Jonathan threatened to cage me – Oshiomhole

 

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has revealed how former President Goodluck Jonathan threatened to cage him after May 29 for throwing his weight behind the candidature of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last general elections.
Speaking at a meeting with APC leaders across the three Senatorial Districts of Edo State on Thursday, a highly elated Oshiomhole said “around this time last year, the tension in Nigeria was such that Prophets of doom around the world were almost unanimous that Nigeria would not survive 2015 but as you can see, man proposes, God disposes.
“Around this time last year, in January, a few weeks to the election, many were saying quite recklessly on radio and television that we were finished.
“The former President, Goodluck Jonathan told our National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun to inform me that after the election, he will put me, Adams, the son of Oshiomhole in a hole and I told Chief Oyegun to inform him to dig that hole very deep because although I am short, in the course of pushing me into the hole, nobody knows who will get there first.
“Since he is taller than me, he needs to dig the hole deep enough so that either of us can get in. In the end, he is inside the hole and I am busy putting dust into that hole”.
Oshiomhole continued, “In this hall, around this time last year, we held a meeting to share information about what was going on in various local governments and the specific challenges in each of those local government in order to fashion out appropriate response.
“Some of the statements that we shared in those meetings included threats that by June, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole would have been impeached because PDP would write results whether we liked it or not. They would overrun the House of Assembly and once the House is proclaimed in June, before the end of June, Comrade would be banished to his house in the village and from there to prison.
“Those who made those threats, who supervised those processes, even now in their early 90s are writing letters to explain how they shared money meant for defence. Every evil weapon they fashioned against me did not prosper and even the ones they are fashioning now will not prosper.”
Reminding the party leaders of the journey so far and how the Party has risen from ground zero to become the leading party in Nigeria, Oshiomhole said, “When we came in about 7 years ago, my party had no control even of one ward. We had no control of one local government, but today, we control wards, local, state and by the special grace of God, federal. Things have changed. The one who tamed a lion with bare hands, now with automatic weapons, no antelope can dare us in our own forest.”

New Case Of Ebola Emerges In Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone officials have confirmed a death from Ebola, hours after the World Health Organization declared the latest West Africa outbreak over.


A spokesman at an Ebola Response Center in Sierra Leone, Sidi Tunis, said that the patient got sick at a town bordering Guinea.
Health officials are tracing anyone who may have had contact with the deceased.
The BBC reported that the country was declared free of the virus on November 7, and the region as a whole, was cleared when Liberia was pronounced Ebola-free on Thursday.
The new case was confirmed on Friday, hours after the WHO gave the region an all-clear.
It made the proclamation after Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea halted the chain of transmission simultaneously for the first time.
The clearance was notable because it meant the three nations hardest hit by the Ebola outbreak had reported zero cases for at least 42 days.
Close to 4,000 people have died of Ebola in Sierra Leone, and 11,000 people across the region, since December 2013.
Liberia was the last country to see the end of active transmission of Ebola. But it had been declared clear twice before, only for the infection to re-emerge.
A country is considered free of human-to-human transmission once two 21-day incubation periods have passed since the last known case tested negative for a second time.
Evidence shows the virus can remain in the semen of male survivors for as long as a year. In rare instances, it can be transmitted to sexual partners.

Nigeria opposition spokesman charged with money laundering -agency

Jan 15 A spokesman for Nigeria's main opposition party has been charged with money laundering involving 400 million naira ($2 million) intended for defence spending that the financial crimes agency said on Friday was used to fund an election campaign.President Muhammadu Buhari's election victory in March ended the rule of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) which had been in power since Nigeria returned to civilian government in 1999.
Buhari says he wants to root out widespread corruption but the PDP has accused the president of mounting a witch-hunt against its members.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said PDP spokesman Olisa Metuh diverted funds through the office of the National Security Adviser between November 2014 and March 2015 and used the money for PDP "campaign activities ... and other personal purposes".
Metuh pleaded not guilty to seven counts of money laundering at the capital Abuja's high court and was remanded in custody until a bail hearing on Tuesday.
He is accused of colluding with former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki, who also served under former President Goodluck Jonathan and was charged with money laundering and criminal breach of trust last month, to divert the funds.
Dasuki has also pleaded not guilty. He was arrested on Dec. 1 in relation to an investigation into a $2 billion arms deal.
Buhari called for Dasuki's arrest in November, accusing him of stealing funds through phantom arms contracts and hampering the fight against the Islamist militant group Boko Haram.
Separately, Buhari ordered the EFCC to investigate 38 former military chiefs, officers and companies for alleged arms procurement fraud, a presidency statement said on Friday. (Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Louise Ireland)

Court orders Metuh’s remand in Kuje prison

 

