are the ones in the rallies and the crowds? Christian militants who fight for the Faith and soccer hooligans. The Christian militants and the soccer hooligans will end up being the preservers of Western civilization.
Not the useless secularists, not the sodomites or the indifferentists, but the Christian militants and the soccer hooligans.
Let Christendom arise and let it destroy the evildoers! Let us go forth and uproot the wicked, and vanquish the enemies of Christendom! Let us go out, singing with holy David:
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,
And a two-edged sword in their hand,
To execute vengeance on the nations,
And punishments on the peoples;
To bind their kings with chains,
And their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute on them the written judgment—
This honor have all His saints. (Psalm 149:6-9)
In Germany, “Hooligans gegen Salafisten” appears to be a growing broad spectrum anti-Islamification movement.
Hooligan culture is on the rise again in Germany. Fan commissioners from Aachen, Braunschweig, Dortmund, Dรผsseldorf and Frankfurt report that hooligans who were active as long ago as the 1990s are once again rising and are on the increase in what the media portrays as “right-wing motivated behavior”.
On Twitter, users tweeting under the #hogesa tag have written, “This movement must never rest until we are finally in charge of our own country again.” One woman wrote, “Germany is finally waking up,” while another tweet included a German flag bearing the words, “We don’t want a [Muslim] theocracy.”
Rainer Wendt, chair of the German Police Union, claims that the hooligan groups and the right-wing scene more generally are merely exploiting the topic of Salafism in Germany in order to mobilize their sympathizers and attract new supporters. Wendt adds that such groups’ frequent assertion that the German state is failing in its fight against Islamists is “nonsense,” saying, “What these people don’t accept is that we’re using legal means to address the matter rather than crowbars.”
But the masses are not satisfied.
The GnuHonnters network was founded on a farm in the town of Leichlingen, in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Back then, at the beginning of 2012, the meeting was made up almost exclusively of old-time hooligans with paunches. Members of the Borussenfront, a group of hooligans associated with the Borussia Dortmund club, sent out the invitations, and it was the perfect chance to drink beer and reminisce over battles past.
From meeting to meeting, the number of people in attendance grew, with many more younger hooligans, martial artists and youth squads. They met sometimes in Frankfurt, sometimes in Berlin, and never in the same place twice.
Europe is in turmoil and as we can see, eventually the people get tired of Islamic supremacy and take action.
Please donate for Rescue Christians who suffer under the yoke of Islamic supremacy.
They even have a song Hooligans gegen Salafisten (Hooligans Against [Muslim] Salafists) and one can decipher “Muhammad” “Caliphate” “Sharia” “Taliban” and “Muslim” and you get the picture. What Europeans are saying is that “we had enough”:
TRANSLATION OF THE SONG (and we find nothing “Nazi” in the lyrics)
The shadow world of the FRG Federal Republic of Germany
is ruled by Allah’s bearded men
Sharia-police and honour killing
nobody stops the madness
no word in the media
When you keep ignoring it
When the knife is at the neck
Then you understand
Islam wants no peace
but God’s slavery
a whole life
you wont’ be free anymore
Refrain:
Hooligans vs Salafists
we don’t want a theocracy
Hooligans vs Salafists
or Germany becomes a mass grave
Hooligans vs Salafists
we don’t want a theocracy
Hooligans vs Salafists
Only together
togther we are strong
Together
Together
Today they slaughter
sheep and cattle
tomorrow maybe christian children
In the Caliphate you can already see it
Then we will perish
If you do not follow Mohammed’s orders
you will have a knife at your neck
Whether man wether woman
wheter young wether old
And if there is any objection
then crucifixion is imminent
Refrain
If you believe in the wrong god
You can loose your head easily
Muslims can’t take a joke
the mummed/veiled/covered hate rules them
Boko Haram and Taliban
your terror sucks
Salfist and ISIS-idiots
you all should be forbidden
Refrain
P.S: We Send This Song To Our Friends In Germany:
go here:http://shoebat.com/…/tens-thousands-germans-gather-togethe…/
Why I Want Jega to Resign, by Uwazurike, MASSOB Leader
06 Mar 2015
Leader of the Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike
-Denies being sponsored
Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu
Leader of the Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, said on Thursday that his call for the immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, from office was predicated on the need for the commission to deliver credible election to Nigerians.
He dismissed insinuations in some quarters that he was being sponsored by some highly placed government officials to make such calls, noting that anybody who wishes Nigeria well must join in the call.
Uwazurike had during a press conference in Owerri said Prof Jega cannot conduct a pre-determined election in the southern part of the country. He said aside the ‘obvious display of bias’, the INEC chairman ought to proceed on a three-months pre-retirement leave as was done by his predecessors, Dr Abel Guobadia and Prof Maurice Iwu, during their time.
He said the three geo-political zones of the South-east, south-south and south-west would not participate in any election conducted by Professor Jega, as the people of the area have already lost confidence in the ability of the INEC chairman to conduct credible elections.
“It is amasing that one of the political parties is strongly opposed to the removal of Jega. It is also amasing that Jega refused to step aside even when there are evidences pointing to his bias. What is disturbing is indeed the catastrophe his agenda may provoke. This catastrophe could be avoided.
“In as much as many believe that Jega has compromised, the only option left for him is to quit. He is not the only person that can conduct elections in Nigeria. Any national commissioner of the INEC can do so.”
“My worry is that the said election if conducted by Jega will lack credibility and will unavoidably engulf the nation in serious crisis. In such crisis as usual, the safety of lives and property of Ndigbo in the North and other parts of Nigeria will be targets for destruction.
“From the outset, Jega was not prepared for free and fair elections. He compromised that by his infamous 30,000 polling units, where he allotted more than 2/3 of the polling units to the North.
Despite public outcry and the senate also passing a resolution stating that the polling units should not be used. Still Jega went ahead and converted the polling units to voting centres in the North,” he alleged.
He also alleged that the preparations for the conduct of the elections by Jega had been characterised by falsehood, recalling that a week before the postponement of the elections, he claimed he was ready conduct the elections.
“It is no longer news that Jega was able to distribute more than 90 per cent of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in the North including the war torn areas of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states, but failed to distribute up to 50 per cent in the South, prior to the postponement of the elections.
“As at the day Jega announced the postponement of the elections, he was yet to employ the seven hundred thousand ad-hoc staff, yet he claimed he was ready to conduct the elections,” he said.
On how he will stop the southerners from participating in the elections, the MASSOB boss said he would employ the tactics used during the last national census when his group successfully boycotted the exercise.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/why-i-want-jega-to-resign-by-uwazurike-massob-leader/203411/
Leader of the Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike
-Denies being sponsored
Christopher Isiguzo in Enugu
Leader of the Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, said on Thursday that his call for the immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, from office was predicated on the need for the commission to deliver credible election to Nigerians.
He dismissed insinuations in some quarters that he was being sponsored by some highly placed government officials to make such calls, noting that anybody who wishes Nigeria well must join in the call.
Uwazurike had during a press conference in Owerri said Prof Jega cannot conduct a pre-determined election in the southern part of the country. He said aside the ‘obvious display of bias’, the INEC chairman ought to proceed on a three-months pre-retirement leave as was done by his predecessors, Dr Abel Guobadia and Prof Maurice Iwu, during their time.
