SSS releases El-Rufai

Tuesday, January 28, 2014
SSS releases El-Rufai
by Adelani Adepegba

Nasir El-Rufai advertisement

UPDATE: Tuesday, January 28, 2014
SSS releases El-Rufai
by Adelani Adepegba

Nasir El-Rufai advertisement

UPDATE:
The State Security Service released the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, in the early hours of Tuesday after quizzing the ex-minister for about 15 hours.

El-Rufai, who reported to the SSS Abuja office at about 9.30am on Monday, was released some minutes after midnight.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014 N'Assembly: PDP, LP, others unite to confront APC by John Ameh PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu advertisement Click to learn more... An alliance of lawmakers from different political parties emerged at the House of Representatives on Monday with an avowal to protect the Nigerian democracy and nation. The lawmakers in the alliance called their group, National Unity Group. The NUG, dominated by the Peoples Democratic Party lawmakers, has the Labour Party, Accord Party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance members in the House coming together to confront opposition All Progressives Congress, which had vowed to ground the Federal Government. The new group's slogan is "No to Anarchy" and it vowed to meet the APC's threat with "robust resistance." But the APC lawmakers in the House, in their initial reaction on Monday, have said they will wait for members of the group on the floor of the House. The APC's national leadership last week had directed its members in the National Assembly to "block" all legislative proposals by President Goodluck Jonathan. Among Jonathan's urgent legislative proposals before the National Assembly at the moment is the 2014 budget. At a media briefing attended by the Majority Leader of the House, Mrs. Mulikat Akande-Adeola, on Monday, a PDP member from Plateau State, Mr. Bitrus Kaze, who read the text of the briefing, said, "More importantly, we want to put on record that along with the vast majority of Nigerians, we resolutely say no to anarchy, as being fomented by the newly-registered APC." The NUG said that the directive by the APC's leadership was an act of "impunity" and that the opposition party was "trying the patience of Nigerians." It called on APC lawmakers in the National Assembly to ignore the directive of their party leaders who were accused of plotting to ground the economy of the country. The new group vowed to do whatever was within its powers to stop the APC lawmakers from carrying out the directive of their party. The NUG text read in part, "That any attempt to tamper with the 2014 budget and hence the Transformation Agenda of the Jonathan administration, will be met with robust resistance. "No Nigerian anywhere will stand by and watch an opposition, greedy with mischief and power lust, frustrate the hopes of tens of millions of Nigerians with regard to healthcare, schools and universities, agricultural grants and projects, foreign investment promotion, water supplies, road works, utilities and other obligations of Nigeria as a responsible nation, whose duties are enshrined in Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution. "If this budget is not passed, there will be hunger in the land, and the APC's plan for anarchy would have succeeded." The group added that while the APC "hid" under the cover of the political crisis in Rivers State to issue its directive, it ignored the situation in Ekiti and Ogun states, "where APC factions have violently engaged themselves as sitting APC governors try to foreclose challengers." The NUG also observed that in Kwara, Borno and Kano states, "APC thugs are forcibly taking measures against the PDP." The group denied that the NUG was a merger of the four parties. It described itself simply as a "multi-party platform." The group parried questions on the numerical composition of the NUG, but insisted that the APC's plan to be the majority party in the House "will remain a mirage." When asked to clarify the mode of resistance to be offered by the NUG, a member of the group, Mr. Friday Itula (PDP, Edo State), replied that it would be by using the numerical rating of the parties. He however did not give the numerical rating of the parties. On current standing, the APC has 172 members known officially on the floor. The PDP bandies between 166 and 171 members. LP has 10; APGA, five; and Accord, four. The implication of the alliance between the four parties is that they will control a joint majority of between 185 and 190, depending on whether 166 or 171 is used as the current figure for the PDP. In this way, the NUG plans to neutralise the APC when decisions are to be taken on major issues before the House. But, investigations showed that APC members were banking on the support of some 30 PDP members whom they described as "PDP in garb, but APC in spirit" to block the Presidency's legislative proposals. Before the NUG briefing, some members of the PDP, who called themselves "Concerned Lawmakers," had also urged their APC colleagues to ignore the directive to shut down government operations. "Nigerians have in the past been taken unawares when such threats were dismissed as mere ranting of aggrieved politicians. In fact, we call on all security and intelligence agencies to as a matter of duty, pick up any Nigerian or group of Nigerians who make seditious comments inciting the public to violence or self-help justice," said the group, which is led by Mr. Yakubu Barde (PDP, Kaduna State). Mr. Kyari Gujbawu (PDP, Borno) and Ms. Ka'amuna Khadi (PDP, Borno) are also members of the 'concerned lawmakers.' The lawmakers also attended the briefing by the NUG. The APC caucus in House told The PUNCH that it was not afraid of the alliance

Tuesday, January 28, 2014
N'Assembly: PDP, LP, others unite to confront APC
by John Ameh

PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu advertisement

An alliance of lawmakers from different political parties emerged at the House of Representatives on Monday with an avowal to protect the Nigerian democracy and nation.
The lawmakers in the alliance called their group, National Unity Group.
The NUG, dominated by the Peoples Democratic Party lawmakers, has the Labour Party, Accord Party and the All Progressives Grand Alliance members in the House coming together to confront opposition All Progressives Congress, which had vowed to ground the Federal Government.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014 Boko Haram kills 74 in church, village by Kayode Idowu with agency reports Boko Haram members advertisement Click to learn more... Boko Haram insurgents on Sunday evening attacked another village in Borno State, killing a soldier and 51 other persons. About 16 others, including policemen and traders, were injured while 300 houses were set ablaze by the insurgents in Kawuri, Konduga Local Government Area of the state. Another set of the Boko Haram fighters, armed with guns and explosives, had earlier on Sunday killed 22 people at a church service in Waga Chakawa, Adamawa State. The Kawuri village attackers were said to have planted several explosives in the community after attacking the nearby weekly market as traders were busy getting ready to close their stalls. An eyewitness said those who sustained varying degrees of burns were rushed to the Konduga General Hospital and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for treatment. Bulama Kuliri, a resident of the village, told journalists that the attack lasted for more than four hours. He said, "I believe more than 50 people were killed in the attack because the whole village was razed by the Boko Haram people. There were loud explosions from different directions and dead bodies littered many parts of the village." Another eyewitness, Ari Kolomi, told the Associated Press that "no house in the village was left standing." "The gunmen were more than 50 and they were using explosives and heavy-sounding guns," he added. A soldier said two more improvised explosive devices exploded early on Monday morning, narrowly missing security personnel who were busy collecting corpses. One of the police officers that evacuated the wounded victims, also confirmed that at least 52 people were killed and 16 injured. The state Police Commissioner, Lawan Tanko, confirmed the attack but said he was awaiting details on casualties. A protocol officer in the Government House told journalists that Governor Kashim Shettima was advised to cancel his "planned visit" to the community because "the military were still conducting an operation in the area." Shettima later met behind closed doors with military and police officers in the state over the incident. In Waga Chakawa, witnesses told Reuters that insurgents set off bombs and fired into the congregation in the Catholic Church in a village in Adamawa State. They said the insurgents also burnt houses and took residents hostage during the four-hour siege. The spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Yola, Rev. Father Raymond Danbouye, said those killed were buried at a funeral on Monday. In the last one week, over 100 persons have been killed in attacks by members of the terror group. These attacks, according to the United Nations, led to 6,000 persons fleeing to neighbouring countries like Cameroon and Niger Republic. On January 14 for instance, a car bomb exploded in Maiduguri, killing about 70 people. Communities like Kwaljiri, Kaya, Ngawo Fate, Limanti, Njaba, Yahuri, Mude, Wala and Alau in the Damboa, Konduga and Gwoza Local Government Areas have all been sacked by the

Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Boko Haram kills 74 in church, village
by Kayode Idowu with agency reports

Boko Haram members advertisement

Boko Haram insurgents on Sunday evening attacked another village in Borno State, killing a soldier and 51 other persons.
About 16 others, including policemen and traders, were injured while 300 houses were set ablaze by the insurgents in Kawuri, Konduga Local Government Area of the state.
Another set of the Boko Haram fighters, armed with guns and explosives, had earlier on Sunday killed 22 people at a church service in Waga Chakawa, Adamawa State.
The Kawuri village attackers were said to have planted several explosives in the community after attacking the nearby weekly market as traders were busy getting ready to close their stalls.

Enugu Environment Ministry invades dep gov’s lodge

Enugu Environment Ministry invades dep gov’s lodge
 News    Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Officials of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA evacuating the deputy governor’s poultry. advertisement

By Tony Edike
ENUGU-OFFICIALS of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority and Ministry of Environment, yesterday, invaded the official lodge of the state deputy governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, and carted away over 3,000 chickens and about 40 crates of eggs from his poultry on the orders of the Chief of Staff to the governor, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo.
But Chief Press Secretary to governor, Chukwudi Achife, said it was regrettable that the deputy governor chose to ignore all entreaties, including a government directive, to relocate the birds, especially one that had to do with the health of the people.
The ECTDA and Environment Ministry officials, who were led by their commissioners, Messrs Ikechukwu Ugwuegede and Nnaemeka Chukwuone respectively, arrived the lodge at about 1p.m. yesterday to inform the deputy governor of the Chief of Staff's order to evacuate the birds and demolish the poultry which the government said constituted public health hazard.
Deputy governor watches

How fake gynaecologist was nabbed in Lagos …Charged to court

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How fake gynaecologist was nabbed in Lagos …Charged to court  Metro    Tuesday, January 28, 2014 advertisement On top of the one storey building located at 163, Itire Road, Mushin, Lagos, is a bold inscription ''JOSSY-JD LTD, Obstetric and Gynecology." The poster of an expectant mother canvassing for patronage, adorned the upper floor of the building which was used as private hospital. The poster stated that any pregnant woman who patronises the hospital's Radiology Department, would be entitled to a gift.

Imo govt deports 84 Boko Haram suspects to Katsina

Imo govt deports 84 Boko Haram suspects to Katsina
 News    Tuesday, January 28, 2014

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BY CHIDI NKWOPARA
OWERRI - For fears that they might be members of the dreaded Boko Haram, Imo State government, weekend, sent back to Katsina about 84 persons.
The deportees, mainly youths, had been in Imo State for eight days under-going skill acquisition training when the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state raised an alarm that they might be Boko Haram insurgents.
The young Muslims, who had spent about eight days in the state, were quartered in the premises of Imo Newspapers Limited, on Egbu Road, Owerri, which is now renamed "Imo College of Advanced Professional Studies, ICAPS."

Govt shutdown: PDP, APGA, LP, AP unite against APC

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News    Tuesday, January 28, 2014 From left: Yakubu Brade, Bitrus Kaze, Tom Zakari, Tobias Okwuru and Jerry Alagbaoso, members of National Unity Group of House of Representatives (PDP, Labour and APGA members) addressing newsmen on the call of APC to boycott budget… at National Assembly, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan. advertisement *CNPP disowns scribe on statement *Fashola backs APC Reps *Mu'azu meets PDP House caucus today By Soni Daniel, Kingsley Omonobi, Emma Ovuakporie & Levinus & Nwabughiogu ABUJA - The famed unity in the Aminu Tambuwal-led House of Representatives was unravelling, yesterday, as members began to take position along party lines on the directive by the All Progressives Congress, APC, to shut down the government.