Justice Abang Okon of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday refused hearing on the bail application being sought by the embattled National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, ordering him to be remanded at the Kuje prison pending next Tuesday (January 19) when the hearing will be entertained.
Metuh is being arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a seven count charge of corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Thereafter, his lawyer, Ifedayo Adedipe, filed an oral application for bail which was opposed by the prosecuting counsel.
DAILY POST reports that the judge in his ruling refused hearing on the oral bail application, ordering that it be properly filed by the defence counsel and for the EFCC to respond before it can be entertained on the next date of sitting being January 19.
He, however, ordered that Metuh be remanded at the Kuje Prison in the interim.
Below are the count charge to which the PDP spokesman pleaded not guilty:
“That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investment Limited, on or about 24th November 2014 in Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable court, took possession of the sum of N400, 000 000:00 (Four hundred Million Naira) only, paid into the account of DESTRA INVESTMENTS limited with Diamond Bank Plc, with account number: 0040437573, from the account of the office of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria without contract award when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Rtd.); the then National Security Adviser (To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investment Limited, on or about 24th November, 2014 in Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable court converted the sum of N400, 000 00: 00 (Four Hundred Million Naira only) which sum was received from the office of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria without contract award, which you claimed to have received for political activities of the People Democratic Party when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds form part of the proceeds of an illegal activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Rtd.) the then National Security Adviser, (To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.
“That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investment Limited on, or about the 24th November, 2014 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, did retain the sum of N400, 000 000: 00 (Four Hundred Million naira only), on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party for its campaign by concealing the said sum in your account, with Diamond Bank Plc, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds form part of the proceeds of an illegal activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Rtd.) the then National security adviser, (To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 17(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 17(b) of the same act.
“That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investments Limited, sometime between November 2014 and March 2015, in Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable court, having reason to know that an aggregate sum of N400 000 000:00 (Four Hundred Million Naira only) directly represented the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd), the then National Security Adviser, (to: with criminal breach of trust and corruption) in respect to the same amount, used the said fund for the campaign activities of the Peoples Democratic Party and other personal purposes and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) and (4) of the same act”.
Counts five to seven accuse Mr. Anenih and others of being part of the alleged fraud.
“That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investments Limited, on or before the 22nd of December 2014 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did make a cash payment through your agent, one Nneka Nicole Ararume to one Kabiru Ibrahim; a none Financial institution to the tune of $1, 000 000:00 USD, (One million United States Dollars) only, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 16(2)(b) of the same Act”.
“That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investments Limited, on or before the 22nd of December 2014 in Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this honourable court did make a cash payment through your agent, one Nneka Nicole Ararume to one Sie Iyenome of Capital Field Investment, to the tune of $1, 000 000:00 USD, (One million United States Dollars) only, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 16(2)b of the same Act.
“That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investments Limited on or about the 4th of December 2014, in Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable court did transfer the sum of N21, 776, 000:00 (Twenty-One Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy-Six Thousand Naira) being part of the N400, 000 000:00 (Four Hundred million Naira) which directly represented the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Rtd.) the then National Security Adviser, (to: with criminal breach of trust and corruption) to Chief Anthony Anenih and thereby committed an offence, contrary to section 15(2) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.”
Mr. Metuh on Wednesday filed an application before the court demanding the commencement of his trial or his immediate release from the custody of the EFCC.

Skye Bank resumes operations in Osogbo after lockdown of its premises by customer

The branches, according to a statement by the bank, were violently invaded by Tuns Farms Limited’s operatives and thugs on Thursday

Skye Bank Plc early on Friday opened all its branches in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
The branches, according to a statement by the bank, were violently invaded by Tuns Farms Limited’s operatives and thugs on Thursday.
This disrupted banking activities.
This was in a bid by Tubs Farms Nigeria Limited to enforce a court judgment on which Skye Bank had filed a notice for stay of execution and a pending appeal at the Supreme Court.
The Bank said the customer was duly notified.
In the statement on Friday, Skye Bank said: “Customers trooped out this morning to transact their business following assurances given by the Bank of restoration of normal banking business.”
Meanwhile, the Bank has described as an abuse of the judicial process and lawlessness the action of Tuns Farms Limited, which it said illegally disrupted its operations despite a pending notice of appeal and application for stay of execution, which has been filed and served by the bank against an Osogbo High Court judgement in favour of the customer.
According to a statement by the bank, Tuns Farm Limited abused the judicial process by approaching the High Court of Osogbo, whose judgement has been appealed against, for an enforcement order on the bank and procured a writ of attachment, even when the High Court clearly no longer had any jurisdiction over the matter, the case having been transferred to appellate courts.
The Bank stated that a notice of appeal and an application for stay of execution had been filed and served on Tuns Farms Limited since May 2015.
Tuns Farms Limited, it said, had in fact filed necessary papers in response to the pending court processes.
The Bank said it was awaiting the hearing date for the application when Tuns Farms Limited’s operatives invaded its banking offices in Osogbo with thugs, criminals and area boys to disrupt its operations and loot its assets.
The Bank said it has taken necessary steps to protest the obviously criminal action by Tuns Farms Limited to the relevant law enforcement agencies, being an action that is capable of breaching the peace.
The Bank reassured its customers that it will continue to provide normal banking services at all its locations in spite of the illegal and provocative invasion of its premises by Tuns Farms Limited.

BREAKING: Lawyer withdraws suit seeking Metuh’s release

January 14, 2016

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Ramon Oladimeji
Lagos-based lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, says he is withdrawing the suit he filed on Monday to challenge the continued detention of the  National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Metuh has been in the EFCC custody since January 5, 2016, where he is being questioned over his alleged involvement in the diversion and sharing of the $2.1bn arms  funds by a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.
Metuh was said to have pocketed N400m out of the said funds earmarked for the purchase of arms to fight the Boko Haram insurgency.