He said the three geo-political zones of the South-east, south-south and south-west would not participate in any election conducted by Professor Jega, as the people of the area have already lost confidence in the ability of the INEC chairman to conduct credible elections.
“It is amasing that one of the political parties is strongly opposed to the removal of Jega. It is also amasing that Jega refused to step aside even when there are evidences pointing to his bias. What is disturbing is indeed the catastrophe his agenda may provoke. This catastrophe could be avoided.
“In as much as many believe that Jega has compromised, the only option left for him is to quit. He is not the only person that can conduct elections in Nigeria. Any national commissioner of the INEC can do so.”
“My worry is that the said election if conducted by Jega will lack credibility and will unavoidably engulf the nation in serious crisis. In such crisis as usual, the safety of lives and property of Ndigbo in the North and other parts of Nigeria will be targets for destruction.
“From the outset, Jega was not prepared for free and fair elections. He compromised that by his infamous 30,000 polling units, where he allotted more than 2/3 of the polling units to the North.
Despite public outcry and the senate also passing a resolution stating that the polling units should not be used. Still Jega went ahead and converted the polling units to voting centres in the North,” he alleged.
He also alleged that the preparations for the conduct of the elections by Jega had been characterised by falsehood, recalling that a week before the postponement of the elections, he claimed he was ready conduct the elections.
“It is no longer news that Jega was able to distribute more than 90 per cent of the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in the North including the war torn areas of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states, but failed to distribute up to 50 per cent in the South, prior to the postponement of the elections.
“As at the day Jega announced the postponement of the elections, he was yet to employ the seven hundred thousand ad-hoc staff, yet he claimed he was ready to conduct the elections,” he said.
On how he will stop the southerners from participating in the elections, the MASSOB boss said he would employ the tactics used during the last national census when his group successfully boycotted the exercise.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/why-i-want-jega-to-resign-by-uwazurike-massob-leader/203411/
Jonathan: Chibok Girls are Alive, Will Be Recovered
06 Mar 2015
President Goodluck Jonathan
• FG meets with parents of schoolgirls
•Elderly men studying Qur'an in Gwoza killed as sect is expelled from Mafa
Jaiyeola Andrews in Abuja and Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri
Almost one year after over 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, and possibly encouraged by the inroads the Nigerian military has made in recovering some territories from Boko Haram, President Goodluck Jonathan has again promised that his government is not relenting in its efforts to rescue them and reunite them with their families.
The president, who spoke when he appeared on the African Independent Television (AIT) programme Kaakaki, expressed optimism that as the military continues to narrow the area of territory held by Boko Haram in the North-east, the kidnapped girls were still alive and would be recovered.
He premised his confidence on the fact that the girls were still alive, stating that had they been killed by the terror group, their corpses would have been displayed for the whole world to see and to instill fear.
“Some territories are still in the hands of Boko Haram. But we promised
that we must get the girls. The good story is that they have not killed them because the terrorists, when they kill, they display.
“They use it to intimidate the whole society. The girls are alive. We will get the girls. Luckily, we are narrowing down the area of their control. So we will get them,” he said.
Jonathan, in the hour-long programme, also admitted that his government underestimated the Islamist sect, but with the increased capacity of the military, which had taken possession of more than 65 per cent of the military hardware required to rout the group, he stated that the remaining territories still under the control of the terrorists would soon be recaptured.
“At the beginning, probably we did not really estimate the capacity of Boko Haram. It is obvious. Boko Haram started as a non-violent group led by (Mohammed) Yusuf, limited to around Maiduguri area and parts of Yobe. They had not even spread to Adamawa.
“Just like every group of youths or young people who are criminally inclined, over the period they expanded their network and linked up with other terrorist organisations like Al-Qaeda and other similar brands in the world.
“So they continued to build their capacity and it got to a point that for you to tackle them in the kind of environment they operate, you need some specialised equipment and we don’t manufacture these equipment. That is why the strategy changed. So it was not deliberate,” he said.
On the forthcoming elections, Jonathan acknowledged that he is facing a stiffer opposition than he faced in 2011, but remained confident that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would win at the polls.
He said: “I agree with you it was easier in 2011, but PDP is still the dominant party. There is no polling unit in Nigeria where you don’t have members of the PDP.
“Yes, for one reason or the other, within the party people get angry and may even vote against PDP but in terms of membership of the PDP, there is no party that has that spread.
“So PDP still has the most formidable structure, PDP has better chances of winning a national election.
“Even the opposition will tell you if they are realistic. Who has strengthened the opposition? Are they not the PDP elements? If you remove the PDP elements from the opposition, they will just crumble like a pack of cards.
“Why are people aggressive towards the PDP to the extent that even the presidential convoy is stoned? Why do you show that aggression? If you are comfortable, you will not do that.”
He however admitted that re-election bids in most countries are more challenging, stating: “Globally, it is more challenging for a president to secure a second term than the first term, because people get disappointed when their expectations are not quickly met by those they voted for.
But PDP still has an edge over the opposition.”
Also commenting on the fuel shortages in the country, the president blamed the situation on lack of refining capacity in the country, adding that the federal government had taken the necessary measure to end the fuel queues.
“Of course, the issue of payment is being addressed and we believe that within one or two day, this will completely go. But until we start refining our crude oil to get our own products here within the country, we cannot get out of some of these problems.
"It is even really the policy of government. When you continue to export raw materials, you are actually exporting jobs. But our objective is to privatise the refineries and attract private sector investors into the sector,” he said.
On a similar note, the federal government yesterday held a closed-door meeting with the parents and relatives of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls and laid out plans on their release.
A press statement by Olawale Rasheed, Special Adviser to the Minister of State for Power, said that during the meeting held in Maiduguri, the
Borno State capital, the federal government through the minister (Mohammed Wakil) told the parents how far it had gone in securing the release of the schoolgirls from captivity, adding that the government was still committed to their safe return.
He told the parents that the federal government has devised a comprehensive counter-insurgency strategy which has four focal goals of reclaiming occupied territories; rescuing abducted persons; resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs); and the rehabilitation of insurgency-ravaged communities.
Wakil told the gathering: “Mr. President is pursuing a multi-faceted strategy which address the pains, anger and frustrations of victims. Our president directed me to tell you that his government is committed to doing everything possible for the safe return of your daughters.
“I am here to convey the symphathy of Mr. President and the entire federal cabinet to you the parents and families as well as all other victims. As you are all aware, our military is gaining the upper hand in this sacred war. We believe by the grace of God, your children will return safely.”
He praised the families for refusing to support the politicisation of the abduction of the schoolgirls, stating: “Your presence here to listen to the message of Mr. President confirms your belief in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations as a solution to our collective challenge.
“I assure you that not only will the rescue operations be successful, the other three goals of reclaiming occupied territories, resettlement of IDPs and rebuilding of communities will be pursued to a logical conclusion.
“This is a personal pledge of Mr. President which the entire administration is committed to.”
Responding, the spokesperson of the parents and families of the Chibok girls, Mrs. Pindar Dauda, thanked the president for his concern and sympathy while praying for the success of the ongoing military operations.