But on Monday, Adegboruwa, who claimed that Metuh’s arrest and detention was part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s grand plan to silence the opposition, approached the Federal High Court in Lagos and asked that Metuh be immediately released from custody.
The lawyer had argued that Metuh’s fundamental rights enshrined in sections 33, 34, 35, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43 and 44 of the Constitution were being violated.
But in a statement made available to our correspondent on Thursday morning, Adegboruwa, however, said he had reviewed the situation and had filed a notice to the court to discontinue the suit.
He explained that since filing the suit on Monday he had been inundated with calls from across the country by people who wondered whether he was against Buhari’s anti-graft war.
He, however, said he was not against the anti-corruption war but only that it must be fought within the ambit of the rule of law.
He said he filed the suit in consonance with his unwavering belief that the rule of law must be obeyed, adding that he had neither never met Metuh before nor received instruction or money from him to file the suit.
The statement read in part, “Since filing this suit, I have received several telephone calls from colleagues, friends and well wishers, some congratulating me for the ‘fat’ brief, some criticising me, some seeking explanations and some others commending and encouraging me.
“The truth is that I have never met Chief Metuh before and I did not receive a dime from him, or from anyone else, to file the suit. I did so based upon my conviction, that it was wrong to arrest a citizen of Nigeria, lock him up in custody and be boasting that he will not be released or charged to court.
“My intervention on behalf of Chief Metuh, is not to shield him from his trial, if found wanting, but rather that as the voice of the opposition in Nigeria, he should not be cowed or silenced, without following due process.
“Through Chief Metuh, Nigerians have had the benefit of hearing the other side of the sweet stories of change, that the Buhari regime has been feeding us with.”
Adegboruwa added that he later discovered that Metuh himself had earlier filed a similar suit in Abuja.
He said he was not a Metuh’s crony, adding that if Buhari himself left office and is being unfairly treated he would equally defend him.
“It would seem now that Chief Metuh  is finding a common ground with the EFCC, in the light of the revelations coming forth, in relation to his case and the promise to arraign him in court.
“I support the anti-corruption war of this administration, when it is done in accordance with the rule of law.
My intervention in securing reprieve for victims of human rights abuses, is not novel to Chief Metuh’s case,” Adegboruwa said.

Five killed in new car bomb attack at Turkish police station

Turkish police officers stand guard. File picture

Kurdish rebels detonated a car bomb at a police station in south-eastern Turkey then attacked it with rocket launchers and firearms, killing five people, including civilians.

Thirty-nine other people were injured.

The attack on Wednesday night targeted the police station in the town of Cinar, in the mostly-Kurdish Diyarbakir province, and police lodgings at the compound, the Diyarbakir governor's office said. The force of the blast caused a house close to the police station to collapse.

The attack killed two people at the police lodgings and three people died inside the collapsed house.

Another police station was also attacked with rocket launchers in Midyat, a town in the province of Mardin, the state-run Anadolu Agency said, in what appeared to be a simultaneous assault. No casualties were reported there.

The attack came a day after a suicide bomber detonated explosives in Istanbul's main tourist district, killing 10 Germans. Turkish officials say the bomber was affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) group.

Clashes between Turkey's security forces and the rebels of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, reignited in July, shattering a fragile peace process.

Authorities have since imposed extended curfews in flashpoint neighbourhoods and towns in the mainly Kurdish-populated south-east region of the country as the security forces battle Kurdish militants linked to the PKK.

The militants have mounted barricades, dug trenches and set up explosives to keep authorities away. The operations have resulted in more than a hundred civilian casualties, and displaced thousands, human rights groups say.

The conflict between the government forces and the PKK has killed tens of thousands of people since 1984. The group is considered a terror organization by Turkey and its western allies.

Fleeing Kidnappers free Siasia’s mother 

Kidnappers have freed Mrs Beauty Ogere Siasia, the mother of former interna­tional and national coach of the Under- 23 National Team, Samson Siasia. According to reports Mrs Siasia was said to have been abandoned by the kidnappers along the East- West road to escape from the Anti-kidnapping squad that were pursuing them The Police Public Relations Officer ( PPRO) Mr Ansim Butwats who confirmed the release of Mrs Siasia said the Police have inten­sified efforts to arrest the kidnappers. “Madam Beauty Siasia, who was abducted on the 16 November, 2015, was abandoned by her abductors along the East West Road, at about 0130hrs, 28 November, 2015, due to a hot pursuit by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Police Command.
She is hale and hearty and has been reunited with her family. The Police have intensified efforts to arrest the fleeing suspects”
It would be recalled that three kidnappers took Ogere Siasia from the family home in Bayelsa SState in the oil-rich Niger Delta, where kidnappings for ransom are frequent.
Siasia, who is in Senegal with his squad for the Confederation of African Football Under-23 Championship, told the BBC he was happy his mother had been freed safely and reunited with her family.
“It’s been a crazy two weeks, but I would like to say thank you to the NFF and everyone involved in the safe return of my mother”
“We’ve already spoken and she’s happy to be home,” he told BBC Sport.
“It’s been a crazy two weeks, but I would like to say thank you to the NFF and everyone involved in the safe return of my mother.
“Now I can completely focus on the business here, doing well at this tourna­ment would be a perfect way to thank Nigerians for their love.”
The kidnappers had initially demanded 150 million naira (US$750,000), but subsequently reduced their demand to 50 million naira (US$250,000), and 35 million naira (US$175,000) for the release of the 72-year-old. Although Mrs Siasia was released early on Saturday, it is not clear if a ransom was paid.

Buhari destroying Nigeria’s image for cheap global recognition – Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has described the last six months of President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration as that of “deceitful change,” lamenting that the President was destroying the image of Nigeria and its people for cheap international recognition.
The governor, who also described the claim by the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, that the ministry did not have details of any fund recovered from officials of the immediate past government of Dr Goodluck Jonathan, as a vindication of his position that the President was not saying the truth, said Nigerians must ask the President where the so-called looted fund was paid and who made the payments.
He said; “If the Ministry of Finance is not aware of any recovered fund, it is either those who purportedly made the refund did so by loading cash into Ghana-Must-Go bags and dropping the bags in the President’s bedroom or the fund was lodged into the Central Bank without records.”
Speaking through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said “the only areas President Buhari has recorded tremendous achievements are areas of political persecution, disobedience of court order and desperate bid to turn the country to a one-party state as evident in the Kogi State election, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), headed by Buhari’s kinsman staged managed and muddled up.”
He said, “in the last six months, a section of the judiciary has been so openly manipulated by the Buhari’s administration such that different judgments were given in similar cases, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) getting negative judgments while the All Progressives Congress (APC) secured positive judgements in cases with similar facts and evidence.”
While sympathising with Nigerians, who he said were deceived to vote for the APC and were now bearing the brunt of the six months of Buhari’s administration’s cluelessness, Governor Fayose said; “It is painful that Nigerians are being made to suffer great hardships from fuel scarcity, thousands of people are still being killed in the North by Boko Haram, Chibok Girls are still not found, power supply has dropped, and above all; the unity of the country is being threatened as admitted by the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, yet all our President does is junketing around the globe.”
Speaking further, the governor said; “Honestly, this change promised by President Buhari and his party, APC is nothing other than ‘one chance change’ and this has been attested to even by highly respected international news media.
“For instance, Bloomberg, in a report two days ago said hopes have fizzled in Buhari’s ability to turn around Nigeria and that money that flowed into stocks and bonds in Nigeria, which McKinsey & Co. says could become one of the world’s 20 biggest economies by 2030, is now fleeing as growth prospects diminish along with oil prices.
“Under President Buhari, the United States-based investment banking and financial services multinational J P Morgan ejected Nigeria from its Government Bond Index for Emerging Markets (GBI-EM) with effect from the end of October this year.
“Under Buhari, the future of workers are being threatened by the APC government plot to reduce minimum wage and retrench workers.
“Under Buhari, oil subsidy is to be removed next year January, thereby causing further hardship for the people.
“Under President Buhari, multi-national companies are laying-off thousands of workers while contractors working for the Federal Government have left their sites.
“Yet, what the President does is to junket from one country to another to cast aspersion on Nigeria and its people and one wonders how foreign investors will come to a country that its President says is peopled by rogues.”

N5, 000 Allowance To Unemployed Nigerians To Be Included In 2016 Budget – Minister

The payment of N5, 000 to unemployed Nigerians is being delayed because it was not captured in the 2015 budget, the Federal Government on Wednesday said.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Darlong, who stated this during a visit to the All Progressive Congress national secretariat in Abuja, however, said government is making arrangement to effect the payment with effect from 2016.
Speaking with journalists, the minister said the government will fulfill all the campaign promises made to Nigerians during last elections.
“I want the youths to understand that every promise must be backed up by budgetary provision and our promise to pay N5, 000 is not contained in the 2015 budget. So, definitely, it is going to begin in 2016 as we have made budgetary allocations for that.
“We are committed to the campaign promises of creating jobs, providing wealth creation and combat poverty. We have embedded in our manifesto things that we are translating to reality.
“Some of the youth empowerment programmes that are ongoing, we are busy reviewing them to ensure that they are more viable and people oriented. We are also looking at the possibility of realigning some of them to our vision so that in the final analysis, it will add value to the people”.

APC Picks Yahaya Bello As Audu’s Replacement

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has picked Yahaya Bello as the party’s new candidate for Kogi governorship supplementary poll.

Yahaya Bello and Audu Abubakar

The choice of Bello as the party’s new candidate for the for the December 5 supplementary election in the state was reached after extensive consultations among big wigs of the party yesterday, November 27.

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Kidnappers yet to negotiate release of hostages

Our source in Poland confirmed that Tomczak is a son to one of the victims of the kidnapping

 

Kidnappers of five polish sailors and 16 other hostages are yet to negotiate terms of release with the government or any relevant agencies.

Following the hijack of a polish cargo ship by Nigerian pirates on Friday, November 27, the legitimacy of Karol Tomczak, son to one of the abducted sailors, who contacted Pulse earlier, has been confirmed.

Our source in Poland confirmed that Tomczak is a son to one of the victims of the kidnapping.