She however appealed to the president not to relent, insisting: “He should continue with the war against Boko Haram. He should get our children back to us safely. We are praying for him and the military.”
In attendance at the meeting were the youth leader of the Chibok community and some elders of the community.
Meanwhile, Boko Haram militants have been amassing weapons in the Borno town of Gwoza, believed to be the group’s headquarters, killing residents who were unable to flee, a senator and witnesses said yesterday.
A female resident, who fled Gwoza on Tuesday and requested anonymity said the insurgents rounded up elderly men who were studying the Qur'an outside the home of a local cleric.
The men were later executed in front of their wives, the witness told AFP from Yola, capital of neighbouring Adamawa State.
“The Boko Haram men brought out brand new guns from cartons, tested
them and shot dead all the men who they forced to lie face down,” she said.
Some of these details were supported by Senator Ali Ndume, who also confirmed the large build-up of insurgents in Gwoza.
“Boko Haram insurgents have in recent days been converging on Gwoza where they killed many male residents and chased women and children out of the town,” said Ndume.
The group’s leader Abubakar Shekau proclaimed Gwoza part of the Islamic caliphate and reclaiming the town that was captured last June would be a huge prize for Nigeria’s military.
Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and Niger have since last month been waging an unprecedented joint offensive against the insurgents, claiming the recapture of several key towns and villages previously under Islamist control.
Ndume speculated that the Islamists were preparing to defend the symbolically important town before an expected military advance, possibly by Chadian troops who are operating in the area with Nigeria’s permission.
The motive for the rebel build-up in Gwoza could not be independently confirmed but witnesses said a large number of residents had also been killed in recent days.
The current population of Gwoza is hard to estimate.
Many people in the town on the Camerounian border fled amid the rebel takeover in June but many others — including those too old or sick to run — stayed behind.
There were also indications that Boko Haram tried to reassure people that it was safe to stay in the town and live under the so-called caliphate.
Experts said Chad’s army has offered a huge boost to Nigeria in recent
weeks as both nations have boasted of major successes against the insurgents.
Chadian President Idriss Deby on Wednesday claimed he knew where Shekau was and called on him to surrender while vowing to “wipe out” the Islamists.
In another attack, Boko Haram is believed to have killed dozens of people, including children, in Njab village in Borno State on Tuesday.
Gunmen deliberately targeted children, witnesses told AFP news agency.
“I participated in the counting of dead bodies. Sixty-eight people were killed,” said Muminu Haruna, who escaped the attack in the village.
Militants fired into homes and then set the village on fire, witnesses reported.
The massacre took place on Tuesday but reports only emerged yesterday, as the village is in an extremely remote part of the state.
Despite the resistance being put up by the insurgents, Nigerian troops yesterday successfully expelled them from Mafa in Borno.
The defence headquarters revealed this on its Twitter handle yesterday, stating: “Troops are now in full control of Mafa, Borno State after completing the operation to clear terrorists from the town yesterday evening.”
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/jonathan-chibok-girls-are-alive-will-be-recovered/203435/
President Goodluck Jonathan
• FG meets with parents of schoolgirls
•Elderly men studying Qur'an in Gwoza killed as sect is expelled from Mafa
Jaiyeola Andrews in Abuja and Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri
Almost one year after over 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, and possibly encouraged by the inroads the Nigerian military has made in recovering some territories from Boko Haram, President Goodluck Jonathan has again promised that his government is not relenting in its efforts to rescue them and reunite them with their families.
The president, who spoke when he appeared on the African Independent Television (AIT) programme Kaakaki, expressed optimism that as the military continues to narrow the area of territory held by Boko Haram in the North-east, the kidnapped girls were still alive and would be recovered.
He premised his confidence on the fact that the girls were still alive, stating that had they been killed by the terror group, their corpses would have been displayed for the whole world to see and to instill fear.
“Some territories are still in the hands of Boko Haram. But we promised
that we must get the girls. The good story is that they have not killed them because the terrorists, when they kill, they display.
“They use it to intimidate the whole society. The girls are alive. We will get the girls. Luckily, we are narrowing down the area of their control. So we will get them,” he said.
Jonathan, in the hour-long programme, also admitted that his government underestimated the Islamist sect, but with the increased capacity of the military, which had taken possession of more than 65 per cent of the military hardware required to rout the group, he stated that the remaining territories still under the control of the terrorists would soon be recaptured.
“At the beginning, probably we did not really estimate the capacity of Boko Haram. It is obvious. Boko Haram started as a non-violent group led by (Mohammed) Yusuf, limited to around Maiduguri area and parts of Yobe. They had not even spread to Adamawa.
“Just like every group of youths or young people who are criminally inclined, over the period they expanded their network and linked up with other terrorist organisations like Al-Qaeda and other similar brands in the world.
“So they continued to build their capacity and it got to a point that for you to tackle them in the kind of environment they operate, you need some specialised equipment and we don’t manufacture these equipment. That is why the strategy changed. So it was not deliberate,” he said.
On the forthcoming elections, Jonathan acknowledged that he is facing a stiffer opposition than he faced in 2011, but remained confident that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would win at the polls.
He said: “I agree with you it was easier in 2011, but PDP is still the dominant party. There is no polling unit in Nigeria where you don’t have members of the PDP.
“Yes, for one reason or the other, within the party people get angry and may even vote against PDP but in terms of membership of the PDP, there is no party that has that spread.
“So PDP still has the most formidable structure, PDP has better chances of winning a national election.
“Even the opposition will tell you if they are realistic. Who has strengthened the opposition? Are they not the PDP elements? If you remove the PDP elements from the opposition, they will just crumble like a pack of cards.
“Why are people aggressive towards the PDP to the extent that even the presidential convoy is stoned? Why do you show that aggression? If you are comfortable, you will not do that.”
He however admitted that re-election bids in most countries are more challenging, stating: “Globally, it is more challenging for a president to secure a second term than the first term, because people get disappointed when their expectations are not quickly met by those they voted for.
But PDP still has an edge over the opposition.”
Also commenting on the fuel shortages in the country, the president blamed the situation on lack of refining capacity in the country, adding that the federal government had taken the necessary measure to end the fuel queues.
“Of course, the issue of payment is being addressed and we believe that within one or two day, this will completely go. But until we start refining our crude oil to get our own products here within the country, we cannot get out of some of these problems.
"It is even really the policy of government. When you continue to export raw materials, you are actually exporting jobs. But our objective is to privatise the refineries and attract private sector investors into the sector,” he said.
On a similar note, the federal government yesterday held a closed-door meeting with the parents and relatives of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls and laid out plans on their release.
A press statement by Olawale Rasheed, Special Adviser to the Minister of State for Power, said that during the meeting held in Maiduguri, the
Borno State capital, the federal government through the minister (Mohammed Wakil) told the parents how far it had gone in securing the release of the schoolgirls from captivity, adding that the government was still committed to their safe return.
He told the parents that the federal government has devised a comprehensive counter-insurgency strategy which has four focal goals of reclaiming occupied territories; rescuing abducted persons; resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs); and the rehabilitation of insurgency-ravaged communities.