The insider spoke to Karol and his wife, seeking update on the incident and identity of his father, Roman. But they refused to comment, on the ground that they are in contact with the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ship owner, noting that they would only speak to journalists upon the Ministry's permission.

"I have already spoken with son of one of the sailors (Karol Tomczak) and his wife. Unfortunately they don’t want to speak with journalists at all. They told me that they are in touch with polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and owner of the ship, but don’t want to tell anything without their permission. They also promised that if there would be any new information they call to me", Pulse source said.

The ship, "Szafir", was hijacked in the early hours of Friday.

Three killed, 9 injured in attack on US abortion clinic

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Planned Parenthood clinic shooting survivor Ozy Licano describes his encounter with the shooter Christian Murdock/The Gazette via AP, Pool

A GUNMAN stormed a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Colorado Springs in the US last night and opened fire with a rifle in an attack that left three people dead and nine others injured, authorities said.

The dead included one police officer and two civilians, Colorado Springs Police Chief Peter Carey told reporters about an hour after the suspect had been captured.

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University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) police officer Garrett Swasey, who was killed when a gunman stormed a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Colorado Springs. REUTERS/University of Colorado Colorado Springs/Handout via Reuters

All nine surviving victims - five police officers and four civilians - were listed in good condition at area hospitals, Carney said.

The suspect first engaged in a gun battle with police but ultimately surrendered to officers inside the building about five hours after the start of the violence, which played out under a steady snowfall in Colorado's second-largest city.

A Reuters photographer at the scene saw a man in a white T-shirt with his hands cuffed behind his back being taken out of an armored police vehicle and placed in an unmarked squad car.

Police said they did not expect to confirm the suspect's identity before Saturday, but believed he acted alone.

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A suspect is taken into custody outside a Planned Parenthood center in Colorado Springs, Colorado REUTERS/Isaiah J. Downing

The Denver Post and the Colorado Springs Gazette newspapers, each citing an unidentified law enforcement source, reported Friday night that the suspect was identified as Robert Lewis Dear. The Post gave his age as 57, but neither paper had further details.

The slain lawman was identified as Garrett Swasey, 44, a campus police officer for the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs who joined city police in responding to the first reports of shots fired, authorities said.

Police declined to discuss the gunman's motivations. But the president of the Rocky Mountains chapter of Planned Parenthood, Vicki Cowart, suggested a climate of rancor surrounding abortion in the United States sets the stage for such violence.

"We share the concerns of many Americans that extremists are creating a poisonous environment that feeds domestic terrorism in this country," she said.

Cowart told CNN separately that some of the clinic's staff escaped the gunman by following security protocol and hunkering down in "safe rooms" built into the facility.

The Colorado Springs clinic has been the target of repeated protests by anti-abortion activists, and in recent years moved to new quarters on the city's northwest side - a facility derided as a "fortress" by critics of Planned Parenthood.

The national non-profit group, devoted to providing a range of reproductive health services, including abortions, has come under renewed pressure in recent months from conservatives in Congress seeking to cut off federal support for the organization.

CHECKING FOR EXPLOSIVES

Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers said authorities were able to help guide the movements of officers through the building by watching live feeds from surveillance cameras mounted inside.

But a city police spokeswoman, Lieutenant Catherine Buckley, said it took officers a number of hours to establish communication with the suspect before he gave himself up.

"We did get officers inside the building. They were able to shout to the suspect and make communication with him and at that point they were able to get him to surrender and he was taken into custody," Buckley said.

An hour earlier, police said progress in securing the building was slowed by the fact that the gunman brought "some bags" with him into the clinic and left several items outside, all of which needed to be checked for possible booby traps or explosives.

After the arrest, Buckley said it would take hours more, and perhaps days, for investigators to fully process the crime scene.

CNN reported that investigators had located the suspect's car, and the vehicle would be searched for explosives.

Police swarmed the area around the building after an emergency call reporting shots fired at about 11:30 a.m. Mountain Time (1830 GMT), and officers ultimately confronted the suspect inside the building, Buckley said.

Television footage aired by CNN showed a number of clinic staff and patients being escorted safely into police vehicles from the building, which lies on the northwest side of Colorado Springs, about 70 miles (112 km) south of Denver.

The FBI and agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were assisting local investigators.

President Barack Obama was notified of the shooting by his Homeland Security adviser, Lisa Monaco, and "will be updated on the situation as necessary, a White House official said.

DEEPLY DIVISIVE ISSUE

As in much of the rest of the country, abortion is a divisive issue in Colorado, figuring prominently in attack ads during last year's U.S. Senate race between incumbent Democrat Mark Udall and Republican challenger Cory Gardner, the winner of the election.

At least eight abortion clinic workers have been killed since 1977, according to the National Abortion Federation - most recently in 2009, when abortion doctor George Tiller was shot to death at church in Wichita, Kansas.

Clinics have reported nearly 7,000 incidents of trespassing, vandalism, arson, death threats, and other forms of violence since then, according to the abortion-rights group.

Colorado Springs was the scene of a mass shooting on Oct. 31 in which a gunman killed three people near downtown before dying in a shootout with police.

The city, home to the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Olympic training center, is also a hub for conservative Christian groups such as Focus on the Family that oppose abortion.