Wakil told the gathering: “Mr. President is pursuing a multi-faceted strategy which address the pains, anger and frustrations of victims. Our president directed me to tell you that his government is committed to doing everything possible for the safe return of your daughters.
“I am here to convey the symphathy of Mr. President and the entire federal cabinet to you the parents and families as well as all other victims. As you are all aware, our military is gaining the upper hand in this sacred war. We believe by the grace of God, your children will return safely.”
He praised the families for refusing to support the politicisation of the abduction of the schoolgirls, stating: “Your presence here to listen to the message of Mr. President confirms your belief in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations as a solution to our collective challenge.
“I assure you that not only will the rescue operations be successful, the other three goals of reclaiming occupied territories, resettlement of IDPs and rebuilding of communities will be pursued to a logical conclusion.
“This is a personal pledge of Mr. President which the entire administration is committed to.”
Responding, the spokesperson of the parents and families of the Chibok girls, Mrs. Pindar Dauda, thanked the president for his concern and sympathy while praying for the success of the ongoing military operations.
She however appealed to the president not to relent, insisting: “He should continue with the war against Boko Haram. He should get our children back to us safely. We are praying for him and the military.”
In attendance at the meeting were the youth leader of the Chibok community and some elders of the community.
Meanwhile, Boko Haram militants have been amassing weapons in the Borno town of Gwoza, believed to be the group’s headquarters, killing residents who were unable to flee, a senator and witnesses said yesterday.
A female resident, who fled Gwoza on Tuesday and requested anonymity said the insurgents rounded up elderly men who were studying the Qur'an outside the home of a local cleric.
The men were later executed in front of their wives, the witness told AFP from Yola, capital of neighbouring Adamawa State.
“The Boko Haram men brought out brand new guns from cartons, tested
them and shot dead all the men who they forced to lie face down,” she said.
Some of these details were supported by Senator Ali Ndume, who also confirmed the large build-up of insurgents in Gwoza.
“Boko Haram insurgents have in recent days been converging on Gwoza where they killed many male residents and chased women and children out of the town,” said Ndume.
The group’s leader Abubakar Shekau proclaimed Gwoza part of the Islamic caliphate and reclaiming the town that was captured last June would be a huge prize for Nigeria’s military.
Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and Niger have since last month been waging an unprecedented joint offensive against the insurgents, claiming the recapture of several key towns and villages previously under Islamist control.
Ndume speculated that the Islamists were preparing to defend the symbolically important town before an expected military advance, possibly by Chadian troops who are operating in the area with Nigeria’s permission.
The motive for the rebel build-up in Gwoza could not be independently confirmed but witnesses said a large number of residents had also been killed in recent days.
The current population of Gwoza is hard to estimate.
Many people in the town on the Camerounian border fled amid the rebel takeover in June but many others — including those too old or sick to run — stayed behind.
There were also indications that Boko Haram tried to reassure people that it was safe to stay in the town and live under the so-called caliphate.
Experts said Chad’s army has offered a huge boost to Nigeria in recent
weeks as both nations have boasted of major successes against the insurgents.
Chadian President Idriss Deby on Wednesday claimed he knew where Shekau was and called on him to surrender while vowing to “wipe out” the Islamists.
In another attack, Boko Haram is believed to have killed dozens of people, including children, in Njab village in Borno State on Tuesday.
Gunmen deliberately targeted children, witnesses told AFP news agency.
“I participated in the counting of dead bodies. Sixty-eight people were killed,” said Muminu Haruna, who escaped the attack in the village.
Militants fired into homes and then set the village on fire, witnesses reported.
The massacre took place on Tuesday but reports only emerged yesterday, as the village is in an extremely remote part of the state.
Despite the resistance being put up by the insurgents, Nigerian troops yesterday successfully expelled them from Mafa in Borno.
The defence headquarters revealed this on its Twitter handle yesterday, stating: “Troops are now in full control of Mafa, Borno State after completing the operation to clear terrorists from the town yesterday evening.”
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/jonathan-chibok-girls-are-alive-will-be-recovered/203435/
Buhari Back from London
06 Mar 2015
General Muhammadu Buhari
All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, who left the shores on Nigeria controversially for London two weeks ago for medical attention as well as to make a speech at Chatham House, is back in the country.
He touched down at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 5.40 on Friday morning.
Asked about the true purpose of the trip, and the state of his health, he said it was human for anyone to have medical issues from time to time, but asked rhetorically: “Am I looking sick?”
Details to follow shortly.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/buhari-back-from-london/203441/
NIGERIANS" BE MORE BRAVE, STRONG AND NEVER LOSE-YOUR-HOPE, OUR HOPE ON SUPPORTING GEJ 2015. The Price of Freedom is not cheap.
ONLY-ONE-MAN-GOODLUCK JONATHAN-IS VERY IMPORTANT TO NIGERIANS".
#One_man_One_vote.
»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
"This year, 2015, is a year of temptation for Nigerians. Dont be tempted to vote a certificateless coupist as President. My greatest low state is whenever I see a single Nigerian compaigning for Buhari. I often get mad.
APC is made from Pit of Hell. It is an end-time beast that is prophecied by the time of Old which would rise to deceive many, even the elect (Patriotic Nigerians). Let us fight this beast together and move Nigeria forward. Vote for Change, vote Goodluck Ebele Jonathan today for continuity of good governance.
To defeat APC is to defeat Satan and his members(Buharist). All children of the Living God should rally round and stop the devil from taking up the scepter again. Vote GEJ for unity, prosperity and equality. Prove to the world that GEJ is a Nigerian and have all the right and priviledges of a full citizen. We are not Born-To-Follow. Destroy the jinx holding Nigeria for many years and vote a purported minority as President of all, even the majority.
From: Apologist Azolike Nonso Afamefuna
While Nigeria Prepares For Elections, Biafra Has Opened An ‘Embassy’ In Spain [SEE PHOTOS]
Nigeria Tell news:
Biafra has apparently opened an ‘embassy’ in Spain.
According to NewsExpress, the opening ceremony took place on February 28.
According to the report:
An Embassy of Biafra has been opened in Victoria, Spain. “It is another milestone in our drive towards Biafra’s restoration,” said a Radio Biafra broadcast from London monitored in Lagos by News Express.
The embassy, set up by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was opened on Saturday, Feb. 28, by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio Biafra, London.
In a prayer at the event, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu said: “We your children are gathered here in Vitoria Basque country O’Lord of Hosts, to do that which you have divinely mandated us to do. Today here in Northern Spain we open yet another chapter in this relentless effort to restore your kingdom upon the face of this earth. For the journey mercies you have granted us from all over the world here gathered we remain eternally grateful. From all over the world we have come to establish a firm base in this land from where your will must be done. This year belongs to us Biafrans because in the end all glory and honour will be yours and yours alone. Iseee!”
An elated Mazi Kanu yesterday expressed gratitude to God for the success of the event, writing on his Facebook page:
“To the most gracious almighty Chukwu Abhiama do we owe all that we are for this journey mercy granted to all hard core Biafrans that attended IPOB mission opening ceremony in Vitoria Basque Country in Spain. Magnificent and merciful creator of the universe, even if we worshipped you from now till eternity we still would not be able to repay you for the grace you have shown we Indigenous People of Biafra for guiding us back to our respective destinations. For those we left behind please guide them to their families in safety that in the end as always all honour and glory will be yours and yours alone because only you is worthy of praise. Your children have asked me to come to Amsterdam Netherlands from where your redeeming gospel of restoration will be preached tonight to the hearing of humanity. Abide with us Heavenly Father as you have always done for we are nothing without you. This family here shall find peace as they all desire that indeed your kingdom Biafra may come on this earth as it is heaven…..Iseee!”
It is not clear if the Spanish and Nigerian governments have reacted to this development, and if the embassy will be able to offer consular services.
According to the Biafra Free State Movement Facebook page, this brings the number of Biafra ‘embassies’ in the world to three – the other two being in Moscow, Russia and Los Angeles, U.S. The group also said that a high level delegation from the Catalan separatist movement – who are agitating for a breakway of the Catalonia region from Spain – was in attendance.
We will reach out to the relevant authorities and update you on this development.
Here are pictures of the embassy building and the opening ceremony.
Biafra-1 Biafra-2 Biafra-3 Biafra-5 Biafra-7 Biafra-41
http://www.nigerianbulletin.com/threads/photos-biafra-embassy-opens-in-spain.108598/
http://www.ekekeee.com/nigeria-prepares-elections-biafra-opened-embassy-spain-see-photos/
http://www.nigeriatell.com/news/while-nigeria-prepares-for-elections-biafra-has-opened-an-embassy-in-spain-see-photos#.VPl_bKzwAwp
http://www.informationng.com/2015/03/biafra-opens-embassy-in-spain-photos.html
http://www.naij.com/396133-indigenous-people-of-biafra-open-embassy-in-spain.html
Biafra has apparently opened an ‘embassy’ in Spain.
According to NewsExpress, the opening ceremony took place on February 28.
According to the report:
An Embassy of Biafra has been opened in Victoria, Spain. “It is another milestone in our drive towards Biafra’s restoration,” said a Radio Biafra broadcast from London monitored in Lagos by News Express.
The embassy, set up by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was opened on Saturday, Feb. 28, by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio Biafra, London.
In a prayer at the event, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu said: “We your children are gathered here in Vitoria Basque country O’Lord of Hosts, to do that which you have divinely mandated us to do. Today here in Northern Spain we open yet another chapter in this relentless effort to restore your kingdom upon the face of this earth. For the journey mercies you have granted us from all over the world here gathered we remain eternally grateful. From all over the world we have come to establish a firm base in this land from where your will must be done. This year belongs to us Biafrans because in the end all glory and honour will be yours and yours alone. Iseee!”
An elated Mazi Kanu yesterday expressed gratitude to God for the success of the event, writing on his Facebook page:
“To the most gracious almighty Chukwu Abhiama do we owe all that we are for this journey mercy granted to all hard core Biafrans that attended IPOB mission opening ceremony in Vitoria Basque Country in Spain. Magnificent and merciful creator of the universe, even if we worshipped you from now till eternity we still would not be able to repay you for the grace you have shown we Indigenous People of Biafra for guiding us back to our respective destinations. For those we left behind please guide them to their families in safety that in the end as always all honour and glory will be yours and yours alone because only you is worthy of praise. Your children have asked me to come to Amsterdam Netherlands from where your redeeming gospel of restoration will be preached tonight to the hearing of humanity. Abide with us Heavenly Father as you have always done for we are nothing without you. This family here shall find peace as they all desire that indeed your kingdom Biafra may come on this earth as it is heaven…..Iseee!”
It is not clear if the Spanish and Nigerian governments have reacted to this development, and if the embassy will be able to offer consular services.
According to the Biafra Free State Movement Facebook page, this brings the number of Biafra ‘embassies’ in the world to three – the other two being in Moscow, Russia and Los Angeles, U.S. The group also said that a high level delegation from the Catalan separatist movement – who are agitating for a breakway of the Catalonia region from Spain – was in attendance.
We will reach out to the relevant authorities and update you on this development.
Here are pictures of the embassy building and the opening ceremony.
Biafra-1 Biafra-2 Biafra-3 Biafra-5 Biafra-7 Biafra-41
http://www.nigerianbulletin.com/threads/photos-biafra-embassy-opens-in-spain.108598/
http://www.ekekeee.com/nigeria-prepares-elections-biafra-opened-embassy-spain-see-photos/
http://www.nigeriatell.com/news/while-nigeria-prepares-for-elections-biafra-has-opened-an-embassy-in-spain-see-photos#.VPl_bKzwAwp
http://www.informationng.com/2015/03/biafra-opens-embassy-in-spain-photos.html
http://www.naij.com/396133-indigenous-people-of-biafra-open-embassy-in-spain.html
Thursday 5 March 2015
British Woman Weds Dog In Expensive ‘Romantic’ Wedding Ceremony – After Marriage To Man Failed
Posted by: Deolu March 5, 2015
In a rather strange turn of events, a woman has vowed against men and married her pet dog. 47 year old Amanda Rodgers from Brixton in south London was married to a man 20 years ago, but the relationship unfortunately lasted no more than a few short months, so dismayed she decided to swear against men and turn to dogs.
Amanda states that the reason she decided to wed her pet dog was because she had all the qualities that she was looking for in a life partner: “Sheba had been in my life for years, making me laugh and comforting me when I was feeling low.”
Proceedings started out in a traditional way, when Amanda got down on one knee and proposed to her pet dog, Sheba. Though the dog could not respond, Rodgers says that she “could tell by her tail wagging that she said yes.”
More than 200 people attended the wedding which took place in Split, Croatia. Rodgers embraced the day fully making sure that everything was to her liking, adding that: “I’d dreamed of a perfect wedding dress since I was small, I made it myself for the ceremony. The day was wonderful, more fun than the marriage. I gave her a kiss to seal the deal and then everyone threw confetti. It was a wonderful moment.”
Despite it being a rather strange situation, Amanda doesn’t care what other people might think: “I know the wedding to Sheba wasn’t real in the legal sense. But was a nice way to mark what Sheba means to me. Sheba’s never unkind to me and she’s always happy.”
http://www.informationng.com/2015/03/british-woman-marries-dog-in-romantic-expensive-wedding-ceremony-after-marriage-to-man-failed.html
In a rather strange turn of events, a woman has vowed against men and married her pet dog. 47 year old Amanda Rodgers from Brixton in south London was married to a man 20 years ago, but the relationship unfortunately lasted no more than a few short months, so dismayed she decided to swear against men and turn to dogs.
Amanda states that the reason she decided to wed her pet dog was because she had all the qualities that she was looking for in a life partner: “Sheba had been in my life for years, making me laugh and comforting me when I was feeling low.”
Proceedings started out in a traditional way, when Amanda got down on one knee and proposed to her pet dog, Sheba. Though the dog could not respond, Rodgers says that she “could tell by her tail wagging that she said yes.”
More than 200 people attended the wedding which took place in Split, Croatia. Rodgers embraced the day fully making sure that everything was to her liking, adding that: “I’d dreamed of a perfect wedding dress since I was small, I made it myself for the ceremony. The day was wonderful, more fun than the marriage. I gave her a kiss to seal the deal and then everyone threw confetti. It was a wonderful moment.”