The attack in Colorado sparked jitters across the country. The New York City Police Department reported it had redeployed some of its "critical response" vehicles to Planned Parenthood locations throughout the city. However, it said there were no specific threats to those sites at this time.

Nigeria's president to decide on MTN's $5.2 bln fine - communications ministry

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ABUJA Nov 25 (Reuters) - Nigeria's communications ministry said on Wednesday that it is up to President Muhammadu Buhari to decide "in which direction to go" with a $5.2 billion fine imposed on mobile phone network operator MTN.
"The (Communications) minister (Adebayo Shittu) said in Lagos that it will be up to the president to determine which direction to go since MTN asked for leniency," ministry spokesman Tajudeen Kareem said.
The South African firm was fined by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) at the end of October for not disconnecting 5.2 million unregistered users from its network.
Nigeria has been pushing operators to verify the identity of their subscribers, concerned that unregistered SIM cards were being used for criminal activity in a country also fighting an insurgency by Islamist militant group Boko Haram.
MTN is the largest mobile phone operator in Nigeria and the west African nation accounts for about one third of its revenues.
The payment deadline was extended from Nov 16 after the NCC said it was looking into MTN's plea for leniency though the fine remained because the firm admitted to breaking the law.
MTN's stock price has sunk more than 25 percent since the penalty was announced on Oct. 26 as the size of the fine is equivalent to more than two years profit for the firm. As of 1341 GMT, MTN shares were down 2.6 pct at 140.92 rand.
Two weeks ago, Shittu told Reuters in an interview that "nobody wants MTN to die" as a result of the penalty. (Reporting By Julia Payne, Additional reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng in Johannesburg; Editing by David Goodman, Greg Mahlich)

Biafra: Don’t harm Nnamdi Kanu, else Nigeria will burn – Nollywood producer, Dickson

Following the ongoing agitation for the Republic of Biafra and the arrest of Radio Biafra boss, Nnamdi Kanu, Nollywood producer, Iroegbu Dickson, has stated that Nigeria as a country will burn should anything happen to Nnamdi.
The producer, who had over time been referred to as a critique due to his controversial and adamant opinions on issues, told The Sun that a terrible situation will befall Nigeria if the Radio Biafra boss is touched, as according to him, the Igbos cannot be intimidated.
He said, “With reference to Tunisian crisis which turned the country around, should Nnamdi Kanu be harmed, Nigeria shall burn.”
The producer who boasted to be a proud Igbo man said further, “Remind them that in Tunisia, just one young man setting himself ablaze changed the Arab world forever.
“Tell them the Igbo can never be intimidated. Our demand is Justice and Equity for all in Nigeria.
“I’am Igbo” Dickson bragged.

500 Nigerians deported from UK arrive Lagos amid controversy

DAILY POST has gathered that no fewer than 500 Nigerians have been deported from the United Kingdom and arrived the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos this morning. Many of them have been deported over illegal stay permits.
Many of them who were allowed to speak to newsmen complained of the way they were handled by the British authorities, alleging that majority of them were not even allowed take their belongings before being deported.
It has been reported that the authorities plans to deport 29,000 Nigerians.
But the Nigeria High Commission in London had on Oct. 24 expressed worry over plans by the migration and removal policy of the UK Government, to deport the 29,000 Nigerians.
The Acting Nigerian High Commissioner in London, Olukunle Bamgbose, said. “I think about 29,000 Nigerians have been designated to be deported.
“We are insisting that due process must be followed before Nigerians are really removed from the UK to Nigeria,’’ he said.
He gave four conditions that should be met by the UK immigration office before the commission could accept the migration and deportation agenda.
“First, we must ensure that they are really Nigerians; they are medically fit to travel; all the legal processes must have been completed and that they have role to play in Nigeria.
“You do not expect someone who has not been to Nigeria for 30 years to 40 years, and does not have any family and you want to deport him.
“He will constitute social problems to us in Nigeria; so these are the sore points at this moment that we have,’’ the envoy said.
Mr. Bamgbose noted that in spite of the challenge, the relationship between Nigeria and UK had deepened, adding that the UK is ready to engage with Nigerians in various aspects, in defence, immigration, trade and investment.
“In 2012 trade volume between the two countries was about four billion pounds, which has doubled now.
“But with what we now have British investors are ready to move into Nigeria in a massive way.
“I expect that in the next two to three years the trade volume will triple and go to about 12 billion pound or even more.”
Mr. Bamgbose attributed the rise to the new confidence the foreign investors had in Nigeria and the new administration.
“The willingness of the British businessmen to even want to come to Nigeria is very important.
“Because, hitherto, the way we were running the government they did not have that confidence in government.
“They are not really sure whether they can go into Nigeria and invest.
“Now with the new administration, what they believe the new administration can do and the fidelity with which the new administration has brought to governance that is the first thing.
“You have to have the confidence of those who are going to Nigeria to invest and I think with what is going on now they are very confident that they can go into Nigeria and invest,’’ he said.
“But since the new administration came in we have found our bounce, there is that diplomatic bounce once again.
“One the Federal Government has taken the batch on the Boko Haram, they are being decimated; also the energy problem is being addressed frontally also again the issue of graft is also being addressed.
“We have found our bounce and as diplomats here we are going to engage our colleagues from other countries without necessarily being apologetic by our country,’’ he added.

Don’t become govt stooges, Bhuari challenges Youth

By dolly okoruwa
ABUJA – President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged youths in the country to refuse to be used as an instrument of manipulation by some people in authority.
The President said it was so unfortunate that some people enticed youth with materialism and extravagant life style to manipulate them for selfish interest at the expense of the country.
Buhari was addressing over 500 youths at the National Conference on Youths against Corruption, with the aim of effecting a complete reorientation of Nigerian youths and students towards the values of integrity and transparency, in Abuja.
The three days conference tagged; Mobilizing the Nigerian youth against corruption’ was organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
The President, represented by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Bar. Solomon Dalong, said though there is no society that could attain its full potential without carrying along the most productive sector, which is youth.
But he lamented that today; student leaders are no longer playing their roles but are now committed to materialism rather than selfless service to the nation.
Citing factionalisation in the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), the minister wondered why the national youth body would have up to six persons claiming to be the president if not for corruption.
“The way they carry themselves show they have people dictating to them what they should do,” he said.
Buhari also questioned why student unions have variety of presidents, who drive cars worth nearly N10 million. Some of these students, he said have convoys larger than those of government officials.
“Youths have surrendered their leadership to a particular class. Where does a student get this kind of money? Students hold their national conventions at the Eagle Square instead of campuses. What is the connection between Eagle Square and school campuses? Instead of blaming our leaders of yesterday for not doing well for us, we should start by blaming ourselves,” he said.
The minister, who was a students’ leader in his time, recalled that then Head of State, late General Sanni Abacha offered the Students’ body a piece of land to build its secretariat in Abuja but the offer was turned down because it was viewed as a trap to muzzle students from standing against some ills.
He enjoined the youths to “declare war against their conscience” in ensuring that the entire setback he mentioned are stopped, and that they serve Nigeria selflessly, “so our children can remember us in posterity”.
In his remarks, the Chairman of ICPC, Ekpo Nta, noted that majority of corrupt people in Nigeria today are not youths because they are mostly above 35 years. However, it is the youths that suffer most from the result of such corruption, calling on the youths to stand up against the ill.
Nta stated that it was important to hold such a youth conference against corruption in order to sensitise them against the ills that so much affect them and their future.
He added that from the systems study review which was carried out by the ICPC in the education sector, 63 illegal degrees awarding mills were closed down by the agency.
He also stated that the intention of ICPC is to ensure that the allocations yearly earmarked for the education sector is used for what they are meant for.
According to him, “76 per cent of the infrastructure in our tertiary institutions is provided by TETFUND. So, the huge balance of allocation going into education should be used for what they are meant for.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the conference organizing committee, and board member of the ICPC, Professor Olu Aina informed that the conference came about as a result of the feedback got by ICPC from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who wanted Nigerian youths to be included in the fight against corruption.
“The average Nigerian relates more with the arrest and prosecution mandate of the ICPC, but this is more costly. So the ICPC, without neglecting the enforcement and prosecution mandate, sought to pursue a more sustainable approach, which is to prevent corruption.
“The ICPC makes it a strong priority to obtain strong commitment to transparency by catching them young. Fight against corruption involves a teamwork which must involve the youths. It requires fighters who have the feel of Nigeria first instead of money.”

Paris attack: France seek Nigeria’s help

Abuja – Following terrorists’ coordinated attacks in Paris, France on 13th November which left 130 persons dead, the French Director of Military Intelligence, General Christophe Gormert wednesday visited the Nigerian Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) with a view to seeking knowledge on how Nigerian security agencies were handling the challenge of Boko Haram terrorism. “In the area of geo-spatial intelligence, we will seriously rely on you to help us develop that capacity.We are in the process of setting up that department. It’s‎ my first time in Abuja and it’s a good reason to visit you on boko haram and see how we can share intelligence; that is the reason for my visit” the Gen. Gormert said
Continuing he said, “I believe in building up capacity we must leverage on our capable partners like you to help us from the level which we were, to a higher level.
“Like you know this phenomenon of global terrorism is catching all nations napping. It’s something we did not prepare ‎for including developing countries like Nigeria. We have to evolve new ways of tackling them and stamp them out of existence”.
Earlier, Nigeria’s CDI, Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan expressed “sympathy with the entire community of France , and particularly the people of Paris, for the mischievous attack carried out ‎by the terrorists on their city”.
“As a nation, we understand the feelings that you are going through right now, because we have the same nuisance in our hands” he said.
He reminded his Gormert of the visit of President Buhari to France early this year, “which brought about the serious synergy that both security organizations have today, between the French government and Nigeria in terms of intelligence sharing”.
“I want to assure you that your visit is highly plausible. I recall that during a visit to Senegal with the Chief of Defence Staff, we spoke on very serious bilateral issues on the need to encourage our Francophone brother nations to give us the neccesary support to defeat Boko Haram.
“We think that henceforth, such daily intelligence sharing will keep happening and this will effectively change the situation in the north east”, AVM Morgan said.