Despite it being a rather strange situation, Amanda doesn’t care what other people might think: “I know the wedding to Sheba wasn’t real in the legal sense. But was a nice way to mark what Sheba means to me. Sheba’s never unkind to me and she’s always happy.”
http://www.informationng.com/2015/03/british-woman-marries-dog-in-romantic-expensive-wedding-ceremony-after-marriage-to-man-failed.html
'First human' discovered in Ethiopia
Pallab Ghosh By Pallab Ghosh Science correspondent, BBC News
Fossil jawbone The fossil's teeth are smaller than those of other human relatives
Scientists have unearthed the jawbone of what they claim is one of the very first humans.
The 2.8 million-year-old specimen is 400,000 years older than researchers thought that our kind first emerged.
The discovery in Ethiopia suggests climate change spurred the transition from tree dweller to upright walker.
The head of the research team told BBC News that the find gives the first insight into "the most important transitions in human evolution".
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
This is the most important transition in human evolution”
Prof Brian Villmoare University of Nevada
Prof Brian Villmoare of the University of Nevada in Las Vegas said the discovery makes a clear link between an iconic 3.2 million-year-old hominin (human-like primate) discovered in the same area in 1974, called "Lucy".
Could Lucy's kind - which belonged to the species Australopithecus afarensis - have evolved into the very first primitive humans?
"That's what we are arguing," said Prof Villmoare.
But the fossil record between the time period when Lucy and her kin were alive and the emergence of Homo erectus (with its relatively large brain and humanlike body proportions) two million years ago is sparse.
The 2.8 million-year-old lower jawbone was found in the Ledi-Geraru research area, Afar Regional State, by Ethiopian student Chalachew Seyoum. He told BBC News that he was "stunned" when he saw the fossil.
"The moment I found it, I realised that it was important, as this is the time period represented by few (human) fossils in Eastern Africa."
The fossil is of the left side of the lower jaw, along with five teeth. The back molar teeth are smaller than those of other hominins living in the area and are one of the features that distinguish humans from more primitive ancestors, according to Professor William Kimbel, director of Arizona State University's Institute of Human Origins.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
These new studies challenge us to consider the very definition of what it is to be human”
Prof Chris Stringer Natural History Museum, London
"Previously, the oldest fossil attributed to the genus Homo was an upper jaw from Hadar, Ethiopia, dated to 2.35m years ago," he told BBC News.
"So this new discovery pushes the human line back by 400,000 years or so, very close to its likely (pre-human) ancestor. Its mix of primitive and advanced features makes the Ledi jaw a good transitional form between (Lucy) and later humans."
A computer reconstruction of a skull belonging to the species Homo habilis, which has been published in Nature journal, indicates that it may well have been the evolutionary descendant of the species announced today.
The researcher involved, Prof Fred Spoor of University College London told BBC News that, taken together, the new findings had lifted a veil on a key period in the evolution of our species.
"By discovering a new fossil and re-analysing an old one we have truly contributed to our knowledge of our own evolutionary period, stretching over a million years that had been shrouded in mystery," he said.
Climate change
The dating of the jawbone might help answer one of the key questions in human evolution. What caused some primitive ancestors to climb down from the trees and make their homes on the ground.
A separate study in Science hints that a change in climate might have been a factor. An analysis of the fossilised plant and animal life in the area suggests that what had once been lush forest had become dry grassland.
As the trees made way for vast plains, ancient human-like primates found a way of exploiting the new environmental niche, developing bigger brains and becoming less reliant on having big jaws and teeth by using tools.
Prof Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London described the discovery as a "big story".
He says the new species clearly does show the earliest step toward human characteristics, but suggests that half a jawbone is not enough to tell just how human it was and does not provide enough evidence to suggest that it was this line that led to us.
Dig The jawbone was found close to the area where Lucy was discovered
He notes that the emergence of human-like characteristics was not unique to Ethiopia.
"The human-like features shown by Australopithecus sediba in South Africa at around 1.95 million years ago are likely to have developed independently of the processes which produced (humans) in East Africa, showing that parallel origins are a distinct possibility," Prof Stringer explained.
This would suggest several different species of humans co-existing in Africa around two million years ago with only one of them surviving and eventually evolving into our species, Homo sapiens. It is as if nature was experimenting with different versions of the same evolutionary configuration until one succeeded.
Prof Stringer added: "These new studies leave us with an even more complex picture of early humans than we thought, and they challenge us to consider the very definition of what it is to be human. Are we defined by our small teeth and jaws, our large brain, our long legs, tool-making, or some combination of these traits?"
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31718336
Scientists have unearthed the jawbone of what they claim is one of the very first humans.
The 2.8 million-year-old specimen is 400,000 years older than researchers thought that our kind first emerged.
The discovery in Ethiopia suggests climate change spurred the transition from tree dweller to upright walker.
The head of the research team told BBC News that the find gives the first insight into "the most important transitions in human evolution".
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
This is the most important transition in human evolution”
Prof Brian Villmoare University of Nevada
Prof Brian Villmoare of the University of Nevada in Las Vegas said the discovery makes a clear link between an iconic 3.2 million-year-old hominin (human-like primate) discovered in the same area in 1974, called "Lucy".
Could Lucy's kind - which belonged to the species Australopithecus afarensis - have evolved into the very first primitive humans?
"That's what we are arguing," said Prof Villmoare.
But the fossil record between the time period when Lucy and her kin were alive and the emergence of Homo erectus (with its relatively large brain and humanlike body proportions) two million years ago is sparse.
The 2.8 million-year-old lower jawbone was found in the Ledi-Geraru research area, Afar Regional State, by Ethiopian student Chalachew Seyoum. He told BBC News that he was "stunned" when he saw the fossil.
"The moment I found it, I realised that it was important, as this is the time period represented by few (human) fossils in Eastern Africa."
The fossil is of the left side of the lower jaw, along with five teeth. The back molar teeth are smaller than those of other hominins living in the area and are one of the features that distinguish humans from more primitive ancestors, according to Professor William Kimbel, director of Arizona State University's Institute of Human Origins.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
These new studies challenge us to consider the very definition of what it is to be human”
Prof Chris Stringer Natural History Museum, London
"Previously, the oldest fossil attributed to the genus Homo was an upper jaw from Hadar, Ethiopia, dated to 2.35m years ago," he told BBC News.
"So this new discovery pushes the human line back by 400,000 years or so, very close to its likely (pre-human) ancestor. Its mix of primitive and advanced features makes the Ledi jaw a good transitional form between (Lucy) and later humans."
A computer reconstruction of a skull belonging to the species Homo habilis, which has been published in Nature journal, indicates that it may well have been the evolutionary descendant of the species announced today.
The researcher involved, Prof Fred Spoor of University College London told BBC News that, taken together, the new findings had lifted a veil on a key period in the evolution of our species.
"By discovering a new fossil and re-analysing an old one we have truly contributed to our knowledge of our own evolutionary period, stretching over a million years that had been shrouded in mystery," he said.