Mum Shares Heartbreaking Last Picture Of Toddler Before She Was Defiled And Murdered By Stepmother

A mum has shared the heartbreaking last picture she took of her daughter before she was sexually assaulted and murdered. Lauren Furneaux posted the picture of two-year-old Lily, sitting by a Christmas tree, on Facebook. With it she shared the horrific story of the toddler’s death to raise awareness of child abuse five years on from the tragedy.

Lauren had handed Lily over to her father, Jeff Wolfenberger, 29, to spend time with him and his partner, Renee King, 28.
She had only been parted from her daughter for a few hours when she received a call from Wolfenberger telling her Lily was in hospital after King had ‘fallen on her in the shower’.
Read her story below:
This is the last picture I will ever have of my baby girl. 5 years ago right now she was eating lucky charms with my dad when I told her we had to get dressed. She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said “why mommy?” And all I could do was say “I’m sorry baby.” I held her hand as she cried on the way to meet her “father”. She asked if we could go to splash village and I told her we would when there was snow on the ground. She asked if Barney could come to her birthday an…d I told her that he would. And the last promise I made her was that one day she wouldn’t have to go to their house.
We got to the meeting spot and she was crying saying mommy please don’t make me go. I just kept telling her I’m sorry baby and I love you and I will see you tomorrow. He took her and she continued to cry. He let her give me one last kiss and he walked away as she screamed and reached trying to get back to me. You never forget that sound.
I went home to get things ready for her to come back. I was going to clean our room and meet my cousin Erica to give her some of Lily’s old toys. And I was going to go Christmas shopping.
I was at Walmart when my mom and dad texted they arrived at our cabin 3 hours away. They sent me a picture of a 3 foot princess stocking and told me to start shopping for stocking stuffers. I was in the stocking stuffer isle at Walmart at 3:01 pm when I looked at my phone and saw her “father” calling.
I picked it up and he said to get to the macomb general hospital right now. That there was an accident and Renee fell on Lily in the shower. I asked if she was ok and he said he didn’t know and to just get there right away. I left my cart and sped walked to the car thinking that’s it! She’s not going back.
Thinking it was a broken arm or leg. I called my mom and she said to meet my uncle at my house and he would drive me. They were on their way. So I pulled in my driveway jumped in the passenger seat as him and my cousin jumped in and we left. He drove as fast as he could trying to get their but it was rush hour traffic.
Her “father” kept calling and saying where are you? I told him I was trying to get there as fast as I could but the hospital was an hour an a half away without traffic. I asked if she was ok and he hung up on me. This continued a few more times before I called the hospital.
I asked the nurse if she was ok and she said the words I will never forget, “I wouldn’t be telling you this over the phone but you need to get here. It’s bad. She’s been back there with the doctors for an hour and she has no pulse.” I don’t remember the rest of the ride. I remember asking my 14 year old cousin to call everyone and ask them to pray. I should have never put that responsibility on her.
When we arrived at the Er they made my uncle move the car. Her “father” was standing outside smoking as I opened the door. My knees gave out and I couldn’t stand. I asked him if she was ok and he said no. I asked him if she was alive and he said no. My world came crashing down at that moment.
When the detective came in later she asked what type of underwear was Lily wearing and asked if I helped wipe her that morning when she used the potty. I told her I did and she asked if there was blood. I told her no. My mom said why are you asking these questions. The detective said because Lily was severely sexually abused preceding her death.
We went home that night and sat in the car. How do you go back into a house that the one person who made it a home is never coming back? How do you go on when all your hopes and dreams are taken away? It was just supposed to be 33 hours, not a lifetime. To this day I hate when my parents go anywhere far away because I’m scared something is going to happen. To this day I can’t go in that isle of Walmart. To this day I can’t wake up on November 20th and not replay every horrific moment.
I miss you Lily to infinity and beyond always and forever and I will never stop fighting for you. So if you are still reading at this point please share Lily’s story today. Please make a choice to be her voice because there is no excuse for child abuse. And please hug your children a little tighter and longer as none of us are promised tomorrow. Thank you all for your support! God bless you! ‪#‎justiceforlily‬‪#‎lilysvoice‬ ‪#‎30daysoflily‬
King was found guilty of defiling and murdering Lily following a trial in February 2012 and jailed for life.

Adele breaks US sales record

Adele has smashed single-week US album sales record in four days and broken *NSYNC's record.

 

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The 27-year-old singer's third studio album became the fastest-selling record Stateside in its first week of sales, registering figures of 2.433 million downloads and physical copies purchased by Monday (23.11.15), smashing the record set by *NSYNC in 2000, when they sold 2.416 million discs of 'No Strings Attached' in seven days.

The record is now expected to have sold over 3 million copies by the end of its first week on sale.

What's more, the album is on course to be the fastest-selling of all time in the UK.

That record is currently held by Oasis, whose album 'Be Here Now' sold 696,000 copies in its first week in 1997, whilst Official Charts Company statistics show '25' has shifted just over 500,000 within its first three days.

Adele's return to music comes after a four-year hiatus and the first single from the album 'Hello' was knocked off the top spot in the UK but is still number one in the US.

The star hasn't made the album, released through XL/Columbia Records, available on music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, however her previous albums '19' and '21', as well as 'Hello', are available for streaming.