Climate change
The dating of the jawbone might help answer one of the key questions in human evolution. What caused some primitive ancestors to climb down from the trees and make their homes on the ground.
A separate study in Science hints that a change in climate might have been a factor. An analysis of the fossilised plant and animal life in the area suggests that what had once been lush forest had become dry grassland.
As the trees made way for vast plains, ancient human-like primates found a way of exploiting the new environmental niche, developing bigger brains and becoming less reliant on having big jaws and teeth by using tools.
Prof Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London described the discovery as a "big story".
He says the new species clearly does show the earliest step toward human characteristics, but suggests that half a jawbone is not enough to tell just how human it was and does not provide enough evidence to suggest that it was this line that led to us.
Dig The jawbone was found close to the area where Lucy was discovered
He notes that the emergence of human-like characteristics was not unique to Ethiopia.
"The human-like features shown by Australopithecus sediba in South Africa at around 1.95 million years ago are likely to have developed independently of the processes which produced (humans) in East Africa, showing that parallel origins are a distinct possibility," Prof Stringer explained.
This would suggest several different species of humans co-existing in Africa around two million years ago with only one of them surviving and eventually evolving into our species, Homo sapiens. It is as if nature was experimenting with different versions of the same evolutionary configuration until one succeeded.
Prof Stringer added: "These new studies leave us with an even more complex picture of early humans than we thought, and they challenge us to consider the very definition of what it is to be human. Are we defined by our small teeth and jaws, our large brain, our long legs, tool-making, or some combination of these traits?"
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31718336
Court restrains Ebonyi Assembly from impeaching Elechi
An Ebonyi State High Court presided over by Justice John Igboji, Wednesday, granted an interim injunction restraining the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Chukwuma Nwazunku, Chief Whip of the Assembly, Mr. Kingsley Ikoro and the State House of Assembly from continuing with the impeachment proceeding against the State Governor, Chief Martin Elechi.
The respondents were ordered not to serve the notice of impeachment on the governor until the determination of the substantive application made by the embattled governor in suit number HAB/1mc/2015.
The court also restrained the State Chief Judge from constituting a panel of seven persons to investigate the allegations of improprieties leveled against the governor pending the determination of the substantive application.
Justice Igboji, who made the order after hearing counsels to the governor, Chief Tagbo Ike and Miss Chioma Okoromba, further granted the applicant leave to serve the 1st to 3rd defendants application for enforcement of fundamental rights and other processes connected with the suit through the office of the Clerk of the State Assembly.
He also ordered that the Chief Judge, the State Commissioner of Police and the Inspector General of Police listed as 5th and 6th defendants should be served through the O/C Legal, State CID, Abakaliki while the 7th defendant, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice of Nigeria should be served through DHL Courier Service or Red Star Courier Service.
Justice Igboji, however, adjourned hearing of the substantive matter to Tuesday, March 10, 2015.
In a 22-paragraph affidavit deposed to Ebele Ibegbuna in support of the motion ex-parte, she informed the court that the second respondent, Mr. Ikoro (Chief Whip) had on January 9, 2015 made a notice of impeachment containing allegations of diverse improprieties leveled against Governor Elechi as a prelude towards his removal from office as Governor of Ebonyi State.
According to her, the said notice of impeachment was forwarded to the 1st Respondent (Speaker) and circulated to both electronic and print media without availing any copy to the applicant (the governor), adding that the “copy of the said notice of impeachment obtained from the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria is herein attached and marked exhibit “A”.
“The 1st Respondent on receipt of exhibit “A” is enjoined by Section 188(2) (b) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to cause the said notice of impeachment to be served on the Applicant. 1st Respondent failed, neglected and/or refused to perform his constitutional duty of causing the notice of impeachment to be served on the Applicant, and rather shockingly preferred to embark on media propaganda blitz of disclosing plans to sack the Applicant from office,” she said.
The deponent stated that the governor needed to be served with the notice of impeachment in order to react to same and avail to the honourable members of the State Assembly the opportunity of appreciating that the governor did not do any wrong and change their stance against him.
She pointed out that “the denial of service of notice of impeachment on the Applicant has adversely impacted on his right to fair hearing and will lead to the determination of his civic right and obligation without being accorded the constitutional right of fair hearing.”
Noting that there had been increased presence and deployment of policemen at the precinct of the governor’s office and abode, Government House , Abakaliki since February 28, which is indicative of likely preparedness for removal of the governor from office, the deponent said she believes that with the support of the 5th to 7th respondents, the lawmakers were bent on continuing with the impeachment proceeding without serving the governor the notice of impeachment , which he is entitled to under the constitution.
“It is in the interest of justice to restrain the 1st to 3rd respondents from determining the civic right and obligation of the applicant without being heard; that unless 1st to 3rd respondents are restrained, they will go ahead with the impeachment proceedings against the applicant,” the deponent told the court.
http://theadvocatengr.com/new/court-restrains-ebonyi-assembly-from-impeaching-elechi/
Boko Haram: Military Vows to Liberate Remaining Territories Soon.
04 Mar 2015
Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade
•Says no going back on ongoing offensive
•Warns against smear campaign to lower military morale
By Senator Iroegbu in Abuja
The Nigerian military has vowed that despite the seeming lull in the offensive against the Boko Haram terrorists, they are determined to liberate the remaining territories in the North-East.
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, gave this assurance on Wednesday in a press conference to clarify issues on the ongoing military operations in North-East, especially concerning a recent report that Nigeria is halting the offensive.
Olukolade assured that they are following up with their strategic goal and plans of decimating the terrorists in collaboration with the neighbouring countries of Chad, Cameroun and Niger Republic.
He said: "Indeed, there is no going back or slowing down anywhere. The air campaigns are continuing with a view to dislodging all the identified terrorist cells, enclaves or hideouts anywhere in the designated mission area. The mandate of working towards ensuring the restoration of normalcy for socio-economic, political and other activities to resume as quickly as possible is being given all it takes toward having the mission accomplished.
"So far, so good; things are working out in line with the strategic plans. A very significant number of identified terrorists’ enclaves have already been pounded and destroyed in the course of continuing air strikes. Ground forces are also conducting assaults along with necessary mopping up, cordon and search operations in communities and locations previously occupied by terrorists".
Speaking further, Olukolade said that the stage is set to clear Boko Haram terrorists from the remaining towns and communities, including Bama, Gwoza and Sambisa.
"The stage is also set for the conduct of subsequent phases earmarked as part of the campaign. In the process, many communities have been sufficiently cleared to guarantee the return of citizens to their normal lives. The scope is being expanded to ensure that more communities are mopped up and cleansed of every vestige of terrorism. All the towns where the activities of the terrorists are still noticeable will be duly mopped up very soon", he asserted.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/boko-haram-military-vows-to-liberate-remaining-territories-soon-/203304/
Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade
•Says no going back on ongoing offensive
•Warns against smear campaign to lower military morale
By Senator Iroegbu in Abuja
The Nigerian military has vowed that despite the seeming lull in the offensive against the Boko Haram terrorists, they are determined to liberate the remaining territories in the North-East.
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, gave this assurance on Wednesday in a press conference to clarify issues on the ongoing military operations in North-East, especially concerning a recent report that Nigeria is halting the offensive.
Olukolade assured that they are following up with their strategic goal and plans of decimating the terrorists in collaboration with the neighbouring countries of Chad, Cameroun and Niger Republic.
He said: "Indeed, there is no going back or slowing down anywhere. The air campaigns are continuing with a view to dislodging all the identified terrorist cells, enclaves or hideouts anywhere in the designated mission area. The mandate of working towards ensuring the restoration of normalcy for socio-economic, political and other activities to resume as quickly as possible is being given all it takes toward having the mission accomplished.
"So far, so good; things are working out in line with the strategic plans. A very significant number of identified terrorists’ enclaves have already been pounded and destroyed in the course of continuing air strikes. Ground forces are also conducting assaults along with necessary mopping up, cordon and search operations in communities and locations previously occupied by terrorists".
Speaking further, Olukolade said that the stage is set to clear Boko Haram terrorists from the remaining towns and communities, including Bama, Gwoza and Sambisa.
"The stage is also set for the conduct of subsequent phases earmarked as part of the campaign. In the process, many communities have been sufficiently cleared to guarantee the return of citizens to their normal lives. The scope is being expanded to ensure that more communities are mopped up and cleansed of every vestige of terrorism. All the towns where the activities of the terrorists are still noticeable will be duly mopped up very soon", he asserted.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/boko-haram-military-vows-to-liberate-remaining-territories-soon-/203304/
Again, Two Nigerians, Eight Others Face Execution in Indonesia
05 Mar 2015
By Damilola Oyedele in Abuja with agency reports รข€¨
Two Nigerians, Mr. Silvester Obiekwe Nwolise (39) and Okwudili Oyatanze (40), are among the nine foreign nationals facing imminent execution for drug-related offences by the Indonesian authorities.
A Spanish-born Nigerian, Mr. Raheem Agbaje Salami (45), is also one of those whose fate has been sealed following the rejection of their clemency requests by Indonesian president, Joko Widodo, who insisted his country is suffering a drug emergency.
An Indonesian national is also slated for execution.
Brazil, Australia, Phillipines, France and Ghana also have their citizens listed for imminent execution, a development that has caused diplomatic tensions for Indonesia with several countries.
Although no date has been given for their execution, Australian Andrew Chan (31), his country man, Myuran Sukumaran (33), Agbaje Salami, and Mary Jane Fiesta Veloso (30) from the Philippines were yesterday moved to Nusakambangan, a high security prison island where executions are conducted.
According to Indonesia’s Attorney General, Muhammad Prasetyo, preparations have been concluded at the execution site.
Nwolise and Oyatanze, who were nabbed running drugs, while in prison, and the citizens of Brazil, France, Ghana and Indonesia would be executed on the prison island of Java.
All executions will be carried out simultaneously by firing squad.
Amnesty International has continued to appeal for a moratorium on the death sentence in Indonesia where six, including two Nigerians were executed in January this year.
Brazil postponed accepting the credentials of Indonesia’s newly designated envoy in protest, while Australia called for a ‘reciprocation’ of the $1 billion 2004 tsunami aid package by sparing the lives of its citizens.
Attempts to reach Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali, proved abortive as his mobile phone rang unanswered.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja, Ambassador Danjuma Sheni, has maintained that Nigeria would continue to seek clemency for all its nationals on death row in Indonesia and other countries.
He told THISDAY following the executions of Mr. Daniel Enemuo and Mr. Solomon Chibuike Okafor in January that Nigeria would continue to plead for clemency for its 12 nationals on death row in Indonesia.
“This is why in our interactions abroad, we have entered into different kinds of legal frameworks, legal mutual assistance, exchange of prisoners and so many of such co-operations to try and protect our citizens. It is in that context that whenever we have what just happened in Indonesia, the responsibility of government is to ensure that such executions do not take place,“ he added.
Sheni also appealed to Nigerians to obey the laws of foreign countries at all times
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/again-two-nigerians-eight-others-face-execution-in-indonesia/203362/
Chadian President: We Know Where Abubakar Shekau is
05 Mar 2015
Chadian President, Idriss Deby, yesterday vowed to “wipe out” Boko Haram and called on the group’s chief, Abubakar Shekau, to give himself up, warning that he knew where the militant leader was hiding.
“It is in Abubakar Shekau’s interest to surrender, we know where he is. If he refuses to give himself up, he will suffer the same fate as his comrades,” Deby said at a press conference with his visiting Niger counterpart.
According to AFP, Deby said Shekau had fled the strategic North-east Nigerian town of Dikwa after Boko Haram fighters were chased out of the town by Chadian troops in fierce clashes last month.
The Chadian army at the time said two of its soldiers and 117 Boko Haram Islamists were killed in the fighting around Dikwa in Nigeria’s Borno State on February 17.
“We are going to win the war and we are going to wipe out Boko Haram, contrary to what certain media think. The Chadian and Niger forces will continue their mission to finally put an end to this shadowy group,” Deby said.
Little is known of Shekau, who has been declared a global terrorist by the United States and sanctioned by the United Nations.
Nigerian security officials insist he is in fact a composite character whose role is taken by a rotating cast of different militant fighters.
According to security services, the original Abubakar Shekau was the son of poor farmers who was radicalised while attending theological schools and took over Boko Haram in 2010.
The Nigerian military said last September that a man posing as Shekau in videos posted online had in fact been killed after fighting with troops in the far northeast.
The US and other experts, however, have questioned the credibility of that claim while Shekau has outright rejected it in a video.
Nigeria and its neighbours Chad, Niger and Cameroun last month launched an unprecedented joint campaign against the Nigeria-based Boko Haram group, after the militants widened their offensive with attacks in the neighbouring countries.
Nigerian military spokesman, Major General Chris Olukolade yesterday also pledged to snuff out Boko Haram, which claims to be fighting to create an Islamic state in Nigeria.
“Indeed there is no going back or slowing down anywhere,” he old a news conference in the Nigerian capital Abuja.
“The air campaigns are continuing with a view to dislodging all the identified terrorist cells, enclaves or hideouts anywhere in the designated mission area,” the spokesman said.
“The continuous aerial bombardment of identified terrorists’ cells and hideouts by the Nigerian Air Force and subsequent ground offensive by the Nigerian troops pursuing the dislodged terrorists is proving worthwhile.”
The Boko Haram conflict has killed more than 13,000 people since 2009 and forced more than one million to flee their homes in the North-eastern part of Nigeria.
On Tuesday, the Nigerian military said it had killed more than 70 Boko Haram fighters and repulsed their bid to seize a key town in Nigeria’s restive North.
Around 150 Boko Haram fighters entered the fishing town of Konduga on Monday with a large herd of cattle pretending to be herders and opened fire on troops stationed in the town, leading to a six-hour gun battle.
Soldiers and vigilantes have repelled more than a dozen attacks by Boko Haram on Konduga, which is some 35 kilometres (21 miles) south-east of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state and the birthplace of the Boko Haram movement.
Konduga could serve as a launching pad for attacks on Maiduguri.
The Boko Haram unrest has seen nearly 250,000 people flee to neighbouring countries, according to the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/chadian-president-we-know-where-abubakar-shekau-is/203366/
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